The Ben Joravsky Show

As we prepare to record, word breaks of senseless slaughter at a Chanukah festival in Australia. Ben riffs. State Representative Kam Buckner joins him. Ensuing topics include Hoosier redistricting, head tax v property tax, transit bill and Bears beat Browns to set up next week’s game against Packers. Kam loves the Bears DGAF attitude. A few words about park district bologna sandwiches. Kam is a st...

A federal grand jury says sorry, Donnie when it comes to prosecuting Letitia James. Ben riffs. And Maya returns! To talk about her epic profile of Cook County Judge Timothy Evans, one of the most important local politicians in recent history. He went from Machine alderman to Mayor Washington’s floor leader to one of the reasons Richard M Daley got elected mayor to Chief Judge and the unlikely crim...

Michael Madigan goes Blago—pleading with Trump for mercy. Ben riffs. Monroe considers the case of Mamdani. When should Dems defer to Trump? Should Mayor Johnson be more like Mamdani? And what to make about Trump’s hate of Somalia? A few words about Brian Glenn, MTG’s boyfriend, who’s torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

Trump ends the War on Drugs for those who kiss his ass. Ben riffs. Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle takes us from A to Z on recent US policy toward Honduras. Starting with the coup of 2009 and continuing to Trump’s commutation of Juan Orlando Hernandez’s sentence for drug trafficking. It’s a sickening spectacle. Matt is an interpreter and human rights activist.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

MAGA weighs in on bombing boats and killing people in the Caribbean. Ben riffs. Sarah Bingaman—Western Illinois’s voice of the people—returns to describe the challenge of building a Democratic base in rural Illinois. You have to listen to people. Don’t be needlessly argumentative. You’d be surprised by what you have in common. And for goodness sakes, don’t assume you will lose—you can win! Sarah i...

A NYT headline about Obamacare is absurd even by NYT standards. Ben riffs. David Faris defends the voters, sorta. He covers Trump’s gas guzzling energy policy and Trump’s get rid of healthcare policy. Also, a few words about Hegseth, Fox News and what’s it gonna take to win an election. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his...

Ben & Dr D decide it’s time to tell you what you need to know. Including…what gas station in Springfield squeezes the most money from the suckers who play video gambling. Hint…it’s not Quick ‘n Easy. There’s got to be a better way to pay for our obligations than soaking suckers. On to Chicago…a crew of Mayor Rahm flunkies try to scare voters against Mayor Johnson by invoking the name of Byron...

Want Boss Donnie to do whatever you want him to do? It’s easy. Just call him—Your excellency. Ben riffs. Laurie Glenn does not hold back—extended riffs on this age of hate and madness and the need to stand strong. Hear that, Dems? On a personal note—her 30-year fight against cancer. There is no courage without fear. And all power to Jewish girls with long, curly hair. Laurie is a political activis...

The “reformers” tag team with the Bright One to keep TIF money out of our schools. Ben riffs. Mueze Bawany delivers his takes on Mayors Mamdani and Johnson. Why Trump likes one but not the other. Hint…it’s cause one is a “model minority” and the other is not. Trump’s anti-Blackness. A close-out riff on the Bears, including a bold prediction for Sunday’s Packers game. Mueze is an activist, high sch...

It’s one battle after another in the fight against fascism. Ben riffs. Paul Nolley talks about running for Congress against MAGA man Darrin LaHood. The issues are jobs, health care and SNAP. Just like in Chicago. It’s time Dems stop conceding rural voters to MAGA. Paul is the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 16th district.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...

Bubba and Donnie share Epstein’s love. Ben riffs. Joshua Smyser-De Leon talks everything Bad Bunny. Who he is. Why he’s great. His role in Puerto Rican politics. Where he fits on the Mt Rushmore of Puerto Rican musicians. And why his selection as the Super Bowl halftime performer blows MAGA’s collective little brain. Joshua hosts The Paseo Podcast.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.c...

The Trump administration tries to figure out its stance on whether swastikas are bad. Ben riffs. Pat Whalen explains how everything in contemporary politics is like a scene from One Battle After Another. Oh, yes—Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! And thank you Paul Thomas Anderson for directing and writing such a great movie. Ben and Pat geek out over their favorite scenes. Finally, what to do if your...

A Thanksgiving day thanks, Chicago for standing strong. Ben riffs Michael Horton returns to talk about growing up around Cabrini and playing and coaching basketball and confronting and overcoming demons. No pun intended. Skeet’s is a CPS high school guidance counselor and basketball coach and author of Hoop ‘til It Hurts, his newly published book.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv...

