In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, Ben Christly sits down with Vancouver City Councilor Kim Harless-Felix for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what’s really happening inside local government — far beyond the headlines and social media arguments. Kim reflects on her recent re-election, the rise of negative campaigning in local races, and what Vancouver voters signaled about big-money politics. But the discussion goes much deeper than campaigns. Together, Ben and Kim unpack the ...
Evergreen Perspective — Episode with Washington State Representative Monica Stonier Washington State Representative Monica Stonier (LD 49) joins Evergreen Perspective to discuss the biggest legislative challenges and wins of the past session — from the fight for student rights to the future of healthcare access and Washington’s proposed “bottle bill.” In this episode, host Ben Christly and Rep. Stonier dive deep into how federal uncertainty is shaping the state budget, why HB 1296 (“Student...
In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, host Ben Christly sits down with Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, the first woman ever elected mayor of Vancouver, Washington. Together, they dive into the real-life work of running a growing city, from housing and homelessness to infrastructure, budgeting, and the infamous Columbia River Bridge project. You’ll hear how Mayor Anne made the leap from public school math teacher to City Hall, why local government matters more than we think, and what it means t...
Welcome back to Evergreen Perspective! This is Part 2 of my in-depth conversation with Vancouver City Councilmember Ty Stober. In this half of the interview, we dive into some of the most important and most debated issues facing Vancouver today: The I-5 Bridge and Light Rail Debate: Why has the I-5 bridge replacement project become such a partisan fight? Ty breaks down the history, the politics, and what’s really at stake for commuters, businesses, and the future of transportation in ...
Vancouver is growing fast , new neighborhoods, major redevelopment projects, and rising housing costs are reshaping our city. In Part 1 of my conversation with Vancouver City Councilmember Ty Stober, we talk about: His journey from the private sector to public service How the city approaches growth and economic development The Vancouver waterfront project and The Heights redevelopment Housing affordability and the city’s role in shaping the future This is a behind-the-scenes look at how...
Welcome to Season 2 of Evergreen Perspective! Season 2 of Evergreen Perspective kicks off with Clark County Councilmember Wil Fuentes (District 3) in a wide-ranging conversation about the issues shaping life in Southwest Washington. We dive into the housing debate - is it a shortage or an affordability crisis? and talk about what Clark County WA can realistically do to create more access to affordable homes. Wil shares his background on the Planning Commission, the challenges of growth...
Why are so many Americans juggling multiple jobs just to survive? In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, host Ben Christly digs deep into the realities behind the rise of the gig economy, side hustles, and self-employment and asks the hard question: Is the American Dream still achievable? We explore: Why a 9–5 paycheck no longer covers the basics How billion-dollar corporations exploit gig labor while posting record profits The risks faced by freelancers and solo entrepreneurs Ho...
Student Debt in America: Why Are We Paying for Education Forever? Why is an entire generation still paying for college decades later? In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, We break down the history of student debt in America, how we got here, why it’s gotten so out of control, and what it says about our national priorities. We dig into: The origins of the student loan system and its broken promises How Ronald Reagan helped shift education from a public good to a personal burden Why c...
In this episode of Evergreen Perspective - Behind the Credit Curtain: Debt, Discrimination, and the Fight for Fairness - host Ben Christly pulls back the curtain on the American credit system, revealing the hidden history, the rigged rules, and the real-world impact on millions of people’s lives. Why does avoiding debt hurt your credit score? Why can a single hard inquiry drop your number? Why are entire communities locked out of financial opportunity before they even begin? We ...
In Part 2 of Why Are We Broke? | Part 2: Housing, Inflation, and the Price of Survival, we dives into the everyday costs that make life unaffordable, even for Americans working full-time. We move beyond wages and into the real, grinding pressure of trying to afford housing, groceries, gas, healthcare, and childcare in today’s economy. We unpack: Why rent and home prices exploded after COVID and why they’re staying high How grocery chains and big corporations used inflation as an exc...
In Part 1 of “Why Are We Broke?”, we break down the real reasons why so many Americans even those working full-time are living paycheck to paycheck. This isn’t about laziness. It’s not about bad budgeting. It’s about a system that stopped rewarding work and started hoarding wealth at the top. From the history of the federal minimum wage to the rise of corporate profiteering, this episode walks through how the rules were rewritten over the last 40 years to benefit billi...
Discussing Wealth Psychology in today's Evergreen Perspective: Sapling Edition! What Can We Do? It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of billionaire dominance, but history shows that real change happens when we demand accountability. From labor unions to tax reform to campaign finance transparency, there are concrete steps we can take to challenge the wealth gap and level the playing field. Get Involved! Like & Subscribe : If this episode resonated with you, hit that like b...
For much of the 20th century, American manufacturing was the engine of the middle class. Union jobs, pensions, and paychecks you could build a life on. But over time through trade deals, offshoring, automation, and corporate greed , that engine was dismantled. In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, we take a hard look at how it happened. From the golden age of industry to the quiet collapse of factory towns like Canton, North Carolina, we unpack the real reasons American manufacturing dis...
What does freedom really mean in America today? In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, we dig deep into the complicated, often contradictory history of freedom in the United States: from its selective beginnings at the founding, to the way politicians, billionaires, and media have weaponized the word for their own gain. We’ll explore how different political sides frame freedom today, the rise of alternative facts, the devastating impact of disinformation, and why both major parties are g...
When the uniform comes off, the mission doesn’t end. In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, host Ben Christly, Navy veteran, flight nurse, and former nurse care manager at the VA dives into the real-life challenges veterans face after service. From navigating a broken VA system to battling trauma, addiction, and housing instability, this episode pulls back the curtain on what "supporting our troops" really means. We trace the history of how America has treated its veterans, from Revolution...
What happens when one of the most important promises we’ve made as a country, the promise of a secure retirement, starts to unravel? In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, we’re diving deep into the past, present, and future of Social Security: the program that provides stability for over 70 million Americans, including retirees, people with disabilities, and children who’ve lost a parent. We’ll explore how Social Security began as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Grea...
In this Sapling Edition of Evergreen Perspective, we take a sharp, clear-eyed look at how the right to vote is being restricted in 2025, and why it matters more than ever. We break down the history of voting in America, the real impact of modern voter suppression, and expose the truth behind the SAVE Act, legislation that claims to protect elections but could silence millions of eligible voters, especially women, minorities, and low-income Americans. We also highlight the John R. Lewis Voti...
In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, we take a hard look at Medicare, where it came from, what it was meant to do, and why it’s under threat today. We walk through the origins of the program, the political battles that shaped it, and how the private insurance industry continues to chip away at a system designed to protect working Americans in their most vulnerable years. From the rising costs facing seniors to the influence of billion-dollar corporations and the ultra-wealthy, this...
In this episode of Evergreen Perspective, we explore the truth about Medicaid, what it is, who it helps, and why it matters to every single American, whether you use it or not. Through personal stories, historical context, and current policy battles, we reveal how Medicaid has become a vital lifeline for millions of working-class families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. We walk through what healthcare looked like before Medicaid existed and how the program came to be. We ex...
Welcome to Evergreen Perspective, a podcast that takes a thoughtful, honest look at the systems shaping our lives and communities. In this episode, we dive deep into the American prison system - from its colonial roots to the rise of private prisons, and from sentencing disparities to the real human impact of mass incarceration. We explore the harsh realities faced by non-violent offenders still serving time for cannabis-related crimes, the financial and ethical costs of privatized incarcerat...