Good Government Begins with Accountability

Yes, the bureaucracy in Washington is a clogged-up tangle. That’s why two-thirds of Americans think it needs a major overhaul.

But slashing away at Washington’s many stupidities won’t fix much — like trying to prune a jungle. The way to drain the swamp is to pull the plug on its flawed operating philosophy — the post-1960s red tape compliance model. Americans are swimming in red tape. Is your paperwork in order?

Essays & ReportsAndrew ParkFebruary 24, 2025Philip K. Howard, accountability, Ripon Forum

Accountability on Trial

The conviction of Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd may elevate trust in American justice, but it will do little, by itself, to repair trust in police.

Essays & ReportsJoshua FergusonApril 22, 2021Philip K. Howard, American Purpose, accountability

Public Trust in Police is Fractured. Here’s How to Fix It.

The protests and riots show what happens when large segments of the population believe the deck is stacked against them. Distrust of government leads to corrosion of civil society. The opportunistic looting across the country is indefensible, but it’s rationalized by the logic of nihilism: If police won’t follow norms of civilized behavior, then neither will we.