6 votes
Disable internet browsing capability and/or monitor browsing patterns to flag any non-government related activity for supervisory action to halt activity and/or implement a personnel action against the offender.
15 votes
Eliminate all kinds of fraud as well as the need for passwords by using biometrics. The government and the private sector should use biometrics to help to eliminate fraud and to make the internet more secure. Small fingerprint readers should be installed at every computer. These readers will be able to verify a persons identity so they can access to their accounts. This will make things much more difficult for identity ...more »
Eliminate all kinds of fraud as well as the need for passwords by using biometrics. The government and the private sector should use biometrics to help to eliminate fraud and to make the internet more secure. Small fingerprint readers should be installed at every computer. These readers will be able to verify a persons identity so they can access to their accounts. This will make things much more difficult for identity thieves and internet hoodlums and it will also elminate the need for passwords. People could vote from home using these devices which could help to prevent voter fraud. In addition, biometrics could be used to verify a person's eligibility for social services; they could be placed at grocery stores in order to ensure that the person who is using food stamps is actually the person who is supposed to receive the benefits. This would reduce paperwork as well as the need for cards. Biometrics could also be used to ensure that a person is a citizen and eligible to work in this country before they are employed.
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4 votes
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/04/13/1449244/Berners-Lee-Web-Access-Is-a-Human-Right We could be using this for so much more and it's obviously something we could stand to let everyone have access to. It needs to be free of any governing body as it is all too easy to isolate yourself from what you do not like as is. Put funds into developing a global internet system as a way to bridge gaps between cultures and merge ...more »
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/04/13/1449244/Berners-Lee-Web-Access-Is-a-Human-Right
We could be using this for so much more and it's obviously something we could stand to let everyone have access to. It needs to be free of any governing body as it is all too easy to isolate yourself from what you do not like as is. Put funds into developing a global internet system as a way to bridge gaps between cultures and merge ideas with the world. It's obviously what the world is relying on more and more and there is no reason we should not be on the leading edge. We could be schooling hundreds for cheap, we could be opening our minds daily. Also, in what I consider a problem.
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9 votes
Government computers should be primarily used for work during work hours. Restrict access to personal email accounts (Yahoo, Google, etc) to 8-9am, 12-1pm, 4-5pm. Also restrict access to social networking sites (e.g. Facebook), sports (e.g. ESPN) and other high usage websites not related to work.
10 votes
Why does every agency do it's own evaluation of the same software? Why can't one agency like NIST or NSA do careful security and functional evaluation of things like operating systems and browsers and make that available to the rest of the country? For example, why don't we have a custom browser that controls scripting, cookies, and other risks which we distribute government wide? This would be faster, more effiencent, ...more »
Why does every agency do it's own evaluation of the same software? Why can't one agency like NIST or NSA do careful security and functional evaluation of things like operating systems and browsers and make that available to the rest of the country?
For example, why don't we have a custom browser that controls scripting, cookies, and other risks which we distribute government wide? This would be faster, more effiencent, safer, cheaper, etc., etc. We could account for mission specific and agency specific difference via secure plugins (similar to how good browsers like Firefox and Chrome do now).
It boggles my mind that we are constantly re-inventing the wheel and have hundreds of different ways to solve the same problem (all at the taxpayer expense).
It's downright embarassing actually.
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13 votes
I'm pretty amazed at the number of ideas that are presented as new that have actually been in place for years at mine, especially recycling, and paperless processes. There isn't a good way to learn what other departments/agencies are doing. What if we had a tab that let folks check to see if the idea has already been implemented? Priorities, budgets, lack of vision, some restriction or preceived restriction alre just ...more »
I'm pretty amazed at the number of ideas that are presented as new that have actually been in place for years at mine, especially recycling, and paperless processes.
There isn't a good way to learn what other departments/agencies are doing. What if we had a tab that let folks check to see if the idea has already been implemented? Priorities, budgets, lack of vision, some restriction or preceived restriction alre just a few reasons some organizations don't implement good business practices, innovate, or haven't updated their technology.
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9 votes
Build a virtual government presence to enable transparency, access to services, and better understanding of government operations, costs, and benefits to nation. Costs. We already have staffs and contracts to manage our web presence. Benefits: If we design smartly we, we can use design and technology to enable cross government transparency and various views of our operations, services, costs, and business practices ...more »
Build a virtual government presence to enable transparency, access to services, and better understanding of government operations, costs, and benefits to nation.
Costs. We already have staffs and contracts to manage our web presence.
Benefits: If we design smartly we, we can use design and technology to enable cross government transparency and various views of our operations, services, costs, and business practices and solutions.
-Citizens could access services directly, independent of agency/org.
-Government orgs could see look for solutions, best practices, contracts, and opportunities to collaborate with cross-government.
