This week’s audio haul leads off with a special episode — appearing out of chronological order for your immediate political needs — featuring State Rep. Neil Riser, the former chair of the Senate and Revenue Fiscal Affairs Committee.

Riser was asked to come on the LaPolitics Report podcast (available on Spotify/Apple) to discuss Gov. Jeff Landry‘s tax agenda for the upcoming November special session. And that he did, offering a historical take on why the Executive and Legislative branches are facing the challenges they are, from former Govs. Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards to the current term of state government.

From a political perspective, Riser said the heaviest lift will be convincing lawmakers, special interests and the public that a multi-bill package and enormous constitutional amendment should be considered as a whole, rather than in parts.

“In my opinion, from my seat, if you vote against one of those components, then you’re voting against lowering the personal income tax and the corporate,” Riser said in episode No. 72. (Spotify/Apple) 

Before dipping into tax matters, however, Riser spent a bit of time talking about late President Teddy Roosevelt, his roughest hunts and why he sometimes prefers sleeping outside on the ground. He also reflected on his family’s 90-year-old funeral business and his upbringing in the logging industry.

Appearing in episode No. 70 (Spotify/Apple), Mary-Patricia Wray of Top Drawer Strategies kicks off a two-part series on consultants.

Keep an eye out next week, on Monday, Oct. 21, for two more episodes:

— EPISODE 71: In the second part of this series, the minds behind Robinson+Kennedy, political consultant Preston Robinson and media consultant George Kennedy, will dive deep into the creative process. How do campaign ads come together? How do multi-member firms agree on things like messaging? They’ll have the answers.

— EPISODE 73: Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III drops into the studio to explain the differences between a police jury form of government and home rule. Plus everything you ever wanted to know about local politics but were too afraid to ask.

Get it all on Spotify and Apple!