our federal workforce, the pendleton act set it up this way because we don't want americans fearing the people who read our tax returns are political. they are not. i served twice at the justice department. once in the solicitor general's office all with career deputies and lawyers and one in the attorney general's office where he works and both times, staffed with career people and honestly, brings tears to your eyes to see how nonpolitical the folks are day in and day out. it was incredibly inspiring to me and to have the president say this stuff, yes, it's a theme on homeland, the tv show, but it isn't something we expect in america. it's something chavez did in venezuela and erdogan did in turkey firing 150,000 civil service workers, but this is not the american government, not since 1883. >> it's not a violation of law