Houston’s Mayor John Whitmire says he knows how to deal with Boss Donnie—suck up to him. Ben riffs. And get out your paper and pencils to take notes as Ishan Daya and Julie Dworkin tell you everything you need to know about Mayor Johnson’s budget. Also a word or two about TIFs. Don’t get Ben started. Ishan and Julie are co-founders of the Institute for Public Good, a budget-analysis think tank in Chicago. 

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Trump erects a white-people-only sign on the USA. Ben riffs. Antonio Correa answers your MAGA questions. Why Latinos voted for Trump? What do they say about that now? Where is the don’t-tread-on-me-crowd when we need them? Do they really mean tread on them not me? What would he do if ICE came after him? Finally, how did he find his ocean waves? Antonio is a former Marine and a senior digital strategist for Heartland Signal. His views are his own. 

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Ben and Dr D confront a week’s worth of lunacy. Starting with…reporters giving grief to Mayor Johnson for spending property tax dollars on schools. Silly mayor, don’t you know that TIF money—which are property tax dollars— are for rich guys? Updates on the ICE invasion. Will any of the mayoral wannabes criticize Trump? Or will they pretend he doesn’t exist? And Governor Pritzker wins $1.4 million at a Vegas blackjack table. Proving, among other things, that life isn’t fair. Also, a shout out to Chickenman. He’s everywhere, he’s everywhere!

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ICE invades the Southeast Side. Ben riffs. Jen Sabella on the state of journalism in the age of Trump’s invasion of Chicago. Reporters tear gassed or shot with pellets. Officials deny what you see with your own eyes. FOIA requests ignored. Basic info withheld. In short, the Trumpers make past Chicago’s mayors—even Daley annd Rahm—look like paragons of transparency. America’s not free, if its press is shackled. Even metaphorically speaking. Jen is cofounder and executive editor of Block Club. 

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Trump sulks cause he didn’t get the Nobel for bringing “peace” to the Middle East. Ben riffs. Monroe reconsiders his opposition to Trump in the hopes of making big bucks like Steven A. Smith. Then decides—nah, too late for that. Also…the government shutdown, racist young Republicans, Democratic strategists, and the Bears and their stadium. Monroe is a longtime journalist and truth teller.

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Trump’s prosecutorial puppet prosecutes Leticia James. Ben riffs. David Faris runs down the stages of autocracy. We’re currently in the competitive authoritarianism phase. Thanks in part to John Roberts and his Supremes. Imagine a president named, oh, Pritzker behaving like Trump. The Gaza truce. David is a professor of political science at Roosevelt University and a columnist for Newsweek and The Nation.

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ICE manages to avoid Wrigley Field. Ben riffs. State senator Graciela Guzman talks about Trump’s invasion of Chicago. How Chicago is a testing ground for MAGA messaging and other interventions. Her showdown at the Broadview detention center. The crackdown on academic freedom. And more. Oh, yes—don’t call her “Sporty Spice.” Graciela represents the 20th senatorial district on the northwest side.

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Chomsky’s wisdom helps explain America’s illogical take on immigration and deportations. Ben riffs. Marc Sims explains everything all at once. Including…why Americans are so illogical about crime, immigrants, Trump’s behavior and deportations. A shout out to Atlanta. Why are Chicagoans so unfriendly? And more. Marc is a podcaster in Chicago.

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Bari Weiss hits the jackpot, showing millennials how to play the game. Ben riffs. Laurie Glenn contemplates the ability of people to find a justification to embrace policies and politicians they once abhorred. Also, the Democrats and their governmental shutdown strategy, or lack thereof. How about that kid in Texas? That is—State Senator James Talarico. A great debate about Mayor Johnson. Laurie is a political consultant and strategist.

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The Sun-Times shows much love for Alderman Marty Quinn. Ben riffs. Mark Whitaker talks about his new book, The Afterlife of Malcolm X. Which is about what the title says—how the legacy of Malcolm X lives even 60 years after his assassination. So much to discuss so little time. Why is Malcolm as relevant today as he was when he was alive? Was the FBI complicit in his murder? Why did it take so long for two men wrongfully convicted of murdering Malcolm to get exonerated? Why didn’t America care about who killed Malcolm, even as he was revered as an icon? And more…including, Mark’s riffs on Alex Haley, Dr King and Spike Lee. Mark is the former editor of Newsweek and a contributor to CBS Sunday morning.

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