JUNE 1, 2024

WELCOME TO. MATTER OF FACT, VOTERS LARGELY DON’T LIKE THEIR OPTIONS FOR PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW. BUT EVEN IF THE TWO AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET AREN’T INSPIRING MUCH EXCITEMENT, THERE’S VIRTUALLY NO WAY FOR ANYONE ELSE TO BREAK THROUGH NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THE LACK OF THIRD PARTIES IS A ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. WHY IS IT THIS WAY? COULD MORE POLITICAL PARTIES ACTUALLY MEAN A LESS POLARIZED AMERICA? PLUS, GRADUATION SEASON IS UPON US AND IT’S JOB HUNTING TIME. THEY GO TO COLLEGE AND THEN THEY STRUGGLE TRYING TO FIND A JOB. WHY? SHE AND OTHER HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE OPTING OUT OF COLLEGE AND IT’S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE HISTORIC LA WRITERS STRIKE. LIKE WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORK 2 OR 3 JOBS TO MAINTAIN OUR CAREERS. SO HOW ARE THOSE WRITERS FARING NOW? OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS CHECKS IN THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW ON MATTER OF FACT. IF THEY COULD, ABOUT HALF OF VOTERS SAY THEY’D REPLACE BOTH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE 2024 BALLOT. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER. IT’S NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR EITHER, AS THEY TRY TO GET OUT THE VOTE. BUT EVEN WITH THE LACK OF VOTER ENTHUSIASM, WE KNOW THAT EITHER DONALD TRUMP OR JOE BIDEN WILL BE ELECTED AGAIN IN NOVEMBER. AND THAT’S IN PART BECAUSE AMERICA HAS A VERY SET TWO PARTY SYSTEM THAT MAKES IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE ELSE TO BREAK THROUGH. BERNARD THOMAS IS THE AUTHOR OF THE DEMISE AND REBIRTH OF AMERICAN THIRD PARTIES. IT’S NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US, PROFESSOR THOMAS, THANKS FOR JOINING ME. THANK YOU. SO YOU HAVE SAID THAT THE AMERICAN SYSTEM STIFLES DEMOCRACY. HOW SO? WELL, THE LACK OF THIRD PARTIES IS A ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE A TWO PARTY SYSTEM, THEN THERE IS A TENDENCY THAT THEY’RE MORE LIKELY TO MOVE TOWARDS AUTHORITARIANISM. AND ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE WE’RE MORE LIKELY TO MOVE INTO TO A HIGH LEVEL OF POLARIZATION BETWEEN THESE TWO TOP PARTIES THAT THIS IS WHAT WE’RE EXPERIENCING NOW IS NOT THAT UNCOMMON AMONG AMONG SYSTEMS WHERE THEY HAVE ONLY TWO BIG PARTIES. AND THE SECOND ONE IS IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR, FOR FOR ONE PARTY TO GAIN ENOUGH POWER IN GOVERNMENT THAT THEY CAN START DIS ASSEMBLING THE GUARDRAILS THAT WE NEED FOR DEMOCRACY. WHAT THIRD PARTIES DO, EVEN IF THEY’RE WEAK IN AMERICA, IS THEY FORCE THE MAJOR PARTIES BACK. AND SO THE FACT THAT THIRD PARTIES HAVE BECOME SO WEAK IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE RIGHT NOW. IS IT JUST MONEY? FOR THE MOST PART, THE REASON THAT THESE THIRD PARTIES CAN’T REALLY BREAK THROUGH? WELL, MOST OF THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE US RUNS ELECTIONS. WE GO IN AND WE VOTE. WE VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE FOR ONE OFFICE. AND A LOT OF COUNTRIES, WHAT THEY HAVE ARE MULTI-MEMBER DISTRICTS. AND SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS SMALLER PARTIES WILL ALL WILL TEND TO WIN A LOT MORE SEATS. AND THAT WOULD ALSO EVEN HELP IF THEY’RE RUNNING FOR FOR