Sound Transit Picks Dow? And Challengers Take On Harrell And Davison Seattle Nice podcast

33:35

After less than 18 months in office, Councilmember Cathy Moore, representing District 5 (North Seattle), announced she will be resigning her position effective July 7. Swinging into immediate action, Erica and Sandeep (David is away, gamboling and gallivanting in distant parts) weigh in on this emergency episode of the podcast with their red hot takes on this surprise bombshell announcement. While Moore ascribes her decision to step down to personal and medical reasons, speculation is rampant that Moore's dissatisfaction with the job and unhappiness with the harsh criticism the Council sometimes faces also played a central role in her decision. Rest assured, we fully indulge this speculation, while offering our takes on Moore's legacy and assessing where she sat on the Council's ideological spectrum. Given the timing of Moore's decision, her seat will not be up for election until 2026, so we close with what early names we're hearing bruited about for who the Council might appoint to replace Moore until then. Our editor is Quinn Waller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Assessor Allegedly Stalks, Ethics Walks, and the Culture War Rocks Seattle 32:15

15 days ago32:15

32:15

This week Erica has the scoop on allegations of stalking and harassment against King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson. We also debate Cathy Moore's decision to withdraw a bill that critics say weakens the council’s ethics standards. Plus, we discuss the anti-trans demonstrations and counter-protests at Cal Anderson Park and City Hall that resulted in over 30 arrests. Mayoral Candidate Katie Wilson blamed Bruce Harrell for permitting a "fundamentalist, anti-trans “family values” protest in the heart of Seattle’s historic LGBTQ neighborhood." Is she right? And, were the counter-protests effective politics? Our editor is Quinn Waller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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FEED DROP: On this Month's "Are You Mad At Me?," We Interview Shattered Glass Director Billy Ray 47:10

15 days ago47:10

47:10

We're so excited to release our interview with Shattered Glass director Billy Ray, who was kind enough to indulge all our questions about our favorite movie, like: What happened between the scene where Chloe Sevigny confronts Peter Sarsgaard for firing Stephen and the next day, when she leads the team in applauding him for his brave decision? Where does Shattered Glass rank in the pantheon of movies Ray's written over the course of his career, which include blockbusters like The Hunger Games and Captain Phillips? And why does Ray think Stephen Glass kept digging himself deeper and deeper, inventing new lies right up until he was fired for fabricating dozens of stories? Billy Ray was a great sport, although he did give us shit for interviewing Adam Penenberg, the reporter who first busted Glass in a story for Forbes Digital Tool, before him. "I cannot understand why I wasn't your first fucking guest," he told us—"Who the hell did you interview before me? The three grips?" We hope you'll enjoy listening to our conversation with director Billy Ray as much as we enjoyed recording it. Hosts: Josh Feit and Erica C. Barnett Edited by: Erica C. Barnett Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Tent City Gets a Reprieve, Council Rolls Back Ethics Rules, and Kshama's Back, Baby! 38:50

20 days ago38:50

38:50

A Seattle City Council committee advanced legislation last week that will eliminate a requirement that council members abstain from voting on legislation that presents a financial conflict of interest. Under the new, lower standard, the council will merely have to disclose any financial conflicts before voting—allowing council members, for the first time since the 1980s, to vote in their own financial interest. Sandeep thinks disclosing a conflict of interest before voting should be enough; Erica's with the haters who want more constraints on the council's ability to vote in their own self-interest. The legislation is moving forward quickly and will probably take effect just before the council votes on the elimination of several anti-eviction laws passed by the previous council, which might not pass if everyone on the council who's a landlord has to refrain from voting to repeal these laws. In related news, Kshama Sawant and her group Workers Strike Back are showing up to disrupt council meetings, antagonizing the council over the upcoming vote on the anti-eviction laws. David and Sandeep are fascinated by internal squabbling among Seattle's local socialists, while Erica argues that Sawant's latest "movement" is mostly bluster—and reminds everyone that Sawant worked tirelessly on Jill Stein's "Defeat Harris" campaign last year. Also this week: Tent City 4 gets a temporary reprieve after a last-minute effort to keep the self-managed encampment from moving to the former Lake City Community Center. And we discuss Dan Strauss' effort to require all clubs and other "loud music venues" to sell earplugs. David calls it a "modest public health campaign" but Sandeep says it's a nanny state intrusion into our god-given right to destroy our hearing. Our editor is Quinn Waller. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Adam Smith: How Bad is Trump for Seattle? Really bad! 51:26

