Pacific Time: West Coast What-Ifs Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/pacific-time-the-what-if-of-west-coast-independence What if the West Coast could chart its own course? What if our innovations, values, and creative energy weren’t diluted by national politics? What if West Coast sovereignty was a dream and a strategy? Welcome to Pacific Time, where host Greg Amrofell—a relentless provocateur who has lived his whole life up and down the West Coast—invites you to imagine bold solutions. We explore how to make the West Coast better if it's undistilled by the faltering American experiment.. Each episode features meaningful conversations with thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, and visionaries. We’ll tackle the big questions of self-determination, imagining and sharpening the West Coast’s cultural identity, economic potential, and environmental leadership. Pacific Time is for the intellectually curious, the disillusioned optimists, and the dreamers who refuse to accept that status quo in America is the best we can do on the West Coast. Here, we cut through the partisan noise and welcome transformative ideas from a broad spectrum of iconoclasts. We ask how we can work together to elevate the West Coast and get past the narratives that marginalize us “Out West” on the “Left Coast.” It’s time to reimagine what’s possible. Let’s ask, “What if…” and find out. ©️Optimistic Projects 72fedece-e7a2-5fcd-a8f2-cd10a5e28fd8 yes Trailer: Pacific Time Podcast en Fri, 15 May 2026 17:10:33 -0700 Fri, 15 May 2026 17:11:05 -0700 https://www.pacifictimepodcast.com https://img.transistorcdn.com/I0QsqZ3JxFnQL5voRQlMPEm0q8StlkcIGnaxIb3GJ4E/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wMGJh/ZTI4OTU4ODAzN2I4/NjRmNjBjNDJlY2I3/MmI5Yy5wbmc.jpg Pacific Time: West Coast What-Ifs https://www.pacifictimepodcast.com episodic Greg Amrofell What if the West Coast could chart its own course? What if our innovations, values, and creative energy weren’t diluted by national politics? What if West Coast sovereignty was a dream and a strategy? Welcome to Pacific Time, where host Greg Amrofell—a relentless provocateur who has lived his whole life up and down the West Coast—invites you to imagine bold solutions. We explore how to make the West Coast better if it's undistilled by the faltering American experiment.. Each episode features meaningful conversations with thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, and visionaries. We’ll tackle the big questions of self-determination, imagining and sharpening the West Coast’s cultural identity, economic potential, and environmental leadership. Pacific Time is for the intellectually curious, the disillusioned optimists, and the dreamers who refuse to accept that status quo in America is the best we can do on the West Coast. Here, we cut through the partisan noise and welcome transformative ideas from a broad spectrum of iconoclasts. We ask how we can work together to elevate the West Coast and get past the narratives that marginalize us “Out West” on the “Left Coast.” It’s time to reimagine what’s possible. Let’s ask, “What if…” and find out. What if the West Coast could chart its own course. West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States Greg Amrofell greg@pacifictimepodcast.com No No Is San Francisco Back? 45 45 Is San Francisco Back? full 6122f217-eaa7-45a2-93e5-a1de4a923aab https://pacifictimepodcast.com/45 San Francisco is dead! Long live, San Francisco! 

Or, maybe it's not so simple? The City by the Bay has always been a bellwether for the West Coast—economically, culturally, and politically. But in recent years, San Francisco, in particular, has faced a cascade of challenges: empty downtown offices, housing shortages, public safety concerns, and a lingering post-pandemic identity crisis.


Is San Francisco back? Or, do its challenges illuminate what’s coming to big cities everywhere?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Sean Elsbernd joins us. Sean is the CEO of SPUR, the Bay Area’s leading public policy center and he helps us unpack the real story behind the headlines. This is not a boosterish take, nor is it a doom loop.

Instead, it’s a clear-eyed conversation about what’s actually working, what isn’t, and what it will take for the whole San Francisco Bay Area to build on its deserved reputation for technical and social innovation. From downtown revitalization to housing reform, from governance challenges to regional cooperation, Elsbernd offers a pragmatic blueprint for recovery—and a candid assessment of the obstacles ahead.

For the West Coast, San Francisco is a test case.

About Our Guest
Sean Elsbernd is the CEO of SPUR (the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association), one of the region’s most influential public policy organizations. A former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and longtime civic leader, Elsbernd brings deep experience in urban governance, housing, and regional policy.

Key Themes & Highlights

  • SF: Narrative vs Reality
    Why San Francisco’s reputation has diverged so sharply from on-the-ground trends—and what data actually says about recovery.
  • Downtown’s Existential Pivot
    The shift from office-centric urban core to a mixed-use future—and whether conversion strategies can succeed, while key infrastructure like transit work with shaky finances.
  • Housing: The Core Constraint
    Why affordability remains the defining issue—and what meaningful reform would actually require politically.
  • Governance & Fragmentation
    How local politics, regional coordination, and state policy interact—and where they break down.
  • A Blueprint for Renewal
    Elsbernd’s pragmatic view on what must happen next—and what could still go wrong.


Related Episodes


🌶️ Spicy Question
If San Francisco can’t solve housing, governance, and public safety at the same time as it asserts itself as the world leader in AI—does it risk losing its reputation as the West Coast’s flagship city?


Follow & Listen
Follow, like and share Pacific Time on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation across Substack, LinkedIn, YouTube, and social channels.

]]> San Francisco is dead! Long live, San Francisco! 

Or, maybe it's not so simple? The City by the Bay has always been a bellwether for the West Coast—economically, culturally, and politically. But in recent years, San Francisco, in particular, has faced a cascade of challenges: empty downtown offices, housing shortages, public safety concerns, and a lingering post-pandemic identity crisis.


Is San Francisco back? Or, do its challenges illuminate what’s coming to big cities everywhere?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Sean Elsbernd joins us. Sean is the CEO of SPUR, the Bay Area’s leading public policy center and he helps us unpack the real story behind the headlines. This is not a boosterish take, nor is it a doom loop.

Instead, it’s a clear-eyed conversation about what’s actually working, what isn’t, and what it will take for the whole San Francisco Bay Area to build on its deserved reputation for technical and social innovation. From downtown revitalization to housing reform, from governance challenges to regional cooperation, Elsbernd offers a pragmatic blueprint for recovery—and a candid assessment of the obstacles ahead.

For the West Coast, San Francisco is a test case.

About Our Guest
Sean Elsbernd is the CEO of SPUR (the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association), one of the region’s most influential public policy organizations. A former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and longtime civic leader, Elsbernd brings deep experience in urban governance, housing, and regional policy.

Key Themes & Highlights

  • SF: Narrative vs Reality
    Why San Francisco’s reputation has diverged so sharply from on-the-ground trends—and what data actually says about recovery.
  • Downtown’s Existential Pivot
    The shift from office-centric urban core to a mixed-use future—and whether conversion strategies can succeed, while key infrastructure like transit work with shaky finances.
  • Housing: The Core Constraint
    Why affordability remains the defining issue—and what meaningful reform would actually require politically.
  • Governance & Fragmentation
    How local politics, regional coordination, and state policy interact—and where they break down.
  • A Blueprint for Renewal
    Elsbernd’s pragmatic view on what must happen next—and what could still go wrong.


Related Episodes


🌶️ Spicy Question
If San Francisco can’t solve housing, governance, and public safety at the same time as it asserts itself as the world leader in AI—does it risk losing its reputation as the West Coast’s flagship city?


Follow & Listen
Follow, like and share Pacific Time on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation across Substack, LinkedIn, YouTube, and social channels.

]]> Wed, 06 May 2026 06:18:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell, Ashley Brown Greg Amrofell, Ashley Brown 3717 San Francisco is dead! Long live, San Francisco! 

Or, maybe it's not so simple? The City by the Bay has always been a bellwether for the West Coast—economically, culturally, and politically. But in recent years, San Francisco, in particular, has faced a cascade of challenges: empty downtown offices, housing shortages, public safety concerns, and a lingering post-pandemic identity crisis.


Is San Francisco back? Or, do its challenges illuminate what’s coming to big cities everywhere?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Sean Elsbernd joins us. Sean is the CEO of SPUR, the Bay Area’s leading public policy center and he helps us unpack the real story behind the headlines. This is not a boosterish take, nor is it a doom loop.

Instead, it’s a clear-eyed conversation about what’s actually working, what isn’t, and what it will take for the whole San Francisco Bay Area to build on its deserved reputation for technical and social innovation. From downtown revitalization to housing reform, from governance challenges to regional cooperation, Elsbernd offers a pragmatic blueprint for recovery—and a candid assessment of the obstacles ahead.

For the West Coast, San Francisco is a test case.

About Our Guest
Sean Elsbernd is the CEO of SPUR (the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association), one of the region’s most influential public policy organizations. A former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and longtime civic leader, Elsbernd brings deep experience in urban governance, housing, and regional policy.

Key Themes & Highlights

  • SF: Narrative vs Reality
    Why San Francisco’s reputation has diverged so sharply from on-the-ground trends—and what data actually says about recovery.
  • Downtown’s Existential Pivot
    The shift from office-centric urban core to a mixed-use future—and whether conversion strategies can succeed, while key infrastructure like transit work with shaky finances.
  • Housing: The Core Constraint
    Why affordability remains the defining issue—and what meaningful reform would actually require politically.
  • Governance & Fragmentation
    How local politics, regional coordination, and state policy interact—and where they break down.
  • A Blueprint for Renewal
    Elsbernd’s pragmatic view on what must happen next—and what could still go wrong.


Related Episodes


🌶️ Spicy Question
If San Francisco can’t solve housing, governance, and public safety at the same time as it asserts itself as the world leader in AI—does it risk losing its reputation as the West Coast’s flagship city?


Follow & Listen
Follow, like and share Pacific Time on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation across Substack, LinkedIn, YouTube, and social channels.

]]> San Francisco, San Francisco recovery, Is San Francisco back, San Francisco economy, San Francisco downtown, San Francisco housing crisis, urban policy San Francisco, West Coast cities, city recovery post pandemic, urban revitalization, housing affordability California, urban planning, zoning reform, housing policy, homelessness San Francisco, public safety San Francisco, local government California, regional governance Bay Area, SPUR San Francisco, Sean Elsbernd, West Coast politics, future of cities West Coast, Bay Area economy, California policy, blue city challenges, progressive city governance, San Francisco doom loop, is San Francisco declining, post pandemic city recovery, remote work impact cities, downtown office vacancy, urban comeback story, why is San Francisco struggling, how to fix San Francisco housing, future of downtown San Francisco, can cities recover after COVID, lessons from San Francisco for other cities No Tax the Rich or Fix the System? 44 44 Tax the Rich or Fix the System? full 2631331f-779a-4fbb-8fbf-32309d01be6b https://pacifictimepodcast.com/44 Washington just passed a “millionaire’s tax”—but the real story is what it reveals about a broken system.

For decades, Washington State has operated the most regressive tax system in the country. High sales taxes, heavy reliance on consumption, and no income tax have created a structure where lower-income households pay a larger share of their income than the wealthy.

Now, lawmakers have approved a 9.9% tax on income above $1 million. Supporters call it a step toward fairness. Critics warn it could push wealth and investment elsewhere. But there’s a catch: the tax won’t take effect until 2028, and it won’t generate revenue until 2029.

So what just happened?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown step back from the headlines to examine a deeper question: not whether this tax is good policy, but whether Washington’s entire tax system is built for the modern economy.

The conversation moves beyond the usual talking points to explore the underlying tensions shaping tax debates across the West Coast. Washington is a fast-growing, innovation-driven state, yet its revenue system is volatile and structurally imbalanced. Efforts to fix that imbalance tend to oscillate between politically popular ideas and economically uncertain outcomes.

What emerges is a more fundamental challenge. Can a state meaningfully improve fairness by targeting a small group of high earners? Or does real reform require a broader reset—one that rethinks how revenue is raised altogether?

This episode considers the possibility of a larger “grand bargain”: a modern, broad-based income tax paired with reductions in regressive consumption taxes. It’s a path that would be difficult, politically risky, and likely require constitutional change—but one that could offer a more stable and equitable foundation for the future.


Seen in that light, the millionaire’s tax is less a solution than a signal. It reflects a growing recognition that the current system isn’t working—even if consensus on what comes next remains elusive. It also points to the very similar debate taking shape in California and around the country.


Highlights

  • Why Washington’s tax system is considered among the most regressive in the United States
  • The case for and against a tax targeting high-income households
  • What the data actually suggests about people and businesses leaving high-tax states
  • The constitutional challenge that could determine whether this policy survives
  • How revenue volatility creates instability for budgeting and long-term planning
  • Why small businesses and working families sit at the center of the current system’s tensions
  • The idea of a comprehensive “grand bargain” to redesign how Washington raises revenue

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the creator and co-host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur focused on big “what if” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is co-host of Pacific Time, a strategist and policy thinker with a deep interest in governance, political systems, and how institutional design shapes economic outcomes.


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Questions 🌶️

  • What would make for a dramatically simpler and more equitable tax system on the West Coast?
  • What if Washington State shed the chip on its shoulder about the weather, embraced the advantages (clean air, clean water, gorgeous landscapes, cheap hydro power, and progressive values), and stopped assuming it needed tax advantages to persuade businesses to start here and pro athletes to play here?


]]> Washington just passed a “millionaire’s tax”—but the real story is what it reveals about a broken system.

For decades, Washington State has operated the most regressive tax system in the country. High sales taxes, heavy reliance on consumption, and no income tax have created a structure where lower-income households pay a larger share of their income than the wealthy.

Now, lawmakers have approved a 9.9% tax on income above $1 million. Supporters call it a step toward fairness. Critics warn it could push wealth and investment elsewhere. But there’s a catch: the tax won’t take effect until 2028, and it won’t generate revenue until 2029.

So what just happened?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown step back from the headlines to examine a deeper question: not whether this tax is good policy, but whether Washington’s entire tax system is built for the modern economy.

The conversation moves beyond the usual talking points to explore the underlying tensions shaping tax debates across the West Coast. Washington is a fast-growing, innovation-driven state, yet its revenue system is volatile and structurally imbalanced. Efforts to fix that imbalance tend to oscillate between politically popular ideas and economically uncertain outcomes.

What emerges is a more fundamental challenge. Can a state meaningfully improve fairness by targeting a small group of high earners? Or does real reform require a broader reset—one that rethinks how revenue is raised altogether?

This episode considers the possibility of a larger “grand bargain”: a modern, broad-based income tax paired with reductions in regressive consumption taxes. It’s a path that would be difficult, politically risky, and likely require constitutional change—but one that could offer a more stable and equitable foundation for the future.


Seen in that light, the millionaire’s tax is less a solution than a signal. It reflects a growing recognition that the current system isn’t working—even if consensus on what comes next remains elusive. It also points to the very similar debate taking shape in California and around the country.


Highlights

  • Why Washington’s tax system is considered among the most regressive in the United States
  • The case for and against a tax targeting high-income households
  • What the data actually suggests about people and businesses leaving high-tax states
  • The constitutional challenge that could determine whether this policy survives
  • How revenue volatility creates instability for budgeting and long-term planning
  • Why small businesses and working families sit at the center of the current system’s tensions
  • The idea of a comprehensive “grand bargain” to redesign how Washington raises revenue

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the creator and co-host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur focused on big “what if” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is co-host of Pacific Time, a strategist and policy thinker with a deep interest in governance, political systems, and how institutional design shapes economic outcomes.


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Questions 🌶️

  • What would make for a dramatically simpler and more equitable tax system on the West Coast?
  • What if Washington State shed the chip on its shoulder about the weather, embraced the advantages (clean air, clean water, gorgeous landscapes, cheap hydro power, and progressive values), and stopped assuming it needed tax advantages to persuade businesses to start here and pro athletes to play here?


]]> Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:48:55 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2965 Washington just passed a “millionaire’s tax”—but the real story is what it reveals about a broken system.

For decades, Washington State has operated the most regressive tax system in the country. High sales taxes, heavy reliance on consumption, and no income tax have created a structure where lower-income households pay a larger share of their income than the wealthy.

Now, lawmakers have approved a 9.9% tax on income above $1 million. Supporters call it a step toward fairness. Critics warn it could push wealth and investment elsewhere. But there’s a catch: the tax won’t take effect until 2028, and it won’t generate revenue until 2029.

So what just happened?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown step back from the headlines to examine a deeper question: not whether this tax is good policy, but whether Washington’s entire tax system is built for the modern economy.

The conversation moves beyond the usual talking points to explore the underlying tensions shaping tax debates across the West Coast. Washington is a fast-growing, innovation-driven state, yet its revenue system is volatile and structurally imbalanced. Efforts to fix that imbalance tend to oscillate between politically popular ideas and economically uncertain outcomes.

What emerges is a more fundamental challenge. Can a state meaningfully improve fairness by targeting a small group of high earners? Or does real reform require a broader reset—one that rethinks how revenue is raised altogether?

This episode considers the possibility of a larger “grand bargain”: a modern, broad-based income tax paired with reductions in regressive consumption taxes. It’s a path that would be difficult, politically risky, and likely require constitutional change—but one that could offer a more stable and equitable foundation for the future.


Seen in that light, the millionaire’s tax is less a solution than a signal. It reflects a growing recognition that the current system isn’t working—even if consensus on what comes next remains elusive. It also points to the very similar debate taking shape in California and around the country.


Highlights

  • Why Washington’s tax system is considered among the most regressive in the United States
  • The case for and against a tax targeting high-income households
  • What the data actually suggests about people and businesses leaving high-tax states
  • The constitutional challenge that could determine whether this policy survives
  • How revenue volatility creates instability for budgeting and long-term planning
  • Why small businesses and working families sit at the center of the current system’s tensions
  • The idea of a comprehensive “grand bargain” to redesign how Washington raises revenue

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the creator and co-host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur focused on big “what if” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is co-host of Pacific Time, a strategist and policy thinker with a deep interest in governance, political systems, and how institutional design shapes economic outcomes.


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Questions 🌶️

  • What would make for a dramatically simpler and more equitable tax system on the West Coast?
  • What if Washington State shed the chip on its shoulder about the weather, embraced the advantages (clean air, clean water, gorgeous landscapes, cheap hydro power, and progressive values), and stopped assuming it needed tax advantages to persuade businesses to start here and pro athletes to play here?


]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Sorry, Not Sorry? Canada's Just Broke Up with US 43 43 Sorry, Not Sorry? Canada's Just Broke Up with US full 7e518464-7291-4c76-9d6e-8ef69b6f0a84 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/43 For decades, the U.S.–Canada relationship was the most stable economic partnership in the world. Deep trade integration. Shared institutions. Quiet cooperation across the longest peaceful border on Earth.

That assumption is no longer safe as an increasingly unreliable U.S. becomes a 'bad guy' on the world stage, and a particularly bad neighbor.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown unpack a startling shift in North American politics: Canada is beginning to imagine a future without the United States at the center of its economic and security strategy. Witness Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Without naming the United States directly, Carney declared that the world is experiencing “a rupture, not a transition.”

That statement raises a provocative question: Is the U.S.–Canada relationship entering its post-American phase?

Greg and Ashley explore how escalating tariffs, collapsing trust in U.S. leadership, and rising geopolitical uncertainty are forcing Canada — and the Pacific Northwest — to rethink their economic futures.

This conversation examines the potential consequences for trade, energy, technology, and political alliances across the West Coast. If Canada truly begins decoupling from the United  States, what does it mean for Cascadia?.


Highlights

  • Why Mark Carney’s Davos speech sounded like a diplomatic breakup note
  • How Trump’s tariffs changed Canada’s strategic calculations
  • Why U.S.–Canada economic integration may be entering a new phase
  • The West Coast’s unique vulnerability to a Canada–U.S. rupture
  • What a new Pacific economic alignment could look like
  • Whether Cascadia could become a bridge between two diverging economies

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur who explores big “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is a marketing executive and policy analyst who writes about political systems, governance, and international affairs.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Question

If the U.S.–Canada relationship fractures, should the West Coast deepen its economic ties with Canada — even if Washington doesn’t?

Join the conversation on Substack.


]]> For decades, the U.S.–Canada relationship was the most stable economic partnership in the world. Deep trade integration. Shared institutions. Quiet cooperation across the longest peaceful border on Earth.

That assumption is no longer safe as an increasingly unreliable U.S. becomes a 'bad guy' on the world stage, and a particularly bad neighbor.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown unpack a startling shift in North American politics: Canada is beginning to imagine a future without the United States at the center of its economic and security strategy. Witness Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Without naming the United States directly, Carney declared that the world is experiencing “a rupture, not a transition.”

That statement raises a provocative question: Is the U.S.–Canada relationship entering its post-American phase?

Greg and Ashley explore how escalating tariffs, collapsing trust in U.S. leadership, and rising geopolitical uncertainty are forcing Canada — and the Pacific Northwest — to rethink their economic futures.

This conversation examines the potential consequences for trade, energy, technology, and political alliances across the West Coast. If Canada truly begins decoupling from the United  States, what does it mean for Cascadia?.


Highlights

  • Why Mark Carney’s Davos speech sounded like a diplomatic breakup note
  • How Trump’s tariffs changed Canada’s strategic calculations
  • Why U.S.–Canada economic integration may be entering a new phase
  • The West Coast’s unique vulnerability to a Canada–U.S. rupture
  • What a new Pacific economic alignment could look like
  • Whether Cascadia could become a bridge between two diverging economies

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur who explores big “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is a marketing executive and policy analyst who writes about political systems, governance, and international affairs.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Question

If the U.S.–Canada relationship fractures, should the West Coast deepen its economic ties with Canada — even if Washington doesn’t?

Join the conversation on Substack.


]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2954 For decades, the U.S.–Canada relationship was the most stable economic partnership in the world. Deep trade integration. Shared institutions. Quiet cooperation across the longest peaceful border on Earth.

That assumption is no longer safe as an increasingly unreliable U.S. becomes a 'bad guy' on the world stage, and a particularly bad neighbor.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown unpack a startling shift in North American politics: Canada is beginning to imagine a future without the United States at the center of its economic and security strategy. Witness Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Without naming the United States directly, Carney declared that the world is experiencing “a rupture, not a transition.”

That statement raises a provocative question: Is the U.S.–Canada relationship entering its post-American phase?

Greg and Ashley explore how escalating tariffs, collapsing trust in U.S. leadership, and rising geopolitical uncertainty are forcing Canada — and the Pacific Northwest — to rethink their economic futures.

This conversation examines the potential consequences for trade, energy, technology, and political alliances across the West Coast. If Canada truly begins decoupling from the United  States, what does it mean for Cascadia?.


Highlights

  • Why Mark Carney’s Davos speech sounded like a diplomatic breakup note
  • How Trump’s tariffs changed Canada’s strategic calculations
  • Why U.S.–Canada economic integration may be entering a new phase
  • The West Coast’s unique vulnerability to a Canada–U.S. rupture
  • What a new Pacific economic alignment could look like
  • Whether Cascadia could become a bridge between two diverging economies

About the Hosts

  • Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time and an entrepreneur who explores big “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast.
  • Ashley Brown is a marketing executive and policy analyst who writes about political systems, governance, and international affairs.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

Spicy Question

If the U.S.–Canada relationship fractures, should the West Coast deepen its economic ties with Canada — even if Washington doesn’t?

Join the conversation on Substack.


]]> West Coast, Canada, Trade War, Davos, Carney, Rupture, North America, Trump, Foreign Affairs, Europe, Asia, Havel No Affordability, Impeachment, or ICE Rollbacks? What's a Congressional Candidate To Do? 42 42 Affordability, Impeachment, or ICE Rollbacks? What's a Congressional Candidate To Do? full af5bd3f8-2fb3-4bce-ba04-dcbaa4f850e5 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/42 Housing is unaffordable. Healthcare is fragile. Wages lag costs. And Congress, well, Congress is paralyzed by spectacle.

The affordability crisis is no longer abstract — it’s the organizing reality of American life. Housing, healthcare, childcare, energy, and education costs are squeezing households. Congress competes for attention, trying to score short-lived popularity points, and seems take pride in how little it can get done for constituents.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown speak with Brandon Riker, a California congressional candidate, not to spotlight a campaign — but to interrogate the economic choices Congress is avoiding. This is a conversation about governing tradeoffs: what actually matters when everything is supposedly an emergency, and why affordability may be the only issue capable of cutting through institutional dysfunction. What if the House of Representatives reasserts the power of the purse?

The discussion ranges from the political costs of confronting affordability head-on, to the limits of congressional power, to why symbolic fights often crowd out material relief. Along the way, Riker offers a grounded perspective on what candidates hear on the ground — and what Washington routinely fails to absorb.


Highlights

  • Why affordability has eclipsed ideology as the dominant voter concern
  • How Congress’s incentive structure rewards spectacle over economic problem-solving
  • The gap between constituent economic pain and legislative priorities
  • What candidates can — and can’t — realistically promise on housing and cost of living
  • Why debates over impeachment and agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement often displace kitchen-table economics
  • Whether Congress is structurally capable of addressing affordability at scale
  • The political risk of telling voters the truth about constraints and tradeoffs

About Our Guest

Brandon Riker is a California-based civic leader and congressional candidate focused on affordability, economic security, and institutional reform. His background spans private-sector work and community engagement, giving him firsthand exposure to the cost-of-living pressures facing working families across California. Riker entered politics motivated less by ideology than by what he describes as a growing disconnect between congressional priorities and the material realities constituents face, particularly around housing, healthcare, and wages. His campaign for Congress emphasizes practical governance, fiscal responsibility, and a willingness to confront political tradeoffs that are often avoided in Washington.


About The Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.


Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.


Related Pacific Time Episodes


Spicy Questions: 

  • If Congress could only deliver one concrete affordability win in the next two years, what should it be — and what would you be willing to see deprioritized to make it happen?
  • Do you agree with Brandon that the fastest way to protect democracy is putting money back in the pockets of taxpayers?


Join the conversation:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about West Coast autonomy on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Housing is unaffordable. Healthcare is fragile. Wages lag costs. And Congress, well, Congress is paralyzed by spectacle.

The affordability crisis is no longer abstract — it’s the organizing reality of American life. Housing, healthcare, childcare, energy, and education costs are squeezing households. Congress competes for attention, trying to score short-lived popularity points, and seems take pride in how little it can get done for constituents.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown speak with Brandon Riker, a California congressional candidate, not to spotlight a campaign — but to interrogate the economic choices Congress is avoiding. This is a conversation about governing tradeoffs: what actually matters when everything is supposedly an emergency, and why affordability may be the only issue capable of cutting through institutional dysfunction. What if the House of Representatives reasserts the power of the purse?

The discussion ranges from the political costs of confronting affordability head-on, to the limits of congressional power, to why symbolic fights often crowd out material relief. Along the way, Riker offers a grounded perspective on what candidates hear on the ground — and what Washington routinely fails to absorb.


Highlights

  • Why affordability has eclipsed ideology as the dominant voter concern
  • How Congress’s incentive structure rewards spectacle over economic problem-solving
  • The gap between constituent economic pain and legislative priorities
  • What candidates can — and can’t — realistically promise on housing and cost of living
  • Why debates over impeachment and agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement often displace kitchen-table economics
  • Whether Congress is structurally capable of addressing affordability at scale
  • The political risk of telling voters the truth about constraints and tradeoffs

About Our Guest

Brandon Riker is a California-based civic leader and congressional candidate focused on affordability, economic security, and institutional reform. His background spans private-sector work and community engagement, giving him firsthand exposure to the cost-of-living pressures facing working families across California. Riker entered politics motivated less by ideology than by what he describes as a growing disconnect between congressional priorities and the material realities constituents face, particularly around housing, healthcare, and wages. His campaign for Congress emphasizes practical governance, fiscal responsibility, and a willingness to confront political tradeoffs that are often avoided in Washington.


About The Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.


Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.


Related Pacific Time Episodes


Spicy Questions: 

  • If Congress could only deliver one concrete affordability win in the next two years, what should it be — and what would you be willing to see deprioritized to make it happen?
  • Do you agree with Brandon that the fastest way to protect democracy is putting money back in the pockets of taxpayers?


Join the conversation:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about West Coast autonomy on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3302 Housing is unaffordable. Healthcare is fragile. Wages lag costs. And Congress, well, Congress is paralyzed by spectacle.

The affordability crisis is no longer abstract — it’s the organizing reality of American life. Housing, healthcare, childcare, energy, and education costs are squeezing households. Congress competes for attention, trying to score short-lived popularity points, and seems take pride in how little it can get done for constituents.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg Amrofell and Ashley Brown speak with Brandon Riker, a California congressional candidate, not to spotlight a campaign — but to interrogate the economic choices Congress is avoiding. This is a conversation about governing tradeoffs: what actually matters when everything is supposedly an emergency, and why affordability may be the only issue capable of cutting through institutional dysfunction. What if the House of Representatives reasserts the power of the purse?

The discussion ranges from the political costs of confronting affordability head-on, to the limits of congressional power, to why symbolic fights often crowd out material relief. Along the way, Riker offers a grounded perspective on what candidates hear on the ground — and what Washington routinely fails to absorb.


Highlights

  • Why affordability has eclipsed ideology as the dominant voter concern
  • How Congress’s incentive structure rewards spectacle over economic problem-solving
  • The gap between constituent economic pain and legislative priorities
  • What candidates can — and can’t — realistically promise on housing and cost of living
  • Why debates over impeachment and agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement often displace kitchen-table economics
  • Whether Congress is structurally capable of addressing affordability at scale
  • The political risk of telling voters the truth about constraints and tradeoffs

About Our Guest

Brandon Riker is a California-based civic leader and congressional candidate focused on affordability, economic security, and institutional reform. His background spans private-sector work and community engagement, giving him firsthand exposure to the cost-of-living pressures facing working families across California. Riker entered politics motivated less by ideology than by what he describes as a growing disconnect between congressional priorities and the material realities constituents face, particularly around housing, healthcare, and wages. His campaign for Congress emphasizes practical governance, fiscal responsibility, and a willingness to confront political tradeoffs that are often avoided in Washington.


About The Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.


Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.


Related Pacific Time Episodes


Spicy Questions: 

  • If Congress could only deliver one concrete affordability win in the next two years, what should it be — and what would you be willing to see deprioritized to make it happen?
  • Do you agree with Brandon that the fastest way to protect democracy is putting money back in the pockets of taxpayers?


Join the conversation:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about West Coast autonomy on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> affordability crisis, cost of living, housing affordability, West Coast economy, Congress dysfunction, economic policy, federal governance, ICE policy, impeachment politics, housing supply, healthcare costs, Pacific Time Podcast, Brandon Riker interview, American affordability, California, Congress, Prop 50, Proposition 50, Palm Springs, Inland Empire No Go Soft on Soft Secession? 41 41 Go Soft on Soft Secession? full f89463c8-a0bd-4f82-9280-2dc69eedc97e https://pacifictimepodcast.com/41 Christopher Armitage, founder of The Existentialist Republic, joins Pacific Time to argue that “soft secession” may be the most realistic way to defend democracy without tearing the country apart—and why the West Coast is uniquely positioned to lead.


Summary
As national institutions fracture and federal power grows more hostile to democratic norms, many Americans feel trapped between resignation and rupture. Christopher Armitage offers a third path. In this episode, he lays out a case for soft secession: a strategy of principled, research-backed state and local noncompliance designed to protect people, preserve democratic legitimacy, and rebalance power within the existing constitutional order.


Drawing on history, law enforcement experience, and comparative political models, Armitage explains why states don’t need permission to govern ethically—and why waiting for federal salvation may be the most dangerous choice of all. From public banking and healthcare compacts to moral law and historical precedents for resistance, this conversation explores what it would look like for the West Coast to act like the future is already here.

Highlights

  • What “soft secession” actually means—and what it doesn’t
  • Why strategic noncompliance can preserve the union rather than fracture it
  • Historical precedents for state-level resistance, from the Fugitive Slave Act to post‑9/11 New York
  • Krav Maga vs. Judo politics: when confrontation matters—and when building better systems matters more
  • How public banking and non‑tax revenue could replace failing federal safety nets
  • Why incrementalism fails in moments of authoritarian creep
  • The role of moral law when institutional norms collapse
  • What West Coast governors and mayors could do now

About Our Guest
Christopher Armitage is the founder of The Existentialist Republic, one of the fastest‑growing political Substacks in the U.S. He is a former law enforcement officer with graduate training in Homeland Security and is known for translating anxiety about democracy into research‑backed, actionable strategies. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Armitage focuses on federalism, state power, and nonviolent democratic resistance.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if soft secession isn’t radical—but overdue? What if refusing to comply with immoral federal directives is the most patriotic act left?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Christopher Armitage, founder of The Existentialist Republic, joins Pacific Time to argue that “soft secession” may be the most realistic way to defend democracy without tearing the country apart—and why the West Coast is uniquely positioned to lead.


