By Paul Weinstein, for The Politico
The 2008 campaign is already defining itself as a contest over how to solve the problems George W. Bush will leave behind. To the long list of messes the next president will have to mop up, add another: the astonishing growth of America’s budget deficit.
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'Government Reform'
Debt adds up to national security deficit
Published May 25th, 2007 in Security, Opportunity, Government Reform, What's the Big Idea? and So You Want to Be President.Age Wave: It’s time to prepare for the graying of America
Published April 30th, 2007 in Opportunity, Government Reform and What's the Big Idea?.By Janet Napolitano (for Blueprint Magazine)
Last year, the first baby boomers, including former President Clinton and President George W. Bush, celebrated their 60th birthdays. They are on the leading edge of a huge demographic wave. In fact, 330 Americans are now turning 60 every hour. Is the country ready?
Opportunity in the 21st Century
Published April 20th, 2007 in Security, Opportunity, Government Reform, Hybrid Economy and Helping Families.A Congressional Agenda
As the world changes, Americans are searching for leaders who can help ease their — and our country’s — transition into the new global environment. Whether it is providing greater opportunity and financial stability as industries change, expanding access to college, lessening our dependence on foreign oil, or ensuring safer neighborhoods and communities […]
Clinton Outlines Proposals for Reform
Published April 20th, 2007 in Government Reform and Ideas to Watch.From The Boston Globe
Senator Hillary Clinton of New York yesterday outlined a set of measures that she said would streamline government, reduce corruption in government contracting, and make official transactions more open and efficient.
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Many of the incentives given to private companies are legitimate and serve a valuable public purpose. However, deciphering the useful from the wasteful is difficult. In order to diminish unnecessary spending, the federal government should follow the recommendations of Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman to form a bipartisan, binding corporate welfare commission. This commission […]
Data-Driven Government Performance
Published April 19th, 2007 in Government Reform and Ideas We Like.One way to both improve services and allow citizens to better hold officials accountable is to adopt information technology systems that assemble data on key government services. Improving access to information on the quality and efficiency of government services not only allows citizens to better assess performance, it allows elected officials to more readily identify […]
In states and cities around the country, elected officials are looking for budget solutions to counter soaring deficits and shrinking revenues. With crucial services at stake and often new security threats as well, citizens expect officials to make government do more with fewer resources. There is no easy solution, but a number of elected officials […]
In the scramble for budget solutions, policymakers should carefully consider reforms that will help prevent this sort of crisis in the future, while making it easier to contain the fiscal damage that occurs when revenues fall quickly and sharply. To help prevent and solve budget problems related to inaccurate numbers and undisciplined spending, policymakers should […]
Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) challenges public leaders to determine what outcomes citizens most value, prioritize their tax dollars to purchase those results, and rethink the way their departments and agencies go about producing them. The traditional question in cost-based budgeting is: What programs can we cut to keep the budget in balance? Budgeting for Outcomes […]
Charter Agencies end status quo governing and better serve citizens by offering participating government departments a “new bureaucracy-busting deal.” In exchange for greater flexibility and freedom to innovate, charter agencies must commit to producing measurable benefits and creating cost savings for the entire state.
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Charter Agencies
Switch to Direct Lending for Student Loans
Published April 18th, 2007 in Government Reform and Ideas We Like.The majority of federal student loans come in the form of guaranteed loans which are highly inefficient and unnecessarily expensive. Under the guaranteed student loan program, banks lend students money and then profit from their interest payments. At the same time, the government guarantees the loans against default and makes subsidy payments to the banks. […]
