Now All Biden Has to Do Is Build It

Agency Coordination

The Biden administration faces significant challenges in coordinating federal agencies to achieve its legislative goals. Felicia Wong highlights the complexity of deploying new technologies at a large scale, emphasizing the need for a cohesive vision across multiple levels of government 1. She notes that while countries with centralized planning can execute projects more straightforwardly, the U.S. must navigate a federal system with diverse priorities 2.

Coordination across very, very different levels of authority where it's like you often need cities to agree on permitting this particular clean energy installation or whatever it might be.

--- Ezra Klein

This requires a North Star vision to guide efforts and ensure that the deployment of initiatives like clean energy is effective and timely.

   

Federalism Issues

Federalism introduces additional layers of complexity in executing large-scale projects under Biden's agenda. Felicia Wong points out that the market alone cannot build robust supply chains or ensure equitable job distribution, necessitating government intervention 3. She stresses the importance of prioritizing implementation and building capacity within agencies to meet legislative goals 4.

The question is, is the whole going to be greater than the sum of the parts?

--- Felicia Wong

Staffing and capacity building are critical, as these roles demand dedication and resilience, often leading to burnout among government workers.