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Why CMS matters: Giving government the tools to manage its own voice

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As government agencies work to modernize digital services, there’s growing pressure to make websites more efficient and easier to maintain. Technologists often advocate for the use of popular, new tools like Gatsby, GoHugo, Grav or Greenwood that might be more developer-friendly. However, many of these tools are generally created for technical authors. As such, it would take considerable training to have a non-technical person maintain the content on platforms like these.

For government websites, this is often a problem. Accurate, up-to-date content is key to serving the public. Commonly used content management systems (CMS) are designed for authors. This ensures that the people closest to the content — not just developers — can shape, publish and maintain it. These systems support collaboration across teams, reduce bottlenecks and help agencies meet their mission.

Putting content control in the right hands

Using a CMS allows content to be updated and maintained by teams who understand the programs they support. These include policy advisers, program managers, communications officers and public engagement staff. A CMS gives these professionals a simple, secure way to manage content directly, without relying on technical staff. Instead of routing every content change through a developer, teams can make updates through a user-friendly interface.

By far, the most popular CMS in government is Drupal. In our survey of more than 1,300 federal government domains, more Drupal sites were identified than the combined total of all others. Other identified CMSs included WordPress, Joomla and DNN. These are open-source commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software projects that provide support to authors and have commercial support for agencies.

In January, the Drupal community launched Drupal CMS. This extends the power of authors to have a low-code/no-code experience, using commercially supported open-source tools. It also provides support for artificial intelligence-assisted tools so that teams can spend more time focused on the message and not the mechanics.

Publishing quickly and responsively

Public information needs to move fast, especially when there is time-sensitive content. With a CMS, authorized users can publish immediately or schedule content updates in advance. This flexibility supports timely communications while preserving oversight.

Agencies that serve multilingual communities benefit as well. Mature CMSs support structured workflows for managing translations. This makes it easier to deliver consistent, accurate content across languages without duplicating effort.

Supporting accuracy and reducing errors

Not everyone working in government communications is a technical specialist. Frankly, they shouldn’t have to be. The structure of a CMS helps reduce confusion and prevent errors for less technical editors. Fields are clearly labeled, instructions are embedded in the interface and changes can be reviewed before going live.

Mature CMSs also support their authors by including built-in tools that help authors catch errors. This contributes to overall clarity, and saves both time and money. These small improvements make a big difference for busy teams juggling multiple priorities.

Supporting government mission and oversight

Government content carries legal and policy weight. It must reflect current rules and guidance. Often, content goes through extensive internal reviews before being published. A CMS supports this need for oversight by clearly separating content from code. That means content creators can do their job without worrying about technical disruptions, and developers can improve systems without blocking updates.

By giving subject-matter experts the ability to directly manage content, agencies ensure that what’s published aligns with their mission and meets legal requirements. It also helps build trust with the public.

CMSs are needed for many complex government sites

For government teams that maintain complex websites and public communications, content management systems are not a nice-to-have — they’re essential. Picking an open source COTS CMS can provide structured workflows, accountability and accessibility while reducing the need for constant developer involvement.

It is important that the right people can do the work they were hired to do, communicate with the public effectively, accurately and efficiently. A CMS gives government agencies the flexibility and structure to do just that.

Mike Gifford is the open standards and practices lead for CivicActions, a digital services firm that pairs expertise in free and open source (FOSS), Drupal and accessibility to help the government deliver high-impact public services. He is also an invited expert with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).  

The post Why CMS matters: Giving government the tools to manage its own voice first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Politics

Hulk Hogan’s Death Certificate Released

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23 hours ago

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August 2, 2025

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Hulk Hogan’s death certificate was obtained by TMZ on Friday.

Hogan passed away at the age of 71 last Thursday from acute myocardial infarction. He also had a history of leukemia.

The wrestling legend was rushed to the hospital last week after emergency responders received a phone call for “cardiac arrest.”

The death certificate revealed Hulk Hogan was cremated in Clearwater, Florida.

“Hulk’s official cause of death was previously revealed as a heart attack. His medical records also showed a history of atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat. HH was also diagnosed with a form of cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), though details surrounding the cancer are unclear,” TMZ reported.

Hulk Hogan death certificate / TMZ

President Trump praised Hulk Hogan for his “absolutely electric” speech at last year’s RNC convention.

“We lost a great friend today, the “Hulkster.” Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!”

Hulk Hogan and his wife were baptized in December 2023.

“Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life. No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!” Hulk Hogan said.

RIP to an American icon.

