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The Volcker Alliance
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 31, 2013 4:49 AM |
Having broached the topic of the launch of The Volcker Alliance in my commentary yesterday, I welcome drawing further attention to it today for the simple reason that the needs are so great.
We need to change the debate in America so we can change the outcome. Future generations deserve nothing less.
To that end, I welcome highlighting this Statement by The Chairman:
Trust in the American government has been declining for decades. Trust rests on confidence and too often government, at all levels, in the eyes of its citizens, has been unable to respond effectively to the challenges of the day.
There is an urgent need to restore trust and pride in the way our public institutions implement policies – from the White House and Congress to statehouses, cities, and towns across our country and in democracies around the world.
We need to pay more attention to how things work, to how policies are administered, to how we can combine effectiveness with implementation, to how private initiatives and incentives can be allied with public purpose.
We need to proceed with the practical understanding of what needs to be done to implement policy – appropriate administrative arrangements, trained managers, smart technologies and technical expertise, strong incentives for public service rather than private gain – while recognizing the contribution that private markets can provide.
These are matters that should rightly command our attention. But, with exceptions, they do not.
It is time to do something about it.
Indeed, it is time. In fact, it is overtime to do something. How might the Volcker Alliance go about doing “something about it?” Let’s review its Mission Statement:
The Volcker Alliance was launched in 2013 to address the challenge of effective execution of public policies and to rebuild public trust in government. As a nonpartisan organization based in New York City, the Volcker Alliance aims to catalyze new thinking and action with respect to federal, state, and local government in the U.S. and abroad.
Working in partnership with educational institutions, governmental organizations, business groups, and public interest enterprises, the Volcker Alliance will sponsor research on government performance, make actionable recommendations for policy and implementation, and provide a forum for discussion of new ideas and tools to strengthen policy execution at all levels of government. Beyond that, the Alliance is committed to taking actions that contribute to a high degree of confidence in both the decision-making processes of government and in its administrative management.
The Volcker Alliance seeks to rekindle intellectual, practical, and academic interest in the implementation of policy – the “nuts and bolts” of governance – and serve as a catalyst for sustained government improvement.
Recall that when questioned about what type of government our founding fathers had formed, Ben Franklin responded:
A republic — if you can keep it.
I commend Volcker and those in his alliance for fighting the good fight in trying to restore health to our republic. I endorse him and his colleagues. I welcome helping them spread word of their mission and the cause so that the incipient tyranny and growing cronyism that is gaining a greater foothold in our nation can be addressed, mitigated, and hopefully ultimately eliminated.
Navigate accordingly.
Larry Doyle
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I have no business interest with any entity referenced in this commentary. The opinions expressed are my own. I am a proponent of real transparency within our markets so that investor confidence and investor protection can be achieved.