Inside Politics - NewsChannel 5 Plus Nashville

NewsChannel 5+ Nashville

Inside Politics is a weekly, half-hour show televised by NewsChannel 5+ in Nashville, Tennessee. It premieres on Fridays at 7PM Central Time (Comcast Channel 250, Charter 182). This audio-only format of the show is identical to what is televised and is available anywhere you get your podcasts so you can listen outside of the viewing area or available for download in case you miss the televised broadcast.  The show features numerous high-profile guests as well as historical and political subject matter experts including professors from Vanderbilt University, reporters from other Nashville news outlets, and household name politicians like Representative Jim Cooper, former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Congressman John Rose, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and more.  Pat Nolan serves as the show's host. Pat has worked as a political analyst and reporter in and around Nashville for almost fifty years. He has worked in television, radio, and for the Office of the Mayor in Nashville. He has covered breaking news stories, live election updates, and for many years served as announcer for Nashville Metro Council meetings. 

  1. 16 HRS AGO

    City of Nashville and State of Tennessee Friction

    Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell reflects on his first-term accomplishments, delivering tangible results for residents, and the challenges he aims to tackle if elected to a second term. He cites the strain on resources during the NES response to the recent ice storm, saying changes are needed: “I am encouraged by what I’m seeing, but I think there’s still some ways to go to fully restore public confidence. We are trying to be good and responsible partners (with NES)—and good partners hold one another accountable.” O’Connell also expresses concern over pre-emptive legislative bills granting the state increased authority over Nashville and Memphis, reducing local decision-making power. He reacts sharply to the GOP-controlled legislature’s redistricting—which split Nashville into three Republican-leaning districts—and to House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s April 24 comment on how he believes Nashville should be governed. NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  2. 2 MAY

    Will Gerrymandering Turn Tennessee Totally Red?

    The U.S. Supreme Court delivered another severe blow to the 1965 Voting Rights Act striking down protections against discrimination aimed at racial minority voters. After the ruling, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted a solid red map calling on the Tennessee legislature to redraw districts to ensure Republicans dominate every election.   Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson represents District 86 which covers Memphis and Shelby County. He says, "This is the only district that's in the entire state that is majority black and is Democratic that ensures representation for the people in our community. Representation they would not get otherwise because those would be all majority white districts. The fact that Marsha Blackburn who is running for governor of this state is proposing this, and other folks who are doing the similar thing, is really worrisome to the representation we deserve and that has been fought for. The reality of this is the use of racism, of bigotry, that created the need for District 9 in the first place have not disappeared. And our right to be able to choose a representative who understands our values, understands our culture, understands our dignity is extremely important. Now we are being told racism will not be viewed by the court, but racism can be used to take away, strip away our voting rights." Justin J. Pearson is now running for District 9 against incumbent Steve Cohen. NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  3. 1 MAY

    Tennessee Executions: Lethal Injection Concerns

    The State of Tennessee held its third execution since the three-year moratorium investigating the process of lethal injections. Lawyers and advocates are demanding greater transparency about the drugs used and their expiration dates. Harold Wayne Nichols was executed December 11th. Nichols' lawyer, Stephen Ferrell of Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee fought in court to obtain information about expiration dates of drugs used during lethal injection. This would give his client crucial guidance when choosing which method of execution to select. Lethal injection was chosen for Nichols. Given the prison system's history of non-compliance, Ferrell remained skeptical about the efficacy of the drugs use. "They say they are not expired, but don't want to give us a picture of the label with just the expiration date. The judge said that they could remove or cover up, redact all other information." Reverend Stacy Rector, Executive Director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to Death Penalty agrees, "If you read the law, the legislation passed several years ago, this Confidentiality Law that says that the public is not able to know where the drugs are procured or the names of the individuals participating in the executions. That's it. There is no more protected information. Never has been." Newschannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on Newschannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  4. 1 MAY

