The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show Full Three Hours Show for 10-26-2016

Irwin Aronson, labor attorney and Rick Smith Show regular returns to talk about what’s going on in the Pennsylvania General Assembly while the news media is focused on the presidential horse race.  What is the latest on the PA GOP’s effort to destroy public sector pensions, “fix” the Unemployment Compensation Insurance program they harmed, and the plan to “reform” charter schools.

Greg Kaufmann, Editor of TalkPoverty.org and a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress joins Rick to discuss his latest article titled, “The Antipoverty President of My Dreams” and talk about his hopes for the next president.

Dr. Stephen Herzenberg, economist and executive director of the Keystone Research Center joins us to talk about his organization’s analysis of the latest pension reform bill that appears to shows no savings for State but accomplishes the goal of massive benefit cuts for the workers.

Brian Tashman, Senior Research Analyst, People For the American Way joins Rick to talk about his most recent Huffington Post article titled, “With Trump, The Religious Right Returns To Its White Nationalist Roots” and discuss how the rise of Trump has some worried about a rise in violence.  

Irwin Aronson updating PA Legislative Session

Irwin Aronson, labor attorney and Rick Smith Show regular returns to talk about what’s going on in the Pennsylvania General Assembly while the news media is focused on the presidential horse race.  What is the latest on the PA GOP’s effort to destroy public sector pensions, “fix” the Unemployment Compensation Insurance program they harmed, and the plan to “reform” charter schools.

Greg Kaufmann talks Hope for Next President on Poverty

Greg Kaufmann, Editor of TalkPoverty.org and a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress joins Rick to discuss his latest article titled, “The Antipoverty President of My Dreams” and talk about his hopes for the next president.

Stephen Herzenberg talks PA GOP Pension Scheme

Dr. Stephen Herzenberg, economist and executive director of the Keystone Research Center joins us to talk about his organization’s analysis of the latest pension reform bill that appears to shows no savings for State but accomplishes the goal of massive benefit cuts for the workers.

Brian Tashman talks Radical Religious Right Hypocrisy

Brian Tashman, Senior Research Analyst, People For the American Way joins Rick to talk about his most recent Huffington Post article titled, “With Trump, The Religious Right Returns To Its White Nationalist Roots” and discuss how the rise of Trump has some worried about a rise in violence.  

The Rick Smith Show Full Three Hours Show for 10-24-2016

Ken Mash, President of APSCUF joins Rick to talk about the strike that shutdown the 14 state owned universities and colleges and discuss how it truly was an unnecessary strike forced by PASSHE and Chancellor Brogan.   

Susan Lerner, the Executive Director of Common Cause New York joins Rick to discuss the proposed $85 billion merger with AT&T and Time Warner and what consumers, taxpayers, and citizens can expect from another mega-merger and what can be done to push back against its passage.

Kevin Mahoney, Editor Zero at the Raging Chicken Press joins Rick to talk about the recent victory by his APSCUF union and explain how he witness the direct action organizing on his campus engage and empower his fellow faculty members and how this is the model for changing the nation. 

Nicholas Tampio, professor of political science at Fordham University in New York joins Rick to discuss his recently published essay on national education standards in the peer-reviewed “Journal of Politics,” where he argues that national standards like Common Core are unnecessary and hurt teacher autonomy.

Ken Mash talks APSCUF Victory

Ken Mash, President of APSCUF joins Rick to talk about the strike that shutdown the 14 state owned universities and colleges and discuss how it truly was an unnecessary strike forced by PASSHE and Chancellor Brogan. 

Susan Lerner talks Horrible Prospect of AT^T Merger

Susan Lerner, the Executive Director of Common Cause New York joins Rick to discuss the proposed $85 billion merger with AT&T and Time Warner and what consumers, taxpayers, and citizens can expect from another mega-merger and what can be done to push back against its passage.

Kevin Mahoney talks Winning in the Streets

Kevin Mahoney, Editor Zero at the Raging Chicken Press joins Rick to talk about the recent victory by his APSCUF union and explain how he witness the direct action organizing on his campus engage and empower his fellow faculty members and how this is the model for changing the nation. 

Nicholas Tampio talks Unnecessary Government Intrusion

Nicholas Tampio, professor of political science at Fordham University in New York joins Rick to discuss his recently published essay on national education standards in the peer-reviewed “Journal of Politics,” where he argues that national standards like Common Core are unnecessary and hurt teacher autonomy.