Summary
As national institutions fracture and federal power grows more hostile to democratic norms, many Americans feel trapped between resignation and rupture. Christopher Armitage offers a third path. In this episode, he lays out a case for soft secession: a strategy of principled, research-backed state and local noncompliance designed to protect people, preserve democratic legitimacy, and rebalance power within the existing constitutional order.


Drawing on history, law enforcement experience, and comparative political models, Armitage explains why states don’t need permission to govern ethically—and why waiting for federal salvation may be the most dangerous choice of all. From public banking and healthcare compacts to moral law and historical precedents for resistance, this conversation explores what it would look like for the West Coast to act like the future is already here.

Highlights

  • What “soft secession” actually means—and what it doesn’t
  • Why strategic noncompliance can preserve the union rather than fracture it
  • Historical precedents for state-level resistance, from the Fugitive Slave Act to post‑9/11 New York
  • Krav Maga vs. Judo politics: when confrontation matters—and when building better systems matters more
  • How public banking and non‑tax revenue could replace failing federal safety nets
  • Why incrementalism fails in moments of authoritarian creep
  • The role of moral law when institutional norms collapse
  • What West Coast governors and mayors could do now

About Our Guest
Christopher Armitage is the founder of The Existentialist Republic, one of the fastest‑growing political Substacks in the U.S. He is a former law enforcement officer with graduate training in Homeland Security and is known for translating anxiety about democracy into research‑backed, actionable strategies. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Armitage focuses on federalism, state power, and nonviolent democratic resistance.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if soft secession isn’t radical—but overdue? What if refusing to comply with immoral federal directives is the most patriotic act left?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:30:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2868 Christopher Armitage, founder of The Existentialist Republic, joins Pacific Time to argue that “soft secession” may be the most realistic way to defend democracy without tearing the country apart—and why the West Coast is uniquely positioned to lead.


Summary
As national institutions fracture and federal power grows more hostile to democratic norms, many Americans feel trapped between resignation and rupture. Christopher Armitage offers a third path. In this episode, he lays out a case for soft secession: a strategy of principled, research-backed state and local noncompliance designed to protect people, preserve democratic legitimacy, and rebalance power within the existing constitutional order.


Drawing on history, law enforcement experience, and comparative political models, Armitage explains why states don’t need permission to govern ethically—and why waiting for federal salvation may be the most dangerous choice of all. From public banking and healthcare compacts to moral law and historical precedents for resistance, this conversation explores what it would look like for the West Coast to act like the future is already here.

Highlights

  • What “soft secession” actually means—and what it doesn’t
  • Why strategic noncompliance can preserve the union rather than fracture it
  • Historical precedents for state-level resistance, from the Fugitive Slave Act to post‑9/11 New York
  • Krav Maga vs. Judo politics: when confrontation matters—and when building better systems matters more
  • How public banking and non‑tax revenue could replace failing federal safety nets
  • Why incrementalism fails in moments of authoritarian creep
  • The role of moral law when institutional norms collapse
  • What West Coast governors and mayors could do now

About Our Guest
Christopher Armitage is the founder of The Existentialist Republic, one of the fastest‑growing political Substacks in the U.S. He is a former law enforcement officer with graduate training in Homeland Security and is known for translating anxiety about democracy into research‑backed, actionable strategies. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Armitage focuses on federalism, state power, and nonviolent democratic resistance.


Related Resources


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if soft secession isn’t radical—but overdue? What if refusing to comply with immoral federal directives is the most patriotic act left?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No West Coast World Superpower? 40 40 West Coast World Superpower? full 327a4376-a2bc-4045-980f-4482eb55a85e https://pacifictimepodcast.com/40 2025 cracked old illusions. 2026 raises a harder question.

As federal institutions crumble, can the West Coast finally unite its imagination with its power and political will?

In this anniversary episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell is joined by longtime friend, frequent guest, and democracy thinker Ashley Brown to take stock of what 2025 revealed—and what 2026 demands.

Together, they reflect on a year that cracked long-held assumptions about the federal government, democratic self-correction, and incremental reform. From public banking and healthcare autonomy to democratic resilience, cultural soft power, and the limits of imagination, this episode asks a central question:

This is not a reaction episode. It’s a forward-looking reckoning with moral responsibility and historic obligation. What does national and global leadership looks like when the federal government falters?


In This Episode, We Explore

  • What 2025 shattered about faith in federal governance
  • Why imagination—not resources—may be the West Coast’s biggest constraint
  • The West Coast as a donor region, and what autonomy could unlock
  • Public banking, debt capacity, and financing big ideas
  • Where West Coast leaders underestimate their collective clout—and where they overestimate it
  • Why democracy may no longer be self-correcting without reform
  • The stakes and opportunities heading into 2026

About the Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.

Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.

Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: If the West Coast already has power, what’s actually stopping the region from using it much more assertively?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You To:

]]> 2025 cracked old illusions. 2026 raises a harder question.

As federal institutions crumble, can the West Coast finally unite its imagination with its power and political will?

In this anniversary episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell is joined by longtime friend, frequent guest, and democracy thinker Ashley Brown to take stock of what 2025 revealed—and what 2026 demands.

Together, they reflect on a year that cracked long-held assumptions about the federal government, democratic self-correction, and incremental reform. From public banking and healthcare autonomy to democratic resilience, cultural soft power, and the limits of imagination, this episode asks a central question:

This is not a reaction episode. It’s a forward-looking reckoning with moral responsibility and historic obligation. What does national and global leadership looks like when the federal government falters?


In This Episode, We Explore

  • What 2025 shattered about faith in federal governance
  • Why imagination—not resources—may be the West Coast’s biggest constraint
  • The West Coast as a donor region, and what autonomy could unlock
  • Public banking, debt capacity, and financing big ideas
  • Where West Coast leaders underestimate their collective clout—and where they overestimate it
  • Why democracy may no longer be self-correcting without reform
  • The stakes and opportunities heading into 2026

About the Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.

Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.

Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: If the West Coast already has power, what’s actually stopping the region from using it much more assertively?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You To:

]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2646 2025 cracked old illusions. 2026 raises a harder question.

As federal institutions crumble, can the West Coast finally unite its imagination with its power and political will?

In this anniversary episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell is joined by longtime friend, frequent guest, and democracy thinker Ashley Brown to take stock of what 2025 revealed—and what 2026 demands.

Together, they reflect on a year that cracked long-held assumptions about the federal government, democratic self-correction, and incremental reform. From public banking and healthcare autonomy to democratic resilience, cultural soft power, and the limits of imagination, this episode asks a central question:

This is not a reaction episode. It’s a forward-looking reckoning with moral responsibility and historic obligation. What does national and global leadership looks like when the federal government falters?


In This Episode, We Explore

  • What 2025 shattered about faith in federal governance
  • Why imagination—not resources—may be the West Coast’s biggest constraint
  • The West Coast as a donor region, and what autonomy could unlock
  • Public banking, debt capacity, and financing big ideas
  • Where West Coast leaders underestimate their collective clout—and where they overestimate it
  • Why democracy may no longer be self-correcting without reform
  • The stakes and opportunities heading into 2026

About the Co-Hosts

Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the challenges and possibilities of West Coast leadership in a moment of national strain. A longtime technology and civic leader, Greg has lived across California and Washington and brings a systems-level lens to questions of democracy, governance, and regional power. Pacific Time launched on Inauguration Day 2025 as a space for asking bold “What if?” questions about the future of the West Coast—and the country.

Ashley Brown is a former senior marketing and strategy executive at Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, with a deep background in comparative government, election systems, and democratic design. Though not a career politician, Ashley is a long-time student of civic systems and a frequent contributor to Pacific Time, known for bridging corporate leadership, political theory, and practical reform. He brings a sharp, historically grounded perspective to questions of power, legitimacy, and democratic resilience.

Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: If the West Coast already has power, what’s actually stopping the region from using it much more assertively?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; Instagram, and LinkedIn. When you like, subscribe, and share it makes a big difference to getting the word out about Pacific Time. 


When you visit us online and comment on our spicy question or, better yet, ask constructive questions of your own, our hearts sing. A West Coast community that cares enough to converse and debate about its future so it can set its own course – well, that is what we’re after.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You To:

]]> West Coast, West Coast power, West Coast imagination, West Coast politics, West Coast society, Pacific Time podcast, Greg Amrofell, Ashley Brown, regional leadership, state autonomy, American democracy, public banking, donor states, economic sovereignty, democratic reform, political imagination, climate leadership, healthcare reform, housing affordability, soft power, community building, election reform, AI governance, 2026 politics, California, Oregon, Washington No Have Women’s Sports Found Their West Coast Headquarters? 39 39 Have Women’s Sports Found Their West Coast Headquarters? full 5e93be4a-3b3d-4b31-8071-edbe6a30c339 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/39 Seattle’s Rough & Tumble is a sports bar centered on women's sports and women sports fans that also happens to be a really fun place for any sports fan to watch a game. Founder Jen Barnes joins Pacific Time to talk about representation, cultural power, and why the West Coast might be the birthplace of a new era in sports fandom.

Summary
Women’s sports are exploding in talent, investment, and fan enthusiasm—but legacy sports culture and sports media haven’t kept up. When Jen Barnes couldn’t even find a bar willing to turn on a big match for her favorite women’s soccer team, she set about solving her own problem by building a space that centers women’s sports every day of the year. The result is a cultural phenomenon reshaping Seattle and inspiring national attention.


In this conversation, we explore how women’s sports intersect with civic life, identity, West Coast culture, and even political representation. Jen shares the challenges of scaling a purpose-driven business, the rapid growth of women’s sports investment, and what true parity might mean for athletes, fans, and society.


Highlights

  • The “lightbulb moment” that sparked Rough & Tumble
  • Why representation matters in sports, the way way it matters in business and politics
  • The West Coast as the birthplace of women’s sports culture
  • How a sports bar became a civic movement
  • Women athletes as cultural leaders
  • What broadcast parity would unlock across society
  • The next 5–10 years of women’s sports growth
  • How to design public spaces for inclusivity

About Our Guest
Jen Barnes is the founder and CEO of Rough & Tumble, a pioneering sports bar dedicated to women’s sports. Based in Seattle, Rough & Tumble has become a model for gender-equitable sports culture, community-building, and women-led entrepreneurship.

Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if women’s sports expose how fragile our ideas of “merit,” “markets,” and “tradition” really are? What if sports fans who are women aren’t a minority at all?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

  • Guest: Jen Barnes
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • The Women Athletes I’ve Most Admired: Laura Goff, Amelia Amrofell, Kerry Reding
  • Maggie Rogers for providing an appropriately innovative female soundtrack to this week’s production process
]]> Seattle’s Rough & Tumble is a sports bar centered on women's sports and women sports fans that also happens to be a really fun place for any sports fan to watch a game. Founder Jen Barnes joins Pacific Time to talk about representation, cultural power, and why the West Coast might be the birthplace of a new era in sports fandom.

Summary
Women’s sports are exploding in talent, investment, and fan enthusiasm—but legacy sports culture and sports media haven’t kept up. When Jen Barnes couldn’t even find a bar willing to turn on a big match for her favorite women’s soccer team, she set about solving her own problem by building a space that centers women’s sports every day of the year. The result is a cultural phenomenon reshaping Seattle and inspiring national attention.


In this conversation, we explore how women’s sports intersect with civic life, identity, West Coast culture, and even political representation. Jen shares the challenges of scaling a purpose-driven business, the rapid growth of women’s sports investment, and what true parity might mean for athletes, fans, and society.


Highlights

  • The “lightbulb moment” that sparked Rough & Tumble
  • Why representation matters in sports, the way way it matters in business and politics
  • The West Coast as the birthplace of women’s sports culture
  • How a sports bar became a civic movement
  • Women athletes as cultural leaders
  • What broadcast parity would unlock across society
  • The next 5–10 years of women’s sports growth
  • How to design public spaces for inclusivity

About Our Guest
Jen Barnes is the founder and CEO of Rough & Tumble, a pioneering sports bar dedicated to women’s sports. Based in Seattle, Rough & Tumble has become a model for gender-equitable sports culture, community-building, and women-led entrepreneurship.

Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if women’s sports expose how fragile our ideas of “merit,” “markets,” and “tradition” really are? What if sports fans who are women aren’t a minority at all?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

  • Guest: Jen Barnes
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • The Women Athletes I’ve Most Admired: Laura Goff, Amelia Amrofell, Kerry Reding
  • Maggie Rogers for providing an appropriately innovative female soundtrack to this week’s production process
]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:30:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2907 Seattle’s Rough & Tumble is a sports bar centered on women's sports and women sports fans that also happens to be a really fun place for any sports fan to watch a game. Founder Jen Barnes joins Pacific Time to talk about representation, cultural power, and why the West Coast might be the birthplace of a new era in sports fandom.

Summary
Women’s sports are exploding in talent, investment, and fan enthusiasm—but legacy sports culture and sports media haven’t kept up. When Jen Barnes couldn’t even find a bar willing to turn on a big match for her favorite women’s soccer team, she set about solving her own problem by building a space that centers women’s sports every day of the year. The result is a cultural phenomenon reshaping Seattle and inspiring national attention.


In this conversation, we explore how women’s sports intersect with civic life, identity, West Coast culture, and even political representation. Jen shares the challenges of scaling a purpose-driven business, the rapid growth of women’s sports investment, and what true parity might mean for athletes, fans, and society.


Highlights

  • The “lightbulb moment” that sparked Rough & Tumble
  • Why representation matters in sports, the way way it matters in business and politics
  • The West Coast as the birthplace of women’s sports culture
  • How a sports bar became a civic movement
  • Women athletes as cultural leaders
  • What broadcast parity would unlock across society
  • The next 5–10 years of women’s sports growth
  • How to design public spaces for inclusivity

About Our Guest
Jen Barnes is the founder and CEO of Rough & Tumble, a pioneering sports bar dedicated to women’s sports. Based in Seattle, Rough & Tumble has become a model for gender-equitable sports culture, community-building, and women-led entrepreneurship.

Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes

A Few Spicy Questions: What if women’s sports expose how fragile our ideas of “merit,” “markets,” and “tradition” really are? What if sports fans who are women aren’t a minority at all?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

  • Guest: Jen Barnes
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • The Women Athletes I’ve Most Admired: Laura Goff, Amelia Amrofell, Kerry Reding
  • Maggie Rogers for providing an appropriately innovative female soundtrack to this week’s production process
]]> women’s sports, West Coast, Seattle Storm, inclusivity, gender equity, Rough & Tumble, women athletes, representation, sports culture, Pacific Time podcast, West Coast identity, civic culture, sports bars, equity in sports, sports media parity No Did the Election Mark a New Dawn or a False Horizon? 38 38 Did the Election Mark a New Dawn or a False Horizon? full 98052c56-831c-4860-ba1d-bbdd52ec0fc0 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/38 The 2025 elections delivered shockwaves across the country—and even sharper aftershocks across the West Coast.


In our first Pacific Time compilation episode, Greg brings back three trusted voices back to make sense of what just happened and what might be coming next:

• Ashley Brown, comparative elections expert
• Mark Fiore, Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist
• Sandeep Kaushik, West Coast political strategist

Answering separately we unpack:

  • Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo in NYC and what (if anything) it means for us on the West Coast
  • Possibly pragmatic socialist Katie Wilson toppling the incumbent in Seattle's race for mayor
  • Centrist Democrats sweeping governor’s races in New Jersey & Virginia
  • California’s Prop 50 landslide—an aggressive response to Texas’s partisan redistricting

Each guest answers the same big questions: What surprised them? What signals matter for 2026? What are their dream and nightmare scenarios?

It’s a lively, alarming, and unexpectedly hopeful episode about a country on the brink—and why the West Coast may once again lead the way.


Highlights

  • Why Prop 50 passed by a wide margin—and why it was an “up-down vote on Trump’s rule.”
  • Ranked choice voting lessons from New York’s mayoral upset
  • The widening divide within the Democratic Party—and why it may intensify, not resolve
  • What Seattle’s knife-edge mayoral race says about America’s political stalemate
  • The 2026 headlines our guests can imagine now—from “Blue Wave Sweeps America” to warnings of an autocratic future

About Our Guests
All returning friends of the pod...


Ashley Brown — Comparative Elections Expert

A longtime student of electoral systems around the world, Ashley specializes in how voting structures influence democratic legitimacy, turnout, and trust. He brings deep, global perspective on gerrymandering, ranked choice voting, proportionality, and election design.


Mark Fiore — Pulitzer-Winning Political Cartoonist
One of the most influential and groundbreaking political cartoonists working today, Mark’s satirical animations and illustrations have shaped how millions make sense of American politics, extremism, and hypocrisy.

Sandeep Kaushik — Political Strategist & Commentator
A Seattle-based political consultant and co-host of Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice, Sandeep is one of the West Coast’s sharpest interpreters of local and national political dynamics.



Related Episodes

Resources


A Spicy Question For You

What are your dream and nightmare scenarios for where the country goes in 2026? (Provocative, far-out, thoughtful answers might just make it on the next episode)


Answer Here and Join the Conversation

YouTube; Substack; or Instagram. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You:

  • Guests: Sandeep Kaushik, Mark Fiore, Ashley Brown
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • Musical Inspiration: Caamp, Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show (Can you tell I'm on a bluegrass kick?)
  • Moral Support: My family who gathered from far & wide over Thanksgiving and pulled off a great feast
]]> The 2025 elections delivered shockwaves across the country—and even sharper aftershocks across the West Coast.


In our first Pacific Time compilation episode, Greg brings back three trusted voices back to make sense of what just happened and what might be coming next:

• Ashley Brown, comparative elections expert
• Mark Fiore, Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist
• Sandeep Kaushik, West Coast political strategist

Answering separately we unpack:

  • Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo in NYC and what (if anything) it means for us on the West Coast
  • Possibly pragmatic socialist Katie Wilson toppling the incumbent in Seattle's race for mayor
  • Centrist Democrats sweeping governor’s races in New Jersey & Virginia
  • California’s Prop 50 landslide—an aggressive response to Texas’s partisan redistricting

Each guest answers the same big questions: What surprised them? What signals matter for 2026? What are their dream and nightmare scenarios?

It’s a lively, alarming, and unexpectedly hopeful episode about a country on the brink—and why the West Coast may once again lead the way.


Highlights

  • Why Prop 50 passed by a wide margin—and why it was an “up-down vote on Trump’s rule.”
  • Ranked choice voting lessons from New York’s mayoral upset
  • The widening divide within the Democratic Party—and why it may intensify, not resolve
  • What Seattle’s knife-edge mayoral race says about America’s political stalemate
  • The 2026 headlines our guests can imagine now—from “Blue Wave Sweeps America” to warnings of an autocratic future

About Our Guests
All returning friends of the pod...


Ashley Brown — Comparative Elections Expert

A longtime student of electoral systems around the world, Ashley specializes in how voting structures influence democratic legitimacy, turnout, and trust. He brings deep, global perspective on gerrymandering, ranked choice voting, proportionality, and election design.


Mark Fiore — Pulitzer-Winning Political Cartoonist
One of the most influential and groundbreaking political cartoonists working today, Mark’s satirical animations and illustrations have shaped how millions make sense of American politics, extremism, and hypocrisy.

Sandeep Kaushik — Political Strategist & Commentator
A Seattle-based political consultant and co-host of Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice, Sandeep is one of the West Coast’s sharpest interpreters of local and national political dynamics.



Related Episodes

Resources


A Spicy Question For You

What are your dream and nightmare scenarios for where the country goes in 2026? (Provocative, far-out, thoughtful answers might just make it on the next episode)


Answer Here and Join the Conversation

YouTube; Substack; or Instagram. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You:

  • Guests: Sandeep Kaushik, Mark Fiore, Ashley Brown
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • Musical Inspiration: Caamp, Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show (Can you tell I'm on a bluegrass kick?)
  • Moral Support: My family who gathered from far & wide over Thanksgiving and pulled off a great feast
]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2668 The 2025 elections delivered shockwaves across the country—and even sharper aftershocks across the West Coast.


In our first Pacific Time compilation episode, Greg brings back three trusted voices back to make sense of what just happened and what might be coming next:

• Ashley Brown, comparative elections expert
• Mark Fiore, Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist
• Sandeep Kaushik, West Coast political strategist

Answering separately we unpack:

  • Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo in NYC and what (if anything) it means for us on the West Coast
  • Possibly pragmatic socialist Katie Wilson toppling the incumbent in Seattle's race for mayor
  • Centrist Democrats sweeping governor’s races in New Jersey & Virginia
  • California’s Prop 50 landslide—an aggressive response to Texas’s partisan redistricting

Each guest answers the same big questions: What surprised them? What signals matter for 2026? What are their dream and nightmare scenarios?

It’s a lively, alarming, and unexpectedly hopeful episode about a country on the brink—and why the West Coast may once again lead the way.


Highlights

  • Why Prop 50 passed by a wide margin—and why it was an “up-down vote on Trump’s rule.”
  • Ranked choice voting lessons from New York’s mayoral upset
  • The widening divide within the Democratic Party—and why it may intensify, not resolve
  • What Seattle’s knife-edge mayoral race says about America’s political stalemate
  • The 2026 headlines our guests can imagine now—from “Blue Wave Sweeps America” to warnings of an autocratic future

About Our Guests
All returning friends of the pod...


Ashley Brown — Comparative Elections Expert

A longtime student of electoral systems around the world, Ashley specializes in how voting structures influence democratic legitimacy, turnout, and trust. He brings deep, global perspective on gerrymandering, ranked choice voting, proportionality, and election design.


Mark Fiore — Pulitzer-Winning Political Cartoonist
One of the most influential and groundbreaking political cartoonists working today, Mark’s satirical animations and illustrations have shaped how millions make sense of American politics, extremism, and hypocrisy.

Sandeep Kaushik — Political Strategist & Commentator
A Seattle-based political consultant and co-host of Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice, Sandeep is one of the West Coast’s sharpest interpreters of local and national political dynamics.



Related Episodes

Resources


A Spicy Question For You

What are your dream and nightmare scenarios for where the country goes in 2026? (Provocative, far-out, thoughtful answers might just make it on the next episode)


Answer Here and Join the Conversation

YouTube; Substack; or Instagram. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank You:

  • Guests: Sandeep Kaushik, Mark Fiore, Ashley Brown
  • Producer: Tim Wohlberg
  • Musical Inspiration: Caamp, Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show (Can you tell I'm on a bluegrass kick?)
  • Moral Support: My family who gathered from far & wide over Thanksgiving and pulled off a great feast
]]> 2025 elections, 2026 elections, election reactions, election predictions, Prop 50, gerrymandering, redistricting, ranked choice voting, Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, Katie Wilson, Seattle, Seattle mayor race, New Jersey governor race, Virginia governor race, Democratic Party strategy, blue wave, Trump 2025, West Coast politics, West Coast independence, West Coast autonomy, Pacific Time Podcast, Ashley Brown, comparative elections, election systems, Mark Fiore, political cartoonist, political satire, Sandeep Kaushik, Blue City Blues, Seattle Nice, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington State politics, Cascadia, West Coast policy, West Coast democracy, democratic socialism, U.S. political polarization, voter turnout, election reform, independent redistricting, gerrymandering reform, Trump era politics, autocracy warning signs, democracy resilience, U.S. politics podcast, political strategy podcast, West Coast governance, progressive politics, future of democracy, 2026 midterms, political analysis No Reinvent the Two-Party Political Game? 37 37 Reinvent the Two-Party Political Game? full 5b8fc288-f7c8-47ec-8e36-2a06809b76ed https://pacifictimepodcast.com/37 What if America’s political dysfunction isn’t a moral failure — but a design failure?

In this episode, Greg talks with Robbie Bach, former President of Xbox and now a leading civic reform advocate, about how the United States might update its political operating system. Robbie argues that polarization isn’t an accident — it’s an output of incentives. And if incentives can be redesigned, the system can be reinvented.

This is a conversation about innovation, democracy, and why the West Coast might be the country’s best testbed for political renewal.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the two-party system is fragile, not inevitable 
  • What tech’s prototyping mindset could bring to civic life 
  • Why D.C. is structurally incapable of reforming itself
  • Why Tech CEOs are smart to be at The White House, and how they’re missing opportunities to advocate for better policy
  • The civic lessons Robbie learned after Xbox
  • How creating stories about tech, politics, and national intrigue raise questions about the real world

Guest Bio

Robbie Bach led the creation of Xbox and served as President of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division. Since retiring, he has become a civic designer, author, speaker, and advocate for political reform, systems thinking, and community leadership.

Related Resources

Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What advice could gamers offer on how to build a more just and equitable world?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> What if America’s political dysfunction isn’t a moral failure — but a design failure?

In this episode, Greg talks with Robbie Bach, former President of Xbox and now a leading civic reform advocate, about how the United States might update its political operating system. Robbie argues that polarization isn’t an accident — it’s an output of incentives. And if incentives can be redesigned, the system can be reinvented.

This is a conversation about innovation, democracy, and why the West Coast might be the country’s best testbed for political renewal.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the two-party system is fragile, not inevitable 
  • What tech’s prototyping mindset could bring to civic life 
  • Why D.C. is structurally incapable of reforming itself
  • Why Tech CEOs are smart to be at The White House, and how they’re missing opportunities to advocate for better policy
  • The civic lessons Robbie learned after Xbox
  • How creating stories about tech, politics, and national intrigue raise questions about the real world

Guest Bio

Robbie Bach led the creation of Xbox and served as President of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division. Since retiring, he has become a civic designer, author, speaker, and advocate for political reform, systems thinking, and community leadership.

Related Resources

Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What advice could gamers offer on how to build a more just and equitable world?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3298 What if America’s political dysfunction isn’t a moral failure — but a design failure?

In this episode, Greg talks with Robbie Bach, former President of Xbox and now a leading civic reform advocate, about how the United States might update its political operating system. Robbie argues that polarization isn’t an accident — it’s an output of incentives. And if incentives can be redesigned, the system can be reinvented.

This is a conversation about innovation, democracy, and why the West Coast might be the country’s best testbed for political renewal.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the two-party system is fragile, not inevitable 
  • What tech’s prototyping mindset could bring to civic life 
  • Why D.C. is structurally incapable of reforming itself
  • Why Tech CEOs are smart to be at The White House, and how they’re missing opportunities to advocate for better policy
  • The civic lessons Robbie learned after Xbox
  • How creating stories about tech, politics, and national intrigue raise questions about the real world

Guest Bio

Robbie Bach led the creation of Xbox and served as President of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division. Since retiring, he has become a civic designer, author, speaker, and advocate for political reform, systems thinking, and community leadership.

Related Resources

Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What advice could gamers offer on how to build a more just and equitable world?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Two-party system reform, political innovation, civic renewal, democratic reform, electoral systems, systems thinking, independent politics, political polarization, West Coast politics, innovation in governance, Democracy 2.0, governance reform, public sector innovation, tech and democracy, Xbox, Chief Xbox Officer, Robbie Bach, American political system, political dysfunction, reform movements, West Coast autonomy, civic leadership, Microsoft, Boys and Girls Club, Bipartisan Policy Center, Blockchain Syndicate No Can We Grab Economic Power By The Middle? 36 36 Can We Grab Economic Power By The Middle? full 5b3190e3-7eab-4f5c-ba16-00e37eba58fc https://pacifictimepodcast.com/36 What if everything we’ve been told about the economy — about housing, inflation, and government debt — was upside down?

What if the problem isn’t that we’re spending too much, but that we’re letting the wrong people decide what we can spend on?

What if you feel rich when you leave the West Coast and poor when you live in or visit one of our big cities like LA, SF, or Seattle?

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with David “Goldy” Goldstein, a sharp-tongued political strategist at Civic Ventures, co-founder of the legendary blog HorsesAss.org, and co-host of the Pitchfork Economics podcast with billionaire provocateur Nick Hanauer.

Goldy pulls back the curtain on America’s economic myths—how fear of debt and obsession with austerity keep us from solving the real problems. He argues that public options aren’t just safety nets for the poor, but infrastructure for prosperity that give everyone stability and the opportunity to thrive.

Together, Greg and Goldy explore how fiscal sovereignty and economic imagination could transform life on the West Coast, and why it’s time for the public to assert their power and for states to act on behalf of their people, not just the most affluent interest groups.


Highlights

  • Why “fiscal responsibility” has become political cowardice
  • How economic illiteracy drives housing scarcity and bad public policy
  • The case for “public options” in housing, healthcare, and education—not as charity, but as a foundation for many people in many circumstances
  • Why West Coast prosperity depends on new conceptions of the economy that account for power


Guest Bio


David Goldstein, known widely as Goldy, is a senior fellow at Civic Ventures, a Seattle-based public policy incubator dedicated to progressive economic reform. A former satirist and founder of HorsesAss.org, Goldy became one of the West Coast's sharpest voices for tax fairness and economic justice. He co-hosts Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer, where he translates complex economic theory into bold, practical ideas for shared prosperity.


Related Resources


Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What if economic independence began with the courage to invest in ourselves—yes, to protect the poor, and also to stabilize the middle and boost the ambitious?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> What if everything we’ve been told about the economy — about housing, inflation, and government debt — was upside down?

What if the problem isn’t that we’re spending too much, but that we’re letting the wrong people decide what we can spend on?

What if you feel rich when you leave the West Coast and poor when you live in or visit one of our big cities like LA, SF, or Seattle?

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with David “Goldy” Goldstein, a sharp-tongued political strategist at Civic Ventures, co-founder of the legendary blog HorsesAss.org, and co-host of the Pitchfork Economics podcast with billionaire provocateur Nick Hanauer.

Goldy pulls back the curtain on America’s economic myths—how fear of debt and obsession with austerity keep us from solving the real problems. He argues that public options aren’t just safety nets for the poor, but infrastructure for prosperity that give everyone stability and the opportunity to thrive.

Together, Greg and Goldy explore how fiscal sovereignty and economic imagination could transform life on the West Coast, and why it’s time for the public to assert their power and for states to act on behalf of their people, not just the most affluent interest groups.


Highlights

  • Why “fiscal responsibility” has become political cowardice
  • How economic illiteracy drives housing scarcity and bad public policy
  • The case for “public options” in housing, healthcare, and education—not as charity, but as a foundation for many people in many circumstances
  • Why West Coast prosperity depends on new conceptions of the economy that account for power


Guest Bio


David Goldstein, known widely as Goldy, is a senior fellow at Civic Ventures, a Seattle-based public policy incubator dedicated to progressive economic reform. A former satirist and founder of HorsesAss.org, Goldy became one of the West Coast's sharpest voices for tax fairness and economic justice. He co-hosts Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer, where he translates complex economic theory into bold, practical ideas for shared prosperity.


Related Resources


Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What if economic independence began with the courage to invest in ourselves—yes, to protect the poor, and also to stabilize the middle and boost the ambitious?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> Wed, 05 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3968 What if everything we’ve been told about the economy — about housing, inflation, and government debt — was upside down?

What if the problem isn’t that we’re spending too much, but that we’re letting the wrong people decide what we can spend on?

What if you feel rich when you leave the West Coast and poor when you live in or visit one of our big cities like LA, SF, or Seattle?

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with David “Goldy” Goldstein, a sharp-tongued political strategist at Civic Ventures, co-founder of the legendary blog HorsesAss.org, and co-host of the Pitchfork Economics podcast with billionaire provocateur Nick Hanauer.

Goldy pulls back the curtain on America’s economic myths—how fear of debt and obsession with austerity keep us from solving the real problems. He argues that public options aren’t just safety nets for the poor, but infrastructure for prosperity that give everyone stability and the opportunity to thrive.

Together, Greg and Goldy explore how fiscal sovereignty and economic imagination could transform life on the West Coast, and why it’s time for the public to assert their power and for states to act on behalf of their people, not just the most affluent interest groups.


