For most Americans, their largest annual purchase is government services. Yet we are irresponsible consumers!

If we chose to invest comparable time and effort, we could reap better value at less cost year after year. Furthermore, the United States could enjoy a global economic competitive advantage once our actions led to the most cost effective and efficient government among developed nations.

The keystone of this transformation rests with individual citizens and not elected officials or political parties. Our challenge is to motivate ourselves to initiate a cultural shift toward greater civic responsibility. The secret sauce is to start locally on the smallest levels of government services, then, as our management skills, tools and habits grow, expand upwards to broader layers of government services. Solutions can be driven upwards through communities versus the current stagnation from our oscillating political party control.

The multitude of ideas introduced in this book can serve as a catalyst to align interests, talents and passions of our citizens for this civic culture transformation. The book’s “Flywheel” ideas may come to fruition as described, or evolve in other ways once more and more citizens contribute. What’s most important is that we all choose to actively better manage government services to ensure ever-increasing value at lower costs.