The hottest Public Services Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Bigger State Doesn’t Mean Bigger Bureaucracy

Erik Examines • 358 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Bureaucracy Public Services Economic Policy Welfare state
  1. A bigger government doesn't always mean more bureaucracy. Sometimes, more money just flows through the same systems without needing extra workers.
  2. Smaller governments can create more confusion by pushing tasks to local groups or private companies, leading to more regulations and complexity.
  3. Clear standards and smart designs in government can help manage complexity better than just trying to shrink the size of the state.

Row breaks out over council’s redundancy plans

NN Journal • 178 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policies Elections Public Services Local Governance
  1. The West Northamptonshire Council is offering voluntary redundancies to staff to cut costs as they face a budget shortfall. This could also include options for early retirement and reduced work hours.
  2. The Labour party is very unhappy with this decision, calling it a 'debacle' that risks worsening already strained public services.
  3. Current waiting times for services are long, and losing staff now might make these services even harder to access for the public.

Yes, AI really can be used to tackle potholes

Odds and Ends of History • 2077 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Infrastructure Data Innovation Public Services
  1. AI can help local councils find and fix potholes more efficiently. It uses cameras and algorithms to spot problems without needing workers to stop and inspect manually.
  2. The technology can identify not only potholes but also other issues like broken signs and overgrown vegetation. This means councils can be proactive in road maintenance.
  3. Using AI for road maintenance can save time and resources for councils. This allows them to collect useful data and prioritize repairs better, despite limited budgets.

What Happens Next?

Can We Still Govern? • 993 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trump administration Government Structure Political corruption Public Services Administrative state
  1. If Trump returns to office, he will likely make major changes to how federal workers are treated, possibly firing many and reclassifying them as political appointees. This could create a government that is less experienced and more loyal to his administration.
  2. Trump's second term may be more organized but still chaotic, with a focus on advancing his goals and possibly reducing regulatory oversight. However, this could lead to a decline in the quality of public services and less effective governance overall.
  3. Corruption might become more common under Trump, with personal interests overlapping with government duties. This could result in conflicts of interest becoming normalized, making it harder to hold him and his administration accountable.

How Will Trump's Executive Orders Change Government?

Can We Still Govern? • 375 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive orders Governance Public Services
  1. There's a new hiring freeze for federal workers, except for some critical positions. This might lead to fewer employees in public service and could impact areas like the IRS.
  2. Trump's orders are bringing back a system that allows him to fire career employees and replace them with political appointees. This could change how government jobs are managed and create a more partisan public service.
  3. Many staff will have to return to in-person work, which could make it harder for the government to attract and keep talented employees. Remote work has been shown to be productive, but there's a push to end those arrangements.
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The Woes of Oakland: Homelessness

The Discourse Lounge • 1595 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Homelessness Housing policy Public Services
  1. Oakland's homelessness crisis is a result of underproduction of housing compared to job growth in the region.
  2. Crime in Oakland is influenced by factors like homicide, organized criminal groups, reckless drivers, and homelessness.
  3. Oakland struggles to address homelessness due to financial constraints, dependency on neighboring cities, and lack of resources.

Britain's austerity has millions of losers

System Change • 432 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Economic Impact Government debt Public Services Climate change
  1. Austerity in Britain has negatively impacted public services and public sector employees.
  2. The economic policy of austerity has failed and led to a significant decrease in real wages for British workers.
  3. High public debt in Britain is a consequence of economic policy failure and does not directly impact the funding of public services.

Half of All Australian Air Noise Complaints Came From A Single Perth Man with 20,000 Calls.

Really Stupid • 3 HN points • 14 Sep 24
😂 Humor Satire Public Services Social Commentary
  1. A man in Perth made an astonishing 20,716 noise complaints about airplanes in just one year. That means almost half of all complaints in Australia came from him alone.
  2. On average, the man called about every 6 minutes during business hours, showing an extreme level of dedication to his complaints.
  3. Despite all these complaints, it seems that simply calling a lot doesn't necessarily lead to changes or solutions for his noise issues.

You Can't Eat Democracy

An Africanist Perspective • 356 implied HN points • 16 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Democracy Political institutions Public Services
  1. Voters prioritize material outcomes in democracies. If democracies cannot address citizens' needs and improve their material conditions, they risk collapse.
  2. African democracies are facing challenges in delivering on their promises, leading to a decline in voter satisfaction with democracy, reflecting in part an erosion of legitimacy.
  3. To make democracy work in African states, it is essential to focus on building effective states beyond just electoral processes, align democracy with material motivations, and embrace the idea of decentralized and developmentalist democracy.

Center of the Community

Splattern • 119 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Community Health Fitness Public Services
  1. Community centers offer valuable activities and services, like affordable gym access and wellness options. It's great to see how they promote health and fitness in a fun way.
  2. Trying new workouts, like the Stair Master, can be a refreshing experience. It allows you to focus on personal progress without comparisons to others.
  3. Engaging in unique activities, such as rock climbing, helps build confidence and reduces the pressure of performance. It's okay to fail and learn without judgment.

