Government 2.0: Using Technology to Improve Education, Cut Red Tape, Reduce Gridlock, and Enhance Democracy (Hardcover)

by William D. Eggers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Unhyped and therefore unnoticed, technology is altering the behavior and mission of city halls, statehouses, schools, and federal agencies across America. From transportation to education to elections to law enforcement (or, as we're now referring to it, "homeland security"), the digital revolution is transforming government and politics, slashing bureaucracies; improving services; producing innovative solutions to some of our nation's thorniest problems; changing the terms of the Left/Right political debate; and offering ordinary people access to a degree of information and individual influence until recently accessible only to the most powerful citizens, finally redeeming the Founding Fathers' original vision for our democracy, and enriching American life and society in the process. Based on interviews with over 500 leading politicians, researchers, technology industry CEOs and leaders, futurists and front-line public employees, Government 2.0 journeys across America and overseas to demonstrate the promise and perils of this emerging world and offer a likely road map to its implementation. You'll hear from technology executives preparing for an onrushing future when, for many citizens, most government interactions could take place on private-sector websites; from bureaucrats like OSHA's Ed Stern fighting to get their agencies to adopt expert systems technology; from William Bennett, whose virtual education company offers a glimpse into one possible future of American education; and from Governor Jeb Bush and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as they endeavor to overcome bureaucratic inertia to provide more open, efficient, and effective governments. Rich with anecdotes and case studies, Government 2.0 is a must read for every entrepreneur frustrated by paperwork, every parent who's sick of being surprised by bad report cards, every commuter stuck in traffic, every activist trying to fight City Hall, and every taxpayer who cares about the future of government.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742541754
• ISBN-13: 978-0742541757
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,158 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent research, enjoyably told, January 14, 2005

By	E. Stern "An old student" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am half way through this book, but I cannot wait to comment. It is a fascinating piece of research and a marvelous work of story telling. It reports on real people and their problems with government, and on real people with exciting solutions. It is hard to believe, but this is a book on government that is vivid, memorable, and enjoyable. That's why I think it Government 2.0 will have a genuine impact. The book is a gold mine of ideas, but readers don't have to dig out the nuggets. They just fall into our laps. Frankly, this book could be the basis for a television series of exciting discussions on innovation. The scope of issues reported is quite amazing. Finally, although this is about the use of technology to improve government, it is written for policy makers and the general public.