Is it public sector unions?
Is it simply public opinion and optics, fear of doing the right thing out of the political consequences (specifically giving the other side ammunition to criticize you?)
Is it Wrongful termination lawsuits?
If its this last one, just go ahead and get rid of the swamplings, we the people will pay if the government loses in court. Just add the damages to the Defense appropriations bill like you do everything else, such as tanks we'll never use or thousands of micro nukes we'll never use but cost us trillions so that hillary et al can have more money
JUST DO IT
Big problem — can’t fire. Best you can try to do is move them to useless jobs. I understand Dept of Interior tried to reorganize and may have had some limited success.
Trumps plan to relocate the majority of these apparatchiks offices out into flyover country will likely have the same net effect. All the swamplings will quit and try to get another job that lets them live the good life in the Capitol. I say as soon as one bureau is moved, immediately sell off it's buildings to the private sector to bollix any future administration that wants to reconcentrate power in DC.