The Golden Report

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chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:50:00 +0000

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On Learning...and Leading

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:46:00 +0000

For some reason, I've become introspective this week, as I come to the end of my undergraduate college experience- a process that was deliberately truncated because of a deep and pressing desire to get out into the "real world," and as the realities of my organizational leadership position become defined. I've been thinking a lot about learning- comparing how I know (or how I think I know) I learn best versus what I've been or are currently being taught in a classroom and versus the work that I'm doing or have done outside of campus.

Here's an example that really struck me. I made a point this weekend to get caught up on school work and even ventured over to the University Library so I would be in an appropriate academic setting. For one class, Marketing and Business for Communications, the assignment was to read four short articles and write a one-page essay on "which one was the most enjoyable." I became immensely frustrated and instead started including some analytical details in my piece- because I considered it a complete waste of my time, busy-work if you will, to write about "feelings" after reading four articles. Don't get me wrong: I'll be the first to tell you that reflection is important, but it has to be guided and structured in a more appropriate way- a point that obviously must have been lost on this professor.

Meanwhile, in my day job, I am gearing up for the final push in the monthlong Pepsi Refresh Challenge. myImpact.org continues to hold a strong 3rd place lead. Although the campaigning is vitally important and enjoyable despite being tedious at times- the most important part of this monthlong contest, I am learning, is the opportunity that comes with it to make the case for myImpact- introduce what it is that I am working to advance- and gain additional support. It comes at a perfect opportunity in our organization lifecycle- as we take the jump from unofficial to official and as I assume unilateral control of the day-to-day responsibilities. I only wish that there were more hours in the day, but at this point I'm working to leverage this contest for all that it can be worth.

Where am I learning more? Where can I contribute more? Although I pulled an example from a single class this semester (I am in some other great ones that I feel are the best offered at the University), it reaffirms the decision that I made a year ago to graduate in 3 years instead of 4 and to continue learning what I think is the more difficult route- personal and professional leadership.

The Great Snowpocalypse

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:47:00 +0000

It's been nearly a month since I've posted a blog entry- that's an unfortunate trend that I hope will not continue. The month of February so far has been very busy for me.

My work leading myImpact.org has gotten more intense and as the result of some successes that have accumulated in the past few weeks I now find myself with more responsibility and, with them, new challenges. By far our biggest project this month is a national online contest, Pepsi Refresh, where we are competing for a $25,000 grant. After 3 weeks of planning before the contest opened, the first two weeks of the four-month contest have been very successful, and we have held the Third Place position for the last nine days. I fully expect that the contest will become increasingly more intense in the second half and am gearing up for a large final push.

This funding will go along way towards moving myImpact from an idea into an organization and behind the scenes we are working through the hairy details of forming a Board, creating bylaws and transitioning from two friends working on something cool to the responsibilities that come with a public charity. This is a difficult process, but a necessary one in the life cycle of an organization, and I continue to learn so much as we go through it. On February 1st, I officially assumed the position of Executive Director- and will be formally "hired" by our newly formed Board in the weeks to come.

Then, with a busy February schedule filled with conferences, speeches, meetings and events, DC gets hit with a series of historic snow events that was popularly called "Snowpocalypse." In the course of one week, we were hit with three storms that dumped 6 inches, 27.5 inches and 12 inches respectfully. I was literally snowed-in for a week- and the crippled capital city is just now beginning to get back to normal.

Although it might have seemed fun (and potentially productive) to be snowed in for a week- it was surprisingly very stressful. City transportation services ground to a halt. Bus service was suspended for nearly a week. Above-ground Metrorail stations were closed, opened in shifts, and then closed again for the second snowstorm. Below ground, trains were only running at 30 minute intervals- and that was before a derailment during Friday morning's back to work commute. The residential street where I live was only plowed sporadically through the week- until Thursday night when a bulldozer came to plow (an unbelievable sight that I have never experienced before!). Then, events and meetings that were scheduled were canceled- some at the last minute- and still have yet to be rescheduled. Even an online meeting that I had scheduled for Wednesday night was postponed because one of the participants did not have power. And I haven't even mentioned the grocery stores- I went on Thursday and Wednesday before the respective storms and stood in line for over a half hour both times to check out- had to fight for a basket- and had to dig through a small selection of available food items. I felt that we were living in a city under siege, and in many ways, we were. Although I survived (and so did the city), it was not as cool as a week of snow may seem- and we all will be working through the effects of the storm at least for the rest of this month.

Not a lot has happened in the news- because Washington ground to a halt last week and the President's schedule was suspended. Congress didn't even bother to come in for work. There's going to be a big health care summit at the end of the month- although whether or not this is an opportunity to move forward is a subject for debate. The President signed PAYGO legislation that also includes an increase in the public debt limit. This morning, a current and former Vice President went at each other during different Sunday Morning talk shows. And the Olympic Winter Games have begun in Vancouver- where ironically they are in need of the snow that we have too much of back East.

As we move into this next week, the third of Pepsi Refresh and a return to normality, I'll attempt to update the blog more regularly (as well as the website..Google Reader...Digg...Google Buzz...).

Reminder News: Project Grants Available in The Last Green Valley

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:29:00 +0000

While snowed-in in DC this past week, I wrote a brief article for Eastern Connecticut's ReminderNews on the return of a popular grant program sponsored by the Last Green Valley, which is the non-profit steward of the Quinnebaug & Shetucket National Heritage Corridor in Eastern Connecticut and Southern Massachusetts

Region —

Project grants available

BY CHRIS GOLDEN ReminderNews

Non-profit and civic organizations located in the 35 towns of The Last Green Valley, the management entity of the Quinebaug and Shetucket National Heritage Corridor, are invited to apply for funding during the 2010 Last Green Valley grant process.

After a two-year hiatus, the grant program has returned to fund projects that “conserve, celebrate, interpret or enhance” the region, including through economic development and tourism.

“There are lots of great projects in our region that we want to bring to light and leverage the resources of The Last Green Valley to do so,” said Lois Bruinooge , the organization’s executive director .

The Last Green Valley manages Congressionally-appropriated funds to the region. The grant program allows the organization to ensure that funds are dispersed as widely as possible, Bruinooge said.

In the past, grants have been used to fund trail preservation, downtown streetscape community enhancement projects, events and festivals, school curriculum, community gardens and river clean-ups .

In Brooklyn, a grant at the Brooklyn Middle School was used to create a water quality monitoring project. With this project, The Last Green Valley was able to provide additional support and trainings and form a partnership with an existing program in the region.

The grant requires that project budgets include a 50-percent match, either in direct funding or in-kind donations, including volunteer time. In addition, applicants are encouraged to build partnerships with other organizations at the community level.

“It shows a commitment to the project , and it is very important to build support and leverage all of our resources ,” Bruinooge said.

Applications are available on The Last Green Valley’s Web site, www.tlgv. org, and are due March 31, 2010. $150,000 in total funding is available and will be dispersed in grants ranging in size from $500 to $25,000.

For more information, contact The Last Green Valley at (860) 774-3300 .

Our Union is Strong

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:00 +0000

President Obama gave a bold deliverance of the state of our Union tonight in an address to a joint session of Congress and, in turn to the American people. Using the occasion to frame the first year of his administration in the context of his historical presidency, the President refrained from issuing new sweeping policy proposals and instead opted to demonstrate his commanding leadership and desire for post-partisan politics. The President delivered a speech that accomplished these goals while connecting with an electorate that has become more cynical, divisive and angry. The Democratic Party, who lost a special election for a Senate seat in Massachusetts last week, face a challenging midterm election cycle this fall and tonight's speech may be seen as part rallying cry past mission directive.

To the substance:

On Tone: The President spoke the way that, I gather, the majority of Americans want their President to talk. In general, he was relaxed and collected, in control and reassuring. On complex issues, he was professorial. On contentious subjects, he sought reconciliation. On base policy, he was clear and concise. Where mistakes were made, he admitted error. Where rewards were achieved, he accepted praise. I think the President captured the essence of the multi-faceted role of the Office of President in his speech tonight.

On Health Care: It didn't come until over 30 minutes into the speech (not counting applause) and it still lacked specificity, but the President renewed his commitment to passing a health care bill and assuring reform in the insurance industry. This issue should be considered in the totality of the speech: it is part of the larger narrative of the Obama Presidency, and the New Foundation that has become its cornerstone.

On Taxes: It may have come as a surprise to many Americans that the President began the policy portion of his speech by trumpeting tax cuts for 95% of working Americans. That was in the stimulus package that the Republican Party unanimously opposed. By beginning with that, the President was trying to do what he should have done months ago: talking up the benefits of the bill & its policies instead of letting them get buried by the opposition of the other side.

On Jobs: Again, this should be considered in the largest narrative. But let's be clear: the President promised jobs tonight. If he does not deliver the next time he reports to Congress, then he will and should be held accountable. There is very little room to walk back on the bold promise he made tonight

On Iraq, Afghanistan, Terrorism and Foreign Policy: This was not a key component of this speech and there were very little specifics. The section seemed added just because its absence would have been damaging. It was a segway into a big announcement the President made, that got less play in the speech than had been expected: the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell military policy of gays and lesbians in service.

