No tenure in Trump administration

The only job security in a President Trump administration isÂ…well, doing a good job -- or at least the job one is expected to do. I find this incredibly refreshing. As a teacher by profession, I have seen what such security -- also known as tenure -- looks like. It is and will always be a controversial subject. Every teacher knows at least one other teacher who, but for tenure, would have gotten the boot a long time ago.

Recent happenings in D.C. reveal that no one working for President Trump is afforded the opportunity to rest on his laurels and do his own thing. He will do what he was hired to do, in a way pleasing to the one who hired him to do it. Even those, on the outside looking in, who oppose the president's agenda, cannot deny that this is what is expected of employees. Do the job, and do it well. Too often, however, folks get comfy and cushy after a while. Those who take that approach in this Trump era will find themselves unemployed. The man who hired them is not afraid to fire them -- or ask them to resign. Semantics. Ask Sally Yates, James Comey, Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus and the latest causality, Anthony Scaramucci, to name a few.

Too bad members of Congress who have become permanent D.C. fixtures don't face the same reality. Too bad many don't come to work every day knowing their jobs are on the line. Too bad their constituents put up with them doing nothing, which, by the way, is one thing they do well. This explains their embarrassing approval rating, which, depending on the poll, is anywhere between 10 and 20 percent. Trump would have said, "You're fired!" a long time ago if he could have. Maybe their constituents have not because they've embraced a philosophy akin to the adage "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't."

Trump, however, is not tolerating any devils. Granted, some people think he himself is the devil. But in the best interests of the nation and out of respect for hard work, I hope we all can agree that no matter the side of the aisle we sit, there's something to be said for leaders who aren't afraid to hold people accountable. Do your job, or get out of the way. Come to work knowing you have to prove yourself every day.

How differently would we drive, for example, if we faced a daily road test? We'd be on our Ps and Qs, and that's how it should be. I'm not suggesting employees should be terrified or uptight, but I am talking about doing right, representing well, putting in your best effort and getting the job done.

There's a new sheriff in town, who, by all accounts -- like him or not -- works harder and longer than anyone else in his administration. His staff is going to have to step up, or they'll be told to step off. Good!

Lately, people are dropping like flies in this administration. Mooch wasn't there long enough to leave fingerprints, but he still had to leave -- and all the times during his 10-day tenure that he said, "I love the president" helped him not at all.

Call it what you will, but leadership is laying down the law, expecting your standards to be met and not tolerating nonsense. I support our president, but as readers know, I don't agree with him on everything. On this approach, I agree. I agree that when folks don't cut mustard, they need to go. I agree that they need to know that they can be asked to go at any time, so they need to serve well. President Trump has awakened an awareness of vulnerability that has been lacking. Everyone knows who's in charge.

I take no delight in people losing their jobs, but I do take delight in people knowing they might. Realizing no one is irreplaceable -- not even you -- means sharper work. It invites a certain healthy fear.

No doubt, more will go before it's over. Many more will stay -- but they'll stay with an awareness that there's no tenure in this White House, and they, too, can be shown the door at any time. These people ultimately work for we the people, and their conduct has far-reaching ramifications. So say what you will about the president, his political party and his policies; he promised to drain the swamp, and everyone now knows the drain is always open.

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member. Contact her at aross@semissourian.com.