Otis WhiteWhy do states license doctors, lawyers, accountants and scores of other professionals? It's a story of supply and demand, rising expertise, concern for health and safety, a war against quackery ... and something called "asymmetric knowledge." http://www.fromthegovt.com/professional-licenses/ #stategov
If you spend time with state legislators they’ll tell you whom they respect … colleagues who listen, incorporate what they learn into bills, explain their aims, build coalitions and, as a result, help pass legislation. But we can’t tell from the outside who these effective legislators are, right? A research outfit says … it can. https://www.wbez.org/politics/2025/12/01/kelly-cassidy-sue-rezin-jb-pritzker-transgender-nuclear-nonpartisan-think-tank-identifies-illinois-most-effective-state-legislators #stategov
Why do we need state gov’ts? In TX, you’d think states were mere battlegrounds for national politics with no purpose other than angering your political opponents. In fact, states are builders of human and physical infrastructure and important partners in economic development, environmental protection and #publicsafety. Gov. Abbott: Why not focus on THESE things? https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/21/texas-redistricting-congressional-map-texans/ #stategov
A century ago, #elevators had frequent and horrifying accidents. Gov’ts stepped in with inspections, and elevators grew to be America’s most common form of public conveyance. It’s another way gov’t makes our lives safer. http://www.fromthegovt.com/elevator-inspections/ #localgov #stategov #publicsafety
He didn’t phrase it this way, but U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis is given credit for saying states were “laboratories of democracy,” where ideas about gov’t could be tested. What would be a good test today? A CA writer suggests a “council of governors” replacing a single leader in the governor’s chair. Umm, you first, CA. https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/put-seven-heads-together-to-create-one-great-governor/ #stategov
warkolmin typical #stategov fashion, the ses and frnsw job application websites use the exact same provider, but they do not interconnect
so I need two different logins to submit job applications
Building codes and inspections show how gov’ts can work magic over time, making our lives safer while reducing costs for everyone. It comes from the application of two of gov’t's strengths: steadfastness and scale. http://www.fromthegovt.com/building-codes-and-inspections/ #localgov #stategov
We need new thinking about state gov’t, and sometimes it may involve blending conservative and liberal ideas. But if you’re going to challenge people to think anew about old problems, you’d better make the benefits and the means of a “middle way” clear. WA State’s new governor is struggling … because he isn’t doing this. https://www.cascadepbs.org/politics/2025/09/the-curse-of-the-middle-guy-fergusons-first-8-months-as-governor/ #stategov
We know that Congress is a disaster. Faced with enormous issues, U.S. senators and representatives have decided their highest and best use is … playing the role of loudmouth bystanders. But what about state legislatures? Do they enact laws? And do those laws make a difference? Not sure about question 2 but question 1’s answer is … why, yes, they do. https://www.governing.com/politics/in-2025-states-continued-to-be-more-active-than-congress #stategov
Why do states license doctors, lawyers, accountants and scores of other professionals? It's a story of supply and demand, rising expertise, concern for health and safety, a war against quackery ... and something called "asymmetric knowledge." http://www.fromthegovt.com/professional-licenses/ #stategov