    Checking In with Cameron Sexton

    The Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Cameron Sexton (R) gives us insight to the last bills passed during this legislative session.  Here are some of the main points. AIRPORTS- From the 9 member board of the Nashville Airport Authority, 6 state appointments and 3 local appointments. Sexton says, "We put in a lot of money, we have done a lot of things to help the airport, and so we are saying we want some picks on the board. The mayor still has picks, the governor and 2 Speakers have picks. When asked why change the Airport Authority when it is already successful? Sexton added, "It's not a power grab, I would say if you're investing $50, $100, $150 million dollars into something, wouldn't you want to have people on the board to make sure that your investment is doing well?" AFFORDABILITY- Sexton says that the state has temporarily reduced taxes several times, Cracked down on PBMs, struck down laws preventing hospitals from expanding and created workforce housing. Sexton says, "We are already an affordable state and will continue to be that way." SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND ESA- Although the state of Tennessee ranks 47th out of 50 states for student funding per capita, Sexton believes private schools with students who already attend private school are justified in receiving the $7530 Education Freedom Scholarship (an increase from last year from $7295) to go directly to pay a portion of private school tuition. The 3.2% increase would remain consistent with per-pupil base increase in the TISA formula, but less per student than what is given to private schools. When it comes to testing, public schools use TCAP, and was required for students using Education Savings Account money for private school, but without TCAP used, how will private schools show student competency? "The private schools are going to tell us what standardized test they are using. Because we want to know what that is. What I think we need to do is look at those tests, look at the TCAP and allow the public schools to use whichever national standardized test that they want to and that's fair... It would be a fascinating argument which they would choose." NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  5. 4 APR

    Iran Conflict, Politics and Economy

    Close friends of Middle Tennessee State University Professor of Middle East and Islamic History Sean Foley, including those who are analysts use the word "Nightmare" when asked about how the War in Iran is evolving. Foley says "First, this is a region that exports much of its energy through the Strait of Hormuz and that strait is effectively closed. And second, these are states that are being bombed. This includes Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, whose biggest city is Dubai. This is something that they have never encountered. This is a real war." Foley predicts Iran will not fold easily, "Every time we make a threat and suggest they've been degraded, they've been able to hit targets. Part of the reason is the technology they have been using. Like the Ukrainians and the Russians, they've been able to use drones in ways that have not been used before and ballistic missiles. And both have had enormous consequences." Foley also explains how prices for goods and raw materials we import from the Middle East will increase, which will be passed onto retail prices for not only American consumers but those in all other countries. NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  6. 28 MAR

    Rutherford County Library Fight- Is This a Book Ban?

    132 books chosen by the Rutherford County Library Board are slated to be removed from the Children section of libraries. Library Director Luanne James refused to comply protecting public access. Rutherford County Library Board Chair Cody York targeted books related to gender identity, LGBTQIA+ representation, characters of color, depictions of violence, social change, and even book banning itself. The board voted to relocate those books to the adult section and to strip the library’s policies linked to the American Library Association. Luanne James faces disciplinary action March 30th for insubordination. Vice President of the Rutherford County Library Alliance believes James was defending both the First Amendment and community values, stating: "Do you want your kid walking through the adult section with children books that are right next to adult books like '50 Shades of Grey'? Or some other materials we really don't want our kids looking at? She (James) is protecting everyone in our community and argue she is protecting everyone across this country by standing up and saying No, I will not violate my own personal morals and I will not violate the Constitution of the United States." Lambert also asserted that moving children books to the adult section constitutes a book ban under its legal definition — by denying children the chance to browse. "Children books written specifically for children, needs to be in the Children Section. "NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. You can see the show in its entirety at https://www.newschannel5.com/plusJust click on the Inside Politics icon to view recent shows. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min

About

Inside Politics is a weekly, half-hour show televised by NewsChannel 5+ in Nashville, Tennessee. It premieres on Fridays at 7PM Central Time (Comcast Channel 250, Charter 182). This audio-only format of the show is identical to what is televised and is available anywhere you get your podcasts so you can listen outside of the viewing area or available for download in case you miss the televised broadcast.  The show features numerous high-profile guests as well as historical and political subject matter experts including professors from Vanderbilt University, reporters from other Nashville news outlets, and household name politicians like Representative Jim Cooper, former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Congressman John Rose, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and more.  Pat Nolan serves as the show's host. Pat has worked as a political analyst and reporter in and around Nashville for almost fifty years. He has worked in television, radio, and for the Office of the Mayor in Nashville. He has covered breaking news stories, live election updates, and for many years served as announcer for Nashville Metro Council meetings. 

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