RegainAmerica began as a memory of the way things used to be in America, and the belief that by working together we can regain this greatness. It’s a collaborative workgroup / authoring environment and information portal dedicated to promoting positive change on the local, state and national levels.
The first phase will empower members to freely voice their concerns on issues that are important to them. More importantly the goal is to provide a platform where people can not only freely exchange ideas and views, but work together to effect real change. A government information portal will later be introduced focused on laws, lawmakers, and financing at all levels of government (initially the federal level). Simple to use analytics will allow visitors to get a quick and concise view into their government, the laws being passed, and how each of their representatives are performing. This new virtual town square will help empower people to work together to change the present status quo and Regain America.
Information Portal
Getting up to date information on what is happening in Congress and other government bodies can be difficult and very time consuming. How are your representatives doing and are they voting in a manner consistent with why you voted for them? Are they honest or are they there more to profit off the grift machine? Are they showing up and voting or frequently absent? What trends can be inferred through their voting, attendance, and financial history?
Most voters don’t have the time or patience to closely follow what is really happening in Congress and beyond. To do so is a full time job, clearly not practical for most. Instead they rely upon headline news snippets that can be fit in the gaps of their busy lives. One cannot blame most for not understanding what is really happening in the country, trends, and what their elected officials are really up to as they simply don’t have the time, energy, or desire.
Most information is available to the public, but very disconnected and not in a form that can be easily understood. Even very good government tracking sites such as govtrack.us have a difficult time putting the pieces together and summarizing in a concise and easy to understand way. This is where RegainAmerica can help. By building our own web scraping tools, AI agents, private AI models, and automated analysis tools voters will be able to understand the government landscape without having to devote their life to the task. Cross reference links and the ability to drill down on all data will provide the transparency to ensure the data and representations remain honest and trustworthy.
This is a very big project. Not just in the building of our own private AI models and infrastructure, but also in the tool creation, monitoring, and automated publishing of the data. Initially focusing on Congress – the people, voting records, common financial data over time for both representatives and the effects of bills and other data specifically tied to members of Congress. Just this would provide a much needed service, but is not enough. Deep analysis into money flows to members, their families and direct and indirect financial instruments such as layers of corporate structure is an eventual goal, but one that will require new techniques to be developed. Deep analysis into campaign funding is also needed – who, why and how much and how is this tied to member voting? Expanding this to cover State and eventually the County, City and local levels will be challenging.
At the end of the day the goal is for any American to be able to just ask what have my elected officials, as they related to me, been up to and what do they really stand for? The information can be queried online or members can subscribe to personalized email newsletters providing periodic updates. The process of keeping up with government must be made simpler, more reliable, and something that can be done in ones spare time rather than on a full time basis.
Groups
Groups are where members sharing similar interests work together towards their common goals. The purpose of these groups is to get things done and actually effect changes in government rather than just talking about them. The work output can be whatever the group decides is appropriate for a given problem. It could be a petition, email campaign to relevant lawmakers, media exposure, boycott coordination, new counter legislation, etc. Or any combination of the above.
We provide a collaborative authoring environment and supporting tools to facilitate working together effectively and efficiently. These are separate work spaces with different levels of isolation (public, private or hidden). Members can communicate among themselves through on-site messaging, forums, and through the joint document authoring system. Future upgrades are to include file sharing and project management tools (group specific). External links to legislators and other interested parties may also be included. Groups that work collaboratively often share greater resources, communicate better (more focused) and produce joint content faster and more efficiently.
Pause in Development
Work on RegainAmerica is on hold for now. With division in the country reaching new lows and seemingly getting worse by the day, it is unclear if our approach will be effective at this time. Online political forums for the most part have become ugly battlegrounds where insult and slander rule the day. We don’t have the resources or desire to be the playground cop for groups of nasty misfits. Hopefully in time this will change.
While we continue to ponder ways to provide positive tools for those wanting to right the ship, any and all suggestions are most welcome. I can be reached at tim@regainamerica.com.
So What Happened?
The more we got involved in political discourse the more distasteful it became. America is more divided now than perhaps anytime in its history. Active forces within the government, media and education seem hell-bent on amplifying these divisions, creating new ones, and actively trying to destroy the Republic from within. It makes no difference the color of your cap – red or blue only defines what side of the battlefield you are on. Partisan talking points define the war, not the core values the country was built upon. Not the issues that matter to most Americans only trying to make an honest living and raise their families. Most on both sides have forgotten what it means to be an American, to work and live together, and help their neighbor. Blind hate has filled the void.
