Governing for Results, Not Process
The prospect of overhauling government has near-universal appeal. But experts from all sides are dousing the dream with cold water. Changing regulations takes several years. De-regulation will often conflict with statutory mandates. Most of what government does is not controversial—say, Medicare, a standing army, and national parks. Experts such as Brookings' Elaine Kamarck have shown that the impacts of any plausible de-regulation will be at the margin.
Our view is that DOGE should rethink how government works, not simply what it does. Much of what civil servants do is push paper in interminable processes. Medicare spends hundreds of billions in red tape.
Government should be reorganized to focus on results—to replace red tape with individual responsibility. A simpler system would materially reduce headcount and deliver better public decisions—say, to give infrastructure permits in two years, not ten years.
A simpler system would also lift a huge weight from the economy. Today, vast resources are spent by businesses and hospitals on meticulous compliance with rules and procedures that have little impact on public goals. Is your paperwork in order?
Most areas of government are long overdue for overhaul. In a new paper for Hoover Institution, "The Human Authority Needed for Good Schools," Philip Howard explains how it's almost impossible to build the culture of a good school until we remove the red tape and union controls that crush human spirit and spontaneity.
Refocusing government on results would likely have enormous public appeal. Everyone would understand where we are. Is the school working or not? Is the Defense Department able to procure new weaponry on a timely basis, or not?
Former governor of Indiana and head of the White House Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels has experience with these issues. This week in the Washington Post Daniels called on Musk and Ramaswamy to shift the focus from de-regulation to creating a results-oriented operating framework. Citing our work, Daniels concludes that it's time to scrap "the old jalopy" and replace it with government that can deliver.
Philip discussed his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed ("Elon and Vivek Can Make Government Work Again") on Forbes TV. The op-ed was also cited in a number of publications, including the New York Post and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Political administration expert Don Kettl cited our work in two thoughtful essays for American Purpose on what overhaul should look like.