Open Government Dialogue
« Back To OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm
"MyGov.gov" --> Customized to What Affects YOU
When you create an employment profile at USAjobs.gov, an email-alert will be sent to you when it finds a federal job vacancy that matches your profile. You don't do the job searching -- the job vacancy "finds" you.

But we should create a broader system -- "MyGov.gov" -- that looks over ALL those government proposals (e.g., policies, programs, projects) that match what YOU indicate would be of interest to YOU. And when there's a match, you get an email about it. For example:

Is a new highway exit being proposed near you? --> MyGov.gov alerts you about the public hearings.

Does someone want a wind-turbine close by? --> MyGov.gov tells you about the permit application.

A regulation proposed that would affect your business? --> MyGov.gov sends you the public notice.

Every one of us has special interests in certain things that our government does (or might do). Therefore, we need to set up a modern notification system ("MyGov.gov") that sends an email-message when YOUR special interests might be affected by a specific government proposal.

Actually, there IS a "notification system" that's been around for decades. It's called the "Federal Register", but it does a poor job of notifying the average citizen about public proposals and plans of the U.S. government.

Every week, the Federal Register publishes hundreds of public notices from federal departments and agencies asking the public (that means you) to give them feedback on their proposals for doing their govt. work. But even though the Federal Register is now online, it can takes hours every day to determine if any of it might affect you.

And that is why we need "MyGov.gov" -- the customized government portal to YOU.

respectfully,
Stephen Buckley
http://www.UStransparency.com

P.S. "MyGov.gov" would be similar to the "MyRegulations" concept being considered under Regulations.gov (but it would be limited to *regulations*, not actual projects like highways, bridges, wind-turbines, etc.).

Why Is This Idea Important?

Given the present system, it is understandable why most people are NOT properly notified about the opportunities to participate in the decisionmaking of federal agencies. AND if they don't know what's going on, then they can't participate. So if we want more public participation in federal decisionmaking, then we need something like "MyGov.gov" to let more people know how to do that.
Comments
thurst1985 8 months ago
Stephen,

Have you seen my Citizen Portal idea? Do you think your proposal could be a part of a citizen portal, such as using e-mail alerts or RSS to alert citizens of new initiatives? For example, if you are interested in government action concerning banking at the local level, you could customize your alerts so that you are notified when you log in, via e-mail, or RSS.

I don't think there is a function on this site to merge ideas, but if you think your idea would be compatible with my broader Citizen Portal idea then let me know.

- Tom
thurst1985 8 months ago
Stephen,

Actually the homepage of this site says brainstorming is over May 28th and then discussion begins on June 3rd. I'm assuming that is to let them process and merge ideas to see which were popular (so our ideas could have been merged anyway). My comment on the combination of the Sunlight Foundation sites was not intended to be a comment on the kind of software, but rather the functionality. Combining all of their sites would lead to a lot of functionality, from news, monitoring bills, and overseeing lobbyists and campaign finance (MAPLight).

I've not only commented on your post but various others as well, including the function to rate discussions and let them go to the top or to use a policy wiki. I'm not sure where a good discussion could take place (I'd like to include others who have commented on our posts) but I will e-mail you so we have a line of direct contact (I may even add your blog to my RSS feed!).

Cheers,

- Tom
This is a super idea, and one that is consistent with Citizen Portal and the ideas in my book (free online at www.oss.net, not just for sale at Amazon), THE NEW CRAFT OF INTELLIGENCE: Personal, Public, & Political, in which my own rendition of the citizen portal allows anyone to select their priority issues and then see who is spending what, who is deciding what, who is advocating what, and then "link in" and "weigh in."

The USG is not yet serious about this, this Open website effort limited to a few days over the Memorial Week-end is nothing more than a mini'circus that will go nowhere unless everyone demands that it be extended for 30 days, left online permanently, and upgrades to a proper Web 2.0 visualization and consolidation site by the Internet Center at Harvard and/or others.
philipmurphy 8 months ago
This is an important idea. A first step in encouraging citizens to participate is to make it easy to see what legislation, rules changes etc directly effect where they live. Being able to create you own filters (e.g., all changes that effect where you live) of relevancy would be very useful in making sure MyGov.gov does not become overwhelming.
earthintelnet 8 months ago
Good stuff. This is also why I posted something similar about zipcode info updates,
with examples being to combine http://everyblock.com with a map like this http://benfry.com/zipdecode

http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3098-4049
Stephen Buckley 8 months ago
Dear fellow "Idea" brainstormers and commentors:

For news and moderated discussion (public, but unofficial) about the
continuing development and implementation of the "Open Government
Directive", you are invited to either:

1. send mailto:opengovernmentdirective+subscribe@googlegroups.com

2. visit http://groups.google.com/group/opengovernmentdirective

NOTE: Because I am posting this to the Comment section of some
(but not all) Ideas, you may see this message more than once.
I apologize for that.

vr,
Stephen Buckley
http://www.UStransparency.com
Stephen Buckley 8 months ago
As the author of this idea, I want you to know that
a "citizen-centric" portal is not my idea alone.
Here's something that I posted at GovLoop.com back
in February (notice the link):

(quote begins)

Are you a little bit exasperated with people in your
agency who don't quite "get it" about Web 2.0
(or who think they do)?

See the URL below for something that is much more
readable because it is not written in geek-speak.
But watch out, it's also impressive in how it
describes the future role of social-networking
and open-government policy as part of "Public Media 2.0".

Customer-service nerds will especially like the
graphic showing "The Customer is the new Platform"
(a quote by Doc Searls) referring to "the people
formerly known as the audience" (or, in government
terms, "the public"). See page 7.

"Public Media 2.0: Dynamic, Engaged Publics"
by American Univ.'s Center for Social Media:

http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/documents/whitepaper.pdf

(quote ends)
I voted for this sometime back and am glad to be brought back by your comment. Public Media 2.0 is a righteous good document and I have linked to it from Earth Intelligence Network.
Stephen Buckley 8 months ago
Dear Commentors:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my
"Brainstorm Idea" for a more transparent
and open federal government (at least,
for the executive branch).

Even though the site for "Brainstorming" will
be open until June 19th, the second phase
will kick off June 3rd (Wednesday) with a
"Discussion Blog" (of some kind).

Not knowing how that "blog" will work, it
may be wise to keep this channel open if
we need to share thoughts about the how
this idea fares in Phase 2.

So be sure to continue watching for
email-notices about the new comments
placed here.

(If you are reading this on the web, and
want to receive email-updates of new postings
on this Idea, just leave any sort of comment,
and you will be kept updated.)

vr,
Stephen Buckley
http://www.UStransparency.com
Related Topics/Ideas
Title

















































































Activity Chart
Controversy Meter