Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 14h

Utility bills are up 10%, but the federal government is suppressing access to the cheapest new energy sources, like solar.

*cue the states*

From deploying clean energy to expanding the power grid, state lawmakers are pulling levers to make energy affordable.
www.theargumentmag.com/p/trump-is-r...

Trump is raising Americans’ energy bills, but states can fight back

State leadership on clean energy can address rising electricity costs

www.theargumentmag.com

1 2

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 1d

So how can we better support state leaders — especially when our federal government is broken?

Hear more from the Nevada assemblymember: statesforum.substack.com/p/its-a-part...

It's a Part-Time Job

“We’re the middle child, between the federal government and local levels. We kind of get lost in the mix.”

statesforum.substack.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 1d

In 4 out of 5 states, serving as a state legislator is a “part-time job.” State leaders like Howard Watts — who seems to love his part-time job — calls “part-time” “a dark joke.” 😈

1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 4d

Are new cities the solution we need for a more productive & robust future for all of us?

@repauchincloss.bsky.social & Jonathan Gruber think so, & explain why: statesforum.org/journal/issu...

The Case for New Cities - The States Forum

It has become a truism that America can’t build anymore. Housing, infrastructure, and all nature of public goods are nearly impossible to build and

statesforum.org

1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 6d

ICYMI: We’re The States Forum, and we’re building a network that promotes state-based policy solutions to the issues that impact our lives every day.

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/u...

New Democratic Group Says Answer to the Party’s Woes Lies With the States

www.nytimes.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 7d

61% of our country thinks we’re on the wrong track.

Our electorate is increasingly polarized.

So how do we fix it?

Rank choice voting might be the answer (and it’s already working in states across the country!).

More in @therenovator.bsky.social: therenovator.substack.com/p/how-to-end...

How to End Our Zero-sum Politics

Hey, business leaders: Want a productive democracy? Try ranked-choice voting, like Alaska and Maine.

therenovator.substack.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 8d

Like Lt. Governor @lgaustindavis.bsky.social says, the future is in state houses.

In this week’s piece, learn more about how Pennsylvania leaders are working together to build a better state for their constituents.

open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...

Getting $tu&& Done for Pennsylvanians

Austin Davis saw his community grappling with crime — committed by strangers, friends, and family — and knew he could help.

open.substack.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 9d

Meet our Executive Director: Lise Clavel 🎉

Lise leads the effort to build The States Forum’s network to generate bold policy ideas that advance state policymaking and the American Promise. And she’s a mom to four boys, so she’s not easily frightened.

statesforum.org/journal/news...

The States Forum Founders Announce Lise Clavel as Executive Director - The States Forum

Clavel to serve as the first Executive Director of The States Forum after the initiative’s July launch

statesforum.org

1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 12d

Americans’ healthcare is declining, outcomes are suffering, & care is more expensive than ever – if patients can get past the red tape.

The good news? Americans are more aligned than we think on the solutions. More from @niskanencenter.bsky.social.

hypertext.niskanencenter.org/p/why-health...

Why healthcare should unite abundance and antitrust

Over the last few months, internecine battles between abundance and antitrust advocates have been fought across book reviews, podcasts, and social media.

hypertext.niskanencenter.org

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 13d

We’re so excited to check out Nationhood Lab and @colinwoodard.bsky.social’s new book, Nations Apart, and dive deeper into the stories and narratives that bring Americans together. www.nationhoodlab.org

Nationhood Lab

An initiative of the Pell Center at Salve Regina University

www.nationhoodlab.org

1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 14d

President Obama called the education system the “civil rights issue of our time.”

@mattyglesias.bsky.social discusses how catering to interest groups rather than thoughtful discourse has weakened the left’s authority on education issues.

statesforum.org/journal/issu...

The Stranglehold of Interest-Group Taboos - The States Forum

Whatever else their political struggles, Democrats have almost always secured the position of being the party that voters trust more on education issues.

statesforum.org

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 15d

Resuscitating American democracy & delivering on the American promise is bigger than one organization, project, or person.

We’re excited to highlight the work of
@theargumentmag.bsky.social, @therenovator.bsky.social, @searchlightinst.bsky.social.

statesforum.substack.com/p/the-shared...

The Shared Work of Realizing the American Promise

Celebrating the new voices in our network who are pushing democracy forward

statesforum.substack.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 16d

Don’t miss this piece from @choprausa.bsky.social on the proliferation of junk fees, their unfair impact on fair markets, and how states can use their power to help consumers.
statesforum.org/journal/issu...