THE TOP OFFICES. BUT THERE’S A SECOND THING ON TOP OF THAT THAT REALLY MAKES THE US DISTINCT AND THAT’S THE LACK OF PUBLIC FINANCE FOR ELECTIONS, BECAUSE IT BECOMES AS THE THE US IS IN A SITUATION WHERE WHERE IT COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO, TO WIN A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, BILLIONS MAYBE TO WIN A PRESIDENTIAL SEAT AND THIRD PARTIES CANNOT RAISE THAT KIND OF MONEY. IT SEEMS, THOUGH, THAT THIRD PARTIES HISTORICALLY IN THE UNITED STATES JUST HAVE A REPUTATION OF BEING SPOILERS, RIGHT? WELL, THEIR JOB IS TO THREATEN TO SPOIL THEIR THE SPOILING WITH A PURPOSE. IT’S IT’S THE IT’S A THEORY REFERRED TO AS STING LIKE A BEE THAT THEIR JOB IS TO FIND GALVANIZING ISSUES, FIND, UH, SOME FRAMEWORK, SOME ISSUE THAT THE MAJOR PARTIES ARE IGNORING AND THEN ATTACK THEM ON IT IF THEY’RE SUCCESSFUL, THE MAJOR PARTIES WIND UP RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM AND CO-OPTING WHATEVER THE THIRD PARTY IS. IS PROMOTING. NOW, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS AND THIS IS THE SECOND STEP FOR THE BEE, THE BEE THAT STINGS ALSO DIES. BUT IT’S ALSO SUCCESSFUL IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THEY’VE ACTUALLY PUSHED THEIR PROPOSALS FORWARD. SO AT SOME LEVEL ARGUING THEY’RE JUST SPOILERS. THEY’RE NOT JUST SPOILERS AT THE BEST. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THIS SYSTEM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ARE YOU THEN HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE A REBIRTH IN SOME WAY OF AMERICAN THIRD PARTIES? WELL, LET’S BE CLEAR WHAT WHAT I’M ARGUING IS NOT A MULTI PARTY DEMOCRACY, BUT THEM TO AT LEAST PLAY THE ROLES THAT THEY USED TO PLAY WITH. FOR EXAMPLE, TEDDY ROOSEVELT IN THE 19 UH, 19 TENS, THEY LEFT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAD BEEN COMPLETELY MOVING TO THE RIGHT, VERY IN A REACTIONARY DIRECTION. AND THE PROGRESSIVES PUSHED IN ISSUES LIKE BASIC ECONOMIC REFORMS, LIKE ENDING CHILD LABOR AND AND THE SHORTENED A UH, 40 HOUR WORKWEEK AND THEY PUSHED THOSE, THOSE THINGS AND THEY HURT THE REPUBLICANS BAD. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE REPUBLICANS REACTION WAS TO MODERATE THEMSELVES. AND AFTER THE REPUBLICANS MODERATED THEMSELVES, THEN WE HAD THE LONG STRETCH PERIOD, UH, STARTING AROUND THE 1920S, WHEN THE TWO PARTIES ACTUALLY FUNCTIONED TOGETHER, WORKED TOGETHER WELL. BUT NOW WHAT WE’RE SEEING STARTING IN THE 1970S HAS BEEN THE PARTY SLOWLY, SLOWLY POLARIZING AGAIN AS THEY’VE BEEN POLARIZING AGAIN. THE THIRD PARTIES HAVE BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN. SO WHAT I’M HOPEFUL FOR AT LEAST, IS IF WE CAN’T HAVE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, WE CAN AT LEAST FIGURE OUT SOME WAY FOR THIRD PARTIES TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT THEY USED TO HAVE. BERNARD THOMAS, IT’S SO NICE TO TALK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, A LOOK AT THE JOB MARKET FOR NEW COLLEGE GRADS, INCLUDING WHICH INDUSTRIES COULD PROVE HARDER TO BREAK INTO THIS YEAR. PLUS, LAST YEAR, HOLLYWOOD’S WRITERS WENT ON STRIKE FOR MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS. THE SHOW THAT HIRES YOU OWNS YOU UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO MAKE THE SHOW OR NOT. BUT EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE BACK AT WORK, WHY IS THEIR MOTTO SURVIVE TILL 25 PLUS JUST