4 weeks ago51:26

51:26

Representative Adam Smith of Washington’s 9th Congressional District, who made headlines recently for his pointed criticisms of progressive urban governance, joins us to talk about what Seattle should expect in the era of Trump. Smith believes local governance failures and missteps in blue cities like Seattle contributed to Trump’s big win in 2024. But he joined Seattle Nice to talk about the aftermath. We get into the impact of Trump’s MAGA agenda on Seattle and King County, including potentially devastating funding cuts to transportation, education, and social services. Smith explains why he thinks Trump’s MAGA movement is a looming disaster for the region. The conversation also gets into strategic resistance to Trump, coalition building, and the complexities of running a liberal stronghold like Seattle. Smith, who has a foot in both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the more centrist New Democrat Coalition, also delves into the evolution of his own political philosophy. Finally, the Congressman explains his endorsement of Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison, a Republican. Our editor is Quinn Waller. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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This Program Offers New Hope for Fentanyl Users 45:03

6 weeks ago45:03

45:03

A new way of administering buprenorphine—a gold-standard medication that combats opioid addiction by reducing the need to use drugs like fentanyl to function—is helping people reduce their fentanyl use without the painful withdrawals that keep many users away from other versions of the medication. The new protocol, which the Downtown Emergency Service Center started using on a pilot basis last year, is less complicated and doesn't require people to "kick" drugs before starting treatment, making it easier for people to keep using it. The protocol is expensive and paid for mostly by Medicaid, which the Trump Administration is threatening to cut. We discussed all that and more with three special guests: DESC director Daniel Malone, medical director Richard Waters, and registered nurse Penelope Toland. Quinn Waller is our editor. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Prude or Lewd at Denny Blaine, Harrell Flexes His Muscles, and State Budget Axes Successful Homeless Program 33:22

7 weeks ago33:22

33:22

First up, why are state lawmakers planning to decimate a successful Seattle homeless program? Then, things get a little cheeky as we discuss the lawsuit over alleged “lewd behavior” at Denny Blaine Park. Plus, Mayor Bruce Harrell throws down the gauntlet with an impromptu push-up contest at a middle school. Is he the "world's best mayor," or just really good at flexing? Tune in and find out! Quinn Waller is our editor. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Uncle Ikes Supports Seattle Nice Thanks to Uncle Ikes for support! If you want to advertise, contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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D2 Council Race Unpacked, Crosswalks Hacked, and will the Virginia Inn get Axed? 32:53

8 weeks ago32:53

32:53

Four city council candidates are vying to represent one of Seattle’s most progressive districts, District 2 in SE Seattle, and Erica’s been talking to them. We debate and discuss the issues and the candidates. But the real drama? The potential closure of the Virginia Inn, which has been operating near Pike Place market for 120 years. David pokes fun at Sandeep and Erica's sentimental reminiscences. Nostalgia is a helluva drug, but if you wax nostalgic about the potential closure of a restaurant you love, does your urbanist card get revoked? And just when you thought Seattle couldn't get any more Seattle, someone hacked a bunch of crosswalk signals with an AI Jeff Bezos voice. Is this the kind of clever, slightly absurd protest that we need right now? Or should we strive to be more humorless and uptight? Tune in, turn on, and mellow out. Quinn Waller is our editor. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Uncle Ikes Supports Seattle Nice Thanks to Uncle Ikes for support! If you want to advertise, contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Does Trump's economy spell doom for Seattle? 28:04

9 weeks ago28:04

28:04

It’s day 81 of the Trump administration as we record this episode (on Friday morning) and things are getting … alarming. Seattleites are increasingly freaking out about the chaos and insanity in the Other Washington, and who can blame them? Middle school students in West Seattle were rushed inside because someone thought they saw an ICE vehicle (spoiler alert: it was just plain ol’ SPD). And Erica's got the grim details about how Trump's "slash and burn" cuts are starting to hit local homelessness programs. And if that wasn't enough, brace yourselves after last week’s City budget forecast – which projects a $241 million revenue gap. We discuss the impossible task facing city budget planners as they try to predict the impact of Trump’s erratic trade policies and the resulting stock and bond market volatility, and we consider the grim prospect of what the hell might happen to the City’s finances (nothing good!) if Trump truly tanks the economy. Admittedly, it’s a pessimistic convo this week. But hey, at least we all agree on this one. Buckle up, Seattle Nice listeners, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. Our editor is Quinn Waller. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Developers, Guns and Money: Another Week of Council Controversies 48:18

10 weeks ago48:18

48:18

It's the first week of April, and things at the City Council are heating up faster than a sunny afternoon at Denny Blaine Park. First up: CM Cathy Moore initiates a debate over developer profits and offers a controversial proposal to expand the Mandatory Affordable Housing program (MHA) to Seattle’s current single-family zones. We ask: why can’t we quit bickering and build more shit? Then, rising gun violence. A critical audit of the City’s prevention efforts is raising tensions between Council and the Mayor’s Office. The question we all want answered is, "Why is Seattle's rate climbing when others are dropping?" Plus, a non-binding resolution on "defund the police" that had us perplexed. And why did some skip the resolution vote? Finally, a potential $47 million payroll tax shortfall. Can Seattle afford … Seattle? Our editor is Quinn Waller. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Blue City Blues preview: Why Drug Reform Failed In West Coast Blue Cities 24:10

