Fractured Government

It’s official, the balance of power between the Executive and Congressional branches of government is not equal today. It will be a generational challenge, if not longer, to find a path to restore the balance. Regardless of your position on the merits of impeachment, we are living in a period where the Executive can outpace the institutions originally intended to oversee and check Executive powers. By the time a lengthy judicial process unfolds, the issue is long since overcome by events.

What it Means

To the process:

• • Legislation can be passed, but Executive branch (agency) implementation of that legislation can change the legislative intent at any point thereafter. The Executive branch can act and implement policies as it sees fit.
  • We will see Congress react to Executive overreach by withholding funding in an attempt to counter unwanted policies. Read that as more opportunities for normal funding to be delayed in contentious conferences.

To your business:

• • Success in government sales will require a focused level of tactical engagement with your agency customer like never before.

The President’s FY21 budget will deliver to Congress on February 10^th.  Recall this is an “input” to the legislative process that will produce authorizations (policy) and appropriations (funding). They are all incorrectly referred to as the budget. If you are surprised by things that appear in the FY21 budget, it’s not too late to get it changed – but that change requires Congressional action – immediately.

Where you should be focused?  On the FY22 budget. You read that right – FY22 is deep in development across Executive branch agencies today. If you don’t know where your program / offering / service / solution fits in that budget, now is the time to get in there.

For the foreseeable future, Government sales is a tactical effort. Get yourself in position.

What’s Gene Up To?

Have you read Gene’s Amazon best seller?  “Pitching the Big Top: How to Master the 3-Ring Circus of Federal Sales”.  Email Gene if you’d like your copy inscribed, [email protected].