Episode Archive
142 episodes of Across the States since the first episode, which aired on March 16th, 2019.
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126: How to Make America Safe Again w/ Sheriff Lew Evangelidis
April 28th, 2022 | 23 mins 45 secs
Criminal justice reform is an issue of growing national importance. Join Nino Marchese, ALEC Task Force Director for Civil and Criminal, and Catherine Mortensen as they sit down with Lew Evangelidis, Sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts, who is making his community safe again by reforming his jail and holding people accountable by following the motto "There is no dignity in dependence."
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125: Twitter, Musk, and the Feds w/ Harmeet Dhillon and Jonathon Hauenschild
April 26th, 2022 | 33 mins 49 secs
The recent acquisition of social media giant Twitter by Elon Musk has sparked vigorous debate. Joining Across the States to discuss what Musk’s purchase of Twitter means and how governments have been pressuring social media companies to remove content is Harmeet Dhillon, CEO of the Center for American Liberty and long-time civil rights and free speech attorney, and Jonathon Hauenschild, Director of the ALEC Task Force on Communications and Technology Task Force.
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124: Why are Some States Rich and Some States Poor w/ Jonathan Williams and Lee Schalk
April 21st, 2022 | 23 mins 41 secs
The American Legislative Exchange Council's Chief Economist Jonathan Williams unveils the 2022 Rich States, Poor States annual ranking of states based on how well they are governed. How does your state rank?
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123: Runaway Inflation w/ Lee Schalk and Joe Trotter
April 19th, 2022 | 16 mins 45 secs
Inflation reached record heights in March as prices soared by 8.5%. With working families paying more for gas and groceries, Lee Schalk, Vice President of Policy at ALEC, and Joe Trotter, Director of Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force, joined ALECtv and Across the States to discuss this latest development with Matt Fisher and Catherine Mortensen
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122: ALECtv: Parents Flip School Board Demanding Transparency and Accountability w/ Matthew Phipps, Matthew Spaulding, and Tony Vlastelica
April 14th, 2022 | 30 mins 36 secs
Results from the recent school board elections across Wisconsin sent a strong message to elected officials that parent empowerment matters. Joining Bill Ashworth and Catherine Mortensen on ALECtv and Across the States this week are three individuals who won seats on their respective school boards in Wisconsin, Matthew Phipps, Matthew Spaulding, and Tony Vlastelica, about what inspired them to get involved and run.
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121: Grading the Governors w/ Jonathan Williams and Lee Schalk
March 31st, 2022 | 26 mins 38 secs
Last week, the American Legislative Exchange Council released the second edition of the 2021 Laffer-ALEC Report on Economic Freedom, Grading America’s Governors. Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy, and Lee Schalk, Vice President of Policy, joined Matthew Fisher to break down the best and worst governors of America, what the report measures, and highlight the work governors and statehouses are doing in 2022.
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120: Meeting the Challenges for Agriculture in 2022 w/ Rep. Phil Green
March 24th, 2022 | 18 mins 10 secs
The Russian invasion of Ukraine combined with regulations at the state and federal level have presented a myriad of challenges for rural Americans and the agriculture industry. Join Matthew Fisher and Joe Trotter, Director of the ALEC Task Force on Energy, Environment, and Agriculture, as they sit down with Phil Green, Representative from Michigan's 84th District and Chair of the ALEC Subcommittee on Agriculture, to discuss the potential of food shortages, job losses, and more.
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119: Ukraine: On the Frontlines in Kyiv Part II w/ Mykola Vorobiov and Karla Jones
March 17th, 2022 | 26 mins 38 secs
In the second of a two-part Across the States special on the War in Ukraine, Mykola Vorobiov, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow & Journalist based in Kyiv, Ukraine, sat down for another interview on March 15, 2022, with Karla Jones, Sr. Director of the ALEC Task Force on International Relations and Federalism offers his eyewitness testimony on the situation on the ground in Ukraine as Ukrainians resist the Russian invasion and describes what Ukraine/Russia peace negotiations might look like. Mykola expresses gratitude to the US for our assistance and his opinion of Zelenskyy has evolved from cautious skepticism of the neophyte politician’s ability to command a nation at war in Part I to describing him as “The leader of the free world!” in Part II.