At over 70 minutes, this was President Obama's longest speech since he became a public figure, according to ABC's Jake Tapper. At times, it was folksy. At others, it was specific. Will it be a game-changer for the Obama Presidency? Unlikely, but it did succeed in framing the Administration to date and setting a course going forward.

Liveblogging the State of the Union Address

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:43:00 +0000

<p><p><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=2a60632eb9" >An Address on the State of the Union-2010</a></p></p>

From Social Government: White House Strives for New Forms of Engagement During State of the Union

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:40:00 +0000

Cross-posted from SocialGovernment, a site looking at how government is adapting to Web 2.0 and to which I am a contributor.

When the President addresses Congress tonight on the State of the Union, the American people have one more way they can tune in to listen live. Last week, the White House announced the launch of an application with streaming video for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch. The application also features updates from the White House blog, the latest photos from the Administration’s Flickr album and archived video of the ongoing series “Inside the White House.” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs even made a short video saying that his daily press briefings will be streamed live and watchable on the free application, which is available for download in the iTunes Music Store.

Most presidential events and White House briefings are now streamed at whitehouse.gov/live — allowing the public to watch Administration events live and in their entirety. The addition of the streaming video application could drastically expand the potential reach of the Administration’s message and connectivity to the average citizen, making it a powerful political tool.

The State of the Union Address tonight will also be watchable on the White House Facebook application, where users will be able to post comments in real time and engage with others on Facebook.

On its surface, advocates of open and transparent government should applaud these moves — which show how a tech-savvy administration is using innovative technology to open the doors of the White House. However, users should understand where the content is coming from. Both the White House Web site and its applications are streaming content that is being produced by the White House, which ultimately is in control over which events are broadcast and by what methods they are accessible. There is no oversight or C-SPAN-like public access filter. That said, one would suspect that any attempts to manipulate media messages would not go unnoticed, given the increasing size and engagement of the audience.

Also this week, the White House and YouTube announced a partnership, Citizen Tube, where the public is invited to submit questions for the President via video and, next week, the President will respond, via YouTube, to answer them. Users will be able to vote on favorite questions using Google Moderator, according to the site. YouTube will also be live-streaming the State of the Union Address tonight.

Finally, WhiteHouse.gov released a series of short video statements from ever member of the Obama cabinet giving an update on the work of their department- the longest video is 90 seconds. The “Cabinet Reporting to You” videos are a first of its kind.

With these new ways of watching and interacting with the White House and the President, the administration is setting a high standard for engagement in its first State of the Union Address.

First Lady's Box

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:34:00 +0000

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2010

GUEST LIST FOR THE FIRST LADY'S BOX AT THE 2010 STATE OF THE UNION

Mrs. Michelle Obama

Dr. Jill Biden

Clayton Armstrong (Washington, DC)

Clayton was a DC Scholar with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the summer of 2009. He is currently a freshman at the University of Arizona. Clayton grew up in Southeast Washington, DC and graduated from Ballou High School where he was the captain of the football team.

Li Boynton (Bellaire, TX)

Li is a 18-year-old senior from Bellaire, Texas whose passion for science and global health has led her to new and potentially ground-breaking methods for testing the quality of drinking water. Almost one billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and 3.5 million people die each year from water-related diseases. Observing the limitations and significant expense of conventional chemical-specific tests, Boynton saw a need for a broader, more efficient assay for testing – and developed a bacteria bio-sensor. Li’s work, which has the potential to be significant in improving public health worldwide, received the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair award for 2009.

Li has always had a passion for science and invention: in 5th grade, she designed a solar-distillation device after reading Life of Pi in case she ever got stranded in the middle of the ocean. Li is also an avid painter and participates in high school debate, which is where she originally developed her environmental interests.

Jeffrey Brown (Philadelphia, PA)

Jeffrey Brown is the founder, President and CEO of Brown’s Super Stores, Inc., a growing ten-store supermarket chain trading under the ShopRite banner. As one of the leading supermarkets in the Philadelphia area, the company employs 2,300 associates who are committed to making a difference for their customers and the local communities they serve.

Brown graduated from Babson College, Massachusetts with a degree in entrepreneurial studies. He resides in southern New Jersey with his wife Sandy and their four sons Joshua, Alex, Lenny, and Scott.

Mayor Mick Cornett (Oklahoma City, OK)

Mick Cornett became Oklahoma City's 35th mayor on March 2, 2004, and was re-elected on March 7, 2006. In 2007, he was elected as a Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Cornett is also the national President of the organization representing Republican Mayors and Local Officials.

Cornett is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a degree in journalism, and after graduation embarked on a 20 year career in broadcast journalism. In 2001, Cornett was elected to City Council, where he served until becoming mayor.

Cornett was born and raised in Oklahoma City, and together, he and his wife Lisa have raised three sons – Michael, Casey and Tristan.

Tina Dixon (Allentown, PA)

Tina is currently employed by Lehigh Valley Health Network as a Technical Partner Trainee, a job that she was able to secure through the EARN program (Employment Advancement and Retention Network – a program focused primarily on Paid Work Experience placement) at the Allentown, Pennsylvania CareerLink in preparation to re-enter the workforce after years as a stay-at-home mother to three girls, Olivia, Allison, and Lauren.

It was at CareerLink that Tina met President Obama on the first White House to Main Street Tour in December 2009.

Gabriela Farfan (Madison, WI)

Gabriela is a 19-year old from Madison, Wisconsin whose passion for geology started at a young age – collecting rocks as a seven-year old with her father. In 2009, as a senior in high school, her hard-work and research won her one of the top awards in the Intel Science Talent Search, winning a scholarship for her independent research describing why certain gemstones appear to change color when viewed from different angles—a finding that directly affects the gemstone industry and may have applications in the nano and materials sciences. Gabriela is now in college as a freshman at Stanford University, and a declared geology major.

Gabriela is also a National Hispanic Scholar awardee, has two very proud parents, Abigail Farfan and Carlos Peralta, and has a real dedication to the arts: singing, drawing, painting, speaking French and Spanish, and following operas and musicals.

Julia Frost (Jacksonville, NC)

Julia is a former Marine bandsman trumpeter, a wife of an active duty Marine, and current student at Coastal Carolina Community College. She served a four year term with the United States Marine Corps stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Her husband, Sergeant Ryan Frost, is also a Marine bandsman, stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina.

With the aid of the GI Bill, Julia is currently enrolled in the Elementary Education program through a partnership between Coastal Carolina Community College and the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Julia hopes to complete her associate degree this summer and bachelors in the spring of 2012.

Dr. Biden, a community college professor, first met Julia when she visited her campus last October as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to support America’s community colleges and their students.

Ping Fu (Chapel Hill, NC)

Ping Fu co-founded Geomagic, a company which pioneers technologies that fundamentally change the way products are designed, engineered and manufactured around the world from automobiles to medical devices. Geomagic, under her leadership, has been an active participant in the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Fu has led Geomagic to deliver broad-based economic impact to the US economy with tangible results – the company tripled its customer base and employment while achieving high growth and profitability. As such, the NSF awarded Geomagic the prestigious Tibbetts Award for exemplifying the very best in SBIR.

Fu has more than 25 years of software industry experience in database, internet technology, and visual computing. Before Geomagic, she was the Director of Visualization at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and is also, actively involved in promoting entrepreneurship and women in mathematics and sciences.

Janell Holloway (Washington, DC)

Janell was a DC Scholar with the White House Domestic Policy Council during the summer of 2009. She is currently a freshman at Harvard University where she is a member of the Harvard College chapter of the American Red Cross, dances with the CityStep dance troupe, and is active in the Black Student Association. Janell is interested in the connection between child abuse and youth violence and has served as a volunteer at Safe Shores: DC Children’s Advocacy Center for more than three years. She is a native of Washington, DC and graduated from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School.

Ambassador Raymond Joseph

In 1990 Raymond Joseph was called to be Haiti’s Chargé d’Affaires in Washington and his country’s representative at the Organization of American States. After helping with the first democratic elections in December 1990, he returned to the Haiti Observateur where he remained until he was called back to Washington in March 2004, where he is currently the Ambassador.

Joseph is a graduate pastor from the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, a B. A. holder in Anthropology from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. He also has a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology/Linguistics from the University of Chicago.

Don Karner (Phoenix, AZ)

Don Karner is the President, CEO, and Co-Founder of eTec (Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation). As President of eTec, Don provides strategic direction, conducts research and leads the company’s development of new products and services.

eTec received $99.8 million from the Recovery Act’s Battery and Electric Vehicle Grant program, which the company will match with another $99.8 million in locally raised funds. The funding will be used to manufacture and implement the charging infrastructure for an 11 city pilot program intended to research electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Cities involved are Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Salem, Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The award will create at least 50 new permanent clean economy jobs working directly at eTec, has already saved numerous positions, and will require construction workers across the country to implement the project.