11 weeks ago24:10

24:10

This is a special preview of an episode of a new podcast, Blue City Blues . Click this link to hear the entire episode wherever you get your podcasts. Keith Humphreys: Why Drug Reform Failed In West Coast Blue Cities The wave of bold new decriminalization-centered approaches to drug policy reform that swept West Coast cities from San Francisco to Vancouver, B.C. starting around 2020 has failed, according to one the nation’s leading drug policy experts, former Obama White House drug policy advisor and Stanford psychiatry professor Keith Humphreys. On this week’s Blue City Blues, we invited Professor Humpreys on to explore why. Our editor is Quinn Waller. About Blue City Blues Twenty years ago, Dan Savage encouraged progressives to move to blue cities to escape the reactionary politics of red places. And he got his wish. Over the last two decades, rural places have gotten redder and urban areas much bluer. America’s bluest cities developed their own distinctive culture, politics and governance. They became the leading edge of a cultural transformation that reshaped progressivism, redefined urbanism and remade the Democratic Party. But as blue cities went their own way, as they thrived as economically and culturally vibrant trend-setters, these urban cosmopolitan islands also developed their own distinctive set of problems. Inequality soared, and affordability tanked. And the conversation about those problems stagnated, relegated to the narrowly provincial local section of regional newspapers or local NPR programming. The Blue City Blues podcast aims to pick up where Savage’s Urban Archipelago idea left off, with a national perspective on the present and the future of urban America. We will consider blue cities as a collective whole. What unites them? What troubles them? What defines them? Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Sara Nelson Talks Stadium District Housing, Progressive Revenue, and Involuntary Commitment 46:47

12 weeks ago46:47

46:47

Breaking: Council President Sara Nelson tells Seattle Nice she’s open to considering new progressive taxes to fund drug treatment and that she supports involuntary commitment for people who are “severely impaired through years of addiction.” We also dive deep into the epic battle over Sara’s plan for affordable “workforce” housing near the stadiums. Why were some urbanists opposed? Did billionaire Chris Hansen pull the strings? What really went down at the marathon city council meeting before the vote? Quinn Waller is our editor. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Are You Mad At Me? Episode 2: We Talk to Adam Penenberg, Who Uncovered the Deception at the Heart of "Shattered Glass" 16:15

13 weeks ago16:15

16:15

Check out a preview of the latest episode of Are You Mad at Me?, the podcast about the movie Shattered Glass hosted by PubliCola co-founders Erica Barnett and Josh Feit. Shattered Glass, starting Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, and Steve Zahn (among many other names you'll recognize), is about a journalism scandal in the late 1990s in which a reporter, Stephen Glass, was found to have fabricated dozens of stories for The New Republic, Harpers, and many other traditional media outlets. Our guest for this month's show, Adam Penenberg (portrayed by Zahn in the film), was working for an early online outlet called Forbes Digital Tool when his editor, Kambiz Foroohar, demanded to know why he'd been scooped by Stephen Glass on a story about teenage hackers. As we now know, the story was completely fabricated—and Penenberg was the one who unraveled the fraud. In our interview, Penenberg tells us what it was like to uncover the story and reflects on what it was like to be a reporter for a digital startup going up against a venerable institution like The New Republic. He also offers his thoughts on why Glass decided to fabricate stories instead of just reporting them, and tells us what it was like talking to Steve Zahn as he was developing his character for the movie. Listen, like, and subscribe to Are You Mad at Me? on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Sound Transit Picks Dow? And Challengers Take on Harrell and Davison 41:58

13 weeks ago41:58

41:58

Sandeep says Dow Constantine will be the next CEO of Sound Transit. Is Dow the best pick? Was the process a flawed example of cronyism? And why is the transit agency's CEO pay so high? We also discuss progressive activist Katie Wilson entering the Seattle mayor's race against Bruce Harrell. Does she have a shot against Harrell's record and "One Seattle" leadership style? Don't miss our in-depth interview with Katie Wilson where she self-criticized the left on the politics of homelessness in recent years. Plus, former assistant US Attorney Erika Evans is running against Republican City Attorney Ann Davison. Will Davison survive the challenge? Also, is council candidate Tanya Woo finally calling it quits? Our editor is Quinn Waller. About Seattle Nice It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com HEARTH Protection : Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.…

Seattle Nice

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Seattle Elections Heat Up and Trump Gets Punitive 33:23

14 weeks ago33:23