Let's Pod This

Of the two state questions on the ballot this year, SQ814 has received less attention from the media. In this episode we’ll chat with supporters & opponents of the measure to help you be a more informed voter.

On the ballot this year are several changes to Oklahoma City's governing document - the city charter. We're joined by City Councilors JoBeth Hamon and James Cooper, municipal attorney Laura McDevitt, and Generation Citizen's Elizabeth Sidler to discuss the nine proposed changes.

News9 just released the results of their most recent poll, and some of the results are downright surprising. We discuss them as well as the latest ad from Senator Jim Inhofe, which was also surprising (but for different reasons).

Happy Labor Day, listeners! We break from the usual format to pause & reflect on the origins of this holiday and share a "civic sermon" by Whitney Kimball Coe, which she delivered during our Civics Con event in May 2020.

We discuss some of the most notable results from this week's primary run-off election, including: (1) Bice squeaks out a win over Neese for CD5 nomination (and what happens to Bice's campaign now as she turns to face Congresswoman Horn in November), (2) Tommie Johnson bests incumbent PD Taylor for OK County Sheriff, thereby guaranteeing OK County will have its first black sheriff, and (3) three #okleg incumbents lost their seats, all for very different reasons. Only 10 weeks until the general election!

The DNC goes virtual, Oklahoma County commissioners go rogue, and contrary to what the Governor has said, apparently the White House does have a whole bunch recommendations for how Oklahoma should be responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Universities struggle to articulate what it is they offer to students and Oklahoma County has a budget board meeting go in an unexpected (and potentially unwise) direction.

While the usual partisan gridlock in Washington is holding up additional stimulus money for the entire country, we discuss whether or not Oklahoma really needs more money and some ideas on how to disrupt that two-party, partisan gridlock. Also: zombie insects.

Links:

• Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop by Lee Drutman
• Zombie cicadas
• Zombie bees

We discuss how the state and federal government continue to struggle to respond to COVID-19 (despite how they frame it). Meanwhile, significant movement in the criminal justice space: a ballot initiative qualifies for the ballot, the director of the Pardon & Parole board resigns and, ironically, two men escape from the Oklahoma County jail. Also Scott apparently loves magicians.

Helpful Links:

• Find a COVID-19 testing site near you.
• Run-off debate between Terry Neese & Stephanie Bice

We discuss the possible reasoning behind and implications of the resignation of Governor Stitt's Chief of Staff, Michael Junk, the state legislature announces interim studies, and...apparently aliens may actually exist?

Links mentioned in this episode:

• House interim studies
• Senate interim studies
• NYT article about aliens
• Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Summer Advocacy Bingo