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In light of recent events (at least, I’m pretty sure that the past few weeks have had something to do with it), Paul Volcker (former chairman of the federal reserve, under both Reagan and Carter) has launched a new project: the Volcker Alliance, which is “aimed at improving how government works at the local, state, and federal levels.”
The idea is to go beyond partisan lines, and focus on the current issue — the public has lost faith in the government, to a much higher degree than previous generations ever did. State, local, and federal government has become inefficient in many areas and too many boards/committees/etc overlap. This isn’t a party issue! Improved government policy helps liberals as well as conservatives, especially on a local level.
details are still a bit hazy, but essentially, the alliance plans to work with leaders in higher education, business, and government to create a “forum for open discussion”. They want produce ideas for new policy implementation, as well as sponsor actions that will reduce government waste and increase efficiency.
perhaps privately sponsored organizations aimed at increasing government efficiency will have a real impact because they work from the outside
what do you think? Is this mission to restore public faith in government far-fetched?
heres a mission statement that was released today:
http://volckeralliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Volcker-Alliance_Press-Release_28May2013.pdf
It’s an interesting read, and an interesting group. However, in my view, public distrust of government can be a healthy thing. The public doesn’t trust government because they witness their inefficiencies…government must fix itself.
But it’s an interesting group nonetheless, and should be fascinating to watch if it develops and begins to shape policy at all.
@coppersmith
at the same time, you can see this sort of thing mirrored in industry, and I think that outside interference may be very effective
the food and oil industries, for example — many large corporations got out of hand and lost an overwhelming amount of public trust. There was no way to clean them up from the inside; even government was often too corrupt to really handle corporate regulation
it took action on behalf of the consumers to create change. Its similar here… private industry, run by people, may have an impact on government in ways that powerful organizations cannot.
i don’t mean to be naive. it may stand no chance at all. But with the right people on board, possibilities arise. the mission, at least, seems genuine.
I do not think it is far fetched to try to restore faith in the govern,met. In fact it is inspiring that organizations with a mission to do so are propping up. I think it will take a lot of time. The American people did not lose faith in their government overnight and they won’t get it back overnight either. It will take time. Of course, nothing will get done of we do not try. To Cooper’s point, I agree government mistrust is a good thing but right now government mistrust is overwhelming. Corruption is accepted. Most people on both sides of the aisle excuse corruption if their party is I’m charge and just say oh well that’s politics. We need to hold our government accountable through our mistrust rather than just accept it.
Government cannot and never will “fix itself” .
It has no motivation to do so and no means to accomplish the goal even if it had the desire.Which it most certainly does not.
On the contrary it is entirely the goal of government to grow ever bigger as it has all through history.
The DEA can only exist if the drug war goes on forever.
The TSA can only exist if the terrorist threat lasts forever.
It IRS can only exist so long as the tax code remains so complicated.
The department of energy can only exist if we have an energy shortage (imagine the energy department complaining we have too much)
This reasoning applies to every facit of government.
Only a fed up DETERMINED citizenry can change this. That is why the government,whether intentionally or by happenstance always finds a new crisis whenever the public focuses on reducing the government.
The ONLY alternative I see is to institute zero based budgeting with every government agency or department having to justify its very existance every few years and demonstrate a cost/benefit analysis in order to remain funded.
My guess is that over 50% if government would just disappear if that were done.
Of course all those newly unemployed people would have to be supported during the transition but at least there will be a “light at the end of the tunnel’.
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