Bodine and Williams on the Issues that will Drive Change in Arizona

Podcaster Ron Williams and writer Larry Bodine agreed that the issues that will drive change in Arizona are public school funding, voter suppression, and a fair tax system where the rich pay their fair share.

“We have to get the message across to those independents and disaffected Republicans,” said Williams, who is the host of the Turning Arizona Blue podcast and the Editor of The Mule News, an online news service for Democrats. “The importance of having that majority [in the Legislature] is that it will end the attempts at voter suppression, it will end the attempts at restricting health care and Medicare here in Arizona. And most importantly, it will end the efforts to defund our schools. That is the number one crisis here in Arizona.”

Williams has gotten more than 3,300 downloads of his podcasts, and more than 6,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter. Williams’ message is now a trusted source on more than 50 Democratic and progressive social media outlets, reaching thousands of political activists.

You can also find his articles and podcasts on the Blog for Arizona.

“We need to hang the accountability of our regressive tax system, our lack of funding for schools, and our cavalier attitude towards health and safety, particularly with regard to the pandemic — on our governor,” Williams said. Gov. Doug Ducey is an apologist for Trump’s policies and a lackey of the Koch Brothers. Ducey is termed out as governor and it will be good riddance when his current term ends on January 1, 2023.

Top four podcasts

Since he began in June 2020, Williams has recorded 33 half-hour podcasts. I asked him what his top podcasts are:

1. Adrian Fontes on AZ Republican Voter Suppression, the Big Lie, Jan. 6th — from February 11, 2021. Fontes is a candidate for Arizona Secretary of State. Fontes will speak at the Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting on October 25 @ 12:00 PM. Democrats can register here to attend on Zoom at no cost.
2. Grant Woods on “A Journey of Public Service, Principles Over Party and Fighting Trump from March 17, 2021. Woods served as Attorney General of Arizona from 1991 until 1999. A Republican at first, Woods was a supporter of John McCain. But when Trump was elected in 2016, he switched to the Democratic Party.
3. Jay Ruby, the Events Chair of the Yavapai Democrats on Removing Insurrectionist Republicans in Congress and State Legislature — on March 30, 2021. Ruby led a demonstration to remove dangerous White nationalist Paul Gosar, a Congressman from CD4 who feeds the right-wing extremists with false narratives.
4. Deborah Howard on Arizona Redistricting and The Power to Change Your Community — on May 7, 2021. The Arizona “Independent” Redistricting Commission (IRC) is currently redrawing Congressional and state legislative districts in favor of Republicans and using a mapping consultant with a tainted history.

I asked Williams if he thought the Biden agenda will be approved by the US Senate, where Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema is blocking the way. “I think it needs to be passed,” he said. “Biden’s agenda is out to transform our policies, our economy, our social fabric. So the answer to your question is, I hope for the future of the country that he is successful.”

He scorned Sinema, whom he called “abominable.” Sen. Sinema has been a Silly, Narcissistic, Incommunicative Contrarian who cares more about her self-image than the problems of Arizonans. “She will hold up Biden’s agenda for a Jim Crow procedural method” — the filibuster — “when at stake are our voting rights, women’s health rights, and our economy that need to be kickstarted.”

Williams said he was inspired to start his podcast when Trump shockingly was elected president in 2016. “I just decided what could I do as I as an individual to change the direction of the country and help, whoever the Democratic nominee was going to be. And so I thought, I’ll start a podcast.”

Williams has a broadcasting background and has in public policy here in Phoenix and Washington, DC. “My first podcast had about a dozen listeners. And thankfully, it’s grown over time and I’m very very appreciative of it,” he said.

Regarding advertising on Turning Arizona Blue, Williams is looking for businesses, like-minded individuals, PACS, and philanthropies with the courage to back progress in Arizona. Separate and package deals for The Mule News and the podcast Turning Arizona Blue are available. Go to: editorthemulenews@gmail.com.