In a speech on Monday in Florida, the Republican presidential candidate unveiled his plan for "disrupting" Washington by downsizing the federal government.
Bush's plan takes aim at the federal budget. He proposes cutting the number of federal employees by at least 10% and radically overhauling the budget process to require a balanced budget, a controversial prescription popular with the conservative base.
"It will not be my intention to preside over the establishment, but in every way I know to disrupt that establishment and make it accountable to the people," Bush said.
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Bush says that he will institute a policy of hiring one employee for every three who leave when it comes to federal hiring, with the exception of national-security related jobs. Bush suggested that federal agencies shouldn't replace many workers who retire — according to the governor, 10% of the federal workforce will retire within the next five years, and "not everyone who leaves has to be replaced."
And then there's this:
- Merit pay. Bush claims too many mediocre federal employees are being paid the same as exemplary employees. Though he didn't delve too far into specifics on this point, the former Florida governor said that he'll make it easier to fire bad federal employees.
It seems both the rhetoric and policies of Jeb's education reform agenda will now be leveled at the federal government and federal workers too.
Can "turnarounds" for federal departments be far behind?
Maybe receivership for some federal departments, with goals to be hit or the whole thing gets turned over to a non-profit charter entity?
Oh, the ideas for bringing education reform ideas to Washington government are limitless.
How exciting!
