Thoughtful Policy-Making in Divided Times
The Future in Context
As the nation nears its 250th anniversary, a longtime broadcast journalist and historian calls for addressing economic inequities, corporate monopolies, and restoring effective governance grow stronger. The country’s 250th birthday comes on July 4, 2026. Technically, it is called the quarter millennium or semi-quin-centennial. The word is hard to say but once you get it out, the coming anniversary does provide a reminder that it is not too early to take stock of how the republic is doing, and what its prospects look like. Alexander Heffner is a journalist, civic educator, and the host of The...
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The CIO Wrangler
The Future in Context
As state CIOs prepare to gather in New Orleans for their association’s national conference next week, it is worth taking stock of the public-sector IT community — strategic and operational complexities, leadership, strategic planning, partnership-building and relentless change in technologies and citizen expectations. National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Executive Director Doug Robinson is uniquely positioned to reflect on the status of state IT. Marking his 20th year at the head of the membership organization, his two-decade tenure is significantly longer than...
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Solutions, One Hack at a Time
The Future in Context
Fifteen years after putting the civic in civic tech, Code for America is pivoting to come alongside local governments to take on the challenges they face today — bringing collaborative expertise to the use of AI in the public sector and defending gains made through diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in government.amanda.jpgThe organization made its name by helping government better use (and often liberate or democratize) the data it holds and developing citizen apps through early hackathons, and making a network of volunteer developers available to public agencies that could not...
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All Hands: Global Cybersecurity Threats ARE Local
The Future in Context
SHOW NOTES Here are the top five takeaways from this episode: Rural Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities: Small and rural communities face significant cybersecurity challenges, particularly in protecting critical infrastructure like utilities, with limited resources making them more vulnerable to cyber threats. Whole-of-State (WOS) Cybersecurity Programs: WOS initiatives, supported by federal grants, provide comprehensive cybersecurity support across state and local government levels, with various states adopting unique strategies to enhance their cybersecurity posture. Sector-Specific...
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Meet California's Chief AI Gatekeeper
The Future in Context
Politico calls him California’s “” when it comes to AI rules and regulations. However, state Sen. Thomas Umberg isn’t all that interested in closing the door to progress on how we use and develop large language models (LLM). In fact, while the Santa Ana Democrat has concerns about the future of “AI” as we know it, he’s far more concerned with finding a way to balance regulation and innovation. With California having provided direction for decades in tech industry development and regulation, it only makes sense to Umberg that the state takes point in developing responsible but...
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Less Big Three, More Gen Z
The Future in Context
The former Rust Belt state is betting its future on a sought-after natural resource — people — guided by one person in particular. Hilary Doe, the first state chief growth officer anywhere, discusses what’s next. Michigan is putting its future in the hands of a single person — its first-in-the-nation chief growth officer. Hilary Doe, chief growth officer, expressed her excitement about the transformation of Michigan Central Station into a dynamic hub of innovation. This revitalized landmark in Detroit is not only fostering a thriving startup ecosystem, but also pioneering cutting-edge...
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Public Transit's Fiscal Cliff
The Future in Context
As ridership continues to lag amid a stubbornly slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, cities experiment with free rides and micromobility to prove public transit’s worth in worsening financial conditions. When New York Gov. Kathy Hochul spiked plans to implement congestion pricing in New York City, it took a much-anticipated annual injection of $1 billion out of the mix — just as public transit systems there and elsewhere were looking to the pricing scheme for some good news in an otherwise bleak fiscal landscape.In TFIC’s occasional series, Your Mileage May Vary, senior writers of...
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Is This The Eligibility and Redistribution Engine America Needs?
The Future in Context
Former Compton, CA mayor Aja Brown grew up poor. Early on, she developed a sense of what could be for her community. Later, as an urban planner, she had what she calls a “heart to see Compton reach its full potential.” Once she sat in the mayor’s desk, armed with a 12-point vision plan that reflected community needs and a determination to revitalization her city, she used the levers available to her to nudge Compton toward a preferred future. During her tenure, Brown focused on sustainability, economic development, and youth empowerment, leveraging private investment to drive progress....
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The Trouble With TikTok
The Future in Context
Eric Goldman, associate dean of research at Santa Clara University School of Law, assesses concerns around the impending TikTok ban or buyout. It faces significant First Amendment challenges, he said. The debate over the potential TikTok ban, or forced sale under recent federal legislation, hinges on significant legal and constitutional challenges. Eight TikTok influencers have already filed a lawsuit, arguing the ban infringes on their First Amendment rights. Santa Clara University School of Law Associate Dean of Research Eric Goldman joins our Government A to Z, panel, drawing attention to...
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Government websites are failing at the basics: How to fix them
The Future in Context
A new report card called ScanGov monitors and evaluates the fundamentals of government websites in all 50 states and the federal government. The report reveals that half of all states received a failing grade, indicating a need for improvement in transparency, domain credibility, accessibility, and crawlability. The creators of ScanGov, Elias and Luke Fretwell, emphasize that their goal is not to shame governments but to educate and inspire behavioral change. The project has received positive feedback and has already prompted some agencies to make improvements. However, there is still a need...
info_outlineThe co-author of a new book suggests that when technology, data and collective effort converge, government, the tech industry and higher education can tackle major challenges while bringing a new generation into the workforce.
Arun Gupta — a venture capitalist, academic and author — champions a union of government, academia and entrepreneurship to solve societal problems, stressing tech and data’s key roles in innovation and restoring trust. In an interview with Governing’s Carl Smith, Gupta sees government data as vital for improving services and tackling climate change and geopolitical strife, urging a move to fact-based debates for a sustainable future.
SHOW NOTES
Here are the top takeaways from this episode:
- Gupta wrote the book to address the growing desire among students for mission-oriented work and the need to harness optimism and innovation to solve societal issues through government collaboration.
- The book emphasizes the importance of technology in all organizations, including government, citing statistics about the age distribution of tech workers and the role of data in driving innovation and rebuilding trust between citizens and government.
- Gupta advocates for modernizing infrastructure to attract top talent to government, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary opportunities in academia and partnerships between the public and private sectors at the state level.
- He discusses the significance of utilizing government data to enhance services and user experiences, stressing the potential for data-driven approaches to address major societal challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts.
- Gupta encourages a shift in the culture of debate toward facts and data, emphasizing the role of collective effort in creating a better, safer and more sustainable society in the face of existential threats.
Related link to the book referenced in the episode:
- Arun Gupta, Gerard George and Thomas J. Fewer, Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society, Stanford Business Books, 2024.
Our editors used GPT-4 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes.
Listen to this episode on the player below or subscribe for free on YouTube or the podcast app of your choice — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy and Audible.