Law360, New York (January 2, 2014, 6:05 PM EST) -- Government must be staffed to operate. Staffing the government with the nation's most talented individuals is challenging, and has been since the dawn of the republic. President Lincoln would recognize the current staffing model, which relies at the highest levels largely on political appointees, and therefore, mostly amateurs. This tradition has been a source of national strength compared with other countries, harnessing the power of the private, academic and other nongovernment sectors for public service, and avoiding the stultifying effects of a permanent civil service and a single governing class. However, the American system depends upon relatively low barriers to entry. High costs or risks will sabotage the ability of either party to get individuals to leave other, often more remunerative, lives for the hard work of government....