The post Hulk Hogan’s Death Certificate Released appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Stephen A. Smith SLAMS Zohran Mamdani and the Democrat Party

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23 hours ago

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August 2, 2025

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Stephen A. Smith SLAMS Zohran Mamdani and the Radical Democrat Wing: “Either the Party Ends, or the United States Ends”

In a bold and fiery statement that has made waves across social media and major news outlets, commentator Stephen A. Smith unleashed a scathing rebuke of the radical left’s takeover of the Democratic Party. Targeting the likes of New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Bernie Sanders, Smith warned of the existential threat their socialist ideas pose to the future of the United States.

Smith reacted to a recent statement by Mamdani, who argued that “no

The post Stephen A. Smith SLAMS Zohran Mamdani and the Democrat Party appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Trump Gets Backlash Over RNC Chair Endorsement: An LGBT ‘Ally’ Who ‘Just Tried to Pass Amnesty’

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August 2, 2025

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Get ready for the next clash of conservatives.

When Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley announced Thursday he is entering the race for Senate in North Carolina, he did more than put a second high-profile name in the running in the Tar Heel State.

He set up what could be a bruising battle for leadership of the GOP on a nationwide scale.

In a July 24 post on the social media platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump, the hands-down heavyweight of party politics, heartily endorsed Whatley in the North Carolina race, and at the same time endorsed Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, the party’s current national treasurer, to step into Whatley’s place.

But there’s already a groundswell of opposition to Gruters. And one of his most vocal opponents is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

As the Sunshine State news website Florida Politics noted in a July 16 report, DeSantis slammed Gruters in a news conference where DeSantis appointed Florida state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia to the post of Florida chief financial officer.

It’s a job Gruters has been running for since May of last year.

While appointing a rival to the vacant post, DeSantis made his distaste for Gruters painfully clear.

“If George Washington rose from the dead and came back and tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Will you appoint Joe Gruters CFO?’ my response would be, no, I can’t do that without betraying the voters that elected me,” DeSantis said, according to Florida Politics.

He accused Gruters of siding with teachers’ unions in battles with the state government, as well as supporting the marijuana industry (a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational use failed in November).

According to the Tampa Bay Times, DeSantis and Gruters clashed over a bill Gruters supported that would have put the job of chief immigration officer in the state in the hands of the state’s agriculture commissioner.

In a post on the social media platform X, DeSantis called the bill “truly contemptible” and described it as “amnesty.”

And as the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported in January 2020, Gruters had a history of sponsoring pro-gay legislation in the state before appearing to reverse course.

“I’m an ally of the LGBTQ community,” he told the newspaper.

More recently, in April, Gruters made the wrong kind of headlines when the U.K.’s Daily Mail, a British outlet with a major North American presence, revealed he was a follower of 60 accounts on the adult-themed OnlyFans site.

(“I typically engage accounts that are recommended or interact with my account,” Gruters told the Daily Mail. “That said, I will review my follows and remove any content that may be considered questionable.”)

Conservative media users aren’t letting that past go.

“Perfect for San Francisco, nightmare for Florida,” one pro-DeSantis account on the social media platform X declared.

“Gruters just tried to pass amnesty for illegal aliens in Florida,” wrote another user.

The conservative pro-life website LifeSiteNews made its view clear in its headline and summary head about Trump’s endorsement.

“Trump endorses LGBT ‘ally’ Joe Gruters to be next RNC chair,” the headline declared.

The summary headline?

“Donald Trump has endorsed Joe Gruters to lead the Republican National Committee despite the Florida lawmaker’s liberal stances on LGBT ‘discrimination,’ immigration, teachers’ unions, and marijuana.”

According to Florida Politics, Gruters was the first Florida lawmaker to make an official endorsement of Trump in the Republican 2024 primary — snubbing DeSantis’ short-lived, mistake-in-hindsight primary challenge to the 45th president.

That no doubt plays a role in both Trump’s support for Gruters and DeSantis’ opposition, but there appear to be deeper factors at play here.

In a job as crucial as the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, having anything less than sterling, unblemished bona fides is going to be a problem with a voter base with a limited trust in establishment politicians, even if they have an “R” next to their name.

Questionable positions on “trans” issues, illegal immigration, and drugs — not to mention raising eyebrows by following OnlyFans models — are serious red flags for any contender for the job.

Trump has proven over and over again what he can accomplish with sheer force of will, and he’s almost single-handedly responsible for revising the ideological power of the Republican Party after the dormancy of the post-Mitt Romney world.

As the titular head of the party, as well as probably the single most influential human being in the world, much less the American GOP, he could almost certainly install any chairman of the party he chooses.

However, the situation now is the midterms are approaching next year, and the magic “Trump” name is not on the ballot — which means the energy of the party faithful is going to be at a premium for all of the Republican Party.

The question for Trump is, is a clash with conservatives worth it?

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post Trump Gets Backlash Over RNC Chair Endorsement: An LGBT ‘Ally’ Who ‘Just Tried to Pass Amnesty’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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