~synthesis~

you had me at hello

This line (title) from Jerry Maguire is the holy grail of marketing. Seth Godin's blog about attention surplus made me ask myself: marketing tries to create awareness and consideration; but if people are exposed to increasing more messages, how do you break through - how do you get them at hello?

As Seth points out, there are a ton of free content channels out there, and bad marketers flood these outlets with generic "spray-marketing" content that likely yields much lower returns than traditional direct mail or advertising. People do it because it's perceived to be free, so what the hell. But, it's not free - it costs money to produce, it costs money to support and it costs money to respond to potentially spurious customers in the hopes of finding the real spenders. But there's an even higher cost - if you do it badly, there is a risk that your poor execution will be visible to millions, just like all those videos of dumb things people or companies do.

Treating your public "face" casually is never a good thing, and speaks volumes about your organization, its attitudes, and its commitment to its customers.

Seth talked about the attention drought. In the old days, there were very few channels to reach the individual consumer; if you had a successful one (really popular TV show, magazine, etc.), you were able to command a premium for advertising because people couldn't avoid the ads (Tivo + no remote controls), and you were much more likely (with a good ad) to create broad awareness. The market was hungry for it and would pay attention. Creativity trumped insight.

Today three things work against you - profusion of content, proliferation of channels, and easy tools to avoid consuming advertising. Add search engines to refine surfing and (if you're like me) the ability to ignore web ads, and most "traditional" marketing campaigns will struggle.

If in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king, then in the land of the sighted, the one-eyed marketer is lost.

To get me at hello is to give me what I want when I want it and how I want it. Google and other search engines have tried this, and initially I think it worked really well because it was new, there weren't that many advertisers, people devoted a little (not a lot) space to it on their pages, and it was a novelty (just like TV ads in the 50s). But now there's too many ads, it's obvious where they are on the page, and they're easy to ignore.

Great marketing is about really (really) understanding your audience, what they need and care about, and then providing them what they want with ideas, words, and images that mean something to them. A very smart communications consultant told me that more often than not, people communicate in ways that are meaningful to them but not their audiences. He said that great communicators care not at all about how it looks to the speaker, but rather whether the listener/reader/watcher got what they wanted out of it.

The Internet and search engines have made the Long Tail real; they've led to people being able to very precisely state their need and find what they want. I fear that marketers are still mistakenly led by traditional approaches and metrics that applied in the old days when BIG reach was key. They ignore the real hard work of precisely identifying, segmenting and understanding your target audience, being able to craft a message and offer in a way that implicitly resonates with that audience, and then finding the ideal medium with which to reach them.

Find them, know them, care about them, and they will care about you. That's how you get them at hello.

nerd-up!

There's a conversation happening between luminaries in American industry, major players in the American philanthropic scene, leaders in the American education system, and some very senior and "in-the-know" people in the state and federal governments to figure out ways to grow the number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)-skilled graduates in the United States. Specifically, there aren't enough students in elementary and high school with an interest in STEM and there aren't enough university graduates in STEM to fill current and future open positions.

Let me start by saying that I don't believe in isolating any one (or one set of) disciplines - good learning must be holistic and serve the complete child. I can't learn science well and sacrifice communications skills (reading, writing, speaking, etc.); I can't learn engineering well and sacrifice creativity (music, sculpting, painting, etc.); I can't learn any STEM discipline without a good (really good) sense of art and crafts (carpentry, etc.).

Making this about one and not the other creates a bifurcation of the education system that is wrong and unfair. My good friend Larry has decided he'll focus his schools on STEAM for this very reason (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) - I could agree more + I love the idea of steAm:-)!!!

How about this:

Overarching goal: every student must achieve their greatest academic potential.

STEM-focused goal: America will double the number of American-educated, successful STEM employees by 2020.

