Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram.
You're listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for February 20, 2026.
0:30 Today, we reflect on the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson — civil rights leader, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, two-time presidential candidate, and a man who undeniably shaped America’s political and cultural conversation for decades.
But the debate today isn’t about whether he mattered.
It’s about whether he meets the historic threshold for one of the nation’s highest ceremonial honors: lying in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
After Mike Johnson declined a request to grant that distinction, critics cried partisanship. We slow the conversation down and ask a deeper question: What is the standard? The Rotunda is reserved for figures deemed central to the constitutional story of the United States — a rare honor previously extended to individuals such as Rosa Parks, Billy Graham, and even Pierre Charles L'Enfant.
So where is the line between influence and national consensus? Between impact and constitutional significance?
We discuss Jackson’s contributions, his controversies, and the broader principle at stake: preserving the Rotunda as sacred civic space — not a stage for popularity or partisanship.
9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know.
- The US Supreme Court struck down President Trump's use of Tariffs without congressional authorization.
- The United States and Indonesia finalized a bilateral trade agreement today that will lower tariffs between the two countries to 19%.
- Jesse Jackson's body will not lie in state under the Capital Rotunda.Jackson's family had requested that his body be allowed to lie in state, but that request was denied by Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson.
12:30 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.
13:00 The Supreme Court of the United States handed down a 6–3 decision striking down President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Court made clear: that particular statute can’t be used as the vehicle for those tariffs.
But that didn’t end the story.
Within hours, the administration pivoted — announcing a new 10% tariff under the Trade Act of 1974, a separate law that explicitly grants the president temporary tariff authority. In fact, even members of the Court noted there are other statutory paths available.
So what are we witnessing — constitutional chaos or constitutional chess?
16:00 We got a question for the American Mamas: “I’m so glad I grew up in the ’80s. How can you keep up with all the trends today?”
It sparks a lively (and hilarious) walk down memory lane as Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson join us to compare the universal “just knew it” culture of the 1980s with today’s lightning-fast, social-media-driven world. From slang that changes overnight to the pressure of documenting everything online, we explore how growing up before smartphones may have been a hidden blessing.