Highlights

  • Why “fiscal responsibility” has become political cowardice
  • How economic illiteracy drives housing scarcity and bad public policy
  • The case for “public options” in housing, healthcare, and education—not as charity, but as a foundation for many people in many circumstances
  • Why West Coast prosperity depends on new conceptions of the economy that account for power


Guest Bio


David Goldstein, known widely as Goldy, is a senior fellow at Civic Ventures, a Seattle-based public policy incubator dedicated to progressive economic reform. A former satirist and founder of HorsesAss.org, Goldy became one of the West Coast's sharpest voices for tax fairness and economic justice. He co-hosts Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer, where he translates complex economic theory into bold, practical ideas for shared prosperity.


Related Resources


Related Episodes

A Spicy Question: What if economic independence began with the courage to invest in ourselves—yes, to protect the poor, and also to stabilize the middle and boost the ambitious?

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank You To:

]]> David Goldstein, Goldy, HorsesAss, politics, public option, middle class, oligarchs, billionaires, one percent, wealth tax, income tax, progressive tax, tax, Civil War, Lincoln, Vienna, Scandinavia, public banking,Civic Ventures, Pitchfork Economics, middle-out economics, fiscal sovereignty, government debt, state sovereignty, West Coast economy, housing, healthcare, inflation, regional autonomy, economic power, prosperity, West Coast independence, Greg Amrofell, Nick Hanauer, Washington State, California, Oregon, political economy No What If Public Banks Bought Us Resilience? 35 35 What If Public Banks Bought Us Resilience? full 2fdf7b79-d1c5-479a-873c-00f200dd8803 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/35 What if banking our own money on the West Coast could help us fund housing, infrastructure, and small business growth? And what if it bought us greater financial freedom from Wall Street and Washington, D.C.? 

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Marco Rossi, a public banking advocate and legislative strategist with Washingtonians for Public Banking. Together, they explore how state- and city-owned public banks could equip us to address our own challenges and insulate us from the financial shenanigans of Mega Banks and mis-guided politicians.

Rossi explains how the Washington Public Bank bill could anchor a new model of regional resilience—one where public finance serves the public good. He connects the dots between financial sovereignty, local democracy, and the broader movement to establish public banking systems across the U.S.


From North Dakota’s century-old state bank, to the link between China’s public banking system and breakneck development, the conversation shows how public control of capital could stabilize local economies, strengthen autonomy, and prepare the West Coast for shocks—economic, political, and environmental. Laws are already on the books in California and Washington. Now’s the time for a concerted push by elected officials, business leaders, and concerned citizens, for whom federal cuts and government shutdowns illustrate the fragility of our national financial system.

Highlights

  • Why public banking is the missing pillar of West Coast resilience
  • How Washington’s proposed public bank could redirect billions in taxpayer funds into local housing, energy, and infrastructure
  • What the Bank of North Dakota and European public banks can teach us
  • How state financial sovereignty strengthens political autonomy
  • Why local investment builds stability—and what happens when it’s outsourced to Wall Street
  • How public banks can partner with community credit unions, tribes, and cities to fund shared priorities

Guest Bio

Marco Rosaire Rossi is a strategist and community organizer with Washingtonians for Public Banking, working to create Washington State’s first public bank. His advocacy focuses on how public financial institutions can advance economic democracy, fund sustainability projects, and protect communities from volatile private capital cycles.

Marco also collaborates with national efforts through the Public Banking Institute, the Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank, and the American Monetary Institute, helping connect state and federal reform movements toward a more accountable financial system.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

A spicy question: Why wouldn’t West Coast state governments, local governments, and area businesses choose their local public bank? (I’m struggling to find reasons other than inertia and trust purchased via advertising)

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Marco Rosaire Rossi
  • Intro: Ellen Brown (via Nomi Prins)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends: For nodding and smiling as I enthuse (again?!) about liberating policy innovation
]]> What if banking our own money on the West Coast could help us fund housing, infrastructure, and small business growth? And what if it bought us greater financial freedom from Wall Street and Washington, D.C.? 

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Marco Rossi, a public banking advocate and legislative strategist with Washingtonians for Public Banking. Together, they explore how state- and city-owned public banks could equip us to address our own challenges and insulate us from the financial shenanigans of Mega Banks and mis-guided politicians.

Rossi explains how the Washington Public Bank bill could anchor a new model of regional resilience—one where public finance serves the public good. He connects the dots between financial sovereignty, local democracy, and the broader movement to establish public banking systems across the U.S.


From North Dakota’s century-old state bank, to the link between China’s public banking system and breakneck development, the conversation shows how public control of capital could stabilize local economies, strengthen autonomy, and prepare the West Coast for shocks—economic, political, and environmental. Laws are already on the books in California and Washington. Now’s the time for a concerted push by elected officials, business leaders, and concerned citizens, for whom federal cuts and government shutdowns illustrate the fragility of our national financial system.

Highlights

  • Why public banking is the missing pillar of West Coast resilience
  • How Washington’s proposed public bank could redirect billions in taxpayer funds into local housing, energy, and infrastructure
  • What the Bank of North Dakota and European public banks can teach us
  • How state financial sovereignty strengthens political autonomy
  • Why local investment builds stability—and what happens when it’s outsourced to Wall Street
  • How public banks can partner with community credit unions, tribes, and cities to fund shared priorities

Guest Bio

Marco Rosaire Rossi is a strategist and community organizer with Washingtonians for Public Banking, working to create Washington State’s first public bank. His advocacy focuses on how public financial institutions can advance economic democracy, fund sustainability projects, and protect communities from volatile private capital cycles.

Marco also collaborates with national efforts through the Public Banking Institute, the Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank, and the American Monetary Institute, helping connect state and federal reform movements toward a more accountable financial system.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

A spicy question: Why wouldn’t West Coast state governments, local governments, and area businesses choose their local public bank? (I’m struggling to find reasons other than inertia and trust purchased via advertising)

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Marco Rosaire Rossi
  • Intro: Ellen Brown (via Nomi Prins)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends: For nodding and smiling as I enthuse (again?!) about liberating policy innovation
]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3050 What if banking our own money on the West Coast could help us fund housing, infrastructure, and small business growth? And what if it bought us greater financial freedom from Wall Street and Washington, D.C.? 

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Marco Rossi, a public banking advocate and legislative strategist with Washingtonians for Public Banking. Together, they explore how state- and city-owned public banks could equip us to address our own challenges and insulate us from the financial shenanigans of Mega Banks and mis-guided politicians.

Rossi explains how the Washington Public Bank bill could anchor a new model of regional resilience—one where public finance serves the public good. He connects the dots between financial sovereignty, local democracy, and the broader movement to establish public banking systems across the U.S.


From North Dakota’s century-old state bank, to the link between China’s public banking system and breakneck development, the conversation shows how public control of capital could stabilize local economies, strengthen autonomy, and prepare the West Coast for shocks—economic, political, and environmental. Laws are already on the books in California and Washington. Now’s the time for a concerted push by elected officials, business leaders, and concerned citizens, for whom federal cuts and government shutdowns illustrate the fragility of our national financial system.

Highlights

  • Why public banking is the missing pillar of West Coast resilience
  • How Washington’s proposed public bank could redirect billions in taxpayer funds into local housing, energy, and infrastructure
  • What the Bank of North Dakota and European public banks can teach us
  • How state financial sovereignty strengthens political autonomy
  • Why local investment builds stability—and what happens when it’s outsourced to Wall Street
  • How public banks can partner with community credit unions, tribes, and cities to fund shared priorities

Guest Bio

Marco Rosaire Rossi is a strategist and community organizer with Washingtonians for Public Banking, working to create Washington State’s first public bank. His advocacy focuses on how public financial institutions can advance economic democracy, fund sustainability projects, and protect communities from volatile private capital cycles.

Marco also collaborates with national efforts through the Public Banking Institute, the Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank, and the American Monetary Institute, helping connect state and federal reform movements toward a more accountable financial system.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

A spicy question: Why wouldn’t West Coast state governments, local governments, and area businesses choose their local public bank? (I’m struggling to find reasons other than inertia and trust purchased via advertising)

Join the conversation: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Like, subscribe, share and, most importantly, share your comment on the spicy question above. 


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Marco Rosaire Rossi
  • Intro: Ellen Brown (via Nomi Prins)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends: For nodding and smiling as I enthuse (again?!) about liberating policy innovation
]]> public banking, Federal Reserve, financial system, American economy, West Coast independence, state sovereignty, financial autonomy, community finance, Washington public bank, Bank of North Dakota, Cascadia economy, California economy, Washington economy, Oregon economy, resilience, local investment, infrastructure, climate adaptation, small business, climate, housing, infrastructure, Ellen Brown, public wealth, regional autonomy, Marco Rossi, Greg Amrofell No Are Tiny Homes A Big Part of Our Housing Solution? 34 34 Are Tiny Homes A Big Part of Our Housing Solution? full e1e07f2c-2499-4c44-96db-4cd956fb7f15 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/34 What if the solution to America’s housing crisis isn’t just about building more, but smaller — smarter homes that restore freedom, affordability, and balance?

Zack Giffin — professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation — joins Pacific Time to explain how 400 square feet could help fix housing affordability, mental health, and climate resilience across the West Coast.

At a time when America faces a shortage of 4–5 million homes, we also have more square footage per person than ever before. Zack Giffin believes this paradox reveals a deeper truth: our housing crisis isn’t just about supply, it’s about efficiency.

From his early days as a ski bum living out of a rebuilt RV to hosting Tiny House Nation on Netflix, Giffin has become one of the most thoughtful voices in the movement for small-scale living. He argues that “tiny homes” aren’t about sacrifice — they’re about moderation, dignity, and freedom. In this episode, he and Greg explore how wheels, design, and policy innovation could open the door to new forms of ownership, family care, and sustainable living.

Giffin also discusses the obstacles standing in the way: outdated building codes, zoning restrictions, and the slow-moving bureaucracy of national standards. But he’s hopeful that West Coast states can lead — creating gentle density, new pathways to ownership, and a cultural shift toward living better with less.

Highlights

  • How we have the biggest homes per person we’ve ever had — and yet a massive housing shortage.
  • Why tiny homes are about moderation, not sacrifice — scaling down excess while keeping what’s essential.
  • How outdated building and zoning codes make it easier to build a McMansion than a modest home.
  • Why California is quietly leading a national rethink of what “home” means.
  • How wheels could unlock affordable, movable ownership — and a new kind of social safety net.


Guest Bio

Zack Giffin is a professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation on Netflix. Over six seasons and 80+ episodes, he helped design and construct some of the most creative small-scale homes ever built, inspiring millions to reimagine the American Dream. Giffin’s advocacy for housing innovation has influenced state and national discussions on building codes, affordability, and sustainable design. His latest project, Tiny House Revisited on YouTube, continues his mission to show that living smaller can mean living better.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to...

  • Guest: Zack Giffin
  • Intro: Gwyn Howat
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish


]]> What if the solution to America’s housing crisis isn’t just about building more, but smaller — smarter homes that restore freedom, affordability, and balance?

Zack Giffin — professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation — joins Pacific Time to explain how 400 square feet could help fix housing affordability, mental health, and climate resilience across the West Coast.

At a time when America faces a shortage of 4–5 million homes, we also have more square footage per person than ever before. Zack Giffin believes this paradox reveals a deeper truth: our housing crisis isn’t just about supply, it’s about efficiency.

From his early days as a ski bum living out of a rebuilt RV to hosting Tiny House Nation on Netflix, Giffin has become one of the most thoughtful voices in the movement for small-scale living. He argues that “tiny homes” aren’t about sacrifice — they’re about moderation, dignity, and freedom. In this episode, he and Greg explore how wheels, design, and policy innovation could open the door to new forms of ownership, family care, and sustainable living.

Giffin also discusses the obstacles standing in the way: outdated building codes, zoning restrictions, and the slow-moving bureaucracy of national standards. But he’s hopeful that West Coast states can lead — creating gentle density, new pathways to ownership, and a cultural shift toward living better with less.

Highlights

  • How we have the biggest homes per person we’ve ever had — and yet a massive housing shortage.
  • Why tiny homes are about moderation, not sacrifice — scaling down excess while keeping what’s essential.
  • How outdated building and zoning codes make it easier to build a McMansion than a modest home.
  • Why California is quietly leading a national rethink of what “home” means.
  • How wheels could unlock affordable, movable ownership — and a new kind of social safety net.


Guest Bio

Zack Giffin is a professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation on Netflix. Over six seasons and 80+ episodes, he helped design and construct some of the most creative small-scale homes ever built, inspiring millions to reimagine the American Dream. Giffin’s advocacy for housing innovation has influenced state and national discussions on building codes, affordability, and sustainable design. His latest project, Tiny House Revisited on YouTube, continues his mission to show that living smaller can mean living better.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to...

  • Guest: Zack Giffin
  • Intro: Gwyn Howat
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish


]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3533 What if the solution to America’s housing crisis isn’t just about building more, but smaller — smarter homes that restore freedom, affordability, and balance?

Zack Giffin — professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation — joins Pacific Time to explain how 400 square feet could help fix housing affordability, mental health, and climate resilience across the West Coast.

At a time when America faces a shortage of 4–5 million homes, we also have more square footage per person than ever before. Zack Giffin believes this paradox reveals a deeper truth: our housing crisis isn’t just about supply, it’s about efficiency.

From his early days as a ski bum living out of a rebuilt RV to hosting Tiny House Nation on Netflix, Giffin has become one of the most thoughtful voices in the movement for small-scale living. He argues that “tiny homes” aren’t about sacrifice — they’re about moderation, dignity, and freedom. In this episode, he and Greg explore how wheels, design, and policy innovation could open the door to new forms of ownership, family care, and sustainable living.

Giffin also discusses the obstacles standing in the way: outdated building codes, zoning restrictions, and the slow-moving bureaucracy of national standards. But he’s hopeful that West Coast states can lead — creating gentle density, new pathways to ownership, and a cultural shift toward living better with less.

Highlights

  • How we have the biggest homes per person we’ve ever had — and yet a massive housing shortage.
  • Why tiny homes are about moderation, not sacrifice — scaling down excess while keeping what’s essential.
  • How outdated building and zoning codes make it easier to build a McMansion than a modest home.
  • Why California is quietly leading a national rethink of what “home” means.
  • How wheels could unlock affordable, movable ownership — and a new kind of social safety net.


Guest Bio

Zack Giffin is a professional skier, builder, and co-host of Tiny House Nation on Netflix. Over six seasons and 80+ episodes, he helped design and construct some of the most creative small-scale homes ever built, inspiring millions to reimagine the American Dream. Giffin’s advocacy for housing innovation has influenced state and national discussions on building codes, affordability, and sustainable design. His latest project, Tiny House Revisited on YouTube, continues his mission to show that living smaller can mean living better.


Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to...

  • Guest: Zack Giffin
  • Intro: Gwyn Howat
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish


]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No We, Us, Ours? Protect LGBTQ Rights to Protect Everyone's? 33 33 We, Us, Ours? Protect LGBTQ Rights to Protect Everyone's? full 2f24ab0f-43c0-4055-b8c7-7a09afdd033d https://pacifictimepodcast.com/33 Civil rights aren’t abstractions—they’re lived every day in families, schools, prisons, churches, and courtrooms. Protecting the rights of any minority protects everyone’s rights. So attacks on trans rights have your attention? What if the West Coast held the line on protecting the LGBTQ community—and led the way?


In this episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, about what it means to defend democracy at its most personal level. From marriage equality to transgender rights, Minter has spent decades on the legal frontlines, fighting both in court and in culture to ensure that freedom applies to everyone.

He discusses how civil rights battles expose the soul of a nation, how legal progress coexists with backlash, and why the West Coast—often derided as “too liberal”—can resist manipulative bullies while inviting more people to step past fear to embrace common humanity. Minter argues that compassion and inclusion are neither luxuries nor cudgels; they’re prerequisites for a functioning republic.

This episode reminds us that sovereignty is personal and political, and that making the case for anyone’s freedom necessitates standing for everyone’s freedom – particularly the people who are most marginalized.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why trans rights are a bellwether for the health of democracy
  • The quiet courage of families and teachers affirming inclusion
  • How to protect civil rights amid renewed federal hostility
  • Why personal sovereignty and civil rights are two sides of the same coin
  • “Freedom means everyone gets to be themselves—and still belong.”


About Our Guest
Shannon Minter is the Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, one of the most influential civil rights advocates in the United States. He has argued landmark cases before the California Supreme Court and been part of several critical US Supreme Court cases. Shannon has shaped national policy on transgender and LGBTQ equality.


Resources

Related Episodes

Join the conversation: How have you helped change someone’s mind about a civil rights issue impacting any minority group?

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.



Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Shannon Minter
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> Civil rights aren’t abstractions—they’re lived every day in families, schools, prisons, churches, and courtrooms. Protecting the rights of any minority protects everyone’s rights. So attacks on trans rights have your attention? What if the West Coast held the line on protecting the LGBTQ community—and led the way?


In this episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, about what it means to defend democracy at its most personal level. From marriage equality to transgender rights, Minter has spent decades on the legal frontlines, fighting both in court and in culture to ensure that freedom applies to everyone.

He discusses how civil rights battles expose the soul of a nation, how legal progress coexists with backlash, and why the West Coast—often derided as “too liberal”—can resist manipulative bullies while inviting more people to step past fear to embrace common humanity. Minter argues that compassion and inclusion are neither luxuries nor cudgels; they’re prerequisites for a functioning republic.

This episode reminds us that sovereignty is personal and political, and that making the case for anyone’s freedom necessitates standing for everyone’s freedom – particularly the people who are most marginalized.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why trans rights are a bellwether for the health of democracy
  • The quiet courage of families and teachers affirming inclusion
  • How to protect civil rights amid renewed federal hostility
  • Why personal sovereignty and civil rights are two sides of the same coin
  • “Freedom means everyone gets to be themselves—and still belong.”


About Our Guest
Shannon Minter is the Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, one of the most influential civil rights advocates in the United States. He has argued landmark cases before the California Supreme Court and been part of several critical US Supreme Court cases. Shannon has shaped national policy on transgender and LGBTQ equality.


Resources

Related Episodes

Join the conversation: How have you helped change someone’s mind about a civil rights issue impacting any minority group?

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.



Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Shannon Minter
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3627 Civil rights aren’t abstractions—they’re lived every day in families, schools, prisons, churches, and courtrooms. Protecting the rights of any minority protects everyone’s rights. So attacks on trans rights have your attention? What if the West Coast held the line on protecting the LGBTQ community—and led the way?


In this episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, about what it means to defend democracy at its most personal level. From marriage equality to transgender rights, Minter has spent decades on the legal frontlines, fighting both in court and in culture to ensure that freedom applies to everyone.

He discusses how civil rights battles expose the soul of a nation, how legal progress coexists with backlash, and why the West Coast—often derided as “too liberal”—can resist manipulative bullies while inviting more people to step past fear to embrace common humanity. Minter argues that compassion and inclusion are neither luxuries nor cudgels; they’re prerequisites for a functioning republic.

This episode reminds us that sovereignty is personal and political, and that making the case for anyone’s freedom necessitates standing for everyone’s freedom – particularly the people who are most marginalized.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why trans rights are a bellwether for the health of democracy
  • The quiet courage of families and teachers affirming inclusion
  • How to protect civil rights amid renewed federal hostility
  • Why personal sovereignty and civil rights are two sides of the same coin
  • “Freedom means everyone gets to be themselves—and still belong.”


About Our Guest
Shannon Minter is the Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, one of the most influential civil rights advocates in the United States. He has argued landmark cases before the California Supreme Court and been part of several critical US Supreme Court cases. Shannon has shaped national policy on transgender and LGBTQ equality.


Resources

Related Episodes

Join the conversation: How have you helped change someone’s mind about a civil rights issue impacting any minority group?

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.



Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Shannon Minter
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Protect The Mountains by Going to The Hill? 32 32 Protect The Mountains by Going to The Hill? full 545ebf5f-6ca5-4b71-895e-a60b6f403f2a https://pacifictimepodcast.com/32 Mountains and democracy have something in common: they don’t manage themselves.

In this episode, Greg talks again with Pacific Time pal Gwyn Howat, longtime leader of Mount Baker Ski Area and advocate for public lands, fresh off a trip to Washington, D.C. Gwyn met with members of Congress and leaders of the U.S. Forest Service to speak up for the future of the commons — the mountains, forests, and public spaces that shape life on the West Coast.

Her trip came amid massive cuts to federal agencies that oversee national forests — proposals to slash jobs, consolidate regional offices, and even sell off public lands. Gwyn’s clear-eyed perspective offers both warning and hope: warning about the hollowing out of government, and hope in the resilience of dedicated public servants and everyday advocates.


Together, Greg and Gwyn discuss:

  • The fragility of federal agencies — and why we still need good people in them
  • The role of private enterprise on public lands, and the promise of social purpose corporations
  • How recreation now contributes more to the U.S. Forest Service than timber
  • The bipartisan common ground she found in Congress — a shared love of the outdoors – that may point the way to compromises in many areas
  • What it means to steward democracy itself, not just mountains
  • A citizen’s call to action: writing Congress works


This episode continues the Pacific Time theme of West Coast autonomy — not in rebellion, but in responsibility. As the federal government withdraws, West Coasters may need to step forward: to protect public lands, fund stewardship, and remind Washington, D.C. what it means to serve the greater good in the long run.


Highlights

  • “Things are fragile right now… but that means all possibilities exist.”
  • “Outdoor recreation now contributes more to the Forest Service than timber.”
  • “A walk in the woods, a swim in the ocean — everyone agrees those things do us good.”
  • “Forests exist because people fought for them. Democracies do, too.”

Guest Bio

Gwyn Howat is the former CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area and a lifelong advocate for responsible recreation and stewardship of public lands. She has spent more than 35 years shaping Mount Baker’s culture as a family-run operation deeply tied to community and conservation. She just brought that perspective to Washington, D.C., meeting with Congress and the U.S. Forest Service to advocate for the future of public lands and the people who care for them. Gwyn’s next chapter is now taking shape – she continues to focus on supporting independent ski areas, and increasingly to guiding people experiencing trauma into mindfulness, seeing the good, and rich experiences in nature.


Join the Conversation
Where are the places that you flourish that have become fragile? And what would you say in a letter to your Member of Congress to convey what’s so special about that place? Follow, share, and chime in…

Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to…

  • Guest: Gwyn Howat (Again!)
  • USFS Rangers and Administrators
  • Gifford Pinchot for so accurately portraying the public lands balancing act
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> Mountains and democracy have something in common: they don’t manage themselves.

In this episode, Greg talks again with Pacific Time pal Gwyn Howat, longtime leader of Mount Baker Ski Area and advocate for public lands, fresh off a trip to Washington, D.C. Gwyn met with members of Congress and leaders of the U.S. Forest Service to speak up for the future of the commons — the mountains, forests, and public spaces that shape life on the West Coast.

Her trip came amid massive cuts to federal agencies that oversee national forests — proposals to slash jobs, consolidate regional offices, and even sell off public lands. Gwyn’s clear-eyed perspective offers both warning and hope: warning about the hollowing out of government, and hope in the resilience of dedicated public servants and everyday advocates.


Together, Greg and Gwyn discuss:

  • The fragility of federal agencies — and why we still need good people in them
  • The role of private enterprise on public lands, and the promise of social purpose corporations
  • How recreation now contributes more to the U.S. Forest Service than timber
  • The bipartisan common ground she found in Congress — a shared love of the outdoors – that may point the way to compromises in many areas
  • What it means to steward democracy itself, not just mountains
  • A citizen’s call to action: writing Congress works


This episode continues the Pacific Time theme of West Coast autonomy — not in rebellion, but in responsibility. As the federal government withdraws, West Coasters may need to step forward: to protect public lands, fund stewardship, and remind Washington, D.C. what it means to serve the greater good in the long run.


Highlights

  • “Things are fragile right now… but that means all possibilities exist.”
  • “Outdoor recreation now contributes more to the Forest Service than timber.”
  • “A walk in the woods, a swim in the ocean — everyone agrees those things do us good.”
  • “Forests exist because people fought for them. Democracies do, too.”

Guest Bio

Gwyn Howat is the former CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area and a lifelong advocate for responsible recreation and stewardship of public lands. She has spent more than 35 years shaping Mount Baker’s culture as a family-run operation deeply tied to community and conservation. She just brought that perspective to Washington, D.C., meeting with Congress and the U.S. Forest Service to advocate for the future of public lands and the people who care for them. Gwyn’s next chapter is now taking shape – she continues to focus on supporting independent ski areas, and increasingly to guiding people experiencing trauma into mindfulness, seeing the good, and rich experiences in nature.


Join the Conversation
Where are the places that you flourish that have become fragile? And what would you say in a letter to your Member of Congress to convey what’s so special about that place? Follow, share, and chime in…

Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to…

  • Guest: Gwyn Howat (Again!)
  • USFS Rangers and Administrators
  • Gifford Pinchot for so accurately portraying the public lands balancing act
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2805 Mountains and democracy have something in common: they don’t manage themselves.

In this episode, Greg talks again with Pacific Time pal Gwyn Howat, longtime leader of Mount Baker Ski Area and advocate for public lands, fresh off a trip to Washington, D.C. Gwyn met with members of Congress and leaders of the U.S. Forest Service to speak up for the future of the commons — the mountains, forests, and public spaces that shape life on the West Coast.

Her trip came amid massive cuts to federal agencies that oversee national forests — proposals to slash jobs, consolidate regional offices, and even sell off public lands. Gwyn’s clear-eyed perspective offers both warning and hope: warning about the hollowing out of government, and hope in the resilience of dedicated public servants and everyday advocates.


Together, Greg and Gwyn discuss:

  • The fragility of federal agencies — and why we still need good people in them
  • The role of private enterprise on public lands, and the promise of social purpose corporations
  • How recreation now contributes more to the U.S. Forest Service than timber
  • The bipartisan common ground she found in Congress — a shared love of the outdoors – that may point the way to compromises in many areas
  • What it means to steward democracy itself, not just mountains
  • A citizen’s call to action: writing Congress works


This episode continues the Pacific Time theme of West Coast autonomy — not in rebellion, but in responsibility. As the federal government withdraws, West Coasters may need to step forward: to protect public lands, fund stewardship, and remind Washington, D.C. what it means to serve the greater good in the long run.


Highlights

  • “Things are fragile right now… but that means all possibilities exist.”
  • “Outdoor recreation now contributes more to the Forest Service than timber.”
  • “A walk in the woods, a swim in the ocean — everyone agrees those things do us good.”
  • “Forests exist because people fought for them. Democracies do, too.”

Guest Bio

Gwyn Howat is the former CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area and a lifelong advocate for responsible recreation and stewardship of public lands. She has spent more than 35 years shaping Mount Baker’s culture as a family-run operation deeply tied to community and conservation. She just brought that perspective to Washington, D.C., meeting with Congress and the U.S. Forest Service to advocate for the future of public lands and the people who care for them. Gwyn’s next chapter is now taking shape – she continues to focus on supporting independent ski areas, and increasingly to guiding people experiencing trauma into mindfulness, seeing the good, and rich experiences in nature.


Join the Conversation
Where are the places that you flourish that have become fragile? And what would you say in a letter to your Member of Congress to convey what’s so special about that place? Follow, share, and chime in…

Related Resources

Related Episodes

Thanks to…

  • Guest: Gwyn Howat (Again!)
  • USFS Rangers and Administrators
  • Gifford Pinchot for so accurately portraying the public lands balancing act
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> Gwyn Howat, Mt Baker Ski Area, USFS, USDA, U.S. Forest Service, public lands, recreation economy, West Coast politics, Outdoors, environmental stewardship, climate resilience, Social Purpose Corporations, Pacific Northwest, Washington D.C. advocacy, Pacific Time Podcast, Forest Service budget cuts, federal land policy, outdoor recreation industry, climate policy, West Coast autonomy, sustainable tourism, public-private partnerships, stewardship and governance, Washington D.C. field report, conservation leadership, environmental policy reform, Cascadia, national forest management, recreation vs. extraction, West Coast commons, environmental economics, civic stewardship, soft secession, West Coast independence, ecological leadership, Greg Amrofell No Could A West Coast Carbon Market Strengthen Our Economy? 31 31 Could A West Coast Carbon Market Strengthen Our Economy? full 56902925-19d7-4836-a4e8-aef9c01e6ffa https://pacifictimepodcast.com/31 How about some good news from the West Coast, where we're building momentum to address climate change on our own?

That’s the question Greg poses to Reuven Carlyle, former Washington State Senator and architect of the state’s cap-and-invest law and an advisor to legislators doing the same in California. Carlyle explains why pricing pollution isn’t just about reducing carbon—it’s about building a stronger, cleaner economy for the West Coast.


Together, we explore what happens when states take control of their future, from harmonizing carbon markets to reinvesting billions of dollars into clean energy, transportation, and communities. Carlyle also lifts the curtain on the messy, hopeful work of governing: building coalitions with tribes, labor, environmentalists, and even business leaders.


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the West Coast can’t wait for federal climate leadership
  • How cap-and-invest turns pollution into prosperity
  • What harmonized carbon markets could mean for California and Washington (maybe Oregon too?)
  • Lessons from coalition-building across unlikely allies
  • Why governing—done well—is still possible

About Our Guest
Reuven Carlyle served 14 years in the Washington Legislature and was the lead architect of the Climate Commitment Act, one of the nation’s most ambitious cap-and-invest programs. He’s a longtime advocate for carbon pricing, climate leadership, and economic innovation on the West Coast. He is a founder and Executive Vice President of Earth Finance.


Resources


Related Episodes

Join the conversation: After coffee, here's a question: If a carbon market can help us fund our own work to address climate change, what other ways can you think to raise money to address a specific West Coast challenge or opportunity? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Reuven Carlyle
  • Intro: Sandeep Kaushik
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> How about some good news from the West Coast, where we're building momentum to address climate change on our own?

That’s the question Greg poses to Reuven Carlyle, former Washington State Senator and architect of the state’s cap-and-invest law and an advisor to legislators doing the same in California. Carlyle explains why pricing pollution isn’t just about reducing carbon—it’s about building a stronger, cleaner economy for the West Coast.


Together, we explore what happens when states take control of their future, from harmonizing carbon markets to reinvesting billions of dollars into clean energy, transportation, and communities. Carlyle also lifts the curtain on the messy, hopeful work of governing: building coalitions with tribes, labor, environmentalists, and even business leaders.


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the West Coast can’t wait for federal climate leadership
  • How cap-and-invest turns pollution into prosperity
  • What harmonized carbon markets could mean for California and Washington (maybe Oregon too?)
  • Lessons from coalition-building across unlikely allies
  • Why governing—done well—is still possible

About Our Guest
Reuven Carlyle served 14 years in the Washington Legislature and was the lead architect of the Climate Commitment Act, one of the nation’s most ambitious cap-and-invest programs. He’s a longtime advocate for carbon pricing, climate leadership, and economic innovation on the West Coast. He is a founder and Executive Vice President of Earth Finance.


Resources


Related Episodes

Join the conversation: After coffee, here's a question: If a carbon market can help us fund our own work to address climate change, what other ways can you think to raise money to address a specific West Coast challenge or opportunity? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Reuven Carlyle
  • Intro: Sandeep Kaushik
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2824 How about some good news from the West Coast, where we're building momentum to address climate change on our own?

That’s the question Greg poses to Reuven Carlyle, former Washington State Senator and architect of the state’s cap-and-invest law and an advisor to legislators doing the same in California. Carlyle explains why pricing pollution isn’t just about reducing carbon—it’s about building a stronger, cleaner economy for the West Coast.


Together, we explore what happens when states take control of their future, from harmonizing carbon markets to reinvesting billions of dollars into clean energy, transportation, and communities. Carlyle also lifts the curtain on the messy, hopeful work of governing: building coalitions with tribes, labor, environmentalists, and even business leaders.


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why the West Coast can’t wait for federal climate leadership
  • How cap-and-invest turns pollution into prosperity
  • What harmonized carbon markets could mean for California and Washington (maybe Oregon too?)
  • Lessons from coalition-building across unlikely allies
  • Why governing—done well—is still possible

About Our Guest
Reuven Carlyle served 14 years in the Washington Legislature and was the lead architect of the Climate Commitment Act, one of the nation’s most ambitious cap-and-invest programs. He’s a longtime advocate for carbon pricing, climate leadership, and economic innovation on the West Coast. He is a founder and Executive Vice President of Earth Finance.


