Category Archives: Public Education

Rosemary Papa Interview — Podcast February 8, 2016

The State of Education in Arizona: Ground Zero Is Not the Goal. Democratic Perspective talks to Dr. Rosemary Papa about the woeful state of public education funding in the state of Arizona. Dr. Papa currently serves as The Del and Jewel Lewis Endowed Chair in … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Budget, Arizona Politics, Budget Negotiations, Constitutional Issues, Democratic Governance, Education, Education Policy, Government, Interviews, Local Politics, Podcasts, Public Education, Public Policy, Social Contract, Tax Revenues | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Rosemary Papa Interview — Podcast February 8, 2016

Nikki Bagley Interview — Podcast January 25, 2016

Leadership for Arizona’s Future (And Lord Knows We Need It): Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson, welcome Nikki Bagley, Director of the Yavapai College Viticulture and Enology Program and former mayor of Jerome, to discuss her candidacy for the Arizona … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Policy, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Continuing Education, Democratic Governance, Education Policy, Elections, Environmental Issues, Government, Growth, Interviews, Jobs and Employment, Local Politics, Oenology, Podcasts, Public Education, Public Policy, Small Business, Unemployment, Viticulture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Nikki Bagley Interview — Podcast January 25, 2016

The State of the Union: A Study in Contrasts — Podcast January 18, 2016

President Obama vs. the Republican Mud-Wrestlers: Who’s Actually Worthy of Our Trust? Democratic Perspective reviews the state of the nation, and of our national politics. President Obama, in his State of the Union address, asks the American people to take seriously the issues … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Rights, Climate Change, Conservative Paranoia, Conspiracy Theories, Cultural Change, Democratic Governance, Digital Revolution, Economic Policy, Education Policy, Elections, Energy Policy, Environmental Issues, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, Global Warming, Government, Gun Control, Health Care, Industrial Policy, International Relations, International Terrorism, Iran, Islamic Republic, Labor Unions, LIberals and Conservatives, Mass Incarceration, Mass Shootings, Minimum Wage, National Politics, National Security, Podcasts, Policing, Political Lies, Political Polarization, Poverty, Propaganda, Public Education, Renewable Energy, Social Contract, Sustainable Development, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The State of the Union: A Study in Contrasts — Podcast January 18, 2016

The Failure of Ideologically-Driven Public Policies: Minnesota vs. Arizona — Podcast January 11, 2016

Red States and Blue States: Ideology vs. Service to the People. Democratic Perspective looks at why the ideological preoccupations of the Republican right have proven so disastrous for the people who live in red states. Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster compare unemployment, wealth distribution, health … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Arizona Budget, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Education Policy, Federal Lands, Government, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Movement Conservatism, Podcasts, Political Theory, Private Prisons, Public Education, Public Lands, Public Policy, Special Interest Legislation, States' Rights, Tax Law, Taxation, Unemployment, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Failure of Ideologically-Driven Public Policies: Minnesota vs. Arizona — Podcast January 11, 2016

Jan Nichols Interview — Podcast September 21, 2015

Feeding at the Public Trough: The Sleazy Economics of Charter School Scams and Ripoffs. Jan Nichols, Arizona native, retired Phoenix teacher, and education activist, joins Democratic Perspective hosts Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster for a discussion of charter school funding abuses — discover how … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Politics, Corruption, Education, Education Policy, Interviews, Podcasts, Privatization, Public Education, Special Interest Legislation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Jan Nichols Interview — Podcast September 21, 2015

Matt Capalby Interview — Podcast August 24, 2015

Arizona: the State of the State, the State of State Politics. Democratic Perspective’s intrepid investigative staff interviews Matt Capalby — Kingman native, Arizona Democratic Party stalwart, and highly regarded political consultant — about the state of play in Arizona politics as the 2016 race … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Dark Money, Education Policy, Elections, Energy Policy, Environmental Issues, Immigration, Income Inequality, Interviews, Jobs and Employment, Journalism, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Local Politics, Mass Media, Media Campaigns, Podcasts, Polling, Public Education, Public Lands, Taxation, Water Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Matt Capalby Interview — Podcast August 24, 2015

The State of Public Education in Arizona: It’s Getting Worse — Podcast June 8, 2015

Not-So-Great Expectations: Arizona Is Now Dead Last in Per-Pupil Education Spending.  Democratic Perspective  talks to Jim Ledbetter, Verde Valley Attorney and Past President of the Mingus Union High School District Governing Board and Ann Shaw, District Director of the New Visions Academy charter … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Budget, Arizona Politics, Education, Education Policy, Housekeeping, Interviews, Podcasts, Public Education, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The State of Public Education in Arizona: It’s Getting Worse — Podcast June 8, 2015

Yavapai College Update — Podcast June 1, 2015

Putting the Community Back in Our Community College:  Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster welcome Bob Oliphant and Ruth Wicks to bring our audience up-to-date on the latest news from the Verde Valley Community College Citizen Advocates push for home rule — a separate administrative district for the … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Education Policy, Interviews, Local Politics, Podcasts, Public Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yavapai College Update — Podcast June 1, 2015

The Arizona Legislative Lunacy Report: Spring 2015 Edition — Podcast April 30, 2015

The March of Ideology and Incompetence Continues in Phoenix: Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster take a detailed look at the Arizona Republic’s recently published docket of bills pending in the Legislature. Listen as our intrepid analysts subject the moderately acceptable, the irredeemably awful, and the crazy ugly to the test … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Arizona Budget, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Budget Negotiations, Campaign Finance, Child Protection, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Corporate Welfare, Corruption, Dark Money, Education, Education Policy, Elections, Federal Lands, Firearms Legislation, Fiscal Policy, Gun Control, Immigration, Industrial Policy, Nullification, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Public Education, Regulatory Agencies, Special Interest Legislation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Arizona Legislative Lunacy Report: Spring 2015 Edition — Podcast April 30, 2015

The Confederate State of Arizona — Podcast March 16, 2015

The Payback for Dark Money in Arizona: More Corporate Tax Cuts, Continued Defunding of Public Education, and Yahoo! a Secessionist Republican Legislature. Gary LaMaster and Steve Williamson dissect the results of the 2014 election in Arizona: a seemingly endless stream of bills from both houses of … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Budget, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Budget Negotiations, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Constitutional Issues, Dark Money, Education, Education Policy, Housekeeping, Jobs and Employment, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Privatization, Public Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Confederate State of Arizona — Podcast March 16, 2015