Don participated in a Recovery Act roundtable discussion with Vice President Biden in Phoenix in November 2009 where they discussed the importance of the public/private partnership to a green economy.

Janell Kellett (Sun Prairie, WI)

Janell has served as a lead volunteer within the Wisconsin Army National Guard for approximately six years, including during her husband’s fifteen month deployment from 2005-2006 and recent twelve month deployment from 2009-2010. Janell’s husband, Major Michael Hanson, serves with the 32^nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and recently returned home to Wisconsin. During Major Hanson’s deployment, Janell served the 3,200 families of the 32^nd Brigade and over 50 volunteers of the 32^nd Brigade with dedication. Janell was honored for her service with a 2009 Wisconsin National Guard Volunteer of the Year award by the Wisconsin State Family Program. Under Janell’s leadership, the 32^nd Brigade was selected for the prestigious Department of Defense Reserve Family Readiness Award in December 2009 for the Army National Guard. Additionally, Janell served as the Battalion Volunteer for the 2^nd Battalion, 128^th Infantry when it received the same award, the Department of Defense Reserve Family Readiness Award, in 2006.

Janell and Michael have two children, Jaclene and Lucas.

Rebecca Knerr (Chantilly, VA)

Rebecca is representing her husband, Captain II Joseph Knerr, the Task Force Leader of Fairfax County’s Virginia Task Force 1 serving in Haiti. Having worked as a Fairfax County Firefighter for 15 years, Joe currently serves as Station Commander at Fairfax Fire and Rescue Station 18. He initially joined the USAR team in 1998 serving in a variety of operational capacities and now in leadership positions. Joe is also involved in the coordination, teaching and training of other international rescue teams. A former Fairfax County Firefighter and Paramedic herself, Rebecca works as an Emergency Physician’s Assistant in a Northern Virginia Hospital and for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department developing and delivering emergency medical services education to uniformed personnel. Rebecca, 24 month old son Jackson, and 12 week old daughter Grace are eager to welcome Joe home.

Chris Lardner (Albuquerque, NM)

Chris Lardner is a patient service manager at the New Mexico Heart Institute and her husband, Scott, owns a small family business. Together they have three children, two daughters in college at Regis University in Denver, Danielle and Caitlin, and a son in 7th grade, Sean. As a result of the economic downturn they resorted to paying for some of their daughters’ education with a credit card. Lardner realized she was close to reaching the card limit, so she contacted the college to change the card on file. The school mistakenly charged another payment to the original card, which then put her above the limit. In response, the credit card company more than tripled her rate to nearly 30 percent, despite of record of responsibility with her finances and payments. Lardner submitted a letter to the President online expressing her frustration with the rate hikes leveled as a result of the mistaken charge.

Chris shared her story when she introduced the President at a Town Hall in May 2009 – since that time her issue with the credit card company was eventually resolved; their rate was lowered to 7 percent and the company returned the over-the-limit fees that had been charged.

In May 2009, President Obama signed the credit card reform bill that bans credit card companies from unfairly raising interest rates on existing balances, protects against unfair fee traps (including requiring the consumer’s permission before processing an over-the-limit transaction), and increases accountability and transparency from credit card companies.

Anita Maltbia (Kansas City, MO)

Anita Maltbia is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and has over 30 years experience in city government, and community activism. In August 2009, at the request of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, Anita assumed the director position of the Green Impact Zone. This initiative works with the residents of a 150 square-block area in the urban core of Kansas City to raise the quality of life environmentally, economically and socially. Energy efficiency and environmental conservation, including home weatherization and energy upgrades are critical goals as is job training and acquisition.

The Green Impact Zone in Kansas City, Missouri is an urban success story that reflects President Obama’s national urban policy vision of breaking down silos and building strong communities of opportunity that will, in turn, contribute to the economic prosperity and the sustainability of cities and metropolitan areas.

Kimberly Munley (Killeen, TX)

Kimberly was born and raised in North Carolina. In 1999, she completed Basic Law Enforcement Training and began her career in law enforcement. Kimberly spent the next 11 years working as a University of North Carolina, Wilmington undercover vice/narcotics agent, a Wrightsville Beach uniformed patrol officer and beach patrol officer, a Special Police Officer for New Hanover County Regional Medical Center, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Operations Specialist Soldier in the United States Army, and is currently a federal police officer serving on the Special Reaction Team for the Fort Hood Police Department in Fort Hood, Texas.

Cindy Parker-Martinez (Belle Isle, FL)

Cindy is a mother of two young children, who shared her story of the problems her family faces with the current health care system at a Health Care Community Discussion held at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, one of thousands of discussions held nationwide in December 2008. In April 2008, Cindy, her husband, and her son were all denied insurance coverage on the individual insurance market because of pre-existing conditions. Her 11-month old daughter was also denied coverage due to an insurance company age requirement of 12 months. Both Cindy and her husband are currently uninsured because they cannot afford the insurance offered at her husband’s employer. Although they previously paid their premium, they could not afford to keep up the monthly payments after receiving thousands of dollars in medical bills from her husband’s unexpected 6-day hospital stay for pneumonia. Their family’s income is too high for them to qualify for Medicaid. Cindy and her husband currently have no insurance and have thousands of dollars in medical debt.

Deborah Powell (Hugo, OK)

Deborah Powell is a Native American Development Specialist for the Housing Authority of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Having earned only a high school diploma, Powell built her experience outside of college and soon became interested in accounting and finance. After spending 43 years of her life in her hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona, she moved to Oklahoma in April 2004 for a change of pace and is currently working on a project funded by the Recovery Act. A member of the Choctaw Nation, she is currently helping to track budgets and ensure bids for independent elderly homes. This project, which is still under construction, will provide homes for more than 86 elderly people in the Choctaw Nation. Powell is recently remarried, and enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with her family.

Sergeant First Class Andrew Rubin (Savannah, GA)

Sergeant First Class Andrew Rubin entered the Army in 1997 from Boston, Massachusetts and completed One Station Unit Training, Airborne Training and Ranger Assessment and Selection at Fort Benning, Georgia before becoming a Ranger assigned to the 75^th Ranger Regiment.

Andrew has spent his entire military career serving in the 75^th Ranger Regiment in positions of increasing responsibility. He is currently assigned to 1^st Battalion, 75^th Ranger Regiment, headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, which recently redeployed from a combat tour supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in December 2009.

SFC Rubin currently leads 45 Rangers as a Rifle Company Platoon Sergeant. In the Regiment, he has also served as an anti-tank gunner, sniper, sniper team leader, sniper section leader, and rifle squad leader, Ranger Assessment and Selection Instructor, and Rifle Platoon Sergeant.

SFC Rubin has served four combat tours in Iraq and two combat tours in Afghanistan. He has been involved in countless fire fights, was wounded on two separate occasions and has received two awards for Valor. During his recent deployment to Iraq, he was shot by enemy forces while risking his life to save one of his Rangers who lay wounded and immobilized in the streets of As Sadiyah, Iraq during an intense firefight. For that action, he received the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. Previously, he was wounded in Afghanistan when he was hit by a rocket propelled grenade during an enemy ambush.

SFC Rubin and his wife Megan have three children, Michael, Joseph and Kendal.

Mark Todd (Killeen, TX)

Mark Todd was born and raised in San Diego, California. Todd enlisted in the United States Army as a Military Policeman in 1985. He was selected to attend Military Working Dog Handlers Course and later assigned as a K-9 handler at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Wurezburg, Germany. Later he was assigned as a K-9 Trainer and Instructor at Lackland Air Force Base Texas. Todd earned an Associate in Applied Science – Instructor of Technology and Military Science from the Community College of the Air Force in 1997. His last two assignments were Grafenwoehr, Germany and Fort Hood, Texas. In 2007, he joined the Directorate of Emergency Services and is currently the Lead Police Officer, Military Working Dog Branch – Acting Chief at Fort Hood Texas. Todd is married to Lisa Dalton and together they have three children; Jennifer, Mark Jr., and Kristyn; and two grandsons.

Army Specialist (ret.) Scott Vycital (Ft. Collins, CO)

Specialist Scott Vycital served as a paratrooper in the 82^nd Airborne Division. Vycital spent 8 months deployed in Iraq as a Specialist with 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 3-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment and was medically retired due to injuries received in defense of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On February 15, 2004, while on patrol of suspected mortar sites, his fire team was engaged by enemy fire and he sustained gunshot wounds on the right side of the face, neck, and shoulder. As a result of his injuries, the right side of SPC Vycital’s face has been paralyzed and he lost the hearing in his right ear. After spending some time rehabilitating from injuries, SPC Vycital returned to school and with the assistance of the VA and the Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) program. He completed his degree in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration from Colorado State University in December 2008. Following graduation, with the help of his AW2 advocates SPC Vycital landed a position within the Federal Highway Administration. He has since been promoted to the position of Programs & Planning Financial Specialist and will have been with the Agency for one year in March. The President's executive order on employing Veterans in the Federal Government has made employing Veterans like Vycital a priority. Vycital resides in Fort Collins, CO with his wife of 7 years, Jarah, and has a 4 year old son, Breccan, and a 17 month old daughter, Micah.

