I Hate Politics Podcast

Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart explains final budget tradeoffs as vote arrives this week. New data analysis shows a disproportionate increase in staff positions in the county and in the school district. A survey of regional homelessness shows little change except in Montgomery County. The National Park Service proposes ending the morning and afternoon reversible lanes on Rock Creek Parkway. In small town Maryland, New Market and Woodsboro, stories of political contestation. And more. Music by Arlington-based experimental music composer Pierre Bernasconi.

There is a long tradition in political philosophy where democracy and transparency are equated. A new article in the Policy Studies Journal, by UMBC colleagues UMBC's Eric Stokan, Ian Anson, University of Texas Austin's Nathan Jensen studied the impact of government transparency on Amazon's search for its second headquarters to find surprising conclusions: https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.70016. Sunil Dasgupta talks with lead author Eric Stokan. Music by Frederick, MD,- based country-folk singer-songwriter Susanna Laird.

Washington DC releases its 2025 homeless count, with significant improvement. Trump wants beautification, but where do the unhoused go? Mayor Muriel Bowser steps into the tipped wage debate again. MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor lays out the school district's problems. With some talk of Larry Hogan running again for Maryland governor, Delegate Marc Korman talks about the new law changing conflict rules for Maryland governors that will affect Hogan if he returns. And more. Music by Arlington-based experimental music composer Pierre Bernasconi. 

With Montgomery County, MD, in the throes of budget season, Sunil Dasgupta talks with the county's Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno about how the budget balance taxation and services. Music by Frederick, MD,- based country-folk singer-songwriter Susanna Laird.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: And more. As the DC government considers a $1 billion investment in a new football stadium, Lora Nunn of Kingman Park in DC talks about what the project means to the stadium's neighbors. Brookeville, MD, community objects to a new drug treatment center, they choose anonymity. Montgomery County Council approves pay raises and collective bargaining agreements but has angst about tax increases. And more. Music by Arlington-based experimental music composer Pierre Bernasconi.

Local journalist and author Miranda Spivack has a new book out, Backroom Deals in Our Backyard: How Government Secrecy Harms Our Communities and the Local Heroes Fighting Back. Sunil Dasgupta talks to Spivack about the book, why transparency has been a persistent problem in government, and how the public can fight back. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan! 

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Washington DC loses its AAA bond-rating. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is withdrawing proposed property tax increase and will instead propose raising county income tax. The Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board is Maryland is redefining school poverty such that Montgomery and Caroll counties are seeing increases and Baltimore City is seeing decrease. One stairway reduces building costs but also reduces the margin of error on safety. The National Fire Prevention Association is thinking about the balance. The bizarre story of the murder of half a million bees in Stafford, Va. And more. Music by Seth Kibel and Friends.

Two years ago climate activists Tim Martin and Joanna Smith poured red and black paint on the enclosure and pedestal of a famous Degas statue, The Little Dancer, in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Martin and Smith were a part of a group called Declare Emergency, which engages in disruptive protests to compel urgent climate action. Sunil Dasgupta talked with Tim Martin as his trial in DC courts finally began this month, April 2025. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: SCOTUS hears Montgomery County, MD, LGBTQ books opt-out case. Can public education be apolitical? MoCo Executive Marc Elrich vetoes a tax rebate bill for office to apartment conversions. MD Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld responds to NTSB criticism that the state did not evaluate the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or the Key Bridge in Baltimore for strength. DC tries to maneuver around Congressional budget constraints. A new climate cost report from MD Comptroller Brooke Lierman on Earth Day. And more. Music by Seth Kibel and Friends.

Following the end of the Maryland General Assembly 2025 session, House of Delegates Majority Leader David Moon and Maryland Association of Counties Executive Director Michael Sanderson join Sunil Dasgupta to talk about what transpired but the conversation opened the question whether tight budgets will bring deregulation in housing, energy, and occupations. Official legislative record called the 90-day report: https://t.ly/IOp3C. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Montgomery County offers $3 million to help restart White's Ferry connecting Maryland and Virginia. Sandy Spring Friends School closes due to financial trouble. MCPS wants to tighten grading policy after almost 20 years of growing leniency. Ike Leggett says that Blueprint education funding remains on track despite the budget crisis. Washington DC inaugurated a new full-service hospital east of the Potomac River.  And planting recommendations from the Washington Gardener Kathy Jentz. Music by Seth Kibel and Friends.

