demobrats

Please note this episode was recorded one week ago; prior to the news dropping in the Salem Reporter yesterday and today concerning Councilor Nishioka and the current mayor and the resignation of the Deputy City Manager for the library, parks and rec, and center 50+ Don't worry, we'll cover that one soon... In this paid bonus we'll learn all about what Chris Hoy is going to do next. And how he fee...

Please note this episode was recorded one week ago; prior to the news dropping in the Salem Reporter yesterday and today concerning Councilor Nishioka and the current mayor and the resignation of the Deputy City Manager for the library, parks and rec, and center 50+ Don't worry, we'll cover that one soon... But for today we're so excited to have former Mayor Chris Hoy back on the pod t...

In this quick bonus, Virginia asks Seth Cotlar and Paul Tigan a simple question: What does a liberal Project 2029 look like? Let us know what you think it would look like in the comments. Get out there and stay loud. If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us: BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠ Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton Bluesky: D...

This week we have a very special guest in Seth Cotlar, a professor of history at Willamette University. He's currently working on a book about a far right activist in Oregon named Walter Huss, who was active in Oregon from the 1960s into the early 2000s. You'll hear all about Huss' conspiracy obsessed and Christian Nationalist agenda in this episode. We've also got City Councilor f...

The Keizer City Council is at it again, this time led by Councilors Soraida Cross and Lore Christopher. Their quest? To eliminate the word diversity from the Community Diversity Engagement Committee . Join Virginia and Jane as they discuss some unhinged things that were said at the last Keizer City Council meeting. For the record: The root word of DIVERSITY is diverse. The root word of DIVISIVE is...

The last cradle of our democracy, the library, is on the chopping block. Former Oregon State Librarian and local folk hero, Jim Scheppke, joins Virginia and Jane to give us the hard facts about the financial position of our public library. Learn all about how Salem's library system stacks up (or doesn't) to the rest of the state, and how efficient it truly is with very little funds already...

In this subscriber bonus, Jim tells Virginia and Jane a little bedtime story about how the first Salem Public Library ever got started. Spoiler alert: Women got the job done. And the reason the U was a V on the original library is because most buildings that encompass Roman-style architecture use the Latin alphabet, which only had 23 letters at one time, not including the letter U. The “U” sound s...

In this episode, Levi Herrera-Lopez from Mano a Mano and United Against Hate joins Virginia to discuss their initiatives to break down barriers of hate in the Salem-Keizer community, especially in these (what is beginning to feel like precedented) times. Speaking of precedented, the City of Salem is still staying silent on the situation with the sudden resignation of our City Manager, Keith Stahle...

In this bonus pod, we had the pleasure of learning from the work and lived experiences of Ashley Dunn, Vice President of the local NAACP chapter. Ashley is a graduate of North High School and Oregon State University, a mother of millions, a lover of people, a social work champion, Game of Thrones fan, and an-all around awesome human! We know you will love Ashley as much as we do and we can't w...

In this subscriber bonus episode we talk about the recent joint session between our Marion County Commissioners and Salem City Council. Why is this meeting finally happening the moment we have a conservative Mayor? What is the real intent behind this new effort? We think we know. Get out there and stay loud. If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, c...

We still don't have any answers, but we deserve them. A Mayor and City Council which ran on transparency and communication is notably silent in the most critical time in Salem's history. We have some questions and we need you to reach out to your councilors and urge them to speak up and make a statement. Who is your City Councilor? Look it up: https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/city-co...

We hope you're hungry...for nothing. This is precisely the amount of new information that came out of the 75 hours of work the Salem Chamber of Commerce and Home Builders Association hand-picked Efficiencies Committee put together. Validating for former councilors and mayors? Absolutely. Groundhog Day for all of us? Also yes. We have reached what may not even be half-time in this challenge to...

Tiktok influencer and creator Miss. Alexandria joins us for a yap session focused in on local organizing, campaign strategy, taxation, creating community, showing up, podcasting, and the absolute necessity for an online strategy to long-term voter communication. Get out there and stay loud. Also, we just launched subscriptions! Subscribe and support the pod for $4.99 a month and get access to all...

