Across the States

It’s back-to-school season, but what do many parents and caretakers think about this notion? What is the general tone of families across the states? EdChoice and its newest public opinion tracker has the answers. Here to discuss the new polling data is EdChoice’s Vice President of Research and Innovation, Paul DiPerna. EdChoice July Public Opinion Tracker: https://edchoice.morningconsultintelligen...

What are the Blaine Amendments, how does the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue Supreme Court Case affect school choice in the states and is your state impacted? Listen in on this episode featuring Education Choice Attorney at the Institute for Justice David Hodges, ALEC Director of the Education and Workforce Development Task Force Scott Kaufman and host Dan Reynolds to find out more. Educ...

Because of COVID-19, a vaccine and the topic of vaccines are on everyone’s mind. Joining the podcast to discuss the development of a COVID-19 vaccine is Pfizer Global COVID Vaccine Medical Lead David Swerdlow and Texas State Representative Tom Oliverson, who is a medical professional. Pfizer has committed to deliver millions of vaccine doses by the end of 2020, and it has been operating within a u...

There is currently an opportunity and a need to reinforce the history and the teachings that are based on Dr. King’s non-violent social justice philosophy. This means the adoption of a special curriculum. Fortunately, there is one highlighting MLK and the civil rights movement, and it has already been implemented in multiple states. Today’s podcast discussion covers this curriculum. Guests include...

State Legislator of the Month Rep. Tory Arnberger works hard every day as a young state legislator to advance the principles of limited government and federalism in Kansas. And during the pandemic, she’s lead her constituents with an emphasis on local control in the face of state mandates and discussions on education in the COVID-19 era. Now, she joins host Dan Reynolds to discuss this and more. A...

In this special episode of Across the States Dan Reynolds is joined by two ALEC policy experts to discuss the newest edition of Rich States, Poor States: the ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index – which released today. Report co-author, ALEC EVP for Policy and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams and Senior Director of the ALEC Center for State Fiscal Reform Lee Schalk discuss the backgro...

Balancing state budgets is always important, but during the pandemic, doing it right is even more important. On the podcast today to discuss this is FGA Director of Government Affairs Roy Lendardson, FGA Senior Fellow Scott Centorino and ALEC Executive Vice President of Policy Jonathan Williams. Listen in on how the federal government has handcuffed states with “fraud by design” welfare programs,...

What are Certificate of Need laws and how do they affect businesses across the country? Anastasia Boden, Senior Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, weighs in on CON laws and COVID-19, how the Pacific Legal Foundation is defending individual liberty in the states and what states can do now to protect medical freedom. Anastasia Boden in the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ken...

This episode of Across the States, recorded in early 2020, takes us back to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where host Dan Reynolds sits down with MI Representative Graham Filler, a speaker at the event and Chair of the MI House Judiciary Committee, to discuss criminal justice solutions at the state level. Following the FIRST STEP Act, based on ALEC model policy, what is the “...

In this special episode of Across the States recorded at the U.S. Department of Education in early 2020, host Dan Reynolds sat down with Jim Blew, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, and Sherry Street, ALEC Vice President of Policy Advancement to highlight the work done advocating for education choice. What’s the reality behind charter schools, what does education...

On this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds is joined by Senior Fellow of State and Local Taxes at the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy Stephen Haner, ALEC Vice President of Policy Jonathan Williams and ALEC Center for State Fiscal Reform Legislative Manager Skip Estes. The Thomas Jefferson Institute recently released a brochure, The Road to Higher Taxes, which outlines the...

In the 2018 case Janus v. AFSCME, the Supreme Court reshaped the interaction between public sector employees and unions, affirming the 1st Amendment rights of individual employees. Joining host Dan Reynolds to discuss this landmark decision, its ramifications and the “Post-Janus” environment today is Vincent Vernuccio, Senior Fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Top 20 State-Level Labo...

