CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Twenty years ago, the overwhelming majority of the American public followed the politics of their own states to some extent, plus a bit of national and international news.
But policy developments in other states were off the radar screen.
Ordinary people in states like West Virginia lived in sort of state-contained policy bubbles. They had no easy way of comparing what was done here with what results were being obtained elsewhere.
Those days are gone.
The Internet gives ordinary people ready access to much more information that turns out to be -- huh! -- very useful to know.
For example, the Pew Center for the States, a division of the Pew Charitable Trusts, operates an online news service, Stateline.org. It serves up a daily roundup of policy developments in all 50 states.
It's an eye-opener, and could very well become a political game-changer.
Weird things are happening in other states -- and quickly.
A few examples:
Republican majorities in Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and elsewhere have passed measures requiring voters to show photo identification -- over the objection of Democrats who contended that poor and minority voters are less likely to have that.
But in Rhode Island, Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, signed legislation requiring voters to show photo IDs, calling it simply "a reasonable request."
The legislation was introduced at the request of Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, a Democrat, and was backed by Democratic and Republican leaders in the General Assembly.
"Voting should be at least as secure as everyday tasks like renting a car or getting a library card that routinely require ID," said Mollis. "Photo ID ensures that poll workers can match a face to the name that voters give them when they obtain their ballots at the polls. The simple act of asking for ID protects the rights of every voter."
Some states are quickly amending their legal climates.
In Pennsylvania, the governor signed a bill making it clear that the targets of suits can be held financially responsible for damages only to the extent they were legally responsible for the harm that was done.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Twenty years ago, the overwhelming majority of the American public followed the politics of their own states to some extent, plus a bit of national and international news.
But policy developments in other states were off the radar screen.
Ordinary people in states like West Virginia lived in sort of state-contained policy bubbles. They had no easy way of comparing what was done here with what results were being obtained elsewhere.
Those days are gone.
The Internet gives ordinary people ready access to much more information that turns out to be -- huh! -- very useful to know.
For example, the Pew Center for the States, a division of the Pew Charitable Trusts, operates an online news service, Stateline.org. It serves up a daily roundup of policy developments in all 50 states.
It's an eye-opener, and could very well become a political game-changer.
Weird things are happening in other states -- and quickly.
A few examples:
Republican majorities in Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and elsewhere have passed measures requiring voters to show photo identification -- over the objection of Democrats who contended that poor and minority voters are less likely to have that.But in Rhode Island, Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, signed legislation requiring voters to show photo IDs, calling it simply "a reasonable request."
The legislation was introduced at the request of Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, a Democrat, and was backed by Democratic and Republican leaders in the General Assembly.
"Voting should be at least as secure as everyday tasks like renting a car or getting a library card that routinely require ID," said Mollis. "Photo ID ensures that poll workers can match a face to the name that voters give them when they obtain their ballots at the polls. The simple act of asking for ID protects the rights of every voter."
Some states are quickly amending their legal climates.In Pennsylvania, the governor signed a bill making it clear that the targets of suits can be held financially responsible for damages only to the extent they were legally responsible for the harm that was done.
In Texas, Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who was elected despite a $13 million campaign by plaintiffs' lawyers, signed "loser pay" legislation.
Under certain circumstances, people who file groundless suits against a deep pocket in Texas can be made to pay fhe company's defense costs.
In Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Tennessee, new Republican governors issued executive orders putting freezes on new state regulations.In North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue's administration identified 900 unnecessary regulations that should be terminated.
In Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage proposed a rethinking of environmental regulations to fix a regulatory climate he said was stifling the private sector. He also proposed a "jobs impact analysis" of proposed new regulations.
In Colorado, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper suggested that every new rule come with a cost impact statement.
In Colorado and Minnesota, district judges held that states could change heretofore automatic cost-of-living increases for current public-sector retirees. (Under appeal, much wrangling ahead.)In labor-friendly New Jersey, Democratic officials at the city and county level prevailed upon Democratic legislators to rein in the benefits that are eating cities alive.This is startling stuff.
Americans want jobs. Businesses create jobs.
Americans want cities and states that work.
The 50 laboratories of democracy are fixing what needs to be fixed to set America on the past to fast economic growth,
The future belongs to the nimblest. It's easy to see that now.
Maurice is editorial page editor of the Daily Mail. She may be reached at 304-348-4802 or ha...@dailymail.com.
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