From WNYC, I'm Brian Laird. This is my daily politics podcast. It's Thursday, May 28th.

Here's a reality with the Supreme Court canceling much of the Voting Rights Act. The court

locked the federal government out of the

redistricting debate to a large degree and gave it almost entirely to the states. You probably know

that. And it's just the latest example of how much political change in whatever direction now runs

through state capitals. Texas and California and others have now changed their congressional

districts just this week, South Carolina, surprised some people by deciding not to lock out

their only black member of Congress, Jim Clyburn. The New York state budget finally got approved

last night with many policy changes that respond to the court and to the Trump

administration. We'll look at some of those specifics in our next segment. So political change in

whatever direction runs so much through the state capitals now. It runs through Trenton and Albany

and Sacramento. Yes, through Austin and Baton Rouge, through Columbus and Columbia, through Madison and Tallahassee, less through Washington and more through Lincoln.

That's the capital of Nebraska. You didn't know that, did you? Well, one former New York state lawmaker is now the co-founder of a movement called the States Project, an author of a new book called The Fourth Branch,

how state government can save our union. Daniel Squadron argues that not just during the Trump years,

but over the last 15 to 20 years, states have done more harm or good than Congress on almost every

issue. Let's talk. Daniel Squadron used to represent much of

Western Brooklyn in the New York State Senate as a Democrat. He's also been an aide to Senator Chuck

Schumer, among other things. Again, his book is called The Fourth Branch, How State Government,

can save our union. Daniel, thanks for coming on. Welcome back to WNYC.

Thanks for having me. It's good to be back. I'm going to dive right in on one example from your

book. Then we'll pull back for a larger context. You write that despite President Trump,

pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, 75% of the goals in the agreement could be accomplished by the states.

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