The country that elected Trump also elected Obama—how is that possible? Ben riffs. Denali Dasgupta adds her thoughts to that conundrum. “We don’t live there anymore.” The there in that sentence being America in the age of Obama. Denali tells you what you need to know about Trump’s $2,000 health care scam. Ben tells the story of how Studs Terkel got kicked out of a Chicago public library. And a Tha...

What’s the news across the nation? Ben and Dr D offer this…Congress rebukes Chuy, Brad Schneider weighs in, El Dragon breaks the Bubbagate story and Governor Pritzker has a busy week, dropping $25M on his re-election campaign, throwing Mayor Johnson’s head tax under a bus and hanging with the pope. Not even the pope can save the Sox. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California P...

If you can overlook the pain and cruelty Trump’s inflicting on the people he hates, life in MAGA America is absurdly, darkly and perversely funny. Sorta. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson—America’s foremost authority on white people—helps Ben make sense of Epsteingate. Good luck with that. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-no...

The city council makes its big stand defending rich people. Sigh. Ben riffs. Miguel Alvelo-Rivera explains why he’s running for state representative, why we need progressive taxation and why he still has faith in the people. And Ben explains why he, Ben, is not cynical even though so many people say he is. Stick around for Miguel’s exposition on Boricua en la Luna by Juan Antonio Corretjer—song by...

Mark Epstein clarifies—the bubba Trump blew was not Bill Clinton. Well, that’s good to know. Ben riffs. Steve Krafft returns with an update from swing state land, aka, Arizona. Hear the latest on Democrats chances to oust MAGA. Right now Steve says it’s about 50-50 that our fragile democracy survives. Steve is a longtime political reporter and a member of the Nichols Jr High Quiz Bowl Hall of Fame...

MTG talks big, then capitulates to Trump. Ben riffs. Mick Dumke offers up some Bible lessons and then takes off on Trump’s propaganda blitz. Bovino’s Rambo shtick. Pritzker’s mixed message to resisters. And a few words of love in memory of Tony Adler. Mick is an editor and writer for Block Club.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.co...

Epstein’s emails confirm what we already knew about Trump. Ben riffs. Evanston’s Mayor Daniel Biss covers almost every topic. Including…why he’s running for Congress, as opposed to staying on as mayor. What he thinks about AIPAC, Israel, Mamdani, the Democratic filibuster busters, and the role local law enforcement plays in dealing with ICE. Hint—time to indict the ICE lawbreakers. Daniel is runni...

One little snowfall and ICE is suddenly leaving Chicago for warmer climes. Ben riffs. Kalman Resnick explains the legal fight he’s waging on behalf of Chicagoans swept off the street by ICE’s masked and armed goon squad. Most notably, his case on behalf of Ruben Torres Maldonado, whose daughter is undergoing cancer treatment. And Diana Santillana Galeano, the teacher snatched from a north side day...

Dems cave to Trump—or did they? Ben riffs. Charles Henderson talks about the struggle to convince people to vote Democrat, knowing that push come to shove the Dems part of the Democratic Party will let them down. Also…Trump’s VA cuts. Are boomers worthless? Mamdani and the Black vote. And Charles turns the tables and asks Ben a tricky Mayor Rahm question. Charles is an Army vet and peace activist...

Trump appeals a judge’s SNAP ruling. Ben riffs. David Faris gives the good and bad news from Tuesday’s elections. The good news—America hate Trump. The bad news—he’s still in charge. Also, envy as a political force. Americans are philosophical conservatives and policy liberals. What if SNAP were like Social Security—open to all? Would Donnie and Musk take it? You know they would. David is a politi...

Ben and Dr D pull themselves away from watching the Bulls long enough to talk about a week’s worth of news, including…Chuygate! Congressman Jesus Garcia pulls a move so outrageous it has Ben and the Tribune seeing eye to eye. Also, the gift room returns. And should JB apologize for cussing out Boss Donnie? Ben says—fuck no! Oh my goodness—we’re so sorry for that outburst of profanity! And more… Se...

In one stupendous night, Dems crush Donnie and Bulls win—Ben’s cup runneth over. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson joins the celebration. Talking about Mamdani, Sherrill, Spanberger and Prop 50. Also, some love for JB, Kwame and Brandon. Monroe weighs in on Chuygate—“it’s not playing fair, it’s playing to win.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...