-Contracts- companies, costs, overhead, profits
-Government service and operations costs, overhead, locations
-Duplication- the government is complex. We are authorized by legislation, E.0., etc. Some of our inefficiencies are deliberate. We are required to contract with small business, expand the industrial base, locate across the country, continue programs that benefit specific districts or interests, and restricted on how we spend department or agency funding. What if we could find look at why agencies and orgs were created and determine if that still makes sense?
Transparency will enable us to make real changes and become more efficient without it we are just grabbing low hanging fruit.
Transparency is a powerful cost saving tool. The CFC publishes the percentage of contributions that go to overhead and set a bar of 25% as high. Contributors use that information to make informed decisions on what charitable org to contribute to. Charities reduced their overhead over time to get below the bar.
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25 votes
section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income housing system is a complete failure which has ...more »
section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income housing system is a complete failure which has drained the US economy of trillions of dollars and maintained tenets in social and financial bondage. there is no incentive to leave section 8 or low income housing. why work or attend college when you can get housing for free or low cost. This encouranges drug abuse and out of wedlock births and tenet abuse by housing squatters and unauthorized people living in the units. section 8 and low income housing also reduce local taxpayers home values and create blighted neighborhoods with loud music and cars with dark windows and dirty messy yards often with dirt as a yard.. SECTION 8 and LOW INCOME HOUSING TENETS NEED TIME LIMITS of 1 to 3 years then they must be evicted from the units since they are living on free enititlements and have no incentive to Raise themselves out of the free benefits. WAKE UP AMERICA! WE ARE TRILLIONS IN DEBT and giving away FREE BENEFITS . remember that all secion 8 and low income housing authoritys are TAX FREE and you pay the costs of educating the people and their rents are susidized and food and insurance are subsidized and paid for. its like the midlle and upper class is paying triple to live, we all have to pay for everyone else.. its not fair..http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm
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38 votes
http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm -section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income ...more »
http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm -section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income housing system is a complete failure which has drained the US economy of trillions of dollars and maintained tenets in social and financial bondage. there is no incentive to leave section 8 or low income housing. why work or attend college when you can get housing for free or low cost. This encouranges drug abuse and out of wedlock births and tenet abuse by housing squatters and unauthorized people living in the units. section 8 and low income housing also reduce local taxpayers home values and create blighted neighborhoods with loud music and cars with dark windows and dirty messy yards often with dirt as a yard.. SECTION 8 and LOW INCOME HOUSING TENETS NEED TIME LIMITS of 1 to 3 years then they must be evicted from the units since they are living on free enititlements and have no incentive to Raise themselves out of the free benefits. WAKE UP AMERICA! WE ARE TRILLIONS IN DEBT and giving away FREE BENEFITS . remember that all secion 8 and low income housing authoritys are TAX FREE and you pay the costs of educating the people and their rents are susidized and food and insurance are subsidized and paid for. its like the midlle and upper class is paying triple to live, we all have to pay for everyone else.. its not fair..http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm
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14 votes
Each Member of Congress should be required to use the Internet alone for campaigning for office once elected the first time. That will take the teeth out of lobbyists and special interests that have them in their sites the minute they take office. Millions of dollars must be raised by members for their re-election, there is bound to be trouble with special interests which write the check. Use the internet so the barest ...more »
Each Member of Congress should be required to use the Internet alone for campaigning for office once elected the first time. That will take the teeth out of lobbyists and special interests that have them in their sites the minute they take office. Millions of dollars must be raised by members for their re-election, there is bound to be trouble with special interests which write the check. Use the internet so the barest amount is spent. If I want to know, I'll look it up.
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15 votes
I like most ideas on this website. I think that most ideas have come from somebody who is trying to do a great job at what they do. It has become so difficult to navigate through that, I have decided to take 15 minutes out of my day to dedicate to this at home on my own time. I believe that the top 25 contributors and top 25 idea submitters should be invited to bring their heads together and discuss what is really ...more »
I like most ideas on this website. I think that most ideas have come from somebody who is trying to do a great job at what they do.
It has become so difficult to navigate through that, I have decided to take 15 minutes out of my day to dedicate to this at home on my own time.
I believe that the top 25 contributors and top 25 idea submitters should be invited to bring their heads together and discuss what is really important to their agency and to the federal government as a whole.
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6 votes
To have optional Federal employees to pay via their own Agency / Organizaiton the TAX Preparation fee.(for the tax preparation)
Having a local online site to have employees to make their incometax.
INSTEAD of pay any Joe's Tax Preparer, pay directly to the online agency for the tax preparation. Put the money back to the organization.
