Ideas
Where's the (Infected) Beef?
The administration on Tuesday announced long-desired steps that agencies will take to help repair the <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20080611_3153.php?oref=search">beleaguered food safety system</a>, including the creation of a nationwide trace-back system to more quickly identify the food-source of an outbreak.
Digital Government
This time, White House receives kudos for participation
An advisory council report on health care research released last month by the Health and Human Services Department marks an exception to the White House's closed-door decision-making on how to spend stimulus funds, which critics said run counter to the president's pledge to bring transparency, public participation and collaboration to policymaking.
Digital Government
Officials weigh cost of transparency, with an eye on technology's role
Some open government proponents say Obama's transparency agenda may initially cost taxpayers more money. Specifically, the administration's ongoing review of classified information policy to address the problem of over-classification likely will result in some short-term overhead expenses.
Ideas
Cyber Town Hall Falls Back To Earth
President Obama on Wednesday fought for his health care agenda and <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090623_2200.php">electronic medical records</a> during an online town hall that was streamed from Annandale, Va. But those in the room may have had the biggest impact on the conversation.
Digital Government
Web site offers glimpse of how IT projects are performing
Dashboard shows whether initiatives are running on schedule and within budget.
Digital Government
White House approach to transparency gains favor -- for now
Open government advocates praise administration for adjusting its process to gather public input, but still wait for Obama's final directive to agencies.
Ideas
White House Extends Collaboration
The White House apparently has listened to the public's request for more collaboration in drafting recommendations for an open government directive after <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090529_2525.php">drawing flack</a> for a short brainstorming session in May. The administration this week began the third and final phase of a <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090521_4542.php">public process</a> aimed at creating a more transparent, collaborative and participatory government.
Modernization
Microsoft: Legacy systems not a barrier to cloud computing
In a bid to remain a player in the burgeoning cloud market, the company is developing interoperable software that will exchange data among multiple systems.
Ideas
Open The Fed
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who ran for president in 2008, has a different take on transparency than <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090521_4542.php">open government guru</a> President Barack Obama.
Digital Government
Administration urged to engage public on e-health records
Doctors and hospitals that make "meaningful use" of such records would be eligible for economic stimulus payments.
Digital Government
Latest OMB stimulus reporting rules don't require public raw data
Guidance doesn't include a requirement to make raw data public or to file in formats that would make it easier to create Web applications to analyze spending.
Digital Government
In health care policy debate, some bypass White House's official site
Influential physicians, health IT vendors, insurers and patients find an outlet to discuss the intricacies of health reform on nongovernmental sites.
Digital Government
Would-be Recovery.gov designers face moving target
Requirements for the site will evolve as the administration releases additional guidance and the public's expectations change.
Ideas
Air Force Slow to Process
The Air Force failed to keep track of requests for government records under the Freedom of Information Act, three years after a federal court found a pattern of not processing FOIA requests, according to an agency <a href="http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20090618/USAF_audit_report.pdf">audit</a> released to the National Security Archive.
Digital Government
Foundation takes Recovery.gov makeover into its own hands
Organization posts a copy of request for proposals on its Web site and asks citizens for feedback as it develops a bid on the project.
Ideas
Financial Reform Transparency
The White House on Wednesday released a plan for protecting consumers from deceptive financial practices that calls for greater disclosure, or, "transparency," as President Obama likes to say.
Digital Government
Activists call on U.S. to provide unfettered Internet access to Iranian citizens
Certain software tools could protect users' identities and the information they access to provide a range of news stories and opinions, not just American perspectives.
Ideas
No Tweets in Iranian Election
A twitter outage in Iran on Friday reportedly foiled some supporters of a leading reformist candidate in the country's presidential election.
Cybersecurity