• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

‘By the people, for the people’… but who really runs America?

Towleroad September 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Published by
AFP
A young man holds an American flag in January 2021 outside the State Capitol in Texas, which just signed strict measures into law that essentially amount to a total ban on abortion

Washington (AFP) – With conservative moves to restrict abortion and voting rights dominating headlines, an outsider might be forgiven for thinking it was Republicans, not Democrats, who run Washington.

But the most important elections of 2020 probably weren’t for who would take the White House or Congress — it was the battle for control of America’s state houses.

“The Republicans have been especially good at winning state legislative elections,” Wendy Schiller, a professor of political science at Brown University, told AFP.

“They smartly focused time, money and energy into winning the House of Representatives back in 2010, and state legislatures.”

In that year alone, she said, Republicans picked up more than 600 seats, eventually amassing a nationwide lead of almost 1,100 seats.

While control of the executive and legislative branches might seem like the endgame in US politics, Americans’ happiness and prosperity depends as much on what happens in state capitols as in the US capital.

Republican legislatures have wielded state power with alacrity in recent weeks, passing a barrage of what opponents characterize as voter suppression bills, while Texas just signed strict measures into law that essentially amount to a total ban on abortion.

Critics expect the eventual outcome of the laws, which are seen spreading across numerous red states, to be wide disparities in access to services from one part of the United States to the next.

“Federalism has always produced stark inequality in the arena of civil rights and voting, and again now with restrictions on abortions,” said Schiller.

“In some cases the federal government has been able to prevail, but unlike civil rights and voting, abortion has not produced the same level of national consensus in favor of increased access.” 

Outgunned

When they ratified the Constitution, states agreed the federal government would have responsibility for two dozen or so national and international issues, while all other duties would be discharged locally. 

“So the 10th Amendment provides a great amount of latitude and protection of individual states to make their own legislative and legal decisions that may be starkly different from Washington,” Capri Cafaro, of American University’s School of Public Affairs, told AFP.

These days the federal government’s exclusive responsibilities include coining money, regulating the mail, declaring war and conducting other foreign policy.

It is states, though, that are charged with ensuring the welfare, safety and health of their citizens, taking responsibility for most public services and running elections. 

Democrats acknowledge that in recent years they have been much more focused on winning the presidency and controlling Congress while being outgunned in grassroots funding and organization.

As a result, the Republicans have control of the House and Senate — or the single chamber — in 31 of America’s 50 states. 

The Texas abortion law, a dramatic escalation of the campaign to undo Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized the procedure nationwide, flies in the face of public opinion.

Polls consistently show that over half of Americans believe abortion should be legal all or most of the time. 

Balance of power

“If we do not defend our Democratic majorities and invest in Democratic power, progress on reproductive rights can and will be lost,” Heather Williams, executive director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said in a statement.

US states are currently redrawing their legislative districts in a constitutionally required process that will determine the balance of power in state capitols and Washington for the next 10 years. 

In most states, legislators meet to come up with the new maps of congressional districts after the census.

As a result, redistricting can be as important to the balance of power in the US House of Representatives as the parties’ performances in elections. 

Most political analysts agree that Republicans — known in Washington as the Grand Old Party, or GOP — have a clear advantage.

They control mapmaking in 20 out of the 35 states with multiple congressional seats and legislatures that are in charge of the process. Democrats control just 11. 

But for all the emphasis on local politics, the state houses need the White House as much as the White House needs the states, according to Schiller, the Brown University professor.

“The GOP has moved well beyond its traditional message that the federal government is too big, to a message that the federal government is bad overall,” she said.

“Anything federal is bad for states according to the GOP, except of course when it comes to disaster aid, which GOP governors take readily and without objection.”

Topics: Supreme Court, towleroad

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Facebook and Ray-Ban Debut ‘Smart’ Shade. Analysts Unsure on Built in Privacy Protections
Next Post: Jessica Chastain Acquired ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ After Documentary Went Beyond SNL’s Crying, Crook Cartoon Image »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • OMG, WATCH: Google’s Veo 3 turns the “Distracted Boyfriend” meme to life in new AI video
    Google‘s Veo 3 has summoned the fires of Hell, wasted oceans-full […]
  • Two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy publicly support LuPone-bashed Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis
    I’m a tremendous Patti LuPone fan as readers of this blog […]
  • On the Rag, Vol. 859
     This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Vlad Parker, Ashley Parker, David […]
  • OMG, WATCH: Charli xcx wants a Final Destination series with ‘It Girls’
    @charlixcx just a thought.. ♬ original sound – Charli XCX Charli […]
  • OMG, new music: Lorde releases video for ‘Man Of The Year’
    The second single from the forthcoming album is “an offering from […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×