ICYMI: How Government Can Get Sh*t Done with Jen Pahlka

An Honorable Profession

Today on An Honorable Profession, we’re revisiting co-host Debbie Cox Bultan’s conversation with Jennifer Pahlka. Pahlka has decades of experience in civic technology. She was U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer under former President Obama and recently authored the book, Recoding America: Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. Debbie and Jennifer talk about the factors that often make government slow or ineffective and what the Department of Government Efficiency is getting wrong about cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. Jennifer shares her advice for elected officials from prioritizing civil service reform to investing in digital and data infrastructure and the importance of measuring results. Tune in to hear how Democrats can go on offense against DOGE by championing thoughtful and lawful systemic improvements.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [01:05] Introducing An Honorable Profession’s new series: How Government Can Get Shit Done.

• [02:17] Welcome to Jennifer Pahlka who served as US Deputy Chief Technology Officer under President Obama.

• [04:53] How to not lose sight of the real problems that need evolving.

• [09:40] Why efficiency is a byproduct of government rather than a goal.

• [11:17] Differentiating between creating regulations and making government work.

• [16:24] Four things government officials can do to facilitate interaction.

• [18:12] How LLMs can support efficiency.

• [21:56] What it might look like to care more about the outcome than the bill.

• [25:41] How to know the true status of your bureaucracy.

• [28:10] Understanding why bureaucracy is risk adverse.

• [30:28] Jennifer’s journey to public service.

• [32:20] How tech can build a better world for those who most need it.