Episode 171: John Bernard Takes America’s Pulse: Building a Direct Line Between Citizens and Their Elected Officials

Special thanks to Allocore for supporting this episode. 

Ensuring politicians remain accountable to those who vote for them is no easy feat, but our guest this episode may have the solution. On this episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam try not to have too much fun talking with John Bernard, Founder, President, and CEO of America’s Pulse, as he takes us through his project to measure state performance and connect citizens’ priorities directly to their elected officials. Plus, learn how America’s Pulse is building a direct-input democracy that extends beyond elections, and how you can use it to make your voice heard. 

Show Notes 

• Allocore.com 

• Washington Post: Divers recover a bottle of Guinness from a 162-year-old shipwreck 

• OMB: TikTok Memo M-26-17 

• White House: Expanding Capabilities to Combat Transnational Cyber-Enabled Crime 

• Nextgov/FCW: Palantir calls on GSA to withdraw draft AI acquisition rule 

• Washington Technology: Palantir’s no-bid pipeline just got bigger 

• Treasury: FinCEN Permanently Ends Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for Millions of Small Business Owners 

• Amazon: Government That Works: The Results Revolution in the States 

• Amazon: Business at the Speed of Now  

• America’s Pulse: Americaspulse.org 

• Harvard University: The 3.5% rule 

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August 20th  

• AWS and Carahsoft Missions Made Possible: A FedTech Innovation Summit, Arlington, VA 

August 24th  

• A Hole in One with ACT-IAC, Leesburg, VA 

August 26th-27th  

• AFCEA and INSA’s 2026 Intelligence and National Security Summit, Bethesda, MD 

August 27th  

• The MeriTalk Mission Room on Agentic AI and the New Federal Workflow, Washington, D.C. 

August 27th  

• Potomac Officers Club 2026 Navy Summit, Falls Church, VA