The Rick Smith Show

Senator Art Haywood warns PA to learn the lessons of Flint, MI

Pennsylvania State Senator Art Haywood joins Rick to share his experiences from a recent trip to Flint, MI and talk about policy measures to protect citizens from corporate governance that encourages corner cutting and minimal accountability. 

George Piasecki joins us to talk TPP and manufacturing jobs

George Piasecki,United Steel Workers District 10 joins Rick to talk about Made in America policies and how citizens and consumers must demand smart trade and policies that encourage good jobs in the United States. 

Kevin Mahoney talks Chicago State University and defunding public education

Kevin Mahoney, Editor Zero at Raging Chicken Press joins Rick to discuss the painful effect of austerity and how Illinois’ recent budget fight is causing one public university to shockingly announce there may be forced layoffs of some, or all of the 900 faculty.

OptOut 2016: Anthony Cody shows how children are sorted out by Big Education Inc.

Anthony Cody, retired educator and Living in Dialogue blogger sat down with Rick the United Opt Out conference in Philadelphia to discuss the conference, the state of education in America, and what needs to be done moving forward to save kids from being sorted and shuffled by big Education Inc.

OptOut 2016: Jeff Bryant tells the story behind the anti-education propaganda

Jeff Bryant, Associate Fellow at the Campaign for America’s Future and Director of the Education Opportunity Network sat down with Rick at the International House in Philadelphia to talk cyber charters, education testing, opt out, and more from the United Opt Out conference.

OptOut 2016: Peggy Robertson talks OPT OUT and the Future of Public Education

Peggy Robertson,President of United Opt Out National joins Rick to discuss the United Opt Out conference. It’s hopes. It’s goals. And what the future holds for students,parents, and educators as money in politics is dominating the privatization of education.