On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Philly Inquirer national columnist Will Bunch about his recent newsletter article, “It Didn’t Take a Reichstag Fire to Burn Down Congress.” Bunch examines how democratic institutions are being eroded without an overt crisis, comparing the paralysis and partisan obstruction in Congress to authoritarian tactics, including Speaker Johnson’s shutdown maneuvers and Trump’s disregard for checks and balances. The discussion focuses on the failure of American government to hold leaders accountable, protect oversight, and uphold democratic norms, raising urgent questions about the future of democracy in the United States as attacks on core institutions accelerate.​

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On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick welcomes Monica Cary, Pennsylvania State Director of Solar United Neighbors. Monica explains why electricity prices are surging and households are seeing a massive spike, adding to their monthly bills and emphasizes the need for smarter energy policies and better access to community solar solutions for Pennsylvanians. Later, Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, joins Rick to discuss Trump’s gaudy North MAGA Lago ballroom construction, dissecting its cost and symbolism, while sounding the alarm about ongoing threats and attacks on social security programs that millions of Americans rely on for their retirement and well-being.​

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On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick welcomes labor historian Erik Loomis to discuss Project Firewall and the disturbing, retro-styled images recently released by the Department of Labor. Loomis critiques the images as eerily nostalgic for a 1940s–1950s America that never existed, reflecting a vision that excludes people of color and marginalizes today’s diverse working class. Later, Sam Newton, Communications Director for the Democratic Governors Association, joins the show to analyze the high-stakes gubernatorial races coming up in New Jersey and Virginia, outlining the key issues and strategies shaping those contests as voters prepare to head to the polls.

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In this Rick Smith Show episode, Rick discusses a new Rutgers Policy Lab study exposing how corporate ownership of residential rental properties is surging in cities like Trenton, transforming neighborhoods into digital company towns and squeezing renters. Bucknell economics professor Matias Vernengo joins to analyze the return of these “company town” dynamics, revealing how corporate consolidation shifts control and undermines housing affordability for working families. Later, Raw Story reporter Sarah Burris covers Trump’s $200 or $250 or $300 million White House ballroom fiasco, the administration’s bombing of fishing boats branded as “narco-terrorism,” and Trump’s latest tax shakedown efforts targeting everyday Americans.​

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On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick welcomes author Chuck Collins to discuss his new book Burned by Billionaires, exposing how extreme wealth concentrations destabilize democracy and working communities. AFGE District 3 Vice President Phil Glover then joins to unpack President Trump’s recent federal worker firings and their impact on public service morale. Finally, Rick examines Senator John Fetterman’s evolving stances on labor, foreign policy, and his post-Washington activism, tying together the episode’s focus on accountability, solidarity, and the struggle for economic fairness.​

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Rick dives into labor and politics in this episode of The Rick Smith Show. He talks with Jackson Potter, Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union, about the “No Kings Rally” and the growing worker led pushback against corporate greed. Then, Eugene DePasquale, Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, joins to discuss the upcoming PA Supreme Court retention vote and what Democrats must do, post No Kings, to reconnect with working class voters. Together, they explore how unions, grassroots movements, and political strategy intersect in the fight for fairness, dignity, and real democracy in America’s workplaces and ballot boxes.

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On The Rick Smith Show, Rick breaks down the “No Kings” Rally with Richard Hooker, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 623, who shares how working people are powering a nationwide movement demanding economic justice and democracy over greed and monarchy-style politics. Hooker spotlights the solidarity, struggle, and hope fueling union action coast to coast. Later, John Logan, Professor of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joins to analyze the broader meaning of the rallies and their historic connection to labor’s fight for equality and power. It’s an episode all about courage, community, and reclaiming America for workers.

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On The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with labor attorney David Borer about the “No Kings” Rally—where working people, unions, and democracy defenders unite to reject authoritarianism and corporate greed. Borer breaks down the legal and moral stakes of protecting worker power in the face of rising inequality. Later, Raw Story reporter Sarah Burris joins to unpack the political shockwaves following George Santos’ sentence being commuted, the growing “No Kings” movement, and the GOP’s obsession with victimhood. It’s a fiery, fact-filled episode calling out hypocrisy, celebrating solidarity, and pushing for an America that puts workers first.

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