I Hate Politics Podcast

We are breaking down key policy areas and legislation now that the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session has ended. First up, healthcare, which saw a new standalone committee this year. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the new Health Committee Chair Heather Bagnall from Anne Arundel County to chair the Health Committee. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

The 2026 session of the Maryland General Assembly ended yesterday. The Governor got 2 out of his 3 housing bills. The Special Elections bill rose and then fell again. A bill sought to address AI-led grocery store pricing. Delegate Pam Queen explains. In Montgomery County, the Council staff breaks down the County Executive's budget including tax proposals. And is MCPS looking to make a big push for public-private partnerships to accelerate school construction? And more. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

Guest host Tula Dasgupta of Rockville High School interviews Northwood High School sophomore Leul Dawit, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education for 2026-27. The SMOB is one of eight on the county school board, nearly co-equal with other generally elected members, but voted in by MCPS secondary school students only. Music for this episode comes from Bach Street Boys: Jerome Amon, Cello. Aayush Banerjee, Violin. Malachi Winder, Piano. Dawit Insta: @Leul4smob.

Double-header: Reemey Ghermay for MCPS SMOB (2026-04-10) Guest host Tula Dasgupta of Rockville High School interviews Walter Johnson High School junior Reemey Ghermay, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education for 2026-27. The SMOB is one of eight on the county school board, nearly co-equal with other generally elected members, but voted in by MCPS secondary school students only. Music for this episode comes from Bach Street Boys: Jerome Amon, Cello. Aayush Banerjee, Violin. Malachi Winder, Piano. Ghermay Insta: @reemey4smob.

Maryland House passes Good Cause Eviction for the second time Bill sponsor Jheanelle Wilkins is hoping the Senate will finally pass it this year.  MD Senator Cheryl Kagan joins to discuss the Special Elections Bill. MCPS families receive emails from a class action settlement in Illinois involving the platform Naviance which is widely used in the school district. What is going on?  Online privacy attorney Joel Schwarz clarifies. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

Maryland Governor Moore is betting on lighthouse industries, biotech and quantum computing, to bring economic growth to the state, but how and why innovation works at the state level is contested territory. There are a ton of books and articles on the subject, but no consensus. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Cambridge University political economist James D.G. Wood, whose new book, States of Innovation: Driving the American Economy in the 21st Century (https://a.co/d/04HheIVO), examines how four states Maine, Michigan, California, and Texas incubated tech innovation economies. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

Last week the Montgomery County Board of Education approved a plan for secondary regional programs that will split the county into six mini-districts and a proposal to move Wootton High School from Rockville to Gaithersburg. In Annapolis, MD Senate and House face off over a special election bill and a thwarted Congressional redistricting. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

After Crossover Day in the Maryland General Assembly, the last day bills need to be passed by one chamber and moved to the other for regular consideration, Sunil Dasgupta talked with Delegate Marc Korman about what bills made the cut and what they mean. Music by Seth Kibel.

Montgomery County Board of Education to vote this week on  regional programs to reorganize the school district into six mini-districts. We have a report from John F. Kennedy High School in east county. What is prevailing wage and why does it matter for school construction? Frederick County data center opponents report they have enough signatures for a ballot question to shrink the land area allowed for data center construction. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

The dire budget situation in Maryland and seeming mismanagement at the agency has put the crosshairs on the state's Developmental Disabilities Administration, DDA, which supports about 20,000 Marylanders with everyday assistance like employment, at-home assistance to round the clock 1-on-1 help. Sunil Dasgupta spoke with Greg Snyder, vice-president of the Maryland Association of Community Services, about the cuts and their impact. Music by Seth Kibel.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich proposes tax and user fee hikes in his 2026-27 budget. We have the details. Pepco and Washington Gas rates are about to go up again. David Lapp, Maryland's utility consumer advocate, breaks it down. Baltimore County Delegate Sheila Ruth has proposed a bill to remove the 18-month provisional driver's license period for new drivers above the age of 18. Why? And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

The January 2026 snowstorm closed MCPS for 5 consecutive days. The school district is seeking new state law to exempt itself from the 180-day school year requirement. The move has broad support from local elected officials. But one voice of an MCPS parent and PTA activist stands out. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Evelyn Chung who says letting MCPS off the hook for the lost days defeats the school district's primary education mission, especially when the school district put itself in this position with poor decisions. Music by Seth Kibel.

