Dear Ohio - Politics, Issues, and People
65 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 16 ratingsThe political system can feel like a complicated and gridlocked machine that we have little ability to influence. The truth is, you CAN change things when you know how. Enter Spectrum News 1 Anchor Curtis Jackson, who brings to the table decades of experience covering political news and events. Join him for meaningful conversations with decision-makers that will help guide listeners to an actionable understanding of the issues in Ohio.
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Episodes
Are all politics still local?
July 14, 2021 08:30 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBCongressional races and an open Senate seat have once again put Ohio in the national political spotlight. What's unusual this time is the influence of a former president and other national figures who are taking an unprecedented interest in the outcome of these races. It all begs the question: is all politics still local or has the polarized political climate made district and statewide races an extension of national interests? In this episode, Curtis talks to Washington Bureau reporter Ta...
Take this job — please!
July 07, 2021 08:30 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBThe government added 850,000 jobs last month in another sign that the economy is rebounding after the pandemic, but the recovery is happening amidst an unprecedented demand for workers. The good news is more people are actively looking for jobs. The bad news (for employers) is jobseekers are being more selective. As a result, employers are offering incentives, including higher wages, bonuses and more flexible schedules. All are signs of how the pandemic has changed the labor market and the...
Conspiracy-minded thinking rooted deep in America's history (Part 2)
June 30, 2021 08:30 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBHappy Birthday, America! As we near the 245th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’re going to take a look at what drives American exceptionalism. Our national character is defined by optimism and a belief in the impossible, but what happens when that can-do spirit devolves into magical-thinking and a refusal to accept empirical evidence that’s contrary to one’s beliefs? Ohio recently became a powerful example of this kind of conspiracist thinking. On this ep...
Conspiracy-minded citizens and politicians impact how we vote (Part 1)
June 23, 2021 08:30 - 28 minutes - 20.4 MBCan anything be done to slow or stop the spread of disinformation and delegitimizing surrounding the 2020 election? In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson talks to Spectrum News 1 political analyst and University of Cincinnati professor Brian Calfano about a new study that reveals how disinformation spreads and the impact of conspiracy-minded thinking by voters and elected officials had on the presidential election and the threat it poses to democracy in the future.
The roots of racial inequality - Part 3: The push to close the racial wealth gap
June 16, 2021 08:30 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBThe Biden Administration recently announced an effort to close the racial wealth gap between white and Black Americans. But how big is that gap and how did it form? In the third and final part of our Roots of Racial Inequality series, Curtis Jackson explores the origins of wealth disparity along racial lines and why some believe a broken promise that dates back to the end of the Civil War could provide a solution.
The roots of racial inequality – Part 2: Critical Race Theory in Ohio’s public education
June 09, 2021 08:30 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBThere is a new battleground in the culture wars: the classroom. Republican legislatures are targeting Critical Race Theory, including lawmakers in Ohio. But what is Critical Race Theory and how much a presence does it have in the state’s public elementary, middle and high schools? In this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News anchor Curtis Jackson looks at what CRT is (and isn’t), and how the debate surrounding it could threaten local control of schools and important discussions about race a...
The roots of racial inequality — Part 1: The plan to rescue socially disadvantaged farmers
June 02, 2021 08:30 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBThe federal government is moving to repay the loans of socially-disadvantaged farmers, including Black, Latino and Asian producers. The initiative is meant to address financial disparities laid bare by the pandemic, but those same inequities can be traced back even further— to Reconstruction and Manifest Destiny. The discussion surrounding the repayment program for disadvantaged producers is also connected to national conversations about race and public policy, including Critical Race Theory...
Vax-a-Million, scholarship lotteries may lessen vaccine hesitancy
May 26, 2021 08:30 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBThe first lotteries of $1 million and college scholarships for vaccinated adults and adolescents will be held Wednesday, May 26. The Ohio Department of Health said the lotteries are driving more Ohioans to get vaccinated. In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson explains why it’s working.
What's behind police-caused deaths? The reality behind police reform
May 19, 2021 08:30 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBWhite police officers in Columbus have killed five Black people in five months. The shootings have once again amplified calls for police reform that reached a fever pitch last summer, but the components of reform, and how best to implement them, are seldom agreed upon. And even the best intentions can lead to bad outcomes. In this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News 1 anchor Curtis Jackson walks listeners through some proposals for change and explains why some are misguided and others will...
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month and highlighting the rise of violence against Asian Americans
May 12, 2021 08:30 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBThis year's celebration of AAPI Heritage Month comes at a time of unprecedented pain and promise for Asian Americans in Ohio and across the country. An increase in violence against Asian Americans is being driven by xenophobia and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Dear Ohio, state Sen. Tina Maharath, the first Asian American woman elected to the Ohio Senate, and University of New Mexico law professor Vinay Harpalani, detail the challenges facing the AAPI community befo...
The census, redistricting, immigration and Cinco de Mayo affect each other in more ways than you may know
May 05, 2021 08:30 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News 1 anchor Curtis Jackson explains how the 2020 census intersects with redistricting, immigration and the Mexican-American holiday of Cinco de Mayo, a confluence of issues and events that could have far-reaching implications for the future of the state for years to come.
Vaccine hesitancy is real, but will it keep us from beating COVID-19?
April 28, 2021 08:30 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBMore than one year since the COVID-19 pandemic began taking the lives of millions of people around the world, vaccines have emerged as the best defense against it. The two-dose inoculations from Pfizer and Moderna, as well as the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine that now requires a warning label, have been proven effective and safe for the vast majority of individuals. But concerns about the speed of their development, denial about the threat the virus poses to the young, and the trauma...
Do we know enough about gun violence to solve it?
April 21, 2021 08:30 - 24 minutes - 23.3 MBPresident Joe Biden calls gun violence in America an “epidemic,” and some researchers are once again calling for a public health approach to the problem. Right now, there's a major shortage of knowledge about the prevalence of firearms, the explosion of injuries and fatalities surrounding them and the best ways to prevent or reduce the impact of gun violence. In this episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson explores the Dickey Amendment, an obscure provision attached to the annual appropri...
Political extremists call Ohio home, too
April 14, 2021 08:30 - 18 minutes - 17.9 MBIn this first episode of Dear Ohio, Curtis Jackson takes an in-depth look at extremism and how some Ohioans are involved, including in the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. In this episode, Curtis talks to Michael Edison Hayden, Senior Investigative Reporter at the Southern Poverty Law Center who says far-right extremists no longer need an organizational structure. The digital realm connected them.
Introducing Dear Ohio with Curtis Jackson
April 02, 2021 18:50 - 1 minute - 2.72 MBThe political system can feel like a complicated and gridlocked machine that we have little ability to influence. The truth is, you CAN change things when you know how. Enter Spectrum News 1 Anchor Curtis Jackson, who brings to the table decades of experience covering political news and events. Join him for meaningful conversations with decision-makers that will help guide listeners to an actionable understanding of the issues in Ohio. Listen every Wednesday starting April 14th.