Oh, What a Week is back! And so is Dennis! Yes, that's correct. Dr D has returned from his sojourn. And he has new wisdom which he will share. Such as...Everyone Hates Each Other. President Pritzker? Byron v Bill the Bro. The mayoral poll. Libertarians are not Republicans. And more, much more.

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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 backrooms saying--boss, don't do it. But his bite is as bad as his bite on Black people and the federal workforce. Meaning, there's no one in the backroom looking out for them.

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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 Roosevelt University and a columnist for Slate and Newsweek. His views are his own.

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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. And why LBJ is his favorite president. Alvin is the co-founder and CEO of the 2040 Strategy Group, a Democratic polling and strategic communications firm.

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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 the run down on Musk and Bezos and Andreesen and Thiel and all the other gazillionaire tech bros in Trump’s corner. AI Valley, Gary's latest book, hits book stores real soon. For more of his work, check out his website.

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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.

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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.

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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 a columnist and editorial writer for the Sun-Times. Her views are her own.

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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.

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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 very generous interpretation? Man, it’s gonna be a long four years. Monroe and Ben cover it all.

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