OPB Politics Now

Latest Episodes:

The Importance of Government Structures Apr 13, 2018

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Sometimes the structure of government voters choose is just as important as who they elect. We’ll look at why Bend may get a stronger mayor, Eugene voters have two different auditor measures to consider and Portland’s form of government remains … strange.

The Wapato Jail And Homelessness in Portland Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Multnomah County leaders thought they finally had to deal to sell off the Wapato Jail. But when it comes to this particular large government white elephant, things are never easy. OPB News Director Anna Griffin and OPB reporters Dir Vanderhart and Amelia Templeton unravel the roiling ball of snakes that is Wapato.

High Drama Over An Effort To Ban Assault Weapons, And Other Oregon Ballot Initiative Tales Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

Students and an interfaith group are launching a last-minute attempt to get a measure on the Oregon ballot to ban military-style guns. OPB reporters Jeff Mapes and Dirk VanderHart and Claire Withycombe, state capitol reporter for The East Oregonian and Pamplin Media, dissect the initiative and tell us what other measures are being circulated for signatures right now.

The Legislature Leaves And The Republicans Arrive Mar 05, 2018

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On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we’ll wrap up the 2018 legislative session and examine the state of the Oregon Republican Party going into primary season.

Crunch Time In The Oregon Legislature Mar 02, 2018

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Oregon lawmakers are rushing toward adjourning the 2018 session, so we’re taking a last-minute look at the prospects for several of the major bills still in the pipeline. Jeff Mapes, OPB’s senior political reporter, talks with OPB politics reporter Lauren Dake and Paris Achen, capital correspondent for the Portland Tribune.

‘OPB Politics Now:’ The Politics Of Guns Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

The mass shooting in Florida has reignited the debate over gun control. Washington and Oregon are solidly blue states. But guns are one issue where Democratic lawmakers have struggled to build consensus. On this week’s OPB Politics Now podcast, OPB News Director Anna Griffin talks to OPB political reporter Lauren Dake and Olympia reporter Austin Jenkins about the politics of guns in the northwest.

Examining The Proposal That Would Make Health Care A Right In Oregon Feb 16, 2018

Show notes

The Oregon House this week passed a resolution that would ask voters to create a constitutional right providing “access to effective, medically appropriate and affordable health care.” As the resolution heads to the Senate, OPB Politics Now looks at both the policy and the politics of the “health care for all” measure. Kristian Foden-Vencil, who covers health care for OPB, and Jeff Mapes, OPB’s senior political reporter, grapple with an issue that could be headed for the November ballot.

Addressing Climate Change In The Northwest Feb 09, 2018

Show notes

This week on "OPB Politics Now," we’ll discuss the policies both Oregon and Washington are considering to tackle climate change at the state level. OPB political reporter Lauren Dake talks with Cassandra Profita, an EarthFix reporter for OPB; Austin Jenkins, Olympia correspondent for the Northwest News Network; and Jeff Mapes, OPB’s senior political reporter.

Oregon Legislature Short Session Feb 02, 2018

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Oregon legislators will be starting their short session that they hold in even years. We talk about what’s on the agenda in the latest episode of OPB Politics Now.

Oregon Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Measure 101 Jan 24, 2018

Show notes

Oregon voters have overwhelmingly approved a package of health care taxes to ensure low-income Oregonians will keep their health coverage.
We discuss the aftermath of the $320 million referendum that will tax hospitals and certain health insurers. Who wins, who loses and what’s the future of health care -- and health care politics -- in Oregon?

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