Along with his effort to fill the federal judiciary, something else President Trump needs to do is get the federal bureaucracy under control. Along with eliminating as many federal bureaucracy positions as possible, he also needs to get behind Senate efforts to eliminate the practice known as “burrowing.” Burrowing is where political appointees of one administration, towards the end of their term, get their status changed from political appointee to full-time career civil servant. The objective of this is to put civil servants who are almost unfireable, into positions where they can impede a subsequent administration.

The Obama administration did this to great effect. Much of the resistance to President Trump’s efforts to fulfill his campaign promises is due to Obama holdovers who, at best, drag their feet and, at worst, openly defy his orders. //

Both the House and the Senate have passed different versions of a bill to prevent this practice. However, neither bill goes far enough. President Trump should get behind such a bill, but the prohibition on a Presidential political appointee taking a career Civil Service position, should extend for as long as the President who appointed him is in office and for 180 days thereafter.