Resources


Related Episodes

Join the conversation: After coffee, here's a question: If a carbon market can help us fund our own work to address climate change, what other ways can you think to raise money to address a specific West Coast challenge or opportunity? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thank you to:

  • Guest: Reuven Carlyle
  • Intro: Sandeep Kaushik
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish

]]> West Coast, Reuven Carlyle, carbon market, cap-and-invest, carbon pricing, climate leadership, state autonomy, clean economy, Pacific Time Podcast No What if Portland is Exactly What Democracy Looks Like? 30 30 What if Portland is Exactly What Democracy Looks Like? full 425d443d-d9c3-49ec-9110-987ea554e067 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/30 Trump says Portland needs “cleaning up.” What if Portland is actually a model of democracy in action—messy, loud, and making progress?

If Donald Trump and his MAGA minions don’t want to be called fascists, here’s a thought: stop acting like them. Instead of threatening West Coast cities with troops, raids, and funding cuts, a real leader might look at how places like Portland are tackling their own problems—head-on, locally, and democratically. A great leader might even ask, “How can I help?”

In this episode, Greg talks with Kari Chisholm, a veteran Oregon political strategist, about what Portland actually looks like beyond Trump’s caricatures. From cleaning up its streets with compassion to making the government more representative, Portland is moving forward—loudly, imperfectly, and authentically.


Together, Greg and Kari take on the myth of Portland as a “failed city,” expose the cynical national attacks meant to delegitimize urban progress, and ask: what if the West Coast leaned into its independent streak and set its own democratic example for the nation?


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why Portland’s reputation as a protest city is misunderstood—and why protest is part of democracy
  • How local leaders are tackling homelessness and ICE abuses despite federal hostility
  • What MAGA attacks on “blue cities” reveal about authoritarian impulses in Washington, D.C.
  • Why speed and clarity matter when the Trump administration is “moving fast and breaking things”
  • What Portland’s choices say about the broader West Coast’s capacity for autonomy


About Our Guest:
Kari Chisholm is an Oregon-based political consultant and strategist. As the founder of Mandate Media, he has worked on campaigns across the Pacific Northwest and nationally for more than two decades. He is also the publisher of BlueOregon and a sharp observer of how West Coast politics both clash with and influence national trends.


Resources & References:

Related Episodes:


Join the conversation: Walking your dog through Portland to the food trucks or brewery, you catch a glimpse of Mt. Hood, would you say Portland – or other colorful parts of the West Coast – is in need of clean-up or full of character? What if we embraced our role as a providing ground for democracy with updating the ways we govern our own cities, counties, and towns? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Kari Chisholm (and to Sandeep Kaushik for the intro)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends who have hosted me many times in Portland (yes, even Timbers fans)
]]> Trump says Portland needs “cleaning up.” What if Portland is actually a model of democracy in action—messy, loud, and making progress?

If Donald Trump and his MAGA minions don’t want to be called fascists, here’s a thought: stop acting like them. Instead of threatening West Coast cities with troops, raids, and funding cuts, a real leader might look at how places like Portland are tackling their own problems—head-on, locally, and democratically. A great leader might even ask, “How can I help?”

In this episode, Greg talks with Kari Chisholm, a veteran Oregon political strategist, about what Portland actually looks like beyond Trump’s caricatures. From cleaning up its streets with compassion to making the government more representative, Portland is moving forward—loudly, imperfectly, and authentically.


Together, Greg and Kari take on the myth of Portland as a “failed city,” expose the cynical national attacks meant to delegitimize urban progress, and ask: what if the West Coast leaned into its independent streak and set its own democratic example for the nation?


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why Portland’s reputation as a protest city is misunderstood—and why protest is part of democracy
  • How local leaders are tackling homelessness and ICE abuses despite federal hostility
  • What MAGA attacks on “blue cities” reveal about authoritarian impulses in Washington, D.C.
  • Why speed and clarity matter when the Trump administration is “moving fast and breaking things”
  • What Portland’s choices say about the broader West Coast’s capacity for autonomy


About Our Guest:
Kari Chisholm is an Oregon-based political consultant and strategist. As the founder of Mandate Media, he has worked on campaigns across the Pacific Northwest and nationally for more than two decades. He is also the publisher of BlueOregon and a sharp observer of how West Coast politics both clash with and influence national trends.


Resources & References:

Related Episodes:


Join the conversation: Walking your dog through Portland to the food trucks or brewery, you catch a glimpse of Mt. Hood, would you say Portland – or other colorful parts of the West Coast – is in need of clean-up or full of character? What if we embraced our role as a providing ground for democracy with updating the ways we govern our own cities, counties, and towns? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Kari Chisholm (and to Sandeep Kaushik for the intro)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends who have hosted me many times in Portland (yes, even Timbers fans)
]]> Wed, 24 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3439 Trump says Portland needs “cleaning up.” What if Portland is actually a model of democracy in action—messy, loud, and making progress?

If Donald Trump and his MAGA minions don’t want to be called fascists, here’s a thought: stop acting like them. Instead of threatening West Coast cities with troops, raids, and funding cuts, a real leader might look at how places like Portland are tackling their own problems—head-on, locally, and democratically. A great leader might even ask, “How can I help?”

In this episode, Greg talks with Kari Chisholm, a veteran Oregon political strategist, about what Portland actually looks like beyond Trump’s caricatures. From cleaning up its streets with compassion to making the government more representative, Portland is moving forward—loudly, imperfectly, and authentically.


Together, Greg and Kari take on the myth of Portland as a “failed city,” expose the cynical national attacks meant to delegitimize urban progress, and ask: what if the West Coast leaned into its independent streak and set its own democratic example for the nation?


In this episode, we cover:

  • Why Portland’s reputation as a protest city is misunderstood—and why protest is part of democracy
  • How local leaders are tackling homelessness and ICE abuses despite federal hostility
  • What MAGA attacks on “blue cities” reveal about authoritarian impulses in Washington, D.C.
  • Why speed and clarity matter when the Trump administration is “moving fast and breaking things”
  • What Portland’s choices say about the broader West Coast’s capacity for autonomy


About Our Guest:
Kari Chisholm is an Oregon-based political consultant and strategist. As the founder of Mandate Media, he has worked on campaigns across the Pacific Northwest and nationally for more than two decades. He is also the publisher of BlueOregon and a sharp observer of how West Coast politics both clash with and influence national trends.


Resources & References:

Related Episodes:


Join the conversation: Walking your dog through Portland to the food trucks or brewery, you catch a glimpse of Mt. Hood, would you say Portland – or other colorful parts of the West Coast – is in need of clean-up or full of character? What if we embraced our role as a providing ground for democracy with updating the ways we govern our own cities, counties, and towns? 


Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: Kari Chisholm (and to Sandeep Kaushik for the intro)
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Family & friends who have hosted me many times in Portland (yes, even Timbers fans)
]]> Pacific Time Podcast, Kari Chisholm, Portland politics, Portland protests, Trump fascism, Blue Cities, West Coast independence, West Coast autonomy, I-5 corridor, Oregon politics, MAGA authoritarianism, homelessness solutions, ICE resistance, Portland reputation, West Coast democracy, local government reform, Pacific Northwest politics, Mandate Media, BlueOregon, West Coast cities No How to Build a Firewall Against Hate? 29 29 How to Build a Firewall Against Hate? full 1c455330-00b7-4baa-90bf-986e9e6782e8 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/29 Political violence is rising, ICE is profiling, hate is mainstreaming. What if we on the West Coast have to fight extremism and the return of civil discourse on our own?


This summer has been a chilling reminder of how fragile our democracy feels: assassinations of Minnesota lawmakers, the murder of a conservative commentator, a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church, and continued racial profiling by ICE. None of these were directed by organized extremist groups, but they unfolded in an America where hate has been normalized and weaponized. Ugh, just writing that makes

In this episode, Greg talks with Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and longtime tracker of white nationalist and far-right movements. From her home base on the West Coast, Heidi explains how extremist ideas have gone mainstream, why the internet is today’s unregulated propaganda machine, and what states like ours must do to defend democracy if the federal government continues to look the other way -- or fan the flames of division.

This is a story about extremism, resilience, and the possibility of building a firewall against hate before it’s too late.


Highlights:

  • Why political violence is rising—even beyond extremist groups
  • The internet as today’s propaganda machine
  • How hate groups are recruiting youth through “active clubs”
  • What ICE racial profiling reveals about institutional extremism
  • Why West Coast states must lead when Washington won’t
  • How to defend multiracial democracy in an age of hate


About Our Guest


Heidi Beirich is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. For two decades she worked at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she built one of the most respected research programs on extremist groups. Today, she focuses on tracking transnational hate networks and advising governments, tech companies, and communities on countering extremism.


Other Resources

Related Episodes

Join the Conversation
What would it take for the West Coast to truly build a firewall against hate? What are the simple steps you could take today to build community and compassion as a bulwark against hate? Join the discussion at...

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Please follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks To…

  • Guest: Heidi Beirich 
  • Inspiration: The Southern Poverty Law Center for sending me teaching tools about racism when I was a novice teacher in rural South Africa
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish

]]> Political violence is rising, ICE is profiling, hate is mainstreaming. What if we on the West Coast have to fight extremism and the return of civil discourse on our own?


This summer has been a chilling reminder of how fragile our democracy feels: assassinations of Minnesota lawmakers, the murder of a conservative commentator, a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church, and continued racial profiling by ICE. None of these were directed by organized extremist groups, but they unfolded in an America where hate has been normalized and weaponized. Ugh, just writing that makes

In this episode, Greg talks with Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and longtime tracker of white nationalist and far-right movements. From her home base on the West Coast, Heidi explains how extremist ideas have gone mainstream, why the internet is today’s unregulated propaganda machine, and what states like ours must do to defend democracy if the federal government continues to look the other way -- or fan the flames of division.

This is a story about extremism, resilience, and the possibility of building a firewall against hate before it’s too late.


Highlights:

  • Why political violence is rising—even beyond extremist groups
  • The internet as today’s propaganda machine
  • How hate groups are recruiting youth through “active clubs”
  • What ICE racial profiling reveals about institutional extremism
  • Why West Coast states must lead when Washington won’t
  • How to defend multiracial democracy in an age of hate


About Our Guest


Heidi Beirich is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. For two decades she worked at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she built one of the most respected research programs on extremist groups. Today, she focuses on tracking transnational hate networks and advising governments, tech companies, and communities on countering extremism.


Other Resources

Related Episodes

Join the Conversation
What would it take for the West Coast to truly build a firewall against hate? What are the simple steps you could take today to build community and compassion as a bulwark against hate? Join the discussion at...

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Please follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks To…

  • Guest: Heidi Beirich 
  • Inspiration: The Southern Poverty Law Center for sending me teaching tools about racism when I was a novice teacher in rural South Africa
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish

]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3057 Political violence is rising, ICE is profiling, hate is mainstreaming. What if we on the West Coast have to fight extremism and the return of civil discourse on our own?


This summer has been a chilling reminder of how fragile our democracy feels: assassinations of Minnesota lawmakers, the murder of a conservative commentator, a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church, and continued racial profiling by ICE. None of these were directed by organized extremist groups, but they unfolded in an America where hate has been normalized and weaponized. Ugh, just writing that makes

In this episode, Greg talks with Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and longtime tracker of white nationalist and far-right movements. From her home base on the West Coast, Heidi explains how extremist ideas have gone mainstream, why the internet is today’s unregulated propaganda machine, and what states like ours must do to defend democracy if the federal government continues to look the other way -- or fan the flames of division.

This is a story about extremism, resilience, and the possibility of building a firewall against hate before it’s too late.


Highlights:

  • Why political violence is rising—even beyond extremist groups
  • The internet as today’s propaganda machine
  • How hate groups are recruiting youth through “active clubs”
  • What ICE racial profiling reveals about institutional extremism
  • Why West Coast states must lead when Washington won’t
  • How to defend multiracial democracy in an age of hate


About Our Guest


Heidi Beirich is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. For two decades she worked at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she built one of the most respected research programs on extremist groups. Today, she focuses on tracking transnational hate networks and advising governments, tech companies, and communities on countering extremism.


Other Resources

Related Episodes

Join the Conversation
What would it take for the West Coast to truly build a firewall against hate? What are the simple steps you could take today to build community and compassion as a bulwark against hate? Join the discussion at...

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Please follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks To…

  • Guest: Heidi Beirich 
  • Inspiration: The Southern Poverty Law Center for sending me teaching tools about racism when I was a novice teacher in rural South Africa
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg & Valerie McTavish

]]> Heidi Beirich, Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, Southern Poverty Law Center, SPLC, hate groups, extremism in America, white nationalism, far-right extremism, neo-Nazi groups, online radicalization, Patriot Front, Active Clubs, Proud Boys, Blood Tribe, Goyim Defense League, Charlie Kirk, democracy defense, civil rights, multiracial democracy, human rights, political violence, scapegoating in politics, internet algorithms and hate, transnational extremism, domestic terrorism, regional extremism West Coast, hate movements in the US, West Coast firewall, Pacific Time Podcast, hate and extremism on the West Coast, protecting civil society, West Coast democracy, regional resilience against hate. No Summer of Sovereignty: From Raids to Resilience? 28 28 Summer of Sovereignty: From Raids to Resilience? full 9d653529-9d3b-459c-b6f3-fae7d1957d95 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/28 This summer, West Coast sovereignty wasn’t a theory—it was tested. 

From ICE raids in Los Angeles, and Marines on California streets, to attacks on our flagship universities, and shakedowns of tech stalwarts, Washington D.C. came hard for our region. But West Coasters fought back—with mass protests, citizen surveillance, social media jabs, ballot initiatives, and new policies that neither submit to democratic decline nor accept caricatures of our challenges. 

In this solo episode, Greg Amrofell looks back on the summer of 2025—a season when the West Coast felt the sharp edge of federal overreach. With questions from listeners punctuating a look back at key issues from Memorial Day past Labor Day, Greg explores what happened, how leaders and citizens responded, and what it all means for West Coast sovereignty.

The question: Are we ready to move from resistance to resilience?


Highlights

  • Raids & Repression: ICE raids in Los Angeles and the deployment of Marines sparked outrage and solidarity across the region.
  • Democracy on the Line: Texas redistricting—and California’s tit-for-tat response—show why election design is now a sovereignty issue.
  • Universities Under Siege: West Coast higher ed faced fines and federal interference, even as it remained a global hub of research and talent.
  • Economic Pressure: The summer saw nationalization of Intel and federal limits on Nvidia’s China business—shaking confidence in innovation and global trade.
  • Public Health & Rights: Attacks on gender-affirming care, trans athletes, and reproductive rights forced states to consider their own protective frameworks.
  • Bright Spots: Mass demonstrations, strong state policies on climate and housing, and new sovereignty-driven proposals showed the West Coast can lead.
  • The Takeaway: Sovereignty is not a slogan. It’s a responsibility—and the West Coast must decide if it’s ready to seize it, or continuing hoping for the best in elections 2-4 years away.

About the Host
Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, the podcast that asks bold “what if” questions about the West Coast. His approach draws on a career in tech and consulting in which he often had the chance to relax constraints, consider present challenges and opportunities, on the way to designing future possibilities. In podcast conversations that range from city design to public health, redistricting to climate resilience, Greg invites leaders, thinkers, and everyday West Coast citizens to imagine the future an autonomous West Coast would create if we could start from a blank slate.


Suggested Resources


Related Episodes


Join the conversation: For the West Coast, what’s the best case and the worst case between now and the new year? 

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Listeners and past guests who submitted questions
  • My family and friends helping me keep perspective when paying attention to dark news gets heavy
  • Hard-working reporters who have been on the front lines seeking truth startling events on the West Coast: CalMatters, LAist, LA Times, MSNBC, San Diego Union Tribune, The Oregonian, Seattle Times, The Stranger, Portland Mercury, and NYTimes
  • South Park, The Daily Show, and Gavin Newsom’s social media team – for serving up clever laughs with withering political satire
  • People getting out to protest, patrol, and post
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish


]]> This summer, West Coast sovereignty wasn’t a theory—it was tested. 

From ICE raids in Los Angeles, and Marines on California streets, to attacks on our flagship universities, and shakedowns of tech stalwarts, Washington D.C. came hard for our region. But West Coasters fought back—with mass protests, citizen surveillance, social media jabs, ballot initiatives, and new policies that neither submit to democratic decline nor accept caricatures of our challenges. 

In this solo episode, Greg Amrofell looks back on the summer of 2025—a season when the West Coast felt the sharp edge of federal overreach. With questions from listeners punctuating a look back at key issues from Memorial Day past Labor Day, Greg explores what happened, how leaders and citizens responded, and what it all means for West Coast sovereignty.

The question: Are we ready to move from resistance to resilience?


Highlights

  • Raids & Repression: ICE raids in Los Angeles and the deployment of Marines sparked outrage and solidarity across the region.
  • Democracy on the Line: Texas redistricting—and California’s tit-for-tat response—show why election design is now a sovereignty issue.
  • Universities Under Siege: West Coast higher ed faced fines and federal interference, even as it remained a global hub of research and talent.
  • Economic Pressure: The summer saw nationalization of Intel and federal limits on Nvidia’s China business—shaking confidence in innovation and global trade.
  • Public Health & Rights: Attacks on gender-affirming care, trans athletes, and reproductive rights forced states to consider their own protective frameworks.
  • Bright Spots: Mass demonstrations, strong state policies on climate and housing, and new sovereignty-driven proposals showed the West Coast can lead.
  • The Takeaway: Sovereignty is not a slogan. It’s a responsibility—and the West Coast must decide if it’s ready to seize it, or continuing hoping for the best in elections 2-4 years away.

About the Host
Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, the podcast that asks bold “what if” questions about the West Coast. His approach draws on a career in tech and consulting in which he often had the chance to relax constraints, consider present challenges and opportunities, on the way to designing future possibilities. In podcast conversations that range from city design to public health, redistricting to climate resilience, Greg invites leaders, thinkers, and everyday West Coast citizens to imagine the future an autonomous West Coast would create if we could start from a blank slate.


Suggested Resources


Related Episodes


Join the conversation: For the West Coast, what’s the best case and the worst case between now and the new year? 

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Listeners and past guests who submitted questions
  • My family and friends helping me keep perspective when paying attention to dark news gets heavy
  • Hard-working reporters who have been on the front lines seeking truth startling events on the West Coast: CalMatters, LAist, LA Times, MSNBC, San Diego Union Tribune, The Oregonian, Seattle Times, The Stranger, Portland Mercury, and NYTimes
  • South Park, The Daily Show, and Gavin Newsom’s social media team – for serving up clever laughs with withering political satire
  • People getting out to protest, patrol, and post
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish


]]> Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 1601 This summer, West Coast sovereignty wasn’t a theory—it was tested. 

From ICE raids in Los Angeles, and Marines on California streets, to attacks on our flagship universities, and shakedowns of tech stalwarts, Washington D.C. came hard for our region. But West Coasters fought back—with mass protests, citizen surveillance, social media jabs, ballot initiatives, and new policies that neither submit to democratic decline nor accept caricatures of our challenges. 

In this solo episode, Greg Amrofell looks back on the summer of 2025—a season when the West Coast felt the sharp edge of federal overreach. With questions from listeners punctuating a look back at key issues from Memorial Day past Labor Day, Greg explores what happened, how leaders and citizens responded, and what it all means for West Coast sovereignty.

The question: Are we ready to move from resistance to resilience?


Highlights

  • Raids & Repression: ICE raids in Los Angeles and the deployment of Marines sparked outrage and solidarity across the region.
  • Democracy on the Line: Texas redistricting—and California’s tit-for-tat response—show why election design is now a sovereignty issue.
  • Universities Under Siege: West Coast higher ed faced fines and federal interference, even as it remained a global hub of research and talent.
  • Economic Pressure: The summer saw nationalization of Intel and federal limits on Nvidia’s China business—shaking confidence in innovation and global trade.
  • Public Health & Rights: Attacks on gender-affirming care, trans athletes, and reproductive rights forced states to consider their own protective frameworks.
  • Bright Spots: Mass demonstrations, strong state policies on climate and housing, and new sovereignty-driven proposals showed the West Coast can lead.
  • The Takeaway: Sovereignty is not a slogan. It’s a responsibility—and the West Coast must decide if it’s ready to seize it, or continuing hoping for the best in elections 2-4 years away.

About the Host
Greg Amrofell is the creator and host of Pacific Time, the podcast that asks bold “what if” questions about the West Coast. His approach draws on a career in tech and consulting in which he often had the chance to relax constraints, consider present challenges and opportunities, on the way to designing future possibilities. In podcast conversations that range from city design to public health, redistricting to climate resilience, Greg invites leaders, thinkers, and everyday West Coast citizens to imagine the future an autonomous West Coast would create if we could start from a blank slate.


Suggested Resources


Related Episodes


Join the conversation: For the West Coast, what’s the best case and the worst case between now and the new year? 

Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Listeners and past guests who submitted questions
  • My family and friends helping me keep perspective when paying attention to dark news gets heavy
  • Hard-working reporters who have been on the front lines seeking truth startling events on the West Coast: CalMatters, LAist, LA Times, MSNBC, San Diego Union Tribune, The Oregonian, Seattle Times, The Stranger, Portland Mercury, and NYTimes
  • South Park, The Daily Show, and Gavin Newsom’s social media team – for serving up clever laughs with withering political satire
  • People getting out to protest, patrol, and post
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish


]]> West Coast, PacificTimePodcast, Sovereignty, PacificTimePodcast, Autonomy, Resilience, ICE Raids, Higher Ed, Public Lands, Health Data, Independence, Cascadia, TrumpAdministration, Summer2025 No Could Pickleball Save America? 27 27 Could Pickleball Save America? full e01b0928-9206-4f4e-ae28-48119781de96 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/27 What if the fastest-growing sport in America could also be its most democratic?

Pickleball was born on Bainbridge Island – just across the water from Seattle. It started in 1965 with a wiffle ball, a net, and a few bored kids. Sixty years later, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry, the official state sport of Washington, and the most diverse scene you’ll find on a neighborhood court.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg sits down with David Johnson — entrepreneur, consultant, and publisher of The Business of Pickleball — to explore the improbable rise of this goofy garage sport into a global cultural force. Johnson, who grew Pickleball Central from his house into the sport’s largest retailer before selling to private equity, now chronicles the business and community boom reshaping cities and suburbs across the country.

This conversation is about more than paddles and nets. It’s about how West Coast invention, garage entrepreneurship, and neighborly spirit can turn into a national phenomenon — and what it means when sports build bridges where politics can’t.


In this episode, we cover:

  • How pickleball grew from Bainbridge Island to the fastest-growing sport in America
  • Why COVID, portable nets, and volunteer “ambassadors” fueled its explosion
  • The business story: from backyard play to billion-dollar facilities boom
  • How tournaments and community courts create unlikely social networks
  • The balance between commercialization and the sport’s social roots
  • What makes pickleball so uniquely diverse and accessible
  • How “we could solve the world’s problems over pickleball”


About Our Guest:
David Johnson is a longtime entrepreneur in the pickleball industry who has played many key roles in popularizing the game. He co-founded and scaled Pickleball Central, the sport’s largest online retailer, before selling it to Dundon Capital. He now publishes The Business of Pickleball, a subscription newsletter chronicling the industry’s growth, and co-founded the International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities.

Keywords:

Pickleball, Bainbridge Island, West Coast Sport, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Garage Startup, Sports Business, Community Building, Civic Life, Recreation, Equity, West Coast Innovation, PacificTimePodcast, Social Connection, Washington State Sport, Pickleball Industry, Pickleball Facilities


Resources & References:

  • USA Pickleball (USAP) — The national governing body of pickleball, with rules, resources, and ambassador programs.
    👉 usapickleball.org
  • Pickleball Central — Founded by David Johnson and family in Seattle, now the world’s largest pickleball retailer.
    👉 pickleballcentral.com
  • The Business of Pickleball — David Johnson’s subscription newsletter tracking the growth and economics of the sport.
    👉 thebusinessofpickleball.com
  • History of Pickleball (Bainbridge Island) — Local heritage page about the sport’s quirky origin in 1965.
    👉 biparks.org/history-of-pickleball
  • International Pickleball and Padel Facility Association — Johnson’s latest effort to support the booming number of indoor pickleball facilities.
    👉 pickleballpadelfacilities.org

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: David Johnson
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Pickleballers at Green Lake Park, Miller Playfield, and Bainbridge Island Founders Courts
]]> What if the fastest-growing sport in America could also be its most democratic?

Pickleball was born on Bainbridge Island – just across the water from Seattle. It started in 1965 with a wiffle ball, a net, and a few bored kids. Sixty years later, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry, the official state sport of Washington, and the most diverse scene you’ll find on a neighborhood court.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg sits down with David Johnson — entrepreneur, consultant, and publisher of The Business of Pickleball — to explore the improbable rise of this goofy garage sport into a global cultural force. Johnson, who grew Pickleball Central from his house into the sport’s largest retailer before selling to private equity, now chronicles the business and community boom reshaping cities and suburbs across the country.

This conversation is about more than paddles and nets. It’s about how West Coast invention, garage entrepreneurship, and neighborly spirit can turn into a national phenomenon — and what it means when sports build bridges where politics can’t.


In this episode, we cover:

  • How pickleball grew from Bainbridge Island to the fastest-growing sport in America
  • Why COVID, portable nets, and volunteer “ambassadors” fueled its explosion
  • The business story: from backyard play to billion-dollar facilities boom
  • How tournaments and community courts create unlikely social networks
  • The balance between commercialization and the sport’s social roots
  • What makes pickleball so uniquely diverse and accessible
  • How “we could solve the world’s problems over pickleball”


About Our Guest:
David Johnson is a longtime entrepreneur in the pickleball industry who has played many key roles in popularizing the game. He co-founded and scaled Pickleball Central, the sport’s largest online retailer, before selling it to Dundon Capital. He now publishes The Business of Pickleball, a subscription newsletter chronicling the industry’s growth, and co-founded the International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities.

Keywords:

Pickleball, Bainbridge Island, West Coast Sport, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Garage Startup, Sports Business, Community Building, Civic Life, Recreation, Equity, West Coast Innovation, PacificTimePodcast, Social Connection, Washington State Sport, Pickleball Industry, Pickleball Facilities


Resources & References:

  • USA Pickleball (USAP) — The national governing body of pickleball, with rules, resources, and ambassador programs.
    👉 usapickleball.org
  • Pickleball Central — Founded by David Johnson and family in Seattle, now the world’s largest pickleball retailer.
    👉 pickleballcentral.com
  • The Business of Pickleball — David Johnson’s subscription newsletter tracking the growth and economics of the sport.
    👉 thebusinessofpickleball.com
  • History of Pickleball (Bainbridge Island) — Local heritage page about the sport’s quirky origin in 1965.
    👉 biparks.org/history-of-pickleball
  • International Pickleball and Padel Facility Association — Johnson’s latest effort to support the booming number of indoor pickleball facilities.
    👉 pickleballpadelfacilities.org

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: David Johnson
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Pickleballers at Green Lake Park, Miller Playfield, and Bainbridge Island Founders Courts
]]> Wed, 03 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2620 What if the fastest-growing sport in America could also be its most democratic?

Pickleball was born on Bainbridge Island – just across the water from Seattle. It started in 1965 with a wiffle ball, a net, and a few bored kids. Sixty years later, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry, the official state sport of Washington, and the most diverse scene you’ll find on a neighborhood court.

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg sits down with David Johnson — entrepreneur, consultant, and publisher of The Business of Pickleball — to explore the improbable rise of this goofy garage sport into a global cultural force. Johnson, who grew Pickleball Central from his house into the sport’s largest retailer before selling to private equity, now chronicles the business and community boom reshaping cities and suburbs across the country.

This conversation is about more than paddles and nets. It’s about how West Coast invention, garage entrepreneurship, and neighborly spirit can turn into a national phenomenon — and what it means when sports build bridges where politics can’t.


In this episode, we cover:

  • How pickleball grew from Bainbridge Island to the fastest-growing sport in America
  • Why COVID, portable nets, and volunteer “ambassadors” fueled its explosion
  • The business story: from backyard play to billion-dollar facilities boom
  • How tournaments and community courts create unlikely social networks
  • The balance between commercialization and the sport’s social roots
  • What makes pickleball so uniquely diverse and accessible
  • How “we could solve the world’s problems over pickleball”


About Our Guest:
David Johnson is a longtime entrepreneur in the pickleball industry who has played many key roles in popularizing the game. He co-founded and scaled Pickleball Central, the sport’s largest online retailer, before selling it to Dundon Capital. He now publishes The Business of Pickleball, a subscription newsletter chronicling the industry’s growth, and co-founded the International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities.

Keywords:

Pickleball, Bainbridge Island, West Coast Sport, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Garage Startup, Sports Business, Community Building, Civic Life, Recreation, Equity, West Coast Innovation, PacificTimePodcast, Social Connection, Washington State Sport, Pickleball Industry, Pickleball Facilities


Resources & References:

  • USA Pickleball (USAP) — The national governing body of pickleball, with rules, resources, and ambassador programs.
    👉 usapickleball.org
  • Pickleball Central — Founded by David Johnson and family in Seattle, now the world’s largest pickleball retailer.
    👉 pickleballcentral.com
  • The Business of Pickleball — David Johnson’s subscription newsletter tracking the growth and economics of the sport.
    👉 thebusinessofpickleball.com
  • History of Pickleball (Bainbridge Island) — Local heritage page about the sport’s quirky origin in 1965.
    👉 biparks.org/history-of-pickleball
  • International Pickleball and Padel Facility Association — Johnson’s latest effort to support the booming number of indoor pickleball facilities.
    👉 pickleballpadelfacilities.org

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack; YouTube; BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thank you to:

  • Guest: David Johnson
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
  • Pickleballers at Green Lake Park, Miller Playfield, and Bainbridge Island Founders Courts
]]> Pickleball, Bainbridge Island, West Coast Sport, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Garage Startup, Sports Business, Community Building, Civic Life, Recreation, Equity, West Coast Innovation, PacificTimePodcast, Social Connection, Washington State Sport, Pickleball Industry, Pickleball Facilities No Do Californians Want Autonomy? 26 26 Do Californians Want Autonomy? full a39cac42-fb33-441c-8506-4986f73716b0 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/26 A recent survey shows that Californians want autonomy—what does this mean?

In this episode, Greg talks with Coyote Marin, co-founder and executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on educating Californians about their relationship with the federal government. Unlike advocacy groups, Coyote’s organization doesn’t push a single path forward—it lays out facts, options, and tradeoffs so Californians can decide for themselves.

We explore new survey data showing strong support for California gaining special autonomous status within the U.S.—and a surprising amount of openness to peaceful secession. They discuss why autonomy polls higher than full independence, what it means to be a “donor state,” and how Californians might rethink the federal government as a costly (and morally compromised) middleman between taxpayers and the services they depend on.

This is a conversation about sovereignty, pragmatism, and possibility—not about destroying America, but about building a California that works better for Californians.


Highlights:

  • The difference between autonomy and independence
  • How California compares as a “donor state”
  • Why opinions on independence are stable—but hardening
  • The federal government as a “money laundering machine” for state tax dollars
  • The hidden history of U.S. secessions, from 1776 to the Philippines

About Our Guest
Coyote Marin is the executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank founded in 2018 to study California independence and autonomy. A longtime Green Party activist and policy thinker, Marin has led research on California’s donor-state status, run statewide surveys on attitudes toward autonomy, and advocates for thoughtful, fact-based dialogue about the state’s future.

Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> A recent survey shows that Californians want autonomy—what does this mean?

In this episode, Greg talks with Coyote Marin, co-founder and executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on educating Californians about their relationship with the federal government. Unlike advocacy groups, Coyote’s organization doesn’t push a single path forward—it lays out facts, options, and tradeoffs so Californians can decide for themselves.

We explore new survey data showing strong support for California gaining special autonomous status within the U.S.—and a surprising amount of openness to peaceful secession. They discuss why autonomy polls higher than full independence, what it means to be a “donor state,” and how Californians might rethink the federal government as a costly (and morally compromised) middleman between taxpayers and the services they depend on.

This is a conversation about sovereignty, pragmatism, and possibility—not about destroying America, but about building a California that works better for Californians.


