Comments for 2008 Presidential Transition Initiative http://transition2008.wordpress.com The IBM Center for The Business of Government Weblog Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:38:51 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on FY 2011 Budget: Obama Science Spending by Mike http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/fy-2011-budget-obama-science-spending/#comment-1544 Mike Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:38:51 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1539#comment-1544 Seems like budgets need to get in sooner and less BS...... Seems like budgets need to get in sooner and less BS……

]]> Comment on Government Reform: Senator Obama by John Kamensky http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/government-reform-senator-obama/#comment-1529 John Kamensky Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:48:38 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=398#comment-1529 Hi Sandra -- Thanks! Hope you visit our new blog, where we're looking at how the government is getting things done, given the ambitious agenda the President has set. You can join us there at: www.bizgov.wordpress.com. Hi Sandra — Thanks! Hope you visit our new blog, where we’re looking at how the government is getting things done, given the ambitious agenda the President has set. You can join us there at: http://www.bizgov.wordpress.com.

]]> Comment on Government Reform: Senator Obama by sandrar http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/government-reform-senator-obama/#comment-1526 sandrar Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:26:44 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=398#comment-1526 Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post... nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R. Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.

]]> Comment on Recovery Act: Six Months Old by John Kamensky http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/recovery-act-six-months-old/#comment-1459 John Kamensky Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:07:37 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1551#comment-1459 James -- No idea where you are getting your numbers. The highest commitment (not spent) for total recovery (bailout plus stimulus, plus related, like the cash for clunkers) is about $9.5 trillion . . . and that isn't monies spent, just monies committed. Here's the best breakout table I've seen, from US Budget Watch: http://www.usbudgetwatch.org/stimulus? The real numbers are scary enough. Please be a responsible commenter! And if you've got a better source, please comment! James — No idea where you are getting your numbers. The highest commitment (not spent) for total recovery (bailout plus stimulus, plus related, like the cash for clunkers) is about $9.5 trillion . . . and that isn’t monies spent, just monies committed. Here’s the best breakout table I’ve seen, from US Budget Watch: http://www.usbudgetwatch.org/stimulus?

The real numbers are scary enough. Please be a responsible commenter! And if you’ve got a better source, please comment!

]]> Comment on Recovery Act: Six Months Old by James http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/recovery-act-six-months-old/#comment-1456 James Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:27:24 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1551#comment-1456 if you spent $30 MILLION a day every single day for 2000 years it would still not equal to obama’s $23.7 TRILLLION in financial bailouts … the main reasons why people get poorer are because of higher taxes and inflation. if you spent $30 MILLION a day every single day for 2000 years it would still not equal to obama’s $23.7 TRILLLION in financial bailouts

… the main reasons why people get poorer are because of higher taxes and inflation.

]]> Comment on FY 2011 Budget: Place-Based Policies by Norman M. Macdonald http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/fy-2011-budget-place-based-policies/#comment-1452 Norman M. Macdonald Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:44 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1547#comment-1452 This is similar to the approach I took when I was assigned by the Forest Service to the Reinventing Government effort ten years ago. I was detailed to the National Performance Review in the Office of the Vice President and we had the authority to wave any local regulation that was not backed by a public law or the CFR. Just having the authority opened many doors and the interesting thing that most things were neat stuff done in the "back room"or in quiet collaboration. This approach is the only way to go. Much of the neat stuff is surviving and morphing in interesting ways. This is similar to the approach I took when I was assigned by the Forest Service to the Reinventing Government effort ten years ago. I was detailed to the National Performance Review in the Office of the Vice President and we had the authority to wave any local regulation that was not backed by a public law or the CFR. Just having the authority opened many doors and the interesting thing that most things were neat stuff done in the “back room”or in quiet collaboration. This approach is the only way to go. Much of the neat stuff is surviving and morphing in interesting ways.

]]> Comment on FY 2011 Budget: Obama Science Spending by Norman M. Macdonald http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/fy-2011-budget-obama-science-spending/#comment-1448 Norman M. Macdonald Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:44:23 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1539#comment-1448 Your final paragraph is intriguing and brings back pleasant memories about a time in my youth working for NASA (1961-1966) when this was the method of operation. Those were the days when NASA was ahead of schedule and under cost. Your final paragraph is intriguing and brings back pleasant memories about a time in my youth working for NASA (1961-1966) when this was the method of operation. Those were the days when NASA was ahead of schedule and under cost.

]]> Comment on Retooling Democracy by Ed http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/retooling-democracy/#comment-1435 Ed Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:47:41 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1524#comment-1435 It is nice that they are trying, but there is an implicit fail in the government *giving* participatory government to us. Democracy is not a top-down thing, and it cannot be brought about this way. Instead, I would invite readers to look at the many emerging bottom-up approaches involved in the Metagovernment project: http://metagovernment.org/ and/or the many other similar projects: http://metagovernment.org/wiki/Related_projects As long as we have to wait around hoping that democracy will be granted to us, we will never have it. We must bring it about. And now we have the tools to do so. No presidents required. It is nice that they are trying, but there is an implicit fail in the government *giving* participatory government to us. Democracy is not a top-down thing, and it cannot be brought about this way.

Instead, I would invite readers to look at the many emerging bottom-up approaches involved in the Metagovernment project:
http://metagovernment.org/
and/or the many other similar projects:
http://metagovernment.org/wiki/Related_projects

As long as we have to wait around hoping that democracy will be granted to us, we will never have it. We must bring it about. And now we have the tools to do so. No presidents required.

]]> Comment on Retooling Democracy by Norman M. Macdonald http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/retooling-democracy/#comment-1434 Norman M. Macdonald Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:03:08 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1524#comment-1434 The ideas are noble and they remind me of many of the ideas that were floating around during the reinventing government effort. A key element has been overlooked how do we get the rank and file Federal Civil Service to buy into the new effort. For eight years they have been starved for people and money while many of the innovative thinkers have been forced out. Now the future is bright and morale is on the rise this is a good time for the Federal Civil Service to a 360 degree evaluation on where it stands and what are the ground level needs. This would be an evaluation where everyone has a place at the table - this will gather interesting information and would be the buy in for the rank and file. The ideas are noble and they remind me of many of the ideas that were floating around during the reinventing government effort. A key element has been overlooked how do we get the rank and file Federal Civil Service to buy into the new effort. For eight years they have been starved for people and money while many of the innovative thinkers have been forced out. Now the future is bright and morale is on the rise this is a good time for the Federal Civil Service to a 360 degree evaluation on where it stands and what are the ground level needs. This would be an evaluation where everyone has a place at the table – this will gather interesting information and would be the buy in for the rank and file.

]]> Comment on Retooling Democracy by John Kamensky http://transition2008.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/retooling-democracy/#comment-1427 John Kamensky Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:03:28 +0000 http://transition2008.wordpress.com/?p=1524#comment-1427 Hi Carmen -- Let me fix the links on this. Thanks for the added resources! Hi Carmen — Let me fix the links on this. Thanks for the added resources!

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