Sound Politics

KUOW News and Information
  • 4.8 (38)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Sound Politics

A podcast about the candidates, policies, and perspectives shaping the Pacific Northwest. Produced by KUOW in Seattle.   There’s a lot to wade through when it comes to Washington State politics. The drama, the facts, the money, and the movers and shakers. In Sound Politics KUOW host Libby Denkmann and politics reporter Scott Greenstone go beyond the ballot to guide you through what’s happening in local politics, why it matters, and how you can use your vote to make a difference.   New episodes every week.   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Noel Gasca and Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.

  1. 3D AGO

    Sound Politics gets overwhelmed

    Reporters Melissa Santos and Paul Queary discuss their favorite stories you might've missed.Plus, we tackle one big story with a Washington connection you may not know about: the Signal group thread.

    28 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Now's your time to yell (questions) at us

    Hey Sound Politics listeners. We're here in your feed because we want to know: what questions do you all have in this kind of bonkers political moment?

    1 min

  3. MAR 20

    Is this the year rent limits pass?

    For years, progressives have tried to fight the rising cost of living by instituting a kind of "rent control" – what proponents call "rent stabilization." There’s buzz this year that a rent stabilization bill could safely parachute onto the Governor’s desk.

    25 min

  4. MAR 14

    Republicans' unlikely ally: Gov. Ferguson

    Republicans might have more influence this legislative session than they have in almost a decade. A big reason why is Governor Bob Ferguson. The newly elected Democrat has been warmer toward the GOP point of view than the previous administration was, pushing to close the state’s budget deficit through cuts rather than raising more revenue from taxes. That’s a welcome change for Rep. Travis Couture, the Republicans’ lead budget wrangler in the state House. He says Ferguson has been more aligned with, and welcoming of, Republican ideas than his predecessor was – but just how much actual power the Republican caucus will have over the final product remains to be seen.

    25 min

  5. MAR 7

    The graveyard shift: lessons from WA's dead bills (so far)

    It’s an old saw in Olympia: A lawmaker’s job is not so much to pass good bills, but to kill bad ones (because there are just a lot of bad ones). Good or bad, this time of year is “Bill Killing Season” at the state capitol, having just passed two deadlines for the hundreds of policy and fiscal bills introduced this session.

    22 min

  6. FEB 27

    The governor's honeymoon is over with Democrats

    In Olympia, the Democrats' honeymoon with Gov. Bob Ferguson was short -- and it's now over, says Rep. Kristine Reeves, the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. Ferguson has laid out his plans for closing a multi-billion dollar shortfall while still boosting spending on hiring police and largely avoiding new taxes. But plenty of his fellow Dems are not yet onboard with a plan that leads with cuts instead of new revenue. The party is also fractured on how and whether to make those investments in law enforcement. The Legislative Black Caucus, for one, wants two new dollars spent on community services for every dollar that pays for more police. Kristine Reeves represents south King County in the state House and is chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. She joins Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone to break down the budget talks, and spill a little tea on how the various Democratic factions are getting along in Olympia. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.Our editor is Gabriel Spitzer. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  7. FEB 20

    Firings and bad vibes hit PNW's federal workers

    KUOW investigative reporter Ashley Hiruko joins Sound Politics Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann to discuss the potential impact of the firings, and what it’s like inside federal government buildings right now - from Seattle’s VA hospital to the National Labor Relations Board.

    21 min

  8. FEB 13

    For your ears only: The politics of privacy

    What do you have a right to? Your data? Your gender presentation? Your child’s health information? We talk through what the implications of privacy policies, and what lawmakers are proposing to do about it, on this week’s episode of Sound Politics.

    24 min
See All (37)

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4.8
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

A podcast about the candidates, policies, and perspectives shaping the Pacific Northwest. Produced by KUOW in Seattle.   There’s a lot to wade through when it comes to Washington State politics. The drama, the facts, the money, and the movers and shakers. In Sound Politics KUOW host Libby Denkmann and politics reporter Scott Greenstone go beyond the ballot to guide you through what’s happening in local politics, why it matters, and how you can use your vote to make a difference.   New episodes every week.   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Noel Gasca and Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.

Information

  • Creator
    KUOW News and Information
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Sound Politics

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