Presidential Approval Polls: The Effect of International Events

Presidential approval ratings have important consequences for legislative success and, of course, re-election. We also know presidential approval ratings, when they rise or fall below a certain level, signal future presidential successes or presidential struggles. An approval rising above or falling below 50 percent is an important benchmark. There are many factors influencing fluctuations inRead… Read more »

What My Dog Jenny Wants You To Know On Veterans Day

Meet Jenny, she is a 12 and-a-half year old arthritic Samoyed German Shepard abominable snow dog. She is a sweet old soul and enjoys being pulled around Washington DC in her wagon. Like me, Jenny is into social media, she’s also on twitter. A couple weeks ago, our friend Karima suggested to me that JennyRead… Read more »

Bring It!

Jimmy Valentine, the famous safecracker, would sandpaper his fingertips before commencing to winkle open a safe. Henry Fonda was still throwing up before each stage performance, even when he was seventy-five. Yesterday I committed my first successful Hangout, Google Plus videoconference. Just like AT&T predicted in the fifties, only in color…with a bigger screen! Zack,Read… Read more »

Google and American Express Team Up for Small Business Saturday!

Many of us serve in Local Government roles and see Public / Private Sector collaboration as essential to promoting and building stronger communities. Here is an opportunity you will want to pass on to your local Chamber of Commerce and/or community development coordinator. Google and American Express have teamed up to create a new VideoRead… Read more »

Archived Episode 1 of #Hi5Gov Featuring Challenge.gov

Today I interviewed Karen Trebon, Deputy Program Manager and Tammi Marcoullier, Program Manager from Challenge.gov on the inaugural episode of #Hi5Gov featuring Challenge.gov and the amazing impacts Challenge.gov is making for agencies and the public across America. Follow Tammi – @TammiM Follow Karen – @KarenTrebonGovt Follow Joseph – @JosephPorcelli Want to be a guest onRead… Read more »

Your Thoughts on the Penn State Scandal and Response?

This issue has been burning up the newswires this week. From a communications and media relations standpoint (and more importantly, from a moral standpoint), the university has been panned. This author shared her takeaways. What are yours? How would you have handled it? We’ve started a discussion on the NAGC LinkedIn group as well. OriginalRead… Read more »

New York insurers overcharge policyholders millions, ordered to refund overages

11 insurers in New York have been ordered to refund overcharges on their insurance premiums. State officials ordered insurers to refund $114.5 million in overpaid premiums to almost 600,000 New Yorkers. According to the order, insurers failed to spend the minimum amount of each premium dollar on providing health care to policy holders. Under NewRead… Read more »

The Three Hats of Mission-Support Leaders

How do you assess the effectiveness and impact of mission support functions — human resources, acquisitions, finance, technology, etc. — on an agency’s mission? That was the question posed to a roundtable of experts at the National Academy of Public Administration yesterday. And the question was raised none too soon – President Obama that morningRead… Read more »