Vik is back y'all! We know, you forgot she existed...but she's here. And we're joined by Zack Surmacz today to talk about rising up the next generation of Democrats to lead the party across the country! What is it going to take to win young voters to our side and how do we share our values through our messaging and policy creation? We also tackle other important conundrums like are you for or against using a top sheet and do you embrace watching videos in 2x speed? Season 2 of demobrats will make your dreams come true. Stay brat.

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Today our new friends Susan and Brian join us to discuss why it's so hard to have public art happen in Salem (and how Brian might be fixing this problem all by himself). Paint by Bureaucratic Numbers with us. And don't forget to check out Make Music Day this weekend!

(AND YES--we're VERY sorry we used AI to make the theme song. It was before we knew how much water it wasted!)

Salem's public art collection: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e086aebd172149cfb38c4a3d1e69d796

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This bonus episode is available for free, because you should all know what's up.

The Mayor and the entire Salem City Council is being investigated by the Ethics Commission over possibly unethical communications. Our jaws stayed in place.

Something felt off to us about this situation from the jump and thanks to the complaints of more than one community member, the Ethics Commission has decided to run a full investigation.

Our mayor has a troubling track record. Three ethics issues in as many years and spending nearly $300,000 to call yourself a volunteer is wild work. If it walks like a duck and it talks like a duck...it's probably a politician.

And if you need something to noodle on....why is Councilor Vanessa Nordyke suddenly refusing to be a part of any budget votes? We think Ward 7 deserves to have a voice in budget conversations and decisions.

Sources:

Ethics Issue 1: https://www.salemreporter.com/2024/04/11/julie-hoys-efforts-to-promote-tire-business-prompted-city-ethics-warning/

Ethics Issue 2: https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/18/salem-city-council-censures-two-members-including-mayor-elect-julie-hoy/

Ethics Issue 3: https://www.salemreporter.com/2025/06/13/ethics-commission-votes-to-investigate-salem-mayor-councilors-over-possibly-unethical-communications/

Julie Hoy's Secretary of State Page: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeRsn=60338&cneSearchFilerCommitteeTxt=&cneSearchFilerCommitteeTxtSearchType=C&cneSearchTranStartDate=&cneSearchTranEndDate=&cneSearchTranType=&cneSearchTranAmountFrom=&cneSearchTranAmountTo=&cneSearchContributorTxt=&cneSearchContributorTxtSearchType=C&cneSearchContributorType=&search=Search&OWASP_CSRFTOKEN=AOGP-Z238-KUFV-MWS1-UZ8T-H8FR-EVVP-90A1

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Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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Morgan and Felix from CouplaGoofs join Virginia this week to discuss making content full time, being new parents (not to a Vampire's baby), creating authentic community, living fully as your best self, and the absolute CHAOS that erupted at Salem City Council on Monday night concerning the Avelo Airlines contract and the use of cell phones during City Council meetings. We promise you will LAUGH....like a lot.

This Saturday: No Kings Rally, Capitol Mall, 12-3 PM

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Hey Brat Pack!

Enjoy this bonus episode from Virginia giving you a life update on some hard stuff she's dealing with. Don't forget: we can do hard things. And you don't have to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps every time. That's what brats are for.

It may be advisable at this point for the far right to stop trying to buy local elections in Oregon. The voters aren't buying it and neither are we. Brittney Mast from MomsForOregon joins Jane from GirlyPopPolitics to discuss school board elections across the state, results, wins, losses, and everything in between. The girlies yap about the political podcasts the GOP is investing in, in Oregon to preach to...tens of listeners in the already present choir. If this is their long game, we'll keep doing what we do best--winning. Organized people beat organized money every time. Stay brat.

Get out there and stay loud.

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BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // MomsForOregon // GirlyPopPolitics

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email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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Organized people beat organized money EVERY TIME. And we love watching rich special interest groups waste money.

$34K was spent by realtors and developers across Oregon to try to buy the Ward 6 City Council Seat. It didn't work. Ward 6 showed up to vote for their own interests and for the representation they want and need in Council Chambers. But we have to ask; why would realtors be so interested in clinching the swing vote on City Council? Elections have consequences and for now, the agenda of the realtors is at bay.

The same goes for the Salem Keizer School Board. The progressive slate won the day and our children will continue to be well represented on the board.

And both the Livability Levy and the Chemeketa Levy passed. And while the livability levy doesn't do everything we need it to, it's a nice bandaid for now. However, we will be looking at $8 million in cuts next year and there's no guarantee promises will be kept.

We're extra proud of you this week, Salem. Let's do it again next year, huh?

Get out there and stay loud.

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BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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This week on the pod, Beth Schmidt from every Why did the Chicken Cross the Road? joke and Safe Routes to Schools joins us to talk about all things bicycle and pedestrian safety. Salem is one of the last cities to get this critical program (nobody is surprised we are last). We're super grateful to have Beth making this program happen. It will surely save lives, one bike bus and walk to school at a time. Obviously if Beth had a walk on song, it would be The Chicken Dance.

Get out there and stay loud.

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BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

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email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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This week our friend Sara Duncan helps you get to know the bike-powered brains behind Salem Bike Vision: Dylan, Ian, and Virginia, a trio of transportation good troublemakers on a mission to make Salem more two-wheeled. Dylan brings the science, policy, and smooth Smithsonian swagger; Ian’s got more board appointments than a lumber yard; and Virginia keeps the wheels turning with political savvy and a shoulder sling for a newly broken collarbone. Tune in as we discuss climate action, community organizing, near-death experiences, and why biking in Salem is and can be for everyone. 🌸🚲👓

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

⁠http://www.salembikevision.org ⁠

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

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email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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What happens when the co-founder of Salem Bike Vision is nearly hit by an SUV in the very family-friendly buffered bike lane she worked to get installed? Turns out she breaks her collarbone and gets a concussion. We did the math and she was 68.2 milliseconds from a very different ending. It is very likely that the BUFFERED aspect of the bike lane saved her life. Call it crazy timing, but we already had Salem Bike Vision scheduled to come on the pod this week and we're looking forward to that conversation, more conversations about how to improve the bike infrastructure in Salem, and a smooth healing journey for Virginia in the months ahead.

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

http://www.salembikevision.org

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!