OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

kmcfarland

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  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Grassroots Leadership on Civic Participation

  While the three components of the Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government are intertwined, it seems that there are specific constituencies that are better suited to take the lead in helping to implement positive change in each of these areas. The federal government can model the transparency and collaboration principles by testing and implementing new technologies, sharing best practices, and setting higher standards ...more »

  While the three components of the Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government are intertwined, it seems that there are specific constituencies that are better suited to take the lead in helping to implement positive change in each of these areas. The federal government can model the transparency and collaboration principles by testing and implementing new technologies, sharing best practices, and setting higher standards for all offices and agencies. This information can flow downward to state and local governments for implementation.

  Research Component

  In the area of participation, we need to look to the grassroots – to those who are already engaged in our democracy. We need to understand what individuals and organizations are already doing to help safeguard our democracy. Are these replicable? What can be done to engage others? How do we foster and support civic engagement? How do make active and informed participation in government a priority to busy families?

  Monitoring & Convening Component

  Trusted community organizations, such as the League of Women Voters, have been on the “frontlines” acting as government watchdogs for decades by monitoring government meetings, performing FOIA audits, and convening town hall meetings on “hot topics.” What can be learned from this group and others like it?

  Starting Point

  Citizens feel most attached to their local government. This is the level of government that they relate to on a daily basis; from school funding to zoning issues, local government impacts our lives. It only seems logical that any efforts to bolster citizen participation would start with this level of government.

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  4 comments for Idea: Grassroots Leadership on Civic Participation

  Submitted by kmcfarland 3 years ago

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  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Public TRUST in Government Needs to be Restored

  An open and accessible government is critical to any healthy democracy. However, equally important is its citizenry’s trust in its government – in what is being shared and how it is being shared. If the public does not trust the information that it sees or reads (or the source providing it), then the efforts are fruitless. There has been a decline in public confidence in government at all levels (local, state & federal). ...more »

  An open and accessible government is critical to any healthy democracy. However, equally important is its citizenry’s trust in its government – in what is being shared and how it is being shared. If the public does not trust the information that it sees or reads (or the source providing it), then the efforts are fruitless.

  There has been a decline in public confidence in government at all levels (local, state & federal). When asked in a Public Strategies/Politico poll released in January 2009, 62 percent of respondents indicated that their confidence in the federal government had decreased in the previous 12 months, while 8 percent indicated that it had increased.

  Transparency in Rebuilding Understanding and Solutions Together (TRUST), a coordinated campaign to help restore public confidence, is needed. Components would include:

  1. Convening public conversations about how to define trust in government – i.e., what does it look like?

  2. Establishing and adhering to a set of principles to help promote civic engagement

  3. Providing federal, state and local government agencies with a set of best practices for citizen participation

  4. Educating the public about government accountability efforts

  5. Recognizing and rewarding agencies and citizens for their vital roles in keeping our democracy healthy, vibrant and strong

  Without addressing this core challenge, any reforms to government transparency are likely to be cast aside – perceived as “business as usual.” Building upon the record breaking participation in the 2008 elections, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity now to implement the types of changes that are needed to restore public confidence, increase citizen participation and strengthen our democracy for all.

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  2 comments for Idea: Public TRUST in Government Needs to be Restored

  Submitted by kmcfarland 3 years ago

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  Making Government Operations More Open »

  Get Public Officials to Think about and Comment on Transparency before they are Elected

  According to a 2008 Sunshine Week survey conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University, three-quarters of American adults view the federal government as secretive (up from 62 percent just two years earlier), and nearly 90 percent say it's important to know presidential and congressional candidates' positions on open government when deciding for whom to vote. Those who see local government as secretive increased ...more »

  According to a 2008 Sunshine Week survey conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University, three-quarters of American adults view the federal government as secretive (up from 62 percent just two years earlier), and nearly 90 percent say it's important to know presidential and congressional candidates' positions on open government when deciding for whom to vote. Those who see local government as secretive increased from 34 percent in 2007 to 40 percent in the 2008 survey. And 91 percent said the local candidate's position and record on open government are important to them in making a voting decision.

  To help restore the public’s trust in government and remove the perceived veil of secrecy, candidates seeking office at every level of government should be asked to comment on their views of and specific plans for transparency, public participation and collaboration. This will help to educate and engage the public in the voting process and beyond – i.e., what their role in government can be after the election. It also will encourage officials to be as thoughtful about open government (which is sometimes construed as a “process issue”) as they are about more traditional public policy issues.

  Non-partisan organizations, such as the League of Women Voters, can help to facilitate the collection and dissemination of answers via candidates’ forums, online election sites, and voters guides.

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  3 comments for Idea: Get Public Officials to Think about and Comment on Transparency before they are Elected

  Submitted by kmcfarland 3 years ago

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