MONTHS OUT FROM ELECTION DAY? SOME VOTER OUTREACH GROUPS ARE ACTUALLY CUTTING STAFF. HOW STATE LAWS ARE IMPACTING THE EFFORT TO REGISTER VOTERS. YOU’RE WATCHING, MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWSMAGAZINE. GRADUATION SEASON IS ALMOST OVER, AND THAT MEANS THESE NEW GRADS ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR DREAM JOBS. CLASS OF 2024 MIGHT FIND THAT CHALLENGING. A NEW STUDY FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND EMPLOYERS FOUND THAT HIRING RATES ARE DOWN BY NEARLY 6%. THE PROFESSIONS WITH THE LARGEST EMPLOYMENT CUTS ARE INFORMATION THAT’S MY JOB BROADCASTING AND PUBLISHING, AS WELL AS FINANCE, INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE AND PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING. IT’S THE BIGGEST DROP IN HIRING IN AT LEAST TEN YEARS. AND THAT COULD BE ONE MORE FACTOR FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE RECONSIDERING COLLEGE AFTER GRADUATION. SINCE 2010, COLLEGE ENROLLMENT HAS DECLINED NEARLY 10% IN DECEMBER. OUR CORRESPOND LAURA CHAVEZ MET UP WITH TWO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN CENTRAL INDIANA WHO ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THEIR NEXT STEPS. CAN YOU GET THE PLATELETS? I’M JUST ABOUT DONE. IT’S DINNERTIME AT THE MOORE HOME IN CENTRAL INDIANA, AND OWEN MOORE, THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE CHILDREN AND A SENIOR AT KOKOMO HIGH SCHOOL, IS THE CENTER OF THE FAMILY’S ATTENTION. YOU’RE STARTING IN SEPTEMBER, RIGHT? YEAH. DESPITE WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A FAMILY TRADITION, OWEN ISN’T FOLLOWING IN THE COLLEGIATE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS SIBLINGS AND PARENTS. IT WAS DEFINITELY A LITTLE, LIKE, NERVE WRACKING, LIKE GOING IN AND TELLING THEM, LIKE, HEY, I’M NOT GOING TO COLLEGE. BUT MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN VERY, LIKE, RESPECTFUL AND SUPPORTIVE OF MY DECISION. MY PLANS ARE TO START AT HOBART AROUND SEPTEMBER, AUGUST AND CUT THE K OUT, WELD IT TO THE CENTER OF THE GATE. HOBART IS A WELDING INSTITUTE IN OHIO. HE’LL BE IN A NINE MONTH PROGRAM AFTER THAT, IT’S INTO THE WORKFORCE, HOPING TO MAKE ABOUT $40,000 A YEAR. OWEN IS PART OF A GROWING TREND WITH GEN Z OPTING OUT OF COLLEGE IN 2021, 43% OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ENROLLED IN A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. THAT’S DOWN 3% OVER FIVE YEARS. THE MAIN REASON CITED COST PUSHING MANY STUDENTS TO HEAD DIRECTLY INTO THE WORKFORCE OR GET A CAREER CERTIFICATION LIKE OWEN’S CLASSMATE KIARA KILLEBREW. I ALWAYS HAVE LOVED ANIMALS. I’M GOING TO THE VET TECH INSTITUTE TO GET MY ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE, AND THEN AFTER THAT, UM, TO HOPEFULLY JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE VETERINARY FIELD AND GET INTO THE WORKFORCE. BOTH KIARA AND OWEN ATTEND A CAREER ORIENTED PROGRAM AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL, THE KOKOMO AREA CAREER CENTER. IN THE MORNING, THEY GO TO TRADITIONAL CLASSES, BUT IN THE AFTERNOON, THEIR STUDIES FOCUS ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION. PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. VERY GOOD FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY GO TO COLLEGE FOR THAT FOUR YEARS AND THEN THEY JUST THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND THEN THEY STRUGGLE FOR LIKE 2 OR 3 YEARS, LIKE TRYING TO FIND A JOB. I JUST WANT TO GET IN AND OUT. WHO’S MY LEFT GUARD? ME. