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jgoldman

User Profile Image jgoldman
Member since : May-21-2009 (Verified)
4 Ideas, 5 Comments, 372 Votes

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Ideas Posted

Create a national disaster recovery framework that identifies how the federal government will work across federal agencies and in cooperation with state and local government as well as the nonprofit and private sector. We have a National Response Framework but there is no national framework for long-term recovery and rebuilding. Ideas to develop such a framework are in the initial stages at FEMA/DHS.

This idea was developed by Federal managers at a conference on March 30-31, called Champions of Participation, which was convened by AmericaSpeaks, Demos, Everyday Democracy and Harvard University's Ash Institute. For more information, visit www.americaspeaks.org/champions
Convene a national network of community-based policy dialogues on climate readiness and resilient communities. Climate change is challenging our assumptions about natural and man-made infrastructure. Local strategies for adapting to and addressing climate change impacts are needed. A concurrent national dialogue consisting of local and regional community-based discussions addressing climate readiness culminating in a national event in Washington DC would provide important insight and feedback into national policy development.

This idea was developed by Federal managers at a conference on March 30-31, called Champions of Participation, which was convened by AmericaSpeaks, Demos, Everyday Democracy and Harvard University's Ash Institute. For more information, visit www.americaspeaks.org/champions
Convene a discussion on alternatives for the storage and disposal of spent reactor fuel. With the storage disposal mechanism at Yucca Mountain off the table and a desire to use nuclear power to reduce carbon use, there is an opportunity to demonstrate the value of public participation and collaboration.

This idea was developed by Federal managers at a conference on March 30-31, called Champions of Participation, which was convened by AmericaSpeaks, Demos, Everyday Democracy and Harvard University's Ash Institute. For more information, visit www.americaspeaks.org/champions
Most of the Federal government is actually not based in Washington, DC. Approximately 88 percent of all Federal employees work outside the National Capital Region. Federal programs have their impact largely through the actions of the field representatives of the departments and agencies. The Federal Executive Boards are a forum for communication and collaboration among Federal agencies outside of Washington, DC.

The President should require all FEB's to submit a plan with 180 days for how they will advance the goals of the Open Government Directive through collaborative regional projects.

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Comments Posted

jgoldman 10 months ago
If you download the reports from the 2009 conference you will see the full list of who attended. Participation wasn't dropping -- rather we focused outreach on different audiences. In March, primarily a group of managers and staff and in May primarily a group of political appointees and senior executive staff.
jgoldman 10 months ago
I think the other thing to keep in mind is that this isn't just about information and transparency. Far more important is that they have a plan for how they will engage the public in participatory and collaborative processes for program delivery and policy development.
jgoldman 10 months ago
The office of public engagement is actually very different from what this idea is suggesting. The OPE will serve as a convener of the public on different policy issues (hopefully). What is needed is a resource in the federal government that can collect best practices, offer training, etc. The only two existing places I'm aware of that could potentially easily evolve this way would be the US Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution and the new Office of Social Innovation and Civic Engagement.
jgoldman 10 months ago
The public shouldn't be involved in hiring. Rather hiring and training should be done in the context of wanting people in the federal government who have skills with regard to participation and collaboration. Good public engagement requires skill sets that many federal staff do not have. This should change.
jgoldman 10 months ago
A few years ago, Senators Wyden and Hatch asked AmericaSpeaks to investigate what it would look like to convene the American public at a national discussion of millions of voices. We spent several months working with dozens of experts to produce a report called Millions of Voices (which you can view in the resources section at www.americaspeaks.org).

The intent is not to replace the judgment of elected officials, but rather to create an informed, public mandate for political leaders to act on those issues that are most important and most difficult to resolve.