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Checks and Balance: Run of the statehouse

Economist Podcasts
Economist Podcasts
Episode • Feb 17, 2023 • 43m

While the Capitol in Washington might face gridlock, across the country statehouses are getting to work. In more state legislatures, a single party has control and their debates provide a window into their broader priorities. For states led by Republicans, dockets are dominated by bills related to abortion, identity and kids. Is this culture war all consuming? And as the national party dithers over its agenda, what does action on the state level say about the future of the GOP?


Mark Jones of Rice University takes us through legislative priorities in Texas. We go back to a time when state gun laws spread across the country. And the American Enterprise Institute’s Rick Hess discusses why many of the GOP bills focus on kids. 


Charlotte Howard hosts with Alexandra Suich Bass and Idrees Kahloon 


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