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Dave Marsh on the Role of Government
I’m excited share the inaugural episode, featuring a conversation with an old friend, Dave Marsh.
When, in January of this year, Dave Marsh left his post as chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—a position he held in the Biden administration—he wrote the following message on his LinkedIn:
“Federal workers serve their country tirelessly without regard for their personal political views. They have for over 100 years and America is a better place because of it. This is a nonpartisan principle worth fighting to protect.”
Today, amidst the Trump administration’s heedless and mean-spirited assault on the federal workforce, Dave is figuring out ways to help the broader public understand what the federal workforce does—and why these mass firings are bad for ordinary Americans.
Over the past few years, and especially over the past eight months, whenever I’ve found myself in conversations with folks who think of the government as a malevolent “deep state” seeking to thwart the will of the people, I’ve thought: I wish these people could talk to Dave.
So, here he is. In this conversation, among other topics, we cover:
* Dave’s journey into politics
* The ordinary beauty of campaigns
* The difference between campaign life and actual governance
* The heroism of public servants on 9/11
* The meaningful work done far from public view
* The disconnect between public perception and the reality of government work
* Civic responsibility as necessary for a functioning democracy
For me, the lasting takeaway from this conversation—and Dave’s great gift to me—was the reminder that politics could feel different. That maybe, just maybe, we’re capable of more than what recent developments in our national life suggest. This is no small thing. To emerge from this moment of peril, we need to be able to see tomorrow—to imagine what a better tomorrow could look like. Dave helped me do that, and I’m grateful to him for spending some time with me.
Get full access to The Long Walk Home at billyglidden.substack.com/subscribe
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By Billy GliddenI’m excited share the inaugural episode, featuring a conversation with an old friend, Dave Marsh.
When, in January of this year, Dave Marsh left his post as chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—a position he held in the Biden administration—he wrote the following message on his LinkedIn:
“Federal workers serve their country tirelessly without regard for their personal political views. They have for over 100 years and America is a better place because of it. This is a nonpartisan principle worth fighting to protect.”
Today, amidst the Trump administration’s heedless and mean-spirited assault on the federal workforce, Dave is figuring out ways to help the broader public understand what the federal workforce does—and why these mass firings are bad for ordinary Americans.
Over the past few years, and especially over the past eight months, whenever I’ve found myself in conversations with folks who think of the government as a malevolent “deep state” seeking to thwart the will of the people, I’ve thought: I wish these people could talk to Dave.
So, here he is. In this conversation, among other topics, we cover:
* Dave’s journey into politics
* The ordinary beauty of campaigns
* The difference between campaign life and actual governance
* The heroism of public servants on 9/11
* The meaningful work done far from public view
* The disconnect between public perception and the reality of government work
* Civic responsibility as necessary for a functioning democracy
For me, the lasting takeaway from this conversation—and Dave’s great gift to me—was the reminder that politics could feel different. That maybe, just maybe, we’re capable of more than what recent developments in our national life suggest. This is no small thing. To emerge from this moment of peril, we need to be able to see tomorrow—to imagine what a better tomorrow could look like. Dave helped me do that, and I’m grateful to him for spending some time with me.
Get full access to The Long Walk Home at billyglidden.substack.com/subscribe