The Mecca Business Learning Institute is Montgomery County, Maryland,'s second officially-approved public charter school project and expected to open its doors for the Fall 2025 school year. The school is reporting strong interest from families but as of a few weeks ago the school building was not ready, staff had not been hired, negotiations with the teachers and staff unions incomplete, and finances overly dependent on the county disbursements. Montgomery has long resisted public charter schools even as Washington DC, Prince George's County, and Baltimore have embraced the idea. Sunil Dasgupta talked with founders LaChaundra Graham and Tracey Cooper about their model and the prospects for opening on time for the next school year. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan! School Website: https://www.mbli-md.org/

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Locals join nationwide Hands Off Rally against the Trump presidency. Congressman Jamie Raskin channels Winston Churchill at the protest. MD General Assembly ends the 2025 session with budget, energy reform, education bills, and more. MCPS launches boundary study potentially affecting the entire county. Poll shows Marylanders want countywide voting centers, but what are the tradeoffs with neighborhood polling places? Washington DC tries to limit open meeting law. Music from the Hands Off Rally protests.

Guest Host Lorena Treviño of Walter Johnson High School talks with NorthwestHigh School junior Peter Boyko, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2025-26. 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 Adam Bobrow. Suvarna Insta: @peterforsmob.

Guest Host Lorena Treviño of Walter Johnson High School talks with Montgomery Blair High School junior Anuva Maloo, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2025-26. 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 Adam Bobrow. Suvarna Insta: @anuva4smob

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland House of Delegates passes the 2026 budget amidst pushback and now the state Senate debates. Maryland reconsiders how local police interact with ICE. Delaware pushes through new law to restore its reputation as the corporate registration capital of the US. Also from Delaware, why Senator Stephanie Hansen is upset with Ocean City, Maryland? And more. Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

Two new books by local authors Paula Whyman's Bad Naturalist (https://t.ly/Oj2C7) and Mike Tidwell's The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue (https://t.ly/pnJc-) grapple with the challenges and hopes of conservation and climate action. Sunil Dasgupta talks with climate activist and Takoma Park resident Tidwell and fiction-author-turned conservationist Whyman, a longtime Bethesda resident, about their approaches to saving the world. Books at Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: MD Sen Brian Feldman on bills to lower rising energy costs. Will the state legislature move a bill to allow state university faculty to unionize? The NTSB the Key Bridge in Baltimore was not evaluated to adequate strength standards before it was hit and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge still has not been assessed. In New Market, MD, an effort to term-limit the long serving mayor fizzles out. The four-day Sprung Comedy festival opens in Silver Spring, Mar 26-29: improbablecomedy.com/sprung. Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

After 10 Democratic Senators including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted with Republicans to pass the Continuing Resolution to keep the government from shutting down, Democratic anger exploded. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Democratic political consultant and VP of Red Horse Strategies Michelle Ngwafon about the problem of Democrats unable to meet the moment. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland, Virginia, and DC find themselves in different places with their budget and economic woes. Developers ask for deregulation to bring construction activity back to the city. Montgomery County releases 2026 budget proposal that includes property tax and fee hikes. In New Market, MD, the town council passes mayoral term limits in an explosive meeting where opponents say the council violated charter amendment process. Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

Following a series of widely-reported safety incidents and community demand, a 2024 safety audit of the John F. Kennedy High School in the Aspen Hill area of Montgomery County, MD, recommended $400,000 worth of fixes. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Kennedy HS PTSA President Ricky Ribeiro about where things stand, what he hopes will happen, and where the holdup might be. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

Local area Democrats protest cuts to National Institutes of Health. Does OPM's revised guidance on firing probationary federal employees reveal cracks in the Trump Administration? Montgomery County State's Attorney reassures residents that ICE enforcement in Maryland is limited. Charles Koiner Conservancy's urban farm at Loiderman Middle School offers a new path to farming education and community engagement. Prince George's County State's Attorney likely to be the new county executive. Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

In 2023, Maryland set up a commission to expand apprenticeships in the state and the commission released its interim report in February 2025: https://t.ly/cUrf1. Commission chair Jacob Hsu, a Baltimore technology entrepreneur, and member Jim Rosapepe, state senator from College Park, home of the University of Maryland, joined Sunil Dasgupta to talk about the report, the tradeoffs between internships, and apprenticeships, and the failures of higher education to meet the labor market. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland and Virginia ask laid off federal workers to seek state jobs. Will former federal employees sign up to be public school teachers where staff shortage is acute? The Maryland State Department of Education proposes an overhaul of the high school math curriculum. Could it impact parent-favorite accelerated math instruction in elementary school? Illegal dumping in DC and Prince George's County remains a problem. How to “buy” renewable energy without putting rooftop solar or depending on retail energy suppliers? Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