Why States Must End Junk-Fee Creep - The States Forum

Convenience fee. Processing fee. Late fee. Amenity fee. Rather than competing on the basis of a clear, upfront price, some American companies have built

statesforum.org

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 20d

In the latest from the Slow Boring, TSF contributor @mattyglesias.bsky.social brings us some bad news: America’s students are getting dumber.

The education system takes up a huge part of state budgets, & there’s hope to fix it - if we ask the right questions.

open.substack.com/pub/matthewy...

American students are getting dumber

It started before Covid, and it keeps getting worse.

open.substack.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 22d

In our latest Substack piece, Editor-in-Chief Michael Laskawy discusses the increasingly grim algorithm that makes violent, traumatic content unavoidable to kids on phones — and how we can work to protect them.

open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...

The Kids Are Not Alright

A viral assassination video shows tech platforms need to take more responsibility

open.substack.com

1 1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · 29d

We’re not just here to talk about the problem. We want to uplift real solutions that state governments can implement right now to modernize the electric utility sector.

Robert A.F. Currie shares some ideas for the advancement of the U.S. power sector.
statesforum.org/journal/issu...

Electric Utility Reform in an Age of Electrification - The States Forum

The United States is subject to the same drivers transforming the global power sector: the rapid growth of renewable energy, data centers, battery storage,

statesforum.org

1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 15

People want to have faith in a government that works on their behalf and elected officials they can believe in to represent them.

This week, we take a deeper look at what voters across the country think about political leadership and more:

States are the Answer to Building Sustainable and Enduring Political Coalitions

And according to the data, voters agree

statesforum.substack.com

1 1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 9

Personal freedom is one of the MAHA movement’s main concerns. It also happens to be one of the four principles of the American Promise.

Rachael Bedard details why those of us who care about public health need to do more listening:
statesforum.org/journal/issu...

Listening to MAHA - The States Forum

The year 2020 was a universally difficult time, after which many aspects of life seemed to become a little harder and a little worse for everyone. The COVID

statesforum.org

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 8

We’ve joined the Instagram community!

Give us a follow and join the conversation on how we can fight for the American Promise.

Image of a hand holding a phone with the Instagram application open and text that reads "Follow us on Instagram: @statesforum"

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 5

We believe the pathway to finally and fully achieving the American Promise lies in the states.

In our latest Substack, The American Promise’s Editor-In-Chief, Michael Laskawy, shares what we’ve been up to for the past month — and what’s to come:
open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...

An image with "The American Promise" journal in the background and text overlayed that reads: Introducing the American Promise, Our leaders need a new appeal to win over a cynical body politic.

1 1

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 3

This is what we mean when we say the power for meaningful change is in the states.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Sep 3

Breaking News: Saying the CDC has become “a political tool,” California, Oregon and Washington announced plans to form an alliance that would coordinate vaccine recommendations for the three states.

Snubbing Kennedy, States Announce Plans to Coordinate on Vaccines

Governors in California, Oregon and Washington said their states would work together on vaccine guidance in a time of turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

nyti.ms

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Sep 1

No better day than Labor Day to take a few minutes to read Matt Morrison’s piece on why working-class movements are so important in the fight for change, and some ideas on how states can get us there.

Why We Need a New Working-Class Movement, Not Just Another Political Campaign - The States Forum

During the many hours I spent talking to swing voters during the 2024 election, one interaction has come to illustrate the dynamic that I believe ultimately

statesforum.org

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Aug 29

What if, instead of blindly defending the status quo of our public health systems, we took a step back and paid attention to *why* the MAHA movement has caught fire?

The American Promise journal contributor Rachael Bedard and @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social talk about why MAHA raises a good question:

Opinion | MAHA Is a Bad Answer to a Good Question

www.nytimes.com

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Aug 25

Statutory and regulatory complexity has held our systems back from resilience and scalability. But the good news is that state governments have the power to fix that.

Here are a few ideas from @pahlkadot.bsky.social on how we can tidy up: statesforum.org/journal/issu...

"In many domains, new rules are layered upon old ones [...] We need lawmakers eager to channel their inner Marie Kondo to do the life-changing work of tidying up." - Jennifer Pahlka, The American Promise

The States Forum @statesforum.bsky.social · Aug 22

Oh, and if you’re curious about the how, when, and where of our launch, check out this NYT Exclusive:

New Democratic Group Says Answer to the Party’s Woes Lies With the States

www.nytimes.com

1