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PODCAST

Sound Politics

KUOW News and Information

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

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All Episodes

21:43

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

Sound Politics ·

2025/03/07

It’s an old saw in Olympia: A lawmaker’s job is not so much to passgoodbills, but to killbadones (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. Bills that haven’t passed out of committee by then are generally considered deceased. Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay joins host Scott Greenstone to

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31:24

The governor's honeymoon is over with Democrats

Sound Politics ·

2025/02/27

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

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20:38

Firings and bad vibes hit PNW's federal workers

Sound Politics ·

2025/02/20

From closed trailheads topower outages, the firing of federal workers could have a big effect on us here in the PNW. 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. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help

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23:40

For your ears only: The politics of privacy

Sound Politics ·

2025/02/13

What do you have a right to? Your data? Your gender presentation? Your child’s health information? Between DOGE sifting through our personal data, tech companies tracking our location, and executive orders weighing in on kids’ medical care, local and national politics are challenging Americans’ ideas about privacy and personal autonomy. We talk through what the implications are, and what lawmakers are proposing to do about it, on this week’s episode of Sound Politics. Joining

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30:55

USAID in Seattle, Musk-opoly, and a chick off the old...

Sound Politics ·

2025/02/06

Politics right now it feels like everything is shifting all the time. Federal agencies dismantled? Educational funds frozen? Tech broligarchs breaking into data stores of private citizens? A lot of it is hitting home in Washington. On today's Sound Politics, hosts Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann talk about how the changes at the United States Agency for International Development are trickling down to Seattle, a global health hub. Then — a discussion about how some legislation here in

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30:13

Does Seattle love social housing enough to fund it?

Sound Politics ·

2025/01/30

There is a special election coming up in Washington state on February 11. And in Seattle, there’s something big to decide on: a new way of creating and paying for housing. Voters approved the formation of a social housing developer in 2023, and now will decide how to fund it and whether to put guardrails on the nascent developer. We break down the options with the host of KUOW's Booming, Joshua McNichols. Plus, we take a look at the White House directive that froze potentially trillions of

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30:19

Washington 'gets Jesse' and sues Pres. Trump

Sound Politics ·

2025/01/23

President Trump technically has only been in office for 72 hours – but our state is already feeling the shockwaves. So today, we want to talk about how the President’s flurry of executive orders, pardons, et cetera, have hit home here. Democratic leaders here are responding in all kinds of different ways. Some are suing him, some are speaking out – others are laying low or a little quieter than last time around. To get into all of that, we’re joined today by two reporters who

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22:52

A new governor and a salmon-shaped budget hole

Sound Politics ·

2025/01/17

Governor Bob Ferguson wassworn in as Washington’s new governor on Wednesday. Off the bat, his term has been me with shade from outgoing Governor Jay Inslee, who was critical in his farewell address of Ferguson's recent budget proposal -- one containing billions of dollars in new cuts. Sound Politics talked last week about the $12 billion shortfall in the state’s operating budget, which is looming over absolutely everything lawmakers plan to do this session. But there's also a gap in the

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20:20

Cut spending? Limit vaping? Lawmakers decide in Olympia

Sound Politics ·

2025/01/10

On Monday, Washington’s lawmakers will return to the Capitol for a 105-day sprint to discuss, debate, and distill their hopes and dreams into policy. The biggest “to do” item for this session: fixing the budget. Faced with a $12 billion shortfall, lawmakers need to figure out the age-old question: to spend less money, or raise more of it? We've gathered a panel of experts to discuss what Washington lawmakers are considering as they return to Olympia: Paul Queary is editor and

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15:08

New year, new (laws that affect) you

Sound Politics ·

2025/01/02

Do you feel that in the air?As of midnight on January 1st, life is a bit different for most of us in Washington state. That’s because there are new laws governing your life. Particularly if you’re a minimum wage worker, an Uber or Lyft driver, a low-income student, a crane operator, a stripper, an orca – or one of many other occupations and/or animals. So basically pretty much everyone. KUOW government reporter Jeanie Lindsay joins us to decipher 2025’s new laws and

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43:49

Inslee looks back on his way out

Sound Politics ·

2024/12/20

This week, outgoing Washington Governor Jay Inslee sat down for an interview with our colleague Jeanie Lindsay to talk about the defining moments of his time in Olympia. He's been in office for 12 years, longer and than any currently-serving governor in the country. So much has changed since 2012 -- in climate policy, economic growth, homelessness, crime -- but how does Jay Inslee want to be remembered? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out,

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30:41

Washington shifted right less than any state. Why?

