Published November 11, 2008
Obama's team on making civil service cool
President-elect Obama has said he wants to make working for the government cool (again, which would suggest it was cool at some point in history. Interesting). The Washington Post asked his transition co-chair, Valerie Jarrett, how you do that. Here's part of her answer:
When I went to work for city government in Chicago people said to me why are you going to go work for city government? …Distain was in their voice. I said because I really love Chicago and I want to make it better.
Tone starts at the top. I think because President-elect Obama cares deeply about transforming our government and making it serve the people so that we do actually improve the lives of everyday Americans, those who do need government most, that we provide the kind of safeguards and checks and balances that we’ve been missing over the last eight years, that got us into the economic crisis we’re in today.
I think that because of that tone that he has of public service in the true sense of the word, public servant in the true sense of the word, that will be a catalyst for drawing people into government and also for rejuvenating people who are there.
You can read the rest of the Federal Diary post here.
Tone starts at the top. I think because President-elect Obama cares deeply about transforming our government and making it serve the people so that we do actually improve the lives of everyday Americans, those who do need government most, that we provide the kind of safeguards and checks and balances that we’ve been missing over the last eight years, that got us into the economic crisis we’re in today.
I think that because of that tone that he has of public service in the true sense of the word, public servant in the true sense of the word, that will be a catalyst for drawing people into government and also for rejuvenating people who are there.