The Bridge by OR360

The Bridge by OR360

By Alex Titus, Ben Bowman, & Reagan KnoppNewsEducationGovernmentPolitics
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The Bridge by OR360 episodes

  • Celebrating 100 Episodes of The Oregon Bridge Podcast! | EP 100

    On our 100th episode, we first and foremost want to say thank you. Thank you for listening, thank you for subscribing, and thank you for sharing this podcast with friends and colleagues. We recently surpassed 60,000 listens (!)—far greater than we expected for our niche podcast. To our listeners, guests, and sponsors: thank you for supporting us.


    On this episode, we reveal the top five most watched episodes on YouTube and the top five most listened to episodes on podcast platforms. Ben shares some of his favorite episodes—and discusses the trade-offs of interviewing elected officials. Finally, we cover what you can expect from the future of the pod, and opportunities to be engaged.

    17 min
  • Dave Frohnmayer, Rajneeshees, PERS, and the changing legal field with Harrang Long P.C. | EP 99
    Bob Steringer is the firm president of Harrang Long P.C. and Bill Gary is the firm's senior trial attorney (and former Solicitor General of the State of Oregon). Both are well-respected attorneys with deep experience in Oregon politics, law, and government. Harrang Long P.C. is Oregon360 Media's first advertising partner, and in this episode we discuss the firm's interesting position at the intersection of law, business, and policy--and what their future looks like. 
     
    Gary was Dave Frohnmayer's chief deputy when he served as Oregon's Attorney General; Steringer was an intern of Frohnmayer's 1990 gubernatorial run--both worked with him at Harrang Long P.C. later in Frohnmayer's career. They reflect on who Frohnmayer was and what made him a unique and consequential figure in Oregon history. We also talk about the Rajneeshees--a complicated and high-profile issue that Gary navigated in the AG's office. You may have seen Gary in the popular netflix documentary "Wild, Wild Country". In this episode, he discusses that experience and tells some mind-blowing stories from a wild period in Oregon politics.
     
    To learn more about Harrang Long P.C., visit their website: https://harrang.com/
     
    More links: 
    • Dave Frohnmayer's prescient "New Tribalism" speech/essay
  • Bob Steringer on Twitter: @SteringerLaw 
  • Netflix documentary on Rajneeshee Movement: Wild, Wild Country
    • 58 min
  • Metro Councilor Juan Gonzalez offers a framework for navigating complex challenges | EP 98
    Juan Carlos Gonzalez is the Metro Councilor for District 4 (which includes parts of Beaverton, Bethany, Aloha, Bonny Slope, Raleigh Hills, West Slope, Cedar Mill and Cedar Hills, Hillsboro, Cornelius and Forest Grove). When he was sworn in, he made history as the youngest and first elected Latino Metro Councilor in the history of Metro.
     
    Juan brings an interesting and thoughtful perspective to complex questions: in this episode, we cover land use planning, equity in decision making, semiconductors, housing supply, and transportation infrastructure. We also cover sports and the role of athletics and outdoor recreation in Oregon's economy. We enjoyed chatting with Juan because he's transparent in how he thinks about challenging questions and acknowledges tradeoffs inherent in public policy.
     
    To learn more about Juan, find him on social media or at Metro.
    48 min
  • Professor Rohan Grey is an Oregonian making waves in Washington and Wall Street | EP 97

    Professor Rohan Grey is an Oregonian making waves in Washington and Wall Street -- all from his office at Willamette Law School. A professor of economics and financial regulation, Grey is one of the leading proponents of the "mint the coin" theory which advocates that the US government mint a trillion dollar coin to stop a potential default between Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Grey also discusses his fascinating career background, his theory behind money and the creation of it, and a lot more in this episode. Here's a link to a New York Times article discussing further about some of Grey's beliefs and the coin theory: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/business/trillion-dollar-coin-debt-ceiling.html

    1 hr 17 min
  • What does the Governor’s Chief of Staff do? With Nik Blosser | EP 95
    Nik Blosser has held jobs at the highest levels of the state and federal government. He served at Gov. Kate Brown's Chief of Staff for over three years, and then went on to serve as Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Special Assistant to President Joe Biden. Recently, he returned to Oregon to work as vice president for public policy, communications and public affairs at PGE.
     
    In this episode, we ask Nik about what the Governor's chief of staff actually does--and how they navigate the challenging decisions that fall on their desk. We revisit some of the most difficult moments of the Kate Brown Administration, including COVID-19 and wildfires. We also ask Nik about what it's like working at the federal level. As you might have expected, there is also some time spent on fun stories from earlier days of Oregon politics.
    48 min
  • The profound legacy of Governor Vic Atiyeh with Jim Moore | EP 94
    Jim Moore is a well-known political commentator and the Director of Political Outreach for the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement at Pacific University. Moore also recently completed a soon-to-be released biography of Vic Atiyeh, the 32nd Governor of Oregon.
    This episode centers on Atiyeh’s tenure as Governor and some of the lasting impacts of his administration. We cover how he managed through crisis (including the largest bioterrorism attack in US history and the Rajneeshee crisis in Wasco County) and the ways his legacy are still felt today. Moore helps us think through the similarities and differences between our current political environment (and current Governor) with Atiyeh and his tenure.
    Atiyeh was a special man who led Oregon during a challenging and fascinating period of history.
    47 min
  • Why Tom McCall still matters: A conversation with Brent Walth | EP 92
    Brent Walth is one of Oregon's most decorated journalists. Now a professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, he previously worked as a reporter for the Register Guard, Willamette Week, and The Oregonian. In 2000, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and in 2001, he won the prize, along with three colleagues at The O.
     
    Walth is the author of Fire at Eden's Gate: Tom McCall and the Oregon Story, one of the best books about Oregon ever written. It tells the story of the man who may be the most influential governor in modern Oregon history: Tom McCall. McCall was a giant personality with an outsized impact on the state. He is best remembered for a series of groundbreaking environmental policies, including Oregon's public beach bill, the bottle bill, the Willamette River cleanup, and--perhaps most relevant today--Oregon's land use planning system.
     
    Here's the thesis: if you want to understand contemporary Oregon politics, you have to understand Tom McCall and his legacy. Most governors that followed McCall have tried, in some way, to emulate his image, oratory, style, or policy impact. A progressive Republican, McCall helped establish Oregon's identity as a place with independent spirit and a heart for environmental protection. He helped build our reputation as place where innovation and creative policy-making happens.
     
    McCall was not perfect. He cold be thin-skinned, had a quick temper, and craved the validation of voters. But he also consistently stood up to powerful interests and always spoke his mind--and no one loved Oregon more than Tom McCall. In this episode with McCall's biographer, we discuss his lasting legacy--and why he still matters today.
    49 min

About The Bridge by OR360

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OR360 Media presents The Bridge, a podcast hosted by Alex Titus, Ben Bowman, & Reagan Knopp.