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING A COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF IT, THAT’S DEFINITELY A HUGE BONUS JUST BECAUSE I MEAN, THERE’S NOT AS MUCH DEBT AND I MEAN, I’LL BE MAKING A PRETTY DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY. OWEN HOPES STARTING HIS CAREER NOW WILL GET HIM CLOSER TO SOME OF HIS OTHER GOALS, LIKE AN EARLY RETIREMENT. AS FOR KIARA, SHE’S CONSIDERING BECOMING A ZOOLOGIST, WHICH WOULD MEAN EVENTUALLY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL. BUT FOR NOW, THIS IS HOW THEIR ADULT LIVES BEGIN IN KOKOMO, INDIANA. I’M LAURA CHAVEZ, FOR MATTER OF FACT. COMING UP, OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS JOINS ME IN STUDIO FOR AN UPDATE ON THE AFTERMATH OF THE HISTORIC L.A. WRITERS STRIKE AND HOW THEY’RE AFFECTING YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOWS AND MOVIES. PLUS, WE BREAK DOWN THE SLATE OF NEW LAWS TARGETING VOTER OUTREACH GROUPS. WELCOME BACK TO MATTER OF FACT. THIS TIME LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 10,000 TV AND FILM WRITERS WERE ON STRIKE. THE STRIKE BY THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA LASTED FOR MONTHS, 25 DAYS. THE RESULTING CONTRACT WAS CONSIDERED A MAJOR VICTORY. WRITERS GOT INCREASED PAY RESIDUALS AND HEALTH CARE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM STUDIOS, AN AGREEMENT THAT MORE STAFF WRITERS WOULD BE ADDED DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF EPISODES AND THERE WERE EVEN SOME AI SAFEGUARDS PUT INTO PLACE. SO HOW DID THAT ULTIMATELY HELP IMPROVE WORK AND LIFE FOR WRITERS? OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS COVERED THE STRIKE. FOR MATTER OF FACT, IT’S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU IN THE STUDIO. THANK YOU. DINA, THANK YOU. SO LET’S START WITH HOW THINGS ARE NOW. IS EVERYTHING BASICALLY BACK TO NORMAL FOR EVERYONE? NO, IT’S IT’S REALLY ROUGH STILL FOR EVERYONE. NOT JUST THE WRITERS, BUT BUT THE ACTORS, THE PRODUCERS, THE CATERERS. EVERYONE IS FEELING IT. AND AND THE MOTTO ON EVERYONE’S LIPS RIGHT NOW IS SURVIVE TILL 25. THEY’RE JUST HOPING TO RIDE THIS YEAR OUT, HOPING SOMEHOW THINGS WILL GET BETTER NEXT YEAR. YOU VISITED WITH SOME FOLKS LAST YEAR TO GET A SENSE OF WHY THEY WERE PUSHING THE STUDIOS TO MAKE CHANGES. I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. YEAH, ALL REALIZE WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS ALL OF OUR FIGHT. LIKE SO MANY IN HOLLYWOOD, JOEL GARFINKEL IS A MULTI HYPHENATE, A SINGLE MOM SLASH TV WRITER SLASH LINE CAPTAIN IN THE WRITERS GUILD STRIKE AGAINST THE ALLIANCE OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION PRODUCERS, OR AM TP DESPITE HER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE, GARFINKEL HAS TAKEN A LOWER PAYING SUPPORT STAFF POSITION ON THE CBS SHOW FIRE COUNTRY. SHE SCRIPTED ONE OF ITS EPISODES AS A FREELANCER. I WAS FEELING THIS HUGE CAREER HIGH. I AND I HAD $0 IN MY CHECKING ACCOUNT AND THAT WAS SO STRESSFUL BECAUSE OUTWARDLY EVERYONE WAS GIVING ME THESE ACCOLADES AND I WAS LIKE, I HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT RIGHT NOW. GARFINKEL SAYS SHE’S BARELY MAKING A LIVING WAGE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY. THE PAY PER HOUR HAS