Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

Who Is Government? implies that the invisible stewardship of public service manifests through civil servants who maintain democracy’s essential functions without recognition or fanfare. These dedicated individuals uphold government systems and standards through meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to their professional responsibilities.

In “The Cyber Sleuth,” Geraldine Brooks portrays the stark contrast between the immense value that public servants like Jared Koopman create and the limited recognition they receive. This disparity becomes evident when Brooks describes how Koopman’s cybercrime unit operates as “a minnow in the bright wake of whales, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security, and others” (138) who typically receive public acclaim after major criminal busts. Despite playing crucial roles in these operations, IRS agents often go uncredited, a pattern that Brooks notes “has a long history” (139) dating back to prohibition-era cases where FBI agents received glory while IRS investigators did the essential groundwork. Throughout the essay, Koopman’s commitment also stands in stark contrast to the aggressive budget cuts that reduced IRS staffing to “lows not seen since the 1970s” (132), creating a vicious cycle in which diminished resources led to poorer service, which in turn reinforced negative public perceptions of the very institutions working diligently to serve the public good.