current news examples

Question 1

According to federal regulators, five years after the crisis, several of the nations largest banks are even larger
the 10 biggest banking companies shot up 28%

Answer 1

Several Banks too big to fail are Bigger, LA Times, Jim Puzzanghera 9/17/2013

Question 2

Tacit acknowledgement gov’t attempts to manage multiple contractors and complicated technology had gone awry.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has acted as the system integrator, a role outside the agency’s expertise.

Answer 2

U.S. hires contractor to fix healthcare.com, LA Times 10/25/2013

Question 3

Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius told reporters she “didn’t realize it wouldn’t be operating optimally before launch.”

Answer 3

U.S. hires contractor to fix healthcare.com, LA Times 10/25/2013

Question 4

Obama beset by “top-level management failure as much as policy or political problems.” Benghazi, IRS targeting, tea party, NSA eavesdropping, Healthcare.gov

Answer 4

Why can’t Obama run the government as smoothly as his campaign? LA Times 11/4/13

Question 5

Bob Stone, director of NPR for Gore, current Performance advisor to CityofLA “It’s hard to see that the president has really any interest in actually managing the government.”

Answer 5

Why can’t Obama run the government as smoothly as his campaign? LA Times 11/4/13

Question 6

Obama named former CEO Jeffery Zients “Chief Performance Officer” in 2009, a title borrowed from business. Has asked him to consult on healthcare.gov

Answer 6

Why can’t Obama run the government as smoothly as his campaign? LA Times 11/4/13

Question 7

An Oakland public safety public web portal
Lack of priority from other departments
No champion with sufficient authority/power (failure of Bureaucracy model)
Insufficient commitment all around – lip service only

Answer 7

E-Government challenges: The Struggle to Innovate when Resources are Scarce, Scott Hugo blogged in Governing 11/19/13

Question 8

At the cost of killing other necessary capability needs, both Defense and Health departments are creating “slightly distinct yet largely redundant capabilities.“

Answer 8

Biodefense Duplication – LA Times 11/23/13

Question 9

“In our government, everybody is in favor of coordination — but nobody wants to be coordinated.”

Answer 9

Dr. Philip K. Russell, a retired Army major general who headed the Army’s Medical Research and Development Command, Biodefense Duplication – LA Times 11/23/13

Question 10

Forecasting the 2008 financial crisis failed due to insufficient behavior data in the model i.e. euphoria, fear, panic, optimism and herding

Answer 10

The Map and the Territory, Alan Greenspan (2013)

Question 11

Workforce needs of the economy are hampered by failure of our education system and tight H-1B visas
Immigration restrictions protect high income earners from global wage competition

Answer 11

The Map and the Territory, Alan Greenspan (2013)

Question 12

NextGen originally forecast $40 B, complete 2025
Internal FAA report est cost 3X & 10 years longer - Calvin Scovel, Transportation Dept IG.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta says, “Nextgen is on track” and “we’re making great progress.”

Answer 12

SNAGS SET BACK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM UPDATE

AP Joan Lowy – Oct 31, 2013 Trick or Treat?

Question 13

ALPA 1st VP Sean Cassidy, It’s tough to pin down NextGen in terms of technologies and cost because, they’re changing all the time.
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash) said, more delays”could force us to rename it LastGen.”

Answer 13

SNAGS SET BACK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM UPDATE

AP Joan Lowy – Oct 31, 2013 Trick or Treat?