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118: Ukraine: On the Frontlines in Kyiv Part I w/ Mykola Vorobiov and Karla Jones
March 17th, 2022 | 36 mins 27 secs
The ongoing war of Russian aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated the brutality of Vladimir Putin and the heroism of the Ukrainian people. In in the first of a two-part special by Across the States on the war in Ukraine, Mykola Vorobiov, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow & Journalist based in Kyiv, Ukraine, joined Karla Jones, Sr. Director of the ALEC Task Force on International Relations and Federalism, on February 22, 2022. Mykola gives us a picture of life in Ukraine during the days leading up to the invasion, some helpful background on how we got to the edge of war and his predictions on the impact the impending conflict might have on his nation.
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117: CPAC 2022 Interview with John Cardillo
March 17th, 2022 | 10 mins 53 secs
At CPAC 2022 in Orlando, Florida, John Cardillo, conservative commentator, sat down for an interview with Matt Fisher at the ALEC booth to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and more.
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116: Small Business Reform with State Legislator of the Month Rep. John Wills
March 10th, 2022 | 16 mins 43 secs
Small businesses are responsible for more than 60% of all new jobs created in the United States. In Iowa, Representative John Wills is leading the charge to invest in the entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and cottage industries who make up the backbone of our economy. On today’s episode of Across the States, ALEC’s February State Legislator of the Month and Board of Directors member Representative Wills joins Gretchen Baldau, Director of the Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Force at ALEC, and Matt Fisher to discuss his efforts in the state legislature in Des Moines to support small businesses and deliver results for constituents.
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115: Strengthening Law Enforcement w/ Nino Marchese and Rob O'Donnell
March 8th, 2022 | 15 mins 20 secs
Law enforcement officials face new and emerging challenges everyday. At CPAC 2022, Nino Marchese, Director of the ALEC Task Forces on Civil Justice and Criminal Justice, sat down with Rob O'Donnell, author for Law Enforcement Today, to discuss the status of police reform and how America can invest more in those who vow to serve and protect their communities and country.
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114: Crisis in Ukraine w/Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, DCM Yaroslav Brisiuck, Chris Holzen, Alan Mendoza, DCM Margus Särglepp, and Damon Wilson
February 25th, 2022 | 34 mins 50 secs
On February 16, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ALEC recorded a Policy Hour podcast featuring Lisa B. Nelson, CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council and Ms. Karla Jones, Senior Director of the ALEC Federalism and International Relations Task Force as they discuss the then unfolding crisis in Ukraine with Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, Yaroslav Brisiuck, DCM of the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States, Chris Holzen, Senior Advisor for Europe and Eurasia at the International Republican Institute, Alan Mendoza, Executive Director and Founder, Henry Jackson Society, Margus Särglepp, DCM, Estonian Embassy to the United States, and Damon Wilson, President and CEO, National Endowment for Democracy.
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113: School Choice by EdChoice w/Jason Bedrick, Michael McShane, and Andrew Handel
February 17th, 2022 | 24 mins 51 secs
School choice has become a national movement in statehouses across America. To learn more about this innovative policy of empowerment, join Matthew Fisher as he sits down with Jason Bedrick, Director of Policy, Michael McShane, Director of National Research at EdChoice, and Andrew Handel, Director of the Education and Workforce Development.
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112: Don’t Wait on Washington for Healthcare Reform w/Brian Blase, Naomi Lopez, and Matt Mitchell
February 10th, 2022 | 38 mins 2 secs
The debate over healthcare dominates the national political discourse, but state lawmakers possess significant power and ability to bring about positive reforms for their constituents. Join us as Matthew Fisher sits down with Brian Blase, founder of the Paragon Health Institute, Naomi Lopez, Director of Healthcare Policy at the Goldwater Institute, and Matt Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equal Liberty Initiative at Mercatus Center, to discuss their publication Don’t Wait for Washington: How States Can Reform Health Care Today courtesy of the Paragon Health Institute. Learn how your state can lead the charge for better healthcare for all Americans.
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111: State of Georgia w/ State Legislator of the Month Sen. John Albers
February 8th, 2022 | 21 mins 58 secs
Senator John Albers of Georgia is not only a strong supporter of ALEC. He is a lawmaker with a resume of results. And on today’s episode of Across the States, he joins us to share his thoughts on the state of Georgia politics and how he and his family have overcome trials to better serve his constituents.