I Hate Politics Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Michael Peroutka and Anthony Brown for Maryland AG and Brooke Lierman for MD Comptroller Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

With general elections coming up Nov 8, Sunil Dasgupta interviews three statewide candidates: for the Maryland Attorney General's race, Republican Michael Peroutka (02:30) talks about the state's constitutional crises and Democrat Anthony Brown (24:08) talks about equity in the criminal justice system including the treatment of juveniles. For the Maryland Comptroller's race: Brooke Lierman (43:45) talks about the state's floundering Minority Business Enterprise Program. Original music from 9th-grade singer-songwriter from Bethesda Dara Blecher.

How a Bill Really Becomes Law -- The Local Government Edition Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

Thirty-five people have died on roads in Montgomery County, MD, in 2022; not one related to escooters, but that is the bill the County Council passed recently. An omnibus road safety bill, which is desperately needed, isn't even an idea despite unanimity on the council that road deaths are the bigger problem. Sunil Dasgupta talks with County Council member Sidney Katz about the justification for and provisions in the escooters law he sponsored. Music from DC area progresive rock band A Shrewdness of Apes.

Fall Eating Guide with Local Influencer Michelle Katz Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

The fall is not only apple and pumpkin picking season, but also time for Oktoberfests and cool dining choices. Sunil Dasgupta talks with local food maven Michelle Katz, whose Instagram account @pikeandrozay is one of the most influential food and food photography accounts in Montgomery County. She talks about Oktoberfests, Happy Hours, and food trends. Music from Montgomery County musician Eddie Boxxer.

When Do Problems Become Political? Sep 23, 2022

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Not everything in human life–neighborhoods, schools, businesses–is political, but any issue can become political when we disagree with each other. In this episode, Sunil Dasgupta talks with Silver Spring civic activist and urbanist Dan Reed about the politics of his neighborhood association, and with physician and businessman Joe Zammit-Lucia, who has written a book called The New Political Capitalism arguing that businesspeople don't understand politics. Music by Eddie Boxxer.

The Fragile Economics of the Ag Reserve Sep 16, 2022

Show notes

Montgomery County set aside roughly a third of its land area as an agricultural reserve to protect it from development and save local farms. Bike rides, apple-picking trips, CSAs, and farmers' markets leave a romantic impression of organic food production in a verdant landscape. In reality, the economics of the ag reserve are surprising and precarious. What a farm owner gets for land is shocking. Sunil Dasgupta talks with ag reserve farm-owner and agricultural scientist Douglas Boucher about the fragile economics of Montgomery Country's Agricultural Reserve. Music by Eddie Boxxer.

How to Pay for Public Goods: Carbon Sequestration Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

Sunil Dasgupta talks with long-time Montgomery County resident Bill Conway, who is putting together a billion-dollar carbon sequestration project in central Louisiana on behalf of the local electric utility, CLECO, which requires significant federal support to be financially viable and serves as a case study in how governments promote new technology using tax credits and tax credit markets and choose winners and losers. Local news about youth curfews and public outreach. Music by Eddie Boxxer.

The Trouble with Youth Mental Health Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Providing mental health support to students has been a challenge even before Covid. As the stigma of mental health has lifted, the demand for services has grown often beyond the capacity of school districts and even the mental health profession to provide. Sunil Dasgupta talks with child psychiatrist and Institute of Juvenile Research Director Niranjan Karnik about the history and evolution of youth mental health and ways to overcome challenges to helping young people with mental health concerns. Music by Montgomery County climate band, The Sunshiners.

The Hazard of Walking to School Aug 26, 2022

Show notes

As millions of children return for the new school year, Sunil Dasgupta talks with Casey Anderson, chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board, and Eli Glazier, the lead author of a new Pedestrian Master Plan, about walking and biking to school. Only 12 percent of MCPS students walk to school. The rest are driven, ride the bus, or drive themselves. Anderson and Glazier propose improving the situation with better school site planning, design, and infrastructure development. Music by Montgomery County climate band, The Sunshiners.

Legal Win Won't Fix MCPS Magnet Admissions Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

The US District Court in Maryland dismissed a lawsuit against Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for violating equal protection in magnet admission rules. MCPS has struggled for years to bring in more Black and Latino students to its most prestigious programs, but an Asian-American parent group, backed by the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation, argued that even a facially-neutral lottery system was intentionally discriminatory against Asian students. Sunil Dasgupta talked with University of Maryland professor and Asian-American activist Janelle Wong about the controversy and its implications. Music by Montgomery County climate band, The Sunshiners.

What We Learned from Primary 2022 Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

With the first count of votes in the July 2022 Democratic Primary in Montgomery County, MD, now available, Sunil Dasgupta talks with veteran journalist Louis Peck about the implications of another razor-thin margin in the county executive race between incumbent Marc Elrich and challenger David Blair. A recount is coming, independent expenditure in local elections is here to stay, and low turnout remains a structural problem in "one-party" jurisdictions where primary victory is tantamount to winning in the general. Music by Montgomery County climate band, The Sunshiners.

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