Government Overreach Loves a Distracted Citizenry—Don’t Be One of Them.
The legislative tools that keep you informed, empowered, and one step ahead of the next bad bill.
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In just a handful of weeks, the new year will be upon us. And with it, the return of most state legislators, passing new laws and trying to solve problems.
Thus far, I don’t have word on legislation planned for Tennessee, so it remains to be seen if we will be able to make the necessary changes to protect our young people from accreditor overreach. What I do have are some tools that everyone can use to keep tabs on what’s happening in their state capitals and in DC.
So let’s pass out some party favors that will last all year long.
First up is some software.
FastDemocracy is a real-time legislative tracking platform that monitors all 50 state legislatures, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Congress. It aggregates bills, amendments, votes, sponsors, committee actions, and hearing schedules into searchable dashboards and customizable alerts, some of which it does for the low, low price of free.
For education policy stakeholders, it enables precise monitoring of issues such as school choice programs, teacher certification and tenure rules, curriculum standards, parental notification requirements, diversity-equity-inclusion policies, and school funding mechanisms.
While there is a paid service for which I haven’t found an exact cost, the free service will suit the needs of most, covering a home state and federal legislation on whatever cluster of topics they find of greatest interest. It also has an iPad app that can keep you updated while on the go.
For those on a tight budget, there is also LegiScan. It covers similar territory, but with fewer bells and whistles. While some may find its stripped-down web design a little early 2000s, it absolutely gets the job done, and it has low, stair-step tiers that allow users to grow their influence without breaking the bank.
X, formerly known as Twitter. Aside from giving you mid-career Prince flashbacks, X is a great place to track and sometimes talk with your elected officials in real time.
Many, if not all, lawmakers have an X profile, and they will interact with you, provided you are polite, concise, and on topic. I’ve had more than one follow me back after making a thoughtful comment on policy. While ChatGPT suggests that might be because I’m the most amazing person on the planet, I suspect it’s more likely that many politicians do want to know what their electorate is thinking. They are also so busy just trying to get things done, a concise comment that clarifies an issue is actually helpful.
Yes, with the midterms on the schedule for 2026, Ballotpedia will be a handy bookmark to check. What you might not know is that they also do analysis of public policy and they have maps tracking power by party in state government.
While we are looking at maps, Campus Reform has a legislation tracker that will tell you where your state stands with DEI. While it doesn’t necessarily tell you if the bills passed were good, or if there are remaining gaps in the law which need to be filled (there are) it does serve as a great starting place to learn what you have to deal with.
So as the new year approaches, gather your tools, charge your metaphorical batteries, and resolve to watch your statehouse the way a shepherd watches a storm line rolling over the hills. Not with panic—but with awareness, competence, and the knowledge that you will see trouble coming.
May your alerts fire at reasonable hours, may your lawmakers be more responsive than their staff emails suggest, and may this year find more of us awake at the wheel.
After all, the city is only as sound as the citizens who refuse to look away.
Further Reading
An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, and Models of Public Policy Making by Thomas Birkland
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About
Diogenes in Exile began after I returned to grad school to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Tennessee. What I found instead was a program saturated in Critical Theories ideology—where my Buddhist practice was treated as invalidating and where dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy was met with hostility. After witnessing how this ideology undermined both ethics and the foundations of good clinical practice, I made the difficult decision to walk away.
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to exposing the ideological capture of psychology, higher education, and related institutions. My investigative writing has appeared in Real Clear Education, Minding the Campus, The College Fix, and has been republished by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. I also speak and consult on policy reform to help rebuild public trust in once-respected professions.
Occasionally, I’m accused of being funny.
When I’m not writing or digging into documents, you’ll find me in the garden, making art, walking my dog,