GOTTEN SMALLER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER OVER TIME, AND THE SPAN AT WHICH YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF EMPLOYMENT HAS GOTTEN SHORTER. JEFFREY LIEBER IS A VETERAN CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF NETWORK SHOWS. HE SAYS THE ADVENT OF THE MINI ROOM HIRING ONLY 4 TO 6 STAFF WRITERS RATHER THAN 8 TO 12, HURTS BOTH CONTENT AND OPPORTUNITIES. IF THERE AREN’T VOICES IN THE ROOM THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE, THAT ARE RACIALLY DIVERSE, THAT ARE GENDER DIVERSE, WELL, THEN THE STORY IS GOING TO BE TOLD BY A VERY SMALL SLICE OF PEOPLE. LIEBER REGULARLY MARCHES IN FRONT OF SONY STUDIOS FOR ALL THE NEWER WRITERS, WHO NOW FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK A FULL YEAR LIKE HE CAN, AS A SHOW EXECUTIVE, WE MAKE MOVIES. SOME PEOPLE MAKE CARS, SOME PEOPLE MAKE BREAD, SOME PEOPLE ARE FARMERS. THE BASIC CONSTRUCT OF ALL THESE THINGS IS VERY, VERY SIMILAR. AND SO, UM, IT’S LABOR, IT’S LABOR, IT’S TOTALLY LABOR. THERE’S A LOT OF STRESS AND WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING FOR MY SON. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE HIM A GOOD LIFE AND STILL DO WHAT I LOVE AND BE COMPENSATED. SO HOW ARE THOSE FOLKS DOING NOW? WELL, JEFF LIEBER IS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF A NEW HOUR LONG DRAMA THAT’S GOING TO PREMIERE THIS FALL. IT WAS DELAYED FROM THE FALL OF 2023, BUT HE’S ALWAYS SAID THAT HIS YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY HAVE KEPT HIM AT A HIGH LEVEL OF WORK, SO HE’S DOING WELL. BUT THAT’S NOT QUITE THE CASE FOR JOEL GARFINKEL. SHE IS NOW FREELANCE WRITING FOR MAGAZINES, BUT SHE HOPES TO ONE DAY WORK UNDER THE NEW CONTRACT ON A TV SHOW. BUT THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT JOEL IS THAT SHE CONTINUES TO RUN THE GREEN GROCERY FUND, WHICH WAS THIS CROWDFUNDED EFFORT THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE STRIKE WHERE THEY SENT OUT $250,000 WORTH OF GROCERY MONEY TO STRIKING WRITERS. SO IS THAT NOW DONE? NO. JOEL IS STILL RUNNING IT. SHE HAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS WHO STILL NEED THAT KIND OF GROCERY HELP. SO SO IT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF DISTRESS THAT THE INDUSTRY IS IN RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY THE WRITERS AND THIS PARTICULAR FUND. BUT IT ALSO SHOWS THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY BUILT OVER THE STRIKE AND HOW THEY CONTINUE TO HELP EACH OTHER. WRITERS AND OTHERS IN HOLLYWOOD HAVE SAID SURVIVE UP TILL 25, MEANING 2025. WHAT HAPPENS IN 2025? WELL, THERE’S NOTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT’S MEANT TO HAPPEN, BUT PEOPLE ARE KEEPING THEIR FINGERS CROSSED THAT PRODUCTION WILL PICK UP AGAIN. SO THERE WAS THIS ERA OF PEAK TV, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, STUDIOS WERE COMPETING WITH NETFLIX TO TRY AND PUT OUT MORE AND MORE CONTENT. THEY WERE PUTTING OUT HUNDREDS OF TV SHOWS AND MOVIES A YEAR. THAT BUBBLE BURST, AND SO STUDIOS PULLED BACK. THEY STOPPED SPENDING THE MONEY, BUT THERE IS A HOPE THAT POST STRIKE AND POST THIS FEELING OF WE’RE SAVING OUR MONEY, THAT STUDIOS WILL START PRODUCTIONS AGAIN. AND THAT’S WHAT EVERYONE IS HOPING FOR. BUT IT’S NOT A GUARANTEE WE’LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. YEAH. FINGERS CROSSED. OF COURSE, FOR