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Smart Government Web Research
Learning from Canadians about Health Care 6/24/2009 (204) Sara Robinson - Article: There are real practical daily life style benefits for everyone in Canada due to its health care system. The American system? So bad it's hard to believe. The City Belongs to All of Us 3/2/2009 (268) Phillip Cryan - Article: New organizing on economic issues is fueled by the idea of an urban commons. Ideas from Boston, Oakland, Portland and the Twin Cities. Government is Good for Business 2/25/2009 (293) Jeff Madrick - Article: Finland, Sweden and Norway, all with high taxes and generous welfare systems, are considered by business executives among the 10 most competitive nations. This Can Be Done: Tax the Speculators! 2/9/2009 (319) Ralph Nader - Article : How to Lighten the Income Tax Load on the American Worker . Time to Jettison the Filibuster from Senate Rules 2/7/2009 (374) Hugh Spitzer - Article: Some strong arguments that the Senate filibuster rule is totally undemocratic. Bold Proposal: Seriously Restructure Taxes in the USA 1/12/2009 (243) David Cay Johnston - Article: Want fair taxes and real economic justice? Read this article by David Cay Johnston and write congress now! Regional Cities May End Urban Sprawl 11/13/2008 (252) Suzannah Lessard - Article: A review of a book by Peter Calthorpe and William Fulton discussing Lewis Mumford and the failure of urban renewal. Sarah Palin's Pentecostal Governance: No Codes, No Civic Oversight, No Planning 10/12/2008 (253) Jonathan Raban - Article: What Sarah Palin did as mayor of Wasilla, and what she might do if elected as vice-president. Without Economic Planning: Economic Destruction 10/3/2008 (259) Ed Knudson - Article : Republicans hate economic planning; that's what has caused the current crisis. Unaccountable Vice: Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin 9/1/2008 (261) Walter Mondale - Article: Under Mondale, the vice presidency became important. Here he criticizes Cheney. Future Fairness: The Debate over Social Security 2/25/2005 (373) Article: Privitization of social security is a priority for George W. Bush. We will track the debate here including thoughts of: Paul Krugman, Gene Sperling, Norma Cohen, Hubert G. Locke Good Economic Planning? Some See Major Crisis Coming 12/6/2004 (275) Ed Knudson - Article: Paul Krugman, Robert Reich, and Stephen Roach have become economic prophets of doom. But the people who can do something about it don't believe in good economic planning. Yes, Indeed: Republicans Want to Cut Social Security 10/5/2004 (227) Article: Liberals are accused of scaring our elders by saying conservatives want to cut Social Security; but it's true. Paul Krugman talks about Greenspan. How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future 9/14/2004 (286) Ed Knudson - Article : Pete Peterson says we are 'running on empty' due to economic theologies from both parties. He says Social Security benefits must be cut. Public Strategies Group 9/1/2004 (200) WebLink : Consulting group provides new ways for governments to provide services. Ending Corporate Welfare: The Public Responsibility of Business 7/31/2004 (384) Ed Knudson - Article : John Kerry's policy proposal to end corporate welfare addresses the issue of responsibility so popular with commentators on the right.like Rush Limbaugh. Urban Suffering Grew under Reagan 6/11/2004 (307) Peter Dreier - Article : Peter Dreier of Occidental College writes about Reagan's role in urban development. Paul O`Neill Exposes White House Workings 1/13/2004 (428) Article : Former Treasurer Secretary tells it like it is in the Bush White House. The Soul of Capitalism 8/24/2003 (319) William Greider - Comment : A new book available in September, The Soul of Capitalism Socioeconomic Democracy Book Available 6/16/2003 (271) Comment : Book describes a theoretical socioeconomic system with a guaranteed personal income and maximum wealth limit. Discuss the World Bank's World Development Report 5/20/2003 (376) Article : The Public World organization invites participation in discussion of a World Bank report. The Democratic City of the Future 3/17/2003 (497) Ed Knudson - Article : A new Democratic majority is emerging uniting city and suburb against still Republican rural areas according to authors John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira. Stafford Beer Dies 11/15/2002 (301) Note : Master of cybernetics dies in Toronto at the age of 75. Poverty Increases in 2001 10/2/2002 (273) Comment : Census Bureau reports increase in poverty and income inequality. Estate Tax Should Not be Called Death Tax 7/18/2002 (333) Comment : Norman Ornstein calls for careful reasoning on estate tax proposals. Keep the Public Confused as Long as Possible 6/23/2002 (318) Paul Krugman - Comment : Paul Krugman writes common sense about Social Security. Analysis of the Bush Tax Cuts Shows Growing Tilt to the Very Rich 6/20/2002 (322) Comment : Citizens for Tax Justice publish a most interesting report. |
Smart Government Section
Bill Ritter soon after winning the 2006 election for governor in Colorado told a reporter: “It’s about running a smart government, not a big government.” The whole idea of being "smart" seems to have emerged in the west, associated with "smart business" willing to work with "smart government." So we have adopted the term "smart government" to refer to the kind of governance New Social Democrats can support and work for. Exactly what it means needs to be discussed in many different ways. The items in the left menu begin to do so. The association with the term "smart business" is intentional here too. It is way past time to end the ideological war between business and government. Smart business is willing to work with government, understands the need for cooperation and regulation for the good of all, supports educational and social programs within the community. Often it is the new information technology firms that seek to see themselves as smart, as positive partners in the development of quality of life for all in society. That sort of attitude we believe is appropriate in what we call here "well-managed capitalism." Huge problems for the nation, for society, and for business itself result from poorly managed capitalism. The Democratic Party in the last decades has been on the defensive against resurgent social and religious conservativism and has not been focused on positive concepts for government. It has tried to maintain liberal orientations on social issues but given in to business conservatives on economic issues (such as in the Democratic Leadership Council). This has allowed a poorly managed capitalism to vastly increase inequalities in society to such a degree that the economy itself has become very unstable. No other advanced nation on earth allows large business institutions to dominate society like in the United States, to dominate local communities, to manipulate the mental consciousness of its citizens, to force people into destructive personal life syles, to dominate and control politics. A government that serves the interests of large business without concern for the health and welfare of all its citizens and the environment needed for life is not smart government. Smart government manages the economy in such a way that is good for society as well as business. There are actually-existing social democracies from which to learn in constructing a concept of smart government. At this website we will be seeking to benefit from the experience of those democracies to create well-managed capitalism here in the United States. Part of what smart government means is good planning, city planning, policy planning, including what is called these days Smart Growth, which promotes "anti-sprawl development that is environmentally, fiscally, and economically smart and includes land-use planning, mixed use development." With the reality of oil depletion and energy costs there is a need for whole new patterns of urban settlement and development. The future of the city must be planned in such a way that everyone benefits from these changes which means that real people need to be involved in making the decisions about these matters. Such issues are crucial for the project of social democracy. We invite you to join in this effort. Some policy and planning websites:
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