Since Washington DC area jurisdictions began banning plastic straws and taxing plastic bags, trash traps have seen dramatically fewer bags and straws. What are the next steps in fighting plastic pollution? Sunil Dasgupta talks with Trey Sherard of Anacostia Riverkeeper, the nonprofit that works to clean up the river and its tributaries flowing through Montgomery and Prince George's Counties and on the east side of Washington DC. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: President Trump mulls executive order asserting greater federal control over DC. Under a new law, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb sues three Maryland drivers with over $90,000 in tickets. MD Senator Jeff Waldstreicher on his bill on camera enforcement of texting while driving. Vermonter Bob Atchinson goes to the Supreme Court. And the bizarre case of World War 1 chemical weapons debris in a Northeast DC neighborhood. More at https://t.ly/xiMrg. Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin.

With rising electricity rates and the Maryland General Assembly considering over 50 energy-related bills, Sunil Dasgupta talks with Jason Stanek, the executive director of PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission operator for 14 states including Maryland and DC, and the body responsible for managing the electricity market. Stanek was previously chair of the state's Public Service Commission. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Protests continue in Washington DC and across the country against the Trump administration. The state of Maryland and its suburban counties most affected by the possibility of mass federal layoffs gear up to help those losing jobs. Montgomery County passes a law banning retail plastic bags in 2026. DC'sHoward University becomes first HBCU to get Research 1 status. What a guilty plea in a series of  robberies in a DC Walgreens says about retail theft. And more. Music from “No Kings” protests on the National Mall.

Whether it is news or music, algorithms run by streaming platforms deliver us content and it gets stale and dangerous. For this Valentine's Day episode, Sunil Dasgupta talks with Poolesville, MD, resident Kevin Schramm about how he finds music regularly. Sampled music from: Stella, Magdalena Bay, Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, Beverly Glenn Copeland, Nourished by Time, Parannoul, Lexa Gates, William Onyeabor.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland Governor Wes Moore gives his 2025 state of the state address. House Minority Leader Delegate Jason Buckel offers Republican response. Prince George's County Budget Director Stanley Earley on the impact of the state budget on counties. New UMD-Washington Post poll on Moore's favorability. And more. 1920s music by the Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

Urban and transit planner, data analyst, app-maker, and recently former USDOT official David Schneider created the concept of an 18-hour neighborhood to measure the vibrancy of urban life using retail around transit stations. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Schneider about his methodology, how he applied it to the Washington DC region, and the implications of his research. At dmvtransittourism.com. Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan!

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: As the Trump Administration moves to fulfill the new president's campaign promises, fear and loathing spreads in the Washington DC region. State and local governments run business as usual as they wait. Internal consolidation may be the best preparation but housing shows how difficult it is to find consensus. Bills to stop rent collusion among landlords using digital platforms, prevent district court commissioners from issuing peace orders and warrants, and limit cell phone use in classrooms. 1920s music by the Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

Bethesda Magazine and its news website Bethesda Today refocus on their core market as a new federal administration seeks to remake the Washington DC metropolitan area. Sunil Dasgupta talks with publisher Jennifer Farkas and editor Jule Rasicot about the road ahead for local journalism in Bethesda and Montgomery County, MD. Newly in public domain music by Clara Smith and The Troubadours.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: The regional power transmission organization covering New Jersey to Illinois goes to Annapolis and finds upset legislators. Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services can't seem to spend the money it has to improve service. A state program to give renters on the verge of eviction legal assistance seems to have worked. City of Rockville eases height restrictions and eliminates some off-street parking requirements in the Town Center. Stay with us. Newly in public domain music from the 1920s: The Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

Facing a fiscal crisis, MD Governor Wes Moore has proposed $2 billion dollars in spending cuts in his 2025 budget proposal (as well as taxes and fees). What does that $2 billion look like to legislators beginning to hear from constituents and advocates? Sunil Dasgupta asks Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon and the Appropriations Committee member Emily Shetty to break down the cuts and put them into perspective. Newly in public domain music by Clara Smith and The Troubadours.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th president of the US amidst fears in blue states like Maryland where hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors live and work. Maryland Governor Wes Moore presents a balanced budget for 2025 with $1.4 bn in cuts, $1.3 bn new revenue, and $800 m in transfers from savings. Newly in public domain music from the 1920s: The Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

