Politics with Paul

Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.

Politics with Paul #49: Bipartisanship in Legislative Advocacy w/ Florida Student Policy Forum

E50 • Jul 15, 2025 • 63 mins

What goes into advocating for bills in state legislatures? How do you reach out to different interests of both lawmakers and activists to build a bipartisan coalition? What are the toughest parts of the legislative process to deal with as an advocate? Here to talk about that and more on today's episode are two members of the Florida Student Policy Forum, Graham Bernstein and Jacob Kaplan. They discuss their work on Florida bills involving expedited foreclosures on abandoned properties, phone calls for prisoners on good behavior, and school corporal punishment reform. At the end, they also give advice for other advocates, especially college students, looking to make a difference in the legislative process...and an incorrect take on whether hot dogs are sandwiches.

Key Points

Legislative advocacy requires building intentional, bipartisan coalitions with legislators who have relevant backgrounds or interests in the policy areas being addressed.
Compromise and strategic communication are essential in navigating the legislative process and ensuring that advocacy efforts are effective and sustainable.
Persistence, preparation, and the willingness to adapt and work collaboratively across the aisle can lead to meaningful policy changes, even in a complex and often challenging political environment.

Florida Student Policy Forum website: https://floridastudentpolicyforum.org/

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Speakers

Paul Rader

Host • 24%

Jacob Kaplan

Guest • 23%

Graham Bernstein

Guest • 53%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction to Bipartisanship in Legislative Advocacy and Guests
2:03	The Florida Student Policy Forum and Why Graham and Jacob Joined it
5:04	What Did These Bills Seek to Fix?
12:16	Why Work on These Specific Bills?
17:51	How Graham and Jacob Built Their Bipartisan Coalition
32:51	What Were the Hardest and Easiest Parts of the Legislative Process?
38:37	What Were the Outcomes for These Bills?
45:06	Graham and Jacob's Takeaways for Their Future Advocacy Efforts
47:15	Graham and Jacob's Advice for Other Advocates
50:59	How Much Do They Think Their Advocacy Efforts Translate to Other States?
58:53	Today's Random Question: Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich?
1:00:36	Closing and All Our Media

Transcript

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