Politics and views in the United States.

One congressman cites ways Biden could get more support from communities of color. A new Louisiana law reclassifies two abortion medications as controlled substances. And Ohio advocates work to boost youth voter turnout.

TRANSCRIPT

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

It leaves a sharp focus on the bread and butter issues that weigh heavily on communities of color.

And we need President Biden to come to places like the Bronx and tell his success story.

Democratic New York Congressman Richie Torres says for President Joe Biden to strengthen support among black and brown voters, he can visit places like the Bronx and point to the good economy, wage growth, low unemployment and falling inflation.

Polls suggest Biden's advantage in communities of color isn't as wide as four years ago.

Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump was booed at the Libertarian Party's National Convention.

He got thin-skinned with the hostile crowd.

Keep getting your 3 percent every four years.

The Republican frontrunner's unconventional appearance came a day after that of rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, highlighting an intense battle for even normally fringe voters.

Closing arguments in Trump's New York trial are expected Tuesday.

The 34 charges that he covered up hush money paid to a porn star could be his only criminal counts to reach a jury before November.

Three other cases remain delayed in court.

A likely governor's signature means Louisiana law would reclassify two abortion medications as controlled substances.

That would put Mifepristone and Misoprostol in the same category as painkillers like codeine and fentanyl.

Republican State Senator Thomas Presley backs the change.

We want to make sure that physicians and nurse practitioners and physician's assistants have the opportunity to prescribe the medication.

Some conservatives continue to push restrictions on voting by mail in spite of fraud being nearly non-existent.

And the fact mail-in voting continues to be popular in rural areas.

Shirley Murray oversees elections for North Dakota's Sheridan County, population 1,200.

She says on average, 70 percent there vote by mail.

It seems to work out better for the voters, time, their convenience.

Advocates in Ohio are working to get young people to vote, especially in rural areas.

Surveys show they care about climate change and health care, but according to the Rural Democracy Initiative, two-thirds of rural youth rarely or never show up.

Jen Miller with the League of Women Voters of Ohio says a full fifth of those 18 to 24 say they're uninterested.

In part, that's because they're not getting good information.

It's really important that we help them understand how voting impacts their daily lives.

New York University professor Scott Galloway argues young men are in a largely unnoticed social crisis.

He says they're four times more likely to kill themselves, three times more likely to be addicted, and 12 times more likely to be jailed than women.

And worldwide, the status of women is rising quickly.

There are more women now seeking tertiary education globally than men.

The number of women elected to parliaments around the world has doubled in the last 20 years.

He calls upon adult men to help their younger peers adjust.

I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.