An accidental revelation outs Amazon Web Services as the company behind a Calvert County datacenter NDA and residents are upset. In Frederick County, data center opponents are collecting signatures for a ballot referendum. Montgomery County rejects proposal for a data center task force. MCPS is piloting AI-based security camera monitoring in three high schools. Have you noticed the increased street garbage after the Snowcrete melt? We have a trash report from Washington DC. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

Gino Renne is the longtime president of UFCW 1994 MCGEO, the county government employees union. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Gino Renne about the county's politics, history, the role of unions, and the challenges of economic development and rent stabilization. Music by Seth Kibel.

OPM is shuttering the CFC website. Data center wars heat up over new proposal for old coal power plant in Dickerson in Montgomery County MD. CCAN's Mike Tidwell spoke to the developer, Atmosphere. In West Virginia, state officials welcome an even bigger data center. WV Delegate Evan Hansen with what is known. As ICE appears to move its equipment fleet to Maryland, state Delegate Vaughn Stewart explains two bills that seek to curtail ICE jails. PTA leader Dan Silva of the Magruder High School Cluster on organizing families to push for Magruder's facility needs. And more. Music By A Shrewdness of Apes.

Sunil Dasgupta talks with UMBC Media Studies Professor Jason Loviglio about his new book, Empathy Machines: This American Life, Podcasting, and the Public Radio Structure of Feeling, about the sociology of public radio aesthetics and the podcasting that emanated from it, as well as the political economy of a medium that burst through the American consciousness and now searching for its evolution. Music by Seth Kibel.

President Trump and Gov Wes Moore spar over jurisdiction at the sewage spill site. Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network with an update. What's happening with the housing agenda in the Maryland General Assembly? Maryland Association of Counties' Michael Sanderson explains. Montgomery County Board of Education takes the first step closing down the school district only and months-old charter school. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.  

In 2019, Maryland became the first state in the nation to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. After years of preparatory work, the agency is poised to take its first actions on two blockbuster diabetes drugs, Jardiance and Farxiga, and a year later, the Board can expand its price control mechanism to the private insurance market. Will they clear the thicket of dysfunction in the drug marketplace and help lower actual drug costs? Sunil Dasgupta talks with Andrew York, Executive Director Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

The Wootton High School shooting revives calls to bring SROs back to MCPS schools. MontgomeryCounty Councilmember Dawn Luedtke on why. Magruder High School in Derwood often gets overlooked in MCPS planning. PTSA President Kim Glassman wants answers. The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee can now for the first time become involved in non-partisan Board of Education races. Chair Pam Luckett explains when. College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir on city efforts to protect its student renters. And more. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

From Walkersville, MD, a purple town of 7,000 on Route 15, which connects Frederick, MD, to Gettysburg, PA, a tale of political education. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Town Commissioner Chris Ragen, a self-professed conservative, about his efforts to increase public participation in a decision that could have changed the town's police force and saved money. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

MCPS proposes to move Wootton High School from Rockville to Gaithersburg and causes uproar in the community. The Montgomery County Council oversight hearing on the failure of snow response comes down to coordination and communication. We read between the lines. Howard County, MD, becomes the first in the state council to revoke a building permit in Elkridge for an ICE jail. And more. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

A new book, Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th, by Associated Press Congressional Reporter Mary Clare Jalonick, captures first-hand descriptions of the day of the biggest attack on the United States Capitol since 1814. Jalonick, who was trapped in the press gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives, says she wanted to create a definitive record of the day because there is now, following Trump's return to power, there is a risk of erasure of what really happened. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

