Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck is joined by Steven Levitsky, the David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University, and co-author (with Daniel Ziblatt) of “How Democracies Die” and “Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point.”

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck is joined by Garrett Epps, constitutional law professor and legal affairs editor at the Washington Monthly.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck is joined by William Enyart, former Illinois congressman and former commanding general of the Illinois National Guard.

Enyart highlighted the dual roles of the National Guard: as a federal strategic reserve and a state-emergency force. He emphasized the financial and personal sacrifices of National Guard members, noting that a Private First Class earns $91 a day, far less than civilian jobs.

Enyart also criticized the politicization of the National Guard under President Donald Trump, and warned of the dangers of misusing military personnel for non-military tasks.

"Communities trust that our soldiers serve our nation, defend our nation, defend justice and democracy," he told WCPT. "They trust that a soldier's mission is to protect them, not police them. So to misuse those troops, whether we're talking about National Guard or active duty, to misuse those troops is to breach those bonds of trust, and we can't sacrifice that trust. We can't lose the soldiers' trust. We can't lose their employers' and their families' trust for bagging trash in Washington, D.C."

Enyart continued: "All it would take would be one officer giving the wrong command, or one soldier making a mistake and opening up with these high-powered rifles, and we've seen what these high-powered rifles can do in schools and in a crowded situation. These are combat weapons. These are military weapons. So that very much concerns me.  The National Guard has worked decades to build its reputation. We provided more than half of the combat power in Iraq. We have been to every hurricane, we've been to tornadoes, we've been to floods, and we have aided our communities and help protect our communities, and that's the mission of the Guard. The mission of the Guard is not to be carrying loaded weapons on city streets for political purposes, because the president needs a distraction from from the woes of his administration."

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Chicago playwright Zayd Ayers Dohrn. “Revolution(s),” the new musical he collaborated on with Tom Morello, is playing at the Goodman through November 9.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Adam Mockler, YouTube content creator and podcaster. 

Please note: the interview begins in progress.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan. 

Stevens discussed her introduction of articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading misinformation and halting cancer research. "And this is all coming at the expense of Americans' health and safety," she told WCPT. "I called for clarity. I called for him to resign. He's not doing it, so I am taking the steps to introduce these articles of impeachment."

On day nine of the government shutdown, Stevens talked about the "ballooning cost of living crisis" in America. "What has happened with health care is unconscionable," she said, referring to the Republican Party's refusal, thus far, to negotiate with Democrats to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. "The fact that a family of four at $125,000 a year could see their health care costs go up to $7,700 -- that is real money. . . . And Americans, their health, their safety, they cannot afford these health care hikes; they will lose their health care. You absolutely are seeing Republicans fracturing and fumbling around, whether it's being spoken about. They're on the wrong side of this issue." 

Stevens addressed the inflationary impact of Donald Trump's tariffs and talked about her summer "Made in Michigan" campaign tour, where she visited businesses, manufacturers and farmers across the state. 

Speaking on the day that the Trump administration announced a peace deal between Israel and Gaza, Stevens expressed hope for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. "But right now, we're in a most intense moment, wondering if it will hold," she said.  

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show:
– Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
– Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom
– Adam Mockler, YouTube content creator and podcaster
– Chicago playwright Zayd Ayers Dohrn; "Revolution(s)," the new musical he collaborated on with Tom Morello, is playing at the Goodman through November 9 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, John St. Augustine is joined by Bill Kurtis, retired news anchor and author of “Whirlwind: My Life Reporting the News.”

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, John St. Augustine shared the interview he recorded with Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away October 1. 

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Joan Esposito is joined by Sarah Lipton-Lubet, president of Take Back the Court Action Fund. 

Lipton-Lubet discussed the organization's mission to reform the Supreme Court. Founded in 2018 amidst concerns about the court's anti-democracy tendencies, the group employs various strategies, including legislation, lobbying, and public awareness campaigns. Lipton-Lubet emphasized the need for Supreme Court expansion to counteract the current conservative majority, which has been in power for nearly 60 years, despite Democratic presidential victories. She highlighted the court's recent actions on the so-called shadow docket, such as enabling racial profiling and undermining independent agencies, and called for Congress to act on court reforms, including term limits and seat expansion.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.