Checks and Balance: Run of the statehouse

The Capitol in Washington might face gridlock, but politicians in statehouses across the country are getting to work. In most state legislatures, a single party has control–their debates provide a window into each party's broader agenda. For states led by Republicans, dockets are dominated by bills related to abortion, gender 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 Republican Party?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 Republican bills focus on kids. Charlotte Howard hosts with Alexandra Suich Bass and Idrees Kahloon You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Checks and Balance unlocks American politics by taking a big theme each week and digging into the data, the ideas, and the history shaping the country.Join John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Idrees Kahloon and Jon Fasman as they talk to politicians, pollsters, academics and people across the country about the great experiment of American democracy. Published every Friday.If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.