Restoring American Priorities

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Charles Mason
December 5, 2025

A New Look at Policy and Leadership

When I study public administration four things stand out as the backbone of good government. Leaders must be accountable. Programs must work. Decisions must be clear. Citizens must come first. When the government grows beyond those limits it stops serving the people and starts serving itself. Over the last eleven months I have watched the Donald J. Trump administration push federal power back toward these basic standards. The shift is evident in the economy, in foreign aid, in border security and in how agencies explain their spending.

A Stronger Economy and a Clearer Mission

Good government must produce real results. Under this administration job growth and deregulation sit at the center. Reports show that close to half a million new jobs have been created in the private sector. Most of these jobs went to native born Americans. Deregulatory efforts claim savings of more than 180 billion dollars in the first months alone. Families felt this in their own pockets with an estimated $2,100 saved per household of four.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered the corporate rate from 35% to 21%. The message behind these moves is simple. The economy works when businesses can hire and invest without being crushed by rules that serve no one. From a public administration view this is a return to measurable outcomes. It places citizens ahead of bureaucracy and foreign interests. It treats the government as a tool, not a master.

Opening the Books and Ending Waste

Transparency is the heart of trust. The administration ordered agencies to disclose cancelled programs, frozen grants and wasteful spending. Taxpayer money should not travel in circles. It should not leave the country only to return through political networks with no apparent benefit to citizens. When agencies release complete reports on what they cut and why they invite the public back into the process. That is real administrative reform.

Protecting Benefits and Securing the Border

A government exists to serve its people. For years benefit programs blurred the line between citizen and noncitizen recipients. This administration claims to have protected more than forty billion dollars in benefits for citizens alone. On the southern border enforcement rose at historic levels. One monthly report showed a ninety three percent drop in apprehensions.

Seen through the lens of public administration this is a restoration of the state’s basic duty. A country that cannot defend its borders or preserve its own social programs loses stability. When leaders put citizens first the system regains direction and purpose.

Facing the Food Problem

Another issue touches every home. The food many Americans eat today is not the same as the food our grandparents knew. Much of it is processed and engineered to cut costs rather than build health. European countries enforce higher standards and restrict additives that flooded the American market. While major reform has not yet arrived the need is obvious. Policy must guard the health of the people, not protect corporate shortcuts. A citizen first government demands food that builds strong families, not cheap fuel that leads to long term illness.

Reining In the Machine

Accountability closes the circle. When agencies push money to contractors who later send funds into campaigns the system becomes a closed loop. It shuts the people out. The administration’s push for open reporting and heavy review of supplier networks breaks that loop. It exposes the flow of federal dollars and stops the recycling of taxpayer money through political channels.

For students and practitioners of public administration this is a return to the core, rule bound work. Clear duties. Real outcomes. Power in check.

Conclusion

Taken together these actions form a shift back to the basics of good government. Strong borders. A growing economy. Transparent spending. Clear limits on agencies. A focus on the American people. In a time when the administrative state grew large, slow and unresponsive this approach brings government back to its purpose. The goal is simple. Serve the citizen. Guard the public trust. Deliver real results.

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Author: Charles Mason, Ph.D., is a graduate of Walden University in Public Policy and Administration specializing in Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of Barry University with an MPA and a BPA and of Vincennes University with a Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security and Public Safety. He has over 30 years of experience in security, local law enforcement, state corrections and military service. He is currently the president of Mason Academy. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: https://twitter.com/DRCharlesMason

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