Trevor Yager (Indianapolis, IN)

Trevor Yager began his career in 1995 while in college by founding TrendyMinds, a full-service advertising/public relations firm. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Anderson University and went on to work with various motor sports sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies. Today, at TrendyMinds, Yager provides strategic planning, business development, marketing and technology guidance and support to various local, national and international clients. In 2009 the agency grew by more than 200 percent, doubled the number of employees and gained 15 new accounts. Yager credits President Obama’s welcoming climate for small businesses, including the many initiatives under the Recovery Act, for this success.

He is also passionate about helping non-profits and TrendyMinds is committed to giving back to the community by donating in-kind services to organizations throughout Indiana.

Yager resides in Indianapolis with his partner of seven years, Tyler Murray. The two have recently started the process of adoption and look forward to adding a new member to their family.

Juan Yépez (Lawrence, MA)

Juan Yépez, and his brother Luis, are Ecuadorian-natives, who in ten short years, have built a successful and growing commercial real estate company in addition to growing Mainstream Global, a worldwide distributor of computer products, consumer electronics, and electronic components, in mills once inhabited by earlier generations of immigrants.

The Yépez brothers were the recipients of the 2009 Small Business Administration Phoenix award for recovering from a major flood that destroyed almost $400,000 of inventory while still managing to flourish in the midst of an economic downturn. They believe that doing business in an area hit by 17 percent unemployment is more than just giving back and that hiring first generation Americans like themselves who want to work and contribute to society is the cornerstone of long-term success.

Phil Schiliro, Assistant to the President and Director, Office of Legislative Affairs

Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director, Office of Public Engagement,

Executive Director, White House Council on Women and Girls

Pre-SOTU Questions & Thoughts

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:08:00 +0000

Well Washington is definitely abuzz about President Obama's State of the Union Address tonight. Here are some of my thoughts T-5 hours before the speech:

1) How "big" a speech is this, really? Sure, every time the President addresses a joint session of Congress, it is a big deal, and especially when it's the first SOTU of an Administration, but with no expected major policy announcements and an American public seemingly anxious, distracted and angered- will tonight's speech really be remembered as a "turning point," "crossroads" or "pivotal moment" as it is being described in the media today? I'm doubtful.

2) Will there be any surprises? This week the White House tested expected SOTU announcements to freeze non-discretionary non-security related spending, present a five-point Middle Class Agenda and create a budget reduction task force. Today, reports are all but confirming that the President will make repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy a part of the speech. And in just a few hours, the first leaks of the actual text of the speech will come out. It's possible that the Administration will have some surprises, but they are likely to be subtle, at best.

3) My biggest question tonight: does the President continue with the narrative that drove his election and the first year of his Administration and use the speech to give a progress report of that journey, or is the speech narrowly focused on job creation and the economy with just brief mention of other issues. In the President's first two addresses to Congress, we heard a similar theme: American renewal. Build a better future. A permanent, lasting economic recovery. Will the same language that has been used throughout the Administration make a return tonight, or will it be replaced with something new?

4) How partisan is the rhetoric of the audience (inside the room and of TV pundits)? In September, Congressman Joe Wilson became a national disgrace (to some) and a hero (to others) for interrupting the President by yelling "You Lie!" during a health care address. Although another outburst is unlikely tonight, we'll be able to sense the partisan atmosphere by the number of standing ovations that are split (one side or the other). House Minority Leader Boehner has said that he has a war room team to send out rapid responses during the President's speech rebutting his claims- even before the GOP Response. The SOTU has become the ultimate spin game and, unfortunately, it seems that Republicans already know their election-year talking points before the President even reaches the podium.

On the policy side, I'm really interested in the President's talk on education reform tonight. I also hope that he makes mention of the accomplishments that the Administration and Congress have had this year: from reforming the tobacco industry to cracking down on credit card companies and predatory lenders, passing a historic national service law and making progress towards eroding waste, fraud and abuse in military contracts. The economic urgency and the consumption of health care in the media's agenda obscured these key victories, and the President should remind the American people just how productive Congress and his White House have been.

I'll be liveblogging the President's State of the Union Address beginning around 8pm tonight.

An Address on the State of the Union

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:55:00 +0000

President Obama addresses a joint session of Congress tonight, for the third time in his young presidency but for the first as a formal, Constitutionally-mandated, Address on the State of the Union.

The last time that the President addressed Congress was in September, specifically on the issue of health insurance reform and just one week after the passing of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.

Four months later, the President returns to the House chamber having not signed the bill he had hoped to, even though both houses of Congress did pass, by razor-thin margins, health reform packages in 2009.

A Senator from Massachusetts will also be mentioned in tonight's address, White House aides say, although he is not expected to be in the Chamber. Massachusetts Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown has become a symbol for a growing national populist anti-incumbent sentiment.

The President is not expected to announce any sweeping initiatives or packages in his speech, which is also expected to be heavily slanted towards domestic issues rather than foreign policy. In the days leading up to the speech, the White House leaked word of perhaps the most talked about element of the speech: a 3-year freeze on non-discretionary non-military spending.

There are also hints that the President may announce a policy position on revoking the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" military policy towards gays and lesbians.

As always, all eyes will be on Washington for the annual speech. I'll be live-blogging it beginning at 8pm tonight.

An Agreement on Reducing the Debt

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:11:00 +0000

Late this Saturday, President Obama issued a statement announcing his strong support for a deficit reduction commission, created by legislative statute, which would make recommendations on way for the United States to reduce the budget deficit and the national debt.

The issue is currently being debated in the Senate as part of a bill that will raise the national debt ceiling- the statutory cap to which the debt can reach. The current ceiling, set in December, is set to be reached by the middle of next month and Democrats are seeking to raise the limit until after the midterm elections in November. The Commission, supported by Sen. Judd Gregg and Sen. Kent Conrad, would report back to Congress early next year. It is unclear if the support the President announced today would extend to making the recommendations of the Commission binding on the Congress (i.e. subject to an up/down vote instead of just consideration).

It is also unclear if the Senate has the 60 votes that will be necessary to pass the Conrad/Gregg Amendment. If the Senate fails to act, the President's statement today indicates that he will authorize a commission by executive order.

That provision is subject to Constitutional interpretation. There are serious and legitimate concerns over an unelected "commission" essentially writing legislation for Congress to consider. No matter how well-intentioned, the issue is probably best left at making recommendations for the committees of jurisdiction to then consider. This issue will likely be sorted out in the coming weeks.

As the Obama Administration makes a clear pivot to jobs and the economy, deficit reduction is expected to be a key component of the 2010 legislative strategy and the President is expected to take about his proposals in his first State of the Union Address next week.

Below is the full text of the President's statement:

January 23, 2010

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON A STATUTORY FISCAL COMMISSION

The serious fiscal situation that our country faces reflects not only the severe economic downturn we inherited, but also years of failing to pay for new policies—including a new entitlement program and large tax cuts that most benefited the well-off and well-connected. The result was that the surpluses projected at the beginning of the last administration were transformed into trillions of dollars in deficits that threaten future job creation and economic growth.

These deficits did not happen overnight, and they won't be solved overnight. We not only need to change how we pay for policies, but we also need to change how Washington works. The only way to solve our long-term fiscal challenge is to solve it together – Democrats and Republicans.

That's why I strongly support legislation currently under consideration to create a bipartisan, fiscal commission to come up with a set of solutions to tackle our nation's fiscal challenges – and call on Senators from both parties to vote for the creation of a statutory, bipartisan fiscal commission.

With tough choices made together, a commitment to pay for what we spend, and responsible stewardship of our economy, we will be able to lay the foundation for sustainable job creation and economic growth while restoring fiscal sustainability to our nation.

##

UPDATE: Here is a statement released by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer:

Hoyer Statement on President's Support for a Statutory Fiscal Commission and PAYGO

WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after President Obama announced his support for the creation of a statutory fiscal commission:

"I appreciate President Obama's announcement today reiterating his support for statutory paygo and affirming support for a fiscal commission.

"This announcement should eliminate any questions about the President's commitment to creating an effective fiscal commission to deal with our fiscal challenges. It is now up to Republicans to follow his lead by supporting the Conrad-Gregg proposal and, if it fails, working with the President to make a commission created by executive order a success.

"As we work to bring down the deficits created by their reckless policies during eight years in office, I hope Republicans see this as an opportunity to work together to tackle our nation's fiscal challenges."