Situation:

• The forecast for STEM jobs in ten years is almost double the current population of STEM employees (i.e. at least 80% growth in jobs in 10 years)
• American junior and high school students drop out of STEM disciplines at alarming rates
• Graduates in general are weak in STEM basics irrespective of major
• Students are daunted by the sciences, and aren't captivated by how interesting (and well-paid) jobs in the sciences can be; it's also noteworthy that students normally decide (explicitly or implicitly) an interest in STEM before they reach grade 7
• Employers have done an abysmal job of engaging students and compelling them with opportunities in their organizations
• Philanthropy alone cannot sustain any major social (or other) change (it's incredible at sparking things, but it's not forever)
• In the rest of the world, families and institutions value STEM graduates tremendously; students are encouraged by their peers, families, employers, etc. to get in that game, and get some of that coin; and the results in these countries (like Korea for example) are outstanding, and at a lower cost-per-student than America

Truths:

• Employers are motivated by the following: making money, hiring the best talent, looking good (image) - let's not waste time on any other incentives - help them with these three and you win, everything else is crap
• Students are motivated by the following: getting laid, making money, looking good - let's not waste time on any other incentives - help them with these three and you win - everything else is crap
• Parents are motivated by the following: getting the kids gainfully-employed, becoming burden-free empty-nesters, being financially solvent - ibid
• Teachers & Administrators are motivated by the following: being employed, teaching students, preserving status quo - ibid
• Governments are motivated by the following: getting elected, being perceived as doing good, getting re-elected - ibid

If we want all schools to improve their curriculum and performance, the most sustainable way to do this, is to get the parents (voters) to demand it and expect it. If you want scale and sustainability, this is the ONLY way to do it. If you can achieve this, the governing bodies who seek reelection will find a way to make it happen, and I argue, make it happen without additional funds.

This is a marketing problem - if the demand is created, and elected stakeholders start feeling it from their constituents, outcomes will occur.

Some might think this trivializes the problem, but I've never heard of organized ingenuity (seems like an oxymoron), or broad, sustained, grassroots change (outside of declarations of war or the like) happening just because one person (irrespective of how charismatic, powerful or visible they are) said it should.

The real goal is to make STEM sexy (dare I say: "STEAMy" = Science + Technology + Engineering + Art + Math = yeah baby!).

Sustained, societal change requires a broad from the bottom-up movement that changes culture and expectations.

Solution:

I think we need to create a whole new concept and movement in America - I'm calling it "MInternship" - a combination of mentoring and internships.

Today, most American STEM firms get R&D tax credits for doing all that nerd stuff. I want to change the rule for getting the tax credits. From now on (beginning with the 2010 tax year), in order to qualify for any R&D tax credits, 100% of your R&D staff must mentor a student in grades 6-12. Each mentee must also intern in your organization for at least one week during the school year (not in one go, plus it counts as community service for the student), and optionally for an additional two weeks during the summer break - paid experience.

But please let's not make this exclusive to STEM - why not open this up to all industries - if you want your R&D or operating tax credits, this is the new cost of doing business - involve the future in the present.

It is an amazing opportunity for employers to reach out, identify and nurture stars, eventually hire them, and of course get those tax credits. It's huge for students because they get to be engaged in reality, identify with people who are doing great work, learn, and realize that this could be their vocation.

We marry this with a marketing campaign where we showcase and applaud nerds (Iron Man and Hulk are two pretty cool nerds, and both got laid (well Hulk almost did)!), with creative uses of media - targeting both parents and students. This campaign is a myth-busters campaign - we want everyone to know that nerd-smarts are absolutely attainable irrespective of gender, demographics, whatever; and we especially want everyone to know that nerds get paid really well, and better on average than other professions.

This marketing campaign has to show parents how important it is for them to focus on their children's academic time as an investment in independence, and how a great education is the key to being a successful empty-nester.

Result:

It will take some time - say 5-6 years, but if done right, this is a sustained and totally scalable approach to growing the American nerd (and otherwise) population - by creating a desire in the American ethos for a better education that is more closely connected to employment. We are also addressing the needs of each of the audiences identified above.

The problem with it is that it doesn't fit well with bureaucrats and politicians because it doesn't demonstrate direct and substantive results in the first year. (Though I'd challenge you to name five government programs that have.) But the key is to find answers that will be pervasive and live for a long time.

It will also be daunting because it's whacky, there were no committees formed, we didn't hire expensive consultants, and there were no 500-page PowerPoint presentations developed that demonstrated blah, blah, blah.