Where Is The Government?
So where is the government through all of this? Doing what they do best – dividing and setting one group against another, defining new groups when necessary. Some just call this politics. Both parties do it, then retreat to profit from the spoils of war. Have you ever met a career politician who cares more about the country and people in their district than he does about his own political and financial gain? I haven’t. I’m sure a few exist, and they are probably found the same places you find unicorns.
And the media? They are more than happy to pander to whatever side they are on a given day. Journalistic integrity – there still are a few honest journalists around but precious few seem to work for the mainstream media (MSM).
The Symbiotic Conspiracy
Politicians and media have developed a symbiotic relationship. As long as they move in lockstep with each other, they all get rich together. It has been this way for decades but it seems nobody really wants to fix the situation. Nobody has come up with a workable solution on how to actively reign in this abuse and regain our country.
So how has someone who wants to help people make things better become so cynical? After more than 20 years of following the clowns in DC play the non-stop games of scandals, blaming each other for everything, promising great change and then wasteful spending of more and more of your money, I finally realized that nothing ever changes. The process is the game, and as long as the clowns playing the game make money, there is no incentive to change anything.
OK, one could make the argument that I’m not the brightest bulb in the room when it comes to this stuff, but I have honestly been hoping and praying for positive changes. I wrongly believed that our officials were for the most part honest and trying to do the right thing. Deep down we all tend to believe what we perceive as true, even if it isn’t.
The Great Swamp Draining Project
These ‘clowns”, often referred to as ‘the swamp’, exist in both parties. They thrive on chaos and will die on the proverbial hill to defend it. And why wouldn’t they – it is the basis for their power and financial wealth. The problem is our perception of government being good and looking out for our best interests is usually not correct. The clowns play the game by their own rules, not ours or what most of us would considered to be decent and ethical.
The blue team tends to be more brazen and likely to resort to illegal activities such as violence. The red team is not much better. They just employ a more passive-aggressive approach to the game. At the end of the day both sides need and feed off of each other. Perhaps it is time to toss the donkeys and elephants out and replace them with true Americans with ethics and a love of the Constitution. Until that happens only the corrupt politicians will be laughing. So who in this case are the real clowns? How much longer will we continue to serve in the red and blue armies of ‘useful idiot’ run by the political class?
So How Do We Retake Our Country And Make Things Better?
The Great DC Poop Show (GDPS) has been a work in progress for several generations now, with ‘progress’ shifting to high gear the past 20 or so years. It did not come about overnight, and there is no single silver bullet that can be used to take it down. One person or project is likely not going to be enough to have much of an impact in my opinion. So does this mean there is no hope and we should just admit defeat? Absolutely not, but it is not going to be easy. There are far too many issues that have been in the making for a long time to be gone over here. I’ll briefly mention a few that are high on my list. Your list might be different – makes no difference as long as we start fixing things one project at a time. I’ll try to order my list in terms of difficulty and my perceived priority.
Vote And Become Actively Involved
Those running the GDPS would like us all to believe the country is at war with itself. The Reds vs the Blues. American people need to wake up and understand that the Government and Media Cabal are not our friends, working behind our backs, and not telling us the truth. This is contrary to what we have all been brought up to believe so is a hard transition. But one that is essential. Most Americans, regardless of the color of their cap, are hard working people, trying to raise a family, and build a positive future. Do we all agree on all issues? Of course not, but that is just human nature and true of all of us. Not agreeing on everything does not make someone evil and a candidate for total destruction – just that they have different opinions. This is a good thing. We need to come together and get back to where we can actually sit down and discuss our differences. We won’t always agree but these days we never seem to have the chance as everyone is perceived as a mortal enemy. When we can’t agree – then we go to the election box to elect representatives who share our values to hopefully move them forward on our behalf.
For this to work though Americans need to get more involved. Most Americans I feel are far too complacent and don’t take the time to follow and understand what is happening in their communities, state or at the federal level. For some this is understandable. When you’re raising a family just getting enough sleep can be a challenge. For others the relatively easy lifestyle many Americans enjoy is an impediment. Why should I take the time to follow the GDPS and people that I don’t like when my perception is that it has no impact on my life or family? The truth is that people DO need to be involved, take the time to really understand what is happening and then take action based on TRUTHFUL and HONEST information. Simply following the headline news (propaganda) spewed out by the MSM is guaranteed to provide an inaccurate view of how your world is being governed, how your money is being spent, and how your life in other ways is affected.