Youth involvement in free enterprise and individual liberty will play a crucial role in COVID-19 recovery and onward. On the podcast to discuss this is State Legislator of the Month and 23-year old WV Del. Joshua Higginbotham, who recently sponsored a bill reclassifying 911 telecommunication operators as emergency workers. Also joining the podcast to speak on the important participation of youth i...

Social media and free speech: they truly go hand in hand. Knowing this, Facebook recently started funding an oversight board made up of independent individuals as a non-governmental and free market solution to oversee content moderation on the platform. Joining host Dan Reynolds to discuss this is John Samples, a member of the new oversight board and Cato Institute Vice President, and Jonathon Hau...

President Trump’s executive order, social media and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. To discuss these hot topics, and why they’re so important right now, host Dan Reynolds is joined by TechFreedom Director of Civil Liberties Ash Kazaryan, NetChoice VP and General Counsel Carl Szabo and ALEC Communications and Technology Task Force Director Jonathon Hauenschild. CNN Story on Facebook...

With the increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, ensuring patients’ rights and wishes are not being disregarded protects individual liberty across the states. In response to the responsibility to uphold these wishes and rights is the COVID-19 Patient Rights to Life Resolution from the Mackinac Center. On the podcast to discuss this resolution and why it matters is Mackinac Center Health Care Policy...

Joining host Dan Reynolds on this episode of Across the States to discuss the trade deficit in the United States is Christine McDaniel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center and Karla Jones, Senior Director of the Federalism and International Relations Task Force at ALEC. Christine McDaniel's piece in the Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/international/493397-congratulations-the-trade-defi...

On this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds takes a deep dive into higher education, and how COVID-19 has impacted its landscape with guests Armand Alacbay, Vice President of Trustee & Government Affairs at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Lindsey Burke, Ph. D., Director of the Center for Education Policy and Will Skillman Fellow in Education Heritage Foundation and Sco...

As we progress through the Coronavirus pandemic, the national debt remains a growing concern. It’s time to look closely at international models to restore fiscal restraint and responsible spending in the United States. One of those models is the Swiss Debt Brake – but what is it? Here to fill us in is Barry Poulson, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado, Karla Jones, ALEC S...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, sporting events of almost every kind were cancelled. How has this affected the online sports betting and gaming industry, and what will we see from that industry as states and society begin to reopen? Here to discuss this is Jess Fiel, the Senior Director of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Ronald Lampard, ALEC Senior Director of the C...

Joining host Dan Reynolds on the podcast are 3 education experts: Lindsey Burke, Ph. D., Director of the Center for Education Policy and Will Skillman Fellow in Education Heritage Foundation, Martin Lueken, Director of Fiscal Policy Analysis at EdChoice and Scott Kaufman, Director of the ALEC Education and Workforce Development Task Force. The group discusses education choice, education savings ac...

Joining host Dan Reynolds on the podcast to discuss Chinese government policies, a policy change index and how it can be used to track China’s response to COVID-19 is Dr. Weifeng Zhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center. Also joining the discussion is Karla Jones, ALEC Senior Director of the Federalism and International Relations Task Force. The Policy Change Index (PCI) project websit...

When we increase government spending, it’s a good idea to decrease spending somewhere else – especially during a pandemic. On the podcast to discuss how Cheyenne, WY is working to do just that is City Councilman Dicky Shanor, who recently introduced a resolution to reduce the salaries of him, his fellow council members and the mayor. Also joining the conversation is Councilman Jon Russell, Nationa...

In this very special edition of Across the States, our podcast studio is transformed into a virtual debate stage. The topic? Electoral College vs. National Popular Vote. Listen in as Trent England, Executive Director of Save Our States and Ray Haynes, National Spokesperson for National Popular Vote make the case for each. Save Our States website: https://saveourstates.com/ National Popular Vote we...

Home schooling has quickly become the reality for every family across the states, and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has been well-versed in the multi-faceted schooling option long preceding the pandemic. Joining host Dan Reynolds to discuss what home schooling is – and isn’t – as well as other education polices are Scott Kaufman, ALEC Director of the Education and Workforce Dev...