Let's hope that that group of people above will come to a dramatic and divergent conclusion, rather than live up to a most primo nerd (Einstein)'s definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

the expressional

Have you noticed that when candidates are seeking office they are over-the-top communicative? Driven to capture every foot-candle of the limelight, they expound about everything, including how "expoundive" they'll be when in office. Even veteran candidates (incumbents) promise transparency when elected, realizing that the electorate is dumb enough to ignore their prior acts.

Once elected though, things change. The idea that some things are better left in the hands of a few and not to be entrusted to the general public suddenly resonates. For example, (thanks to Dana) the FAA doesn't trust the public with information about how frequently flocks of birds fly into and damage airplane engines! As someone who does travel by air, I am very interested in understanding all the risks associated with travel, and then want to make my own informed decision.

Even the current Obama administration (thanks to Andrew Rotherham), despite assurances to the contrary is taking to keeping data to themselves when convenient, as in the case of the effect of school vouchers in DC.

In both cases, it was determined for whatever reason that the public did not "need to know" certain findings, results or whatever. I can see that being reasonable in certain national security situations, where the government wishes to protect a source, not publicize the ability to decipher secret conversations, or disseminating critical research. But I don't see why it applies to mainstream, everyday information.

Once in office or a position of leadership, people have a propensity for not trusting the judgment of "the people," believing the issues too complex, the analysis too esoteric, the information too nuanced to be entrusted to "them." We know only too well how often corporate executives "fail" to disclose seemingly important information, to their customers, employees, investors, or all three.

Why?

I think it's laziness (and maybe faux control). When too much information is available you give up the ability to manage and craft the message, to tell the truth vs. the most convenient story. You may also expose aspects of yourself, your image and your organization that you believe need to be kept well subterranean.

But during the hiding process (and let's face it, we've all done this), we never think about the consequences of being found out. We never realize how much worse it is to keep secrets, but also how much worse things become once you are outed vs. if you had simply come clean in the first place. When you scale this to the level of a large corporation or a powerful politician, the impact of being outed is huge.

The Communications Revolution makes this even more likely - individually people get outed all the time with something as simple as being tagged in a Facebook picture, and then the fit hits the shan doesn't it!

When corporations get outed, the ramifications are much, much greater (more fits and bigger shans), and the process is much more complex. Why? Because large organizations don't have as effective a sense and response machine as an individual. It takes time, process and politics for inputs to bubble up to decision-making layers, and then time, process and politics for them to bubble back down to the actors.

In politics, it's maybe a bit more efficient (their organizations (politics vs. government) tend to be much more horizontal), but all-too-often, the wrong people are driving the decision-making. PR and pollsters tend to have a much stronger voice than they should; they distill information into bite-sized chunks that don't have complexity and nuance (by definition). It's so easy to obfuscate complexity this way, and spin the situation to the point where strategy and integrity are compromised for expediency.

One example of this is President Bush's strident and dire warnings about how close to disaster the economy was so that he could get Congress to urgently vote to approve TARP, but then once they did approve, he realized that his warnings also had the effect of immediately arresting the people's desire to spend, which actually caused a more accelerated slow-down, made TARP less effective, and maybe caused a worse economic decline.

When running for office, you're always out there, and facing the barrage head-on. When you're in power, you're cloistered, and maybe rely more on others for that finger on the pulse. Doing that makes you more likely to agree with spin artists, and make you believe that the public really doesn't need to know everything. Town hall meetings could be a good way to do this, but in then end, they're also about creating spin, and getting a message out. Sharing, listening and responding doesn't really happen. When you're in business, the more senior you get, the more you rely on intermediaries to connect you to reality. But they have a stake in biasing your experience to accommodate their agendas, and that compromises your view of reality. Just like town halls, executive customer or employee visits are crafted - you don't get the real truth.

In the end, the more open and transparent you are, the more likely you are to have a truer grasp of reality, and make a real differences in the most sustainable and efficient way possible.

talent pools

If more money doesn't ensure a better education, what does?

