Tom Smith
@yotommy.bsky.social
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Ex-USDS, ex-Google, ex-AT&T/Bell Labs
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Tom Smith
Jess Calarco
about 1 month ago
No. No. No. Punitive processes make narrowly targeted programs *less* efficient and *more* costly. Because more scrutiny requires more bureaucracy. Punitive processes also make it *less* likely that people will get aid for which they qualify. Because of the roadblocks and stigma scrutiny creates.
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Better Blocks NJ
about 2 months ago
Want more affordability? Build more housing! Housing markets are complex. There are many confounding factors at play beyond simple supply and demand, but the research is clear. More supply is needed to make housing more affordable in the midst of our regional housing shortage. 1/4
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Tom Smith
GiveDirectly
4 months ago
Giving money directly to people in poverty can boost local economies 2.5x
GiveDirectly.org/multiplier
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@darthbluesky.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/m...
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Embrace the Potato Dinner
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/magazine/potato-dinner.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sE8.BK5V.idHDhCGXd3Q5&smid=url-share
4 months ago
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Jennifer Pahlka
5 months ago
What happens when a team turns a failure into a dramatic success? Sometimes, their hard work and courage earn them a GAO nastygram. That's because the GAO holds them accountable to the wrong operating model.
www.eatingpolicy.com/p/gao-gets-s...
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GAO gets schooled by the Department of Education
The FAFSA team stands up for itself, and for everyone operating in the product model
https://www.eatingpolicy.com/p/gao-gets-schooled-by-the-department
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Tom Smith
U.S. Digital Response
6 months ago
See how government teams across America are modernizing the way they serve their communities through digital services šļøāØ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQtz...
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How communities and government partners are building a better future together | 5 Years of USDR
YouTube video by US Digital Response
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQtzYp5--98
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Tom Smith
Kathleen Bachynski
6 months ago
āLike their four-year counterparts, community colleges are grappling with disappearing federal grants, shuttered D.E.I. offices, eliminated programs⦠many of the grants that fund financial aid for low-income students and the staff that support them have been eliminated or threatenedā
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Trump Went to War With the Ivies. Community Colleges Are Being Hit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/magazine/trump-community-college-anti-dei.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
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Tom Smith
Natalie Alms
8 months ago
Before there was DOGE, there was civic tech, an Obama-era movement to try to improve government with technology. Now DOGE has taken over not only key civic tech teams like USDS, but also the message of govt modernization. Here's a story about what's next
tinyurl.com/yhrz43ut
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Civic tech leaders worry DOGE is ātarnishingā its tools to improve government
USDS, the White House team DOGE took over in January, was a flagship civic tech organization. Six months later, civic tech is figuring out whatās next.
https://tinyurl.com/yhrz43ut
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LOL, my rep, Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-7) is one of these brave patriots who are "deeply concerned" about the bill he voted for.
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8 months ago
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@donmoyn.bsky.social
details the huge gap between the practices of responsible, effective civic tech and the wreckage caused by the hubris of DOGE. I lived this myself during my time at the US Digital Service, pre- and post-DOGE.
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9 months ago
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Tom Smith
Don Moynihan
9 months ago
This is a really great real time demonstration that a) there is very little fraud in most government services, and b) building systems around fraud paranoia has real costs for the vast majority of users. (Also follow
@almsnatalie.bsky.social
for great govt coverage)
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
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Alt18F
9 months ago
The DOGE vision for government technology involves centralizing Americansā private data. But this isnāt a new idea: itās one that has been considered, reconsidered, and left alone many times over the yearsāfor good reasons.
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Keeping your personal data safe
Why government agencies donāt just share everything they know about you with every other government agency.
https://18f.org/topics/keeping-your-personal-data-safe/
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This should be enlightening --- and fun!
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9 months ago
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Tom Smith
Alt US Digital Service
10 months ago
Wow! Thanks to your support, we just crossed 14,000 followers. š How about this? Help us get to 15,000 and we'll do an AMA for you.
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Beautifully stated.
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10 months ago
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Jessi Murray
11 months ago
The literal opposite of the goals of civic tech
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Maya Sen
11 months ago
Fwiw one thing university faculty can do is provide simple explainers for their students on how federal funding works and how cuts to higher ed & endowment taxes will concretely damage their education and possibly spike tuition costs Many students donāt know how university finances work!
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
11 months ago
This is flatly illegal. The plain text of the law says that any person who works for any 501(c)(3) nonprofit is eligible. There is ZERO authority for limiting eligibility based on the work such nonprofit does. They WILL lose the lawsuit. Even so, this is making so many peopleās lives harder.
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11 months ago
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Such great talent, wantonly dismissed. An intentional hollowing out of effective government.
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12 months ago
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Tom Smith
Cyd Harrell
about 1 year ago
š„°š I don't promote my book as much now that I work in government, but I did write one & I believe it's still pretty useful as we enter a time of major shifts & messy information in both government & tech
www.goodreads.com/book/show/55...
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Tom Smith
Nate Coulter
about 1 year ago
Another media outletās account of this significant ruling in the federal court in Arkansas.
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Arkansas book-censorship law ruled unconstitutional (UPDATED) - Arkansas Times
The book censorship law had already been put on temporary hold.
https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2024/12/23/arkansas-book-censorship-law-ruled-unconstitutional
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This is a great victory. Thanks for spearheading the fight,
@dncoulter.bsky.social
!
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about 1 year ago
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Chris Kuang
about 1 year ago
Good government digital services are possible. But they take time, expertise, and dedicated public servants. (Among other things, for sure.)
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you reached the end!!
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