The Um, Sir Podcast

EmilyInEverett
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Society & Culture

Hosted by Emily in Everett and her neighbor Samie, Um, Sir serves up spicy commentary on politics, pop culture, and the chaos where they collide. Think of it as your weekly dose of approachable political insight, nervous laughter, and brutally honest observations, with enough side-eye to power Washington State. Whether your hosts are crushing imposter syndrome or calling out bro-gressives, they’re here to make civic life a little more understandable and a lot more fun. They don’t have all the answers, but they do have jokes, receipts, and the feedback you didn’t know you needed. Oh and, release the files!

  1. 1d ago

    Everett City Budget Series, Episode 1: Structural Deficits and the 1% Cap

    Ashley Bolden is back in the studio to kick off a six-episode deep dive into the City of Everett budget. Yes, it's niche. Until your utility bill goes up. Here's the deal: Washington cities can't run deficits. They have to pass a balanced budget. Everett's latest is $176.7 million, for those keeping score at home. As is the case with a lot of cities, Everett is dealing with a structural deficit: revenues are capped, expenses aren't. Property values can jump 20% and the city still can only bump its levy 1%, and that's a whole other thing. We break down where the money actually comes from (property tax only covers a quarter of the budget — B&O, utilities, sales tax, and a truly awkward amount of liquor tax make up the rest), what the fund balance actually is (spoiler: not a bank account, and no, we can't just save our way out of this), and why new development is basically the city's only lever. Plus: a history lesson on Initiative 747, the 2007 panic that brought the 1% cap back, and why a fire engine that cost $500K in 2001 costs $1 million today. Bro. Key dates: public hearings Nov 4, 10, and 18. Next time: the municipal toolbox. What taxes and fees are coming, and who's gonna pay for them. (Ashley still hasn't filled out her ballot. Vote, people.) Links: Budget Committee and Meetings, City of Everett Mayor Franklin proposes balanced 2027 budget that maintains services and invests in Everett’s future - City of Everett Track your Ballot at VoteWa.gov Washington Drop Box and Voting Center Locations

  2. Oct 13

    Five Flaming Paper Bags: Vote No on Snohomish's Charter Amendments

    In this episode of The Um, Sir Podcast, Emily and Demi Chatters, District 2 Commissioner on the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission, break down the five charter amendments on the November ballot (or as they'd put it, five flaming paper bags on your doorstep) and deliver one simple message: don't touch them, vote no on all of them. Demi recounts how a developer-funded PAC helped conservatives sweep 11 of 15 commission seats in a low-turnout election, plus the delightful hire of a developer lobbying firm's vice president (and cousin of a sitting commissioner) as commission clerk. She challenged it, and was told to "keep this in the family." Cool. The through-line: this is a local version of Project 2025. "Project 42" (Washington is the 42nd state, very clever), a coordinated effort that killed every community-driven proposal, from ranked choice voting to real contract transparency. Demi and her three non-PAC-funded colleagues filed a formal letter of dissent that no media touched. All politics is local, your vote matters, and the whole thing lands somewhere between civic education and two politico friends laughing so they don't cry. Remember to VOTE! Check your ballot and status at Votewa.gov Find a ballot Drop Box (It's the most reliable way to get your vote counted) at the Washington State Secretary of State's Website HERE. And reach out for other ways to get involved and spread the word!

  3. Aug 26

    Falling Into Ditches & Other Leadership Strategies

    In this episode, Emily shares her greatest professional bloopers. From the now infamous "welcome to be here" podcast flub to rambling about ditches on the House of Representatives Floor. She reveals how these cringe-worthy moments accidentally became her superpower. Spoiler: The secret to building community isn’t being perfect, it’s being real (even when that means laughing at yourself). A hilarious and heartfelt reminder that our mess is what makes us human.

  4. Aug 6

    Almost Live! August Primary Election Watch Party

    Emily and her guest Sam Minter go almost live for primary election night, breaking down Michigan’s tight Democratic Senate race (El-Sayed vs. Stevens), Washington’s local battles from state Legislative Districts on the west and east side of the state, to Supreme Court contests, and the tension between voting your conscience or strategizing—plus real-time reactions to turnout, levy wins, and why independent candidates rarely work in WA. Check out your ballot status in Washington State - Vote.Wa.Gov Bill Phillips Commentary on National races - Facebook Democrats Confront Their New Tea Party Reality- Huffington Post Washington state primary election results 2026 - Seattle Times El-Sayed and Stevens Project Party Unity After Divisive Race - New York Times

  5. Jul 15

    Childcare: An Economic Engine

    On this episode, we dig into childcare, because here’s the thing: it’s not just a parent problem, it’s an everyone problem. Debbie Carlsen, founder of Washington Families Thrive and general community superhero, joined us to break down why childcare crisis is tanking our workforce, and what the hell we can do about it. The shit news? 40% of families are cutting hours, 30% are turning down jobs, and 20% are quitting because childcare is either impossible to find or impossible to afford. Meanwhile, we’re underpaying the educators who could literally change our kids’ lives. High-quality early learning interrupts poverty, boosts graduation rates, and even breaks the school-to-prison pipeline—but we treat the people doing this work like glorified babysitters instead of the skilled professionals they are. Debbie’s org is doing the work: matching families with providers, helping childcare businesses fill their slots, and pushing for real solutions. But here’s the kicker—we need everyone at the table. Businesses, stop whining about labor shortages and start offering childcare benefits. Policy makers, stop pretending this is just a “women’s issue” and start treating it like the economic priority it is. Bottom line: Childcare isn’t a niche problem. It’s infrastructure. And it’s past time we acted like it. Need help or want to help? Hit up WashingtonFamiliesThrive.com.