A few days ago, J.R. sent me a link to an excellent presentation by Sir Ken Robinson about how today's schools kill creativity. J.R. also shared a recent post by Peter Bregman which advocates that you aren't pushing hard enough if your path to success isn't marked with failures. Then Kay (20 year public education veteran) sent me an email that illuminated a dynamic in education and health care that I had not considered before:

Quality

Prior to the 1960s, the American workforce excluded more people than it included, cutting off access to a huge, talent-laden pool of workers. During this time, most women were limited to three professions - nursing, teaching and administrative work. Thus limited, fully half our population's best and brightest devoted their energy and passion to these three fields. Is it any wonder that wellness improved, schools (and students) in this country were among the best in the world, and companies were well-run?

Imagine that - society actually benefited from discrimination. How ironic!

Since there were more candidates than jobs, employers could hire the cream of the crop at "competitive" rates. Again - how lucky for education, health care, etc.!

Things changed in the 1960s - attitudes began to shift and opportunities began to grow. When presented with alternatives, once again the most talented of this community left their present and moved on to their future; this time to the detriment of education, health care, and business administration.

Creativity

Like most people, I believe that teachers are the most critical factor in student success.

Standardized curriculum/testing, prioritizing literacy and numeracy, and a lot of the challenges that Sir Ken identified have been around a long time, but until recently the teachers were so good, they overcame these issues and the students learned regardless. What's more, because of their confidence and ability, teachers were also comfortable pushing limits, allowing their students to push limits, and together achieve great learning, knowing that mistakes and failures pave the way to insight.

In essence, the system wasn't great prior to the 1960s, but our successes happened in spite of this, and only because the teachers were good enough to overcome their environment. The proof of this is that there are brilliant classrooms and (in very few cases) schools today, but these teachers are very much in the minority among their peers.

If you build it...

If you ask a bureaucrat, he'll say we need to recruit back all these great teachers at an incremental cost of $billions. But it is rare in a large system (education, health care, mega-corporations, etc.) that adding more money creates better results. We need a different approach:

We must begin by ensuring that the outcomes of learning (the "what") are clear and explicit. But we leave it up to the teachers to determine how to accomplish these goals. We do this by federalizing (thus erasing a massively redundant bureaucracy), and eliminating the need for unions (who are generally resistant to change). By giving teachers and schools ownership over the "how", we can eliminate even more bureaucrats, and make the gig that much more attractive. The result (despite increasing teacher salaries) should be a significant reduction in the education budget, and a more appealing place to work.

We attract great people by recognizing that teaching is not a job, but a profession. We acknowledge that professionals seek the creative and intellectual freedom to do great things and make powerful differences.

We can make teaching a real destination, one that draws in the best of our society by giving them the room to grow.

house rules

You might have noticed that I am a big fan of Aaron Sorkin and in particular the West Wing. There's this other TV show I quite like - House M.D. I was thinking today about organizational theory, how one goes about building an outstanding team, and whether they thought about that at all when they created the premise for this program.

If you're not familiar with the show, House is a brilliant but acerbic diagnostician who can solve cases others can't. He has a team of three very talented doctors who work for him, act as his foil, and create the experience of one doctor for the patient because House doen't like patients. House does have responsibilities outside of pure diagnostics (clinic duty, people-management, etc.), but if he does what he's good at, his performance (or lack thereof) in the other areas is overlooked. This even (shockingly) applies to the fact that he's addicted to Vicodin because of a problem with his leg.

The administrator of the hospital recognizes that House is a phenom, tenacious, and narcissistic problem solver; and that he is abysmal at the other parts of being a doctor, and frankly a jerk. But she also knows that without him, her hospital is less.

So she built an organizational framework (House + 3 doctors, a legal defense fund ('cause let's face it, he needs it:-), etc.), in which he can operate effectively, and where his performance is measured differently vs. the other (typical) doctors in the hospital.

Why? Because in the end, House creates profound value for the hospital, and saves lives no-one else could. The impact and benefits outweigh the "cost" of the special treatment.

