In his blog this month, ASQ CEO, Paul Borawski asks the question, "Why do citizens expect and demand so little accountability for the poor use of resources in government?"
I actually think voters are given a false choice every election. They are usually asked to choose between two ideological viewpoints: bigger vs. smaller government. Are those really the only two choices? Whatever happened to smarter government? Every day, businesses are forced to do more with less. And many companies are doing just that by using quality methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma.
So why aren't we challenging our government to do the same? Regardless of your political leanings, shouldn't we all demand the best possible return on our tax dollars? Instead of campaigning for either drastic reductions or increases in government spending, what if the major parties adopted slightly different platforms this year:
Quality platform of the Left:
Without adding taxes or new government spending, we will increase the amount of value that government programs deliver to taxpayers.
Quality platform of the Right:
Without eliminating government programs or benefits, we will reduce the amount of government spending and overall tax burden for citizens.
Either of these platforms are quite possible when you work to optimize federal, state, and local agencies. Government has access to all the same tools, methodologies, and intellectual talent that the private sector has. Let's start demanding more from our leaders, and truly work towards smarter government.
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