The Rick Smith Show

Jake Long on the Minimum Wage

Jake Long, Former Democratic House candidate and Minimum Wage activist joins Rick to discuss the latest news on what’s holding up even the most modest of increase in worker’s paychecks and what workers need to do to push back.

Jerry Oleksiak Talks Budget and Mounting Education Crisis

Jerry Oleksiak, PSEA President joins Rick to talk about the PA GOP led budget impasse, the continued War on Worker’s Rights, and how these actions are affecting working families across Pennsylvania. 

Jason Stanford Gives His Take On Benghazi Marathon

Jason Stanford, Columnist and Democratic consultant joins Rick to discuss yesterday’s 11 hour Benghazi fiasco.  Did the GOP Crazy faction just hand Hillary the White House in 2016?  Or have they succeeded in putting the American people to sleep? 

Isaiah J. Poole Talks Benghazi and Previews Upcoming Gala

Isaiah J. Poole, On-Line editor at the Campaign for America’s Future joins Rick to look back on the week that was from Mr. Family Values (Paul Ryan) job demands to Benghazi fiasco to the 2016 Presidential race Isaiah covers it all. Get your discount Gala Tickets here

Eric Epstein talks Harrisburg News

Eric Epstein, writer at Rock the Capital joins Rick to catch up on everything going on in Harrisburg from the budget debacle to the insanity filling the halls of the General Assembly. 

Full Show for October 22, 2015

Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO is back on the program to talk about another #PAGOP attack on worker’s rights and the apparent political tactic of using workers and their families as leverage and bargaining chips in the budgeting process that is now more than 100 day overdue.

Joe Strupp, Investigative Reporter with Media Matters For America joins Rick to talk Benghazi Select Committee’s special place in history as one of the most political and one of the longest investigation in our nation’s history without an end in sight. 

Angelic Young, leader of the Frontline Civilians Initiative for the Truman National Security Project joins Rick to discuss the Benghazi Select Committee’s Bread and Circus style grilling of Hillary Clinton and refocus the discussion to what should be investigated.  

Deirdre Fulton, Staff Writer with Common Dreams joins Rick to discuss her recent article on the waste, fraud, and abuse seen in charter schools as highlighted by the Center for Media and Democracy report, “Charter School Black Hole.”

Rick Bloomingdale Talks PA GOP's Orwellian Language and Attacks on Workers

Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO is back on the program to talk about another #PAGOP attack on worker’s rights and the apparent political tactic of using workers and their families as leverage and bargaining chips in the budgeting process that is now more than 100 day overdue.

Joe Strupp Talks Historical Significance of Benghazi Hearings

Joe Strupp, Investigative Reporter with Media Matters For America joins Rick to talk Benghazi Select Committee’s special place in history as one of the most political and one of the longest investigation in our nation’s history without an end in sight. 

Angelic Young Talks Benghazi Hearing and the Need to Refocus

Angelic Young, leader of the Frontline Civilians Initiative for the Truman National Security Project joins Rick to discuss the Benghazi Select Committee’s Bread and Circus style grilling of Hillary Clinton and refocus the discussion to what should be investigated.  

Deirdre Fulton talks Ghost Charter Schools, and No It's NOT Halloween

Deirdre Fulton, Staff Writer with Common Dreams joins Rick to discuss her recent article on the waste, fraud, and abuse seen in charter schools as highlighted by the Center for Media and Democracy report, “Charter School Black Hole.”

Full Show for October 21, 2015

Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show contributor is back to talk about the latest PAGOP attack on workers’ rights and what is really behind the rhetoric.

Craig Harrington, Economic Policy Director for Media Matters joins Rick to preview Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi committee and weed through what is fact, and what is pure, unadulterated partisan political nonsense.

Doug Cunningham, Producer at Worker’s Independent News joins Rick to talk about the most important news for working people today. 

Brendan Duke, Policy Analyst with the Center for American Progress's Middle-Out Economics Project and co-author of the recent report, Long-Termism or Lemons joins Rick to talk about Corporate America’s shifting focus from long term success for short term cash. 

Irwin Aronson talks PA GOP Continued War on Workers

Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show contributor is back to talk about the latest PAGOP attack on workers’ rights and what is really behind the rhetoric.

Craig Harrington previews the Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi Hearing

Craig Harrington, Economic Policy Director for Media Matters joins Rick to preview Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi committee and weed through what is fact, and what is pure, unadulterated partisan political nonsense.

Doug Cunningham brings the Working Class News

Doug Cunningham, Producer at Worker’s Independent News joins Rick to talk about the most important news for working people today. 

Brendan Duke talks Rebuilding a Prosperous Working Class

Brendan Duke, Policy Analyst with the Center for American Progress's Middle-Out Economics Project and co-author of the recent report, Long-Termism or Lemons joins Rick to talk about Corporate America’s shifting focus from long term success for short term cash. 

Full Show for October 20, 2015

PA Democratic Senatorial Candidate Admiral Joe Sestak joins Rick to talk about his latest stops in the Allentown area as he follows up on his 422 mile Walking in Your Shoes tour to Restore the American Dream.

Mark Dudzic, national coordinator of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare joins Rick to talk about the upcoming national strategy conference in Chicago to push for a Single Payer plan.

Abe Amoros, Pennsylvania Legislative Director for LIUNA joins Rick to talk about the recent indictment of an Bethlehem area contractor cheating workers and taxpayers, and to talk latest #PABudget news.  

Amanda Koonlaba, art teacher from Mississippi joins Rick to discuss the effects high stakes teacher evaluations have had on students, teachers, and the education across the nation, and how the evaluations themselves have changed.  Amanda has helped to design the Network for Public Education's new survey.

Ryan Shaw, Assistant Professor of Music Education at Capital University joins Rick to talk about what the recent teacher evaluation craze has done to music and art classes and the teachers at the front of those classes. 

Admiral Joe Sestak talks Education and Jobs on the Campaign Trail

PA Democratic Senatorial Candidate Admiral Joe Sestak joins Rick to talk about his latest stops in the Allentown area as he follows up on his 422 mile Walking in Your Shoes tour to Restore the American Dream.

Mark Dudzic on Single Payer

Mark Dudzic, national coordinator of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare joins Rick to talk about the upcoming national strategy conference in Chicago to push for a Single Payer plan.

Abe Amoros On Cheating Contractor

Abe Amoros, Pennsylvania Legislative Director for LIUNA joins Rick to talk about the recent indictment of an Bethlehem area contractor cheating workers and taxpayers, and to talk latest #PABudget news.  

Amanda Koonlaba Talks Teacher Evaluations

Amanda Koonlaba, art teacher from Mississippi joins Rick to discuss the effects high stakes teacher evaluations have had on students, teachers, and the education across the nation, and how the evaluations themselves have changed.  Amanda has helped to design the Network for Public Education's new survey.