  6. Jun 25

    Sports with Keith: FIFA, World Cup & All the Drama

    In this episode of the Um Sir Podcast, Emily's sits down with Keith Macaulay to unpack FIFA’s wild ride. From its "humble" 1904, Old Boys Club beginnings as a small European club to the multi-billion-dollar powerhouse it is today. They dive into the corruption, the backroom deals, and the larger-than-life characters like João Havelange and Sepp Blatter who turned development funds into political currency and World Cup bids into bidding wars. The conversation covers the 2015 DOJ probe, the Garcia Report cover-up, and the human cost of hosting controversies like Qatar 2022. But hey, for all the drama, it’s still the beautiful game, bringing the world together, one goal at a time. Listen: Pitch to Puget Sound Podcast Local Playbook: Game on Everett Puget Sound Deets: Seattle FWC Documentaries & Series FIFA Uncovered (Netflix) – 3-part docuseries on FIFA’s corruptionEl Presidente (Prime Video) – Season 2 covers João Havelange’s rise and reignESPN’s Qatar World Cup investigation (featuring Jeremy Schaap)Copa 90’s Argentina series – Deep dive into the nation’s football passion News & Investigative Reports: The Guardian: 6,500+ migrant worker deaths in Qatar (2010–2020) – Wage theft, passport confiscation, and extreme heat conditions.U.S. DOJ 2015 FIFA Corruption Case – Press releases and findingsThe Garcia Report – FIFA’s redacted summary (full report was suppressed) Historical Events 1966 World Cup controversy – Suspected bias against Brazil1974 Chile-USSR playoff – Played in a stadium used as a torture camp under Pinochet2010 Haiti earthquake – FIFA emergency funds stolen by Jack Warner2018/2022 World Cup bidding scandals – Russia and Qatar’s bribery schemes2034 World Cup bid – Saudi Arabia’s controversial selection "Official" & Reference FIFA’s official website – Current sponsors, tournaments, and governanceUEFA – European football’s governing bodyCONCACAF – North/Central America & Caribbean federationCONMEBOL – South American football confederationU.S. Soccer Federation – Governance and team info

  7. Apr 29

    Introducing The Future of Our Former Democracy

    While Samie and Emily break for their mental health, they're dropping a very special episode from The Future of Our Former Democracy—yes, the Signal Award-winning podcast that’s basically Snohomish’s coolest export besides, like, Colin Cole (hi, Colin!). It’s made by this Seattle-based racial justice org, More Equitable Democracy, which, same, icon behavior. This season they are drawing parallels between Nazi Germany’s rise and, uh… *gestures vaguely at everything*… our current political moment.And how Germany rebuilt its democracy to keep extremism from pulling a sequel. Episode one is all about how Germany overhauled its elections post-WWII to avoid, y’know, another fascist takeover. And now Colin and Heather Villanueva are over here like, ‘So… how do we not repeat history?’ Mood. Want more? Hit follow on The Future of Our Former Democracy wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, all the usual suspects. Trust us, it’s a vibe.

  8. Apr 28

    Um, Civics: The Unsexy (But Totally Necessary) World of Charter Review

    Guest: Randy Bolerjack, Everett Charter Review Committee Member The Gist:Emily in Everett sits down with Randy Bolerjack, another self-proclaimed "civic nerd" and Everett’s Charter Review Committee member, to unpack the wildly underrated world of city charters. Spoiler: It’s the rulebook for how your city (or county) runs, and most of us have no idea what’s in it, let alone, what it is! Why It Matters: Your city’s charter = its constitution. Want to change how local government works? This is where it starts.Everett’s committee (15 members, because democracy loves a crowd) is reviewing everything from council powers to election rules. And yes, they want your input.Randy’s day job? Overseeing WA state’s elections, libraries, and charities. So if you thought this was nerdy, just wait. Call to Action:Read your city’s charter. Attend a meeting. Pretend to care at parties.  Vibe Check:✅ Wonky but fun✅ 100% necessary✅ Guaranteed to make you the most interesting person at your next city council meeting Listen if: You’ve ever wondered why your local government works the way it does (or doesn’t). P.S. Randy’s a Coug. We’ll let you decide if that’s a pro or a con. Learn more:Follow Randy on InstagramEmail Randy: randybolerjack@outlook.comEverett Charter Review CommitteeCounty Forms of Government - Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MSRC)Snohomish County Charter Review CommissionWhat is a Charter? - League of Women Voters' of Snohomish CountyWho is running the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission? - News TribuneBy Abi Ludwig is a co-founder of Standing for Washington, sponsors of Everett Initiative 24-03Washington State Secretary of State ElectionsEverett Link Extension - Sound TransitBuild the Damn TrainsEverett Outdoor Event Center - City of EverettEverett AquaSox 2026 Season

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hosted by Emily in Everett and her neighbor Samie, Um, Sir serves up spicy commentary on politics, pop culture, and the chaos where they collide. Think of it as your weekly dose of approachable political insight, nervous laughter, and brutally honest observations, with enough side-eye to power Washington State. Whether your hosts are crushing imposter syndrome or calling out bro-gressives, they’re here to make civic life a little more understandable and a lot more fun. They don’t have all the answers, but they do have jokes, receipts, and the feedback you didn’t know you needed. Oh and, release the files!

Information

  • Creator
    EmilyInEverett
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © EmilyInEverett and her Neighbor, Samie
  • Show Website
    The Um, Sir Podcast

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