Technology

We're seeing something new from Washington, sites that are being used to help figure out how to better serve citizens.

Toward that ends we're seeing sites used to get ideas as to how to run agencies better and how to improve fundamental processes involved in areas like acquisition, the purchase of the stuff people need to do their job. Some innovation sites are internal, focusing on ideas from the rank and file that management needs to hear about. Some innovation sites are outward-facing, trying to figure out how better to work with the public.

"Net neutrality" is hard to explain, but a bunch of folks are standing up for America.

Here's a letter we sent to the FCC:

OK, the deal is that there are lots of fancy reasons to want it, like online grassroots democracy.

The folks at the FCC are on top of it, moving the country ahead.

The first California Data Camp & DataSF App Contest will be held on Nov. 7, 2009.

The one-day gathering is open to developers, journalists, community organizers, policy wonks, students and others interested in working with government data to provide insights and information into California and its communities. A variety of issues will be tackled, including computer-assisted reporting, data visualization, data access, data transparency and data management.

The rank and file of government workers don't normally work those jobs for the paycheck; that's a non-starter. They do it to make a difference, to matter. The best examples are those who put their lives on the line, or to endure often thankless jobs, like teaching.

The good news is that public servants are starting to get serious support from their leadership, from the people at the top. They're now being told again that their work matters, that they should serve the public, that they should do the job.

GovLoop.com is a great community site for public servants and citizens who want to help out. It's pretty much their Facebook.

Currently, it supports about 20,000 gov't employees across the country, people who really believe in public service, who didn't give up during recent years.

The deal is that Stever Ressler will be assuming a committed role there, with a big relationship with GovDelivery.com:

The State Department is really serious about using the Internet to get people to reach out to people in different countries. This is the "21st-century statecraft" stuff, person-to-person public diplomacy. I figure it's our way of reminding the world that our government and people are serious about American values again.

The next step is the Virtual Student Foreign Service, where students considering this form of public service can actually do something real.

It's a long subject, but net neutrality is about trying to treat people fairly on the Internet, on providing a level playing field.

There are some folks portraying this as more regulation, but that's plain not honest.

It's about making sure your website and pages have the same chance of getting to someone as the big guys’.

Julius Genachowski is running an FCC that addresses real American needs, not for privilege for a few ISPs.

Vivek Kundra is really getting it done, fixing a lot in the way the U.S. government operates.

The deal is that good public service requires good information, including bringing problems to light so they can be fixed.

Chris O'Brien says it much better in "How new CIO has brought innovation to government":

Steve Radick has a great piece I've discussed before, "Twenty Theses for Government 2.0, Cluetrain Style.”

Here's two really good points from it: