OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

Jon Galt

Member since 3 years ago

Badges

• Newbie

12 ideas posted

0 comments 13 votes

488 points View the Leaderboard

Jon Galt is a member of:

• OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

Activity Stream

Ideas contributed by Jon Galt

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  18 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Election reform

  Increase the incentive to vote, make it easier to participate, and place in prison anyone who tries to stop another citizen from voting including employers or election officials. Examples: (1) Issue a receipt for appearing at the polling place with a time stamp, name, and voter id number. Employers are required to document what percentage of their employees went to the polling place. High percentages are rewarded and ...more »

  Increase the incentive to vote, make it easier to participate, and place in prison anyone who tries to stop another citizen from voting including employers or election officials. Examples: (1) Issue a receipt for appearing at the polling place with a time stamp, name, and voter id number. Employers are required to document what percentage of their employees went to the polling place. High percentages are rewarded and low percentages are investigated for making it too difficult for their employees to vote. (2) Submit this voting receipt with federal taxes for a good citizenship refund (3) Spread elections over a multi-day period to increase participation and resolve any voting irregularities (4) Mandate mail in balloting as an option for any citizen eligible to vote (5) Create a mandatory prison term for each person prevented from voting not some type of fine or slap on the wrist and (6) Eliminate the electorally college and use simple popular vote.

  « less full details »

  3 comments for Idea: Election reform

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  37 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Global perspective

  Require a global perspective and awareness to solutions by comparing them to similar projects implemented around the world. Require a brief summary comparing the current project to the best international example with justification for any differences. Many highly effective solutions have already been found and tested which do not need to be slowly recreated again from trail and error while living in ignorance. Examples ...more »

  Require a global perspective and awareness to solutions by comparing them to similar projects implemented around the world. Require a brief summary comparing the current project to the best international example with justification for any differences. Many highly effective solutions have already been found and tested which do not need to be slowly recreated again from trail and error while living in ignorance. Examples include health care, energy efficiency, waste recycling, education reform, voter participation programs, etc… Standard best examples could be posted online with citizens having the ability to comment, research, and provide suggestions.

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Global perspective

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  9 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Performance Appraisal »

  Anonymous evaluation system

  Create an easy anonymous web based method for providing feedback and evaluation on all projects. Every project will have a public tracking number and be web searchable. Those with any knowledge or interest in the project can post public comments and suggestions about it with responses being optional. An independent organization can be responsible for investigating any important items of interest. Evil grows in the dark ...more »

  Create an easy anonymous web based method for providing feedback and evaluation on all projects. Every project will have a public tracking number and be web searchable. Those with any knowledge or interest in the project can post public comments and suggestions about it with responses being optional. An independent organization can be responsible for investigating any important items of interest. Evil grows in the dark where things are easily hidden, so shine some light from all directions.

  « less full details »

  5 comments for Idea: Anonymous evaluation system

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  28 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Rulemaking »

  Under Budget Reward

  Create incentive and reward for being under budget while still providing quality outcome. The current budget system often encourages people to waste money at the end to reach projected figures. When cuts come it is often as a percent of previous budgets, so the higher more wasteful budgets feel less pain than the efficient smaller ones. Change the system to reward being under budget. Allow a percent of the money saved ...more »

  Create incentive and reward for being under budget while still providing quality outcome. The current budget system often encourages people to waste money at the end to reach projected figures. When cuts come it is often as a percent of previous budgets, so the higher more wasteful budgets feel less pain than the efficient smaller ones. Change the system to reward being under budget. Allow a percent of the money saved to immediately reward those who saved it and the remainder to act as a credit buffer against future cuts. Shift the focus to reward being under budget.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Under Budget Reward

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  24 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Training and Development »

  Training material YouTube

  Require all training materials created using federal taxpayer money be posted on a free easily accessible system such as YouTube. This will allow for reduced duplication of effort spent creating the same material in multiple locations. Also, provide a financial reward for the most viewed training material to reward high quality material creation/sharing.

  7 comments for Idea: Training material YouTube

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  25 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Uncategorized »

  Free Open Source Software

  Require use of free open source software solutions as the default option. Require justfication if another option is used including full cost difference of project for using the proprietary solution. Examples include Open Office, Gimp, Drupal, Uniform Server, Thunderbird, VLC, Audacity, Knoppix, Apache, etc… Provide free training materials for all open source solutions posted on a freely available system like YouTube so ...more »

  Require use of free open source software solutions as the default option. Require justfication if another option is used including full cost difference of project for using the proprietary solution. Examples include Open Office, Gimp, Drupal, Uniform Server, Thunderbird, VLC, Audacity, Knoppix, Apache, etc… Provide free training materials for all open source solutions posted on a freely available system like YouTube so that training material does not need to be redeveloped.

