Who knows whether Scott Kupor read and is responding to Jen Pahlka’s open entreaty in this regard (https://www.eatingpolicy.com/p/dear-mr-kupor-please-fix-federal), but he regardless appears to be acting on the content of some, at least, of her recommendations - which echo broader advice for government reform found in her book, Recoding America, her co-authored “Radical How” report, and other writing and (on-point, I’d observe*) argumentation re: enhancing governments’ capacity and effectiveness - in the context of his role as Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, according to the content of this recent appearance on the a16z podcast:\novercast.fm/+ABNwV9UT… (see most-relevant content to this part of the conversation starting ~ 28:40).
\n*Note that this observation should not be extrapolated as an endorsement of Mr. Kupor, his opinions and methods, nor the methods of those preceding him in the current U.S. administration’s actions on “workforce adjustment,” nor of a16z and its positions. Take this all as grist for the mill, as am I.
\n", "date_published": "2026-11-10T12:42:23-07:00", "url": "https://commonplace.rumon.ca/2026/11/10/who-knows-whether-scott-kupor.html", "tags": ["Podcasts"] }, { "id": "http://rumon.micro.blog/2026/10/18/a-stillsick-dog-walk-reflecting.html", "content_html": "A still-sick dog walk, reflecting across horizons on the anxieties and divisions - and possibilities - of politics, listening to a podcast ep about the same.
\nA couple of thoughts that stood out:
\n“When I used to teach political science we told students that government is: Answering the question of how we should live together.” ~ James Moore
\n“I am firmly in the people are not stupid school of politics, so let us not treat our fellow citizens like they are morons, because we will pay for it in the end.” ~ Gerald Butts
\n![\"\"](\"https://commonplace.rumon.ca/uploads/2026/37f18ebc-b3ea-4937-ace1-b41d2fc59f1f.jpg\")
\n",
"date_published": "2026-10-18T17:34:42-07:00",
"url": "https://commonplace.rumon.ca/2026/10/18/a-stillsick-dog-walk-reflecting.html",
"tags": ["Podcasts"]
}
]
}