Since the 1990s, states like Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Arizona moved to at‑will employment, ended collective bargaining, and gave managers discretion over hiring and pay. Surveys and operational metrics suggest performance gains with little evidence of politicization. The federal debate lags decades behind this evidence.
— It challenges the federal Overton window by pointing to large-scale, bipartisan state experiments that rebut fears about politicization.
Alex Tabarrok
2025.08.25
50% relevant
Both pieces argue that public‑sector employment design strongly shapes outcomes: this article shows high wages and job security pull top talent into government and depress private‑sector productivity (e.g., Greece’s 10% public wage cut → +3.8% private productivity, −7.3% unemployment), while the existing idea documents performance gains from flexible civil‑service rules. Together they suggest HR incentives, not just headcount, drive efficiency.
Ian Birrell
2025.08.24
60% relevant
The all‑charter, contract‑based system effectively moved schools toward at‑will managerial discretion and accountability, paralleling state evidence that granting managers real hiring and pay control can improve performance without the predicted politicization.
Santi Ruiz
2025.08.21
100% relevant
The paper by Judge Glock and Renu Mukherjee cataloging four reforms and reporting positive manager evaluations and capacity rankings in those states.
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