Tornado Alley (PROG)

[blackhawks]

Yearning for a businessman as president is not the answer, not just from the failed example of the most recent business man president.

The two oil bidness guys both left us with recessions, including the only one described as 'great'.

Clinton left us with a budget surplus and Obama pulled us back from the precipice of an economic depression. Both, non-businessmen.

And the current guy, a lifelong politician, has somehow cobbled together a series of bills that rival LBJ's record, in just as short a period of time.

Government as Government, not Business

While innovating in government is critical, we also need shared norms and democratic values.

https://ssir.org/articles/entry/government_as_government_not_business

Government needs to innovate and adapt to 21st-century tools, approaches, and models. We all want government to function better and more effectively serve the American people, but while a private sector approach to governing is captivating, it won’t get us to where we need to go by itself.

Unlike a corporation generating zero-sum returns, the government is not a business; it is the people’s government. Government is a manifestation of citizens’ preferences, and citizens should be empowered as co-producers of government services and goods.

At a time of widespread disillusionment with government and a president who stokes anger and resentment in areas inside and outside traditional political battlefields, the answer is not to treat citizens more like customers.

Part of the public response to President Trump’s insensitive handling of Hurricane Maria was that it seemed to challenge some shared set of values held by the American people. The reaction was emotional and visceral. It wasn’t driven by spreadsheets or market predictions—it was about humanity.

When visiting the devastation in Puerto Rico, Trump told people that funding relief efforts had thrown the government’s budget out of whack. After the comment fell flat, he added, “Which is fine.” At the end of the day, providing disaster relief is not only about the bottom line. It is about supporting and upholding shared values.