MCPS Student Takeover: Lorena Treviño of Walter Johnson High School talks with Leila Khademian and Teemo Taiwo, co-presidents of Wootton High School's Black Student Union, about continuing racist incidents and adult failures in one of the academically best-performing high schools in Montgomery County, MD. Newly in public domain music by Nacio Herb Brown and the Carl Fenton band.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando makes a big political play on housing policy. State could cut 5 percent from the University System of Maryland budget. The Town of Cheverly in Prince George's County files lawsuits against the neighboring Bladensburg for trying to annex land on which a big development project is planned. Newly in public domain music from the 1920s: The Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

The state of Maryland is looking down a deep fiscal hole as the 2025 General Assembly session begins. Sunil Dasgupta asks state Senate leaders, Brian Feldman, chair of the Education, Energy, and Environment Committee, and Jim Rosapepe, vice-chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee, for their solutions. Newly in public domain music by Nacio Herb Brown and the Carl Fenton band.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Pepco raises rates in DC and MD. How much salt should you use to melt snow on your driveway? Indian-Americans dominate special elections in Loudoun COunty, VA. MD Senator Brian Feldman says a new special elections law is possible in the 2025 state assembly session. MD Delegate Heather Bagnall proposes a statehouse joint resolution to exonerate witches from the colonial past. Newly in public domain music from the 1920s: The Benson Orchestra of Chicago, the Paul Whiteman band, Carl Fenton, and Jan Garber.

The Maryland General Assembly starts its 2025 session on January 8 looking down a deep fiscal hole. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Majority Leader David Moon and Environment and Transportation Committee Chair Marc Korman about how the House of Delegates is thinning about the budget crisis. Newly in public domain music by George Gershwin and Nacio Herb Brown.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland's statewide aggregate property value estimated to increase 20%. State's Climate Subcabinet issues report but fiscal constraints remain. 2024 road safety update and Delegate Julie Palakovich-Carr takes on modified exhaust noise. And more every week. Music by Sting Pain Index.

With news that wholesale prices of electricity are going to rise sharply next year, there is increasing concern about the regional transmission organization called PJM, which covers 13 states from New Jersey to Illinois. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Maryland Delegate Lorig Charkoudian and West Virginia Delegate Evan Hansen about how they see the problem and are working together. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n' roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) launches a pilot to make it easier for tens of thousands of small nonprofits to join the CFC charities list. Montgomery County Public Schools released its budget proposal, with an ask of an extra $300 million and a new bill proposes to raise Board of Education member salaries to $124,000 Music by Sting Pain Index.

Holiday Weekend Special with local music featured on the podcast. Artists and bands in order of appearance: Cataclizm, Oren Levine, Dear Daria, Apollo 66, Sting pain Index, Myster Treefrog, 7 Door Sedan, Jim Kennedy, and Doogie Whittaker. Links at ihppod.org.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: DC area towns Bladensburg and Cheverly fight over annexing a site ready for redevelopment. George Washington University Hospital narrowly avoids a medical resident strike. Silver Spring United Methodist Church unveils plans to build affordable housing on church grounds. A racist incident shakes Wootton High School. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

Housing lobbyist Tom Coale and housing researcher Salim Furth argue that reducing public comment on by-right development projects, standardizing environmental waivers, early vesting of development entitlement, and other permitting reforms can jumpstart housing supply and mitigate the housing shortage in Maryland. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Coale and Furth about their recent paper on the subject https://t.ly/gaveq. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n' roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Prince George's County Executive hopeful position themselves. Montgomery County Council considers a formal resolution to block its president from running for higher office. Impact tax reduction vetoed; County Executive wants new tax. 2-acre brush fires in Rock Creek. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

December begins the budget politics season. School districts announce their proposals and local and state leaders begin to think about their own numbers. This year, Maryland is looking ahead to a structural budget deficit in part because of its ambition on a new education funding law called the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Maryland State Education Association's leaders Paul Lemle and Nikki Woodward about the Blueprint's progress and prospects. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n' roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: The Archdiocese of Baltimore embarks on a major reorganization plan that will close 31 parishes. MD Gov Moore joins county leaders to question a power transmission project that will feed data centers in Virginia. Police staffing woes continue for Montgomery County, MD, among other jurisdictions. And a recruitment scandal in a Fairfax, VA, high school football program. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

For this Thanksgiving week episode, Sunil Dasgupta talks with young activist and Kennedy High School junior Richa Tripathi, who is now the president of the youth wing of the local advocacy group MoCo Pride. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n' roll band 7 Door Sedan.