Highlights:

  • The difference between autonomy and independence
  • How California compares as a “donor state”
  • Why opinions on independence are stable—but hardening
  • The federal government as a “money laundering machine” for state tax dollars
  • The hidden history of U.S. secessions, from 1776 to the Philippines

About Our Guest
Coyote Marin is the executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank founded in 2018 to study California independence and autonomy. A longtime Green Party activist and policy thinker, Marin has led research on California’s donor-state status, run statewide surveys on attitudes toward autonomy, and advocates for thoughtful, fact-based dialogue about the state’s future.

Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 27 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2789 A recent survey shows that Californians want autonomy—what does this mean?

In this episode, Greg talks with Coyote Marin, co-founder and executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on educating Californians about their relationship with the federal government. Unlike advocacy groups, Coyote’s organization doesn’t push a single path forward—it lays out facts, options, and tradeoffs so Californians can decide for themselves.

We explore new survey data showing strong support for California gaining special autonomous status within the U.S.—and a surprising amount of openness to peaceful secession. They discuss why autonomy polls higher than full independence, what it means to be a “donor state,” and how Californians might rethink the federal government as a costly (and morally compromised) middleman between taxpayers and the services they depend on.

This is a conversation about sovereignty, pragmatism, and possibility—not about destroying America, but about building a California that works better for Californians.


Highlights:

  • The difference between autonomy and independence
  • How California compares as a “donor state”
  • Why opinions on independence are stable—but hardening
  • The federal government as a “money laundering machine” for state tax dollars
  • The hidden history of U.S. secessions, from 1776 to the Philippines

About Our Guest
Coyote Marin is the executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank founded in 2018 to study California independence and autonomy. A longtime Green Party activist and policy thinker, Marin has led research on California’s donor-state status, run statewide surveys on attitudes toward autonomy, and advocates for thoughtful, fact-based dialogue about the state’s future.

Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the conversation: What would you choose—greater autonomy for California, or full independence? Share your take wherever you follow or send me your thoughts, questions, comments and constructive suggestions to greg@pacifictimepodcast.com.

Follow: Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, YouTube, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook. Join the conversation and share it with your neighbors and friends on the West Coast.


Listen: Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcast, Podbean, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> California, California autonomy, California independence, Donor State, West Coast, West Coast sovereignty, State vs. federal power; 10th amendment, U.S. Constitution, Federal tax, Secession, Pacific Time Podcast No Can Better Ballots Beat Bad Maps? 25 25 Can Better Ballots Beat Bad Maps? full 3532a084-25b9-4511-921c-8b0003cc3af8 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/25 What if the quickest fix for American democracy isn’t new maps—but better ballots? In this episode, we ask whether top-two primaries, ranked-choice voting, and a bigger U.S. House could outflank gerrymandering’s worst effects—fast.

Episode summary:
Redistricting wars grab headlines, but the map fight is only part of the story. Marketing veteran and election systems enthusiast Ashley Brown joins Pacific Time to argue that ballot design, primary structure, and seat math shape who we elect just as much as district lines do. We dig into top-two primaries on the West Coast, where ranked-choice is working, and why expanding the House could make “safe seats” less safe for extremists. This is a pragmatic, West Coast–forward blueprint for how states can upgrade elections now—with tools already on the shelf.


Highlights:

  • Why gerrymandering is a symptom (and what the disease actually is)
  • Top-two primaries vs. ranked-choice voting
  • “Wider on-ramps, narrower off-ramps”: redesigning primaries to reward coalition builders
  • The case to expand the House (and how it would change incentives overnight)
  • What West Coast states can implement in 12–24 months

About our guest:
Ashley Brown is a seasoned brand and marketing leader (Microsoft, Coca‑Cola, Amazon, Porch) with a long-running personal obsession: how election systems shape countries. He brings a practitioner’s eye to election reform—translating complex ideas into simple changes voters can understand and adopt.

Related resources:

Related Episodes

 If you want more voice, less noise in our politics, share this episode with a friend and your county elections board. Then hit “Follow” and leave a review—those signals help us reach reformers like you. 

]]> What if the quickest fix for American democracy isn’t new maps—but better ballots? In this episode, we ask whether top-two primaries, ranked-choice voting, and a bigger U.S. House could outflank gerrymandering’s worst effects—fast.

Episode summary:
Redistricting wars grab headlines, but the map fight is only part of the story. Marketing veteran and election systems enthusiast Ashley Brown joins Pacific Time to argue that ballot design, primary structure, and seat math shape who we elect just as much as district lines do. We dig into top-two primaries on the West Coast, where ranked-choice is working, and why expanding the House could make “safe seats” less safe for extremists. This is a pragmatic, West Coast–forward blueprint for how states can upgrade elections now—with tools already on the shelf.


Highlights:

  • Why gerrymandering is a symptom (and what the disease actually is)
  • Top-two primaries vs. ranked-choice voting
  • “Wider on-ramps, narrower off-ramps”: redesigning primaries to reward coalition builders
  • The case to expand the House (and how it would change incentives overnight)
  • What West Coast states can implement in 12–24 months

About our guest:
Ashley Brown is a seasoned brand and marketing leader (Microsoft, Coca‑Cola, Amazon, Porch) with a long-running personal obsession: how election systems shape countries. He brings a practitioner’s eye to election reform—translating complex ideas into simple changes voters can understand and adopt.

Related resources:

Related Episodes

 If you want more voice, less noise in our politics, share this episode with a friend and your county elections board. Then hit “Follow” and leave a review—those signals help us reach reformers like you. 

]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2936 What if the quickest fix for American democracy isn’t new maps—but better ballots? In this episode, we ask whether top-two primaries, ranked-choice voting, and a bigger U.S. House could outflank gerrymandering’s worst effects—fast.

Episode summary:
Redistricting wars grab headlines, but the map fight is only part of the story. Marketing veteran and election systems enthusiast Ashley Brown joins Pacific Time to argue that ballot design, primary structure, and seat math shape who we elect just as much as district lines do. We dig into top-two primaries on the West Coast, where ranked-choice is working, and why expanding the House could make “safe seats” less safe for extremists. This is a pragmatic, West Coast–forward blueprint for how states can upgrade elections now—with tools already on the shelf.


Highlights:

  • Why gerrymandering is a symptom (and what the disease actually is)
  • Top-two primaries vs. ranked-choice voting
  • “Wider on-ramps, narrower off-ramps”: redesigning primaries to reward coalition builders
  • The case to expand the House (and how it would change incentives overnight)
  • What West Coast states can implement in 12–24 months

About our guest:
Ashley Brown is a seasoned brand and marketing leader (Microsoft, Coca‑Cola, Amazon, Porch) with a long-running personal obsession: how election systems shape countries. He brings a practitioner’s eye to election reform—translating complex ideas into simple changes voters can understand and adopt.

Related resources:

Related Episodes

 If you want more voice, less noise in our politics, share this episode with a friend and your county elections board. Then hit “Follow” and leave a review—those signals help us reach reformers like you. 

]]> ranked‑choice voting, top‑two primary, open primary, redistricting, gerrymandering, expand the House, cube‑root rule, electoral reform, West Coast politics, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska RCV, democracy design, PacificTimePodcast, democracy, good government No Will the Coast Take On Climate Leadership (Again)? 24 24 Will the Coast Take On Climate Leadership (Again)? full e9c3a698-ff0a-4300-b2e9-95b3128bfaa2 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/24 The EPA just gutted the backbone of federal climate regulation. Could the West Coast step in?

In this episode of Pacific Time, veteran climate reporter Molly Peterson joins Greg to unpack the devastating implications of the EPA’s reversal of its greenhouse gas endangerment finding—the legal trigger that forces federal climate action. Without it, Washington no longer has to regulate greenhouse gases, even as wildfire smoke, ozone, and deadly heatwaves plague the West.


Molly and Greg explore what this means for California, Oregon, and Washington: Could these states lead a new era of climate policy absent federal involvement? Might they even seize legal and regulatory authority from the feds—and what would that spark?


Episode Highlights:

  • The implications of the EPA rescinding the greenhouse gas endangerment finding
  • Why wildfire smoke isn’t properly counted under current law
  • Why the Clean Air Act wasn’t built for climate change
  • Could California sue and/or simply take charge?

Guest Bio:
Molly Peterson is an award-winning environmental reporter whose work has appeared on NPR, The Guardian, LAist, and local outlets across the West. She covers air quality, water systems, and climate adaptation with a sharp eye for science, law, and public accountability. Her 2023 investigation into wildfire smoke loopholes helped reframe how we think about pollution and policy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:


]]> The EPA just gutted the backbone of federal climate regulation. Could the West Coast step in?

In this episode of Pacific Time, veteran climate reporter Molly Peterson joins Greg to unpack the devastating implications of the EPA’s reversal of its greenhouse gas endangerment finding—the legal trigger that forces federal climate action. Without it, Washington no longer has to regulate greenhouse gases, even as wildfire smoke, ozone, and deadly heatwaves plague the West.


Molly and Greg explore what this means for California, Oregon, and Washington: Could these states lead a new era of climate policy absent federal involvement? Might they even seize legal and regulatory authority from the feds—and what would that spark?


Episode Highlights:

  • The implications of the EPA rescinding the greenhouse gas endangerment finding
  • Why wildfire smoke isn’t properly counted under current law
  • Why the Clean Air Act wasn’t built for climate change
  • Could California sue and/or simply take charge?

Guest Bio:
Molly Peterson is an award-winning environmental reporter whose work has appeared on NPR, The Guardian, LAist, and local outlets across the West. She covers air quality, water systems, and climate adaptation with a sharp eye for science, law, and public accountability. Her 2023 investigation into wildfire smoke loopholes helped reframe how we think about pollution and policy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:


]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2719 The EPA just gutted the backbone of federal climate regulation. Could the West Coast step in?

In this episode of Pacific Time, veteran climate reporter Molly Peterson joins Greg to unpack the devastating implications of the EPA’s reversal of its greenhouse gas endangerment finding—the legal trigger that forces federal climate action. Without it, Washington no longer has to regulate greenhouse gases, even as wildfire smoke, ozone, and deadly heatwaves plague the West.


Molly and Greg explore what this means for California, Oregon, and Washington: Could these states lead a new era of climate policy absent federal involvement? Might they even seize legal and regulatory authority from the feds—and what would that spark?


Episode Highlights:

  • The implications of the EPA rescinding the greenhouse gas endangerment finding
  • Why wildfire smoke isn’t properly counted under current law
  • Why the Clean Air Act wasn’t built for climate change
  • Could California sue and/or simply take charge?

Guest Bio:
Molly Peterson is an award-winning environmental reporter whose work has appeared on NPR, The Guardian, LAist, and local outlets across the West. She covers air quality, water systems, and climate adaptation with a sharp eye for science, law, and public accountability. Her 2023 investigation into wildfire smoke loopholes helped reframe how we think about pollution and policy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:


]]> California, EPA, climate policy, environmental justice, wildfires, air quality, public health, legislation, local control, climate resilience, PacificTimePodcast, West Coast, West Coast Politics, CalMatters, Molly Peterson No Refresh the American Brand, West Coast First? 23 23 Refresh the American Brand, West Coast First? full 67ccea7e-1f95-42ec-b00a-cfcbb635cd38 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/23 If America is a brand, what does it stand for now? What truths still hold? And can a 250-year-old experiment in self-government be reimagined without losing the plot?

Michael Megalli is a brand strategist, the author of the upcoming book Brand New World, the founder of Indie.biz, and the son of Egyptian immigrants who believed fiercely in the American dream. In this episode, he unpacks the state of the American brand—what it once represented, how it’s faltering, and why this moment offers a rare chance to rebuild it from the ground up (hint: the two party political system may not have the answers). From the symbolism of military parades to the deeper meanings behind "We the People," Megalli explores how shared myths shape everything from democracy to Taylor Swift.

Highlights:

  • What branding really means (and why it’s not just marketing)
  • The American brand: from post-WWII unity to post-COVID disillusionment
  • Distrust in institutions as the central threat
  • A new patriotism rooted in participation, not performative pride
  • Michael’s family story of migration, military service, and belief in U.S. ideals

Guest Bio:
Michael Megalli is a multi-talented brand strategist, author, teacher, and entrepreneur. Through his consulting firm, Djinn Dept, he offers branding expertise to major companies and nonprofits. His writing and online media explore how shared stories, symbols, and beliefs shape identity, economics, and civic life. He is also founder of Indie.biz, a company that champions the countless people launching and running independent businesses.

Related Episodes:

Resources:

]]> If America is a brand, what does it stand for now? What truths still hold? And can a 250-year-old experiment in self-government be reimagined without losing the plot?

Michael Megalli is a brand strategist, the author of the upcoming book Brand New World, the founder of Indie.biz, and the son of Egyptian immigrants who believed fiercely in the American dream. In this episode, he unpacks the state of the American brand—what it once represented, how it’s faltering, and why this moment offers a rare chance to rebuild it from the ground up (hint: the two party political system may not have the answers). From the symbolism of military parades to the deeper meanings behind "We the People," Megalli explores how shared myths shape everything from democracy to Taylor Swift.

Highlights:

  • What branding really means (and why it’s not just marketing)
  • The American brand: from post-WWII unity to post-COVID disillusionment
  • Distrust in institutions as the central threat
  • A new patriotism rooted in participation, not performative pride
  • Michael’s family story of migration, military service, and belief in U.S. ideals

Guest Bio:
Michael Megalli is a multi-talented brand strategist, author, teacher, and entrepreneur. Through his consulting firm, Djinn Dept, he offers branding expertise to major companies and nonprofits. His writing and online media explore how shared stories, symbols, and beliefs shape identity, economics, and civic life. He is also founder of Indie.biz, a company that champions the countless people launching and running independent businesses.

Related Episodes:

Resources:

]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3331 If America is a brand, what does it stand for now? What truths still hold? And can a 250-year-old experiment in self-government be reimagined without losing the plot?

Michael Megalli is a brand strategist, the author of the upcoming book Brand New World, the founder of Indie.biz, and the son of Egyptian immigrants who believed fiercely in the American dream. In this episode, he unpacks the state of the American brand—what it once represented, how it’s faltering, and why this moment offers a rare chance to rebuild it from the ground up (hint: the two party political system may not have the answers). From the symbolism of military parades to the deeper meanings behind "We the People," Megalli explores how shared myths shape everything from democracy to Taylor Swift.

Highlights:

  • What branding really means (and why it’s not just marketing)
  • The American brand: from post-WWII unity to post-COVID disillusionment
  • Distrust in institutions as the central threat
  • A new patriotism rooted in participation, not performative pride
  • Michael’s family story of migration, military service, and belief in U.S. ideals

Guest Bio:
Michael Megalli is a multi-talented brand strategist, author, teacher, and entrepreneur. Through his consulting firm, Djinn Dept, he offers branding expertise to major companies and nonprofits. His writing and online media explore how shared stories, symbols, and beliefs shape identity, economics, and civic life. He is also founder of Indie.biz, a company that champions the countless people launching and running independent businesses.

Related Episodes:

Resources:

]]> #PacificTimePodcast #MichaelMegalli #BrandNewWorld #America250 #RebrandAmerica #TrustCrisis #CivicPatriotism #ParticipatoryDemocracy #FutureOfAmerica No Could West Coast Farming Follow the Tuscan Template? 22 22 Could West Coast Farming Follow the Tuscan Template? full 0aefb07a-5881-40ee-948f-a2244bbff1cf https://pacifictimepodcast.com/22 What if growing food didn’t have to destroy the planet?
Ariane Lotti grew up in the U.S., trained in environmental policy at Yale, and worked on Capitol Hill. But her journey took an unexpected turn: she returned to her family’s rice farm in Tuscany to reinvent agriculture from the ground up.

In this episode, we meet this regenerative farmer who's testing the limits of what’s possible—combining policy smarts with muddy boots. Ariane walks us through the lessons Italy and Europe can offer the West Coast, from flavor and biodiversity to subsidies that reward rural resilience. We also talk ducks, risotto, the promise and perils of organic certification, and how U.S. ag policy might finally modernize.

In this episode, we cover:

  • The surprising differences between U.S. and EU farm policy
  • Why regenerative agriculture needs room for experimentation
  • How ducks could replace herbicides in rice paddies
  • What the West Coast could do with our land if we started from scratch
  • Why farming is both political and personal

Guest Bio:
Ariane Lotti is the owner of Tenuta San Carlo, a regenerative rice farm and agritourism business on Italy’s Tuscan coast. A former Yale-trained policy advocate in Washington D.C., she now grows rice organically, raises livestock, and experiments with soil and water conservation techniques that blend ancient practices with modern research.


Related Episodes:


💬Join the conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
True or false: I’d love to buy all organic groceries right from the farmer’s market. Why do you today, or why don’t you today? Share your answers at the community center for Pacific Time at Substack, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

Resources:

]]> What if growing food didn’t have to destroy the planet?
Ariane Lotti grew up in the U.S., trained in environmental policy at Yale, and worked on Capitol Hill. But her journey took an unexpected turn: she returned to her family’s rice farm in Tuscany to reinvent agriculture from the ground up.

In this episode, we meet this regenerative farmer who's testing the limits of what’s possible—combining policy smarts with muddy boots. Ariane walks us through the lessons Italy and Europe can offer the West Coast, from flavor and biodiversity to subsidies that reward rural resilience. We also talk ducks, risotto, the promise and perils of organic certification, and how U.S. ag policy might finally modernize.

In this episode, we cover:

  • The surprising differences between U.S. and EU farm policy
  • Why regenerative agriculture needs room for experimentation
  • How ducks could replace herbicides in rice paddies
  • What the West Coast could do with our land if we started from scratch
  • Why farming is both political and personal

Guest Bio:
Ariane Lotti is the owner of Tenuta San Carlo, a regenerative rice farm and agritourism business on Italy’s Tuscan coast. A former Yale-trained policy advocate in Washington D.C., she now grows rice organically, raises livestock, and experiments with soil and water conservation techniques that blend ancient practices with modern research.


Related Episodes:


💬Join the conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
True or false: I’d love to buy all organic groceries right from the farmer’s market. Why do you today, or why don’t you today? Share your answers at the community center for Pacific Time at Substack, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

Resources:

]]> Wed, 23 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2629 What if growing food didn’t have to destroy the planet?
Ariane Lotti grew up in the U.S., trained in environmental policy at Yale, and worked on Capitol Hill. But her journey took an unexpected turn: she returned to her family’s rice farm in Tuscany to reinvent agriculture from the ground up.

In this episode, we meet this regenerative farmer who's testing the limits of what’s possible—combining policy smarts with muddy boots. Ariane walks us through the lessons Italy and Europe can offer the West Coast, from flavor and biodiversity to subsidies that reward rural resilience. We also talk ducks, risotto, the promise and perils of organic certification, and how U.S. ag policy might finally modernize.

In this episode, we cover:

  • The surprising differences between U.S. and EU farm policy
  • Why regenerative agriculture needs room for experimentation
  • How ducks could replace herbicides in rice paddies
  • What the West Coast could do with our land if we started from scratch
  • Why farming is both political and personal

Guest Bio:
Ariane Lotti is the owner of Tenuta San Carlo, a regenerative rice farm and agritourism business on Italy’s Tuscan coast. A former Yale-trained policy advocate in Washington D.C., she now grows rice organically, raises livestock, and experiments with soil and water conservation techniques that blend ancient practices with modern research.


Related Episodes:


💬Join the conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
True or false: I’d love to buy all organic groceries right from the farmer’s market. Why do you today, or why don’t you today? Share your answers at the community center for Pacific Time at Substack, BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

Resources:

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No What If We Could Get Wildfire Under Control? 21 21 What If We Could Get Wildfire Under Control? full 8cd9927c-9c0d-473b-9655-80fc6180c72b https://pacifictimepodcast.com/21 What if wildfire isn’t just a natural disaster, but a test of how well we govern prevention, preparation, response, and recovery? In this episode, Greg talks with Hilary Franz, former Washington Lands Commissioner about governing through climate chaos, building unlikely coalitions, and why states like Washington can’t afford to wait for federal leadership when it comes to protecting lives, land, and the future. 

As big and intractable as climate issues can seem, Hilary’s story is hopeful. When the climate crisis hits home, progress is possible when state and local leaders can take charge and look past politics, to address shared problems. From reimagining forest management to partnering with tribes, timber towns, and tech leaders, Franz shares what it takes to lead boldly—and collaboratively—when every season is fire season. This is a story about practical climate action, political courage, and what it might look like for the West Coast to lean into big challenges it can see coming.

In this episode, we cover:

  • How wildfire strategy in Washington shifted from reactive to proactive
  • Why climate denial isn’t the biggest obstacle anymore—climate delay is
  • The political and practical costs of federal inaction
  • What it means to build coalitions with tribes, timber workers, and tech CEOs
  • Why state sovereignty matters in an age of climate instability
  • What a West Coast climate alliance could actually look like
  • How Hilary Franz’s background in conservation law—and figure skating—shaped her leadership

About Our Guest:
Hilary Franz served as Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands from 2017–2025, leading the state’s wildfire prevention, forest management, and climate resilience efforts. A former conservation attorney, she is known for bipartisan coalition-building, hands-on leadership in crisis, and her early days as a competitive figure skater.

Other resources


Related Episodes:

Join the Conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
 What would it take for the West Coast to lead on climate like our lives depend on it?

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

]]> What if wildfire isn’t just a natural disaster, but a test of how well we govern prevention, preparation, response, and recovery? In this episode, Greg talks with Hilary Franz, former Washington Lands Commissioner about governing through climate chaos, building unlikely coalitions, and why states like Washington can’t afford to wait for federal leadership when it comes to protecting lives, land, and the future. 

As big and intractable as climate issues can seem, Hilary’s story is hopeful. When the climate crisis hits home, progress is possible when state and local leaders can take charge and look past politics, to address shared problems. From reimagining forest management to partnering with tribes, timber towns, and tech leaders, Franz shares what it takes to lead boldly—and collaboratively—when every season is fire season. This is a story about practical climate action, political courage, and what it might look like for the West Coast to lean into big challenges it can see coming.

In this episode, we cover:

  • How wildfire strategy in Washington shifted from reactive to proactive
  • Why climate denial isn’t the biggest obstacle anymore—climate delay is
  • The political and practical costs of federal inaction
  • What it means to build coalitions with tribes, timber workers, and tech CEOs
  • Why state sovereignty matters in an age of climate instability
  • What a West Coast climate alliance could actually look like
  • How Hilary Franz’s background in conservation law—and figure skating—shaped her leadership

About Our Guest:
Hilary Franz served as Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands from 2017–2025, leading the state’s wildfire prevention, forest management, and climate resilience efforts. A former conservation attorney, she is known for bipartisan coalition-building, hands-on leadership in crisis, and her early days as a competitive figure skater.

Other resources


Related Episodes:

Join the Conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
 What would it take for the West Coast to lead on climate like our lives depend on it?

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

]]> Wed, 16 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3742 What if wildfire isn’t just a natural disaster, but a test of how well we govern prevention, preparation, response, and recovery? In this episode, Greg talks with Hilary Franz, former Washington Lands Commissioner about governing through climate chaos, building unlikely coalitions, and why states like Washington can’t afford to wait for federal leadership when it comes to protecting lives, land, and the future. 

As big and intractable as climate issues can seem, Hilary’s story is hopeful. When the climate crisis hits home, progress is possible when state and local leaders can take charge and look past politics, to address shared problems. From reimagining forest management to partnering with tribes, timber towns, and tech leaders, Franz shares what it takes to lead boldly—and collaboratively—when every season is fire season. This is a story about practical climate action, political courage, and what it might look like for the West Coast to lean into big challenges it can see coming.

In this episode, we cover:

  • How wildfire strategy in Washington shifted from reactive to proactive
  • Why climate denial isn’t the biggest obstacle anymore—climate delay is
  • The political and practical costs of federal inaction
  • What it means to build coalitions with tribes, timber workers, and tech CEOs
  • Why state sovereignty matters in an age of climate instability
  • What a West Coast climate alliance could actually look like
  • How Hilary Franz’s background in conservation law—and figure skating—shaped her leadership

About Our Guest:
Hilary Franz served as Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands from 2017–2025, leading the state’s wildfire prevention, forest management, and climate resilience efforts. A former conservation attorney, she is known for bipartisan coalition-building, hands-on leadership in crisis, and her early days as a competitive figure skater.

Other resources


Related Episodes:

Join the Conversation by offering your take on this spicy question:
 What would it take for the West Coast to lead on climate like our lives depend on it?

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.



Thanks to:

]]> #PacificTimePodcast #HilaryFranz #Wildfire #WildfirePolicy #WestCoastClimate #ClimateActionNow #StateVsFeds #WestCoastPolitics #SkaterTurnedForester #TonyaHarding No Could Duct Tape Save Our Public Lands? 20 20 Could Duct Tape Save Our Public Lands? full a3dcec87-c317-4b15-8635-9eb549cc472a https://pacifictimepodcast.com/20 Mount Baker is the snowiest ski mountains in the world. It’s also one of the most beloved—and independent—places in the Pacific Northwest. But this episode isn’t about winter sports. It’s about leadership, stewardship, and what it means to bottle the magic that comes from building community in a wondrous landscape. Stuff to bear in mind as Congress got close to selling off vast swaths of public land.

Before she was the CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area, Gwyn Howat was shoveling snow, taping bindings, and riding storms at one of the wildest places on the West Coast. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gwyn reflects on over 30 years of stewardship, community-building, and leadership at one of the last independently owned ski areas in North America. We talk about joy, grief, gender equity in outdoor leadership, prizes of indigenous art and duct tape trophies, and the idea that the mountains—and their caretakers—are part of a sacred commons.

Mt. Baker’s culture is famous among skiers and snowboarders, but there’s a deeper story here: one about staying independent in an industry dominated by conglomerates, and one about designing experiences that center people, place, and purpose over profit.


Whether you're a snowboarder, a public lands advocate, or just someone wondering what good leadership feels like—this episode has something for you.


Highlights:

  • Why Mt. Baker embraced snowboarding before it was cool—and never sold out
  • What duct tape trophies say about the values of a place
  • How Gwyn made decisions as a CEO that balanced community, ecology, and economics
  • What it means to be a for-profit business on public land—and a steward of a commons
  • The future of leadership succession at independent recreation areas
  • The story of the Legendary Banked Slalom, the longest-running snowboarding event in the world
  • Why Gwyn still visits the beginner run when the weight of a complicated job on the mountain feels heavy

Guest Bio:
Gwyn Howat served as CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area for over a decade and has worked in nearly every role at the mountain—from lift ops to leadership. A lifelong skier, Gwyn has helped shape one of the most iconic and community-rooted recreation areas in North America. She is also one of the first women to lead a ski area in the U.S. Known for her deep love of the outdoors, her fierce commitment to community, and her belief in designing for joy, Gwyn is now entering a new chapter—one that may involve salt water as much as snow, and meditation as much as being in the mountains.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:

18 What If We Treated Health Like a System? With Abie Flaxman
14 Could Ambitious Civic Projects Jolt Us Back to Trusting Government? With Nolan Lienhart

08  Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? (Solo)

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Gwyn Howat for taking time to talk during a Hawaiian reset
  • Spirit Rock for a deep dive into meditation and introducing me to my dear friend Gwyn
  • Tim Wohlfarth for a quick turn on production
  • Jim Humes for first opening my eyes to Mount Baker


]]> Mount Baker is the snowiest ski mountains in the world. It’s also one of the most beloved—and independent—places in the Pacific Northwest. But this episode isn’t about winter sports. It’s about leadership, stewardship, and what it means to bottle the magic that comes from building community in a wondrous landscape. Stuff to bear in mind as Congress got close to selling off vast swaths of public land.

Before she was the CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area, Gwyn Howat was shoveling snow, taping bindings, and riding storms at one of the wildest places on the West Coast. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gwyn reflects on over 30 years of stewardship, community-building, and leadership at one of the last independently owned ski areas in North America. We talk about joy, grief, gender equity in outdoor leadership, prizes of indigenous art and duct tape trophies, and the idea that the mountains—and their caretakers—are part of a sacred commons.

Mt. Baker’s culture is famous among skiers and snowboarders, but there’s a deeper story here: one about staying independent in an industry dominated by conglomerates, and one about designing experiences that center people, place, and purpose over profit.


Whether you're a snowboarder, a public lands advocate, or just someone wondering what good leadership feels like—this episode has something for you.


Highlights:

  • Why Mt. Baker embraced snowboarding before it was cool—and never sold out
  • What duct tape trophies say about the values of a place
  • How Gwyn made decisions as a CEO that balanced community, ecology, and economics
  • What it means to be a for-profit business on public land—and a steward of a commons
  • The future of leadership succession at independent recreation areas
  • The story of the Legendary Banked Slalom, the longest-running snowboarding event in the world
  • Why Gwyn still visits the beginner run when the weight of a complicated job on the mountain feels heavy

Guest Bio:
Gwyn Howat served as CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area for over a decade and has worked in nearly every role at the mountain—from lift ops to leadership. A lifelong skier, Gwyn has helped shape one of the most iconic and community-rooted recreation areas in North America. She is also one of the first women to lead a ski area in the U.S. Known for her deep love of the outdoors, her fierce commitment to community, and her belief in designing for joy, Gwyn is now entering a new chapter—one that may involve salt water as much as snow, and meditation as much as being in the mountains.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:

18 What If We Treated Health Like a System? With Abie Flaxman
14 Could Ambitious Civic Projects Jolt Us Back to Trusting Government? With Nolan Lienhart

08  Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? (Solo)

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Gwyn Howat for taking time to talk during a Hawaiian reset
  • Spirit Rock for a deep dive into meditation and introducing me to my dear friend Gwyn
  • Tim Wohlfarth for a quick turn on production
  • Jim Humes for first opening my eyes to Mount Baker


]]> Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2243 Mount Baker is the snowiest ski mountains in the world. It’s also one of the most beloved—and independent—places in the Pacific Northwest. But this episode isn’t about winter sports. It’s about leadership, stewardship, and what it means to bottle the magic that comes from building community in a wondrous landscape. Stuff to bear in mind as Congress got close to selling off vast swaths of public land.

Before she was the CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area, Gwyn Howat was shoveling snow, taping bindings, and riding storms at one of the wildest places on the West Coast. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gwyn reflects on over 30 years of stewardship, community-building, and leadership at one of the last independently owned ski areas in North America. We talk about joy, grief, gender equity in outdoor leadership, prizes of indigenous art and duct tape trophies, and the idea that the mountains—and their caretakers—are part of a sacred commons.

Mt. Baker’s culture is famous among skiers and snowboarders, but there’s a deeper story here: one about staying independent in an industry dominated by conglomerates, and one about designing experiences that center people, place, and purpose over profit.


Whether you're a snowboarder, a public lands advocate, or just someone wondering what good leadership feels like—this episode has something for you.


Highlights:

  • Why Mt. Baker embraced snowboarding before it was cool—and never sold out
  • What duct tape trophies say about the values of a place
  • How Gwyn made decisions as a CEO that balanced community, ecology, and economics
  • What it means to be a for-profit business on public land—and a steward of a commons
  • The future of leadership succession at independent recreation areas
  • The story of the Legendary Banked Slalom, the longest-running snowboarding event in the world
  • Why Gwyn still visits the beginner run when the weight of a complicated job on the mountain feels heavy

Guest Bio:
Gwyn Howat served as CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area for over a decade and has worked in nearly every role at the mountain—from lift ops to leadership. A lifelong skier, Gwyn has helped shape one of the most iconic and community-rooted recreation areas in North America. She is also one of the first women to lead a ski area in the U.S. Known for her deep love of the outdoors, her fierce commitment to community, and her belief in designing for joy, Gwyn is now entering a new chapter—one that may involve salt water as much as snow, and meditation as much as being in the mountains.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:

18 What If We Treated Health Like a System? With Abie Flaxman
14 Could Ambitious Civic Projects Jolt Us Back to Trusting Government? With Nolan Lienhart

08  Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? (Solo)

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Gwyn Howat for taking time to talk during a Hawaiian reset
  • Spirit Rock for a deep dive into meditation and introducing me to my dear friend Gwyn
  • Tim Wohlfarth for a quick turn on production
  • Jim Humes for first opening my eyes to Mount Baker


]]> #PacificTimePodcast #MountBaker #GwynHowat #LegendaryBankedSlalom #WestCoastCommons #RecreateNotConsume #WomenInSkiing #IndependentMountain #PublicLands #CultureOverCash No Could Roman Ruins Inspire West Coast Offense? 19 19 Could Roman Ruins Inspire West Coast Offense? full aa6872f0-7e19-4679-ad5b-227fcefea24f https://pacifictimepodcast.com/19 What if Rome wasn’t just ancient history—but a blueprint for how empires corrode? In this hard-hitting solo episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell records from Italy, tracing chilling parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the unraveling of American democracy. As Trump federalizes the National Guard, threatens war with Iran, deploys ICE raids, and criminalizes dissent, Greg calls on the West Coast—and its allies—to go on constitutional offense.