Sound Politics ·

2024/12/13

“As America zigs, Washington zags." That was the name of our election night episode. And you might remember hearing from a lot of places, for days or even weeks post-election, that Washington was the only state in the country where Trump did not gain ground compared with 2020. The national vote shifted toward Trump by about 6 points. But Washington is special – we take our sweet time counting all the votes. And now that the election is certified, we can say with certainty: Washington

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26:36

Big names bowing out of Seattle-area politics

Sound Politics ·

2024/12/05

We’ve gotten two major announcements from local politicos: First, Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales has announced she’s resigning from her seat on the council come January.Morales was re-elected this year, and is one of the two remaining incumbents of the 2020 council, which pushed for more progressive policies like police reform.What’s behind the toxic and “harmful” atmosphere within the council Morales alleges, and how did it possibly impact her ability to pass legislation?And, we’ll

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26:04

Washington stares into the (budget) abyss

Sound Politics ·

2024/11/22

It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year… budget season. Washington state legislators are facing a deficit of over $10 billion dollars for the 2025-2027 budget. And, the state’s not alone: King County is looking at maybe a $150 million deficit by 2026. Seattle is about to pass a budget that filled a $250 million budget hole without massive cuts. Sound Politics host Scott Greenstone sat down with KUOW government reporter Jeanie Lindsay, and Seattle Times politics and community reporter Daniel

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20:56

The governor's gambit: Bob Ferguson's rise from chess...

Sound Politics ·

2024/11/14

Before Bob Ferguson made a name for himself as Washington's Attorney General, he was a chess player. And not just any junior master. In Seattle and abroad, Ferguson earned a reputation as a two-time state chess champion and even won a game against three opponents at once -- while blindfolded. Sound Politics co-hosts Scott Greenstone and Jeanie Lindsay dive into Ferguson's penchant to think 12 moves ahead, and what it says about Bob Ferguson: the governor-elect, and the person. Read Scott's story on

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26:53

In a redder America, Washington stands alone

Sound Politics ·

2024/11/08

While the rest of the country moved towards the right this election, Washington Democrats saw the first sweep of statewide offices since the 1960s. Governor-elect Bob Ferguson, who sued the Trump administration 99 times as Attorney General, announced he's making contingency plans for counteracting a Trump presidency. But what is behind the country's conservative shift? We'll speak with a political consultant, a journalist, and a former Attorney General about the mood of voters and why Washington

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18:27

As America zigs, Washington zags

Sound Politics ·

2024/11/06

Take a break from staring at the New York Times needle and join us as we round up local election results. We're looking at the governor's race, initiatives, and a surprisingly close Supreme Court contest on this election day edition of Sound Politics. 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 Gabe Spitzer

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21:56

Is WA a crystal ball for who will become the next...

Sound Politics ·

2024/10/31

How are you fighting the election scaries this Halloween? If you're like the Sound Politics team - you're looking to the future. Washington isn't known for being a decider in the presidential election, but one specific county and one statewide primary could be a reliable reflections of the national mood. We'll dig into what Washington predicts for the 2024 election. Plus, a few of our favorite local gems: the down-ballot items that haven't gotten enough coverage. Thank you to the supporters of

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27:27

Doordash, Walmart, and Pinocchio (??) want to sway...

Sound Politics ·

2024/10/24

What's going on with STATE Legislative races? Today on Sound Politics, KUOW's Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay joins us to break down the finances behind one of the most expensive races on the ballot this year, as well as why this "purple" district is in play as State Democrats work towards their goal of a legislative SUPER MAJORITY. We also take a look at recent polling about the four initiatives on the top of the ballot, and try to determine why PINOCCHIO is the poster child for Let's Go

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22:27

Will Washington voters pass the gas (initiative)?

Sound Politics ·

2024/10/17

Ballots are landing in Washingtonians' mailboxes, leaving voters just a few more weeks to make up their minds on some big issues, like voter initiatives. The first thing on that ballot - at the very top - is an initiative that has equally impassioned and confused voters. Washington Initiative 2066 focuses on how fast utilities are transitioning off of fossil fuels, how they plan for that change, and the power local governments have to weigh in by regulating natural gas. We'll unpack the initiative

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