Now look at any large corporation. Like most school systems around the world, large companies are infected with HR and MBA "parameters" that herald standardized performance and benchmarking, and reward micro-successes that serve only to further the careers of HR/MBA drones and "typical" performers. Anyone who is atypical is managed out because they don't have the skills to navigate the gauntlet of girth; held back because "they just don't fit our model;" or skate by hardly ever revealing the wonderful potential they have to create profound value.

When a company is small enough, the leader has the strength, confidence, vision to recognize these unique performers, grasp their value to the organization, and construct a workplace that will let them achieve. All because s/he knows where they're going, recognizes that "mundane" is the fate of a business filled with "normal," and has the cojones to flaunt the HR/MBA guidelines because of her/his burning desire to achieve greatness.

Is it any wonder that most large organizations today are devoid of soul, and almost never make a real difference?

actually, "gov"-up

Creating a converged government is controversial, some of the comments I received (like J.R.'s) made me ask myself, "what if we could do a full tear-down and start over, what would the new house look like?" But before I get into that, as d.eris pointed out, the result would no longer be a federation, so instead of a federal government, there would be a national government, or just a government:-).

So... here goes - this is mostly about the process of getting elected, some of the political accountability and it touches on a couple of other aspects like taxation and some core national services. This is by no means exhaustive. Hopefully it provokes a debate about how things could be in iAmerica (i=imaginary;-).

Elections

There are only two kinds of elected officials - the President/VP and the 435 members of Congress; there is no Senate, nor of course are there any local officials. The President can run for one six-year term. Congresspeople can run for up to two four-year terms, and they overlap - so half the House is reelected every two years.

Campaign Financing

Actual or prospective government employees may not accept any kind of gift - public or private, cash or otherwise. To become a candidate, you must be nominated by 1% of your district's citizens, or 10,000 voters, whichever is less. Once nominated, you are entitled to $0.50 per voter in your district, or approximately $250,000 in government funds for your campaign. The presidential candidate follows roughly the same process, and is likewise constrained to $0.50/voter of national funding.

Voting

Voting is mandatory and fully electronic. The penalty for not voting is harsh - your tax bracket is raised to the next level until your vote is recorded (i.e. skip two elections and you're in a higher tax bracket for four years).

During the election (one month every two years), candidates must speak not only about their national interests, but also their local/district commitments. Each candidate must declare their ten most critical local priorities, which forms the basis of their "local" platform and part of the framework for their accountability to their voters.

Voting is a three-step process:

1. Indicate your top ten local issues/priorities based on the published list of each candidate's top ten (so if there are three candidates, you pick your hot issues based on the aggregated (30 or less, since some issues will overlap) candidates' list).
2. Vote for your Congressperson (you will also see how each candidate matches up to your top ten; if there is an incumbent, you see how they performed in support of your top ten issues).
3. Select your presidential candidate (potentially with a similar prioritization model).

By first being asked to prioritize the local issues you care about, we create a sensitivity to local needs for the eventual winner, plus the voter is now able to clearly see which candidate(s)' priorities are most closely aligned. It doesn't force you to vote for the best match, but at least you are making a more informed choice. Moreover, it is in the candidates' best interests to understand their voters' issues up-front and focus on the things at top of mind in their platform to create the most matches on voting day.

Reach

A mandatory electronic voting process includes the provision that the government provide every citizen with the means to do this. As you probably know, every wireless device in the world (phone or PC or whatever) has a unique (MAC or IMEI) address. The government must provide each citizen with a basic device (that is registered to their social security number; if the citizen chooses, they can purchase their own device, but each citizen must have a "registered" device).

This device will be provisioned with basic, free wireless access to deliver government services (voting, emergency services, information, potentially health care records (in a health vault of some kind), financial information (e-wallet), etc.). Each citizen will therefore be able to "connect" and vote wherever they are on Election Day. Since the incentive is quite powerful (see above), it is expected that turnout will be virtually 100%, ensuring that every individual's voice is heard.

Further, the system will capture local priorities (this could also be extended to national priorities), aggregated by district to ensure local needs are met, and when mapped to voting records, actual outcomes, etc., will create a powerful accountability model. I would imagine getting a quarterly report card on how my Congressperson is doing vis-à-vis the aggregated priorities of the district, and the ones I outlined.