How do other jurisdictions and past snow events compare to Snowcrete 2026? Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson weighs in prior to oversight hearings. Leaders from Republican-leaning jurisdictions oppose the 287g ICE agreement ban because they say the arrangement preempts ICE violence. MD Delegate Vaughn Stewart explores legislative ideas to limit ICE presence after the federal agency buys two warehouses in the state to serve as detention centers. In Prince Geroge's County, a Chinese Immersion Program in a Title 1 school in College Park is being cut as part of budget woes. And more. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

Montgomery County Public Schools, which had banned AI in classrooms in 2023, now has a draft new AI policy document out for public comment. Sunil Dasgupta talks with MCPS parent, Ed tech expert, and Stoneridge School of the Scared Heart teacher Jaime Chao Mignano to break down the document and the big AI questions that are predicted to upend education itself. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.

The snow emergency has captured attention; hundreds of millions of raw sewage has spilled into the Potomac River from a pipe break under the American Legion Bridge, which joins Maryland and Virginia. DC Water, which runs the pipe, is working on it, but no local jurisdiction has issued a health advisory. Maryland Governor Wes Moore presented the last budget of his first term. We have takeaways. Montgomery County Board of Education has been considering a written policy on the use of AI in classrooms. We break it down. And more. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman band, and Marian Andersen.  

Data center demand for power is causing electricity bills to rise dramatically. The regional grid operator for the 13-state electricity market, PJM Interconnection, is under bipartisan pressure to address affordability. Meanwhile new 2026 property tax assessment notices show variation in assessed values of similar homes. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Abe Silverman, electricity lawyer at Johns Hopkins University, about electricity markets, and with Bob Yeager, Director of Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, and Adam Lewis, Supervisor in the Real property Division about how homes are evaluated for tax purposes. Music by Kara Levchenko.

MD's new House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk on the new era and its challenges. The state's  ER wait times problem. ICE action in Democratic jurisdictions leads Montgomery County, MD, to codify a 2019 immigrant protection executive order into law, says council president Natali Fani Gonzalez. A crisis call gone wrong leads to a call for police protection for mental health response. Music by Kara Levchenko.

In 2025, Governor Wes Moore's housing bills were defeated in the General Assembly, in part due to the efforts of the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), which represents the state's 23 counties and Baltimore City. Will the state's counties be more supportive of the Governor's housing bills this year? Sunil Dasgupta talks with MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson about housing and related questions. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Renee Good's killing in Minneapolis sparks local protests. Delegates David Moon and Adrian Boafo propose new laws to deter ICE abuse of force. Governor Moore presents new spending ideas after promising no new taxes. Pay raise proposed for Montgomery County school board. A John Harbaugh retrospective and what's next at the Baltimore Ravens. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Maryland is projecting a $1.4 billion budget shortfall, the state is under federal retrenchment, and elections are this year. Sunil Dasgupta talks with two of the most powerful leaders in the state assembly, Brian Feldman, chair of the Education, Energy, and Environment Committee in the Senate, and Marc Korman, chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee in the House of Delegates, about how they see the session ahead. Music by Kara Levchenko.

In a departure from our usual worm's eye view of the world, Sunil Dasgupta talks with Cato Institute Senior Fellow Walter Olson about the extraordinary rendition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to the United States on still shifting rationales that include oil, drug trafficking, and the changing nature of extraterritoriality of US law. Music by Kara Levchenko.

In this third installment of the Chocolate City Mixtape, Markus Batchelor talks with activist and award-winning filmmaker Merawi Gerima about his film Residue, a deeply personal reflection on his deep roots in Washington, D.C., the impact of gentrification on the community, the importance of D.C. is a broader fight for representation and freedom, and the role of art in social change.   Timestamps 01:00 Roots of Activism in Chocolate City 06:15 The Impact of Gentrification on Community 08:33 Creating Residue: A Personal Journey 15:14 Activism Beyond Art: A Call to Action 19:40 Rapid Fire: The Chocolate City Mixtape 22:44 End Credits

Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association is defending its right to receive county emergency transportation funds after an IG report says they are not eligible. Rockville Councilmember Adam Van Grack and Gaithersburg Councilmember Yamil Hernandez face off over the Wootton High School solution. National Park Service has RFP out for redeveloping nearly 40 acres of Rock Creek Park to expand Carter Barron tennis complex. And  more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

