Indianapolis, IN Author Publishes Public Policy Novel

Busted (Tax Dollars at Work), a new book by Amicus Americano, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.

Busted (Tax Dollars at Work), a quirky, nonpolitically correct novel about public policy, is
centrist in nature, arguing for improved government programs rather than reducing or
eliminating them. A central tenant is that the public should regard government programs as
experiments. Another is that it is reasonable for governments to periodically evaluate the results
of the experiments to determine whether improvements are in order. A third is that research
designs and statistics should guide the evaluations. The novel, a study of the Social Security
Administration's disability program, the nation's largest, is intended to stimulate discussion
about the elements people want to have in public offices. While Social Security management
seems content to have the employees act like Sisyphus, condemned by the gods to push a bolder
uphill forever, the main character, Tax Dollars, and his colleagues view reform as necessary.
Proposals include public relations, unions, managers, Social Security's administrative law
judges, and equal employment opportunity concepts. Other topics include childhood disability,
the agency's use of so-called paralegals, many with only a minimal legal background, and the
agency's antiquated, barbaric approach to substance abuse. The last chapter suggests that
reconsidering the definition of disability and the administrative law judge adjudication model are
desirable. Identified options include alternative dispute resolution models, public-private
partnerships, and management privatization.

Busted (Tax Dollars at Work) is a 238-page paperback with a retail price of $17.00 (hardbound $25.00, eBook $12.00). The ISBN is 978-1-6376-4203-0. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For members of the press, to request a review copy, visit our virtual pressroom at https://dorrancepressroom.com/busted-tax-dollars-at-work-pb/ or to buy the book visit our online bookstore at https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/busted-tax-dollars-at-work-pb/