We revisit the original rebellion of 1776, reflect on HBO’s John Adams, and examine how authoritarianism gains ground through chaos, distraction, and cruelty masked as strength. From invoking the Posse Comitatus Act to launching a West Coast Congress, this episode lays out a tactical and legal playbook for states to reclaim their power, uphold the Constitution, and fight back—before it's too late.

Highlights:

  • Rome’s collapse as a warning for the U.S.—and why "SPQR" still matters
  • Watching John Adams on the plane and re-reading the Declaration of Independence
  • Trump’s provocations: arresting a senator, deploying Marines, undermining due process
  • War with Iran as a cover story for escalating domestic authoritarianism
  • Ten bold state-level actions to provoke court fights and assert sovereignty
  • Praising Newsom and the West Coast AGs for resisting federal overreach
  • Legal framework: 10th Amendment, Posse Comitatus, Insurrection Act, and the 25th
  • Call for a West Coast Congress to coordinate climate, civil rights, and economic defense
  • ICE obstruction laws: extreme taxes, quartering bans, liability expansions
  • Reimagining National Guard units as State Constitutional Defense Forces
  • Reclaiming the American flag from authoritarian co-optation
  • A rallying cry for police, veterans, judges, and public servants to honor their oaths


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> What if Rome wasn’t just ancient history—but a blueprint for how empires corrode? In this hard-hitting solo episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell records from Italy, tracing chilling parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the unraveling of American democracy. As Trump federalizes the National Guard, threatens war with Iran, deploys ICE raids, and criminalizes dissent, Greg calls on the West Coast—and its allies—to go on constitutional offense.

We revisit the original rebellion of 1776, reflect on HBO’s John Adams, and examine how authoritarianism gains ground through chaos, distraction, and cruelty masked as strength. From invoking the Posse Comitatus Act to launching a West Coast Congress, this episode lays out a tactical and legal playbook for states to reclaim their power, uphold the Constitution, and fight back—before it's too late.

Highlights:

  • Rome’s collapse as a warning for the U.S.—and why "SPQR" still matters
  • Watching John Adams on the plane and re-reading the Declaration of Independence
  • Trump’s provocations: arresting a senator, deploying Marines, undermining due process
  • War with Iran as a cover story for escalating domestic authoritarianism
  • Ten bold state-level actions to provoke court fights and assert sovereignty
  • Praising Newsom and the West Coast AGs for resisting federal overreach
  • Legal framework: 10th Amendment, Posse Comitatus, Insurrection Act, and the 25th
  • Call for a West Coast Congress to coordinate climate, civil rights, and economic defense
  • ICE obstruction laws: extreme taxes, quartering bans, liability expansions
  • Reimagining National Guard units as State Constitutional Defense Forces
  • Reclaiming the American flag from authoritarian co-optation
  • A rallying cry for police, veterans, judges, and public servants to honor their oaths


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 904 What if Rome wasn’t just ancient history—but a blueprint for how empires corrode? In this hard-hitting solo episode, Pacific Time host Greg Amrofell records from Italy, tracing chilling parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the unraveling of American democracy. As Trump federalizes the National Guard, threatens war with Iran, deploys ICE raids, and criminalizes dissent, Greg calls on the West Coast—and its allies—to go on constitutional offense.

We revisit the original rebellion of 1776, reflect on HBO’s John Adams, and examine how authoritarianism gains ground through chaos, distraction, and cruelty masked as strength. From invoking the Posse Comitatus Act to launching a West Coast Congress, this episode lays out a tactical and legal playbook for states to reclaim their power, uphold the Constitution, and fight back—before it's too late.

Highlights:

  • Rome’s collapse as a warning for the U.S.—and why "SPQR" still matters
  • Watching John Adams on the plane and re-reading the Declaration of Independence
  • Trump’s provocations: arresting a senator, deploying Marines, undermining due process
  • War with Iran as a cover story for escalating domestic authoritarianism
  • Ten bold state-level actions to provoke court fights and assert sovereignty
  • Praising Newsom and the West Coast AGs for resisting federal overreach
  • Legal framework: 10th Amendment, Posse Comitatus, Insurrection Act, and the 25th
  • Call for a West Coast Congress to coordinate climate, civil rights, and economic defense
  • ICE obstruction laws: extreme taxes, quartering bans, liability expansions
  • Reimagining National Guard units as State Constitutional Defense Forces
  • Reclaiming the American flag from authoritarian co-optation
  • A rallying cry for police, veterans, judges, and public servants to honor their oaths


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> West Coast Sovereignty, SPQR, Trump Dictatorship, State Resistance, 10th Amendment, ICE, War with Iran, National Guard, Public Lands, Constitutional Crisis, Pacific Time Podcast No What if West Coast Healthcare Got Focused? 20 20 What if West Coast Healthcare Got Focused? full 80b63a6f-920f-487a-9db6-9f03d0a3bf25 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/20 What if we let the data guide West Coast healthcare? Could we better address our mental health and addiction crisis? In this episode, data scientist Abie Flaxman breaks down the top health issues for working-age adults on the West Coast—and why our health systems keep missing the mark.


You might think cancer or heart disease top the charts. But in Washington, Oregon, and California, the leading killers of working-age adults are drug overdose and suicide. In this revealing episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Dr. Abie Flaxman—one of the architects of the Global Burden of Disease—about what’s really harming West Coast health. From despair-driven deaths to broken public health infrastructure, the episode explores what data reveals, what state leaders can do, and why we can’t count on federal help. It's not just a health crisis. It's a crisis of policy, prevention, and purpose.


Highlights

  • Why drug overdoses and suicides top the charts for working-age West Coasters
  • How public health data from IHME can guide smarter state policies
  • The hidden burden of Alzheimer's in Washington and California
  • Why the Affordable Care Act mattered—and why it wasn't enough
  • How state-level healthcare experiments can lead national reform
  • What happens when the federal government guts public health budgets
  • Why universities may need to take matters into their own hands to defend science

Guest Bio:

​Dr. Abraham D. Flaxman is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Health Metrics Sciences at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). He specializes in developing computational methods to measure health metrics and evaluate health interventions. Dr. Flaxman earned his BS in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his PhD in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Carnegie Mellon University. 


Resources & References:


Related episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> What if we let the data guide West Coast healthcare? Could we better address our mental health and addiction crisis? In this episode, data scientist Abie Flaxman breaks down the top health issues for working-age adults on the West Coast—and why our health systems keep missing the mark.


You might think cancer or heart disease top the charts. But in Washington, Oregon, and California, the leading killers of working-age adults are drug overdose and suicide. In this revealing episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Dr. Abie Flaxman—one of the architects of the Global Burden of Disease—about what’s really harming West Coast health. From despair-driven deaths to broken public health infrastructure, the episode explores what data reveals, what state leaders can do, and why we can’t count on federal help. It's not just a health crisis. It's a crisis of policy, prevention, and purpose.


Highlights

  • Why drug overdoses and suicides top the charts for working-age West Coasters
  • How public health data from IHME can guide smarter state policies
  • The hidden burden of Alzheimer's in Washington and California
  • Why the Affordable Care Act mattered—and why it wasn't enough
  • How state-level healthcare experiments can lead national reform
  • What happens when the federal government guts public health budgets
  • Why universities may need to take matters into their own hands to defend science

Guest Bio:

​Dr. Abraham D. Flaxman is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Health Metrics Sciences at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). He specializes in developing computational methods to measure health metrics and evaluate health interventions. Dr. Flaxman earned his BS in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his PhD in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Carnegie Mellon University. 


Resources & References:


Related episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2763 What if we let the data guide West Coast healthcare? Could we better address our mental health and addiction crisis? In this episode, data scientist Abie Flaxman breaks down the top health issues for working-age adults on the West Coast—and why our health systems keep missing the mark.


You might think cancer or heart disease top the charts. But in Washington, Oregon, and California, the leading killers of working-age adults are drug overdose and suicide. In this revealing episode, Greg Amrofell talks with Dr. Abie Flaxman—one of the architects of the Global Burden of Disease—about what’s really harming West Coast health. From despair-driven deaths to broken public health infrastructure, the episode explores what data reveals, what state leaders can do, and why we can’t count on federal help. It's not just a health crisis. It's a crisis of policy, prevention, and purpose.


Highlights

  • Why drug overdoses and suicides top the charts for working-age West Coasters
  • How public health data from IHME can guide smarter state policies
  • The hidden burden of Alzheimer's in Washington and California
  • Why the Affordable Care Act mattered—and why it wasn't enough
  • How state-level healthcare experiments can lead national reform
  • What happens when the federal government guts public health budgets
  • Why universities may need to take matters into their own hands to defend science

Guest Bio:

​Dr. Abraham D. Flaxman is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Health Metrics Sciences at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). He specializes in developing computational methods to measure health metrics and evaluate health interventions. Dr. Flaxman earned his BS in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his PhD in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Carnegie Mellon University. 


Resources & References:


Related episodes:


Join the movement: 

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> #GBD #PacificTimePodcast #AbieFlaxman #GlobalBurdenOfDisease #WestCoastHealth #PublicHealthMatters #PreventDespair #DataForGood #HealthEquityNow #MentalHealthCrisis #ScienceMatters No Does College Need to Go Back to College? 17 17 Does College Need to Go Back to College? full b0ec2329-1e01-478f-a899-0a27982d9a89 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/17 Is college still the best investment we can make in our future—or a broken promise on borrowed time?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with Dan Greenstein, former Chancellor of Pennsylvania’s state university system and a seasoned voice in U.S. higher education. From ballooning student debt to declining public trust, Greenstein unpacks the long arc of American higher ed—from its postwar heyday to its current crisis of confidence.

We explore how federal disinvestment, demographic shifts, and partisan distrust have collided to upend a once-revered institution—and what it will take to rebuild value and values in the college experience while facing down existential threats from the Trump administration. For West Coast families, students, and civic leaders, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If we want higher education to serve all of us again, we may need to start reimagining it from the ground up.

Highlights

  • The long boom—and sudden bust—of U.S. higher ed
  • Why 40% of students never finish college—and what that means
  • The $1.7 trillion elephant in the room: student debt
  • How culture wars are eroding public trust in universities
  • What red states are getting wrong—and right—about college
  • The hidden role of public colleges in saving lives and communities
  • What a West Coast–led higher ed renaissance could look like

Guest Bio

Dan Greenstein is the former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, overseeing 14 public universities. He’s a historian by training, the former head of Higher Ed at the Gates Foundation, a senior leader in the University of California system, and a long-time champion of public colleges and universities. Greenstein has written and spoken widely about higher ed reform, institutional accountability, and rebuilding public trust in a polarized America.

Suggested Resources

Related Pacific Time Episodes

Join the movement:
Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’

For example, what would make higher ed better worth the price? If you could subscribe to higher education throughout your adult life, what would you have studied and what would you want to study?

Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.

Follow:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

Listen:
Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Our Sponsor: Share It Music
  • Our Featured Music Guest from Share It: San Gabriel
  • Producer: Tim Wohlfarth


]]> Is college still the best investment we can make in our future—or a broken promise on borrowed time?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with Dan Greenstein, former Chancellor of Pennsylvania’s state university system and a seasoned voice in U.S. higher education. From ballooning student debt to declining public trust, Greenstein unpacks the long arc of American higher ed—from its postwar heyday to its current crisis of confidence.

We explore how federal disinvestment, demographic shifts, and partisan distrust have collided to upend a once-revered institution—and what it will take to rebuild value and values in the college experience while facing down existential threats from the Trump administration. For West Coast families, students, and civic leaders, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If we want higher education to serve all of us again, we may need to start reimagining it from the ground up.

Highlights

  • The long boom—and sudden bust—of U.S. higher ed
  • Why 40% of students never finish college—and what that means
  • The $1.7 trillion elephant in the room: student debt
  • How culture wars are eroding public trust in universities
  • What red states are getting wrong—and right—about college
  • The hidden role of public colleges in saving lives and communities
  • What a West Coast–led higher ed renaissance could look like

Guest Bio

Dan Greenstein is the former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, overseeing 14 public universities. He’s a historian by training, the former head of Higher Ed at the Gates Foundation, a senior leader in the University of California system, and a long-time champion of public colleges and universities. Greenstein has written and spoken widely about higher ed reform, institutional accountability, and rebuilding public trust in a polarized America.

Suggested Resources

Related Pacific Time Episodes

Join the movement:
Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’

For example, what would make higher ed better worth the price? If you could subscribe to higher education throughout your adult life, what would you have studied and what would you want to study?

Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.

Follow:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

Listen:
Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Our Sponsor: Share It Music
  • Our Featured Music Guest from Share It: San Gabriel
  • Producer: Tim Wohlfarth


]]> Wed, 18 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2916 Is college still the best investment we can make in our future—or a broken promise on borrowed time?

In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with Dan Greenstein, former Chancellor of Pennsylvania’s state university system and a seasoned voice in U.S. higher education. From ballooning student debt to declining public trust, Greenstein unpacks the long arc of American higher ed—from its postwar heyday to its current crisis of confidence.

We explore how federal disinvestment, demographic shifts, and partisan distrust have collided to upend a once-revered institution—and what it will take to rebuild value and values in the college experience while facing down existential threats from the Trump administration. For West Coast families, students, and civic leaders, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If we want higher education to serve all of us again, we may need to start reimagining it from the ground up.

Highlights

  • The long boom—and sudden bust—of U.S. higher ed
  • Why 40% of students never finish college—and what that means
  • The $1.7 trillion elephant in the room: student debt
  • How culture wars are eroding public trust in universities
  • What red states are getting wrong—and right—about college
  • The hidden role of public colleges in saving lives and communities
  • What a West Coast–led higher ed renaissance could look like

Guest Bio

Dan Greenstein is the former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, overseeing 14 public universities. He’s a historian by training, the former head of Higher Ed at the Gates Foundation, a senior leader in the University of California system, and a long-time champion of public colleges and universities. Greenstein has written and spoken widely about higher ed reform, institutional accountability, and rebuilding public trust in a polarized America.

Suggested Resources

Related Pacific Time Episodes

Join the movement:
Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’

For example, what would make higher ed better worth the price? If you could subscribe to higher education throughout your adult life, what would you have studied and what would you want to study?

Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.

Follow:
Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

Listen:
Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to:

  • Our Sponsor: Share It Music
  • Our Featured Music Guest from Share It: San Gabriel
  • Producer: Tim Wohlfarth


]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Will the West Coast Be A Sanctuary for America's Soul? 16 16 Will the West Coast Be A Sanctuary for America's Soul? full d21167d6-f411-40d3-9b08-3b9866b07fec https://pacifictimepodcast.com/16 What if protecting immigrants is the best way to protect American identity?


In towns and cities up and down the West Coast, immigrants arrived in search of safety and opportunity. But what happens after they cross the border? Who helps them navigate the broken promises—and the broken systems?


In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with an immigrant rights advocate who requested anonymity. This person sits with families, fills out their forms, attends their hearings, and looks after them when ICE shows up without warning.

Through our guest’s stories, we hear about the trauma families carry, the cultural resilience they bring, and the urgent need for the West Coast to do more than welcome—to protect. As federal systems collapse and fear spreads, our guest offers a vision of community, solidarity, and soul-saving moral clarity.


Highlights

  • Why recent arrivals are grateful—and determined not to be a “public charge”
  • How ICE raids, no-warrant arrests, and legal limbo are tearing families apart
  • The hidden promise and process gap
  • Stories from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cameroon, Syria, and Turkmenistan—and what they reveal
  • Why cultural events matter as much as court appearances
  • Our guest’s warning: “We are going to lose our souls if we don’t stand up.”

About Our Guest

Our guest leads an immigrant rights advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. For years, our guest has worked to ensure that immigrant families receive legal guidance, emotional support, English language education, and cultural affirmation. Due to threats and the sensitive nature of her work, our guest’s identity is protected in this interview.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:


Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’ For example, what if your ancestors were fleeing violence or persecution where they grew up today? How would that change the way you look at immigrant rights and processes? Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks to:

  • Sponsor: ShareIt Music
  • Wise Counsel: Blair Carleton
  • Moral Support: Kerry Reding
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> What if protecting immigrants is the best way to protect American identity?


In towns and cities up and down the West Coast, immigrants arrived in search of safety and opportunity. But what happens after they cross the border? Who helps them navigate the broken promises—and the broken systems?


In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with an immigrant rights advocate who requested anonymity. This person sits with families, fills out their forms, attends their hearings, and looks after them when ICE shows up without warning.

Through our guest’s stories, we hear about the trauma families carry, the cultural resilience they bring, and the urgent need for the West Coast to do more than welcome—to protect. As federal systems collapse and fear spreads, our guest offers a vision of community, solidarity, and soul-saving moral clarity.


Highlights

  • Why recent arrivals are grateful—and determined not to be a “public charge”
  • How ICE raids, no-warrant arrests, and legal limbo are tearing families apart
  • The hidden promise and process gap
  • Stories from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cameroon, Syria, and Turkmenistan—and what they reveal
  • Why cultural events matter as much as court appearances
  • Our guest’s warning: “We are going to lose our souls if we don’t stand up.”

About Our Guest

Our guest leads an immigrant rights advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. For years, our guest has worked to ensure that immigrant families receive legal guidance, emotional support, English language education, and cultural affirmation. Due to threats and the sensitive nature of her work, our guest’s identity is protected in this interview.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:


Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’ For example, what if your ancestors were fleeing violence or persecution where they grew up today? How would that change the way you look at immigrant rights and processes? Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks to:

  • Sponsor: ShareIt Music
  • Wise Counsel: Blair Carleton
  • Moral Support: Kerry Reding
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2591 What if protecting immigrants is the best way to protect American identity?


In towns and cities up and down the West Coast, immigrants arrived in search of safety and opportunity. But what happens after they cross the border? Who helps them navigate the broken promises—and the broken systems?


In this episode of Pacific Time, Greg speaks with an immigrant rights advocate who requested anonymity. This person sits with families, fills out their forms, attends their hearings, and looks after them when ICE shows up without warning.

Through our guest’s stories, we hear about the trauma families carry, the cultural resilience they bring, and the urgent need for the West Coast to do more than welcome—to protect. As federal systems collapse and fear spreads, our guest offers a vision of community, solidarity, and soul-saving moral clarity.


Highlights

  • Why recent arrivals are grateful—and determined not to be a “public charge”
  • How ICE raids, no-warrant arrests, and legal limbo are tearing families apart
  • The hidden promise and process gap
  • Stories from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cameroon, Syria, and Turkmenistan—and what they reveal
  • Why cultural events matter as much as court appearances
  • Our guest’s warning: “We are going to lose our souls if we don’t stand up.”

About Our Guest

Our guest leads an immigrant rights advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. For years, our guest has worked to ensure that immigrant families receive legal guidance, emotional support, English language education, and cultural affirmation. Due to threats and the sensitive nature of her work, our guest’s identity is protected in this interview.


Resources & References:


Related Episodes:


Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’ For example, what if your ancestors were fleeing violence or persecution where they grew up today? How would that change the way you look at immigrant rights and processes? Subscribe (for free) and let’s discuss on Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Thanks to:

  • Sponsor: ShareIt Music
  • Wise Counsel: Blair Carleton
  • Moral Support: Kerry Reding
  • Producers: Tim Wohlberg, Valerie McTavish
]]> Patriotism, Immigration, Asylum, ICE, West Coast, Immigrant Rights, Refugees, Human Dignity, Sanctuary, Latino Voices, Community Support, Pacific Northwest, PacificTimePodcast, Undocumented, Deportation, National Soul, Public Charge No What if Connection Was A Civic Responsibility? 15 15 What if Connection Was A Civic Responsibility? full 7c433d1d-99df-44a6-9809-d7722916f40b https://pacifictimepodcast.com/15 In a time of growing polarization and civic breakdown, Aaron Hurst is betting big on connection. The founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection joins Pacific Time to explore how loneliness and disconnection are threatening our democracy—and what the West Coast can do about it. We talk about Seattle’s “bear hug” movement, the deeper meaning of friendship at work, and why purpose without belonging turns into rage.


Episode Highlights:

  • Why purpose without connection can lead to political extremism
  • The ROI of building social capital in cities
  • “Best friend at work” as an overlooked civic metric
  • How Seattle is flipping the “Seattle Freeze” into a “Seattle Bear Hug”
  • Onboarding residents like we onboard employees
  • Why the future of national service might be local
  • The new frontier of pro-social localism


Guest Bio:
Aaron Hurst is a purpose economy pioneer, co-founder of Imperative, founder of Taproot Foundation, and now the architect behind the U.S. Chamber of Connection. He lives in Seattle and is leading a civic experiment to make cities more welcoming, connected, and humane.


Resources:


Related Episodes:

Thanks to:

]]> In a time of growing polarization and civic breakdown, Aaron Hurst is betting big on connection. The founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection joins Pacific Time to explore how loneliness and disconnection are threatening our democracy—and what the West Coast can do about it. We talk about Seattle’s “bear hug” movement, the deeper meaning of friendship at work, and why purpose without belonging turns into rage.


Episode Highlights:

  • Why purpose without connection can lead to political extremism
  • The ROI of building social capital in cities
  • “Best friend at work” as an overlooked civic metric
  • How Seattle is flipping the “Seattle Freeze” into a “Seattle Bear Hug”
  • Onboarding residents like we onboard employees
  • Why the future of national service might be local
  • The new frontier of pro-social localism


Guest Bio:
Aaron Hurst is a purpose economy pioneer, co-founder of Imperative, founder of Taproot Foundation, and now the architect behind the U.S. Chamber of Connection. He lives in Seattle and is leading a civic experiment to make cities more welcoming, connected, and humane.


Resources:


Related Episodes:

Thanks to:

]]> Wed, 04 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2713 In a time of growing polarization and civic breakdown, Aaron Hurst is betting big on connection. The founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection joins Pacific Time to explore how loneliness and disconnection are threatening our democracy—and what the West Coast can do about it. We talk about Seattle’s “bear hug” movement, the deeper meaning of friendship at work, and why purpose without belonging turns into rage.


Episode Highlights:

  • Why purpose without connection can lead to political extremism
  • The ROI of building social capital in cities
  • “Best friend at work” as an overlooked civic metric
  • How Seattle is flipping the “Seattle Freeze” into a “Seattle Bear Hug”
  • Onboarding residents like we onboard employees
  • Why the future of national service might be local
  • The new frontier of pro-social localism


Guest Bio:
Aaron Hurst is a purpose economy pioneer, co-founder of Imperative, founder of Taproot Foundation, and now the architect behind the U.S. Chamber of Connection. He lives in Seattle and is leading a civic experiment to make cities more welcoming, connected, and humane.


Resources:


Related Episodes:

Thanks to:

]]> West Coast, West Coast Politics, Migration, Immigration, Connection, Loneliness, Loneliness Pandemic, Pacific Time Podcast No Bolder Plans To Re-Build West Coast Cities? 14 14 Bolder Plans To Re-Build West Coast Cities? full 63cfca14-2016-4579-973f-97d0052a75fb https://pacifictimepodcast.com/14 Portland was once a darling of American urban planning. Then came the protests, the pandemic, and the pundit pile-on. Is the city really in free fall—or just between chapters?


In this episode, we sit down with Nolan Lienhart, a principal at ZGF Architects and a leading voice in West Coast urban design. Based in Portland, Nolan offers a firsthand look at how perceptions of the city have been a rollercoaster ride over the last 10 years.

We talk about what Portland got right, what it lost along the way, and why public agencies across the country have lost their appetite for risk and experimentation. From the Portlandia effect to the myth of seamless civic collaboration, Nolan unpacks why cities that seem successful can suddenly seem stuck—and what they can do to move forward.

**Special thanks to Pacific Time's inaugural sponsor, Share It Music -- the independent, non-profit record label behind such bands as Cumulus. (Listen to the end of the episode for a taste)**


Highlights:

  • The "Portlandia effect" and the myth of effortless success
  • Why public-private partnerships require tolerance for risk—which is in short supply when everyone is a critic
  • What Portland gets unfairly blamed for (and what it shouldn’t take credit for)
  • How media coverage in 2020 distorted the reality on the ground
  • What cities like Nashville and Austin are doing right—and why they might be the new models
  • The limits of placemaking: when physical design isn’t enough
  • Portland’s housing affordability crisis as a missing pillar in its planning legacy
  • Where West Coast cities need to go next—and who needs to lead the way

Guest Bio:
Nolan Lienhart is a principal and director of planning and urban design at ZGF, a multidisciplinary design firm based in Portland, Oregon. He has led projects in Seattle, Los Angeles, and other West Coast cities, with a focus on transit, downtown revitalization, and equitable public space. Nolan is known for bringing honesty, humility, and historical perspective to conversations about what cities need now.


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to these members of the Pacific Time Community: 

  • Tim Wohlberg, Producer
  • Valerie McTavish, Consultant
  • Laura Goff, Sister (for putting up with me and introducing me to Nolan)
  • Cayle Sharett, Founder, Share It Music
  • Kara Mattani, Sub-Pop Records (for introducing me to Cayle)
]]> Portland was once a darling of American urban planning. Then came the protests, the pandemic, and the pundit pile-on. Is the city really in free fall—or just between chapters?


In this episode, we sit down with Nolan Lienhart, a principal at ZGF Architects and a leading voice in West Coast urban design. Based in Portland, Nolan offers a firsthand look at how perceptions of the city have been a rollercoaster ride over the last 10 years.

We talk about what Portland got right, what it lost along the way, and why public agencies across the country have lost their appetite for risk and experimentation. From the Portlandia effect to the myth of seamless civic collaboration, Nolan unpacks why cities that seem successful can suddenly seem stuck—and what they can do to move forward.

**Special thanks to Pacific Time's inaugural sponsor, Share It Music -- the independent, non-profit record label behind such bands as Cumulus. (Listen to the end of the episode for a taste)**


Highlights:

  • The "Portlandia effect" and the myth of effortless success
  • Why public-private partnerships require tolerance for risk—which is in short supply when everyone is a critic
  • What Portland gets unfairly blamed for (and what it shouldn’t take credit for)
  • How media coverage in 2020 distorted the reality on the ground
  • What cities like Nashville and Austin are doing right—and why they might be the new models
  • The limits of placemaking: when physical design isn’t enough
  • Portland’s housing affordability crisis as a missing pillar in its planning legacy
  • Where West Coast cities need to go next—and who needs to lead the way

Guest Bio:
Nolan Lienhart is a principal and director of planning and urban design at ZGF, a multidisciplinary design firm based in Portland, Oregon. He has led projects in Seattle, Los Angeles, and other West Coast cities, with a focus on transit, downtown revitalization, and equitable public space. Nolan is known for bringing honesty, humility, and historical perspective to conversations about what cities need now.


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to these members of the Pacific Time Community: 

  • Tim Wohlberg, Producer
  • Valerie McTavish, Consultant
  • Laura Goff, Sister (for putting up with me and introducing me to Nolan)
  • Cayle Sharett, Founder, Share It Music
  • Kara Mattani, Sub-Pop Records (for introducing me to Cayle)
]]> Wed, 28 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3529 Portland was once a darling of American urban planning. Then came the protests, the pandemic, and the pundit pile-on. Is the city really in free fall—or just between chapters?


In this episode, we sit down with Nolan Lienhart, a principal at ZGF Architects and a leading voice in West Coast urban design. Based in Portland, Nolan offers a firsthand look at how perceptions of the city have been a rollercoaster ride over the last 10 years.

We talk about what Portland got right, what it lost along the way, and why public agencies across the country have lost their appetite for risk and experimentation. From the Portlandia effect to the myth of seamless civic collaboration, Nolan unpacks why cities that seem successful can suddenly seem stuck—and what they can do to move forward.

**Special thanks to Pacific Time's inaugural sponsor, Share It Music -- the independent, non-profit record label behind such bands as Cumulus. (Listen to the end of the episode for a taste)**


Highlights:

  • The "Portlandia effect" and the myth of effortless success
  • Why public-private partnerships require tolerance for risk—which is in short supply when everyone is a critic
  • What Portland gets unfairly blamed for (and what it shouldn’t take credit for)
  • How media coverage in 2020 distorted the reality on the ground
  • What cities like Nashville and Austin are doing right—and why they might be the new models
  • The limits of placemaking: when physical design isn’t enough
  • Portland’s housing affordability crisis as a missing pillar in its planning legacy
  • Where West Coast cities need to go next—and who needs to lead the way

Guest Bio:
Nolan Lienhart is a principal and director of planning and urban design at ZGF, a multidisciplinary design firm based in Portland, Oregon. He has led projects in Seattle, Los Angeles, and other West Coast cities, with a focus on transit, downtown revitalization, and equitable public space. Nolan is known for bringing honesty, humility, and historical perspective to conversations about what cities need now.


Suggested Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Thanks to these members of the Pacific Time Community: 

  • Tim Wohlberg, Producer
  • Valerie McTavish, Consultant
  • Laura Goff, Sister (for putting up with me and introducing me to Nolan)
  • Cayle Sharett, Founder, Share It Music
  • Kara Mattani, Sub-Pop Records (for introducing me to Cayle)
]]> West Coast, WestCoastCities, Design, Cascadia, Government Trust, Urban Planning, Portland, PDX, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, PacificTimePodcast, Urban Institute, Urban Land Institute No Could State Service Reboot the West Coast Workforce? 13 13 Could State Service Reboot the West Coast Workforce? full c7bf01f3-98cb-419d-9a7e-7965b39b06a7 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/13 What if service wasn’t just about giving back—but about moving forward?

Nicole Trimble has spent decades championing national service and workforce development—from helping launch AmeriCorps in the 1990s to reshaping how companies invest in their frontline employees. In this conversation, she makes a bold case for why the West Coast needs to double down on national service—not just as a patriotic duty, but as a jobs pipeline, a civic renewal strategy, and an antidote to polarization.

Key Takeaways

  • Why the recent cuts to AmeriCorps and national service programs could have devastating ripple effects
  • How community colleges and DEI initiatives are undercut by short-sighted federal rollbacks
  • What the West Coast can do to build inclusive, locally-driven workforce systems
  • Whether universal service could repair our frayed national identity


Guest Bio: Nicole Trimble is a national service alum, former Gates Foundation program officer, and social impact executive with deep expertise in workforce equity and corporate responsibility. She chaired Washington’s Commission for National and Community Service under two governors and currently advises companies and nonprofits on talent, inclusion, and purpose-driven strategy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> What if service wasn’t just about giving back—but about moving forward?

Nicole Trimble has spent decades championing national service and workforce development—from helping launch AmeriCorps in the 1990s to reshaping how companies invest in their frontline employees. In this conversation, she makes a bold case for why the West Coast needs to double down on national service—not just as a patriotic duty, but as a jobs pipeline, a civic renewal strategy, and an antidote to polarization.

Key Takeaways

  • Why the recent cuts to AmeriCorps and national service programs could have devastating ripple effects
  • How community colleges and DEI initiatives are undercut by short-sighted federal rollbacks
  • What the West Coast can do to build inclusive, locally-driven workforce systems
  • Whether universal service could repair our frayed national identity


Guest Bio: Nicole Trimble is a national service alum, former Gates Foundation program officer, and social impact executive with deep expertise in workforce equity and corporate responsibility. She chaired Washington’s Commission for National and Community Service under two governors and currently advises companies and nonprofits on talent, inclusion, and purpose-driven strategy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 21 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2597 What if service wasn’t just about giving back—but about moving forward?

Nicole Trimble has spent decades championing national service and workforce development—from helping launch AmeriCorps in the 1990s to reshaping how companies invest in their frontline employees. In this conversation, she makes a bold case for why the West Coast needs to double down on national service—not just as a patriotic duty, but as a jobs pipeline, a civic renewal strategy, and an antidote to polarization.

