In light of what's going on in the world these days, it's easy to overlook problems that still plague our own community. Standing apart from the crowd, former Boise City Councilman TJ Thomson has dedicated years of his career to fighting animal cruelty, revamping and updating animal codes both in Boise and around the area, and fighting for the voiceless animals that suffer daily. All while promoting common sense reforms that consider all perspectives, rather than just playing party politics.
Even after leaving office, TJ is still working with local and national partners to change the way we enforce animal rights through education and dialogue.

In this episode, we'll discuss in depth what his animal code changes actually meant to Boise, what causes people to abuse and hoard animals in the first place, some of the barriers to changing the landscape of animal cruelty nationally, and where we can go from here.

When it comes to healthcare it might seem like the whole industry is out to get you but there’s one doctor stepping away from the conventional mold, Dr. Bill Brandenburg.

Whether it’s working in his clinic, Wander Medicine, and providing compassionate, cost-effective, transparent care to his patients or just working to inform members of the community about health in general through his Full Scope podcast, Dr. Brandenburg is setting a standard for what healthcare should look like.

In this episode, we’ll talk about everything ranging from your mental and physical health to the pandemic and clinic-to-hospital funnel that ends up costing patients tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. Dr. Brandenburg takes me step by step into some of the ways American medicine has gone completely off the rails and how you as an individual can make an impact.

This week we have the show’s first interview with our guest, Dom Gelsomino. As an independent consultant and Meridian Parks and Rec commissioner, Dom has worked with both sides of the political aisle to find solutions to issues that face all of us and is here to share his thoughts on issues like the pandemic, education, and the environment.

If you’d like to learn more about Dom’s work both on and off the P&R Commission, you can check out his website, Dom4Idaho.com, or visit the Meridian Parks and Rec site directly at https://meridiancity.org/parks/.


Please note, the opinions and statements of any guest do not directly or indirectly reflect the views of Justin Cotton and Policy Not Politics. I’m interested in having a wide range of guests on the show including those that both agree and disagree with me. The goal is to provide a new perspective on issues that we all know and recognize.

Millions of deaths later and a trillion dollars spent, America’s War on Drugs has still not achieved what it set out to accomplish back in 1971. With so much controversy and bloodshed surrounding the War, it’s important to understand the history behind it so that you know exactly how we got to where we are today.
Leading into a multi-part series, it's time to talk about the real history behind America’s Infamous “War on Drugs”

Caution : This episode covers topics of childhood drug addiction, extreme racial prejudice, and much more so if any of these topics or words associated with them make you uncomfortable, listening to this episode may make you prone to a triggering event.

“Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.”

Truer words have rarely been spoken but does that mean we should allow that man to starve while he learns? For 1 in 10 Americans, that seems to be the case. As we give thanks at dinner this week, it's easy to be grateful for what we have while overlooking what others do not.

In this episode, I’ll dive into the real data behind food insecurity and explain why our food waste alone could more than eliminate hunger in America as well as make a substantial dent in hunger globally

We've all heard the same lines used again and again and again.

"My vote doesn't matter"
"One vote never made a difference"
"Why bother? The whole thing is a fraud anyways"
"Republicans/Democrats never win here! Why would I vote for one?"

What if I told you that I can prove that your vote matters and that you can actually make an impact. What if I told you the fraud you thought existed didn't a different version was right beneath your nose?
Dive into this episode about election fraud where I'll take you, piece by piece in layman's terms through each step of the Ada County Elections process that you might have concerns about.

For more information you can check out my Guide To Elections on JustinCotton.com or reach out to me directly via email at Info@JustinCotton.com

Drop a comment below and if you liked the show, consider donating to keep this program going!

Have you ever found yourself wrestling with questions about the world, feeling hopeless and unsure what you can do to make an impact? I know I have. For many years I worked in different capacities in order to make my mark on the world, help those less fortunate, and make sense of it all.
The culmination of both my policy work and first-hand experiences have led me to launching this podcast and I'm excited to share what I know as well as what I learn along the way.

Now, before you jump into the thick of it though, I think it's fair for you to know a little more about my backstory, what really led me here, and what I hope to accomplish. This episode takes a much more informal and personal tone where I'm letting you into my life, up close and in detail. Policy Not Politics is all about the nitty gritty issues facing our world but before we start digging around, you ought to know why I'm even talking about it in the first place!

Again, I am thrilled to be embarking on this journey with you and cannot wait to see where it takes us!

As always, take care, get to know your neighbors, and I'll see you next week!