I have been unable to find the answer to my question: How does the United States “transparently convey” to the American public what it should in order to allow the people to effectively govern the nation”? Can you suggest a reference, or example from your experience in government, how our representatives and government agencies can and do communicate with us other than via the media? Should the President and our individual representatives use TV/radio on a regular basis to notify the public of relevant practical, ethical, legal news (sort of a fireside chats? Or perhaps DOGE can use Transforming Government for the 21st Century?

Some members of Congress have always made an effort to communicate to their constituents on important issues. One member for whom I worked sent out regular newsletters. Another did short television presentations on issues. The underlying problem is that, in a nation as large and complex as the United States, the number of issues — and the associated complexities — makes communicating on all of them virtually impossible. I was once asked to explain an environmental issue — the tradeoffs between two approaches of meeting wastewater effluent discharge standards — and before I’d finished two sentences, I was told not to “deliver a long-winded epistle,” even though the trade-offs involved hundreds of millions of dollars for the manufacturing plants involved.

People want simple answers. Simple answers are ALWAYS misleading, often deceptive, and also often inaccurate. But people tune out long explanations.

In a representative democratic republic (which is what the U.S. effectively is) the best solution is to elect good, knowledgeable leaders, and for the federal government departments and agencies to hire good competent people. Despite all the bad press, federal departments and agencies actually have done a remarkable job over the years.

The more urgent problem is that in electing public officials, usually the best public presenter wins the election, and all too often the best public speaker is neither good nor that knowledgeable a leader.