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The Government Fix

The Government Fix

De : Code for America
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 Government is all around us. It’s in your morning routine, your commute, even your grocery run. We need it. And it can be better. The Government Fix is a podcast about bridging the gap between the government we have and the one we need. In each episode, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with innovators, doers, and leaders—from inside and outside government—to hear how they tackle big challenges, upend the status quo, and deliver results. This isn’t about tearing down bureaucracy—it’s about building up what works. Smarter systems. Better tools. Less stress. Because when government works well, it works for everyone. The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org. Politique et gouvernement Sciences politiques
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  • The Government Fix for A Government That Just Works

    The Government Fix for A Government That Just Works
    Feb 24 2026
    Government touches nearly every part of our lives—but too often, it feels confusing, slow, or outdated. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria talks with former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs about what it really takes to build a government that just works. Tubbs shares how leading a city through bankruptcy, violence, and outdated technology shaped his vision for simpler, more human-centered systems. He walks through the creation of Stockton’s guaranteed income pilot, what the data revealed, and why trust and dignity matter as much as efficiency. Together, they explore the role of young people, the promise of AI, and the importance of updating the “unsexy” systems that keep government running. This conversation is a roadmap for anyone who believes better government is possible.ABOUT THE GUEST:Michael Tubbs rose from poverty in South Stockton to become a national leader in economic mobility and public innovation. Elected at 26 as Stockton’s first African-American mayor—and the youngest mayor of a major US city—he launched transformative initiatives including Stockton Scholars and the nation’s first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot. He now serves as Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom and founded both Mayors for a Guaranteed Income and End Poverty in California. Michael is currently running for California lieutenant governor.LEARN MORE: https://www.stocktondemonstration.org/https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_tubbs_the_political_power_of_being_a_good_neighborABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfixWatch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts Transcript:[00:00:00] Michael Tubbs: I remember the big joke when I became mayor was that the only thing I was older than was our legacy system, but only by a year. We were using technology from 1990 in 2016 in Stockton. We had our payroll department, wasn't a department. It was a woman with like-- It wasn't even a spreadsheet, it's something I've never seen before in my life. It was like a black screen with freaking green.[00:00:26] Amanda Renteria: [laughs] Yes.[00:00:29] Michael: I was like, "Wait, this is how we're getting paid?"[Theme music fades in][00:00:32] Amanda: Although we might not realize it, we interact with government every single day. Maybe it's while brushing our teeth, dropping our kids off at school, or taking out the trash. We're almost always interacting with government systems. You hear a lot about how these systems fail, whether it's potholes making your work commute a little bumpier or long wait times at the unemployment office. There's plenty to complain about.[Music plays][00:01:09] Amanda: Welcome to The Government Fix. I'm your host, Amanda Renteria. I've worked on Capitol Hill, in the classroom, on Wall Street, and now I'm the CEO of Code for America, an organization focused on using tech to improve public services and make government work well for everyone.I know that a government that works for us can feel far away. It can be confusing, intimidating, and downright discouraging to find a way to just get by. But here at Code for America, we like to operate from a place of hope and informed optimism. We are looking to bridge the gap between the government we have and the government we need. We talk to the folks who are shaking things up from the inside and outside governments with big ideas and boots on the ground.For our first episode, we're focusing on the government fix for a government that just works. How do we simplify? How do we update old systems? How do we incorporate new research and rapid developments in the realm of AI? Are the young folks on TikTok holding a golden nugget of wisdom coming to save us all? Today's guest is no stranger to these questions. Michael Tubbs was elected mayor of his native Stockton, California, at just 26 years old, making him one of the youngest mayors of a major American city.For those who don't know, Stockton wasn't just any American city. Tubbs inherited a city with historically high rates of crime, poverty, and a newly declared citywide bankruptcy. He came in with a vision to remedy this. In 2019, Michael Tubbs launched SEED. That's the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration. The concept was simple. Give residents who are living at or below the city's median income level a one-time $500 cash infusion. This is what some call universal basic income. No questions, no confusing paperwork, no strings attached.After a year, researchers found that full-time employment actually increased among participants. Their physical and emotional health improved. The success of the program suggested that when you give people a little bit of a safety net, ...
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    37 min
  • The Government Fix (Trailer)

    The Government Fix (Trailer)
    Feb 9 2026

    The Government Fix is a podcast about bridging the gap between the government we have and the one we need. In each episode, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with innovators, doers, and leaders—from inside and outside government—to hear how they tackle big challenges, upend the status quo, and deliver results.

    This isn’t about tearing down bureaucracy—it’s about building up what works. Smarter systems. Better tools. Less stress. Because when government works well, it works for everyone.

    ABOUT THE HOST:

    Amanda Renteria leads Code for America as CEO, steering a transformative organization that sits at the forefront of civic technology and digital government innovation. Under her leadership, Code for America has emerged as a crucial partner to governments and community organizations nationwide, working to realize the vision of “a government by the people, for the people in the digital age.”

    Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

    Learn more and explore all episodes: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix

    Transcript:

    [Theme music fades in]

    [00:00:02] Amanda Renteria: Think about what you did today. Maybe you brushed your teeth, dropped your kids off at school, commuted to work and shopped for groceries.

    Did you realize that you were interacting with government at every single step?

    Government isn’t just in the White House, or city hall, or at the polls. It’s all around us.

    Welcome to The Government Fix, a new podcast about bridging the gap between the government we have and the government we need. I’m your host Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, an organization focused on using tech to improve public services and make government work well for everyone.

    In each episode, I sit down with innovators, doers, and leaders from inside and outside government to hear how they tackle big challenges:

    [00:00:44] Billy Shore: I think when it comes to hunger in particular, and especially childhood hunger in the United States, that that's a solvable problem.

    [00:00:51] Amanda: Upend the status quo

    [00:00:53] Linda Garcia: I was a teen mom. I stopped living with my parents at 12. grew up with a lot of trauma and decided I want to be wealthy one day. I don't wanna be like my parents. I don't wanna have to work four jobs just to put food on the table.

    [00:01:09] Amanda: and deliver results

    [00:01:11] Michael Tubbs: LA County. Which now has the largest guaranteed income program in the country, named their program, LA County Breathe. 'cause they read the report in Stockton and it was like, oh my gosh.

    People said they could breathe. That's, that's, that's, that's such a big deal. Um, and that it had comparable results to clinical trials of Prozac in terms of impacts on depression and anxiety.

    [00:01:29] Amanda: This isn’t a show about tearing down bureaucracy—it’s about building up what works. Smarter systems. Better tools. Less stress.

    Episodes drop every other week. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

    [Theme music fades out]

    The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

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    2 min
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