The Political Notebook

Do Republicans have to stick with Trump through the 2020 election? What effect will coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter movement have?

Forrest Radarian joins the podcast to talk about the possibility of returning to the classroom in the fall, Arizona state standards, testing, and how we should re-orient the goals of public education. Forrest is a high school science teacher with over ten years of experience in Arizona public schools.

Does the state legislature need to return this year, and if so, what do they need to accomplish under the circumstances? How will the pandemic affect the outcome of legislative races heading into 2020? Also discussed: the Phoenix Suns of the '90s.

Given the uncertain pandemic conditions ahead of the November election, should states shift to all mail-in voting? Should legislatures be voting electronically? Will Arizona allow ballot initiatives to collect signatures online?

Will the economic stimulus bill make a significant difference for workers and businesses? What else could we do? Can the economy bounce back after the curve starts to fall?

What if anything will indicate that it's safe to resume normal interactions and economic activity? What will be the political consequences of Covid-19 and the response? Also: Why Jordan is the GOAT

Sean McCarthy from the Arizona Tax Research Association joins the podcast to break down some issues related to Arizona school finance. We talk about the funding formula and school choice, as well as emerging trends like declining district enrollment numbers and the rising cost of the state's retirement system.

Are Sanders and Trump two sides of the same populist coin? What would be the down ballot effect in Arizona of a Sanders nomination? Also: The most important bill before the Arizona state legislature.

Will having a ban on sanctuary cities on the ballot help Trump and Republicans in Arizona? What are the prospects of larger immigration reform?

Are the state's demographics moving in a Democratic direction? What about continuing fights over vouchers and education funding?

Where will they spend all that dough? What should be the priorities of education funding? Will the upcoming election politics affect how the legislature does business?

If Biden still has the stutter he said he had as a child, should he be more open about it? Insight from John Robb, a trial lawyer who deals with the same issue.

The origins and founding principles of American conservatism. Why was it triumphant during the 1980's? Does it still exist? Does it have a future?

Does the evidence support the Democrats' charges? Is this what the Founders intended? This episode also includes two short segments on Arizona issues, starting at minute-marker 34:00: 1) Is there a compromise on Airbnb regulations? 2) What does it mean to have a higher bond rating?

Are Republicans ignoring the evidence? Are Democrats too certain? Will technology and markets solve the problem?

And other education issues: Prop 123 ruling; improving working conditions for teachers. Bonus segment: Will the Phoenix Suns make the playoffs this year?

Including a quick-fire round of questions on Syria, impeachment, and the Democratic presidential primary.

Is Ukraine enough? What other evidence is necessary? Can the partisan divide be bridged?

Joe DeMenna is a lobbyist with experience representing medical marijuana dispensaries in Arizona. He is former executive director of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, and serves on the newly established state medical marijuana testing advisory council. We talk about challenges and opportunities facing the marijuana industry, as well as the recreational marijuana ballot initiative that may go t...

Was there a justification to expand the court? Was the nominating commission stacked? Is Bill Montgomery qualified?

Does Phoenix government have a legitimacy problem due to small voter turnout in elections? Why doesn't the Valley have a good public transportation system? Should pension debt be prioritized? (Now failed)Propositions 105 and 106 are discussed in this episode, along with the big-picture city issues they tried to address.

Tom Collins is executive director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Election Commission. On this episode, we discuss the history of legislative redistricting in Arizona and how the process will unfold following the 2020 census. We also talk about the potential Arizona implications of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow partisan gerrymandering.

Did the Mueller report find collusion? Did it find obstruction of justice? What does it mean for the Democrats' efforts to impeach Trump? Can we come together to protect the integrity of our elections?

What effect is Trump having on political norms? Is there a way to restore them? How should other Republicans respond?

Why should we care about space exploration? Is a Space Force necessary for our national defense? What policies would best sustain space exploration into the future? Will science survive our cultural wars?