The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

Every week on The Gaggle, we dive into political topics and subjects that affect Arizonans. We interview politicians. We ask questions of political analysts. We break down what state and national decisions mean right here at home.This time, we turned over the questions to the listeners.This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl open up the mailbag and answer questions submitted by listeners. They respond to concerns about water allocation, education funding, historic building tax write-offs and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For three years in a row, Arizona's Republican state lawmakers tried to pass legislation to bar what was described as "critical race theory" from being taught in Arizona classrooms. They wanted to restrict schools from teaching anything that could be perceived as judging a person based on race or ethnicity, or cause a person to feel ashamed because of their race or ethnicity.This year, the bill passed though the House and Senate, but Gov. Katie Hobbs promptly vetoed it, saying it would only serve to divide and antagonize. It wasn't the only scolding from the Democratic governor, who has served as a buffer against other legislation rooted in the culture wars.She vetoed the pronoun bill SB 1001 and the bathroom bill SB 1040 – both measures aimed at the hot topic of transgender rights in Arizona’s schools and sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh.Hobbs disposed of a bill rooted in another issue of the moment: drag shows. She also vetoed a measure that would have barred state financial investments in any operation that adheres to diversity, equity and inclusion policies.And that’s just a sampling of legislation in 2023.Last year, Arizona emerged on the front lines of the culture wars when then-Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, signed bills that banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth and required student athletes to compete in the gender category that matches the sex they were assigned at birth. These policies have been enacted in numerous other Republican-controlled states.This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Steve McIntosh joins host Mary Jo Pitzl. McIntosh is the director and co-founder of Cultural Evolution, a nonprofit that strives to integrate contrasting points of view when examining social issues.Together, they discuss the sudden popularity of culture war issues, why they have emerged in a warlike context and their effect on politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the All-Star break for baseball. The good news for the Arizona Diamondbacks is the team is tied for first place in the National League West. The bad news is fans still aren’t flocking to Chase Field. And part of the problem may be Chase Field itself.After 25 years, it’s not new and it’s not a classic. The team has considered relocating. A move seems off the table now, however.This spring, voters in Tempe rejected an arena and entertainment district deal that would have created a new home for the Arizona Coyotes hockey team. That leaves the long-term future of the Coyotes up in the air.Where do things stand with the D-Backs?In this episode of The Gaggle, we’re talking through the Diamondbacks' stadium situation. Nick Piecoro, the Diamondbacks beat reporter for The Republic, joins hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl for the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 4th 1776, 56 men signed a document declaring the newly formed 13 colonies as one United States of America.By this charter, they formed a new country. One free from Britain's rule. The Declaration of Independence showcased the rights and beliefs of the new country. It was a written record of what America would stand for and was signed by the nation’s founding fathers.  Today, to honor the country’s sovereignty, The Gaggle presents a reading of the Declaration of Independence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is here. The temperature is consistently in the triple digits, and the state Legislature is out on break. The first six months of the year are nearly in the books.While it may seem like the pages of the calendar flipped a little too quickly, Arizona was awash with political news in the first half of the year.A new Democratic governor was sworn in. Bills were passed, but a record number of bills were vetoed. Candidates announced their campaigns for 2024. And water became the hottest topic. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by Arizona Republic reporters covering some of the most pressing topics in Arizona politics.Ray Stern analyzes the number of departures in the state Legislature. Stacey Barchenger talks about Gov. Katie Hobbs' struggle to fill her cabinet. Taylor Seely discusses the confluence of development and water in Maricopa County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a year since the U.S. Supreme Court erased federal abortion rights in a ruling that divided Americans and injected the issue into the 2022 midterm elections. The ruling upended abortion laws across the country and created confusion in Arizona over whether a 19th-century near-total ban on abortions was the law, or a 2021 law limiting most abortions to within 15 weeks of conception.Arizona’s legal landscape on this issue remains less than clear, and many candidates appear eager to test the political potency of abortion as an issue in 2024.In this episode of The Gaggle, we’re speaking with two guests about how Dobbs has affected Arizonans and what it could mean for those running in 2024. First, you’ll hear from Stephanie Innes, who covers healthcare issues for The Arizona Republic. Then you’ll hear from Amy Walter of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which tracks political races across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 19th, 2022, President Joe Biden, by executive order, made this day a federal holiday. Juneteenth, as it’s commonly called, marks the day when U.S. troops entered Galveston, Texas in 1865 to free people who were still suffering enslavement. This is despite the fact that slavery had officially ended two and a half years prior.The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. Juneteenth is considered America's second independence day. In honor of that, we here on The Gaggle present to you a reading of the 14th Amendment. This amendment grants citizenship to all persons either born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people. The amendment also provides equal protection under law. Here to read the Amendment are staff and reporters of The Arizona Republic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy struck a deal to stave off a default by the federal government.It passed on a bipartisan basis, with more Democrats voting for it than Republicans, and now some of the most conservative Republicans in the House, many of them in the House Freedom Caucus, are making McCarthy pay for it.These conservative hardliners, including Representative Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., upset Republican plans to pass bills intended to prevent Biden from outlawing gas stoves. Then they forced the chamber to cancel any votes the next day, leading Republican leadership to cancel more days of votes.The battle isn't across the aisle, rather between the right and the far right.This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Matthew Green to discuss where this stalemate could lead and why the Freedom Caucus is disproportionately Arizonan.Green is a professor of politics at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is the author of “Legislative Hardball: The House Freedom Caucus and the Power of Threat-Making in Congress.”What political topics would you like to hear on The Gaggle? We want to hear from you! Send us a note via email here or leave us a voicemail at 602-444-0804. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress narrowly averted an unprecedented federal default after House Republicans and President Joe Biden reached a deal on trimming government spending over the next two years.To make it stick, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy received more votes from House Democrats than from his fellow Republicans on a deal few on either side really liked. It was all part of the reality of a nine-seat GOP majority in the House with a party that has deep divisions.Voters will reassess that majority next year. With two Arizona seats expected to be among the more competitive races in the country, voters here could play a role in deciding which party controls the House of Representatives.In this episode, we'll hear about the candidates who have so far tossed their hats into the ring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Redistricting is the most important story in America that no one cares about. These political maps shape the power of your vote. Today, The Gaggle sits down the three independent commissioners who have overseen the redrawing of district lines. We hear how it's done and what they would change.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices