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Reagan remembered for hard-line approach on personnel issues
Immediately after he was sworn in as the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan implemented a hiring freeze on federal civilian agencies.
Immediately, as in, before he even left the Capitol building.
This was the opening salvo in a presidency that aimed to fundamentally alter personnel management in the federal government, according to supporters, critics and Reagan himself.
"This action is necessary because the national budget is out of control," Reagan said in the Jan. 20, 1981, memorandum ordering the freeze. "I pledged that we would take this action as a first step towards controlling the growth and size of government and stopping the drain on the economy by the public sector. Imposing a freeze now can eventually lead to a significant reduction in the size of the Federal work force."
Reagan died Saturday at 93. His impact on the federal government is still being felt today, according to senior personnel officials who served in the 1980s.
"He expressed to me from day one that he was going to put a limit on domestic spending and domestic bureaucracy," said Don Devine, director of the Office of Personnel Management during Reagan's first term. "He told me from the beginning that he was a personnel officer in the Army during World War II, and he didn't like all the bureaucratic regulation and how hard it was to reward or discipline employees."
Devine hailed the hiring freeze and Reagan's dismissal, en masse, of Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization workers.
"These were tough moves, and I understand that federal employees, especially those directly affected by it, would not look favorably at it. But for the good of the country, something had to be done," Devine said. "He had to do something to show the country that he was serious."
Some of those moves, however, were not only difficult, but also counterproductive, according to James Pfiffner, a professor of government and politics at George Mason University in Virginia who served at OPM under President Jimmy Carter and Reagan.
"That was fairly disruptive," Pfiffner said of the hiring freeze. He said appointed officials also became more hostile to federal workers after Reagan assumed the presidency.
Though Reagan's policies drew resentment from federal workers unions, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, John Gage, said Monday: "Although the American labor community often found itself at odds with President Ronald Reagan, AFGE mourns the loss of a worthy opponent and a great American."
OPM Director Kay Coles James said Tuesday that Reagan's opposition to big government did not mean he was opposed to federal workers.
"I think a lot of people who covered Reagan did not make that distinction well," James said in an interview. Critics say that "because he didn't like expansive government, he didn't like federal workers. You can't make that leap, and you shouldn't."
Regardless of how Reagan felt about federal employees, Pfiffner said the president's efforts to depict the government as bloated and ineffective have tarred civil servants ever since.
"He did damage to the federal civil service, with his really negative attitude at them," Pfiffner said. "Reagan encouraged [Americans] to think that government administrators were bad or lazy."
Devine said Reagan's legacy runs strong in the federal government, but in a different way.
"His influence is still felt in terms of the reluctance to adopt major new program areas, the concern about ... the size of government."
COMMENTS
- Get real folks! The adiminstration is not in place to do what is good for federal workers! The administration should reflect the desires of the American voters - that is why they win elections. The Republicans always have supported a smaller federal government. They never have achieved it however. The bill for federal government grows and grows with Republicans. (by the way-that is good for federal employees but not the country). The only area the Republicans seem to be able to get the government smaller is in the number of employees. They pay more for private ocntractors than they would be government empolyees but they probably can get rid of those empolyees a lot more. The problem is not the administration it is the House of Representatives! That is were all money bills must start and the triple spending is directly the fault of the House not the President. The President may ask for things but the House is responsible to deny them and they don't. They are more interested in getting elected not doing what is correct for the USA. That is why we need term limits and the need to get rid of "professional" politians! tax payer Posted June 14, 2004 7:25 AM
- Ronald Reagan was neither the best, nor the worst President we as a nation have ever had. All too often this nation blames an individual for the shortcomings of an entire administration. His death is no more or less tragic than the death of any other man's. So as to all men, we should let him rest in peace. But Donnie Devine is another matter. Because you see, Donnie still hasn't learned when to keep his ignorant mouth shut. Who cares what Ron thought as an Army personnel officer?! Why bring it up now? Unless you're still trying to make him look good so you in turn look good. Sorry Donnie. You blew your credibility on the air traffic controllers issue. (among others) As President, Ron had to do something. But he didn't necessarily know what he was doing. That's why a President has his staff around him. For good advice and guidence. But you dodged the real issues. Then hide behind that lame expression, "for the good of the country". Ya still can't admit ya screwed up. You let him fire those people. Thereby putting the public and the airlines in jeopardy. There are many who realize just how, in fact, that was the act of a weak and foolish administration. "Nothing is as strong as gentleness. Nothing is as gentle as true strength." Ever hear of that Donnie? Didn't think so. The next working day after Ron fired those folks, every federal employee east of the Mississippi could have stayed home. The next day every federal employee west of the Mississippi could have followed. And then what? Yah, I know. Federal employees can't do that. For your information Donnie, we're Americans first. And Americans don't like being pushed around, by anybody. There could be more wolves among the sheep than you ever dreamed of. Oh, one last thing. When are you and your kind going to get it through your thick heads?! Reducing the number of federal employees doesn't do a thing about reducing the size of the government. It just cheapens what's left. Art Doss Posted June 13, 2004 10:26 PM
- I honor President Reagan. A mediocre actor on stage, he was a brilliant one in the White House. Amazing how gullible the American people are. Steve Johnson Posted June 10, 2004 3:54 PM
