I Hate Politics Podcast

Holiday Weekend Special with local music featured on the podcast. Artists and bands in order of appearance: Cataclizm, Oren Levine, Dear Daria, Apollo 66, Sting pain Index, Myster Treefrog, 7 Door Sedan, Jim Kennedy, and Doogie Whittaker. Links at ihppod.org.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: DC area towns Bladensburg and Cheverly fight over annexing a site ready for redevelopment. George Washington University Hospital narrowly avoids a medical resident strike. Silver Spring United Methodist Church unveils plans to build affordable housing on church grounds. A racist incident shakes Wootton High School. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

Housing lobbyist Tom Coale and housing researcher Salim Furth argue that reducing public comment on by-right development projects, standardizing environmental waivers, early vesting of development entitlement, and other permitting reforms can jumpstart housing supply and mitigate the housing shortage in Maryland. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Coale and Furth about their recent paper on the subject https://t.ly/gaveq. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n’ roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Prince George’s County Executive hopeful position themselves. Montgomery County Council considers a formal resolution to block its president from running for higher office. Impact tax reduction vetoed; County Executive wants new tax. 2-acre brush fires in Rock Creek. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

December begins the budget politics season. School districts announce their proposals and local and state leaders begin to think about their own numbers. This year, Maryland is looking ahead to a structural budget deficit in part because of its ambition on a new education funding law called the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Maryland State Education Association’s leaders Paul Lemle and Nikki Woodward about the Blueprint’s progress and prospects. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n’ roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: The Archdiocese of Baltimore embarks on a major reorganization plan that will close 31 parishes. MD Gov Moore joins county leaders to question a power transmission project that will feed data centers in Virginia. Police staffing woes continue for Montgomery County, MD, among other jurisdictions. And a recruitment scandal in a Fairfax, VA, high school football program. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

For this Thanksgiving week episode, Sunil Dasgupta talks with young activist and Kennedy High School junior Richa Tripathi, who is now the president of the youth wing of the local advocacy group MoCo Pride. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n’ roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Democrats want to cooperate and resist Trump. Will it work? MD Senator Will Smith Jr and Delegate Lily Qi break from orthodoxy on housing and primary election reform. MD People Counsel files FERC complaint against transmission company as electric rates set to rise. Route 1 in Prince George’s County finally gets a makeover. MCPS wants to stop paying for AP and IB test fees for all students. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.

A citizen science project finds elevated nitrogen dioxide in 65 percent of DC and Maryland home kitchens it tested. Nitrogen dioxide in homes comes from natural gas combustion in cooking stoves and is known to cause asthma. Sunil Dasgupta spoke with Barbara Briggs of Beyond Gas, a local climate group which organized the testing, Montgomery Village community leader Djamila Bah, a testing volunteer, and physician Janet Phoenix of the George Washington University School of Public Health. Report: https://t.ly/gyvqq Music from Washington DC rock ‘n’ roll band 7 Door Sedan.

The weekly news analysis from I Hate Politics: Maryland looks at a bleak fiscal picture, which gets really bad in 2-3 years. Can the Moore Administration go into 2026 without a major new tax. Marriott lays off 800 employees from its Bethesda HQ. Three major progressive groups–AIM in Montgomery, PATH in Howard, and ACT in Anne Arundel counties—come together to form the Maryland Just Power Alliance. University of Maryland opens 40 new searches for AI faculty. And more. Music by Sting Pain Index.