Low-performance government provides too little service for too much money. Breakdown is a serious risk. This is the stark message of the Volcker Commission report, which leads off High-Performance Government with a devastating nonpartisan indictment of public service in America. The commission recommends restructuring government by mission, selecting and developing better leaders, and creating agile, performance-driven public service. The rest of High-Performance Government explores the possibilities and limitations of these recommendations, with practical guidance based on years of research at the RAND Corporation. Chapters address headline issues ranging from reorganizing our national security system to creating performance-driven schools, from foreign aid to welfare reform, from public-private partnerships to the "deep uncertainties" of problems such as terrorism.