The Golden Report for Saturday January 23

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:18:00 +0000

I'm glad I'm not alone in this. At the recommendation of a friend who I follow on Google Reader, I am now subscribed to the feed of Ezra Klein, the young Washington Post blogger who has covered the health care story better than any other journalist. One of his posts was titled "Tab Dump"-- which is the simplest yet best definition for this phenomena (some may call it a syndrome). I started posting these intermediate "Golden Report for --Date-" blog entries for the purposing of tab dumping. What is that? Over the course of a day, a lot of links pass through Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, RSS feeds and other articles. Many times, I will click on them and spend about 5 seconds glancing at the page then go back to what I was doing, thinking that I will return to the page later. Sometimes I do but, more often than not, especially with news articles, that doesn't happen for several days, if ever. I blame Twitter and its client TweetDeck for this. If I see a tweet of interest, I'll click the link so that I don't have to search for it later. What happens is that my computer screen looks like it did on Thursday of this week: with 14 windows open, some with 10-15 tabs. Anyway, as I said, I'm glad that I'm not alone in this. So, today's tab dump, which I classily describe under a more sophisticated title:

Washington Post/Thursday: "Health care debate delayed action on other big issues" -- the biggest political story of the week (besides a certain special election in Massachusetts) was the uncertainty around the Congressional agenda, specifically the future of health care reform. Did it die this week? Probably not. Is the future path clear? Far from it. And there a lot of other issues for Congress to deal with, that they had been delaying, and that will be all the more difficult now with 59 votes in the Senate.

TIME, "A Mixed Record in a Crisis-Filled Year"--part of a series looking issue by issue at the first year of the Obama Presidency. Robert Gibbs made a good point this week that the media has a fascination with anniversaries but that there seem to be more with Obama than previous Administrations. There was the first 100 days, the second one hundred days, the first six months, the anniversary of the election, the end of the first calendar year and now the end of the first presidency year. Each has been met with similar media stories and discussion--it seems as if we have been reflecting since November.

Related: TIME's Joe Klein had a Q&A with President Obama at this end of this week

Still Related: Washington Post: "One-Year Later: How Obama Has Turned Into a Wartime Commander in Chief" -- an important point to consider even as Obama has been chided this week for his domestic policy & political leadership, he is generally praised for his handling of foreign affairs, international relations and war policy. Conservatives, including Scott Brown, support the strategy for Afghanistan. And few can deny the leadership the US is showing by its swift coordinated response to the Haiti Earthquake. American voters tend to look at the full picture, not just the fascination of the moment. At war, the President has faced enormous challenges this year and has handled each with high marks.

NYTimes, "Times to Charge For Frequent Access to Its Website" I deferred to Brian Reich, author of Media Rules and one of the most intellectual minds in the business for analysis of this move by The Paper of Record. Brian said he supports it, if the Times presents valuable, quality content and reporting behind the password and credit card info. The same old is not going to cut it: the Times has to innovate if they want readers to pay for their news. This move gives them a lot of potential but, as they did with the last example in pay per read, my bet is that they are going to blow it.

The Future of the Internet...Is In the Cloud

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:38:00 +0000

Cross-posted from SocialGovernment, a blog covering how government is adapting to Web 2.0, to which I am contributor.

The future of the Internet is in the cloud, and it has implications for every sector of our society, especially government and business.

On Wednesday January 20 the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion on Cloud Computing including a keynote address from Brad Smith, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Microsoft Corporation. Smith unveiled a policy proposal from Microsoft which urged Congress to consider new legislation to regulate the cloud.

“We need a national conversation about how to build confidence in the cloud,” Smith said.

Defined simply, cloud computing is “computing delivered as a service over the Internet.” A national survey conducted for Microsoft by Penn, Schoen and Berland found that while 75% of Americans don’t know what cloud computing is, 90% use it.

Gmail and Google Apps are an example: the data do not reside on any one hard drive or tied to a single physical server. Instead, a user can access the data wherever, whenever, with an Internet connection. As more industries move data to the cloud, they are balancing the flexibility, reliability and choice of cloud computing with real concerns about privacy, security and legality.

The survey reflected that sentiment, while a majority of the general population and 86% of senior business leaders are “excited about the potential” of cloud computing, security and data privacy are concerns of more than 90% of those surveyed. And while there is growing confidence in the cloud (think about how many Americans use it for online banking, for example), there are also new inherent challenges.

The first is jurisdiction: Who is in charge? The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986 would seem to extend to the cloud, but the law is terribly out of date and has not been modernized to keep pace with the development of the Internet. As an example, ECPA extends greater privacy protections to emails stored for less than 180 days than those stored longer. Obviously this is a throwback to the days in the 80s when keeping e-mails for long periods of time was burdensome and uncommon- but it is clearly not the norm today.

In the same vein, does the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, extend to the cloud? Do users have a reasonable expectation of privacy or do they relinquish that when using a third party (i.e. the cloud) to store private date? Many insist that the Courts must extend Fourth Amendment protection to the cloud, however they have not to date and there currently exists no legal precedent for such an argument.

While the US courts may soon consider the issue of constitutional protection, businesses that choose to host their data centers off shore raise the issue of international sovereignty and jurisdiction of the cloud. Smith says that Microsoft supports an international treaty defining access to the cloud but is cognizant that such an action in the near future is unlikely, and that in the interim it will be up to the private sector to make critical choices about the future of the cloud.

Vivek Kundra, the Obama Administration’s Chief Information Officer, has spoken of the potential of cloud computing to increase access to data within government by, reducing time spent on procedure and increasing time spent on achieving an agencies fundamental mission and goals. He has estimated that the cost savings could be as great as 1/10^th. In a speech last year, Kundra chided what he sees as the focus of government IT on infrastructure maintenance rather than deploying technical tools to achieve goals.

At its core, the promise of cloud computing comes in giving users greater choice and access, in giving businesses greater flexibility and connectivity and giving government greater efficiency and transparency. Microsoft has introduced the Cloud Computing Advancement Act, which will continue a national conversation about the future of the cloud and the future of the Internet.

More information:

Read an op/ed about the Cloud Computing Advancement Act by Brad Smith in the Huffington Post

Politico also covered the issue this week in an article, “Microsoft Urges Greater Oversight”

ReminderNews Articles from Eastern Connecticut

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:53:00 +0000

When in Connecticut during the holidays, I went back to my old gig as a local newspaper reporter for Reminder News, a community paper that publishes throughout most of Eastern Connecticut- essentially the 2nd Congressional District.

I covered two stories (on one day) that appeared in the paper last week. With both, I tried to tie the local story into a national narrative; finding a greater significance that would put the article into a greater context (something I always feel is lacking when reading other local papers and coverage, which I feel puts the reader at a disadvantage). I've written nearly 100 articles for the Reminder since 2007 and been to nearly ever corner of the coverage area doing so; although these two articles from December 2009 were the first from the East Haddam and East Hampton datelines.

East Hampton Senior Center offers seasonal flu clinic

BY CHRIS GOLDEN ReminderNews

Amid continuing regional and national concern over this year’s flu season , the East Hampton Senior Center hosted a seasonal influenza vaccination clinic on Dec. 28. In previous years, this sort of clinic was held in early to mid autumn, but because of supply availability , the post-Christmas clinic was the earliest it could be held, according to Joanne Ligas, coordinator of community wellness at Middlesex Hospital Home Care.

Click the thumbnails above to see the full size pictures.

“Normally, we receive 3,500 doses for the entire season in the fall, but this year we received 430 doses on Oct. 5,” Ligas said. Three clinics were then scheduled, but the next shipment of doses did not arrive until Dec. 12, Ligas said.

“Right now, because it is so much later than usual, we are not seeing the demand that we usually do earlier in the fall,” Ligas said. Between 75 and 100 people were expected at the clinic. Still, she stressed that it is not too late to become vaccinated against seasonal influenza.

“We haven’t seen significant seasonal flu activity yet, and I expect that it would peak in late February or early March,” she said. An individual is considered immune two weeks after receiving the inoculation, according to Ligas, although individuals – especially those with chronic or at-risk conditions – should consult with their physician or health care provider.

Joanne Ewing, director of the East Hampton Senior Center, said that she reported more concern, primarily about vaccine availability, over the flu this year than in previous years, and attributed much of that to the attention paid to the H1N1 or “swine flu” pandemic.

Earlier in the fall, there was a national and regional shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, but as of mid-December , there are no longer availability delays or the need for priority vaccination groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

She also said that she expects a third wave of the H1N1 pandemic in late February or early March, around the same time that seasonal influenza is expected to peak.

Ligas and other public health officials reiterate that simple steps, like washing hands, covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and self-isolating when feeling ill, remain the best methods to prevent the spread of both types of flu.

Initiative seeks to engage kids outdoors during school break

BY CHRIS GOLDEN ReminderNews

Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam opened its doors during winter vacation week to students and families for three days of programming and events as part of the statewide “No Child Left Inside” initiative.

Click the thumbnails above to see the full size pictures.

“The purpose of this week is for people to get outside and do something different ,” said Dianne Joy, assistant director of State Parks and Public Outreach for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. This was the second year of the program at the East Haddam State Park.

The theme at Gillette Castle focused on snow and ice – which was appropriate , given the week’s weather conditions – and included science experiments to teach what animals do in the winter. Volunteers joined park staff to set up several activities for children and families , including lessons on animal tracks and snowflakes.

Gillette Castle, decorated for the holiday season, was open for tours at the regular admission price, but organizers created a do-it-yourself scavenger hunt for children throughout the museum.

