Equity & Justice
The Public Leadership Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy and leadership center organized to explore and raise public awareness about key public policy issues of equity and justice and to develop public leaders who will improve the economic and social conditions of all Americans.
IdeaLog
Push back on the media’s normalizing of Trump
Posted on April 16, 2025
The media has been normalizing Trump for the past decade. They do this, in part, by inventing semi-rational policy explanations for irrational proposals. We should push back. Here are three examples: Tariffs and other...
Read MoreMAGA’s Musk mistake
Posted on April 2, 2025
Tuesday’s elections brought good news. MAGA candidates ran at least 10 points behind 2024 Trump votes and, perhaps best of all, Elon Musk dragged them all down. How should you use this in messaging?...
Read MoreHow to deal with a bully in the White House
Posted on March 18, 2025
Trump is doing horrible things. But, like any bully, much of his perceived power is based on threats that he doesn’t carry out. By reacting to every threat, no matter how absurd, Democrats are...
Read MorePLI Bulletin
Climate Laws, Drug Affordability, War Room and More
Posted on April 16, 2025
Prescription Drug Affordability Act: Maryland recently strengthened and broadened its landmark drug pricing law. The Prescription Drug Affordability Act, based on the Maryland model, establishes a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to review and establish...
Read MoreClimate Disasters, Warehouse Workers, Musk Mistakes and More
Posted on April 2, 2025
Warehouse Worker Protection Act: Many warehouse workers are subjected to dangerous conditions and unfair practices. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act requires employers to disclose production quotas, prevents quotas from interfering with meal or rest...
Read MoreSchools, Vaccines, Bullies and More
Posted on March 18, 2025
Cellphone Free Schools Act: With a few exceptions, the use of cellphones by students during school is disruptive to learning. The Cellphone Free Schools Act generally prohibits students from using electronic communication devices in...
Read MoreIn the News
PLI President Gloria Totten in the New York Times
Posted on December 1, 2021
Where the Pro-Choice Movement Went Wrong, New York Times, December 1 …Having lost at the Supreme Court, anti-abortion organizations set out to restrict abortion in cities and states. By the late 1970s, the leading...
Read MoreThe Lily features the Playbook for Abortion Rights
Posted on October 21, 2021
The Lily, published by The Washington Post, ran a story headlined “Lawmakers are racing to mimic the Texas abortion law in their own states” which includes PLI’s Playbook for Abortion Rights. That section of...
Read MoreNew York enacts a PLI model
Posted on October 13, 2021
New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation (S.343-A/A.3412-A) classifying certain threats to report a person’s immigration status as extortion or coercion under New York law. As acknowledged in the Governor’s statement about the...
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