9 votes
Now, as has been since the beginning, a physical letter is mailed and the USPS carries it to the destination. The USPS has lost a large portion of the business to the internet and e-mail. I suggest that a hybrid system be available. In certain applications, information would be electronically sent to post offices in large cities then printed out and delivered. This system could be used for utility bills, mass mailing, ...more »
Now, as has been since the beginning, a physical letter is mailed and the USPS carries it to the destination. The USPS has lost a large portion of the business to the internet and e-mail.
I suggest that a hybrid system be available. In certain applications, information would be electronically sent to post offices in large cities then printed out and delivered. This system could be used for utility bills, mass mailing, or just about anything. For example if you mail a letter from LA to Boston, instead of the physical letter being put on a airplane and trucks and handled, the information is sent electronically from LA to Boston, printed out and delivered.
The time it would take for a letter to be sent would decrease, the USPS should be able to give a discount for using the electronic method, and fuel and labor costs would be less.
A side benefit would be that there would be Postal centers with internet access. These could also be used for gov't workers to telecommute. The post offices could be used to gather weather data, air monitoring, earthquake monitoring, or similar information that could be shared on the internet with other gov't agencies.
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8 votes
I know this does not apply to all agencies, but we need to stop duplicating requirements/over-purchasing commodities. At my agency, it is very common to see two workstations on an employees desk - one that accesses the enterprise infrastructure, and one for internet use. The internet is not accessible from the enterprise workstation. Further, in order to connect these workstations to anything relevant, that means ...more »
I know this does not apply to all agencies, but we need to stop duplicating requirements/over-purchasing commodities.
At my agency, it is very common to see two workstations on an employees desk - one that accesses the enterprise infrastructure, and one for internet use. The internet is not accessible from the enterprise workstation. Further, in order to connect these workstations to anything relevant, that means each office needs it's own pipe to the enterprise network, and another to the internet... so each office pays for two internet connections. Costs are further increased by the number of peripherals being purchased, the manpower needed to maintain two separate network infrastructures, and services (licensing, SLA's, etc...) required to keep it all running.
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10 votes
I2 is a very fast and fat network. Because of it's throughput and network speed it will make gov't more effective and efficient due to faster delivery and gathering of information. Because of the better throughput, offices could take advantage of other advances in technology, such as voice/video over IP - replace traditional land lines with cheaper voice/video IP phones. Extremely large amounts of data could be transmitted ...more »
I2 is a very fast and fat network. Because of it's throughput and network speed it will make gov't more effective and efficient due to faster delivery and gathering of information. Because of the better throughput, offices could take advantage of other advances in technology, such as voice/video over IP - replace traditional land lines with cheaper voice/video IP phones. Extremely large amounts of data could be transmitted or received and processed much quicker with an I2 connection.
As an example, my office has 2 T1 lines for a combined total of 3Mbits/sec. I2 currently provides nearly 9Gbits/sec ... and later this year will start averaging speeds of about 100Gbits/sec. My office needs to download very large gigabyte size files but cannot do so efficiently at the moment due to our network setup. We also generate equally large files that we'd like to make available. An I2 connection would make dissemination and acquisition of this data much more efficient.
A happy side effect of having gov't offices connected up to I2 is that the infrastructure would be laid so that neighboring communities could also begin to make their own connections to I2 (thus improving local economies and spurring on greater innovation and economic growth for the nation).
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43 votes
Allow all federal employees to book their own travel through an approved website, eliminating the need to go through a travel agent and saving $25/ticket.
14 votes
Government agencies receive an appropriations bill, voted on by Congress, which allows them to be dictated by representatives of states who may not have the best interest for their respective agency. Allowing government agencies the ability to generate revenue, like the USPS, will make them relevant, more competitive globally, and reduce their burden on the taxpayers. How? Simple, the taxpayers will pay for what they ...more »
Government agencies receive an appropriations bill, voted on by Congress, which allows them to be dictated by representatives of states who may not have the best interest for their respective agency. Allowing government agencies the ability to generate revenue, like the USPS, will make them relevant, more competitive globally, and reduce their burden on the taxpayers. How? Simple, the taxpayers will pay for what they need. Which means the government agencies which are needed will survive and the ones which are surplus will be removed (supply and demand). An example is the USPS, without the internet their was a high demand for their service. With the internet, this demand is decreasing and as such so should their role.
To ensure government agencies are competitive, efficient, and utilize taxpayers money to the greatest extent make their lively hood based on the taxpayer as a consumer.
If you have any additional ideas to improve on this idea, please post them. I probably don't have the best one because two heads are always better than one ;).
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18 votes
Significantly reduce the role for the contract computer company (Dell), contract travel agency (AdTrav) and government purchasing agency (GSA) to restrict agencies purchasing decisions. First, these archaic purchasing schemes are obsolete in the internet era. While they may be useful for remote locations where UPS/FedEx do not deliver, they hinder many agencies purchasing ability to use the internet in finding the best ...more »
Significantly reduce the role for the contract computer company (Dell), contract travel agency (AdTrav) and government purchasing agency (GSA) to restrict agencies purchasing decisions.
