Jennifer Pahlka discusses the launch of the Recoding America Fund, a philanthropic initiative aimed at reforming government operations to better meet contemporary challenges. She highlights the difficulties in shifting government ...
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Jennifer Pahlka is the author of the website Eating Policy, a Substack publication. The site discusses the problems of state capacity, which is the government's ability to achieve its policy goals, and explores ways to address these issues. Jennifer Pahlka is also the author of 'Recoding America'.
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The blog post discusses the transformation of the FAFSA system by the Department of Education, highlighting the shift from a project-based to a product-based operating model. It details the challenges faced during the initial roll...
The article discusses the backlog of unemployment insurance claims exacerbated by the pandemic, highlighting that outdated regulations, rather than the COBOL programming language, are the primary issue. It emphasizes the need for ...
The post explores critical civil service reforms and the impact of new policies on federal employees, emphasizing the need for comprehensive changes to improve government effectiveness.
The author discusses the challenges faced by American progressives, particularly in relation to implementing a wealth tax, as highlighted by Joseph Heath's critique. Heath argues that while progressives desire a welfare state simi...
The author reflects on the misalignment between the roles of public servants and the actual needs of society, particularly in the context of transportation engineering and education policy. They argue that many public servants are...
A roundup of insights on state capacity, highlighting bureaucratic inefficiencies, hiring practices, and the challenges faced by public sector unions in improving government services.
The article discusses the Outcomes Reviews initiative launched by California Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of laws passed by the legislature. It emphasizes the need for a test-and-lear...
The author, Jennifer Pahlka, expresses a desire to write a book titled 'Better Politicians and How to Elect Them,' focusing on politicians who effectively reform government operations. She highlights the example of San Jose Mayor ...
Gabe Menchaca critiques the Trump Administration's proposed rule to ban paper straws, arguing that it reflects a broader trend of using government procurement policies to advance ideological goals unrelated to their core functions...
The text discusses the impact of the DOGE team's actions in the US government, particularly in terms of staff cuts, contract cancellations, and software development. It also highlights the challenges of implementing change in gove...
The text discusses the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and its impact on the US government. It compares the PRA to similar laws in other countries and explores alternative approaches to reduce burden on citizens. The author argues t...
The text discusses the Paperwork Reduction Act and its unintended consequences. It explains the burden it places on federal agencies and the public, and how it has failed to reduce the burden of information collection. The author ...
The text discusses the dangers of defining oneself solely in opposition to an enemy, using the example of the left's opposition to Trump. It highlights the negative impact of reflexive reactions and opposite mode on policy priorit...
The text discusses a GAO decision memo regarding the use of appropriations for bottled water for soldiers. It delves into the background of the author of the memo, the process of writing the memo, and the cost involved. It also hi...
0Planning isn’t progress
2025-03-31 • infrastructure policy government agile
The text discusses the challenges of the Biden Administration's infrastructure goals, particularly the rural broadband program, and the inefficiencies caused by Congress's overcomplicated design. It explains the reasons behind the...
0Punching left or punching back?
2025-03-20 • decision making donald trump
The text discusses the issues of affordable housing, supply restrictions, and the impact of small groups with self-serving interests on decision-making. It also addresses the dissatisfaction with Democrats' leadership and the need...
0Why Nothing Works
2025-02-28 • politics reform bureaucracy government progressivism
The text discusses the need for government reform and the challenges faced by the left in building a positive vision for the country. It highlights the importance of shedding ingrained ways of thinking and challenging conventional...
0Jed
2025-02-06 •
The text discusses the story of a career civil servant named Jed, who maintained a system called VACOLS for decades, and the challenges he faced. It highlights the complexity and fragility of government systems and the dedication ...
0Vast carelessness
2025-01-29 •
The post discusses the impact of a two-pager memo from OMB on grants, which has caused confusion and fear among civil servants and organizations. It highlights the potential violations of grant agreements and the lack of planning ...
0Thoughts for Inauguration Day
2025-01-20 •
The text discusses the importance of protecting the rule of law and the challenges faced by the modern state. It also draws parallels between the author's personal battle with cancer and the need for change and imagination in the ...
0The view from space
2024-12-27 •
The text is an excerpt from the book Orbital by Samantha Harvey, which is set on the International Space Station and reflects on earth and humanity from the collective perspective of orbit. It describes the astronauts' perspective...
0Dear Mr. Kupor: Please fix federal hiring
2024-12-23 •
The text discusses the issues with the federal hiring process and the challenges faced by hiring managers in the government. It highlights the inefficiencies and biases in the current system and suggests the need for reform. The a...
0Um, Congress, you might want to take a look at this
2024-12-20 •
The text discusses the potential of using AI to break through the wall of complex law and policy, and the impact of DOGE on public awareness of Congress's lack of understanding of what is going on. It also highlights the challenge...