In the second installment of the Chocolate City Mixtape, Markus Batchelor talks with UMBC Professor G. Derek Musgrove and the co-author of  Chocolate City, A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital to explore the history of Black culture and grassroots activism in shaping Washington DC's identity, the impact of congressional governance on local autonomy, and the ongoing struggles for representation and home rule.   Timestamps 00:00 Welcome / Intro 01:45 The Inspiration Behind 'Chocolate City' Book 03:19 Race, Democracy, and Political Empowerment in D.C. 05:32 The Historical Context of Race in D.C. 10:00 Fears and Hopes for D.C.'s Future 15:13 Lessons from History: Grassroots Movements in D.C. 19:50 The Fight for Home Rule in D.C. 21:44 Grassroots Movements and Political Advocacy 23:03 Reflections on the Black Power Resurgence 25:28 Mobilizing for Change in Today's Political Climate 27:04 Call to Action: Engaging with Local Organizations 28:39 Fun and Personal Reflections on D.C. 31:19 Final Thoughts and Take-Aways

Maryland House of Delegates elects a new speaker and overrides 19 governor vetoes. PJM, the regional electric grid operator which includes MD, VA, and DC, holds a capacity auction that predicts sharp increases in rates but is held in check by a price cap. Frederick County Council considers whether to approve an expanded area for data center building near Adamstown. Damascus and Wootton High School communities contest who will get a new building first. Montgomery County Public Schools announced its new operating budget, but we are still stuck And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

In this first episode of a new I Hate Politics series called Chocolate City Mixtape, Markus Batchelor talks with Arrington Dixon, a pivotal figure in the march to home rule in Washington DC. With DC's self-government now contested by the federal administration, Dixon reflects on the challenges of creating a new government, the legacy of that activism, and the future of self-determination in the city.    Timestamps  00:00 Introduction to Civic Engagement and Personal History  04:21 The Role of Community Institutions in Civic Life  07:14 The Fight for Home Rule and Political Activism  07:41 Establishing a New Government: Challenges and Triumphs  14:56 Legislative Challenges and Innovations  16:40 Navigating Early Governance and Oversight  18:35 Modernizing Government through Technology  21:45 Statehood Efforts and Civic Engagement  22:20 Continuing the work through the Anacostia Coordinating Council  24:21 Legacy and Community Impact

Governor Moore calls a special legislative session to install a new speaker. The session will consider veto overrides but not redistricting. UMBC Maryland issues poll results show a clear message on what's on the minds of residents. A new affordable housing project in Montgomery County, Md, provides 98 units for $55 million. How to advocate to MCPS. The county tries to build sidewalks in the Takoma-Langley area but stranger danger is brought up. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

What's Wrong with Petitioning Your Local Government (2025-12-12) The right to petition your government is constitutionally protected and, as a part of the right to free speech, sacred in a democracy. But public input must be structured correctly to be effective. In two separate interviews, Sunil Dasgupta talks with former Montgomery County, Md, Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson, and parent activist Rebekah Kuschmider, about public input in development and education politics. Music by Kara Levchenko.

MCPS faces criticism for wrong calls and "gaslighting" over snow closure calls last week. Can this be done better? MCPS has announced adjustments to its ongoing boundary and program change proposals. The teacher's union announces Apple Ballot recommendations for next year's elections much earlier than the past. Montgomery County Council staff is now projecting declining revenues from property and income taxes. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

No other state in the US has Maryland's system of paying for hospital services despite its 50-year existence and the extra $2bn a year it brought. A new agreement between the state and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ends the preferential arrangement in 2027. Sunil Dasgupta asks Delegate Bonnie Cullison, Vice-Chair of the Maryland House Health and Government Operations Committee, and Jon Kromm, executive director of the Health Services Cost Review Commission, the state's hospital cost regulatory body, what to expect. Music by Kara Levchenko.

