Making Government Work: Pragmatic Priorities for Interagency Coordination

Numerous studies outlining what needs to be done to improve the U.S. interagency system have been conducted in the past few decades. Together, these studies reflect a growing consensus on the range of changes needed across the government, from personnel reform, to changes in processes and structures. This article does not quibble with this consensus. Rather, in light of the current economic crisis and the challenges we face in Iraq and Afghanistan, this piece argues that dramatic reform may be a luxury we cannot afford right now. Instead of offering another proposal for large-scale reorganization, the author suggests a way to get started now; one that focuses on winning the fights we are currently in while setting the trajectory for long-term change.