Key Takeaways

  • Why the recent cuts to AmeriCorps and national service programs could have devastating ripple effects
  • How community colleges and DEI initiatives are undercut by short-sighted federal rollbacks
  • What the West Coast can do to build inclusive, locally-driven workforce systems
  • Whether universal service could repair our frayed national identity


Guest Bio: Nicole Trimble is a national service alum, former Gates Foundation program officer, and social impact executive with deep expertise in workforce equity and corporate responsibility. She chaired Washington’s Commission for National and Community Service under two governors and currently advises companies and nonprofits on talent, inclusion, and purpose-driven strategy.


Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No What if the Resistance was Funny? 12 12 What if the Resistance was Funny? full b01dd780-d922-4fab-ad05-079072b764e9 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/12 Is satire still effective when reality becomes a cartoon? Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk buffoonery, burnout, and drawing the line on tyranny.


Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk about the absurdity of American politics, the moral range of satire, and why cartoonists are often the first to be jailed (or fired) when democracy erodes. We cover buffoons left and right, the limits of visual journalism, and what happens when Stanford cartoon labs meet AI-generated propaganda. If the West Coast ever got its own constitution, Mark might be the one to draw it—literally.


Key Takeaways:

✅ Satire remains powerful—but it's harder than ever when politics becomes self-parody
✅ Mark Fiore sees cartooning as both journalism and civic engagement
✅ Visual humor bypasses intellectual defenses and reaches emotional truth faster than op-eds
✅ AI could help satirists—not replace them—if it’s ethically deployed and style-controlled
✅ Fiore’s Stanford fellowship revealed striking warnings from global journalists who’ve seen democracy unravel and live through Orwell-like disinformation
✅ Satire can’t fix everything—but it reminds people they’re not crazy to see what’s happening
✅ The West Coast might just need its own constitution, drawn panel by panel

Guest Bio:

Mark Fiore is a political cartoonist and animator who has won the Pulitzer Price and the RFK Freedom Award. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Nation, KQED, and Mother Jones. He recently completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University, focusing on AI and visual satire.


Related Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Is satire still effective when reality becomes a cartoon? Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk buffoonery, burnout, and drawing the line on tyranny.


Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk about the absurdity of American politics, the moral range of satire, and why cartoonists are often the first to be jailed (or fired) when democracy erodes. We cover buffoons left and right, the limits of visual journalism, and what happens when Stanford cartoon labs meet AI-generated propaganda. If the West Coast ever got its own constitution, Mark might be the one to draw it—literally.


Key Takeaways:

✅ Satire remains powerful—but it's harder than ever when politics becomes self-parody
✅ Mark Fiore sees cartooning as both journalism and civic engagement
✅ Visual humor bypasses intellectual defenses and reaches emotional truth faster than op-eds
✅ AI could help satirists—not replace them—if it’s ethically deployed and style-controlled
✅ Fiore’s Stanford fellowship revealed striking warnings from global journalists who’ve seen democracy unravel and live through Orwell-like disinformation
✅ Satire can’t fix everything—but it reminds people they’re not crazy to see what’s happening
✅ The West Coast might just need its own constitution, drawn panel by panel

Guest Bio:

Mark Fiore is a political cartoonist and animator who has won the Pulitzer Price and the RFK Freedom Award. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Nation, KQED, and Mother Jones. He recently completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University, focusing on AI and visual satire.


Related Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 14 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2957 Is satire still effective when reality becomes a cartoon? Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk buffoonery, burnout, and drawing the line on tyranny.


Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist Mark Fiore joins Pacific Time to talk about the absurdity of American politics, the moral range of satire, and why cartoonists are often the first to be jailed (or fired) when democracy erodes. We cover buffoons left and right, the limits of visual journalism, and what happens when Stanford cartoon labs meet AI-generated propaganda. If the West Coast ever got its own constitution, Mark might be the one to draw it—literally.


Key Takeaways:

✅ Satire remains powerful—but it's harder than ever when politics becomes self-parody
✅ Mark Fiore sees cartooning as both journalism and civic engagement
✅ Visual humor bypasses intellectual defenses and reaches emotional truth faster than op-eds
✅ AI could help satirists—not replace them—if it’s ethically deployed and style-controlled
✅ Fiore’s Stanford fellowship revealed striking warnings from global journalists who’ve seen democracy unravel and live through Orwell-like disinformation
✅ Satire can’t fix everything—but it reminds people they’re not crazy to see what’s happening
✅ The West Coast might just need its own constitution, drawn panel by panel

Guest Bio:

Mark Fiore is a political cartoonist and animator who has won the Pulitzer Price and the RFK Freedom Award. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Nation, KQED, and Mother Jones. He recently completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University, focusing on AI and visual satire.


Related Resources:

Related Episodes:

Join the movement:

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Political Cartoons, Satire, Political Humor, Politics, West Coast Politics, Democracy, Pacific Time Podcast No Could Silicon Valley and Democracy Get Back Together? 11 11 Could Silicon Valley and Democracy Get Back Together? full a2162fa1-4251-4c77-9ee4-b67a7b674332 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/11 Silicon Valley used to dream of liberation. Now some of its loudest voices are cozying up to Trump and talking like monarchists. What happened? Is oligarchy the bug in our tech-friendly society we didn't anticipate and need to stem?

Once upon a time, Silicon Valley stood for idealism: personal freedom, creative rebellion, and maybe even the most fully realized form of democracy itself. But something shifted. In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with historian Margaret O’Mara about how tech's brightest minds—and wealthiest billionaires—ended up funding and fueling an anti-democratic turn.

We trace the evolution from daydreams about Apple laptops in Yosemite to Elon’s DOGE-soaked disassembly of the public square. We explore what tech workers really believe, why West Coast universities matter more than ever, and what it will take to rebuild a shared civic foundation.

The West Coast is ready to resist. And the West Coast owes the rest of you an apology for its naughty billionaires.

In this episode:

  • How Big Tech's politics fragmented post-Obama
  • Why “tech workers” stayed liberal, even as their bosses flipped
  • The rise of Curtis Yarvin, Peter Thiel, and the new techno-reactionaries
  • Lessons from the origins of Silicon Valley
  • What history tells us about moments like this one
  • Why West Coast states (and their universities) could hold the line

Guest Bio:
Margaret O'Mara is a professor of history at the University of Washington and author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. She's a New York Times Contributor and her research traces the deep links between government, innovation, and ideology in the rise of modern tech.

Related Episodes:

]]> Silicon Valley used to dream of liberation. Now some of its loudest voices are cozying up to Trump and talking like monarchists. What happened? Is oligarchy the bug in our tech-friendly society we didn't anticipate and need to stem?

Once upon a time, Silicon Valley stood for idealism: personal freedom, creative rebellion, and maybe even the most fully realized form of democracy itself. But something shifted. In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with historian Margaret O’Mara about how tech's brightest minds—and wealthiest billionaires—ended up funding and fueling an anti-democratic turn.

We trace the evolution from daydreams about Apple laptops in Yosemite to Elon’s DOGE-soaked disassembly of the public square. We explore what tech workers really believe, why West Coast universities matter more than ever, and what it will take to rebuild a shared civic foundation.

The West Coast is ready to resist. And the West Coast owes the rest of you an apology for its naughty billionaires.

In this episode:

  • How Big Tech's politics fragmented post-Obama
  • Why “tech workers” stayed liberal, even as their bosses flipped
  • The rise of Curtis Yarvin, Peter Thiel, and the new techno-reactionaries
  • Lessons from the origins of Silicon Valley
  • What history tells us about moments like this one
  • Why West Coast states (and their universities) could hold the line

Guest Bio:
Margaret O'Mara is a professor of history at the University of Washington and author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. She's a New York Times Contributor and her research traces the deep links between government, innovation, and ideology in the rise of modern tech.

Related Episodes:

]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2810 Silicon Valley used to dream of liberation. Now some of its loudest voices are cozying up to Trump and talking like monarchists. What happened? Is oligarchy the bug in our tech-friendly society we didn't anticipate and need to stem?

Once upon a time, Silicon Valley stood for idealism: personal freedom, creative rebellion, and maybe even the most fully realized form of democracy itself. But something shifted. In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with historian Margaret O’Mara about how tech's brightest minds—and wealthiest billionaires—ended up funding and fueling an anti-democratic turn.

We trace the evolution from daydreams about Apple laptops in Yosemite to Elon’s DOGE-soaked disassembly of the public square. We explore what tech workers really believe, why West Coast universities matter more than ever, and what it will take to rebuild a shared civic foundation.

The West Coast is ready to resist. And the West Coast owes the rest of you an apology for its naughty billionaires.

In this episode:

  • How Big Tech's politics fragmented post-Obama
  • Why “tech workers” stayed liberal, even as their bosses flipped
  • The rise of Curtis Yarvin, Peter Thiel, and the new techno-reactionaries
  • Lessons from the origins of Silicon Valley
  • What history tells us about moments like this one
  • Why West Coast states (and their universities) could hold the line

Guest Bio:
Margaret O'Mara is a professor of history at the University of Washington and author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. She's a New York Times Contributor and her research traces the deep links between government, innovation, and ideology in the rise of modern tech.

Related Episodes:

]]> #PacificTimePodcast #MargaretOMara #TheCodeBook #TechAndPolitics #WestCoastReckoning #BigTech #SiliconValley #FutureOfDemocracy #ElonMusk #PeterThiel #InnovationEconomy No What if Blue Cities Got it Together? 10 10 What if Blue Cities Got it Together? full 8ee4a123-4b0c-4efe-bc9d-d67d9162947f https://pacifictimepodcast.com/10  Blue cities are struggling—and it’s not MAGA’s fault.  What if Seattle, San Francisco, and LA became models of good governance?

Blue cities helped shape modern America. But they’ve been having a hard time—with homelessness, affordability, public safety, and internal political warfare. In this episode, political consultant and Blue City Blues co-host Sandeep Kaushik joins Greg to unpack why. Together, they ask: What if the West Coast’s most liberal cities actually figured out how to govern effectively?

We explore why progressive vs. liberal fights have taken over city halls, why governance is now a one-party problem, and how cities like San Francisco and Seattle can either become models—or warnings—for the rest of the country. From Ezra Klein’s “abundance” critique to San Francisco’s moderate backlash, from coalition-building to regional autonomy, this conversation isn’t just about what’s wrong. It’s about what could work.

Because if the West Coast wants more autonomy, maybe the first step is for our biggest cities to run well.

Highlights:

  • Why the “urban archipelago” metaphor still matters—and what it misses
  • How blue cities became laboratories of policy innovation and political dysfunction
  • What most national media gets wrong about the West Coast left
  • The surprising story of San Francisco’s moderate resurgence
  • What Seattle can learn from its own legislative battles
  • Why good governance might be the best resistance strategy of all


About Sandeep Kaushik:

Sandeep Kaushik is a Seattle-based political consultant, and commentator who co-hosts the podcasts Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice. He previously worked at The Stranger, advised mayors and campaigns across Washington, and brings decades of experience navigating the internal divides of liberal cities. His current work explores the tensions between movement progressives and center-left liberals—and what comes next.

Resources & Related Content:

Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Enjoying Pacific Time?
Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, PocketCast, Spotify, and leave us a review—it really helps us grow.
Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for more conversations, community ideas, and West Coast “what ifs.” 

]]>  Blue cities are struggling—and it’s not MAGA’s fault.  What if Seattle, San Francisco, and LA became models of good governance?

Blue cities helped shape modern America. But they’ve been having a hard time—with homelessness, affordability, public safety, and internal political warfare. In this episode, political consultant and Blue City Blues co-host Sandeep Kaushik joins Greg to unpack why. Together, they ask: What if the West Coast’s most liberal cities actually figured out how to govern effectively?

We explore why progressive vs. liberal fights have taken over city halls, why governance is now a one-party problem, and how cities like San Francisco and Seattle can either become models—or warnings—for the rest of the country. From Ezra Klein’s “abundance” critique to San Francisco’s moderate backlash, from coalition-building to regional autonomy, this conversation isn’t just about what’s wrong. It’s about what could work.

Because if the West Coast wants more autonomy, maybe the first step is for our biggest cities to run well.

Highlights:

  • Why the “urban archipelago” metaphor still matters—and what it misses
  • How blue cities became laboratories of policy innovation and political dysfunction
  • What most national media gets wrong about the West Coast left
  • The surprising story of San Francisco’s moderate resurgence
  • What Seattle can learn from its own legislative battles
  • Why good governance might be the best resistance strategy of all


About Sandeep Kaushik:

Sandeep Kaushik is a Seattle-based political consultant, and commentator who co-hosts the podcasts Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice. He previously worked at The Stranger, advised mayors and campaigns across Washington, and brings decades of experience navigating the internal divides of liberal cities. His current work explores the tensions between movement progressives and center-left liberals—and what comes next.

Resources & Related Content:

Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Enjoying Pacific Time?
Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, PocketCast, Spotify, and leave us a review—it really helps us grow.
Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for more conversations, community ideas, and West Coast “what ifs.” 

]]> Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 3480  Blue cities are struggling—and it’s not MAGA’s fault.  What if Seattle, San Francisco, and LA became models of good governance?

Blue cities helped shape modern America. But they’ve been having a hard time—with homelessness, affordability, public safety, and internal political warfare. In this episode, political consultant and Blue City Blues co-host Sandeep Kaushik joins Greg to unpack why. Together, they ask: What if the West Coast’s most liberal cities actually figured out how to govern effectively?

We explore why progressive vs. liberal fights have taken over city halls, why governance is now a one-party problem, and how cities like San Francisco and Seattle can either become models—or warnings—for the rest of the country. From Ezra Klein’s “abundance” critique to San Francisco’s moderate backlash, from coalition-building to regional autonomy, this conversation isn’t just about what’s wrong. It’s about what could work.

Because if the West Coast wants more autonomy, maybe the first step is for our biggest cities to run well.

Highlights:

  • Why the “urban archipelago” metaphor still matters—and what it misses
  • How blue cities became laboratories of policy innovation and political dysfunction
  • What most national media gets wrong about the West Coast left
  • The surprising story of San Francisco’s moderate resurgence
  • What Seattle can learn from its own legislative battles
  • Why good governance might be the best resistance strategy of all


About Sandeep Kaushik:

Sandeep Kaushik is a Seattle-based political consultant, and commentator who co-hosts the podcasts Blue City Blues and Seattle Nice. He previously worked at The Stranger, advised mayors and campaigns across Washington, and brings decades of experience navigating the internal divides of liberal cities. His current work explores the tensions between movement progressives and center-left liberals—and what comes next.

Resources & Related Content:

Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Enjoying Pacific Time?
Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, PocketCast, Spotify, and leave us a review—it really helps us grow.
Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for more conversations, community ideas, and West Coast “what ifs.” 

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Will California Bring the Unsexy Back? 9 9 Will California Bring the Unsexy Back? full 3ed88b1c-72d4-4673-b229-d726da8e0ea0 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/9 California pays more and receives less and less from DC. Could independence—or just grown-up governance—fix this imbalance?

Summary: California's relationship with the federal government is reaching a critical juncture. Esteemed political journalist Dan Walters joins Greg to discuss CalExit, the growing frustration with federal tax inequities, and the stark contrast between California’s progressive policies and Washington's increasingly (deep breath) regressive stances. But what if the biggest threat to California’s future isn’t DC—or even Donald Trump? What if California can’t but help continuing to ignore the unsexy basics of governing?

Walters calls for a reality check: more attention to budgets, infrastructure, housing, and water—and less to political theatrics. He makes the case that California has the means to solve its problems but lacks the will. Along the way, we explore the myth of West Coast exceptionalism, the impact of population stagnation and corporate flight, and the potential parallels between California today and the decline of Detroit.


What We Talk About:

✔️The practical and political realities of governing in California
✔️The persistent drag of housing, water, and energy challenges

✔️Why 'West Coast Exceptionalism' may be more myth than model

✔️Why MAGA may be gaining a strangle-hold on the national electoral map

✔️ Ezra Klein’s "abundance" critique and Dan’s response

✔️ Early analysis of the 2026 CA gubernatorial race (Kamala: will she or won’t she?)


Guest Bio: Dan Walters is one of California’s most respected political journalists, known for his insightful analysis on California's complex relationship with federal politics. Currently with CalMatters, Walters has spent decades dissecting California’s political landscape, providing critical context for understanding the state’s challenges and opportunities. With over 9000 columns to his name, he’s a veteran voice unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom.


Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky. Chime in, share feedback, and offer ideas on perspectives we need to include.

Listen:

🎧 Follow, share, and leave a review. Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. 

New episodes most Wednesdays at 6a – just in time for your sunrise walk, drive to the beach, or bike commute to work. Or save it up for your chill time in the coffeeshop or puttering around the garden. Pairs nicely with Sunset Magazine and a Corona in the hammock or adirondack chair. Whenever you listen, talk it over with neighbors, and let me know what you think.

Thanks for being together in Pacific Time. Keep asking the ‘what if?’ questions about the future of the West Coast.

]]> California pays more and receives less and less from DC. Could independence—or just grown-up governance—fix this imbalance?

Summary: California's relationship with the federal government is reaching a critical juncture. Esteemed political journalist Dan Walters joins Greg to discuss CalExit, the growing frustration with federal tax inequities, and the stark contrast between California’s progressive policies and Washington's increasingly (deep breath) regressive stances. But what if the biggest threat to California’s future isn’t DC—or even Donald Trump? What if California can’t but help continuing to ignore the unsexy basics of governing?

Walters calls for a reality check: more attention to budgets, infrastructure, housing, and water—and less to political theatrics. He makes the case that California has the means to solve its problems but lacks the will. Along the way, we explore the myth of West Coast exceptionalism, the impact of population stagnation and corporate flight, and the potential parallels between California today and the decline of Detroit.


What We Talk About:

✔️The practical and political realities of governing in California
✔️The persistent drag of housing, water, and energy challenges

✔️Why 'West Coast Exceptionalism' may be more myth than model

✔️Why MAGA may be gaining a strangle-hold on the national electoral map

✔️ Ezra Klein’s "abundance" critique and Dan’s response

✔️ Early analysis of the 2026 CA gubernatorial race (Kamala: will she or won’t she?)


Guest Bio: Dan Walters is one of California’s most respected political journalists, known for his insightful analysis on California's complex relationship with federal politics. Currently with CalMatters, Walters has spent decades dissecting California’s political landscape, providing critical context for understanding the state’s challenges and opportunities. With over 9000 columns to his name, he’s a veteran voice unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom.


Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky. Chime in, share feedback, and offer ideas on perspectives we need to include.

Listen:

🎧 Follow, share, and leave a review. Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. 

New episodes most Wednesdays at 6a – just in time for your sunrise walk, drive to the beach, or bike commute to work. Or save it up for your chill time in the coffeeshop or puttering around the garden. Pairs nicely with Sunset Magazine and a Corona in the hammock or adirondack chair. Whenever you listen, talk it over with neighbors, and let me know what you think.

Thanks for being together in Pacific Time. Keep asking the ‘what if?’ questions about the future of the West Coast.

]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2840 California pays more and receives less and less from DC. Could independence—or just grown-up governance—fix this imbalance?

Summary: California's relationship with the federal government is reaching a critical juncture. Esteemed political journalist Dan Walters joins Greg to discuss CalExit, the growing frustration with federal tax inequities, and the stark contrast between California’s progressive policies and Washington's increasingly (deep breath) regressive stances. But what if the biggest threat to California’s future isn’t DC—or even Donald Trump? What if California can’t but help continuing to ignore the unsexy basics of governing?

Walters calls for a reality check: more attention to budgets, infrastructure, housing, and water—and less to political theatrics. He makes the case that California has the means to solve its problems but lacks the will. Along the way, we explore the myth of West Coast exceptionalism, the impact of population stagnation and corporate flight, and the potential parallels between California today and the decline of Detroit.


What We Talk About:

✔️The practical and political realities of governing in California
✔️The persistent drag of housing, water, and energy challenges

✔️Why 'West Coast Exceptionalism' may be more myth than model

✔️Why MAGA may be gaining a strangle-hold on the national electoral map

✔️ Ezra Klein’s "abundance" critique and Dan’s response

✔️ Early analysis of the 2026 CA gubernatorial race (Kamala: will she or won’t she?)


Guest Bio: Dan Walters is one of California’s most respected political journalists, known for his insightful analysis on California's complex relationship with federal politics. Currently with CalMatters, Walters has spent decades dissecting California’s political landscape, providing critical context for understanding the state’s challenges and opportunities. With over 9000 columns to his name, he’s a veteran voice unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom.


Related Resources:


Related Pacific Time Episodes:

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky. Chime in, share feedback, and offer ideas on perspectives we need to include.

Listen:

🎧 Follow, share, and leave a review. Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. 

New episodes most Wednesdays at 6a – just in time for your sunrise walk, drive to the beach, or bike commute to work. Or save it up for your chill time in the coffeeshop or puttering around the garden. Pairs nicely with Sunset Magazine and a Corona in the hammock or adirondack chair. Whenever you listen, talk it over with neighbors, and let me know what you think.

Thanks for being together in Pacific Time. Keep asking the ‘what if?’ questions about the future of the West Coast.

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? 8 8 Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? full b91eb410-97c7-46fd-8024-090332296109 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/8 Can the West Coast outgrow America? Greg explores Ecotopia, sovereignty, and the future of freedom—solo.


In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell trades guests for green tea, a dog-eared novel, and a mic, inviting listeners on a hike through political despair, ecological design, and West Coast sovereignty. The guidebook? A 1975 cult classic: Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach.


This isn’t just a book review. It’s a reframing of what independence really means. Greg weaves personal reflection with insights from past guests—exploring the paradox of building a region that’s both more self-directed and more interconnected.


Is Ecotopia just a retro fantasy? Or a prophetic prototype for a West Coast that’s already halfway out the door?

🔍 Episode Highlights


✅ Why Ecotopia still resonates 50 years later
✅ The difference between freedom and isolation
✅ A fictional interview between Greg and William Weston
✅ Callbacks to insights from recent guests
✅ What West Coast sovereignty might actually look like
✅ Independence and interdependence: Why we need both
✅ What we can learn from fiction—and how to turn it into policy
✅ A closing invitation: What if we stopped asking permission from DC?

📚 Related Resources

Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
“What Is Bioregionalism?” – Cascadia Dept. of Bioregion

CalExit Campaign


🎧 Related Episodes


👤 About the Host


Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the big 'what if' questions about the future of the West Coast. Greg is also an entrepreneur, writer and untrained thespian who believes we can challenge the broken systems around us without losing our curiosity, community, or sense of humor. Based in Seattle, Greg's work explores the intersection between personal and political sovereignty in the best places on Earth. Listener feedback and ideas welcome: greg@pacifictimepodcast.com


Join the movement:

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Can the West Coast outgrow America? Greg explores Ecotopia, sovereignty, and the future of freedom—solo.


In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell trades guests for green tea, a dog-eared novel, and a mic, inviting listeners on a hike through political despair, ecological design, and West Coast sovereignty. The guidebook? A 1975 cult classic: Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach.


This isn’t just a book review. It’s a reframing of what independence really means. Greg weaves personal reflection with insights from past guests—exploring the paradox of building a region that’s both more self-directed and more interconnected.


Is Ecotopia just a retro fantasy? Or a prophetic prototype for a West Coast that’s already halfway out the door?

🔍 Episode Highlights


✅ Why Ecotopia still resonates 50 years later
✅ The difference between freedom and isolation
✅ A fictional interview between Greg and William Weston
✅ Callbacks to insights from recent guests
✅ What West Coast sovereignty might actually look like
✅ Independence and interdependence: Why we need both
✅ What we can learn from fiction—and how to turn it into policy
✅ A closing invitation: What if we stopped asking permission from DC?

📚 Related Resources

Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
“What Is Bioregionalism?” – Cascadia Dept. of Bioregion

CalExit Campaign


🎧 Related Episodes


👤 About the Host


Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the big 'what if' questions about the future of the West Coast. Greg is also an entrepreneur, writer and untrained thespian who believes we can challenge the broken systems around us without losing our curiosity, community, or sense of humor. Based in Seattle, Greg's work explores the intersection between personal and political sovereignty in the best places on Earth. Listener feedback and ideas welcome: greg@pacifictimepodcast.com


Join the movement:

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 1293 Can the West Coast outgrow America? Greg explores Ecotopia, sovereignty, and the future of freedom—solo.


In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell trades guests for green tea, a dog-eared novel, and a mic, inviting listeners on a hike through political despair, ecological design, and West Coast sovereignty. The guidebook? A 1975 cult classic: Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach.


This isn’t just a book review. It’s a reframing of what independence really means. Greg weaves personal reflection with insights from past guests—exploring the paradox of building a region that’s both more self-directed and more interconnected.


Is Ecotopia just a retro fantasy? Or a prophetic prototype for a West Coast that’s already halfway out the door?

🔍 Episode Highlights


✅ Why Ecotopia still resonates 50 years later
✅ The difference between freedom and isolation
✅ A fictional interview between Greg and William Weston
✅ Callbacks to insights from recent guests
✅ What West Coast sovereignty might actually look like
✅ Independence and interdependence: Why we need both
✅ What we can learn from fiction—and how to turn it into policy
✅ A closing invitation: What if we stopped asking permission from DC?

📚 Related Resources

Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
“What Is Bioregionalism?” – Cascadia Dept. of Bioregion

CalExit Campaign


🎧 Related Episodes


👤 About the Host


Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the big 'what if' questions about the future of the West Coast. Greg is also an entrepreneur, writer and untrained thespian who believes we can challenge the broken systems around us without losing our curiosity, community, or sense of humor. Based in Seattle, Greg's work explores the intersection between personal and political sovereignty in the best places on Earth. Listener feedback and ideas welcome: greg@pacifictimepodcast.com


Join the movement:

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.

]]> Ecotopia, Sustainability, Resilience, Secession, Regional Sovereignty, Resist, Democracy, West Coast, West Coast Independence, Cascadia, CalExit, bioregionalism, interdependence, Pacific Time Podcast No West Coast Wake-up Call as the US Scrambles the World Order? 7 7 West Coast Wake-up Call as the US Scrambles the World Order? full 4ef38b9d-9673-4724-9a11-3f2d37903bee https://pacifictimepodcast.com/7 In the face of chaotic US economic policy, how can the West Coast insulate itself and cultivate cooperation across borders and build global leadership?

In this episode of Pacific Time, UC Berkeley political scientist and global economic expert John Zysman joins Greg Amrofell to unpack how U.S. trade and technology policy are unraveling—and what that means for the West Coast. From the decline of American dominance to the rise of China, the shift in European alliances, and the fragility of global supply chains, John paints a sobering picture. But he also sees opportunity. Could the West Coast lead in AI, Electric Vehicles, and biotech by building cross-state coalitions and pursuing its own international path?


What We Talk About:

✔️ The collapse of the post-WWII international order

✔️ Why tariffs might backfire—and how they could hurt West Coast tech and agriculture

✔️ The dangers of alienating allies and driving innovation away

✔️ Semiconductor sovereignty and the tech talent brain drain

✔️ Why West Coast autonomy is more realistic than full-on independence

✔️ What California, Oregon, and Washington could build together

Guest Bio:

John Zysman is a political science professor at UC Berkeley, co-founder of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE), and a leading thinker on global competition, innovation, and industrial transformation. His work explores how digital platforms, AI, and geopolitics intersect in shaping economic futures.


Professor Zysman received his B.A at Harvard and his Ph.D. at MIT. He has written extensively on European and Japanese policy and corporate strategy; his interests also include comparative politics, Western European politics, political economy and energy policy.


Resources & References:

John Zysman

The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE) 

Pathways For A Green Transition To A Bio-Economy John Zysman; Dan Breznitz; David Zilberman – Working Paper, 2024

Generative AI and the Future of Work: Augmentation or Automation? John Zysman; Mark J. Nitzberg – Working Paper, 2024

The New Logic of Globalization: Uncertainty, Volatility, and the Digital Economy Laura Tyson; John Zysman; Brian Judge – Working Paper, 2023

Will National Sovereignty Splinter the Internet? Angela Garcia Calvo; Martin Kenney; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023

The Mirage of Decentralized Finance Brian Judge; Barry Eichengreen; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Related Podcast Episodes:

  • Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence (Greg Amrofell)
  • Ep 04 Is California Ready for Independence? With Marcus Ruiz Evans
]]> In the face of chaotic US economic policy, how can the West Coast insulate itself and cultivate cooperation across borders and build global leadership?

In this episode of Pacific Time, UC Berkeley political scientist and global economic expert John Zysman joins Greg Amrofell to unpack how U.S. trade and technology policy are unraveling—and what that means for the West Coast. From the decline of American dominance to the rise of China, the shift in European alliances, and the fragility of global supply chains, John paints a sobering picture. But he also sees opportunity. Could the West Coast lead in AI, Electric Vehicles, and biotech by building cross-state coalitions and pursuing its own international path?


What We Talk About:

✔️ The collapse of the post-WWII international order

✔️ Why tariffs might backfire—and how they could hurt West Coast tech and agriculture

✔️ The dangers of alienating allies and driving innovation away

✔️ Semiconductor sovereignty and the tech talent brain drain

✔️ Why West Coast autonomy is more realistic than full-on independence

✔️ What California, Oregon, and Washington could build together

Guest Bio:

John Zysman is a political science professor at UC Berkeley, co-founder of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE), and a leading thinker on global competition, innovation, and industrial transformation. His work explores how digital platforms, AI, and geopolitics intersect in shaping economic futures.


Professor Zysman received his B.A at Harvard and his Ph.D. at MIT. He has written extensively on European and Japanese policy and corporate strategy; his interests also include comparative politics, Western European politics, political economy and energy policy.


Resources & References:

John Zysman

The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE) 

Pathways For A Green Transition To A Bio-Economy John Zysman; Dan Breznitz; David Zilberman – Working Paper, 2024

Generative AI and the Future of Work: Augmentation or Automation? John Zysman; Mark J. Nitzberg – Working Paper, 2024

The New Logic of Globalization: Uncertainty, Volatility, and the Digital Economy Laura Tyson; John Zysman; Brian Judge – Working Paper, 2023

Will National Sovereignty Splinter the Internet? Angela Garcia Calvo; Martin Kenney; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023

The Mirage of Decentralized Finance Brian Judge; Barry Eichengreen; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Related Podcast Episodes:

  • Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence (Greg Amrofell)
  • Ep 04 Is California Ready for Independence? With Marcus Ruiz Evans
]]> Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2492 In the face of chaotic US economic policy, how can the West Coast insulate itself and cultivate cooperation across borders and build global leadership?

In this episode of Pacific Time, UC Berkeley political scientist and global economic expert John Zysman joins Greg Amrofell to unpack how U.S. trade and technology policy are unraveling—and what that means for the West Coast. From the decline of American dominance to the rise of China, the shift in European alliances, and the fragility of global supply chains, John paints a sobering picture. But he also sees opportunity. Could the West Coast lead in AI, Electric Vehicles, and biotech by building cross-state coalitions and pursuing its own international path?


What We Talk About:

✔️ The collapse of the post-WWII international order

✔️ Why tariffs might backfire—and how they could hurt West Coast tech and agriculture

✔️ The dangers of alienating allies and driving innovation away

✔️ Semiconductor sovereignty and the tech talent brain drain

✔️ Why West Coast autonomy is more realistic than full-on independence

✔️ What California, Oregon, and Washington could build together

Guest Bio:

John Zysman is a political science professor at UC Berkeley, co-founder of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE), and a leading thinker on global competition, innovation, and industrial transformation. His work explores how digital platforms, AI, and geopolitics intersect in shaping economic futures.


Professor Zysman received his B.A at Harvard and his Ph.D. at MIT. He has written extensively on European and Japanese policy and corporate strategy; his interests also include comparative politics, Western European politics, political economy and energy policy.