This is not a simple task. I spent the better part of 20 years dedicating almost half my days to following the GDPS. And what did it get me? Aside from the regular upset stomachs and total disdain for the GDPS it changed my attitude towards DC forever. There are only a few politicians in DC that I have any true trust in, and that includes those who vote in ways that are consistent with how I feel. I view most politicians (not all) as swaying with the wind willing to say or do anything as long as it keeps them in office longer, and part of the grift machine that runs the rest of the GDPS. This includes the tantrums many of them regularly throw on television in support of their favorite current issue. Most of the MSM I view as partisan hacks more than journalists and are not to be trusted. They would be more honest to just register as a PAC and quit pretending to be real journalists.
It should not take so long for most people to come around though. Perhaps with organizations such as ours (and there are many others doing good work) we can get the word out quicker and provide tools for people to better understand what is happening in a way that can be both trusted and verified. Even sources that I trust I apply my own bias filters against to try to infer what is really happening. Never take the word of a single source – especially a third party reporter. Ask any kid if they trust their mom when they say “the veggies taste great!”. Kids can tell when they have been given a line – why can’t we as adults recognize the same when consuming the “news”? I’ve always thought that RegainAmerica could be a contributor in this area, but the timing does not seem right. Or perhaps I’m just missing something basic.
Only after citizens become well informed can they make informed decisions. At this point we all need to become more involved. At a very minimum make sure you get out and vote in all elections. Research the candidates and in the case of incumbents check their voting record. Are they voting for bills that protect criminals or are they trying to protect citizens? Are they voting on bills that will result in massive spending with no apparent benefit to Americans? Do they even know what they are voting on? Have they actually read the proposed regulations and are able to discuss it? How much of the time do they simply not show up to vote at all? How many are there just go get rich, and how have they made their fortunes? Nobody gets rich off a government base salary unless your name is Fauci (and I suspect even he had alternate revenue streams). So many of us vote by name recognition only. If we have heard the name before, they must be doing something right, no? This is why so many politicians try to make names for themselves through crazy acts or supporting what most would consider insane positions. When it comes to voting you recognize the name, even if you don’t remember why. They’re fighting hard for what they ‘believe’ in so they have to be good, no? Rubbish.
And one should always look at the background of candidates. Being able to tend bar for instance is a noble profession, but one for me at least does not scream “I’m qualified to make economic, military, or any other kind of legislative decisions for others.” And I’m not trying to single out our favorite ex-bartender. At least she proved that she could hold down a job and provide a service to her employer. So many career politicians can’t say the same. What does this tell you about the quality of those in office there to represent your interests? Get informed and vote accordingly!
Political Parties
And then there are the two main political parties. Those organizations that would have you believe that only they truly represent the people, support democracy, and have the honesty and integrity to run the country. They really do take us for fools. And then there are the mascots. The Republican Elephant I can sort of understand. A majestic animal, intelligent and with a terrific memory. Or at least that is what I associate with when thinking of elephants. But the Democrat Donkey? This brings up images of a stupid and stubborn animal. Surely they could do better. At least it’s not a jellyfish – the party without a spine, although that could truthfully be applied to either party these days.
Seriously though something needs to be done. In addition to the points made in the last section, politicians of both parties are largely considered inept, corrupt, and incapable of getting any meaningful work done for the people they represent. The current Trump administration is showing some unusual signs in terms of non-Congressional appointments I’ve never seen before that are promising. They are putting in place people who are NOT career politicians and who have a background of actually getting things done in their respective areas of responsibility. The DOGE effort is wonderful example of this and in my opinion long overdue. It’s too early to tell what the long term effects will be, but the administration is off to the fastest and most effective start of any administration in memory. Meanwhile in Congress….
With the reformation the Republican party has undergone in recent years, perhaps they might morph into the MAGA party – Republicans (real ones) minus the all talk no action politicians. The Democrats seem to be imploding with no apparent direction. Not sure where this is going or if it will be possible to fix. We need AT LEAST two viable parties to balance each other, so hopefully the Democrats can either fix their party (also getting rid of the all talk no action politicians) or come back as a totally different beast. Either way I hope they end up with a better image than the broken donkey. What will probably happen though is nothing – so we’ll be stuck with the same dysfunctional parties as we have now. That places even more importance on getting informed and voting appropriately.
