The 2008 Prize for Preventive Journalism was awarded yesterday to Michael Grunwald of TIME Magazine for his August 2007 cover story "Why New Orleans Still Isn’t Safe."  The story delves into the immense danger facing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the persistent pattern of mistakes by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in devising ways to handle hurricane-generated floods in Louisiana’s largest city.  Grunwald’s searching look at post-Katrina New Orleans in the balance was selected by judges Charles Peters, Bill Kovach, and Katherine Boo from among ten finalists whose work exemplifies the best in American journalism.  In his acceptance speech, Grunwald shocked and delighted the gathering of journalists, editors, and open government activists by announcing he would donate the entire $50,000 prize to a charitable cause in New Orleans.   Understanding Government congratulates Mike on his outstanding journalistic achievements and celebrates his generosity upon winning one of journalism’s largest prizes.

Read the press release ( PDF 16KB).

Understanding Government has released an in-depth report on the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is at a crossroads following congressional reauthorization last summer.  CPSC is scheduled to receive an additional $60 million in budget funds in the next eight years and increase its staff to 500.  But as the report describes, CPSC must overcome decades of neglect at the hands of Congress and the White House — just as America continues to cope with a tidal wave of imported products from China and around the world.   The report, authored by Matthew Blake, comments on new initiatives such as U.S. port inspections, recalls, the consumer database of product complaints, and the expanded use of 3rd-party testing labs.   It also provides a historical overview of the CPSC from its founding in the pro-consumer activist 1970’s through to its challenges during the presidency of George W. Bush.  Click here for the full report.

We look forward to your comments and inquiries and will continue to monitor CPSC performance.

Ned Hodgman

Part of our initiative on federal, state, and local executive branch performance in cities and towns across the U.S.  Contributed by Jane Johnston of the Newburgh Advocate.

Newburgh Ministry receives HHAC grant

Newburgh, NY — September 25, 2008 — Newburgh Ministry, a community center/hospitality house, has received a $1.8 million grant from the Homeless Housing Assistance Corporation, an agency of the state of New York.  The grant will be used for capital improvement, rehabilitating their building at and making it ADA compliant.

In 2005, Newburgh Ministry began operating an all night drop-in shelter, but without cots or beds.  Guests have had to sleep on chairs or the floor.  The HHAC grant will provide 19 beds for men and women. (more…)

At a time when of great financial instability that government agencies did not do enough to stop, it’s hard to be positive about government.  But just as you can’t judge a country only by the decisions of its leaders, we shouldn’t judge our government without looking at the people who actually do the hard work day to day.  Every year the Partnership for Public Service gives us reasons to hope — the nominees and winners of their Service to America Medals.  If you think the phrase "effective government" is an oxymoron, take a look at what these public servants have done to work to eliminate malaria, or to stop the abuse of government contracts in Iraq, or to spark the growth of renewable energy sources in the United States.  That’s only three of this year’s eight winners, who were selected from more than 29 finalists, who were selected from scores of nominees.  These government employees’ work points up what we’re all fighting for — an America that can solve its problems and is ready to help other countries and their people live better lives.

That’s right — keep it simple, stupid.  The government’s plan to reboot the economy will work only if it is simple and delivers clear benefits to citizens.  The minute that this proposed bailout is perceived as a "get out of debt free" card for banks and their shareholders is the minute that it begins to fail.  Foreign investors and American voters are not going to trust it, and the money in their hands will stay out of the markets. 

The reason?  Restoring real confidence means making a moral argument about government’s purpose in saving the economy.  (more…)

Talk about trying to understand government . . . the rapid collapse of America’s credit system shows a government that doesn’t even understand itself.

Understanding Government set up shop on the eve of the 2000 elections and since then we have worked to raise the bar for journalism about federal agencies and executive branch performance.  Our founder Charles Peters, a scholar of "the way Washington really works," brought to our Board of Directors people with journalism and executive branch experience.  Our motto is better government through better reporting because when journalists look inside the government, they can find out what works and what doesn’t before disaster strikes. 

To make our case, we have published reports about key federal agencies, highlighted daily journalism about the executive branch, and built a steady Internet audience.  We have launched the Prize for Preventive Journalism, which requires reporters to talk about solutions, including the role of government.  Today it’s clearer than ever that understanding the work of the executive branch is not an abstract lesson in civic values. It’s essential to maintaining the health and prosperity of our democracy.  Please support our work.  Together with you, we can make a difference. 

Ned Hodgman

People want something solid to cling to when the ground begins to shift beneath their feet.  With Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch and AIG crumbling, the supposed "flagships" of Wall Street may be replaced, as Carrick Mollenkamp and Mark Whitehouse write in the Wall Street Journal, by the "old-school banks" that managed to avoid subprime and that are anchored by old-fashioned businesses like "chasing customer deposits and building branch networks."  Could Lehman Bros.’s failure — in the long run — be a blessing in disguise for the U.S. economy? (more…)

This is the first, and hopefully last, forum post from me on a tangled topic Ned Hodgman has recently delved into: the inane discourse of the presidential campaign. But while scouring the Wall Street Journal for important and interesting news about the executive branch, I came across an editorial entitled "Obama’s Lost Years." The portentous headline turns out to be a not-going-anywhere editorial about why Barack Obama won’t release his Columbia Univeristy transcripts, and generally doesn’t talk about his time at Columbia.

This doesn’t seem to be a good time for the McCain-leaning Journal editorial page to bring up such a topic: GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin went to five different colleges in six years and hasn’t said a word about this experience. Regardless, the Journal editorial drives at a larger point: Why has so much of the coverage of Obama and McCain stalled at fleshing out their personalities and experiences? (more…)

There are huge geopolitical problems festering and growing while the presidential campaign stretches on.  If McCain and Palin refuse to discuss substance, and Obama and Biden are unable to get the campaign back to real issues, both sides will have failed us.  Let’s just take one example from my awful attempt at poetry:  immigration.  It’s time to stop talking about "immigration" and start addressing "migration."  It’s time to get real about this problem, because (more…)

If the presidential campaign stays as inane has it’s been in the last few days, we can count on having our brains gradually anaesthetized by November.  Now is the time to MEMORIZE A LIST OF THE PROBLEMS that will hit us like many tons of bricks as soon as the contest is over.  We need to find an easy way to remember the nation’s problems, because unless McCain and Obama both decide to talk about the issues, the nation as a whole will be considerably dumber when they’re through.  I’ve decided that this poem will help.  I’ll irritate a few people with this, but when you’re mad, you’re still feeling human emotions and there may be hope for you yet.  So — enjoy!  Here goes: 

Immigration, education, unemployment rocks the nation

Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Osama’s still a wanted man

Hurricanes give little hope with infrastructure on the ropes

Oh — is your budget in the tank?  That house was yours — now it’s the bank’s.

Ned "Don’t Quote Me" Hodgman