What is Core Work for the US Government?

Republican columnist Cal Thomas from the Tribune wrote a piece called 'Outsourcing Government' that was printed in Windsor Locks, CT Journal Inquirer on June 23, 2010. Thomas states "Republicans and conservatives might wish to campaign on a promise to streamline government by outsourcing it to the private sector."

US Government too big to not fail

I think most Americans will agree that the government has become too big and unwieldy but there are huge differences in agreement on how we can scale it back and right size it. What should be cut and what should be saved ?

Economize

In businesses across America, we have seen cutbacks and consolidation efforts. This has come in the form of layoffs, site closures and outsourcing of non-core work. The American economy is slack and when corporations were over budget they cut back. That led to record unemployment numbers currently published at 8.8% for June 2010. (Unemployment) These numbers do not reflect those that have stopped looking for a job, or those who have changed their lifestyles and retired early or are existing on part-time work with no benefits.

Core vs. non-core

Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in their book 'Competing for the Future '(1994), suggest that "core work is a bundle of skills and technologies that an organization has acquired that differentiates it from others, gives it competitive advantage, and contributes to its long-term success" (CBS Business Network). Non-core work would be those skills and technologies that can be done cheaper, faster, or yielding higher quality results when done elsewhere.

Three branches? Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches

When our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independence they were attempting to create a common set of rules that would unite the states and serve the American people. Part of the development included a common currency and tax laws.

What do taxes cover?

For starters, state parks, roads and infrastructure, and defense. How does that relate to the three branches? It's in there but you have to look at the details.

What is the purpose of the government?

The purpose of a government is to stabilize a nation. Governments make laws, support and regulate those laws, and protect their people. In the US, James Madison, father of the US constitution is quoted as saying:

"It is sufficiently obvious, that persons and property are the two great subjects on which Governments are to act; and that the rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted. These rights cannot well be separated." (Purpose of the Government)

Where do our taxes go?

In analyzing the US 2011 Federal budget, there are several line items that would be considered separate business units if we thought of government as a corporation. The main ones are: rescuing the economy, reviving job creation and transforming economic growth, restoring responsibility, department of agriculture, department of commerce, department of defense, national intelligence program, department of education, department of energy, department of health and humanity, department of homeland security, department of housing and urban development, department of the interior, department of justice, department of labor, department of state and international programs, department of transportation, department of treasury, department of veterans affairs, corps of engineers - civil, environmental protection agency, national aeronautics and space administration, national science foundation, small business administration, social security administration, corporation for national and community service.

Earlier this year, President Obama promised the American people an aggressive look at the 2011 budget, urging congress to go line by line and balance the income with the outgo. See this link for more info on the US Federal 2011 budget certified by gpo.gov.

What is core work for US government?

I'm confused about the governments core work so it is hard for me to say what should stay and what should go. However, I can say that the list above looks to me like it could be consolidated at a macro level.

For example, instead of having 25 top agencies, let's make it 5 and consolidate the resources and personnel underneath them into 5 business divisions.

For core work my top picks would be 1) infrastructure (utilities, transportation, communication, defense), 2) commerce (economics & finance), 3) health and wellness, 4) international and space, and 5) regulations, rules and re-enforcement.

A major re-organization and a new way of looking at things would force consolidations and collaboration, and further definitions of the government's purpose. Joining agencies would require a cross-reference data base that allows agencies to talk to each other and share information. A feat that is challenging but not impossible. We just need a clear vision and a mission.

What should we outsource to the private sector?

For starters, maybe we should outsource the department of defense's accounting department. They seem to have misplaced about 9 billion dollars. (Billions Iraq Oil Funds Missing).

Source:

http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/core+competence.html

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy11/pdf/hist.pdf

http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/fsalvato/2010/02192010.htm