Congressional Revisions
One could write a book on this subject spanning multiple volumes. I only have a few paragraphs in this already long winded document so will only mention a few of my ideas. The hope of RegainAmerica was that we could set things up so the number of issues to be discussed would not be limited, and not just one writers initial take on things. Am still hoping that the country comes around one day to being unified enough for people to be receptive to this.
The first issue I have with Congress is the grift. The common perception of members of Congress is that they are all (or most) corrupt and taking money under the table. Their increase in wealth across the board cannot be explained any other way. We need real controls in place to monitor money flow to these members and if possible track it to legislation they were involved with. This monitoring should extend to their immediate family and other related family members in addition to any companies, domestic or foreign, they have an interest in. If they are not willing to comply with these measures, perhaps another line of work would be more appropriate. The perception is that many bills get passed after the money laundering and kickback mechanisms have been ironed out. This is no way to run a government, and NEVER results in taxpayer money being wisely spent. Remove the almost trivial way for legislators to steal from the American people and perhaps we’ll remove the incentive for them to be there in the first place (this is a GOOD thing). Less fraud within the government should result in lower taxes for an over-taxed country.
The second issue has to do with new bills under consideration. Many of these are stuffed with so much pork that few can make sense out of them. Pork generally also implies a bill that is either so wasteful or only helps a small number of people that it could not get passed on its own. Bills need to to be limited to one main area with no unrelated legislation allowed. The length of the legislation should be reasonable. There needs to be a mandatory cooling off period related to the bill length allowing members to actually read and understand the content. Legislators who cannot be bothered to read prospective legislation and/or who are unable to verbally discuss it should not be allowed to vote on them. Legislators who cannot be bothered to spend the time to properly do their jobs should not be allowed to vote on any related bills. And voting records need to be published for all to see (most of this information is published but the data is scattered making understanding almost impossible).
I also feel that before members are allowed to influence legislation they need to be able to pass some kind of competency certification. This should cover at a minimum basic civics, economics, and introductory legal concepts. This certification should be obtained PRIOR to their work in Congress and should be renewed on a yearly basis.
Next – TERM LIMITS. Perhaps we should also revisit tenure and impeachment procedures for federal judges while we are at it.
Finally I think there needs to be in place real mechanisms for maintaining a certain level of ethics and consequences for members who violate these terms. This includes upholding their oath to the Constitution and lying to the American people or the government. It is widely understood that politicians will stretch the truth from time to time. This is not what I’m referring to but rather the blatant lies and misrepresentations that are all to common these days. There is no place for this in our Republic and legislators who violate our trust and they need to be removed quickly.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We need a way to wake up the American people to what is really happening and the truth. Only then is there any hope that they may decide to become more involved and work together to change things for the better. Any approach must be based in HONESTY, TRUTH and ACCOUNTABILITY with appropriate and real CHECKS and BALANCES. Information must be freely available and easy to obtain and verify. Without the American people rising up together there will be no substantive changes. And without a viable and trustworthy source of information and real public square I just don’t see the American people uniting behind any common cause.
So how do we solve this apparent chicken and egg problem? I honestly don’t know but am completely open to suggestions. Building such a platform from an operational and technical perspective is well understood. We’ve been building enterprise grade systems for years and have also built successful support organizations (email, online and call center based). Web based community platforms are well understood. We have an initial network foundation currently in place that can get us going together with an internal architecture that can be scaled easily. Bootstrapping technical, support, analytics, and other back-end functions can be done quickly. AI infrastructure is reasonably well understood given its deployment is still in its infancy. Put another way, there is still a lot to learn on the AI deployment front, but this is true for most companies at this point in time.
What is missing is a workable revenue model. This could in theory be setup as a non-profit, but then we would rely on either public and/or private donations for operation. Relying on public funds, at the discretion of the very politicians we are trying to make honest does not feel practical to me. My preference is to build a commercial entity, with the proper checks and balances in place (real ones) and a revenue model that can not only support the initial build-up of the organization but also grow as the organization gains more traction. The revenue model has to be self-sustaining. If you have and ideas or want to work together on these goals, I can be reached at tim@regainamerica.com.