An initiative of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, “No Child Left Inside” seeks to “encourage Connecticut families and visitors alike to enjoy all the recreational resources and outdoor activities available in Connecticut’s state parks, forests and waterways ,” according to its Web site.

An aim of the initiative is to introduce to children a theme at the state park that can later be applied at home and at school. “Many families are looking for something to do during winter school vacation week that is both fun and educational, and the state parks are one place that can offer them jus that,” said Joy.

“One of our challenges is integrating with a school’s curriculum and including an environmental literacy plan,” said Rachael Sunny, coordinator of the initiative. The DEP Parks Division holds workshops for teachers and administrators and often goes into schools to talk directly to students, Sunny said. Another challenge is that none of the state’s 139 state parks and forests is accessible via public transportation, according to Sunny.

For more information on the initiative , visit the Web site www.nochildleftinside .org.

Decision 2010: MA Senate Election

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:38:00 +0000

What a night in politics- and proof to the old adage that if you live long enough, you will see everything. A Republican, little-known state Senator Scott Brown, defeated popular state Attorney General Martha Coakley in a special election to complete the remaining term of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

There are so many different storylines here. The Kennedy legacy. The state of the Democratic Party. The role of the national party and the Coakley campaign. The Obama agenda. Health Care. 60 votes. Media attention from the far right fringe. National discontentment as we continue to struggle with a historic economic recession. A deep national yearning for "change" which remains.

As Bob Menendez, the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said last night, there should be no sugar-coating the results. In fact, they should be considered a wake-up call to democrats around the country.

To that end, Organizing for America supporters received an interesting e-mail today (after one late last night announcing a conference call for supporters would be held Wednesday evening; I was unable to join the call). It is a reminder of the hard work that remains ahead in the Obama Administration- the change that was felt so clearly in Washington one year ago, tonight.

Full e-mail below:

Chris --

Yesterday's disappointing election results show deep discontent with the pace of change. I know the OFA community and the President share that frustration.

We also saw what we knew to be true all along: Any change worth making is hard and will be fought at every turn. While it doesn't take away the sting of this loss, there is no road to real change without setbacks along the way.

We could have simply sought to do things that were easy, that wouldn't stir up controversy. But changes that aren't controversial rarely solve the problem.

Our country continues to face the same fundamental challenges it faced yesterday. Our health care system still needs reform. Wall Street still needs to be held accountable. We still need to create good jobs. And we still need to continue building a clean energy economy.

The President isn't walking away from these challenges. In fact, his determination and resolve are only stronger. We must match that commitment with our own.

But it won't be easy. Real change never is. For that reason, I am grateful you're part of this fight with us.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

And here is the e-mail from the DSCC:

Chris,

I have no interest in sugar-coating what happened in Massachusetts. There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now. Americans are understandably impatient. The truth is Democrats understand the anger voters feel - that's in large part why we did well in 2006 and 2008. We are doing what we were sent to Washington to do: tackle tough challenges in order to get the country back on track. We've made progress, and come November, we will have made even more.

In the days ahead, we will sort through the lessons of Massachusetts: the need to redouble our efforts on the economy, the need to show that our commitment to real change is as powerful as it was in 2008, and the reality that we cannot take a single thing for granted and cannot afford even a second of complacency.

These election results mean that Republicans will be even more emboldened to obstruct progress and distort the truth in their quest to protect the status quo. We must be aggressive in defining our opponents and framing the choice voters face. We cannot be timid about staking out our ground, and we must be strong in reminding voters what the Republicans did to our country and what they will do again if given the chance.

Sincerely,

Sen. Bob Menendez

Honoring MLK's Legacy as a Day On, Not a Day Off

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:51:00 +0000

Today, I had the pleasure of joining the City Year Washington, DC corps at Ron Brown Middle School and Houston Elementary Schools in Northeast DC who welcomed nearly 600 community volunteers on the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. As it always is when myImpact.org partners with CYDC, it as an inspiring experience that affirmed my belief, yet again, in the important work of the national service community.

It was a big day for the service world. The President and his family traveled to SOME (So Others Might Eat) soup kitchen to feed the homeless in the mid-morning. At our site, Education Secretary Duncan and CNCS Acting CEO Nikki Goren came to serve. Robert Egger's DC Central Kitchen had the VA Secretary. Volunteers around the country joined non-profit and service organizations; many stories were captured on a daylong live webcast produced by the Hands On Network.

Through it all, reminders of last week's devastating Haitian earthquake were present. With pictures of such utter devastation just a few hundred miles from the US mainland, today's day of service took on a more urgent significance. It was, as Steve Culbertson reminded in a Huffington Post essay today, a reminder of the meaning behind the MLK Day of Service and the legacy of Dr. King.

Hopefully, I will have time in the next few days to post pictures & videos - and perhaps a longer-form video - of today's CYDC service in Northeast. In the meantime, here are some of the articles on service, out of literally hundreds that were published today, that captured my attention:

"Youth Poised for Action" by Steve Culbertson, President, YSA (referenced above)

"Capital Culture: Obama cites value of volunteerism" - AP

"King service co-founder: Holiday "has a long way to go" - citing Fmr. Penn. Sen. Harris Wofford, who pushed for the creation of the King Holiday, saying that last year was the first time that MLK Day took, what he called, a "quantum leap forward" - Washington Post

"A New York Volunteer Effort Will Soon Spread to 10 Cities" - NY Times- about the Cities of Service Initiative, a project of the ServiceNation Coalition and Be The Change, Inc.

Finally, this press release from The White House listing the locations that various Administration officials served in the Greater DC Region today.

For more coverage of MLK Day 2010, visit www.myImpact.org, and look for our tweets from today, @myImpact

"We Shall Overcome" Reflections on MLK Day 2010

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:21:00 +0000

Cross-posted from myImpact.org

Listening again to Dr. King's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, a ritual that I try to maintain each year, I am struck yet again at the relevance and applicability to our country, and our world, today- nearly 50 years later. The speech proclaims mass inequities in society- what should be clearly seen injustices but resists what may have been the tempting option of retaliation and instead proposes a solution embedded within the beliefs of non-violence.

"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred," King said, "We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline."

Today, on the national holiday that has become a day of service, thousands of Americans will gather in their local communities around our country. Some will identify problems and brainstorm with others a collaborative solution. Others will work to implement a solution to a problem that has long been identified. Some will volunteer for the first time. For others, it will be the latest installment in their volunteering journal. In all cases, Americans will be united in service.

Our nation today still faces mass injustices and inequities. The legacy of Dr. King is often referenced when talking about education reform, voting rights and economic recovery. Schools in New York are different than those in Mississippi. Public hospitals in Washington state treat patients differently than those in South Carolina. A voter might feel that his vote really makes a difference in the fourth ward of Columbus, Ohio- but in Washington, DC, the nation's capital, the sentiment is different. At the macro level, the problems our country faces in the economy, education, health care, the environment and obesity- to name just a few- seem daunting and unfixable.

But the dream of Dr. King lives on, though the volunteering and service of every American who will pick up a paintbrush, tutor a child, plan a neighborhood event or pick up litter from a sidewalk today. We are all working on our micro-community scales, whether independently or through a non-profit organization, to develop and implement solutions to national challenges. For any one of these issues, Americans can (and do) march on Washington, exercising their Constitutional rights to petition their elected official for grievances. But what Dr. King was saying in 1963 is a lesson equally as instilled in our American legacy: when we see a problem we must then make ourselves part of the solution.

Service is part of that solution. The number of volunteers grew last year and is on pace to do so again. The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, one of the first pieces of legislation signed by President Obama, recognizes the urgent need to organize and deploy the human capital of Americans who chose to serve- and authorizes up to 250,000 AmeriCorps positions over the next five years. Entities from across society are joining forces in this movement of service- corporations, non-profits, foundations, individuals, cities, states, and small towns.

Today, we unite in service guided by the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to answer the dream of his time, and our time: a day when equality and justice reign from the mountaintops and the valleys. We do so knowing that the greatest potential to grow this movement lies within each and every one of us. Just as Dr. King's is to so many of us, our own stories of service- of our unique volunteer experience- can be the inspiring force to engage even more Americans in joining our cause and giving back.

In 1963, Dr. King proclaimed his dream. In 2010, let us recommit ourselves to hearing it again and working in our own ways towards developing national solutions. Engaging all Americans, we shall overcome.

The Golden Report for Sunday January 17

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:08:00 +0000

It's been a busy news weekend, as the relief effort continues in Haiti, the Massachusetts special senate election looks like it is going to come down to the wire and as we close in on the one-year mark of the Obama Presidency. Here are some of the stories that I'm reading, and that I flagged to post some additional comments on:

POLITICO, "Shah, Keen Step Into Haiti Spotlight" -- If you watched any (or all) of the Sunday Shows this morning, then you saw Dr. Rajiv Shah and Lt. Gen. Ken Keen. Shah, the Director of USAID (Agency for International Development) and Keen (Deputy Commander of US Southern Command) both did a "Full Ginsburg"- the term used to describe when a person is interviewed on all Sunday morning shows in the same morning. Shah, just confirmed by the Senate three weeks ago, was particularly impressive this morning--his stature is likely to rise as a result of the calm but professional way in which he is handling this tragedy. Mike Allen reported in Playbook today that the Administration recognizes Shah's value, and had him fully staffed for the Shows, with the National Security Council & State Department traveling with him around town to the various networks. Shah was with Secretary of State Clinton in Haiti yesterday, returned home about 2am ET and was up at 5:58am to get ready for the Sunday Shows.

