Best of "Can We Still Govern?" in 2023: Volume II

Personal Favorites

Welcome to the second volume highlighting the best of “Can We Still Govern?” for 2023. The first covered the most-read stories of the year. Now for personal favorites, the pieces I derived a lot of satisfaction from writing. So take a moment to read and share if you have not done so already!

A deep dive explainer: You might have noticed that the term “weaponization” has become a lot more common. I dug in into its origins. It turns out that the people who originated the term, and pushed for a weaponization committee in Congress, are the people who want to truly weaponize government for their ideological ends.

Surprising second acts: I’m a sucker for second acts in life. Meet Tim Gurner, an Australian entrepreneur who went viral for criticizing “arrogant” workers. But did you know he first won fame as the avocado toast guy?

Pretending to be a travel writer: Mostly I write about higher education, politics, government, and policy. But did you know I am also an aspiring travel writer? As soon as I get enough paid subscriptions, I am quitting my job to become the very poor man’s Anthony Bourdain. Look, just be grateful that I’m not starting a podcast.

Too many appointees: America has too many appointees leading public organizations, and a Senate that uses those appointees as pawns in their unrelated political battles. I explain how this hurts government capacity, and why its likely to get worse.

Highlighting great academic work: I love being able to communicate academic research on topics I care a lot about. This year, with Pam Herd, Hilary Hoynes and Jamila Michener, we edited a volume on the topic of administrative burden. Here are highlights from the intro.

Thanks so much. Look forward to writing more in 2024.