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Free Open Source Software

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  15 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Making Data More Accessible »

  Full line item detail: Local

  Local political institutions including schools, which consume massive proportions of local taxes, often hide their financial details behind large vague budget items. Require any local agency receiving federal money to release full detailed line item expenses at the accounts payable level using an open system such as Google Docs Spreadsheets. If the citizens can see where the money is really going then we can provide better ...more »

  Local political institutions including schools, which consume massive proportions of local taxes, often hide their financial details behind large vague budget items. Require any local agency receiving federal money to release full detailed line item expenses at the accounts payable level using an open system such as Google Docs Spreadsheets. If the citizens can see where the money is really going then we can provide better ideas and force true accountability. The local power structures are often too strong for such an idea to grow from the bottom but it would work if required by the federal government.

  « less full details »

  3 comments for Idea: Full line item detail: Local

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  23 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Reward individual for finding wasted money

  Provide a financial reward system for exposing wasted tax payer money, providing solutions which save money, or collecting taxes which are not paid. For example, offer 20 percent of the money saved to a citizen who can identify and prove corporate or private tax evasion. Or, rewarded with a percent of the money saved by identifying when special interest groups make deals which waste tax payer money. Change the incentive ...more »

  Provide a financial reward system for exposing wasted tax payer money, providing solutions which save money, or collecting taxes which are not paid. For example, offer 20 percent of the money saved to a citizen who can identify and prove corporate or private tax evasion. Or, rewarded with a percent of the money saved by identifying when special interest groups make deals which waste tax payer money. Change the incentive structure.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Reward individual for finding wasted money

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  4 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Performance Appraisal »

  Accountability/Reward Employees

  Create a web based accountability and reward system for all employees or organizations which receive federal taxpayer funds using open source web based content management systems to reduce any overhead. For example, allow local citizens to evaluate the performance of employees motivating the lowest performers to improve by being publicly identified, and financially rewarding the top performers for their service to the ...more »

  Create a web based accountability and reward system for all employees or organizations which receive federal taxpayer funds using open source web based content management systems to reduce any overhead. For example, allow local citizens to evaluate the performance of employees motivating the lowest performers to improve by being publicly identified, and financially rewarding the top performers for their service to the public. This shifts some of the focus and reward back to the citizen as the customer of a service paid for by their tax dollars. The reward could come in the form of a federal tax reduction to the high performs to avoid all budget arguments.

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Accountability/Reward Employees

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  27 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Congress relocation: reduce special interest power

  Reduce the power of special interest lobbies and increase accountability to citizens by shifting the physical location of elected representatives back to their local geographic areas. With current technology, it is possible for elected officials in the Congress to remain in their election districts and not relocate to Washington DC. This makes it much more difficult for special interest groups to focus their resources ...more »

  Reduce the power of special interest lobbies and increase accountability to citizens by shifting the physical location of elected representatives back to their local geographic areas. With current technology, it is possible for elected officials in the Congress to remain in their election districts and not relocate to Washington DC. This makes it much more difficult for special interest groups to focus their resources in a single location, and it greatly increases local citizens ability to directly influence their representatives. Physical relocation is based on a time when transportation was by horse and communication by pigeon.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Congress relocation: reduce special interest power

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  28 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Election power equalization

  Reduce the incentive to remain in power and make it easier for new qualified individuals to obtain office without being rich. Change the way committee chairpersonships are awarded based on the number of years elected, so there is no advantage after 2 terms in office and there is a limit on consecutive terms as chairperson. Also, balance the playing field for potential newly elected individuals using the public airways ...more »

  Reduce the incentive to remain in power and make it easier for new qualified individuals to obtain office without being rich. Change the way committee chairpersonships are awarded based on the number of years elected, so there is no advantage after 2 terms in office and there is a limit on consecutive terms as chairperson. Also, balance the playing field for potential newly elected individuals using the public airways which are owned by the citizens and leased out by the government. Grant public airway time to those running based on a combination of terms in office and the financial resources of the opponent. Maximum free airtime is given to the first time person plus an additional amount based on the financial resources of the opposition (such as 50% of difference between campaign war chest). The public airways are owned by all citizens and could make elections much more fair.

  « less full details »

  Add your comment for Idea: Election power equalization

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  28 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  New Strategies and Techniques »

  Full line item detail: Federal

  Release full details of federal government expenditures down to the accounts payable item level so that citizens can see where the money is really going and make meaningful suggestions. Avoid hiding all detail in large budget line items. Possible implementation could include: (A) posting spreadsheets on Google Docs to make the information easily sorted/searched/charted, and (B) allowing interactive discussion/feedback ...more »

  Release full details of federal government expenditures down to the accounts payable item level so that citizens can see where the money is really going and make meaningful suggestions. Avoid hiding all detail in large budget line items. Possible implementation could include:

  (A) posting spreadsheets on Google Docs to make the information easily sorted/searched/charted, and (B) allowing interactive discussion/feedback with open source content management systems like Drupal or Joomla.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Full line item detail: Federal

  Submitted by Jon Galt 3 years ago

Displaying all 12 Ideas

All feedback received through the Open Government Dialogue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

• Crowdsourcing
• Crowdsourcing Software
• iPhone Feedback
• OpenGov
• Suggestion Box
• Idea Management Software
• Employee Suggestion Box
• Brainstorming Tool
• Innovation Management