There's more about Shah in a Washington Post article from last week "Officials hail USAID chief's crisis management skills"

Washington Post Op/Ed "What Karl Rove Got Wrong on the US Debt" In Friday's paper, David Axelrod, a chief strategist to President Obama, refuted claims made last Sunday by Karl Rove, who argued that Pres. Obama would have run up "more debt by October than Pres. Bush did in eight years." That is a clearly false statement but what was significant was that Axelrod openly attacked and refuted Rove- a change in strategy for the Administration. To this point, the Administration has not directly responded when attacked. Another sign this was a strategic shift from deep inside the West Wing? Bill Burton, the deputy WH Press Secretary, this week created a Twitter account (@BillBurton44) in which he challenged claims made by a reporter (in this case, Ed Henry, @edhenrycnn). The debt is going to get some more attention this week as the Senate begins consideration of a bill to raise the national debt ceiling.

NYTimes Op/Ed, "The Underlying Tragedy" by David Brooks -- Brooks takes the Haiti earthquake and asks the question, "Are we just going to rebuild and continue with the same old, same old?" while arguing that we should not- but the disaster in Haiti as a complete clean-slate to rebuild the country and prove that development can work. Interesting- and timely- but would have been better if Brooks had, let's say, taken a look back at the last major international disaster- the Sumatra Tsunami- and seen if what he proposes be done in Haiti happened there.

Newsweek, "Why Haiti Matters," by Barack Obama- It's a rare occasion when a sitting President writes an essay that is the cover of a national newsmagazine, but after the Earthquake this week, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham reached out to the Administration, and the President accepted. This line should speak to the patriotism of every American, "we act for a very simple reason: in times of tragedy, the United States of America steps forward and helps. That is who we are. That is what we do." Indeed.

Washington Post, "One Year Later Assessing Obama: Testing the Promise of Pragmatism" -- Dan Balz takes a very smart and principled look back over the first year of the Administration, concluding that nearly any President would have made the economic decisions that the President did, as they were needed to avoid calamity. He finds the President's largest struggles coming from Americans who view government as the enemy, and now equate Obama as the President of Big Government. He sees Tuesday's special senatorial election in Massachusetts as an important bellweather to the midterm elections later this year

Also, be sure to read David Broder's analysis of the Obama First Year today, "To regain public favor, Obama needs a good economy and jobs"

Social Justice Camp DC- #SoJuCa

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:18:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I've considered Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to be part of a holiday weekend- and this year is no exception. Yesterday, I spent the day on the campus of George Washington University downtown for Social Justice Camp DC, an un-conference which brought together advocates, activists, non-profit leaders, and students around a single topic: social justice.

The un-conference format maximizes attendee participation. In fact, the topics for the conference sessions are determined that morning, and are run entirely by the participants. Collaboration is key. Conversation is crucial. Networking comes naturally. All of this is done in the hopes that the take-away will be more meaningful than a traditional conference setting.

The organizers of Social Justice Camp DC did a fantastic job setting the stage of the event for months. I first found out about the Camp at a networking reception in October at the home of Georgetown University social entrepreneurship professor Dr. Sarah Stiles (one of the great and most innovative minds in DC). I've been looking forward to the format, and to meeting fellow participants, since then.

Leaving the un-conference, however, I had a similar feeling of malaise as I usually do when leaving a traditional conference -- unsure of what I actually learned that was new, innovative, different or (my favorite phrase) game-changing. Although I've come to believe that repetition is crucial, (i.e. asking the same question at different events in different ways by different people) I was looking for the un-conference to be a little different. I'll go as far as saying there was too much collaboration. Too much patting on the back. Not enough dissent. Not enough disagreement. I would have liked to defend why I feel so passionately about my work, and our approach of using social media & new technology to achieve our goals.

Therefore, my only suggestion to future un-conference organizers of similar issues is that they make a conscious effort to reach out to "the other side" and get a wide range of opinions in the room. Make those of us who came together wanting to be together sit next to and discuss with someone who really doesn't. In the end, that's where the strongest results will come from.

Here's a list of the conference sessions that we came up with yesterday. I led a discussion in the morning on how Social Media is Changing Engagement.

For more information on Social Justice Camp DC, visit www.socialjusticecamp.org/dc and follow @SocJustCampDC on Twitter.

Does Service Learning Really Help?

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:13:00 +0000

The following is cross-posted from myImpact.org:

A recent New York Times article asked the question, “Does Service Learning Really Help?” The article, by nonprofit reporter Stephanie Strom, “loosely” defines service learning as “community service that supplements and enhances what students learn in a classroom” and explored the elements that make a positive experience for students.
“In reality, service learning often seems unconnected to any curriculum — painting park benches, for example. At its most basic, it can be hard to distinguish from plain vanilla community service” the article laments, while suggesting that detailed planning, by academic institutions and faculty, will result in a more enriching experience.
This conversation is an essential one, and one that speaks to the heart of the goals of myImpact.org. Understanding that volunteers, especially student volunteers, need to see their work in a greater context and then use that story to inspire more students to join a cause or participate in a program, is an essential guiding principle.
All too often, schools (and even colleges and universities) are more focused on aligning a service-learning program with a mandated curriculum that they ignore important elements that will enrich a student’s participation. For example, understanding the needs and working in concert with the non-profit organization a student volunteers at is more important than signing off on a certain number of volunteer hours.
Elson Nash, the acting director of Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service, said, “The relationships are key because everyone — the students, faculty and community organization — needs to be involved in developing the expectations for the service learning experience,” Mr. Nash says. “They need to talk about what it’s going to address, how the students are going to be involved, how it connects to the classroom experience, how it meets the nonprofit’s needs and, most importantly, how it is going to be evaluated.”
At myImpact.org, we believe that new technology and social media allow these relationships to be formed, and sustained, in ways like never before. The first version of our online platform, currently in development, treats recording a simple metric such as volunteer hours, formerly an individual exercise, as a social action—in a community where it can be commented on and, more importantly, tracked over time.
This approach is consistent with what we have outlined as a “Millennial Model” of civic engagement, valuing three traits: inclusivity, transparency and shared-decision making. A service-learning program that is going to positively enrich a student’s learning experience must be developed with the student’s, be open and honest about the intended outcomes (and how the program will be measured) and, overall, not take a top-down approach.
In sum, to answer the question “Does Service Learning Really Help?” the answer is an emphatic “yes,” with a giant caveat: when it is developed and implemented with a new model in mind.

A Millennial Discussion on Retirement Reform

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:06:00 +0000

Last night, I was really privileged to be asked to join in a discussion organized by LifeTuner, a new interactive website and online community dedicated to focusing on personal finance and money management, about the important issue of retirement reform, as it effects the Millennial Generation.

I'll admit that this is not a discussion that I have every day, nor one that I claim to be an expert on by any means. This conversation stems from the Mobilize.org & Peter G. Peterson Foundation sponsored Millennial Return on Investment Summit that I attended in November in Chicago. I was a facilitator of a table discussion at the Summit and engaged in a conversation about retirement reform as one of the topics that we discussed. Because I agree with the importance of this issue, and was impressed with the good work that LifeTuner is doing, I was glad to join in the continuing discussion.

The full audio of the nearly one-hour program, which was broadcast on Blog Talk Radio, is available here. For more information on LifeTuner, be sure to visit their site (and create a profile) at www.lifetuner.org.

UPDATE: Here is another link to the show which includes background information about LifeTuner.

The Golden Report for Thursday January 14

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:56:00 +0000

In attempting to restore the namesake of this blog- and how it all began- today I'll start a series posting articles and providing brief comments on stories in the news that have caught my attention.

To be honest, I had planned to do this on Monday but like so many things- this blog and re-invigorated online social media presence included, time has a way of getting away from me as I juggle many different projects, roles, responsibilities and events.

Of course, it has also been a very busy week in the news, especially with Tuesday's major earthquake in Haiti. The response effort to that disaster will be in the news for days. However, as I've worked from home today- and kept the 24-hour news networks on in the background throughout- that is not by any chance the only major issue, today.

Just now, it is being reported that the Homeland Security Department is ordering increased security, one day after we learned of a renewed threat from Al-Qaeda in Yemen. Also today, the President is huddling with Congressional leaders as reports emerge of a deal on historic health care reform legislation (the President goes to speak to House Democrats later tonight). Then, there's the big announcement today about a financial crisis responsibility fee- and the second day of hearings of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in Washington (not to forget yesterday's report from the Council of Economic Advisors touting 2 million jobs created or saved as a result of the ARRA). And to top it all off, TMZ is now reporting that Jay Leno has struck a deal with NBC for a one-hour primetime program at 11:35pm- a move that will essentially boot Conan O'Brien off the air after just a few months as host of The Tonight Show.

