I Hate Politics Podcast

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Will Healthcare Premiums Rise After Maryland's 50-year Sweetheart Deal with Medicare Ends? Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

No other state in the US has Maryland's system of paying for hospital services despite its 50-year existence and the extra $2bn a year it brought. A new agreement between the state and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ends the preferential arrangement in 2027. Sunil Dasgupta asks Delegate Bonnie Cullison, Vice-Chair of the Maryland House Health and Government Operations Committee, and Jon Kromm, executive director of the Health Services Cost Review Commission, the state's hospital cost regulatory body, what to expect. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Glock Redesigns Handgun, Flu Vax Uptake, Schools-Based Rental Assistance, CFC Pauses Listing Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

New state laws and lawsuits force gunmaker Glock to redesign popular pistol to prevent easy conversion from semi-automatic to fully-automatic. Maryland public health officials worry about low flu vaccine uptake. Gov. Wes Moore announces a rental assistance program for families of students who go to community schools. The Combined Federal Campaign has paused charity registration for next year. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Sunday Supper with the Bobrows: Lessons in Community-Building at a time of Disorientation Nov 28, 2025

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Feeling disoriented after the 2024 election, suburban Maryland couple Christina and Adam Bobrow have hosted a weekly dinner for their neighbors and friends for most of 2025. Not a potluck. No RSVP. Just show up. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Bobrows about how to do it sustainably and what lessons they learned in community-building. Music by Kara Levchenko.

PG Ends Pitbull Ban, PJM Members Reject New Data Center Rules, State Fiscal Update Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

Maryland's non-partisan Department of Legislative Services provides a bleak fiscal outlook, but two months ago the Board of Revenue Estimates reported high tax collections for last year. What's with the prediction swings? PJM membership votes down all 12 proposals on new data center connection rules. Prince George's County ends a 27-year old ban on the pit bulls in the county. The intersection of pitbull bans with race and class politics. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Case Studies in Overpromise-Underdeliver: MCPS and the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

Two interviews demonstrate the political problem of expectation-setting. Sunil Dasgupta talks to Byron Johns of the Montgomery County, Md, NAACP Parents Council, and the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence, about MCPS' proposal for six new programmatic regions and 30 magnet and special programs. And to Christine Condon, environment reporter for Maryland Matters, about the renewal draft of the interstate Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Dem v Dem, Partisan Redistricting, New Data Center Rules, NIH Woes Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Who is MD Gov Moore targeting with his new political slate? The legality of creating an 8-0 Democratic advantage in the Congressional District map in Maryland. Regional grid operator members vote on new rules for adding. Half of NIH institutes have short two-week director searches open. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Abundance, Meet Politics Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

Two interviews that speak to what happens when the Abundance agenda meets local politics. Yesim Sayin of DC Policy Center on creating a research and advocacy ecosystem to push state-level policy to enable more housing construction. Their report: https://t.ly/jhuaF. And Declan Cullen of George Washington University on how cities deal with tech disrupters like Uber and self-driving car companies Waymo, and Zoox. Music by Kara Levchenko.

MD Resistance to Trump, MCPS ICE Protocol, Middle School Closure, Boonsboro Cat Killer Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

MD Attorney General Brown has filed or is participating in over 100 lawsuits maintained against the Trump Administration. State Senate President Ferguson under pressure to allow mid-term redistricting, but is it feasible? MCPS issues detailed FAQ on Immigration Response Protocol. As Silver Spring International Middle School moves toward closing, teachers and staff feel dislocated. Washington County Humane Society is offering a $10,000 reward for information on the cat-killer of Boonsboro. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Fighting the Car Brain Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

On August 25, 2022, Sarah Langenkamp, 42, a diplomat and mother, was struck and killed by a driver on River Road in Bethesda, MD, while she was riding her bike. In the three years since, her husband, Dan, has devoted much of his life to improving road safety especially for bicyclists and pedestrians. With the fourth annual bike ride in Sarah's memory coming up November 16 (rideforyourlife.org), Dan Langenkamp reflects on the challenges of fighting the car brain. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Backfilling SNAP, MUTCD, No Quorum in PG Public Body Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

The cities of Gaithersburg and College Park vote today. After days of persuasion, MD Gov Moore approves $62 million in state funds to make up for the SNAP shortfall. District 16 Delegate Marc Korman on how MDOT uses a road design manual to say no. Prince George's County Planning Board does not have enough members to constitute a quorum. MCPS faces continued resistance against planned programming changes. Music by Dear Daria.

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