New state laws and lawsuits force gunmaker Glock to redesign popular pistol to prevent easy conversion from semi-automatic to fully-automatic. Maryland public health officials worry about low flu vaccine uptake. Gov. Wes Moore announces a rental assistance program for families of students who go to community schools. The Combined Federal Campaign has paused charity registration for next year. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Feeling disoriented after the 2024 election, suburban Maryland couple Christina and Adam Bobrow have hosted a weekly dinner for their neighbors and friends for most of 2025. Not a potluck. No RSVP. Just show up. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Bobrows about how to do it sustainably and what lessons they learned in community-building. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Maryland's non-partisan Department of Legislative Services provides a bleak fiscal outlook, but two months ago the Board of Revenue Estimates reported high tax collections for last year. What's with the prediction swings? PJM membership votes down all 12 proposals on new data center connection rules. Prince George's County ends a 27-year old ban on the pit bulls in the county. The intersection of pitbull bans with race and class politics. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Two interviews demonstrate the political problem of expectation-setting. Sunil Dasgupta talks to Byron Johns of the Montgomery County, Md, NAACP Parents Council, and the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence, about MCPS' proposal for six new programmatic regions and 30 magnet and special programs. And to Christine Condon, environment reporter for Maryland Matters, about the renewal draft of the interstate Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Who is MD Gov Moore targeting with his new political slate? The legality of creating an 8-0 Democratic advantage in the Congressional District map in Maryland. Regional grid operator members vote on new rules for adding. Half of NIH institutes have short two-week director searches open. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

Two interviews that speak to what happens when the Abundance agenda meets local politics. Yesim Sayin of DC Policy Center on creating a research and advocacy ecosystem to push state-level policy to enable more housing construction. Their report: https://t.ly/jhuaF. And Declan Cullen of George Washington University on how cities deal with tech disrupters like Uber and self-driving car companies Waymo, and Zoox. Music by Kara Levchenko.

MD Attorney General Brown has filed or is participating in over 100 lawsuits maintained against the Trump Administration. State Senate President Ferguson under pressure to allow mid-term redistricting, but is it feasible? MCPS issues  detailed FAQ on Immigration Response Protocol. As Silver Spring International Middle School moves toward closing, teachers and staff feel dislocated. Washington County Humane Society is offering a $10,000 reward for information on the cat-killer of Boonsboro. And more. Music by Kara Levchenko.

On August 25, 2022, Sarah Langenkamp, 42, a diplomat and mother, was struck and killed by a driver on River Road in Bethesda, MD, while she was riding her bike. In the three years since, her husband, Dan, has devoted much of his life to improving road safety especially for bicyclists and pedestrians. With the fourth annual bike ride in Sarah's memory coming up November 16 (rideforyourlife.org), Dan Langenkamp reflects on the challenges of fighting the car brain. Music by Kara Levchenko.

The cities of Gaithersburg and College Park vote today.  After days of persuasion, MD Gov Moore approves $62 million in state funds to make up for the SNAP shortfall. District 16 Delegate Marc Korman on how MDOT uses a road design manual to say no. Prince George's County Planning Board does not have enough members to constitute a quorum. MCPS faces continued resistance against planned programming changes. Music by Dear Daria.

MCPS' plans to expand magnet education and change school boundaries potentially turns the nation's 14th largest school system toward becoming six mini-districts. Sunil Dasgupta talks with MCPS officials leading the program changes, Jeannie Franklin and Angela McLane, about their plans, the challenges, and the possible consequences of the reorganization. Music by Seth Kibel and Flo Anito.

Maryland cuts off SNAP funding without federal reassurances of reimbursements; state eliminates 502 jobs to save $27m. Protests gather steam against deportation flight company Avelo Airlines, Silver Spring demolition firm ACECO, and Maryland Israel Development Center, a state investment agency. Montgomery County Planning Staff report survey results on why developers with preliminary approvals are not building. With MCPS wanting to repurpose the new Crown High School building, competing petitions. A young, refugee, immigrant county council candidate proposes a cricket fundraiser. Music by Dear Daria.