In their Idea of the Day, the Center for American Progress questions that with all the tough fiscal decisions in front of the Obama administration, how did they come to propose 211 terminations and reductions resulting in more than $33 billion in cuts?
Each proposed termination or reduction in the budget document boasts a brief justification but the process within the government was far from systematic. Agencies proposed programs they thought might be candidates, budget examiners in the Office of Management and Budget had their own list, and a negotiation followed.
We believe that government needs a better process for deciding which budget lines to terminate or trim. It needs a comprehensive system to review the performance and impact of all programs to guide future budget decisions.
That’s why we developed the “Reviewing What Works” tools, a process including practical tools for evaluating the effectiveness of government programs. They are part of a recent Center for American Progress report entitled “The Secret to Programs that Work.”
Read the full report, "'What Works' Budgeting," by Jitinder Kohli and John Griffith.
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