Over half of all Americans live in a state where cannabis is legalized. And yet, the federal government has not reclassified marijuana since 1970. According to the Controlled Substances Act, it is considered a “Schedule 1” substance — the same classification as heroin and crack cocaine with no accepted medical use.
Victoria Jupp, Gary J. Hale, Lisa PittmanFebruary 9, 2024
As U.S. democratic principles are being challenged, The Carter Center and Baker Institute for Public Policy have proposed guiding principles to ensure elections are conducted in ways that give Americans greater confidence in their outcomes. This episode explores American elections and how a set of commonsense principles can promote access, security, and confidence.
David Carroll, Mark P. Jones, John B. Williams, Doug Chapin, Kim WymanFebruary 6, 2024
Global leaders met in Dubai this month for the 28th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties on climate change — known as COP28. In the lead-up to the conference, our expert panel broke down the key political and policy issues at play.
Mark Finley, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Jim Krane, Rachel A. Meidl, Joe BarnesNovember 29, 2023
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a historic impeachment trial in the state Senate. Fellows Mark Jones and Ed Emmett unpack the issues and make predictions regarding the trial in this episode of Baker Briefing.
Child labor laws are failing migrant children. As children from Latin America migrate to the United States in record numbers, many are ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor legislation. What steps are needed to ensure that vulnerable migrant children are protected from exploitation?
Edward M. Emmett, Tony Payan, Luz Maria GarciniJune 1, 2023
Latin America represents the largest energy resource base outside of the Middle East. The region’s vast energy resources — including significant crude oil and natural gas resources — and its unique political landscape make Latin America a significant player that could shift the geopolitical weight from the East to the West.
Edward M. Emmett, Mark P. Jones, Francisco J. MonaldiMay 25, 2023
March 10 marked the deadline for filing bills in the 2023 Texas legislative session. Now, Texas state lawmakers are gearing up to discuss property taxes, school safety and other issues that have emerged as high-priorities for the House and Senate. Here, we discuss what bills are expected to cause friction and what else to look for in the current session.
David M. Satterfield, Edward M. Emmett, Mark P. JonesMarch 28, 2023
The Texas power grid is infamously disconnected from the rest of the U.S. Its status as an “energy island” can bring both advantages and disadvantages. Two years ago, Winter Storm Uri knocked out power across Texas for days and exposed major reliability concerns. Here, we discuss changes made in the two years since Winter Storm Uri. Is the Texas grid “fixed?”
Julie A. Cohn, Peter R. Hartley, Edward M. Emmett, David M. SatterfieldFebruary 21, 2023