Resources & References:

John Zysman

The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE) 

Pathways For A Green Transition To A Bio-Economy John Zysman; Dan Breznitz; David Zilberman – Working Paper, 2024

Generative AI and the Future of Work: Augmentation or Automation? John Zysman; Mark J. Nitzberg – Working Paper, 2024

The New Logic of Globalization: Uncertainty, Volatility, and the Digital Economy Laura Tyson; John Zysman; Brian Judge – Working Paper, 2023

Will National Sovereignty Splinter the Internet? Angela Garcia Calvo; Martin Kenney; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023

The Mirage of Decentralized Finance Brian Judge; Barry Eichengreen; John Zysman – Working Paper, 2023


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Related Podcast Episodes:

  • Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence (Greg Amrofell)
  • Ep 04 Is California Ready for Independence? With Marcus Ruiz Evans
]]> #PacificTimePodcast #Berkeley #Tariffs #TrumpTariffs #TariffMan #TariffImpact #GlobalTrade #Economy #TradePolicy #Export #USChinaTrade #Protectionism #FreeTrade #StockMarket #JohnZysman #WestCoast #Geopolitics #Stagflation #Semiconductors #GlobalEconomy #CaliforniaPolicy #AILeadership No If American Healthcare Is Broken, What Can We Do? 6 6 If American Healthcare Is Broken, What Can We Do? full e3d576c7-6893-48d0-91a0-25108dd4f0d3 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/6 Is the U.S. Healthcare System Beyond Repair? Mike Hanlon Explains How the West Coast Could Lead a Revolution

Mike Hanlon knows healthcare in America is broken. As a health economist, tech entrepreneur, and former early-stage Amazon employee, he's seen firsthand how complex systems can either hinder or help innovation. Mike joins Greg Amrofell on Pacific Time to discuss why the U.S. healthcare system, plagued by fragmentation and inefficiencies, consistently fails patients—and how the West Coast might lead the way to meaningful reform.

Mike clearly lays out why the biggest issue isn't who pays—employers, individuals, or the government—but rather how the system operates. Hospitals and healthcare providers, shockingly behind in data management and communication, contribute significantly to escalating healthcare costs and poor patient outcomes. Mike also provides insights into recent federal budget proposals that could drastically cut Medicare funding, potentially destabilizing an already precarious system.

Through his startup Abett, Mike is pioneering solutions by improving healthcare data transparency and enabling better decision-making for employers and patients alike. Could this approach provide a template for broader reform?

Key topics include:

✔️ The hidden costs of fragmented healthcare and poor communication 
✔️ How Medicare cuts could amplify existing healthcare crises 
✔️ Lessons from international healthcare systems that outperform the U.S. 
✔️ Why employer-sponsored healthcare isn't the core problem 
✔️ How data transparency could revolutionize healthcare decisions


Join us to explore transformative ideas for healthcare innovation on the West Coast and beyond.


Resources & References:

Abett: The company Mike founded to work on health data problems

Eric Bricker, MD | LinkedIn: An expert Mike recommends

Herbie Duber | UW Department of Emergency Medicine: Another expert Mike recommends


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> Is the U.S. Healthcare System Beyond Repair? Mike Hanlon Explains How the West Coast Could Lead a Revolution

Mike Hanlon knows healthcare in America is broken. As a health economist, tech entrepreneur, and former early-stage Amazon employee, he's seen firsthand how complex systems can either hinder or help innovation. Mike joins Greg Amrofell on Pacific Time to discuss why the U.S. healthcare system, plagued by fragmentation and inefficiencies, consistently fails patients—and how the West Coast might lead the way to meaningful reform.

Mike clearly lays out why the biggest issue isn't who pays—employers, individuals, or the government—but rather how the system operates. Hospitals and healthcare providers, shockingly behind in data management and communication, contribute significantly to escalating healthcare costs and poor patient outcomes. Mike also provides insights into recent federal budget proposals that could drastically cut Medicare funding, potentially destabilizing an already precarious system.

Through his startup Abett, Mike is pioneering solutions by improving healthcare data transparency and enabling better decision-making for employers and patients alike. Could this approach provide a template for broader reform?

Key topics include:

✔️ The hidden costs of fragmented healthcare and poor communication 
✔️ How Medicare cuts could amplify existing healthcare crises 
✔️ Lessons from international healthcare systems that outperform the U.S. 
✔️ Why employer-sponsored healthcare isn't the core problem 
✔️ How data transparency could revolutionize healthcare decisions


Join us to explore transformative ideas for healthcare innovation on the West Coast and beyond.


Resources & References:

Abett: The company Mike founded to work on health data problems

Eric Bricker, MD | LinkedIn: An expert Mike recommends

Herbie Duber | UW Department of Emergency Medicine: Another expert Mike recommends


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2658 Is the U.S. Healthcare System Beyond Repair? Mike Hanlon Explains How the West Coast Could Lead a Revolution

Mike Hanlon knows healthcare in America is broken. As a health economist, tech entrepreneur, and former early-stage Amazon employee, he's seen firsthand how complex systems can either hinder or help innovation. Mike joins Greg Amrofell on Pacific Time to discuss why the U.S. healthcare system, plagued by fragmentation and inefficiencies, consistently fails patients—and how the West Coast might lead the way to meaningful reform.

Mike clearly lays out why the biggest issue isn't who pays—employers, individuals, or the government—but rather how the system operates. Hospitals and healthcare providers, shockingly behind in data management and communication, contribute significantly to escalating healthcare costs and poor patient outcomes. Mike also provides insights into recent federal budget proposals that could drastically cut Medicare funding, potentially destabilizing an already precarious system.

Through his startup Abett, Mike is pioneering solutions by improving healthcare data transparency and enabling better decision-making for employers and patients alike. Could this approach provide a template for broader reform?

Key topics include:

✔️ The hidden costs of fragmented healthcare and poor communication 
✔️ How Medicare cuts could amplify existing healthcare crises 
✔️ Lessons from international healthcare systems that outperform the U.S. 
✔️ Why employer-sponsored healthcare isn't the core problem 
✔️ How data transparency could revolutionize healthcare decisions


Join us to explore transformative ideas for healthcare innovation on the West Coast and beyond.


Resources & References:

Abett: The company Mike founded to work on health data problems

Eric Bricker, MD | LinkedIn: An expert Mike recommends

Herbie Duber | UW Department of Emergency Medicine: Another expert Mike recommends


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> West Coast, West Coast politics, West Coast economy, US healthcare, fragmentation, government role, consumer dissatisfaction, employer-based healthcare, patient-centric care, data management, healthcare efficiency, West Coast healthcare, healthcare system design No What If Nature Defined Our Borders in the Cascadia Bioregion? 5 5 What If Nature Defined Our Borders in the Cascadia Bioregion? full 705fdff8-a666-4e2d-856d-29b89d4152f3 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/5 Bioregionalism envisions borders set by the natural environment and there’s a grassroots movement for it that envisions carving “Cascadia” out of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Yogi Uriah, a passionate grassroots organizer and leader with the Cascadia Department of Bioregion. Yogi eloquently explores the concept of bioregionalism—an idea that redefines our understanding of boundaries, not as arbitrary political lines, but through natural landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural interconnections.

Highlights of the Episode:
✔️ Defining Cascadia: Yogi describes Cascadia as a vast region connected by watersheds stretching from Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
✔️ Natural vs. Political Boundaries: How the natural environment shapes culture and community identity, distinct from arbitrary political lines.
✔️ Symbols of Cascadia: The power of symbols such as the Douglas Fir tree and the iconic Cascadia flag to unify and inspire the movement.
✔️ Grassroots Movements and Climate Action: Insights into how the Cascadia Department of Bioregion mobilizes community action through initiatives like guerrilla gardening and mutual aid programs.
✔️ A Climate Haven: Discussing the West Coast’s potential as a refuge from climate change impacts and the implications of increased migration.
✔️ Cultural Connections and Differences: Yogi emphasizes the unique identity within the Cascadia bioregion compared to broader national affiliations, and discusses the critical importance of including indigenous communities and practices in the bioregional vision.


Resources & References

Cascadia Department of Bioregion

Cascadia Dept of Bioregion - Instagram


Georgetown Steam Plan - Instagram

PNW Climate Week - Instagram


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


]]> Bioregionalism envisions borders set by the natural environment and there’s a grassroots movement for it that envisions carving “Cascadia” out of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Yogi Uriah, a passionate grassroots organizer and leader with the Cascadia Department of Bioregion. Yogi eloquently explores the concept of bioregionalism—an idea that redefines our understanding of boundaries, not as arbitrary political lines, but through natural landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural interconnections.

Highlights of the Episode:
✔️ Defining Cascadia: Yogi describes Cascadia as a vast region connected by watersheds stretching from Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
✔️ Natural vs. Political Boundaries: How the natural environment shapes culture and community identity, distinct from arbitrary political lines.
✔️ Symbols of Cascadia: The power of symbols such as the Douglas Fir tree and the iconic Cascadia flag to unify and inspire the movement.
✔️ Grassroots Movements and Climate Action: Insights into how the Cascadia Department of Bioregion mobilizes community action through initiatives like guerrilla gardening and mutual aid programs.
✔️ A Climate Haven: Discussing the West Coast’s potential as a refuge from climate change impacts and the implications of increased migration.
✔️ Cultural Connections and Differences: Yogi emphasizes the unique identity within the Cascadia bioregion compared to broader national affiliations, and discusses the critical importance of including indigenous communities and practices in the bioregional vision.


Resources & References

Cascadia Department of Bioregion

Cascadia Dept of Bioregion - Instagram


Georgetown Steam Plan - Instagram

PNW Climate Week - Instagram


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2154 Bioregionalism envisions borders set by the natural environment and there’s a grassroots movement for it that envisions carving “Cascadia” out of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell talks with Yogi Uriah, a passionate grassroots organizer and leader with the Cascadia Department of Bioregion. Yogi eloquently explores the concept of bioregionalism—an idea that redefines our understanding of boundaries, not as arbitrary political lines, but through natural landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural interconnections.

Highlights of the Episode:
✔️ Defining Cascadia: Yogi describes Cascadia as a vast region connected by watersheds stretching from Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
✔️ Natural vs. Political Boundaries: How the natural environment shapes culture and community identity, distinct from arbitrary political lines.
✔️ Symbols of Cascadia: The power of symbols such as the Douglas Fir tree and the iconic Cascadia flag to unify and inspire the movement.
✔️ Grassroots Movements and Climate Action: Insights into how the Cascadia Department of Bioregion mobilizes community action through initiatives like guerrilla gardening and mutual aid programs.
✔️ A Climate Haven: Discussing the West Coast’s potential as a refuge from climate change impacts and the implications of increased migration.
✔️ Cultural Connections and Differences: Yogi emphasizes the unique identity within the Cascadia bioregion compared to broader national affiliations, and discusses the critical importance of including indigenous communities and practices in the bioregional vision.


Resources & References

Cascadia Department of Bioregion

Cascadia Dept of Bioregion - Instagram


Georgetown Steam Plan - Instagram

PNW Climate Week - Instagram


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.


]]> Cascadia, bioregion, bioregionalism, culture, politics, climate change, independence, sustainability, community, history, Cascadia, bioregionalism, high-speed rail, cultural identity, universal basic income, independence movement, sustainability, political support, symbols, community No Is California Ready for Independence? 4 4 Is California Ready for Independence? full 5d892479-478f-4fe7-80fd-0689a0360c1d https://pacifictimepodcast.com/4 Is California ready for independence? The CalExit movement is making the case again and it's stronger


Marcus Ruiz Evans has a bold vision for California. As the founder of CalExit, he's spent over a decade exploring and advocating for California's independence. Marcus and Greg discuss why California could—and perhaps should—be its own nation. Marcus lays out the cultural, economic, and political rationale behind the CalExit movement, debunks myths about its legality, and paints a vivid picture of how independence could dramatically transform California for the better.


Key topics include:
✔️ The cultural identity gap between California and the rest of the U.S.
✔️ California's role as a net exporter of tax dollars, subsidizing 35 other states.
✔️ Economic benefits of independence, from infrastructure to homelessness.
✔️ Legal realities of secession and what mainstream media gets wrong.
✔️ Why Marcus believes CalExit could prevent, rather than provoke, civil conflict.

Explore what California sovereignty could look like and why some believe it’s not only achievable but necessary.


]]> Is California ready for independence? The CalExit movement is making the case again and it's stronger


Marcus Ruiz Evans has a bold vision for California. As the founder of CalExit, he's spent over a decade exploring and advocating for California's independence. Marcus and Greg discuss why California could—and perhaps should—be its own nation. Marcus lays out the cultural, economic, and political rationale behind the CalExit movement, debunks myths about its legality, and paints a vivid picture of how independence could dramatically transform California for the better.


Key topics include:
✔️ The cultural identity gap between California and the rest of the U.S.
✔️ California's role as a net exporter of tax dollars, subsidizing 35 other states.
✔️ Economic benefits of independence, from infrastructure to homelessness.
✔️ Legal realities of secession and what mainstream media gets wrong.
✔️ Why Marcus believes CalExit could prevent, rather than provoke, civil conflict.

Explore what California sovereignty could look like and why some believe it’s not only achievable but necessary.


]]> Wed, 19 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2297 Is California ready for independence? The CalExit movement is making the case again and it's stronger


Marcus Ruiz Evans has a bold vision for California. As the founder of CalExit, he's spent over a decade exploring and advocating for California's independence. Marcus and Greg discuss why California could—and perhaps should—be its own nation. Marcus lays out the cultural, economic, and political rationale behind the CalExit movement, debunks myths about its legality, and paints a vivid picture of how independence could dramatically transform California for the better.


Key topics include:
✔️ The cultural identity gap between California and the rest of the U.S.
✔️ California's role as a net exporter of tax dollars, subsidizing 35 other states.
✔️ Economic benefits of independence, from infrastructure to homelessness.
✔️ Legal realities of secession and what mainstream media gets wrong.
✔️ Why Marcus believes CalExit could prevent, rather than provoke, civil conflict.

Explore what California sovereignty could look like and why some believe it’s not only achievable but necessary.


]]> CalExit, California independence, Civil War fears, West Coast, West Coast politics, Newsom, No Could the West Coast Reclaim its Federal Taxes? 3 3 Could the West Coast Reclaim its Federal Taxes? full 6a9d9fa2-4078-4d2c-8459-b4d5ebf1bcac https://pacifictimepodcast.com/3 What if the West Coast reclaimed its federal tax dollars? National and local budget veteran Julie Dingley explores how local control could position the West Coast to address its own challenges.

Julie is the former Seattle Budget Director and a veteran of the White House OMB under Presidents Obama and Trump. She joins host Greg Amrofell to explore the possibilities that open up for the West Coast if it was economically independent, and  communities have the resources and autonomy to build the society they envision.

Julie considers how redirecting federal taxes locally and budgeting strategically could unlock solutions for housing shortages, education gaps, public safety, and income inequality. By prioritizing outcomes, getting serious about progressive taxes, and planning for the long-term, she argues the West Coast could set an inspiring example of effective, progressive governance. Could smarter budgeting make the West Coast far greater than America? 

Key highlights include:
✔️ The true cost of exporting West Coast wealth—and what we stand to gain if we kept those resources at home.
✔️ Practical ideas for building a progressive tax system that actually aligns with West Coast values and priorities.
✔️A compelling look at why local governments might be better positioned to solve pressing issues like housing, education, and public safety than the federal government.
✔️Personal reflections from Julie about the stark contrasts she observed between Obama and Trump administrations—and why they matter today.


Whether you're an engaged citizen, a policy enthusiast, or simply someone who loves the West Coast and believes in its potential, this episode offers great ideas about what could happen if we design governance, taxation, and community investment on our own terms.

PS: Julie got in touch right after our interview to correct one comment that budget nerds might spot: defense spending is discretionary. (Gotta love a budget expert with an eye for detail! Also, wouldn’t it be great if Congress could pass a budget that contemplated defense cuts?)

Resources & References
U.S. Digital Response
Julie (Allen) Dingley | LinkedIn

Office of Management and Budget – The White House
Current Budgets - City Budget Office | seattle.gov
Balance of Payments Portal | Rockefeller Institute of Government

Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. 


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

]]> What if the West Coast reclaimed its federal tax dollars? National and local budget veteran Julie Dingley explores how local control could position the West Coast to address its own challenges.

Julie is the former Seattle Budget Director and a veteran of the White House OMB under Presidents Obama and Trump. She joins host Greg Amrofell to explore the possibilities that open up for the West Coast if it was economically independent, and  communities have the resources and autonomy to build the society they envision.

Julie considers how redirecting federal taxes locally and budgeting strategically could unlock solutions for housing shortages, education gaps, public safety, and income inequality. By prioritizing outcomes, getting serious about progressive taxes, and planning for the long-term, she argues the West Coast could set an inspiring example of effective, progressive governance. Could smarter budgeting make the West Coast far greater than America? 

Key highlights include:
✔️ The true cost of exporting West Coast wealth—and what we stand to gain if we kept those resources at home.
✔️ Practical ideas for building a progressive tax system that actually aligns with West Coast values and priorities.
✔️A compelling look at why local governments might be better positioned to solve pressing issues like housing, education, and public safety than the federal government.
✔️Personal reflections from Julie about the stark contrasts she observed between Obama and Trump administrations—and why they matter today.


Whether you're an engaged citizen, a policy enthusiast, or simply someone who loves the West Coast and believes in its potential, this episode offers great ideas about what could happen if we design governance, taxation, and community investment on our own terms.

PS: Julie got in touch right after our interview to correct one comment that budget nerds might spot: defense spending is discretionary. (Gotta love a budget expert with an eye for detail! Also, wouldn’t it be great if Congress could pass a budget that contemplated defense cuts?)

Resources & References
U.S. Digital Response
Julie (Allen) Dingley | LinkedIn

Office of Management and Budget – The White House
Current Budgets - City Budget Office | seattle.gov
Balance of Payments Portal | Rockefeller Institute of Government

Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. 


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

]]> Wed, 12 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2857 What if the West Coast reclaimed its federal tax dollars? National and local budget veteran Julie Dingley explores how local control could position the West Coast to address its own challenges.

Julie is the former Seattle Budget Director and a veteran of the White House OMB under Presidents Obama and Trump. She joins host Greg Amrofell to explore the possibilities that open up for the West Coast if it was economically independent, and  communities have the resources and autonomy to build the society they envision.

Julie considers how redirecting federal taxes locally and budgeting strategically could unlock solutions for housing shortages, education gaps, public safety, and income inequality. By prioritizing outcomes, getting serious about progressive taxes, and planning for the long-term, she argues the West Coast could set an inspiring example of effective, progressive governance. Could smarter budgeting make the West Coast far greater than America? 

Key highlights include:
✔️ The true cost of exporting West Coast wealth—and what we stand to gain if we kept those resources at home.
✔️ Practical ideas for building a progressive tax system that actually aligns with West Coast values and priorities.
✔️A compelling look at why local governments might be better positioned to solve pressing issues like housing, education, and public safety than the federal government.
✔️Personal reflections from Julie about the stark contrasts she observed between Obama and Trump administrations—and why they matter today.


Whether you're an engaged citizen, a policy enthusiast, or simply someone who loves the West Coast and believes in its potential, this episode offers great ideas about what could happen if we design governance, taxation, and community investment on our own terms.

PS: Julie got in touch right after our interview to correct one comment that budget nerds might spot: defense spending is discretionary. (Gotta love a budget expert with an eye for detail! Also, wouldn’t it be great if Congress could pass a budget that contemplated defense cuts?)

Resources & References
U.S. Digital Response
Julie (Allen) Dingley | LinkedIn

Office of Management and Budget – The White House
Current Budgets - City Budget Office | seattle.gov
Balance of Payments Portal | Rockefeller Institute of Government

Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. 


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No How Can the West Coast Redesign Itself? 2 2 How Can the West Coast Redesign Itself? full 616ddafe-d410-4eb9-a889-f1a5de6d510f https://pacifictimepodcast.com/2 Can the West Coast really go it alone or do we need help? How could the West Coast best make it on its own? In this thought-provoking episode of Pacific Time, we start to explore the radical question: What if the West Coast was independent? Guest Mickey McManus—a visionary in AI, bioengineering, and systems innovation—challenges that premise with a bigger idea: What if interdependence was the key to a thriving future for us on the West Coast (and, really, for any modern society)?


When tech companies release new products into the wild before they’re ready, it’s called a beta test. America has been in beta a long time and has constantly evolved. It’s time for a new version that taps into what we’ve learned in the last 250 years.

Drawing from biology, system science, and innovation theory, Mickey examines the lessons nature provides for designing sustainable societies. From the role of hybrid vigor in resilient communities to the impact of government-funded innovation, this conversation dives into what makes the West Coast a global hub for progress—and how to build on that legacy.


Key topics include:
✔️ The future of governance: Could AI-driven simulations predict policy outcomes before implementation?
✔️ Cities as innovation hubs: Should the West Coast operate as a network of self-sustaining cities rather than a nation-state?
✔️ The next frontier in AI: How embodied intelligence—inspired by nature—will shape the future of technology and governance.
✔️ The power of immigration and hybrid vigor: Why open societies fuel innovation.

A must-listen for anyone interested in technology, policy, and the future of the West Coast. Tune in for a visionary discussion on independence, interdependence, and the next wave of societal evolution.


Resources & References

Mickey McManus' T-1 Ventures
Mickey McManus - LinkedIn


MIT Senseable City Lab

Building SimCity: How to Put the World in a Machine (Game Histories): Gingold, Chaim, Murray, Janet H.: 9780262547482: Amazon.com: Books

Democracy in America — Volume 1 by Alexis de Tocqueville | Project Gutenberg


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. Subscribe to support the work and access exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and long/unedited editions of the podcast. 🌊✨


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> Can the West Coast really go it alone or do we need help? How could the West Coast best make it on its own? In this thought-provoking episode of Pacific Time, we start to explore the radical question: What if the West Coast was independent? Guest Mickey McManus—a visionary in AI, bioengineering, and systems innovation—challenges that premise with a bigger idea: What if interdependence was the key to a thriving future for us on the West Coast (and, really, for any modern society)?


When tech companies release new products into the wild before they’re ready, it’s called a beta test. America has been in beta a long time and has constantly evolved. It’s time for a new version that taps into what we’ve learned in the last 250 years.

Drawing from biology, system science, and innovation theory, Mickey examines the lessons nature provides for designing sustainable societies. From the role of hybrid vigor in resilient communities to the impact of government-funded innovation, this conversation dives into what makes the West Coast a global hub for progress—and how to build on that legacy.


Key topics include:
✔️ The future of governance: Could AI-driven simulations predict policy outcomes before implementation?
✔️ Cities as innovation hubs: Should the West Coast operate as a network of self-sustaining cities rather than a nation-state?
✔️ The next frontier in AI: How embodied intelligence—inspired by nature—will shape the future of technology and governance.
✔️ The power of immigration and hybrid vigor: Why open societies fuel innovation.

A must-listen for anyone interested in technology, policy, and the future of the West Coast. Tune in for a visionary discussion on independence, interdependence, and the next wave of societal evolution.


Resources & References

Mickey McManus' T-1 Ventures
Mickey McManus - LinkedIn


MIT Senseable City Lab

Building SimCity: How to Put the World in a Machine (Game Histories): Gingold, Chaim, Murray, Janet H.: 9780262547482: Amazon.com: Books

Democracy in America — Volume 1 by Alexis de Tocqueville | Project Gutenberg


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. Subscribe to support the work and access exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and long/unedited editions of the podcast. 🌊✨


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:42:37 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 2064 Can the West Coast really go it alone or do we need help? How could the West Coast best make it on its own? In this thought-provoking episode of Pacific Time, we start to explore the radical question: What if the West Coast was independent? Guest Mickey McManus—a visionary in AI, bioengineering, and systems innovation—challenges that premise with a bigger idea: What if interdependence was the key to a thriving future for us on the West Coast (and, really, for any modern society)?


When tech companies release new products into the wild before they’re ready, it’s called a beta test. America has been in beta a long time and has constantly evolved. It’s time for a new version that taps into what we’ve learned in the last 250 years.

Drawing from biology, system science, and innovation theory, Mickey examines the lessons nature provides for designing sustainable societies. From the role of hybrid vigor in resilient communities to the impact of government-funded innovation, this conversation dives into what makes the West Coast a global hub for progress—and how to build on that legacy.


Key topics include:
✔️ The future of governance: Could AI-driven simulations predict policy outcomes before implementation?
✔️ Cities as innovation hubs: Should the West Coast operate as a network of self-sustaining cities rather than a nation-state?
✔️ The next frontier in AI: How embodied intelligence—inspired by nature—will shape the future of technology and governance.
✔️ The power of immigration and hybrid vigor: Why open societies fuel innovation.

A must-listen for anyone interested in technology, policy, and the future of the West Coast. Tune in for a visionary discussion on independence, interdependence, and the next wave of societal evolution.


Resources & References

Mickey McManus' T-1 Ventures
Mickey McManus - LinkedIn


MIT Senseable City Lab

Building SimCity: How to Put the World in a Machine (Game Histories): Gingold, Chaim, Murray, Janet H.: 9780262547482: Amazon.com: Books

Democracy in America — Volume 1 by Alexis de Tocqueville | Project Gutenberg


Join the movement: Subscribe on Substack @PacificTimePodcast

💬  Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’  Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.. Subscribe to support the work and access exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and long/unedited editions of the podcast. 🌊✨


Follow:

📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook


Listen:

🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Follow, share, and leave a review.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 01 Making the Case for West Coast Independence

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Reclaim Democracy? The Case for West Coast Autonomy 1 1 Reclaim Democracy? The Case for West Coast Autonomy full b76e4c9c-76b6-4c61-8645-7cfd6e11b867 https://pacifictimepodcast.com/1 The constitutional crisis we feared is here and the United States is facing an unprecedented moment of democratic erosion. What does this mean for the 50 million people who call the West Coast home? If we believe in American values, is it time to abandon the dream of a united country from sea to shining sea?

In this first full episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell asks the big ‘what-if’ questions about West Coast independence. Could California, Oregon, and Washington chart their own course? With the federal government unresponsive to our votes, our voices, and our priorities, is it time to take our future into our own hands?

This isn’t about fear—it’s about hope. It’s about defining the best version of the West Coast and deciding what it means to live in a truly representative democracy.

What You’ll Hear:

🔹 The case for asking ‘what-if’ about West Coast independence
 🔹 Why our votes, tax dollars, and priorities are ignored in Washington, D.C.
 🔹 The strengths of the West Coast—our economy, culture, and values
 🔹 The challenges we face—housing, climate, education, and economic inequality
 🔹 The power of asking bold, hopeful questions in uncertain times

Why This Matters:

The West Coast is a powerhouse—economically, culturally, and politically. But our representation in federal government doesn’t reflect that strength. What if we stopped waiting for change from D.C. and started imagining a future where we shape our own destiny?

Join the Conversation:

🚀 Follow Pacific Time on Spotify/Apple Podcasts/Your Preferred Platform
📢 Share this episode with friends and start a discussion
🗣️ Join the community on Substack: https://substack.com/@pacifictimepodcast

This is just the beginning of an ongoing conversation about what’s possible when we dare to ask, What if?

📍 Pacific Time. The conversation starts now.

]]> The constitutional crisis we feared is here and the United States is facing an unprecedented moment of democratic erosion. What does this mean for the 50 million people who call the West Coast home? If we believe in American values, is it time to abandon the dream of a united country from sea to shining sea?

In this first full episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell asks the big ‘what-if’ questions about West Coast independence. Could California, Oregon, and Washington chart their own course? With the federal government unresponsive to our votes, our voices, and our priorities, is it time to take our future into our own hands?

This isn’t about fear—it’s about hope. It’s about defining the best version of the West Coast and deciding what it means to live in a truly representative democracy.

What You’ll Hear:

🔹 The case for asking ‘what-if’ about West Coast independence
 🔹 Why our votes, tax dollars, and priorities are ignored in Washington, D.C.
 🔹 The strengths of the West Coast—our economy, culture, and values
 🔹 The challenges we face—housing, climate, education, and economic inequality
 🔹 The power of asking bold, hopeful questions in uncertain times

Why This Matters:

The West Coast is a powerhouse—economically, culturally, and politically. But our representation in federal government doesn’t reflect that strength. What if we stopped waiting for change from D.C. and started imagining a future where we shape our own destiny?

Join the Conversation:

🚀 Follow Pacific Time on Spotify/Apple Podcasts/Your Preferred Platform
📢 Share this episode with friends and start a discussion
🗣️ Join the community on Substack: https://substack.com/@pacifictimepodcast

This is just the beginning of an ongoing conversation about what’s possible when we dare to ask, What if?

📍 Pacific Time. The conversation starts now.

]]> Wed, 12 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 1290 The constitutional crisis we feared is here and the United States is facing an unprecedented moment of democratic erosion. What does this mean for the 50 million people who call the West Coast home? If we believe in American values, is it time to abandon the dream of a united country from sea to shining sea?

In this first full episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell asks the big ‘what-if’ questions about West Coast independence. Could California, Oregon, and Washington chart their own course? With the federal government unresponsive to our votes, our voices, and our priorities, is it time to take our future into our own hands?

This isn’t about fear—it’s about hope. It’s about defining the best version of the West Coast and deciding what it means to live in a truly representative democracy.

What You’ll Hear:

🔹 The case for asking ‘what-if’ about West Coast independence
 🔹 Why our votes, tax dollars, and priorities are ignored in Washington, D.C.
 🔹 The strengths of the West Coast—our economy, culture, and values
 🔹 The challenges we face—housing, climate, education, and economic inequality
 🔹 The power of asking bold, hopeful questions in uncertain times

Why This Matters:

The West Coast is a powerhouse—economically, culturally, and politically. But our representation in federal government doesn’t reflect that strength. What if we stopped waiting for change from D.C. and started imagining a future where we shape our own destiny?

Join the Conversation:

🚀 Follow Pacific Time on Spotify/Apple Podcasts/Your Preferred Platform
📢 Share this episode with friends and start a discussion
🗣️ Join the community on Substack: https://substack.com/@pacifictimepodcast

This is just the beginning of an ongoing conversation about what’s possible when we dare to ask, What if?

📍 Pacific Time. The conversation starts now.

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No Trailer: Pacific Time Podcast 1 1 Trailer: Pacific Time Podcast trailer acbe94cf-27ee-4dbd-a7c2-68cb667976df https://pacifictimepodcast.com/trailer1 What if the West Coast could break free from the noise of partisan politics and take charge of its future? What if our values, innovations, and cultural identity shaped a brighter path—one uniquely our own?

Pacific Time is a podcast hosted by Greg Amrofell, a lifelong West Coast resident, with a relentless curiosity for bold ideas and untapped possibilities. Together with thought leaders, policymakers, innovators, and visionaries, Greg tackles the biggest questions facing California, Oregon, Washington, and beyond.

This is your space for transformative conversations that reimagine the West Coast as a global leader in cultural identity, economic innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Whether you’re an intellectually curious dreamer, a disillusioned optimist, or someone who refuses to accept the status quo, Pacific Time is for you. Let’s rethink what’s possible—together.

Subscribe or follow now so you don't miss an episode

]]> What if the West Coast could break free from the noise of partisan politics and take charge of its future? What if our values, innovations, and cultural identity shaped a brighter path—one uniquely our own?

Pacific Time is a podcast hosted by Greg Amrofell, a lifelong West Coast resident, with a relentless curiosity for bold ideas and untapped possibilities. Together with thought leaders, policymakers, innovators, and visionaries, Greg tackles the biggest questions facing California, Oregon, Washington, and beyond.

This is your space for transformative conversations that reimagine the West Coast as a global leader in cultural identity, economic innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Whether you’re an intellectually curious dreamer, a disillusioned optimist, or someone who refuses to accept the status quo, Pacific Time is for you. Let’s rethink what’s possible—together.

Subscribe or follow now so you don't miss an episode

]]> Sun, 19 Jan 2025 09:18:50 -0800 Greg Amrofell Greg Amrofell 173 What if the West Coast could break free from the noise of partisan politics and take charge of its future? What if our values, innovations, and cultural identity shaped a brighter path—one uniquely our own?

Pacific Time is a podcast hosted by Greg Amrofell, a lifelong West Coast resident, with a relentless curiosity for bold ideas and untapped possibilities. Together with thought leaders, policymakers, innovators, and visionaries, Greg tackles the biggest questions facing California, Oregon, Washington, and beyond.

This is your space for transformative conversations that reimagine the West Coast as a global leader in cultural identity, economic innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Whether you’re an intellectually curious dreamer, a disillusioned optimist, or someone who refuses to accept the status quo, Pacific Time is for you. Let’s rethink what’s possible—together.

Subscribe or follow now so you don't miss an episode

]]> West Coast politics, West Coast issues, West Coast values, West Coast secession, California politics, Oregon politics, Washington state politics, libertarian, democratic, republican, Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Ferguson, Jay Inslee, Christine Gregoire, Tina Kotek, Kate Brown, John Kitzhaber, Cascadia movement, Progressive governance, West Coast identity, Pacific Time podcast, Electoral reform, Taxation without representation, Brexit, CalExit, Separatist, West Coast independence, Pacific States No