January 13, 2015Op-ed

The Aspen Journal of Ideas: A Game Plan to Break the Gridlock

by Jim Nussle and Peter Orszag

Federal/ Moneyball For Government/ 2015/

A new Congress has been sworn in and our government is divided. It is now time to focus on what works for both parties and for the American people.

A goal that both parties should share is to do a much better job of ensuring that scarce taxpayer dollars are being invested in programs that work.  That is why we have joined together with current and former government leaders and advisors from across the political spectrum to call on our government to play Moneyball.

By using data, evidence, and evaluation, we can improve government performance in the same way that Billy Beane famously revolutionized baseball by focusing on statistics. By playing Moneyball, government can provide better services to millions more Americans while saving billions of dollars.