I Hate Politics Podcast

Exploring a human activity we love to hate. A podcast about politics close to our home, schools, streets, businesses, and local government. Hosted by Sunil Dasgupta. More at ihppod.org.

Can Gaithersburg Regulate HOAs and Condos Better than Montgomery County? 06/06/2025

Can Gaithersburg Regulate HOAs and Condos Better than Montgomery County? HOAs and Condo associations have grown to be a big part of the American housing landscape over the last 50 years. In 2025, the Maryland general assembly passed a new law requiring independent third-party elections of HOA/condo boards and the City of Gaithersburg left Montgomery County’s Commission on Common Ownership Communities. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Gaithersburg councilmembers Neil Harris and Yamil Hernandez, themselves experienced HOA officials, about how they are thinking of a new regulatory regime. Music by Silver Spring power pop band, The Airport77s. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36875050

I Hate the News Jun 3 06/03/2025

I Hate the News Jun 3 Mayor Muriel Bowser in Washington DC offers a budget proposal with cuts and regulatory changes. MCPS has released boundary change options as it plans opening new high schools. Complaints about air quality in Argyle Middle School. MD Public Service Commission asks Baltimore Gas and Electric and Delmarva Power to spread out coming rate increases, watch your electricity bills. A lawsuit challenges closed primaries in the state of Maryland. And more. Music by Washington Dc art-pop rock band, Catscan! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36824925

A Second Shot, A True Crime Episode 05/30/2025

A Second Shot, A True Crime Episode On October 23, 1971, Deputy Sheriff James T. Hall was killed in the parking lot of Manor Country Club, the center of a wealthy golf course community between the city of Rockville and Olney, MD. The case remained unsolved for 50 years, until 2021, when cold case detectives finally took another look at the urging of Hall's daughter, Carolyn Philo, who had long moved to Dallas, Texas, where she told the story of her father’s murder to her doctor, Michael Weissberg, a moonlighting crime writer. As cold case detectives pursued neglected leads, Weissberg began writing the book. Weissberg joined Sunil Dasgupta to talk about the recently-published book, A Second Shot: . Music by Silver Spring power pop band, The Airport77s. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36779490

I Hate the News May 27 05/27/2025

I Hate the News May 27 Federal employee rights will change in the Trump-backed budget legislation “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Will budget-busting drugs like Jardiance and Farxiga soon cost less in Maryland? A new law sets up a mechanism. The state is fixing to charge for viewing land records and the Maryland State Bar and title attorneys are not happy. In Frederick County, MD, a fake mooning incident at a school board meeting. We have the audio, which may be more incendiary than the video. And more. Music by Arlington-based experimental music composer Pierre Bernasconi. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36720020

Governor Moore’s Vetoes Move Him to the Middle as Reelection Looms 05/23/2025

Governor Moore’s Vetoes Move Him to the Middle as Reelection Looms Last week Maryland Governor Wes Moore vetoed a reparations study bill and three environment bills despite their low budget impact, angering some of his closest allies: the General Assembly’s Black Caucus and the region’s environmental groups. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Maryland Senator Charles Sydnor, regional environment leader Mike Tidwell, and bike and pedestrian safety advocate Seth Grimes, about the politics. Music by Frederick, MD,- based country-folk singer-songwriter Susanna Laird. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36684745

I Hate the News May 20 05/20/2025

I Hate the News May 20 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36635215

What AMZN HQ2 Search Tells Us About Government Transparency 05/16/2025

What AMZN HQ2 Search Tells Us About Government Transparency 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: . Sunil Dasgupta talks with lead author Eric Stokan. Music by Frederick, MD,- based country-folk singer-songwriter Susanna Laird. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36582135

I Hate the News May 13 05/13/2025

I Hate the News May 13 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36540495

The Challenge of Balancing Taxation and Spending 05/09/2025

The Challenge of Balancing Taxation and Spending 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36504210

I Hate the News May 6 05/06/2025

I Hate the News May 6 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36449595

The Fight Against Government Secrecy 05/02/2025

The Fight Against Government Secrecy Local journalist and author Miranda Spivack has a new book out, Backroom Deals in Our Backyards: 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36404290

I Hate the News Apr 29 04/29/2025

I Hate the News Apr 29 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36350620

A Climate Activist Goes to Jail 04/25/2025

A Climate Activist Goes to Jail 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36303225

I Hate the News Apr 22 04/22/2025

I Hate the News Apr 22 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36256560

Will Tight Budgets Bring Deregulation or Impasse? 04/18/2025

Will Tight Budgets Bring Deregulation or Impasse? 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: . Music by Washington art-pop rock band Catscan! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36216425

I Hate the News Apr 15 04/15/2025

I Hate the News Apr 15 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36144255

Will Montgomery County's Only Charter School Open in Time? 04/11/2025

Will Montgomery County's Only Charter School Open in Time? 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: /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36093205

I Hate the News Apr 8 04/08/2025

I Hate the News Apr 8 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/36047810

Double Header: Peter Boyko for MCPS SMOB 04/04/2025

Double Header: Peter Boyko for MCPS SMOB 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35999915

Double-header: Anuva Maloo for MCPS SMOB 04/04/2025

Double-header: Anuva Maloo for MCPS SMOB 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 /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35999855

I Hate the News Apr 1 04/01/2025

I Hate the News Apr 1 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35953305

Can Climate Action and Conservation Unite? 03/28/2025

Can Climate Action and Conservation Unite? Two new books by local authors Paula Whyman’s Bad Naturalist () and Mike Tidwell’s The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue () 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35900690

I Hate the News Mar 25 03/25/2025

I Hate the News Mar 25 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: . Music by Washington DC area composer Anna Rubin. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35846285

The Problem of the 50-percent Democrat 03/21/2025

The Problem of the 50-percent Democrat 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35802260

I Hate the News Mar 18 03/18/2025

I Hate the News Mar 18 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35740070

How Long Must Kennedy High Wait for School Safety? 03/14/2025

How Long Must Kennedy High Wait for School Safety? 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35679905

I Hate the News Mar 11 03/11/2025

I Hate the News Mar 11 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35620380

Apprentice v Intern 03/07/2025

Apprentice v Intern In 2023, Maryland set up a commission to expand apprenticeships in the state and the commission released its interim report in February 2025: . 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35569165

I Hate the News Mar 4 03/04/2025

I Hate the News Mar 4 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. /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35519985

The Politics of Plastic Pollution 02/28/2025

The Politics of Plastic Pollution 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! /episode/index/show/ihppod/id/35477185

I Hate Politics Podcast

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