There is always that smart and dedicated public official making it happen. In our book, we show that new public officials can learn from those who have already served. While some officials have proven unfit for public office, others have risen to the occasion and left a legacy of remarkable accomplishments. By analyzing these successes and failures, common elements of success emerge. Not in the least.
American government reinvents itself with each election and government takeover.
For example, in 1881 a disgruntled campaign worker turned down for a government job shot dead President James A. Garfield. This violent action sparked outrage that forced Congress to replace the spoils system with the civil service. Vice President Gore's plan is nothing that hasn't been tried before. In fact, many of the proposals made by his task force were recommended by earlier administrations. Even if reinventing government is just a slogan, I still like Vice President Gore's idea that citizens should be treated like customers.