Tonight at 7pm: American government is in the midst of a reputation crisis. An overwhelming majority of citizens—Republicans and Democrats alike—hold negative perceptions of the government and believe it is wasteful, inefficient, and doing a generally poor job managing public programs and providing public services. With her book, *Good Enough for Government Work*, Amy Lerman argues that the reputation of government is itself an impediment to government’s ability to achieve the common good. In addition to improving its efficiency and effectiveness, government therefore has an equally critical task: countering the belief that the public sector is mired in incompetence. Amy E. Lerman is Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, co-director of the People Lab, and Associate Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. On April 11, Professor Lerman will explore how “good enough for government” moved from being a statement of excellence to disparagement. Professor Lerman writes widely on issues related to public opinion, political engagement, and public policy. She is the author of two books on criminal justice, The Modern Prison Paradox, and Arresting Citizenship. Her latest book, Good Enough for Government Work, explores the stereotype of government as wasteful and inefficient, and studies the consequences of these beliefs.
From the start of the pandemic to the inequities observed from the murder of George Floyd to the revelations about housing, healthcare, employment, and supply chain concerns, multiple economic topics have long been “hiding in plain view.” Shifting Landscapes considers three.
In the third and final session on April 18, political scientist Paul Pierson will trace the economic and political history of the United States over the last century. He’ll show how a viable mixed economy—where both government and business each have their own roles while also working collaboratively—has long been the dominant force of America’s prosperity. This 2021-2022 series is exploring six areas of our lives that have been reshaped during the Covid-19 epidemic and the many events that have occurred in the past 2 years. Economics is the sixth and final topic in the Shifting Landscapes series. In these times of both tremendous upheaval and opportunity for transformation, Shifting Landscapes hopes exploring economic theories, past merits of a mixed economy, and how we might proceed in the future will help each of us consider how we might build an even more successful nation in the decade ahead. Events are free, live or by Zoom. Tickets are not necessary but registration is helpful. To register: mcdl.pub/sl-register. To simply join the Zoom presentation, go to http://mcdl.pub/SL-zoom. The link will be live about 6:45 pm on the day of the presentation. For information check the Mason County District Library website: mcdlibrary.org or contact Thomas Trahey: ttrahey@mcdlibrary.org. -- Thomas Trahey Mason County District Library Head of Circulation 231-843-8465