GovLoop Insights

Our Issue of the Week is one that has been dominant throughout 2011 -- cyber-security. This week I got to sit down for a conversation with Mark Bowden, the author and journalist. You may not know him by name, but you have probably heard of his most famous book, Black Hawk Down. He is just out with a new book: Worm: The First Digital World War and it is about the fight against the Confickr Internet worm and what it tells us about cyber-security. There have been many stories in recent weeks about the challenges facing government cyber-security experts with a skyrocketing number of attacks.

Earlier this week, Apple released its latest iPhone -- the iPhone 4S. The day after that announcement, Apple’s icon -- Steve Jobs -- passed away. Last year, Fortune magazine billed Steve Jobs as the CEO of the decade -- and there have been many stories about the lessons we can learn from him. And there are impacts on government. Joining us to talk about Jobs' affect on government is Politico technology reporter Tony Romm.

The big story of the week is the budget. It many ways, this week felt like deja vu all over again, with all sorts of saber rattling and many worries about a government shutdown. Amid all of this, the Partnership for Public Service this week issue a report Making Smart Cuts: Lessons from the 1990s Budget Front. It looks at lessons learned from the last period of serious budget cutting what worked, and what didn’t. And joining us on the podcast is the head of the Partnership for Public Service -- Max Stier to discuss the report.

There is one week before the end of the government’s fiscal year, and yes -- not one of the 13 spending bills that keep government operating have made their way through either chamber of Congress. And so this week, there was much attention on some of the most dreaded words in government: C-R. Yes -- yet another continuing resolution. Joining us is somebody who watches this VERY closely -- Stan Colander of Quorvis Communications.

What jobs should be done by feds? And what can be contracted out? The issue is one of the more important -- and most debated -- in government. The Obama administration this week issued it’s long awaited final guidance on what work is Inherently government. GovLoop Insights takes a look at critical government functions.

GovLoop Insights Christopher Dorobek sits down with Jim Flyzik, President of TheFlyzikGroup and former Senior Advisor to Governor Ridge in the White House Office of Homeland Security. In this week in review Chris and Jim look back on the ten years since 9/11 and discuss how the Department of Homeland Security was formed and how it's role has progressed since the terrorist attacks.

Week in Review Intro by GovLoop Insights