Richard Chew is joined by Jordan Wood, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate running to unseat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. 

Wood talked about Collins' lack of courage and her consistency in voting with Donald Trump, despite often publicly expressing her concerns about doing so. Wood also criticized Collins for not addressing economic hardships and for her recent vote to eliminate a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that would limit overdraft fees, benefiting wealthy banks at the expense of low-income individuals. Wood shared his personal background, including his middle-class upbringing, and emphasized the need for new leadership in Congress to fight for working-class Americans and stand up to authoritarianism.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined by Michelle Duster, author, educator, historian, and Chicagoan known for her work to preserve the legacy of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells. 

Duster talked about Memorial Day's history and significance, highlighting the origins of the holiday in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865, "right after the Civil War ended. There were Union soldiers who died in captivity in a Confederate camp, and the formerly enslaved people in Charleston decided to honor those soldiers and decorated a burial ground. And so from there, it became an annual memorial and grew into other forms of recognition of parades and some leisure activities. And then, obviously, we've had several wars since the Civil War, and so Memorial Day has become about recognizing all people who died in combat." 

Duster also emphasized the contributions of African Americans to U.S. wealth and the need to acknowledge their historical impact. 

In criticizing current political actions that undermine support systems for the most vulnerable, she took aim at Republican lawmakers who "position themselves as Christian. But the actions that they are doing is almost exactly the opposite of what the leader of the Catholic church espouses and many other denominations of Christianity." 

 Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined Rachel Bitecofer, political analyst, author of “The Cycle” on Substack, self-described “subversive intellectual,” and author of "Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How To Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game."

She discussed the need for Democrats to adopt a more aggressive messaging strategy, "making sure that voters hear about how terrible Republicans are and what [Democrats] are going to do for them if they can get the Republican Party out of the way," Bitecofer told WCPT.

She highlighted the challenge of engaging voters who lack detailed political knowledge and pointed out that 2024 presidential exit polls revealed that 60 percent of swing voters in swing states had "favorable memories of Trump's first term. And the reason that they did that is because [Democrats] don't have a system for punching at all. We don't punch." 

Bitecofer added: "My criticism of Democrats is always constructive criticism, because here's the thing, guys: The Republican Party is a fascist cult. Now people believe me because they're actually living in a fascist cult, so it's a lot easier. But we're not up against a traditional political party; we're up against a mass psychosis event."

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined by Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator, candidate for U.S. Senate, and author of Hate Won’t Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better Than You Found It.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined by State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-IL).

He discussed the upcoming legislative session's end and the need to pass bills, including the state budget. He emphasized his support for Illinois House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 16, a tax relief proposal to replace the state's flat tax with a graduated tax, arguing it's unfair to tax teachers and billionaires equally. Rashid highlighted the opposition to the proposal from wealthy individuals and special interests, citing a need to tax the wealthy more to reduce property taxes and fund education equitably. He said the amendment has broad support from a diverse group of legislators.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined by Bernadette Atuahene, property law scholar, professor and author of “Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America.”

Atuahene explained how, in constructing the book, she used the stories of two Detroit grandfathers—one an immigrant from Italy, the other African American—to illustrate the disparate impact of racial covenants, redlining, and urban renewal. Atuahene also highlighted the disproportionate property tax burdens on Black and Hispanic communities, noting that they pay 10 to 13 percent higher taxes than whites. She also discusses the Dignity Restoration Project, which aims to compensate Detroiters who lost homes due to illegally inflated taxes. Atuahene emphasized the need to address these systemic issues to reduce the racial wealth gap.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Richard Chew is joined by James Hall, director of Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, along with Olivia Doolin, a Latina student musician. 

James Hall discussed the program's mission to support underrepresented students in classical music. CMPI provides scholarships, mentorship, and resources for students from diverse backgrounds, including those from low-income households and first-generation college attendees.

Olivia Doolin shared her journey and the impact of CMPI on her development.

They also promoted the Wednesday, May 21st CMPI Student Recital at Symphony Center in Chicago.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Chew is joined by Kristen Crowell, executive director of Fair Share America. She focused on the negative impacts of the GOP's proposed budget and tax bill, highlighting its harmful cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, which will disproportionately affect the poor. She noted that 70 percent of voters oppose these cuts, including over 50 percent of Trump voters. Crowell stressed the importance of public opposition, urging listeners to contact their representatives at 877-853-4144.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard is joined by Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. She discussed the organization's mission to support Black families through programming, research, and advocacy, and highlighted the Chicago Urban League's biannual "State of Black Chicago" report.  Freeman-Wilson emphasized the impact of historical and ongoing discrimination on wealth disparities and stressed the importance of investing in education, housing, and commercial corridors to foster economic growth and reduce crime. She also praised Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's efforts to invest in youth and businesses. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– Audra Moran, president and CEO of Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
– Mike Nellis, founder and CEO of Authentic, a Chicago-based political fundraising and consulting firm

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.