Episodes

Trump vs Pelosi rages on! Do Illinois Trump supporters support Pritzker's fair tax plan? Political Scientist Jim Lewis talks Lightfoot and the mayoral runoff, Chicago Sun-Times Director of Digital Operations Brian Ernst tells...

The Washington Post says liberals are too mean to MAGA. Ben riffs. Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara in the need for affordable housing. And Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa returns to talk about what it took to win city council...

Environmentalist and podcaster Mike Nowak returns to talk about the detrimental impact of climate change on Lake Michigan. We take the lake for granted--to our detriment. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

COVID cases rising but Lollapalooza is still in. Ben discusses. Rod Wilson, executive director of the Lugenia Burns Hope Center, talks about elected school board politics in Chicago. And Monroe Anderson returns with breaking ...

JB Pritzker announces he’s running for re-election. Ben ponders the frightening alternative. Dian Palmer, president of SEIU Local 73, and negotiator Larry Alcoff, on negotiating with Toni Preckwinkle. Also, political strategi...

Alderwoman Maria Hadden--the pride and joy of Rogers Park--makes a long awaited return to act as a play-by-play analyst, breaking down the parliamentary maneuvers employed by Mayor Lightfoot over the last few council meetings...

You'll be able to impress your friends with your knowledge of hoops after listening to Dan Mihalopoulos, passionate fan of all things Giannis; Michael Malcolm, astute student of all things basketball; and Benji "the Bookie", ...

May 10, 2019: Another Rahm farewell party and Ben can't stand it! More Illinois conservative pushback on recreational marijuana legalization, Election Lawyer Adolfo Mondragon returns to talk Ed Burke, Cubs vs White Sox and mo...

Ben & Dr. D riff on the week's news. And, oh, what a week it was. Pritzker meets Biden as does Police Chief Brown. And some insane MAGA ravings about crime in Chicago. And the return of Mayor Pete. And much more... See Privac...

News breaks that Senator Charles Schumer has proposed legislation to legalize marijuana across the country. Ben is skeptical that it will ever pass. Lisa Solomon from the Reader updates us on new social equity legislation. An...

Richard Steele goes where no guest has gone—Ben’s attic. As he and Ben share the mic, riffing on the top stories of the week. Such as—Alderwoman Taylor and Mayor Lightfoot; Eric Adams; voting laws, players choking and 1971. S...

Maureen Dowd’s interview with Bernie Sanders is priceless in so many ways. Ben riffs. Miles Kampf-Lassin of In These Times talks national politics. And state Rep. La Shawn Ford explains why Eric Adams is the right man at the ...

Political strategist Delmarie Cobb returns to talk Chicago and national politics. Asking among other things--what is it about Chicago that leads us to elect so many bossy mayors? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...

With baseball taking an All-Star break, we brought out Jim Coogan & Miles Porter--a couple of allstar baseball experts--to talk baseball. Specifically, Cubs and Sox. Are the Sox doing so well because of in spite of manager To...

May 8, 2019:Democrats and Republicans battle over Barr, Lori Lightfoot goes to Washington, Host of Humanity in the Headlines Atiba Buchanan unpacks the latest Trump news, Bhaskar Sunkara on Democratic Socialism and it's the B...

Ben and Dr. D riff on a week’s worth of news. President Biden comes to Illinois, Republicans bash Governor Pritzker with toilets, Marjorie Taylor Green stumps for Mary Miller and Mayor Lightfoot flies to San Fran. And much mo...

President Biden tries to win over MAGA by giving them money. Ben riffs. And Dave Glowacz--publisher of Inside Chicago Government--returns for another fun-filled breakdown of your Chicago City Council in action. Dave has clips...

Host of the fight podcast Sergio Vicente returns to discuss celebrity boxing, the psychology of choking, culture vultures and Joe Biden. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:/...

President Biden visits MAGA land. Ben discusses. And Monroe Anderson & Senator Robert Peters take the deep dive on Nicholsgate, elected school board, Mayoral Bullies, Eric Adams and whether authenticity matters more than ideo...

The Sun-Times breaks the story about condoms being distributed to grade schoolers. Parents and grandparents lose their minds. Ben riffs. Maya Dukmasova talks about her new gig and the politics of policing. And Vincent E. Norm...

Community activist Jac Charlier says it’s time we reconsider all the old strategies for fighting crime. Because they obviously aren’t working that well. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N...

Sun-Times editor columnist Rummana Hussain weighs in the stories of the week. Including--Sha'Carri Richardson, Mayor Lightfoot, Bill Cosby and more... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...

Oh, What a Week it Was: "Lori's Gonna Lori" See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

It seems as though we’re coping with the same crap we were coping with last year. Ben explains. And Alderwoman Sue Sadlowski-Garza returns to talk about the mayor, the council, General Iron, the nastiness of politics and more...