Episodes

Between MAGA's claim that the election was stolen and Janice Jackson's assertion that the teachers union brought politics to Chicago's schools, Ben feels he's being gaslit. Also, Reader writer Maya Dukmasova talks about her e...

In These Times writer/editor Miles Kampf-Lassin on labor's agenda. The Republican attempt to portray themselves as the party of the working class. And a riff or two about Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

April 4, 2019. Trump's tax returns are back! Lori lightfoot hits the ground running and ProPublica Journalist Mick Dumke talks Tuesday's election. Union Man and Pension Guru Jeff Johnson returns and striking UIC Grad Student ...

United Working Families organizer Dixon Romeo returns to turn the tables on Ben--asking him the questions. The conversation ranges from suburban Republicans dictating whether Chicago has an elected school board to mayoral con...

Ben & Dr. D riff on the news of the week. Which includes...two aldermen indicted, including a Daley. Oh, Chicago, you are special. Also, the Bears actually draft a Black man to play quarterback. And just when we thought it w...

Ben riffs on President Biden's state of the union. Jacob Kaplan, of the Cook County Democratic Party, talks redistricting. And Daryl Jones of the Transformative Justice Coalition champions the John Lewis Day of Action, analyz...

Looks like California Governor Gavin Newsom will face a recall. Leading Ben to lament why his beloved Dems have to be so arrogant. Also, Eee-Bow on geting cuffed and busted for--as far as we can tell--the high crime of drivin...

The U.S. Census released the numbers. So, Ben riffs on what it means politically, Hint: Republicans up to no good. Also, Jaquie Algee of SEIU Health Care and Pastor William Fleshman talk about the John Lewis May 8 day of acti...

It's sort of fun to hear someone's Oscar's predictions after the fact. Sergio Mims--co-founder of the Black Harvest Film Festival--is never afraid to speak his mind. So we're not surprised to hear that he may be in trouble wi...

Tuesday March 26, 2019: Are conservatives celebrating the Mueller report too early? The latest Lightfoot/Preckwinkle poll numbers, a mini Aldermanic deep dive with our Chicago Reader Colleague Maya Dukmasova. Former Illinois ...

Sun-Times Editor/Columnist Rummana Hussain returns to cover the news of the day. Shootings in Chicago. Kim Foxx. LeBron James. And Caitlyn Jenner... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notic...

Ben & Dr. D take the deep dive on all the news of the week, starting with...rumorgate. Lefties lose their minds over allegation that Mayor Lightfoot will step down, but Lori lovers overplay the victim card. As the mayor takes...

Alderman Ed Burke wins the coveted shameless-politician-of-the month award. Ben explains why. And the downstate pathologist, Dr. Pamella Gronemeyer, returns to talk about the movement for Medicare for All and other medical st...

Republicans play the "victim card," blubbering like babies about Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Ben riffs on that. Also, legendary Chicago journalist Monroe Anderson and attorney Jim Coogan return to talk about the guilty verdi...

Over the weekend, gossips in Chicago lost their minds over a fabricated rumor about Mayor Lightfoot. Ben takes the deep dive. Also, Senator Paul Strauss--the shadow senator for Washington, D.C.--explains why it's morally, eth...

From May 2019. WBEZ Reporter Linda Lutton has a new beat...Chicago Neighborhoods! Hear about her journey to WBEZ, her history with Ben Joravsky and her latest work on South Side neighborhoods. See Privacy Policy at https://ar...

With the footage of Adam Toledo getting killed by a Chicago police officer on everybody’s mind, we thought it would be a good idea to bring on Troy LaRaviere. He does not hold back. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...

President Joe Biden announces the end of the forever war in Afghanistan. Ben talks about the price we've paid for that war. Vincent E. Norment--owner of the Marijuana Hall of Fame--drops in to continue the conversation on the...

Whenever a policeman shoots a civilian, you can take it to Vegas that someone will say—well, he’s no angel. Ben riffs on that message. Also, Adolfo Mondragon returns to talk about his campaign expenditure lawsuit. And Alderma...

Ben riffs on the modern day Civil War. A mystery guest stops in to correct something Ben said about the Democratic Party. And Keith Kelleher, former president of SEIU Healthcare, examines what went wrong and right in the unsu...

Sun-Times sports columnist Rick Telander pays tribute to the late great boxing champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler. It was 1990. Rick was writing for Sports Illustrated. He was in Italy, covering the World Cup. And...oh, let Ric...

The day was Wednesday, April 10, 2019. One week after Lori Lightfoot was elected mayor. And Ben unloaded on the Lincoln Yards TIF deal. How much home grown marijuana is too much home grown marijuana? Monroe Anderson talked Tr...

On April 6, Ben and Maya hosted a virtual First Tuesday, featuring Anjanette Young and Shapearl Wells. Young is the social worker whose west side house was raided by police. They burst through the front door with a no-knock w...

Political scientist David Faris returns just in time to try and make sense of what makes no sense. The rise of Matt Gaetz as a force in the Republican Party. The underlying racism of Georgia's anti-voting laws. And a new and ...