The Ben Joravsky Show

Feb 07 2025 2235 ep. 66 mins 123
The Ben Joravsky Show Podcast artwork

Chicago journalist Ben Joravsky starts each show by riffing on the news of the day with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty. Then he talks politics with activists, elected officials, journalists and all sorts of political know-it-alls. We talk Chicago, Illinois, national (lots of national), international and lefty politics. Find The Ben Joravsky Show wherever you download podcasts.

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Oh, What a Week—Dennis Returns!

Feb 07 2025 52 mins  
Oh What a Week: Dennis is Back and Everyone Hates Each Other. President Pritzker? Byron v Bill the Bro. The mayoral poll. And much more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Monroe Anderson--Tariffs and Taxes

Feb 07 2025 60 mins  
What if Mayor Johnson called a tax a tariff? Ben riffs. Monroe says the taxpayers in Chicago are too smart to fall for that. Then he thinks about what he just said. On second thought...Also, Musk gets control of the federal treasury. Has the coup already happened. And Trump's bark is worse than his bite on tariffs and deportation. Probably cause there's some rich guys in the backro

David Faris--The Fog of War

Feb 05 2025 55 mins  
Looks like Paramount may join Meta and Disney in caving to Trump. Ben riffs. David Faris breaks down the first two weeks of MAGA rule. It's time for Democrats to--ugh, hello--re-think the strategy of timidity. Status quo bias emerges. As people look to midterms for salvation. But that may be too late. Playing it safe won't work either. David is a professor of political science at R

Alvin Tillery--Trump Plays His Race Card

Feb 03 2025 67 mins  
Chicago's mainstreams are aghast that Mayor Johnson got some gifts. Ben riffs. Pollster Alvin Tillery examines the early polls on how the country is reacting to one week of Trump. What they say about how Democrats should proceed. Also, a primer on Trump and DEI. What does Trump mean when he says the D word. AKA, diversity. A few lessons on white supremacy and critical race theory.

Gary Rivlin--Trump’s Tech Bros

Feb 01 2025 66 mins  
Ben has a realization--Trump presidency is Council Wars on steroids. In other words, Trump's looking to sabotage the whole federal government. Gary Rivlin picks up on the analogy. Why does Gary know about Council Wars? Cause he wrote Fire on the Prairie, the seminal book on Mayor Harold Washington. For the last 20 or so years, Gary's been covering the tech industry. And he gives th

Nicole Cantello--Trump's War on Federal Workers

Jan 30 2025 52 mins  
Trump and Musk and their minions declare war on federal employees. Nicole Cantello explains it all. Including the directive calling on workers to snitch on other employees who might be promoting "DEI". Straight up out of Kafka or Orwell. Take your pick. Nicole is the President of AFGE Local 704, which represents employees of the EPA. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac

Miles Kampf-Lassin—The Stargate Hustle

Jan 28 2025 65 mins  
Gavin Newsom pulls a Trump on Trump. Ben riffs. Miles Kampf-Lassin urges America to follow the money. The Tech Bros are going to make big bucks for sucking up to Trump. Just when you thought wealth inequities couldn’t get worse. Also, some advice for labor. Miles is a staff writer and editor for In These Times. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priva

Rummana Hussain--ICE in Chicago

Jan 26 2025 57 mins  
Alderman Ray Lopez and Mayor Johnson have different attitudes about Trump's plan to round up immigrants—that’s for sure. Ben riffs. Rummana Hussain talks brainwashing. How Trump has successfully turned Americans, some recent immigrants included, against immigrants. Also, updates on the ADL and Musk and the Cultural Center anti-war puppets. Talk about cancel culture. Rummana is

Charles Henderson—Inside the President’s Brain

Jan 24 2025 67 mins  
Trump doesn’t lay his hand on the Bible while swearing to uphold the constitution. Ben riffs. Charles Henderson reports on going door to door in Milwaukee—it’s not pretty. Also, Trump pardons the insurrectionists. And Charles turns the tables on Ben. Asking about Fire on the Prairie, Gary Rivlin’s classic book on Mayor Washington. Charles is an activist and veteran. See Pr

Monroe Anderson—Trump Takes Over

Jan 22 2025 54 mins  
A day or two have passed since Trump took over, and the big question remains—can he do the stuff he says he’s gonna do? Snatch back the Panama Canal? Erase birthright citizenship from the constitution? Free the insurrectionists? Well, he already did that. Monroe says they’re his Brown Shirts. Speaking of which…did Musk do a Nazi salute? Or do you go along with the ADL’s v