THEM THAT THINGS PICK UP. DINA ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, VOTER OUTREACH GROUPS ARE USUALLY IN FULL SWING AHEAD OF A MAJOR ELECTION. BUT COULD YOUR STATE BE MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM TO HELP REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE AND BEATING THE HEAT WITHOUT CRANKING UP THE AC? THE UNIQUE WAY THIS CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORHOOD IS KEEPING COOLER THIS SUMMER TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH. MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTER OF FACT DOT TV. DURING ELECTION SEASON, DON’T EXPECT TO SEE AS MANY DOOR TO DOOR GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO GET PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE. AT LEAST FIVE STATES FLORIDA, TEXAS, KANSAS, MISSOURI AND TENNESSEE ARE ENFORCING RECENTLY PASSED LAWS THAT PREVENT VOTER OUTREACH IN FLORIDA, VOTER REGISTRATION ORGANIZATIONS COULD FACE FINES FOR EACH VOTER APPLICATION WHEN THEY DELIVER TEN DAYS AFTER COLLECTION. THEY COULD ALSO BE FINED FOR APPLICATIONS THAT MISS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER OR ORGANIZATIONS IN TEXAS FACE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR PAYING WORKERS TO REGISTER VOTERS. IN KANSAS, IT’S A FELONY IF SOMEONE IMPERSONATES OR IS ASSUMED TO IMPERSONATE AN ELECTION OFFICIAL WHILE REGISTERING VOTERS. ORGANIZERS THERE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE, THEY SAY, PEOPLE OFTEN ASSUME THEY’RE ELECTION WORKERS EVEN WHEN THEY’RE TOLD OTHERWISE. TEN AC PASSED A LAW TO LIMIT WHO CAN HELP. THOSE REGISTERING TO VOTE, AND THERE’S A $5,000 FINE FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO BREAK THAT LAW. THERE’S A LEGAL BATTLE CHALLENGING NEW LAWS IN MISSOURI. VOTING RIGHTS ADVOCATES. THERE ARE FIGHTING TO PAY WORKERS WHO HELP TO REGISTER VOTERS, AND THEY’RE AGAINST REQUIRING WORKERS TO REGISTER WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE IF THEY SIGN UP. MORE THAN TEN PEOPLE. THAT TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN IN AUGUST. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, WHY MURALS IN THIS LA NEIGHBORHOOD SERVE A PURPOSE THAT GOES BEYOND WHAT MEETS THE EYE. FINALLY, A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT PAINT COULD ACTUALLY HELP KEEP CITIES COOLER IN THE SUMMER. THE STORY COMES OUT OF PACOIMA, A NEIGHBORHOOD IN LOS ANGELES. SO PACOIMA TEAMED UP WITH THE CITY OF L.A., A ROOFING COMPANY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCHERS OVER A TEN BLOCK AREA. THEY COVERED PARKING LOTS AND STREETS AND THINGS LIKE BASKETBALL COURTS WITH HEAT MITIGATING PAINT. AND THEN THEY WENT OVER THE PAINT JOBS WITH COLORFUL DESIGNS AND MURALS. A STUDY MONITORED AND COMPARED, PAINTED AND UNPAINTED SECTIONS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE RESULTS PAINTED SURFACES WERE ON AVERAGE TEN DEGREES COOLER AND AIR TEMPERATURE DROPPED AN AVERAGE OF 1.5 TO 2.5 DEGREES IN THE PAINTED AREAS. PAINTED STREETS ALONE NOT ENOUGH, THOUGH IT TAKES A COMBINATION OF THINGS, INCLUDING PLANTING MORE TREES, PUTTING IN MORE PARKS. PACOIMA INTENDS TO DO THAT AS WELL. RESEARCHERS WILL THEN DEVELOP A PLAYBOOK FROM THIS STUDY TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. YOU CAN CALL THAT A PRETTY COOL IDEA. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS. ANY TIME, HEAD TO MATTER FACT TV.