The Rick Smith Show

Taft-Hartley - Dark Money's Most Successful Attack on Working People

Historian Erik Loomis joins us on the anniversary of the day the Taft-Hartley Act became law to talk about how it is one of the most destructive laws ever designed to hurt working people. @ErikLoomis

Erik Loomis is an associate History professor and the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Rhode Island. For more information visit: www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com

What Truly Divides Us | 6-24-21 (1st Hour)

Inspired by our friends over at ThinkSpot, Rick begins the show with a discussion about those who profit from conflict and division, and about the simple fact that what brings us together truly is greater than what divides us. Then Ohio State Rep. and Teamster Tavia Galonski joins the show to talk about voter suppression in Ohio, and what legislators are doing to fight it. Then the first hour ends with Adam Smith of End Citizens United, who discusses the efforts to pass the For the People Act, and what we can do now that it has suffered a defeat.

What Truly Divides Us | 6-24-21 (2nd Hour)

Historian Erik Loomis joins us on the anniversary of the day the Taft-Hartley Act became law to talk about how it is one of the most destructive laws ever designed to hurt working people. Then former GOP congressman Bob Ney closes the show with his no-nonsense brand of analysis about DC and the political roller coaster that resides there.

The ACA Wins Another Big Court Battle

Jonathan Metzl, Director, Medicine Health and Society at Vanderbilt University makes a return visit with a reaction to the SCOTUS decision on the ACA, and a response to how the right failed yet again to steal healthcare from millions of people. @JonathanMetzl #DyingOfWhiteness

Scott Paul of The Alliance for American Manufacturing

The first hour ends with Scott Paul of The Alliance for American Manufacturing, who joins to discuss infrastructure and the continuing push to reshore American jobs.

Scott Paul is the President of Alliance for American Manufacturing For more information visit: www.americanmanufacturing.org

Jordan Zakarin of More Perfect Union

Jordan Zakarin of More Perfect Union joins the program to continue the conversation about Amazon, worker abuse, and the push to unionize the largest corporation in the world. @JordanZakarin @MorePerfectUS

 

For more information, go to: PerfectUnion.us

Fighting the Good Fight for Amazon Workers

Randy Korgan of the Teamsters closes the show by giving us the details on the IBT’s new campaign to organize the workers at Amazon. @1932teamsters @teamsters

 

Randy Korgan is the Teamsters' National Amazon Director

Bad Day for Bezos | 6-23-21 (1st Hour)

Rick opens the show with commentary on the Teamsters and their announcement today that they are launching a campaign to unionize Amazon. Then Jonathan Metzl, Director, Medicine Health and Society at Vanderbilt University reacts to the SCOTUS decision on the ACA, and the first hour ends with Scott Paul of The Alliance for American Manufacturing, who joins to discuss infrastructure and the continuing push to reshore American jobs.

Bad Day for Bezos | 6-23-21 (2nd Hour)

Jordan Zakarin of More Perfect Union joins the program to continue the conversation about Amazon, worker abuse, and the push to unionize the largest corporation in the world. Then we end the night with Randy Korgan of the Teamsters, who will close the show by giving us the details on the IBT’s new campaign to unionize Amazon.

Jeff Hauser on Normalizing Right Wing Aggression

Jeff Hauser, Director of the Revolving Door Project stops by to discuss a number of stories that normalize extreme behavior on the right. @jeffhauser @revolvingdoorDC

Helaine Olen of The Washington Post

The first hour ends with Helaine Olen of The Washington Post, who joins to discuss her new article “How an Unfair Tax System Fuels Our Broader Divides.” @helaineolen @PostOpinions

Helaine Olen is an Opinion Writer at the Washington Post. Helaine is the author of the National Bestseller "Pound Foolish" and the co-author of "The Index Card."

Max Burns of The Daily Beast

Max Burns of The Daily Beast joins the program with a rundown of several current and breaking stories. @themaxburns @thedailybeast

Happy Billionaire Day | 6-22-21 (2nd Hour)

Max Burns of The Daily Beast joins the program with a rundown of several current and breaking stories. Then we end the night with Political Analyst and former GOP Congressman Bob Ney, who shares the current state of affairs in DC, and what kinds of maneuvering legislators might be doing to free up the logjam of legislation in the Senate.

Happy Billionaire Day | 6-22-21 (1st Hour)

Rick starts off the show with a discussion of Prime Day and what it means for working people, and also about infrastructure and how desperate we are for it. Then Jeff Hauser, Director of the Revolving Door Project stops by to discuss a number of stories that normalize extreme behavior on the right, and the first hour ends with Helaine Olen of The Washington Post, who joins to discuss her new article “How an Unfair Tax System Fuels Our Broader Divides.”

Honest History with The Tattooed Professor

We get a visit from The Tattooed Professor Kevin Gannon for a talk about everything from the DOJ to CRT and the difference between the bluster in the press and the reality of our past. @TheTattooedProf

 

Kevin Gannon is a Professor of History and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Grand View University. 

The ACA is Here to Stay

Healthcare Advocate Laura Packard, responds to the recent SCOTUS ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA, and what a victory it is for millions of American working people. @lpackard @healthcarevoice #GetCovered

 

Laura Packard is a stage 4 cancer survivor and Founder of Health Care Voices.

Reporter Sarah Burris of Raw Story

Hour two starts with our favorite reporter, Sarah Burris of RawStory. She walks us through a number of relevant stories of the week and tells us a bit about what we can expect from the next week as well. @SarahBurris @RawStory

Bending Toward Justice | 6-18-21 (1st Hour)

Rick starts off the show with a discussion on what justice looks like in a divided America. Then we get a visit from The Tattooed Professor Kevin Gannon for a talk about everything from the DOJ to CRT, and the first hour ends with Healthcare Advocate Laura Packard, who responds to the recent SCOTUS ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA, and what a victory it is for millions of American working people.

Bending Toward Justice | 6-18-21 (2nd Hour)

Hour two starts with our favorite reporter, Sarah Burris of RawStory. She walks us through a number of relevant stories of the week and tells us a bit about what we can expect from the next week as well. Then we end the night with Political Analyst Bob Ney, who uses his experience as a former GOP congressman to help us understand the ins and outs of policy fights in DC.

Badass Teachers Discuss Education Issues

Michael Flanagan of The Badass Teachers Association joins us to talk about education issues. @hiphyker @BadassTeachersA