Leveraging the Overlooked Power of State Legislatures

Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!

This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Melissa Walker, the Head of the Giving Circles Program at the States Project, an organization focused on leveraging the consistently overlooked and massively underestimated power possessed by State legislatures in our system. On top of being a passionate civic activist, Melissa is a popular author of teen novels and an accomplished magazine contributor.

Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.

I wanted to have Melissa on the show to learn more about the States Project and the role they are trying to play in improving our American democracy. In this day and age, when hardly a citizen can even name their state representatives let alone know what policies they stand for, Melissa and her colleagues at the States Project are smart to focus here. While the big money players have all but captured the national scene, State legislature elections are as accessible as they are impactful. The American Constitution grants vast power to the states and state-level laws are often much more impactful to citizens’ daily lives than Federal laws.  

Tune in to this inspiring episode to learn: 

• The critically important role that states play in our system as the laboratories of democracy

• How the States Project is taking advantage of funding disparities in state and national legislative races to pursue political change

• Why they are pursuing an American Promise policy agenda that includes effective government, personal freedom, fair markets, and representative democracy

• How State legislature elections, which cost a fraction of a national Congressional race (less than 6%), present a compelling and affordable opportunity for political activists

• The crucial role that the local news used to play in state and local political engagement and how its demise has threatened our democracy

&

• Much, much more

Stay tuned to the end to learn why Melissa set aside her thriving career as an author to work on the States Project full time and why she believes this work is the most powerful thing she can do today. 

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode. Thanks for tuning in! 

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Keywords

States Project, state legislatures, democracy, civic engagement, local politics, bipartisanship, community values, local media, NIMBY movement, voter apathy, state politics, housing laws, electoral strategies, campaign costs, local governance, civic engagement, political activism, funding, community connection, democracy

Summary

In this conversation, Nick Halaris and Melissa Walker discuss the significance of state legislatures in American democracy, emphasizing the need for civic engagement at the local level. They explore the mission of the States Project, which aims to build power in state legislatures to improve people's lives, and the importance of bipartisan efforts in achieving shared values. The discussion also highlights the challenges of civic apathy in local elections, the role of local media in informing citizens, and the impact of movements like NIMBY on political engagement. In this conversation, Melissa Walker discusses the intricacies of state politics, the importance of local governance, and the strategies employed by the States Project to influence electoral outcomes. She highlights the significant differences in campaign costs between state and congressional races, the challenges of engaging local politicians, and the impact of grassroots funding through giving circles. Walker emphasizes the need for civic engagement and the potential for change at the state level, sharing her personal journey from author to activist and the rewarding nature of her work in democracy.

Takeaways

• State legislatures hold significant power in shaping policies that affect daily life.

• Bipartisanship is essential for advancing shared values in state politics.

• Local engagement is crucial for effective democracy and policy change.

• State governments can act as laboratories for democracy, testing new policies.

• Civic apathy is a major issue in local elections, leading to low voter turnout.

• Local media plays a vital role in informing citizens about state politics.

• Understanding the connection between state policies and daily life is important for voter engagement.

• The NIMBY movement illustrates the challenges of citizen engagement in local politics.

• State lawmakers are often overlooked but are key to local governance.

• Voter education and awareness are necessary to combat civic apathy. State politics often mirrors city-state dynamics.

• Electoral strategies focus on states where power is at stake.

• Campaign costs for state races are significantly lower than congressional races.

• Local governance decisions impact critical issues like education and healthcare.

• Civic engagement is essential for a healthy democracy.

• Grassroots funding can shift majorities in state legislatures.

• The States Project aims to build infrastructure for long-term political engagement.

• Fair maps are crucial for equitable representation in state legislatures.

• Engaging in local politics can foster community connections.

• Personal experiences can drive individuals to become civic activists.

Titles

• Empowering Local Politics: The States Project

• The Cost of Change: State vs. Congressional Campaigns

• Civic Engagement: Building a Stronger Democracy

• From Author to Activist: Melissa Walker's Journey

Sound Bites

• "State governments have incredible power and budget."

• "The citizen is the customer of the government."

• "NIMBYs are a minority, but they win in politics."

• "It's often cheaper to change the balance of power."

• "State legislative races cost about 6% of Congress."

• "This is where the rubber meets the road on policy."

• "We need to protect a slim one seat majority."

• "We can see a path to a trifecta in Wisconsin."

• "This is the most powerful thing I've ever done." 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the States Project and Its Mission

02:52 Understanding State Legislative Power

06:11 Bipartisanship and Shared Values in State Politics

09:11 The Importance of Local Engagement in Politics

11:46 State Governments as Laboratories for Democracy

14:50 Civic Apathy and Local Elections

18:09 The Role of Local Media in State Politics

21:05 The NIMBY Movement and Citizen Engagement

26:25 Navigating State Politics and Housing Laws

27:04 Electoral Strategies and Target States

28:32 The Cost of Political Campaigns

30:31 Impact of State Legislative Races

32:13 Challenges in Local Political Engagement

34:24 The Importance of Local Governance

35:18 Funding and Investment in State Politics

39:16 Future Vision and Strategic Goals

43:42 Civic Engagement and Community Connection

44:16 From Author to Activist: A Personal Journey