The Political Notebook

The teacher says yes, the pundit has his doubts. Also: Will the court strike down some of the state ballot initiatives? How much can be squeezed into a 100-word summary?

Does McSally have anything to fear from McCarthy? Will lack of competition leave Mark Kelly unprepared?

Do Republicans have to stick with Trump through the 2020 election? What effect will coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter movement have?

Forrest Radarian joins the podcast to talk about the possibility of returning to the classroom in the fall, Arizona state standards, testing, and how we should re-orient the goals of public education. Forrest is a high school science teacher with over ten years of experience in Arizona public schools.

Does the state legislature need to return this year, and if so, what do they need to accomplish under the circumstances? How will the pandemic affect the outcome of legislative races heading into 2020?

Also discussed: the Phoenix Suns of the '90s.

Given the uncertain pandemic conditions ahead of the November election, should states shift to all mail-in voting? Should legislatures be voting electronically? Will Arizona allow ballot initiatives to collect signatures online?

Will the economic stimulus bill make a significant difference for workers and businesses? What else could we do? Can the economy bounce back after the curve starts to fall?

What if anything will indicate that it's safe to resume normal interactions and economic activity? What will be the political consequences of Covid-19 and the response?

Also: Why Jordan is the GOAT

Sean McCarthy from the Arizona Tax Research Association joins the podcast to break down some issues related to Arizona school finance. We talk about the funding formula and school choice, as well as emerging trends like declining district enrollment numbers and the rising cost of the state's retirement system.

Are Sanders and Trump two sides of the same populist coin? What would be the down ballot effect in Arizona of a Sanders nomination?

Also: The most important bill before the Arizona state legislature.