[zippy5]

It’s one thing to pay a highly competent person 6 figures. It’s an entirely different thing if you can’t fire them. I’m not saying that the government doesn’t need more competent people but it’s not going to work if there’s a bigger carrot and no stick.

[wslack]

Part of a solution for that are term-limited civil service jobs - that keeps a rotation of talent and low performers can't stay forever.

That said, you raise an important problem - how do you manage poor performers without allowing a bad-faith political official to fire people unfairly?

[dodobirdlord]

Provide clear mandates and then structurally separate organizations that should exist indefinitely from most interference by elected officials. Some of the most effective institutions of the US Government are the ones that were deliberately structured to be self-organizing, the military, the federal reserve system, and (until recently) the postal service.