We do live in extraordinary times.

Next week will mark the one-year anniversary of President Obama's inauguration. Throughout the week, whitehouse.gov has been hosting video progress reports with key Administration officials. Earlier this week, watchdog groups released their "grades" of the Administration's transparency, and gave an "A" in three key categories. As I wrote about earlier this week, the President's Open Government Directive is a huge step forward- now comes the hard task of implementation.

Other articles that caught my eye:

"Google's Threat Echoed Everywhere, Except China" (NYTimes) looking at another major story this week: Google's threat to pull out of China.

" 'Hillary effect' cited for increase in female ambassadors to the US" (Washington Post)

"Will the Sunday Show's Every Change" (POLITICO)

"Mr. Smith Rewrites the Constitution" (Op/Ed by Thomas Geoghegan in the NY Times)

"A Year of Terror Plots, Through A Second Prism" (News Analysis/NYTimes)

The New Mobilize.org: Champions of the Millennial Generation

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:46:00 +0000

Today, the youth civic engagement field woke up to the news that two large players: Mobilize.org and Generation Engage, were merging into what I am calling the “new Mobilize.org.”

It is an exciting day for those within both organizations, and those of us actively involved in the sector to advance our aligned vision of education, empowering and energizing the Millennial Generation but, more importantly, it is an exciting day for those who may never know—or care about—organizational bureaucracy.

That’s because our work on behalf of all Millennials impacts all Millennials. When Mobilize.org (which today also announced a new mission statement: investing in Millennial-generated solutions) puts their support behind a project that advances their mission of Democracy 2.0, that is one more reason to take note of the generational shift the Millennials represent. (A shift that the Pew Research Center is exploring in 2010 with a yearlong series). It is one more potential project that can be scaled, one more solution to our society’s most complex and systemic problems that can be achieved.

Joining forces is vital, especially in the non-profit sector and especially in the youth engagement sector, when our work is so similar and so important. Today, the new Mobilize.org sets an important example and takes a dramatic step forward for an organization that was only born eight years ago on the campus of UC Berkley.

I have been privileged to work closely with Maya, Ian & the Mobilize team over the last year and a half, including a time as a program associate planning Constitutional Convention: Building Democracy 2.0. I've also worked with Decker and have a great appreciation for his work leading Generation Engage. They have been tremendous advocates of my work as co-founder of myImpact.org- as an organization that is officially a project of Mobilize.org. We will be looking to Mobilize’s example as we make critical decisions this year about the future of our organization, including aligning our efforts with others who share our vision to engage more young Americans in volunteering and service. It should also be mentioned that behind today’s development is the careful and deliberate guidance of Mobilize Founder, now the Executive Director of the National Conference on Citizenship, David Smith. Dave is the hallmark of a generational leader; we are all the beneficiaries of his stewardship.

I had a chance to visit with the new Mobilize Team yesterday and join in the fun as they produced the following video, playing on the theme song from a previous generation, as they continue to chart the future of a new one:

(Listen for my voice at the end)

MORE: Read CEO Maya Enista's letter announcing the merger with Generation Engage

Open Government Directive Workshop Asks "How Are We Going to Do This?"

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:28:00 +0000

Transparency. Public Participation. Collaboration.

They sound great in principle. As models, they are ideals that are worthy and noble to subscribe to. But goals are different than action steps. What we “want” is different from what we “have.” Now consider that the path to getting “there” is not laid out (or funded) and the scene will be set to explain the second Open Government Directive Workshop series that took place Monday at the US Department of Transportation.

About 175 people from across government, including agencies as diverse as the Interior and State Departments, met in a day designed to mimic the mindset behind the President’s Open Government directive: an open, transparent and collaborative daylong working session, where best practices were exchanged, relationships formed, and new ideas proposed.

One common refrain: “how are we going to do this?” With limited time and resources before each agency must submit their plan for open government to the Office of Management and Budget, and launch a website to announce their plans to the public, agencies are struggling to bring together the resources they need to comply with the Directive. While some speakers offered reminders that many of these tools and concepts are not new, it was clear that this change to the bureaucratic mindset was. As an example, in a PowerPoint presentation meant to discuss how his agency was an example of government 2.0 with an online collaborative working library, the first slide was a legal non-disclosure agreement against discussing the information to be presented. If we are truly going to live up to the spirit of open government, then this example showed the challenges that lie ahead.

The federal government is a large and diverse body and different agencies are clearly interpreting the presidential directive in different ways. A representative from the Health and Human Services Department talked about how his agency was implementing the directive within existing resources and procedures, saying that this will likely not be the last open government directive to be issued so it wasn’t prudent to make permanent changes now. On the other hand, the State Department showed real examples of how their global diplomacy initiatives are reaching people around the world, in real time.

11 presentations, limited to five-minutes each, revealed different initiatives taking place within our government. Despite some having evident shortcomings, there was a palpable excitement. This is something new, something exciting, and something that can have a real effect and actually make an impact.

How do we get there? Clearly a first step would be to alleviate concerns among those implementing the presidential directive that each trial need have tangible results. Government is well known for having a risk-adverse mindset- only appropriating funds and resources for programs that have a proven track record, for example. Government 2.0 is different. There is inherently an element of experiment and risk. This has to be embraced, not something to shy away from.

After the morning session, participants turned the workshop into an un-conference, following an open discussion format, in the hopes that the day would turn even more beneficial to attendees in their professional work and could therefore be directly applicable as they meet the demands of the Presidential directive.

The Open Government Directive Workshop Series will continue throughout 2010, roughly once per month. I attended today’s event as a correspondent for Social Government, an online blog dedicated to exploring the intersection of social media and government 2.0. All of the presentations, as well as archived video clips, of today’s event are available online at www.opengovplaybook.org.

Why Open Government Is Important

chrisgolden07@gmail.com (Chris Golden) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:50:00 +0000

Partisans on either side of the political spectrum will say that "change" they can believe in is hard to find, when looking back over the first year of the Obama Presidency. If anything, it seems as if the country has gotten more polarized -- over government spending, health care, energy and terrorism.

Among the President's campaign promises, there is one area in which his Administration has lived up to most expectations and stand in start difference to their predecessors: transparency and openness in government.

On the first full day of the Obama Administration, the President signed a "Presidential Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government," setting guiding principles for executive branch agencies to implement as they transitioned to new leadership. (Incidentally, the memo was signed on the same day that the President and First Lady opened the White House in a public Open House, which I was privileged to be invited to attend.)

Last month, the President issued a Presidential Open Government Directive, which compels Executive Branch agencies to report back to the White House on how they will comply with three benchmark themes: transparency, public participation and collaboration.

While politics often guides what issues an agency prioritizes, the Obama Administration has made clear that the process by which that policy is implemented needs to change, adapting to meet the unique needs and possibilities of a new century. What's at stake is all-partisan: strengthening our democracy, by improving its efficiency and effectiveness.

As the Memorandum recognizes, new technology offers innovative and creative solutions to "Government 2.0." The Internet makes the objective of having government universally accessible to all Americans a real possibility. It should also be noted that on the policy angle, the Administration has made universal broadband a priority, beginning with funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the FCC recently began a series of cross-country meetings on the issue. Transparency of government operations increases accountability, allows for information to be more accessible and fulfill the spirit of public disclosure legislation.

Access to government information is only the first step. Interaction and participation with it is the next step. By allowing diverse opinions during the rule-making process, the quality of decisions will increase. Even within government, this is important. Technology and web 2.0 are knocking down cross-agency, even cross-department, barriers to participations. By allowing relevant government agencies and career professionals easy access to information, government operations increase and are improved.

Finally, the memorandum identifies collaboration as the third principle for government to adapt. While transparency and participation can be seen as taking place before and during the decision-making process, collaboration is a critical step in knowing what happens next- or answering the question, "how best can we use this information (data)?" The ARRA is a good example; the government set up www.recovery.gov to show how the $700 billion stimulus spending bill was being spent. Another great examples comes at the local level, with technical applications such as See Click Fix that allow for the public to use, adapt and collaborate with publicly available information and data- whether that be pointing out the need for city services- or the regional spread of a pandemic influenza.

With every major initiative, critics will point to areas in which the Obama Administration could be even more open and even more transparent--such as fulfilling the campaign promise to have all bills online for 72-hours before the President signs them, or opening up the closed-door health care negotiations to C-SPAN cameras--but it is irrefutable that the progress made over the last year is a dramatic step forward into 21st century e-government.

Note: Tomorrow, The Open Government Directive Workshop Series holds its second session, bringing together stakeholders from across government to discuss and collaborative how their agencies can learn from others in adapting to the principles set forward in the Presidential Memorandum. I will be live-tweeting and reporting from the Workshop for SocialGovernment.