Political Church, Partisan State?

 

 

There's a strong sense that public servants not only have to be more sensitive to this but they need training on how to work more effectively with elected representatives and their staff, whatever political stripe, because if the gap continues to grow, there is a question of whether the public service will even remain a part of the government anymore in the traditional sense that it is part of the policy development and decision-making apparatus.

 

Culture change/sensitivity and communications training for public service staff - sounds a bit like looking at cognitive labour, for me.

 

Of course, if the public service is moving in this direction, would it not make sense for partisan staff to also come half-way?

 

But there're other pieces to add the puzzle, too - Open Government and Citizen Engagement (responsible engagement, as in a responsible society).

 

Also add the increasingly hyper-partisan (and fundraising focused) nature of our Political Parties and how murky the waters have grown between where public, taxpayer-paid salary staff end and partisan staff begin.

 

But don't worry.  There are plenty of "only so and so can deliver the manna" leaders out there selling themselves (or being sold as) the only solution we need.  I'm sure one of 'em has mapped this out and charted a course forward.