Editorial: Governor deserves right to hire and fire

When a private company hires a new chief executive officer or merges with another firm, employees expect change. Many look for other positions in anticipation of the leadership switch. Often, people lose jobs. It?s part of the dynamic of a market economy. When Proctor & Gamble announced it planned to buy Gillette last year, cutting 6,000 jobs was part of the deal.

Not so in government.

A legislative committee studying Ehrlich appointees? decision to fire about 340 state employees claims the terminations violate state law and the workers? constitutional rights. Among the charges is that the firings abandon precedent. Previous administrations made political recommendations for boards and commissions, not rank and file positions.

Who cares.

Ehrlich is the first Republican governor in nearly 40 years, so previous administrations would have had no particular reason to question worker loyalty.

The whole process makes whining Democratic legislators look like spoiled children. They couldn?t redo the election so they instead opted to undermine the voters? choice through other methods.

Besides, why do state employees deserve life employment? They already receive generous pay, health and retirement benefits. We the people will owe $20 billion to cover their health care benefits as they retire over the next 30 years.

The majority report of the State Employee Rights and Protections Committee recommends making a new class of employees who can?t be fired except for performance. It also suggests a law to allow employees to sue the state iftheir rights are violated.

How about a law instead permitting citizens to sue state legislators for wasting money? Legislators have spent $1 million and more than a year studying job decisions that should fall under the governor?s prerogative.

Will Democrats be so vigilant if Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley wins the gubernatorial election and makes a similar sweep? We?ll be watching.