The Rick Smith Show Full Three Hours Show for 10-21-2016

Beth Katz, Adjunct Instructor of Computer Science at Millersville University joins Rick to discuss Day 3 of the APSCUF strike across the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education colleges and universities and to give an update on the atmosphere at her university. 

Matías Vernengo, Professor of Economics at Bucknell University and blogger joins Rick to examine the latest job numbers and to discuss where the jobs are coming from, and where they are not.  Hint: The manufacturing boom is not so much a boom.

Isaiah Poole, communications director at People's Action joins Rick to talk about Wednesday night’s debate, the latest election news, and to discuss what this election means for working class voters.

Richard Danzig, Secretary of the Navy under President Bill Clinton joins Rick to discuss claims by GOP candidate Donald Trump during Wednesday night’s debate that America’s military leaders are stupid, Hillary is stupid, but he is not and to talk about the two candidate’s foreign policy positions. 

Beth Katz on APSCUF Strike

Beth Katz, Adjunct Instructor of Computer Science at Millersville University joins Rick to discuss Day 3 of the APSCUF strike across the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education colleges and universities and to give an update on the atmosphere at her university. 

Matias Vernengo explains Reality of Losing Manufacturing

Matías Vernengo, Professor of Economics at Bucknell University and blogger joins Rick to examine the latest job numbers and to discuss where the jobs are coming from, and where they are not.  Hint: The manufacturing boom is not so much a boom.

Isaiah Poole on the Insanity of Trump Campaign

Isaiah Poole, communications director at People's Action joins Rick to talk about Wednesday night’s debate, the latest election news, and to discuss what this election means for working class voters.

Richard Danzig talks Terrible Trump Foreign Policy

Richard Danzig, Secretary of the Navy under President Bill Clinton joins Rick to discuss claims by GOP candidate Donald Trump during Wednesday night’s debate that America’s military leaders are stupid, Hillary is stupid, but he is not and to talk about the two candidate’s foreign policy positions. 

The Rick Smith Show Full Three Hours Show for 10-20-2016

Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show contributor joins Rick to discuss the ongoing strike at the 14 state system university and colleges and explain the how and why, and what can be done to end the strike.

Kara Laskowski, professor at Shippensburg University talks with Rick on the picket line about her thoughts, and her student’s thoughts about the ongoing strike.

Ben Culbertson, Professor of Art and Design at Shippensburg University talks with Rick while on the picket line to explain his displeasure and how faculty members are more than simple factory workers on an assembly line.

Mary Hudzinski, undergraduate student at Shippensburg University share her thoughts from the APSCUF picket line and talks about why she is supporting the professor.

Daria Datnoff, graduate student at Shippensburg University takes time from marching on the picket line with striking APSCUF faculty to talk about why she is standing with her professors and what needs to be done to resolve the strike.

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman joins Rick to breakdown, explain, and try not to mock Donald Trump’s poor performance in the third and final presidential debate and talk about what the debate means for November.

Catherine Brown, Vice President of Education Policy at American Progress joins Rick to discuss what the future of education might look like if the school day were to match the workday and how it could save families money and uncertainty. 

Maya van Rossum, Leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network joins Rick to talk about climate change issues in the election, discuss a brand new report on state energy emissions, and presents a clean policy plan for powering states exclusively with renewable energy by 2050.

Irwin Aronson talks APSCUF Strike

Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show contributor joins Rick to discuss the ongoing strike at the 14 state system university and colleges and explain the how and why, and what can be done to end the strike.

Mayor Fetterman talks Final Presidential Debate

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman joins Rick to breakdown, explain, and try not to mock Donald Trump’s poor performance in the third and final presidential debate and talk about what the debate means for November.

Catherine Brown talks Aligning School and Workdays

Catherine Brown, Vice President of Education Policy at American Progress joins Rick to discuss what the future of education might look like if the school day were to match the workday and how it could save families money and uncertainty. 

Maya Van Rossum talks Commonsense on Creating Jobs & Saving the Planet

Maya van Rossum, Leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network joins Rick to talk about climate change issues in the election, discuss a brand new report on state energy emissions, and presents a clean policy plan for powering states exclusively with renewable energy by 2050.