Sound Politics

The Seattle SuperSonics are closer than ever to coming home. And this comeback could have surprising benefits for elected officials. Plus, we recap the political machinations behind the loss of the Sonics 18 years ago.

Guest

Jordan Ritter Conn, senior staff writer for The Ringer, host of "Sonic Boom: How Seattle Lost Its Team"

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to http...

Since retiring from the military, combat veteran Joe Kent has been a loyal foot soldier in the MAGA army.

Now, the two-time Washington congressional candidate claims President Donald Trump was manipulated into going to war with Iran, a country Kent says posed no imminent threat to the U.S.

Kent sat down for a lengthy interview with Tucker Carlson about his decision to quit D.C., and we listened in to see what we could...

We've been talking about it for what feels like forever. But it has finally happened. The Washington state legislature has passed the millionaire's tax.

We're talking about the sounds, smells and substance that got this bill to the governor's desk with Sarah Mizes-Tan, KUOW's Olympia reporter.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/don...

We’re coming to you with a bonus dose of Sound Politics because we got some feedback about our last episode that we want to talk about and chew over a bit.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.

Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smi...

We spoke to a major booster of President Trump and a proponent of military intervention in Iran. He doesn’t speak for the wide spectrum of Iranian-American thinking — but he does represent a mode of thought that is very visible and very loud in the Pacific Northwest. Most of the street demonstrations in the Seattle area have been organized by the pro-intervention faction of Seattle’s Iranian diaspora. Plus, we hea...

Democrats in Olympia are considering a bill that gives a state board the power to decertify elected sheriffs. Depending on how you see it, it's either a necessary step to modernize sheriff's offices or opens the door for an unelected state board to undermine voters. KUOW's Amy Radil will explain the bill, we'll hear from two sheriffs against it, and talk to one former sheriff, State Sen. John Lovick, who's for it.

Thank you ...

Is Governor Ferguson tax-mogging? We'll let you look up what that means, but the millionaire’s tax is taking shape as it moves through Olympia. State Senate Democrats passed their version of the proposal this week.

But can it pay for everything Democrats want it to fund? Also, Seattle mayor Katie Wilson faces her first test in office: Whether to expand the city’s over 60 CCTV cameras.

It's a grab-bag episo...

We haven’t talked a lot about the Epstein files on this show but it’s a defining picture of a lot of the politics we talk about here – populist backlash against rich elites and distrust of government and the political establishment more generally. It is a story that has engulfed the other Washington and it has connections to this Washington.

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We're going deep on taxes this week, even though it's only February. State Democrats have released their so-called millionaire's tax, and we talk about why one particular Dem isn't sold yet.

Related Links

SB 6346 - 2025-26

WA Democrats’ ‘millionaires tax’ is here, but Ferguson doesn’t support it yet

Washington state voters have rejected income taxes 10 times. Is this year differen...

Where did the idea come from to push back against President Trump by holding a general strike? The story takes us back 100 years to shipyard workers in Seattle. We’ll hear why people think general strikes are an effective protest today and whether they work.

On this week's episode, we relied on oral histories and primary sources from the Seattle General Strike Project, Wesleyan University, and Labor Archives of Washing...

One year into President Trump's second term, we check in with Washington state’s biggest Trump supporter (or at least, the biggest one in our Congressional delegation) Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane. We also talk with the biggest Trump adversary in the state, Attorney General Nick Brown, who sued the administration 50 times in the last year.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you wa...

Democrats think that this is the year when voters and the courts will side with them on an income tax. Axios' Melissa Santos and the Washington Observer's Paul Queary join us to talk about why. They'll also break down what they're watching during this year's state legislative session.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/...

Seattle's new mayor, Katie Wilson, joins us to talk about being in the media spotlight, her priorities for the coming year, and what new taxes she might get behind.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.

Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our pro...

Outgoing Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson reflects on her tenure as she leaves office.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.

Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Sarah Leibovitz and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby De...

State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen is talking about passing a new income tax during next year's short legislative session. Plus, how the state will pay for flood damage with a tight budget.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.

Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our ...

For weeks, pundits wondered whether incoming Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson would fire the city's police chief. We now know she won’t, but we still have questions about how a democratic socialist who used to support "defund" the police will run the police department.

Listen to the full Soundside interview with Chief Shon Barnes here. 

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help ...

It’s the most of the wonderful time of the year in Olympia, the time when the Democrats figure out how to fill a giant budget hole.

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 Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts a...

We're bringing you an interview with incoming Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans. Voters resoundingly supported Evans in last month's elections. How much will the incoming city attorney roll back her predecessor's policies?

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 N...

How her campaign team took a political newcomer and got her elected mayor of Seattle.

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 Catharine Smith. Our producers are Hans Anderson and Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Gr...