This might create the perception of a more big-brother-ish society, but I think with the right regulatory safeguards, it actually creates the opportunity for a leaner, more accessible government, and a better-served citizenry.

Once Elected

The three branches of government remain intact, though Congress does have additional responsibilities.

Congresspeople are required to spend two-thirds (67%) of their time in their district, overseeing national agency focus and prioritization based on the local top ten issues, etc.; and one-third (33%) in Washington on national issues (education, health care, security, infrastructure, defense, etc.).

The local responsibility is much greater than in today's Congress. In this regard, Congresspeople act more like governors of their district. This will require a larger local staff, a deeper understanding of local needs and issues, as well as the ability and accountability for all of the constituents' governing needs.

Since the penalty for accepting private or commercial funds is termination, lobbyists will have a harder time creating influence. Congresspeople will also be judged based on their track record versus the priorities their district set out during the election; this will create a more powerful accountability dynamic, and given that they are required to "govern" their district as well, build a deeper appreciation and focus on the needs and challenges facing their constituents.

When in Washington D.C., Congresspeople will focus on national issues alongside the President. This process operates similarly to the current House, but with the dynamic of a multi-party system (vs. the two that currently dominate). As we've discussed here and here, I think a 3+-party system offers a better representation of the people's wishes, creates more moderated governance, and provides a stronger checks/balances model than we have now.

Checks and Balances

While in principle the federal/state/local model is a check/balance model, I don't believe it works in reality. Look at how much power the Feds wield during crises (9-11, Katrina, etc.), but more importantly, when you follow the money it's very clear that in the end, federal dollars are worth way more than local dollars. You only have to look as far as No Child Left Behind - the Feds account for only 9% of the total national education budget, and yet through NCLB, they basically defined an education model that dramatically altered every state's approach to education.

But if you want more evidence of this, ask any state or local official that you know how much time they have spent (as a percentage) trying to figure out how to maximize their access to federal funds (TARP, stimulus, or otherwise). It's now common for a city to have a stimulus package lobbyist in DC!

When a municipality or state is beholden to the Federal government for handouts, the checks and balances have evaporated. 

I therefore feel that the Congressional accountability model, change in their job descriptions, constraints to financing rules, and the multi-party approach, combined with the current Separation of Powers are enough to ensure an improved government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Taxation

There is only one form of taxation allowed in the country - a simple and progressive income tax. We would start from scratch and create a simpler tax policy for the country that achieved three things - enough income to operate the country (no deficit financing); the ability to set aside some funding as a national reserve; ideally operated so that the poorest third (or higher) of the population paid no taxes. Note that if you didn't vote in an election but were in the lower third of income earners, you would now be subject to taxation per the penalties of not voting.

National Standards

There will be national standards for things like education, health care, infrastructure (roads, air/marine traffic, etc.) and domestic and national security. These standards will ensure equal access to all resources for all people and across the country. Every school for example will operate under the same guidelines and expectations, much like this. In the same way, all roads, railways, airports, ports, etc. should be managed equitably.

Health care... that's a whole separate kettle of fish - I may write a separate post on this, but in the mean time, suffice it to say that today Americans are not the healthiest people in the world, and much work is needed to get them closer to good health. Defense - I believe this is a matter of foreign policy vs. global policy, where in almost every case, economic acts trump military acts.

As I began to write this, it became clear how expansive and complex this is. It raised to a higher notch my respect and admiration for the gentlemen that wrote the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It made me realize how much they were able to accomplish with so few words. They were quite something.

In a related vein, I think these next-generation Congresspersons have an incredibly difficult job. In this new world, I think it might actually be the place where true impact is created, and where leadership and the qualities of being a great leader are tested and honed.

fed-up?

Hello everyone and sorry for the two-week gap in posts - you gotta love vacation-time!

All levels (from municipal to federal) face tough, tough financial challenges; each layer is dealing with its own challenges and scrambling to survive. Even if one level finds balance, it is still subject to the whims of those around it. In California for example, the state's recent budget agreement requires the municipalities to "contribute" money to the state's coffers, so a resident of a city can get hit twice - first with a state-wide program cut, and then because the city's revenue stream is impeded, a potential (and potentially related) municipal cut as well; all of this with no aggregated consideration of that individual or organization's situation.

