Episodes

Should the city give a handout to the Bears after that awful season opener? Ben riffs. CTU president Stacy Davis Gates talks about the fallout over revelations that her son is not attending a public school. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://a…

Alderman Andre Vasquez takes the deep dive on immigration in Chicago. Including tent city, Black Hispanic relations, Hispanic Hispanic relations, US foreign policy toward Venezuela, lefties trying to figure out their new role in the city. And more… See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy a…

It’s that time of the week when Ben runs through recent news with the help of a friend—in this case, Mark Wallace. That includes…mayoral and aldermanic salaries. How Mayor Johnson is like Mayor Daley. Trump on trial. Mark’s bold prediction as Trump’s allies flip. Congressman Jordan loses—again. And…

Who’s more pathetic—the Bears or Chicago’s leaders? Ben riffs. Dave Glowacz returns more council follies. Our civic leaders debate immigration. And then TIFs. Gotta laugh to keep from crying. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac…

Trump, Bill Maher and Drew Barrymore take their “stands” on the ongoing labor strikes. They all “love” the workers but hate their unions. Ben riffs. Keith Kelleher explains the strategies, goals and challenges of the UAW strike against the big 3 car companies. Keith is the former president of SEIU …

North Siders reconsider the Lincoln Yard TIF deal. Or at least one north sider does. Ben riffs, and Monroe talks Biden in Israel. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Faris was planning to talk about how the electoral college may be even more detrimental to Democrats, when…Ben asked about Rupert Murdoch, who’s stepping down as Boss of Fox. And with that David took off on a gloriously spontaneous riff. Then he gets back to electoral college. And has a thing…

Block Club investigative reporter Mick Dumke gets into the nitty gritty of how Chicago’s pols and wheeler dealers cut their deals. Speaking of wheeler dealers, an update on former Mayor Rahm’s machinations to get what he wants. Whatever that may be. And more… See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co…

Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez takes the deep deep dive on last week’s city council vote on a resolution that endorses Israel right to essentially avenge slaughter with more slaughter. Rossana tried to amend the resolution so it’s more balanced and more compassionate to Palestinians who once again ar…

Old college friends from Northwestern University, Vinnie Iyer and Sridhar Pappu have been in the newspaper business since the 90s, largely covering sports. And they have a lot to say about their (no longer) beloved Northwestern Wildcats football team, the White Sox and the Bears. Sridhar is the aut…

Rummana Hussain talks about bias in the coverage of the war in the Middle East. And why she’s having flashbacks to 9/11. Rummana is an editorial writer and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priva…

Political strategist Chris Scott helps Ben make sense out of this week’s news and newsmakers from Washington. Including…Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, MAGA house speaker ineptitude, Senator Menendez scandal, gerrymandering strategy and more. Chris is the co-founder of the Advance the Electorate PAC. S…

Tommy Tuberville, MAGA senator from Alabama, blocks Biden military nominees to force the administration to weaken its support for abortion rights. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson and Ben debate whether election lawyer Adolfo Mondragon, should file a ballot access case against Trump on the grounds that h…

The Chicago City Council delves into the Middle East. Ben riffs. Leor Galil defends Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez. And pleads with Israel not to retaliate to Hamas’s slaughter of Israelis by invading Gaza and slaughtering Palestinians. Leor is a Jewish-American who has family in Israel. He also happ…

In 2020, filmmaker Alex Holder got the word he couldn’t quite believe. President Trump okayed Holder to have access to his re-election run. Apparently, Trump thought it would depict his triumph. It didn’t work out that way. As you can see by watching Unprecedented, Alex’s documentary. After hearing…

Mayor Johnson shows he’s learned a thing or two about the budget games that mayors play. Ben riffs. In These Times editor Miles Kampf-Lassin takes the deep dive on labor. Particularly…United Auto Workers threatens strike as negotiations with the Big Three automakers hits an impasse. And he and Ben …

On September 5, 2023, Mayor Johnson joined Ben and Maya on stage at the Promontory club in Hyde Park for First Tuesdays. For more than an hour, the mayor took questions. He looked like was having so much fun that he might still be there talking, just like old times, if not for a certain press side …

Dick Butkus dies at age 80. Ben riffs. Journalist Angela Caputo talks about the investigative Project on Race and Equity. And its first major investigation: Black drivers are being stopped in record numbers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:/…

A column from 1991 on mental health clinic shows that so much remains the same. Ben riffs. Activist Denali Dasgupta takes the deep dive on the influx of asylum seekers. Is this a crisis or an opportunity? And a word or two about a new Harvard professor named Lightfoot. See Privacy Policy at https…

Alderman Lopez announces he’s running against Congressman Jesus Garcia. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talk all things coup they ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

State Senator Lakesia Collins reveals the behind the scenes efforts to make it to the senate. Lessons for lefties—learn how to count your votes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So much to discuss on so many fronts! Good thing attorney Adolfo Mondragon, the renaissance man, is in the house. On the docket…White Sox want more money. Or they’ll leave. Hispanic white nationalists. MAGA debate. How Trump and Ed Burke and Michael Madigan pay their lawyers with money they raise …

Roosevelt University political scientist David Faris talks amendment 14. Specifically, why it should be invoked to keep Trump off the ballot. Also, a word or two about Republican efforts to rebrand their “pro-life” message into a “pro-baby” one. Doesn’t get much absurd than this, people. See Priv…

Ben and Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle take the deep dive on a week’s worth of immigration news. Or more like 40 years worth of immigration news. Cause if you really want to understand what’s going on at any moment in time you have to take some time to understand how that moment came to be. And so we talk f…