‘A View from the Left Side’: New Podcast from Rep. PPH (video)

I’m not the politician who strides into the room with an entourage and takes the first opportunity to grab a mic and give a speech. I’m the politician who wanders around parties and events chitchatting incognito until somebody, like my husband, tips people off and blows my cover.

Before COVID, I heard a lot of your stories with this way.

Literally everywhere I go–even to Jim’s recent Rincon Rangers High School Reunion–people tell me how much they appreciate getting an insider’s view of the Arizona Legislature through my video updates and blog posts.

Although this blog has been quiet since the end of a grueling, six-month Legislative session, I have been busy in the background.* Given the dismal state of our state government and the struggles to make progressive change in the Congress, I decided to up my communication game and start a weekly podcast. Each episode of A View from the Left Side focuses on a specific topic and includes a commentary to set the stage, followed by guest interviews. My podcast is available in podcast format through several services like Spotify, Stitcher Radio, I Heart Radio and others. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and get the podcast, along with my other updates.

A View from the Left Side began with a soft opening on August 20 with Episode 1: The State of Politics in Arizona. There is obviously a lot of material for a political podcast in Arizona.

Ending on June 30, 2021, the first session of the 55th Legislature was the longest session in recent history because it took the Republicans two months to get their radical agenda passed. With the House split 31-29, they needed every one of their members to pass horrible ideological bills like the Flat Tax, the alternative tax to get around Prop 208 (Invest in Ed), Arizona’s extreme anti-abortion bill (SB1457), Critical Race Theory, Empowerment Scholarship (ESA) expansion and the PEVL purge and other voter suppression.

As predicted, the state got sued over several laws and petition drives started. In Episode 2: Arizonans Fight Back Against #AZLeg Republicans with Six Referenda, my guests detail the pushback against extremist Republican ideas. Other episodes cover hot topics like COVID 19, reproductive choice, online gaming and more. Here is a list of the eight episodes that I have published. Look for new episodes every Friday. They premiere on podcast format first, followed by YouTube. (The YouTube version includes some video, whereas the podcast version is only audio.)

You can also subscribe to A View from the Left Side on multiple podcasting services such as iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, I Heart Radio and others. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and get the podcast, along with my other updates.

A View from the Left Side Episodes

Episode 1: The State of Politics in Arizona Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 2: Arizonans Fight Back Against #AZLeg Republicans with Six Referenda Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 3: Arizona Bowl: Using Sex to Sell Football and Gaming Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 4: Labor Day: How Unions Are Organizing Arizona Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 5: Fighting Back Against Repressive Anti-Choice Laws in Arizona and Texas Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 6: COVID19 in Arizona: Where Are We Now? 18 Months Later … Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 7: The Filibuster: It’s Time to Remove a Relic of Racism Podcast Format / YouTube

Episode 8: Updates: From Taxes to Reproductive Rights and COVID … What’s the Latest? Podcast Format / YouTube

* NOTE: I have since added the podcast episodes to this website for easy access.

National Infrastructure Bank Would Rebuild US, Create Jobs & Restore Global Competitiveness – A View from the Left Side

Season 2 Episode 13: Creation of a National Infrastructure Bank | 0:44The US Has Had Four National Infrastructure Banks | 1:17Crumbling Infrastructure Hurts Competitiveness | 2:30Rep. PPH Interview with Economics Experts on the Proposal for NIB | 4:24Alphecca Muttardy, Board Member, NIB Coalition | 4:53What Is an NIB and Why Do We Need One? | 5:00Projects that Could Be Funded by the NIB | 5:19Infrastructure Investments Are Good for the Economy | 8:48Roosevelt's RFC Was Infrastructure Bank | 11:28Nationwide Rural Broadband Funded by the NIB Is Modern REA | 11:36Muttardy on the Scope of NIB Projects | 12:27The Scope of the REA and Its Impact on Rural America | 13:01'It Is a Disgrace that We Have Houses in America with No Running Water' | 13:35Chinese NIB Is Building a Nationwide Water Grid. | 13:49 NIB Projects Could Help Arizona Farmers | 14:12Public Private Partnerships (P3s) vs NIB | 14:29Arizona Water Initiative Allocates $750 mil in P3s for 'Water Augmentation' | 14:37Keep Public Infrastructure in Public Hands. Water Is a Public Good. | 15:09Ellen Brown, Founder, Public Banking Institute and Author | 15:52'P3s Want Profits. NIB Is Basically a Bank at Cost.' | 15:56Who Can Invest in the NIB? | 16:40Muttardy: How the NIB Would Be Capitalized? | 17:08Brown: Individuals Can Invest in the NIB | 18:37Crumbling US Infrastructure Hurts Competitiveness | 18:57China Invests 8% of GDP in Infrastructure. US Invests 2.4%. | 19:35Putting People to Work Building Infrastructure Will Rebuild the Middle Class | 20:00Given Current Economic Uncertainties, How Would Our Strategies Change if We Had NIB Now? | 20:36Dr. Robert Hockett, Edward Cornell Professor of Law and Finance at Cornell University | 21:45The US Relies Too Much on Private Sector Initiative | 21:51If Your Motive Is Profit Maximization, It Is Not in Your Interest to Prioritize the Public Good | 22:15Brown on Inflation: Shortages Are to Blame | 23:28COVID Relief Money that Was Sent to the Banks Is Just Sitting There Unspent | 24:05COVID Relief Money that Went to People Is Long Gone | 24:28'People Are Spending Now But They Have Less Money than Before COVID' | 24:52'There's Not a Lot of Demand Competing for the Goods. The Problem Is Shortages.' | 25:11The American System Model of Building Infrastructure to Promote Growth & Production | 25:19Keep the Farmers and Small Businesses in Business | 25:30Hamilton: 'This Bank Is to Be Used for Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Development of the Economy' | 25:56'We've Had an Infrastructure Bank Before. The Problem Is Political.' | 26:33'If the Money Goes to Productive Purposes — Things that Do Pay Back — then You Have a Sustainable System.' | 27:06Muttardy: 'Policy Banks' Are Investing Money in the Most Productive Place | 27:52The US Needs a Long-Term Infrastructure Plan | 28:29What Are Common Objections to NIB? | 29:31Muttardy: The NIB Has Checks and Balances as Well as Transparency | 29:59NIB Will Have Engineers to Help Local Governments Design Efficient Systems | 30:37All NIB Loans Are Transparent for Public to See | 31:42Who Owns the Infrastructure Built with NIB Loans? | 32:02Hockett: Who Owns the Infrastructure Depends Upon the Project | 32:41Muttardy: Most NIB Loans Will Go to Public Entities who Own their Infrastructure | 34:03To Relieve Bottlenecks, NIB Can Make Private Sector Loans | 34:30The NIB's Role in Affordable Housing | 35:35Hockett: Historical Perspective on Housing | 36:19And more…