First, these archaic purchasing schemes are obsolete in the internet era. While they may be useful for remote locations where UPS/FedEx do not deliver, they hinder many agencies purchasing ability to use the internet in finding the best deals for the government.
Secondly, they produce inferior products.
For example: GSA sells snow shovels that are so poorly designed ... our office staff would almost rather shovel snow with their bare hands than use the GSA supplied equipment.
Another Example: Our agency ordered a flight through AdTrav. Weeks later there was no confirmation. The week of the flight our admin staff contacted AdTrav again for confirmation. Apparently a $400 round trip flight half way across the country suddenly became a $2,100 flight...probably because the contractor AdTrav failed to make the booking until the last minute. If you allowed each agency to use online sources such as Kayak.com the result would be a big government savings.
Additionally: No one and I mean NO ONE should be Entitled to First Class Airfare (Generals,Admirals, SES positions). You think you deserve first class airfare... pay for it out of your own pocket !
Finally, Dell is not the worst computer company to order from...but its on the bottom 5 of my list. Give agencies computer purchasing rules...do not hamstring them in finding the best online deals/sources for high quality computer needs. This solution would be agency dependent as not all federal employees are computer savey.
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9 votes
The form SS-5 should be phased out and replaced by a website that allows you to electronically submit your Social Security Card application and gives the applicant a printout with their license information to temporairily replace their driver's license while they are mailed to their respective field office for verification.
37 votes
Make it mandatory that all pay systems (DFAS, NFC) offer the ability to donate to the CFC campaign through Employee Express, Employee Personal Page, etc. This would save money and hours of volunteer and recordkeeping time -- allowing us keep costs down in this worthwhile, collaborative annual effort. Make it easier to contribute and perhaps more federal workers would participate!
11 votes
Stop letting employees use the internet while at work. Have a few centrally located kiosk computers that have internet access.
Email can be transferred across internal networks, and forwarded for external destinations.
This will reduce the time spent surfing and if we are completely separated from the internet, hackers cannot invade our systems.
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4 votes
The United States government should allow American businesses to advertise on federal websites (.gov) for minimal cost. In leu of collecting internet advertising revenue like Google, this proposed federal program will help American businesses gain exposure to the federal marketplace at little to no cost to the business owner. Similarly, this strategy can be employed on foreign trade as strategic partnerships can be ...more »
The United States government should allow American businesses to advertise on federal websites (.gov) for minimal cost. In leu of collecting internet advertising revenue like Google, this proposed federal program will help American businesses gain exposure to the federal marketplace at little to no cost to the business owner.
Similarly, this strategy can be employed on foreign trade as strategic partnerships can be established with foreign governments to trade marketing rights federal web sites.
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7 votes
Get input from those in the private sector that do business with the government or have to go through the government to do business in this country.
Post links or advertisements to/for this site on websites such as:
Wall Street Journal, Daily Business News, CNN, Yahoo, USA today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website, DHS’ website, New York Times
216 votes
Telework should be the norm on a daily basis, where possible. Those who have responsibilities that require limited office interaction should be able to reserve and utilize temporary office space. Only those who must routinely use the office should have permanent space. This will allow the following: (1) Reduction in government office space (and associated rents, utilities, office supplies). (2) Reduction in transportation ...more »
Telework should be the norm on a daily basis, where possible. Those who have responsibilities that require limited office interaction should be able to reserve and utilize temporary office space. Only those who must routinely use the office should have permanent space. This will allow the following:
(1) Reduction in government office space (and associated rents, utilities, office supplies).
(2) Reduction in transportation allowances.
(3) Reduction in COLA pay, as those who are capable of full-time telework could work from anywhere, including low-COL locations.
(4) More qualified workforce -- as qualified applicants who otherwise would be unable or unwilling to relocate to the vicinity of a specific office would still be able to secure the job and successfully function.
(5) Robustness -- A distributed government workforce would be less vulnerable to terrorist attacks, weather, disasters, and other external threats that might otherwise interrupt government service.
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283 votes
We travel all the time to meet and for training. With such budget problems is travel really needed with our current technology. Why can't we make the best of it for now and use web, video and phone conferencing. When times are good we can travel again. Thanks EDIT: I found these posts buried down in the hundreds of ideas. Thanks to the authors: http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Elimninate-End-of-Year-Spending/118530-13060 ...more »
We travel all the time to meet and for training. With such budget problems is travel really needed with our current technology.
Why can't we make the best of it for now and use web, video and phone conferencing.
When times are good we can travel again.
Thanks
EDIT: I found these posts buried down in the hundreds of ideas.
Thanks to the authors:
http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Elimninate-End-of-Year-Spending/118530-13060
http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Utilize-the-Site/120215-13060
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