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Latest Policy Publications
POGO’s experts push policymakers to enact commonsense reforms that tackle waste, corruption, and abuse of power; hold those who’ve violated the public trust accountable; protect our constitutional rights; and make the government work for all people.
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AnalysisWanna know why there won’t be a peace dividend? ...
Almost 23 years ago, I wrote a short pamphlet, Defense Power Games. My aim then (as it is now) was to explain why the end of the Cold War would not produce a peace dividend in the form of reduced defense budgets that were substantially lower that those averaged during America...
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Analysis
SEC Taps Wall Street Lawyer to Police Wall Street
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Monday that it has tapped a Wall Street lawyer, Andrew Ceresney, to police Wall Street. By relying so heavily on people with industry connections, the SEC can tangle itself in conflicts of interest.
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Analysis
10th Annual Ridenhour Prizes Honor ‘Courageous Truth-Telling’
The memory of Ron Ridenhour lives on in the prizes given in his name to those that exemplify courageous truth-telling.
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Analysis
Training Day: Improving Skills of the Acquisition Workforce
An April 16 GAO report indicates civilian agencies are having trouble training the acquisition workforce and determining if training investments are paying off, ultimately putting the government at risk of overspending on contracts and wasting taxpayer dollars.
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Policy Letter
POGO and Allies Urge President Obama to Rein In Overclassification
The undersigned organizations, which support greater openness in government, urge you to promptly establish and provide active White House leadership for a Security Classification Reform Steering Committee to help correct what you have called “the problem of overclassification.”
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Analysis
After 5 Years, Is Obama Ready to Fill State Department Vacancy?
Secretary of State John Kerry says if it were up to him, the State Department would already have a permanent inspector general, a critical position that has been vacant for more than five years, but the delay is due to the White House’s vetting process.
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Analysis
White House Takes on Federal vs. Contractor Employee Costs
POGO supports the government's efforts to compare the cost of federal employees and contractors performing the same work because it currently lacks an effective way to compare the true costs when making hiring and contracting decisions.
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Analysis
Veterans Affairs Announces Plan to Reduce Claims Backlog
Responding to withering criticism, the VA says veterans who have been waiting a year or more for disability benefits will be bumped to the head of the line for eligibility determinations.
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Analysis
Obama Administration Grades Openness Performance on a Curve
POGO takes a look at the Administration's self-assessment of its first year in the global Open Government Partnership. Implementation of the National Action Plan led to some encouraging steps forward, though these steps were not as bold as hoped.
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AnalysisPentagon Budget Realities Mandate a New DOD Team
The tired old ideas in SecDef Hagel's first defense budget make clear that he needs new thinking from his DOD team, or a new team.
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Policy Letter
POGO Asks Secretary Hagel to Stop Funding B61 Nuclear Bomb Program in Europe
The cost of maintaining the B61 nuclear bomb program in Europe has increased yet again while questions regarding security and military efficacy remain unanswered.
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Analysis
Risk of IRS Audit Declines for Many Businesses
The likelihood of companies that fall into the highest tax bracket being audited by the Internal Revenue Service is on the decline, according to a new report by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.