Is America A Failed State?

Castalia • 219 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Consumer Rights Corporate Power Infrastructure Public Services
  1. Travel experiences highlight issues in customer service and corporate practices. Many people are frustrated with technology getting in the way and feeling ignored by automated systems.
  2. America's economic landscape is dominated by a few large corporations, leading to less competition and lower quality service. This shift has resulted in a sense of uniformity and dissatisfaction in many communities.
  3. People often accept the current system without questioning it, similar to the way citizens in a failing state might feel. There's a need for accountability and reform to improve the situation.

The Unbearable Heaviness of Government

The New Urban Order • 119 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Tech Leadership Public Services Bureaucracy
  1. Local governments struggle to effectively integrate digital technology for improved services like solving congestion or waste management.
  2. The conflict between the agile, user-centric approach of digital tech and the process-oriented nature of government is a central theme in Jennifer Pahlka's book, Recoding America.
  3. Government service delivery challenges are not solely about technology; they also involve bureaucratic culture, the need for implementation-focused leaders, and the importance of public accountability in driving improvement.

Let the sunshine in

City Hall Watcher • 117 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
📰 News Local news City Council Public Services Political Analysis
  1. The Ontario Sunshine List data can provide interesting insights on city salaries and job title trends.
  2. Firefighters saw significant salary increases over the past four years, reflecting a notable trend within the data analyzed.
  3. During the Toronto Council meeting preview, it was highlighted that the city faces a major financial crisis and discussed various agenda items, including the upcoming mayoral election.

Updated! The Plot To Privatize Canada Post's Parcel/Package Business.

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 36 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor relations Public Services Government Accountability Privatization
  1. There is a belief that Canada Post is being privatized bit by bit, especially in the parcel/package delivery sector. This could lead to private companies taking over what was once a public service.
  2. The union workers at Canada Post are facing difficulties because of a long strike, which some people blame for delays during the busy holiday season.
  3. Concerns are raised about how privatization could hurt remote communities, especially First Nations that depend on Canada Post for delivery of medical supplies and other essential items.

What I wrote in the New York Times about Trump's authoritarian plans

Can We Still Govern? • 172 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Authoritarianism Government Presidential Power Public Services Democracy
  1. The stakes are high as Trump aims to transform the American government in an authoritarian direction.
  2. Trump's plan involves appointing loyalists, undermining career civil servants, and leveraging government resources for his personal and political gain.
  3. There is a serious threat to democracy if Trump's authoritarian blueprint succeeds, leading to a weaker government and dismantling of limits on presidential power.

The Other Housing Crisis

Comment is Freed • 114 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Housing Crisis Labour Party Conservative Party Public Services Homelessness
  1. Housing crisis is a key issue for both Conservative and Labour parties in the upcoming election.
  2. Concern over housing crisis is growing, especially in cities like London, impacting younger professionals.
  3. Focus on housing crisis should also address those who have no hope of owning a home, not just on homeownership and policy interventions.

Scalability Applies Beyond Tech

Kartick’s Blog • 17 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software User Experience Public Services Health Interpersonal Skills
  1. Scalability isn't just for tech; it also applies to user experience. Good UX can cater to different user needs without confusion, like how WhatsApp offers various ways to communicate.
  2. Public services also need to be scalable for everyone, regardless of income. Services should meet diverse needs rather than just providing a one-size-fits-all solution.
  3. Even our personal traits, like politeness, should be scalable. It's important to adjust our behavior based on the situation and context, finding a balance between being too polite and too rude.

The Disconnect

Comment is Freed • 100 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Justice System Crime Trends Prison System Public Services
  1. Different narratives about crime can both be true and indicate complex issues in the criminal justice system.
  2. The increase in average prison sentence length contributes to prison overcrowding despite fewer people being charged with crimes.
  3. Austerity measures have disproportionately affected vulnerable services, creating a ripple effect of challenges across public services.

The National Parks Service is a Successful Program that Proves Government Works Well

JoeWrote • 29 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government programs Public Services Government funding Government Efficiency
  1. The National Parks Service is a successful government program that shows government can work well.
  2. National Parks Service has a clear mission and funding that leads to exceeding expectations and building a better society.
  3. The NPS is effective, with high visitation rates, economic benefits, and professional services that showcase the value of government programs.

It's Tax Day: How Does the IRS Search Stack Up?

Talking to Computers: The Email • 0 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Taxation Public Services Bureaucracy
  1. The IRS search engine is not very helpful, especially when handling typos or poorly formed queries. It's important for a tax-related search engine to understand common mistakes.
  2. While the search bar on the IRS website is appropriately placed, it lacks features like search suggestions and autocomplete that could make finding answers easier.
  3. The search results can sometimes highlight useful information, but overall the IRS search system needs significant improvements to better serve the public.