Politics and views in the United States.

The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We know that there's a lot of government encouragement around here.

We also know that the platforms are actively content moderating, and they're doing that irrespective of what the government wants.

So how do you decide that it's government action as opposed to platform action?

Justice Elena Kagan questions plaintiffs' lawyers in a case over how much the government can try to influence social media.

Two states brought the case arguing the Biden administration abridged the free speech of conservatives.

The White House counters it just asked the platforms to remove posts on topics like COVID conspiracy theories and election disinformation.

The court is also considering a second similar case.

The NRA is arguing a New York state official inappropriately pressured banks and insurers to stop doing business with it.

Although he says the ACLU often disagrees with the NRA, legal director David Cole calls it a free speech issue.

This was not about enforcing insurance law or mere government speech.

It was a campaign by the state's highest political officials to use their power to coerce a boycott of a political advocacy organization because they disagreed with its advocacy.

President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to advance women's health research with $12 billion in funding and better data collection.

His wife, Jill, introduced him at a White House Women's History Month commemoration and called the order an unprecedented step to correct a longstanding problem.

A study was conducted asking whether estrogen prevents heart attacks.

Eight thousand three hundred and forty one people were selected for that study.

All of them were men.

While not directly related to IVF, the announcement comes as the Biden campaign makes reproductive health a focal point.

Vice President Kamala Harris says ever since Roe v. Wade was overturned, voters have been troubled by threats to abortion access and reproductive care.

What kind of country do we want to live in?

Do we want to live in a country of liberty, freedom and rule of law or a country of disorder, fear and hate?

Following strikes on the Al-Shifa Hospital, where thousands are sheltering, the U.N. is describing a growing civilian crisis in Gaza, including an impending famine and widespread starvation.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says Israel and its allies need to take responsibility.

That starts first and foremost with Israel, who has an obligation to step up and ensure that more is done to deliver food to starving people in northern Gaza.

But it's also incumbent on us, the United States and the rest of the international community to step up as well.

Sullivan says in a call with President Biden, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed military intelligence and humanitarian officials will go to Washington to discuss a threatened Rafa offensive.

I'm Farah Siddiqi for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.