For example, an education program cut by the state could reduce an inner-city school's funding, and when combined with a separate municipal cut, could result in the school canceling specific programs, or closing its doors altogether.

Additionally, both the state and city leaderships are also aggressively pursuing federal funds to mitigate their failures, creating a dependency on yet another branch of government. In good times when taxes are flowing, this type of thing doesn't happen often enough to cause any wide-spread grief. But now, when things are pervasively bad, the impact is profound. What becomes glaringly clear is the extent to which every level of government is intertwined, and really one big morass instead of a set of "small" ones.

Small Government?

A lot of people (me included) believe in the idea that small government is better, that the Feds should delegate legislation, decision-making and authority as far down the chain as possible on the assumption that local issues are best dealt with by local governments; thereby keeping the Federal government small. But this has spawned a system where each of the levels runs elections, legislates, is responsible for collecting its own revenue, and forming and staffing its own organization(s), defining separate priorities, perpetuating more bureaucracy, etc. But the delineation of responsibilities between the layers isn't clear, things like education or health care or law enforcement all have multi-layered and often competing or conflicting agendas.

With all this layering and duplication and potentially conflicting actions, surely the last thing that's accomplished is a smaller government?

Wherever you may go

Let's start with something as simple and seemingly innocuous as marriage, which is bizarrely deemed to be a local issue. The opening of the Declaration of Independence states that, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. With the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln posited the idea of a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.; and whose closing demands that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Whether gay, straight or otherwise, you are equal and have the right to be happy no matter what. Hmmm... How then does one state get to have one law about marriage, and the state right next door an altogether different law? What happened to the citizen in all of that? How is it consistent with the Declaration that a gay person is prevented from being equal and pursuing happiness in one state, but by literally crossing a street, they suddenly have rights?

And when it becomes an inter-state issue, courts and governments at all levels have to deal with the issues of marriage - because it's clear that in reality, no one level owns it.

Money changes everything

How about taxation and spending. Today every layer of government must find a way to raise funds from the citizenry. It is possible for you to be subjected to three or four taxes that are separately progressive and regressive, that create tremendous pain not only for you the tax payer, but also the collection system. The result is organizations at each level doing the same thing, not thinking about each other, and wasting money, due to the the inherent redundancy and inefficiency.

When it comes to spending priorities, one state might choose health care over education, because more of their voters are closer to retirement and in need of more care. Maybe this is reasonable, but in tough times, when they have to close schools because they can't get budgets balanced or borrow to cover shortfalls, what happens to the children of that state, and their future?

The disparity of student performance by state in the USA (as well as the disparity in curriculum goals, learning standards, etc.) is proof that American students are victims of district, state, and nation-wide discrimination. This can't be right, and it certainly doesn't save money when each city, district, or state makes their own decisions about closing schools, changing curricula, etc. In this the communications revolution era, it is stunningly naïve to think that education should be local vs. global.

In the end...

Why is "many governments" considered small government? Why not have one national government that assures every student the same educational opportunities; where everyone lives by the same laws; that we should all pay taxes, but that those taxes ought to be collected once, be progressive, and cover the needs of all the citizens, according to the laws of the land?

A valid argument against one big government is that there is nothing to temper its behavior - without a system of checks and balances, a government could turn authoritarian, no longer represent the will of the people, and potentially even harm them. No doubt this is a huge risk, and one that should be guarded against. But then I think about the Cheney/Bush presidency, and imagine if a second 911-like attack had occurred just after the 2008 Primaries, that Cheney might have declared a state of emergency and delayed or canceled the elections in the interest of national security... that doesn't seem implausible does it?

A second argument is that local issues can't be dealt with "federally" - exactly which issues fall into this category? And why can't a federal machine solve them?

I think a three (or more)-party political system reduces the Authoritarian risk. I think a purely federal government is a viable governing mechanism. It would be much more efficient, ensure that every citizen is equal, and not be subject to the sometimes idiotic whims of locally-elected "leaders."