Leading True Leaders

This year, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card contributed a disarming little talk about public service, framed around his experience growing up in Boston under the watchful eye of his grandmother, a public school teacher with a consuming interest in politics and policy. She'd ask young Andy what he thought about the day's news of the neighborhood and the nation, and insisted that "if people don't participate, democracy will die." She was the inspiration as he decided to join the local planning board (7 to 9 Thursday evenings, every cul de sac knew), and to move on from there in a life filled with public service at every level.

Card's experience, and, of course, his current position, gave him standing to congratulate this year's award winners for their "great contribution to America." It was a tribute well deserved, by winners such as G. Martin Wagner of the General Services Administration, who has pushed important governmentwide travel management reforms; Ruth A. Whiteside of the State Department, honored for her contributions to administrative reforms in Foggy Bottom; and David Borland of the Army, a leader in the intelligent management of technology in government.

These people have kept at the business of government through trying times. They have watched public hostility toward government grow, fueled in part by politicians' critiques. They have made do with inadequate resources-backward technology, decrepit offices, shrinking staffs-in the face of growing workloads. At the same time, many have recognized bureaucracy's shortcomings and have fought to bring better business practices to their institutions.

Now, near the end of their careers, they may witness the start of a gradual rejuvenation of the federal service. It is refreshing to find Colin Powell installed at the State Department, secure and powerful enough to demand that this beleaguered department get the investment in people, facilities and equipment it needs. It is good to see the accomplished technology executive Charles Rossotti leading a similar charge at the Internal Revenue Service. One can only applaud the courage of a career man, Adm. James M. Loy of the Coast Guard, as he candidly informs Congress that he cannot accept added missions without added resources. And it's encouraging to sense that Congress is beginning to pay attention to the "human capital crisis" declared by Comptroller General David M. Walker, and to other needs.

Republican senators like Fred Thompson of Tennessee and George Voinovich of Illinois are now saying that agencies must be given the resources to accomplish the essential tasks that fall to government. These are straws in the wind, I think, leading indicators of what may be more benign times for our common enterprise, the federal government.