Abstract
In 1990, the Supreme Court, in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, prohibited hiring and termination based on party affiliation for most government positions. The Court's ruling in Rutan has been hailed as the blow that finally ended the outdated practice of patronage in this country. In this article, we argue that the Court's rulings have been ill conceived, based on misconceptions of patronage and the options available to elected officials in the control and motivation of government employees. In striking at patronage powers, the Court has served to make the bureaucracy more autonomous and unwittingly has contributed to the current state of discontent with the performance of government.
How to Cite
37 Ariz. L. Rev. 791 (1995)
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