Richard Chew is joined by Chicago Alderman Andre Vasquez (40th Ward). He discussed his six-year tenure in Chicago City Council, where he has focused on housing affordability, police accountability, and good government work. Vasquez highlighted the impact of federal policies on immigrant and refugee rights and criticized federal actions aimed at sowing discord. He also spoke about the Chicago's Welcoming City ordinance, which prohibits Chicago police from coordinating with ICE, and encouraged community engagement through his "ward night" initiative. 

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 Eric Heineman, CEO of Windfree Solar. 

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 Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), candidate for U.S. Senate.

The fifth-term congressman discussed his commitment to holding the government accountable and fighting for underdogs. He emphasized the importance of public services like NPR, PBS, housing assistance, and Medicaid, especially for rural communities. Krishnamoorthi told WCPT that as a child, public housing and food stamps "sustained us until my father could get on his feet and then end up getting a great job in Peoria." 

He added: "I feel that we're kind of at this threshold question or moment in our country, which is, what kind of a government do we want? Do we want a government that's there for those who are fighting to make it or do we want a government that primarily caters to those who have it made? And this large, lousy law [the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump recently signed into law] represents the latter, but I know that the vast majority of people want the former. They want a country and a government that's always trying to nurture the American dream for everyone so they can realize their full potential, regardless of whether they're working poor, middle class or growing a business. That animates me every day, and quite frankly, that animates my current Senate campaign as well."

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 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for WCPT's "This Month With The Mayor" interview. 

Johnson emphasized his commitment to reducing violent crime through investments in young people, affordable housing, and mental health services. He highlighted a 40 percent increase in youth employment (with 28,893 jobs created as of Monday), and decreases in homicides (down 33 percent), shootings (down 38 percent), and shooting victims (down "over 40 percent"). Johnson also discussed the city's strategy of integrating mental health professionals into crisis response, revamping the detective division, and fulfilling his commitment to hire 200 more detectives.

The mayor spoke about the importance of people retaining and reclaiming their humanity in a democratic system. "Any society that opens itself up to surrender its humanity is how tyrants are not only birthed, but that's how they get their fuel," Johnson told Chew. "The surrendering of our humanity fuels authoritarianism, and it's why it's so critical that in this moment that we do see one another." 

Johnson slammed the Republican budget reconciliation law that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4 as "the largest shift of concentrated wealth shifted to the ultra-rich . . . in the history of our country. And I'm reminded of the words of [late Supreme Court] Justice Louis Brandeis, where he said, look, we have to make a choice; we can either have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy people, or we can have a democracy, he said, but we cannot have both. And what we're seeing from the Trump administration, and why we're pushing and fighting back so hard to defend our democracy, is because not only was this the greatest shift of concentrated wealth into the hands of the wealthy; the bill, or the law, has placed an enormous amount of resources into ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. In other words, the president of the United States of America essentially has a quasi-private security firm that is better funded than militaries across the globe."

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 Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC).

Walling discussed the severe economic and environmental impacts of the recently passed Republican budget reconciliation law. The bill, she said, could cost Illinois $16 billion in investment and 52,000 jobs. "It's going to cost jobs across the spectrum, and I am so mad," Walling said. "This is also a bill that's going to contribute millions of tons of carbon emissions to climate change, and it's going to put fossil fuels in the ground or get them powering our energy more often, in a really horrific way."

Walling emphasized the importance of state elections and legislative action, highlighting the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, which aims to strengthen Illinois' power grid, lower power bills and protect consumers from price spikes. She also talked about IEC's involvement in the Conservation Voter Movement, a partnership of more than 30 states. "We collaborate and we compete for the best outcomes for the environment," Walling said. 

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 Lindsay Owens, executive director of the economic think tank Groundwork Collaborative and author of the upcoming book “Gouged: The End of a Fair Price in America.”

Owens highlighted the think tank's focus on making the economy work for everyone, emphasizing the rising cost of living as a primary concern. She criticized corporations for profiteering during a time of inflation, citing examples like Kroger, and urged listeners to contact their representatives and use social media to voice their consumer concerns. Owens discussed the economic impact of Donald Trump's tariffs and the recently passed Republican budget reconciliation law, noting a decline in Trump's economic approval ratings, which she attributed to his policies' negative impact on living costs, including health care, food, and energy.

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 in studio by Jacob Kaplan, executive director for the Cook County Democratic Party.

Kaplan discussed the party's efforts in endorsing candidates and the upcoming slating session for the 2026 elections, including the U.S. Senate race. He highlighted challenges posed by recent federal legislation, such as increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "They're just showing up to intimidate people already here in the city," he told WCPT. "It's very concerning."

Kaplan praised Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle for their leadership and emphasized the need for authentic communication and new media strategies to connect with voters and build future Democratic leadership.

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 DaMareo Cooper, co-executive director at the Center for Popular Democracy.

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 in studio by Kimberlee Guenther, chief impact officer with United Way of Metro Chicago, on United Way’s Neighborhood Network Initiative. 

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 Page Gardner, senior political and communications strategist who founded the Voter Participation Center and the Center for Voter Information, and has recently launched Innovating for the Public Good: R&D for Democracy (IFPG). 

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.