Virginia Democrats will take control of the General Assembly next week.  And while their gun control agenda is receiving the vast majority of the media coverage, the Democrats are also planning to ratify the decades-old Equal Rights Amendment and claim that vote will officially add the amendment to the Constitution.

The Equal Rights Amendment, known as ERA, was approved by two-thirds majorities in the U.S. House and Senate in the 1970's but failed to reach the threshold of 38 states within the ten-year window Congress permitted to ratify it.  Democrats believe they can can revive the effort while opponents say it officially died nearly 40 years ago.

What are the legal and political facts in this dispute?  And what would the ERA actually do?

Independent Women's Forum Senior Political Analyst Inez Stepman says its states purpose of mandating equality between the sexes would be redundant since women enjoy the same rights as men.  ]

However, she says the ERA could be very dangerous by not only declaring men and women equal but essentially interchangeable.  And from separate public restrooms to men and women being eligible for the draft, Stepman says the impact could be far-reaching if supporters can overcome the political and legal hurdles.

"It could be an enormous legal change.  If their legal theories are accepted and they ratify the ERA, all kinds of laws today that Americans take for granted could be constitutionally infirm and struck down by the courts," said Stepman.

Listen to the full podcast to learn what's at stake in this debate and how the fight is likely to play out.

Jennifer Krottinger, a business opportunity specialist at the Small Business Administration, offers valuable insights into how to position your small business to win government contracts. Krottinger walks us through the certification process to become eligible for government contracts, explains recent rule changes for certification, and reveals how much contracting work is set aside for small businesses. Finally, Krottinger offers helpful tips to stand out when bidding for federal contracts.

Many Democrats are demanding a new system for electing our presidents.  The effort stems from Democrats losing two presidential elections within 16 years despite winning the popular vote.

But the Constitution says the president is selected through the Electoral College, a system that focuses on which candidates win each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia.

What did the founding fathers have in mind when they created the Electoral College?  Does it still serve it's purpose centuries later? And why do advocates for determining winners through the popular vote believe their approach is more fair?

Radio America's Alexandra Lavin speaks with both sides and explores the effort from some states to give the popular vote the final say without actually changing the Constitution.

Immigration reform remains very elusive in Washington as Republicans and Democrats seemingly find less and less common ground as the debate continues.  Florida Rep. Ted Yoho believes comprehensive legislation is highly unlikely and a bad idea anyway, so he's taking aim at improving the guest worker program for agricultural workers.

Yoho represents an agriculture-heavy district.  He says it's simply a fact that guest workers are needed in the industry but the U.S. must do a much better job keeping track of who is coming in and how to find them if they overstay their visas.

In this podcast, Yoho describes how his legislation requires far greater scrutiny on who can enter the nation as a guest worker, what would and would not be required of employers who hire them, the importance of E-Verify in making sure all workers are in the country legally and much more.  He also addresses whether Republicans and Democrats can find any common ground on this issue.

Business expert and novelist Diana Kander discusses her new book, "The Curiosity Muscle," and examines the four questions business owners should constantly be asking themselves. Kander also draws on her expertise to offer helpful tips for launching new products - and which tactics to stay away from.

Earlier this year, California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted legislation they promised would protect independent workers.  Passed by the Democratic-dominated legislature, the law requires businesses to treat freelance workers like formal employees.

The goal was to prevent independent contractors from being exploited.  In reality, it's putting them out of work.  Instead of complying with the new mandatory bureaucracy, businesses are severing ties with their outside talent and stories of websites and other businesses announcing massive layoffs are widespread.

What exactly does the legislation require of employers?  Why are they choosing to release freelance professionals instead of making them actual employees?  And what will happen once the real impact of this law is understood?

In this podcast, we discuss those questions and others with Rachel Greszler, research fellow in economics, budget, and entitlements at the Heritage Foundation.

Over the past 12 months, we've bid farewell to some of our favorite entertainers.  From music to television to film, these performers created songs or characters that will remain with us long after they've departed.

In this podcast, we look back legends from the world of entertainment.  We remember one of the iconic singers and actresses from Hollywood's golden age, groundbreaking music acts from rock and roll to pop to opera.  We'll also look back at television stars from Sesame Street to phenomenal comedic and dramatic actors in television and the movies.

Join us for this remembrance.  And please look for our other tribute segments focusing on famous figures from politics and business and from media and sports.

As we prepare to close the books on 2019, we take time to remember those famous names and faces who left us from all walks of life.  In this segment, we will look back at prominent figures in media and sports who died this year.

This list includes a trailblazing female journalist, a legendary sports broadcaster, winners of the first two Superbowls, baseball hall of famers, and one of the winningest basketball players of all time.  

Join us as we remember these legends.  And please find our segments on those we lost in politics and business and in entertainment.

2019 brought us many headlines, including the sad news of the deaths of many famous people. In this section, we will remember key figures in politics and business.

Our list includes a Supreme Court justice, the billionaire businessman who shook up politics in the 1990's, many long-serving lawmakers, an auto industry titan and many more.

Listen to the full podcast to hear our tributes to prominent figures in these areas and do not miss our other podcasts remembering those we lost in media and sports and in entertainment.

The effort to strike down the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is another step closer to reality after a three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the individual mandate is unconstitutional.

It's the latest ruling in a case brought by the attorneys general of many states and individual plaintiffs claiming the mandate has caused great harm.

The court is now trying to decide whether it's ruling means Obamacare must come crashing down without the individual mandate or whether the rest of the law can stand without the mandate.

Rob Henneke of the Center for the American Future at the Texas Public Policy Foundation is the lead attorney for the individuals taking legal aim at the individual mandate. He explains the significance of Wednesday's decision, why he believes Obamacare cannot survive without the individual mandate, and why this fight may end up at the Supreme Court sooner than most people expect.