Paul C. Light, the author of “A Government Ill Executed” and a professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post today pointing out the problems facing the public sector workforce, namely retirement, poor organization, redundancy, low-pay, poor morale… the list seemed to go on and on.  Mr. Light specifically points out that new government employees (many will be recent college grads),  “understandably wonder whether government service would give them a chance to make a difference and acquire the skills they need in an unforgiving economy.”  (Harvard grads were featured earlier this week contemplating how to put their excellent educations to work in public service, while rejecting the pull of hefty paychecks.)  Mr. Light also reminds us of “the the glory days of the 1960s and ’70s, when the call to service was bright.”

Most notably however, was the shout out he gave to Senators John McCain and Barack Obama “to strike a legislative deal to start repairing government.”  Well, we can help them with that: the best legislative deal going is S. 960, the bill to create the US Public Service Academy, the first national public college devoted to developing civilian leaders. The Public Service Academy will be a federally-subsidized four-year college modeled on the military service academies. More than 5,000 students will get an intensive undergraduate education focused on service and leadership development. Following graduation, they will be required to serve for five years in education, health care, emergency management, or other public service fields at the local, state, and national levels.