Keith Stahley resigned at the City of Salem and the council accepted this tonight with very little discussion. The executive session ran 15 minutes late tonight. While we'll never know what was said in executive session, something feels very off with this one. It is a dark night for the voters and residents of Salem as we look to find revenue for essential city services without Keith's ste...

The power plays in Keizer are still under way. On the same day the Keizer City of Council made a Black History Month proclamation, the conservative majority also tried to vote to pause the Community Diversity Engagement Committee; i.e. the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion community board. And then they tried to join the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Make it make sense. We fear the masterminds and big...

Today we have a couple freaking awesome local women joining us who are doing the work to organize, mobilize, educate, and empower everyday people to get involved in the local political process! Paige Barton, Chair of the Marion County Democrats, and Jane Titchenal, Be SMART and Moms Demand Action Volunteer, are here to share everything you need to know about creating local community and resisting...

The power play by the Keizer Chamber of Commerce's pick for mayor is quickly advancing through City Hall in Keizer. In this bonus we'll fill you in on the four-hour City Council work session and the subsequent City Council meeting which resulted in the mayor elected by the people being all but stripped of her power. One by one the council has fallen in line to the new loudest voice in the...

The Keizer Chamber of Commerce seems to be just as involved in their local City Council as our friends at the Chamber of Commerce in Salem. Black Joy Founder, Juli Ray Joy, joins us in this episode to tell us all about her bid to fill a vacancy on the Keizer City Council. Spoiler alert: It's juicy! We fear the masterminds and big businesses behind the decisions taking place at the Keizer City...

It was a busy Tuesday night at City Hall. The new efficiencies committee (Salem's own DOGE department) has been named and to absolutely nobody's surprise, it is comprised solely of members of the Salem Chamber of Commerce and Home Builders Association. What will be their priorities as they examine the budget and look for efficiencies (AKA, cuts)? And why weren't there any questions asked about equ...

Virginia's remarks from the People's March at the Oregon State Capitol January 18, 2025. We need you to get involved with your local organizers and get ready to help create a different outcome in the coming months and years. In Salem and in Oregon we have the Marion County Democrats, The Working Families Party, Progressive Salem, Keizer Forward, MomsforSalemOregon, and MomsforOregon. If yo...

It's been a wild year this week at City Council! Five days and two public meetings into her tenure as Mayor and Julie Hoy has been hot and cold with the media when it comes to her plan to address the major budget deficit at the City of Salem. Boards and Commissions appointments are the one power the Mayor has in addition to those held by City Councilors. WHO the mayor appoints to Boards and Commis...

Salem has a new Mayor and a brand new City Council. While the progressive edge looks to be holding, we can always count on the Chamber of Commerce and the Home Builders to do everything they can to get their way. Join us as we introduce you to your new City Council, your new mayor, and break down the energy in the room for the first gathering in Council Chambers this year. We will be watching the...

This episode is a DOOZY! Give us an hour to try to answer some really important questions including: What happens when public tax dollars are tithed to faith-based pregnancy clinics? Who's fault is it when the incinerator gets shut down? Are our public health officials against birth control, masking, and vaccines? Why does Marion County only have three partisan-based commissioners when Deschutes C...

New year, same brats. Join us as we discuss key takeaways from 2024 and what's at the top of our to do lists for 2025. Whats in, what's out, and what you can expect to hear from us on the pod in the new year! A special thank you to Whitney at the Statesman Journal for publishing a story about our pod this week! You can read it at the link below. If you would like to read the book Virginia referenc...

A warning: The content of this episode references domestic violence, abuse, racism, violence, and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised. They say you don't know what you've got until it's gone. Join Vik and Virginia for Mayor Chris Hoy's most personal public exit interview. We discuss the third bridge, homelessness, Keiko the Whale, and so much more. Things get really good around minut...