The past week must have been tough for government haters. Two major crises have shown once again how much all of us — including government-bashers — depend on effective government. With the tourism and fishing industries of the Gulf Coast drowning in oil, to whom do we turn? Not BP — that company has proven unwilling and unable to handle the mess it created. No, we turn to the federal authorities, not simply for funds but for expertise and coordination. When Times Square is threatened by a terrorist, to whom do we turn? Not any private security firm, that’s for sure. No, we look to the public servants of the NYPD, the FBI, and other law enforcement agencies. They did an extraordinary job of putting all the pieces together in time to nab the suspect before he disappeared abroad. So the next time you hear someone railing about how much he hates government, ask him about the Gulf Coast and Times Square…

From Shawn Raymond:
The play “Enron” is now running on Broadway. In it, the character based on former Enron head Jeff Skilling states: “I hate government because i know these guys . . . and let me tell you, the weakest, most ignorant, most drunken f*&^ing incompetents went to work for the U.S. government. Because they weren’t smart enough for the private sector.” Our country’s continued strength depends, to a certain degree, on having smart, well-trained, patriotic young people serving their country in a civilian capacity. We need them to make sure our roads are safe, our drinking water isn’t contaminated, our streets are free from crime. The Academy will tackle the negative stigma that associates public sector work with people who are nothing more than pencil pushing bureaucrats. That Academy will change the way we prepare our young civilian leaders, and it will positively impact the way the public perceives public service.