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. Each episode dives into contentious and sometimes ridiculous topics, exploring perspectives from across Seattle's political spectrum, from city council brawls to the ways the national political conversation filters through our unique political process. Even if you’re not from Seattle, you need to listen to Seattle Nice. Because it’s coming for you. Unlike the sun, politics rises in the West and sets in the East.
Episodes
105 episodes since 2021
Does Seattle Need More Drug Laws?
Caleb Banta-Green of UW medicine joins the pod to debate the pros and cons of Seattle's current approach to drugs. The conversation kicks off with Barnett and Bant...
September 14, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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47:35
Is Design Review dying in Seattle?
The city council is making plans to speed up the process for building in downtown Seattle by exem...
September 06, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 30
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41:33
Is Seattle's downtown really recovering?
Surrogates are calling Mayor Bruce Harrell's downtown recovery plan a
August 23, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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37:28
Are SOAP zones the right way to clean up Seattle?
Seattle Nice takes a lively look at a proposed ban on prostitution "loitering," and proposed Stay Out of Stay Out of Area of Prosti...
August 17, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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46:27
The Extra-Nice Post-Primary Election Episode
Seattle Nice was on our best behavior this week because had company—Scott Greenstone, a politics reporter at KUOW radio and host of the new KUOW podcast Sound Politics! We discussed the statewide election results (Scott reported th...
August 09, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 27
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41:16
Is Seattle Still In Its Backlash Era?
There's an election coming up for a citywide seat on the Seattle City Council, and the question everyone's asking is: Can a progressive challenger beat a member of the Class of 2023? Tanya Woo, the citywide Position 8 incumbent, actually lost h...
August 01, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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25:28
PREVIEW: Will jailing more people fix downtown Seattle? Lisa Daugaard weighs in.
Seattle's City Council says it needs more options to jail people who commit misdemeanors. Criminal justice reformer and MacArthur "Genius" Grant winner Lisa Daugaard joins us to debate and discuss. Daugaard is best-known for helping launch Seat...
July 30, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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25:03
SPD's interim head Sue Rahr puts her foot down
This week interim Seattle police chief Sue Rahr fired an officer for joking about the death of a 23-year-old graduate student. We discuss and debate the case and police accountability in Seattle. Plus, will Joe Biden be the Democra...
July 19, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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19:00
Is Civility Dying in Seattle?
Seattle Councilmember Tanya Woo recently reported graffiti to the FBI "as as hate crime," according to Publicola. We take a closer look at Woo's claims and conc...
July 16, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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37:26
Supreme Court episode: Are sweeps the answer?
Seattle Nice digs into and debates the other controversial Supreme Court decision about
July 03, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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24:17
"Do Nothing" Seattle City Council?
President Truman first coined the phrase "Do Nothing Congress" to blast his Republican opponents. Now, some progressive critics are implying Seattle has a "do nothing" city council. Has the new, less progressive council accomplished enoug...
June 24, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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30:23
Why are NPR and WaPo struggling compared to peer news organizations?
We discuss and debate Erica's recent article about troubles at the Washington Post, and David's recent
June 16, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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44:12
What should Seattle do about gun violence in schools?
Garfield students are back in class today after one of their peers was shot and killed last week. Communit...
June 12, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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27:54
Is Seattle Ungovernable?
David is away this week, and Sandeep and Erica are in charge! Our question for this week: Is Seattle in a state of chaos? The evidence: The Seattle school district is considering potentially devastating cuts. Hundreds showed up at ...
June 01, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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37:06
Nudity in Seattle parks and homeless count controversy
We talk about the troubling increase in homelessness in King County and take a closer look at
May 17, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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18:56
Do you support Seattle Mayor Harrell's new overdose recovery facility plan?
On Thursday, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced a new overdose...
May 12, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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23:38
Seattle Nice Live! Street prostitution, crime and drugs on Aurora Ave
Street prostitution, crime and drugs on Aurora Ave are among the topics for this special live edition of Seattle Nice. This episode was taped Thursday May 2nd at the Haller Lake Community Club. Book Seattle Nice Live! for you...
May 04, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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58:22
$5M Lawsuit accuses Seattle police of sexual discrimination and harassment
Four female employees are suing SPD for alleged harassment and sexual discrimination by Chief Adrian Diaz and ot...
April 30, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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35:08
Why was Seattle's original draft plan for more dense housing watered down?
A big Publicola scoop shows how Mayor Harrell watered down a draft comprehensive plan for "significantly more density in more parts of the city, including...
April 19, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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25:11
New Poll: Is Seattle's glass half full or still half empty?
Today's pod gets into new poll results about what Seattle's thinking and feeling. Most people s...
April 12, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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26:10
Seattle's new police contract, $1.35 billion transportation levy and the migrant crisis
This week the pod talks about the new Seattle Police contract, Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed $1.35 billion transportation levy, and the politics of the migrant crisis in the region. Our editor is Quinn Waller
April 05, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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29:53
Seattle Police contract includes 23 percent retroactive raise
Erica's got the breaking scoop today about the new tentative police contract on Publicola, a...
April 02, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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7:56
Seattle considers changes to police hiring tests and gig delivery worker pay
Seattle's Police Department is having a hard time bringing in new recruits, so the city council is considering moving to an easier test for job applicants as one possible fix. Erica says that's the wrong solution and Sandeep disagrees. Plus, th...
March 30, 2024
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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30:39