toward those goals. The Federal Government as now structured frustrates that kind of leadership. Government disorganization and dysfunction are part and parcel of public disenchantment. And when crises are mismanaged as a result of dysfunctionality, the political consequences are often severe. In an article commenting on the Super Secretary concept, former presidential advisor James Pinkerton stated that the way the Federal government is currently configured is at the heart of the problem. “If you will,” Pinkerton wrote, “It’s the system, stupid.” Presidential commissions have said the same thing time and time again. The public knows that
the government is not working because they witness the results that impact their lives. No one believes that the present state of the Federal establishment is in sync with the new realities of politics and economics; of information expansion and information security; of global changes and confrontations demanding swift and decisive action. Just as the Hoover Commission was established 60 years ago to recommend structural changes to the federal government at the end of World War II, so too do we need another presidential commission to make a similar set of recommendations today. But until such a commission is established,
we need to look for ways to move us closer toward some of the reforms we know that are needed. The establishment of Super Secretaries would do just that. It would be but one step toward addressing much bigger needs. But it could be a super one. RF Robert S. Walker is Chairman of Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates. He served as Chairman of the Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry. From 1977 to 1997, he represented the 16th District of Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Baxter advances the best in health care worldwide by helping enhance the effectiveness and delivery of therapies to people with some of the most complex conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. We do this by applying our expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.
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THE RIPON FORUM August/September 2006