Forum Panel: Can-Do Tech Culture Meets Can’t-Do Government Culture

The contrast between government and our business innovators is profound. Government is broadly viewed as ineffectual, sclerotic, and stuck in the past, while the tech sector is seen as efficient, innovative, and building the future. One is “can’t do,” the other “can do.” This panel of experts, moderated by Philip Howard, will diagnose the key cultural differences, discuss ways in which tech culture can be applied to governance, and spotlight the substantive reforms needed to bridge the gap between these cultures.

AppearancesAndrew ParkOctober 13, 2025Hoover Institution, forum, Technology

Forum: Saving Can-Do: A Book Event with Philip K. Howard

As our nation faces a profound moment of political disruption, neither party is offering a vision to overhaul America’s broken governance. In Saving Can-Do, Philip Howard offers a bold and simple governing vision: Replace red tape with responsibility and let Americans hold each other accountable.

At this book event, Philip, AEI’s Philip Wallach, and The Washington Post’s George Will discuss how scrapping the red-tape state can enable America to reclaim the power of its unique can-do culture.

AppearancesAndrew ParkOctober 8, 2025Saving Can-Do, AEI, forum

It's in the Air

The world today feels like a rowboat in a storm, with leaders directing their powers towards destruction and disruption. There's no line of sight towards a strong and stable American government.

There's growing consensus, however, that paralytic bureaucracy must be replaced. But replaced with what? DOGE is swinging its wrecking ball without a new governing vision. Democrats seem almost catatonic, calling weakly for more government instead of effective government.

NewslettersAndrew ParkApril 21, 2025DOGE, forum, Abundance

Forum: The Day After DOGE

So far the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative has focused on cutting programs and terminating civil servants, not reforms to improve public performance. But there's broad public and expert opinion that government operating systems are overdue for overhaul.

This forum focused on the operational failures of the current state, and included proposals to empower common sense solutions, make government more manageable, and clarify the role of oversight by courts.

AppearancesAndrew ParkMarch 27, 2025forum, DOGE

Forum: Evidence-Based Solutions for Improving Federal Government Performance

Philip Howard gave the keynote address at a forum on improving federal government performance. It was co-hosted by Indiana University, the National Academy of Public Administration, and the Partnership for Public Service.

AppearancesAndrew ParkJanuary 13, 2025forum

Making Things Work Again

The pace of modern life is often dizzying, in almost all areas of human endeavor. Astonishing advances in science and technology rush towards the future alongside global threats of war, pandemic, climate change, and scarcity.

But there’s been almost no focus on how things work on the ground. Modernizing infrastructure, fixing lousy schools, reducing red tape in healthcare, and cutting waste in government are largely matters of execution, not policy.

NewslettersAndrew ParkApril 12, 2023forum

April 19 Forum: Re-empowering Human Agency

On Wednesday, April 19, Common Good and Columbia University’s Center on Capitalism and Society will host a morning forum “Re-empowering Human Agency.” The event will bring together leading scholars and practitioners to explore how to overhaul legacy bureaucracies that stifle human responsibility. These legal structures have grown ever-denser over the past 70 years, not only in the United States but in virtually all developed countries.

Andrew ParkMarch 17, 2023forum

Public Service Accountability: A Virtual Forum on July 15

The bipartisan Campaign for Common Sense will hold a Zoom forum on Wednesday, July 15, to explore the need to remake public service in America.

Press ReleasesJoshua FergusonJuly 13, 2020forum, civil service

Forum 1: The Legal Framework for COVID‑19 Recovery

The first forum of the Campaign for Common Good addressed the following challenges: avoiding red tape delays in reopening; creating a reliable liability framework that avoids chilling reopening while incentivizing safe protocols; and learning from other developed countries.

Seth KarechaJune 30, 2020COVID-19, forum