The Rick Smith Show

December 6, 2024 The CEO of United Healthcare was murdered yesterday in a targeted attack, and every CEO in America should take notice of the fact that there is really no outrage about it. Some are even defending the act, and wondering out loud if it might be self-defense. After all, it would be very hard to find anyone who kills Americans with greater frequency and efficiency than a CEO. This and...

December 5, 2024 As many listeners know, recent tragedy has put Rick and the Smith family in full conflict with our healthcare system - not the people doing the actual work, but the system that controls them and often takes away their ability to do what needs to be done. And in the next four years, the system is going to get so much worse. We discuss this and more with Alex Lawson of Social Securi...

December 4, 2024 The title pretty much says it all. In this election, people voted their anger, and they voted for chaos, and chaos is what we are all going to get. We are joined by longtime friend of the show and former Republican Congressman Bob Ney to discuss how the GOP can keep Trump from acting on his worst impulses, or if the party even intends to try. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free S...

December 3, 2024 Everyone is screeching about what the Trump team is doing, and Trump hasn't even taken power yet. And while the outrage economy will boom for the next four years, we as a nation are sure to decline. It may get better someday, but before then, it is going to get so so so much worse. Our guest today is Sarah Burris, Reporter at Raw Story. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Spe...

November 26, 2024 The Trump Administration is not even in office yet, and the theft has already begun. The Louisiana GOP has fired the first shot, cutting taxes for the rich and paying for it by raising taxes on everyone else. There's a lot more of this to come, but at least Sarah Burris of Raw Story and former US Congressman Bob Ney are here to tell us more about it, and what we can do about...

November 25, 2024 Let's face it: We voted angry. It was an angry election. And if the country is anything like a person, then making decisions while angry can have some serious consequences. In today's episode, we speak to Doug Jones, the former US Senator and who, not all that long ago, turned an Alabama Senate seat blue. We'll talk about what happened, and what is likely to happen no...

November 22, 2024 It's that time of the year again - the time when we shine a spotlight on one of the only debt-free ways to achieve the American Dream. For decades, union apprenticeship programs have been lifting up the working class and feeding families from coast to coast. Today's guests are John LeConche from LIUNA and Scott Paul of The Alliance for American Manufacturing. Don’t miss o...

November 20, 2024 America is feeling the effects of a giant case of buyer's remorse as the Trump administration, which hasn't even taken power yet, is throwing its support behind some of the worst characters on the hard right wing of American politics, appointing them to some of the most powerful roles in government. Our guests today are Economic Professor Matias Vernengo and former GOP Co...

November 19, 2024 The Trump administration has starting making its appointment to the most critical roles in our government ... but its choices have people scratching their heads. A vaccine denier in charge of public health? A climate denier in charge of the EPA? A Russian asset as the Director of National Intelligence? Every pick seems to be designed to do the opposite of its job. And that's...

November 13, 2024 There's no stopping it now. Trump will take office, and working families will suffer as a result. And with the Democratic establishment all but useless in the years to come, we will have to find our own way out of the mess our betters have made. We discuss this and more with Michael Mechanic of Mother Jones and Rich Ojeda, host of "Ojeda Live." Don’t miss our daily TV...

November 12, 2024 Now that the looming disaster is becoming real for our political class, we are beginning to hear all the reasons why one side lost and the other won. And predictably, the left is eating itself, casting blame and talking about how this all happened. The reasons are simple to understand, and that's what we'll be talking to our guests about. We are joined by former Congressm...

November 8, 2024 In the aftermath of a terrible election night, we sit down with two experts who are both gearing up for the fight that lies ahead. We speak with Will Bunch of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Alex lawson of Social Security Works. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV:  www.freespeech.org Find us on: ·      DirecTV (Channel 348) ·      Dish (Channel 9415) ·      Sling ·     ...

November 7, 2024 Hello friends. This episode was recorded late Tuesday night, as things were starting to develop, but before the outcome was certain, so forgive the inaccuracies and hopeful talk. We spoke with our favorite political analyst Bob Ney, and also with digital strategist David Yankovich. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV:  www.freespeech.org Find us on: ·      DirecTV (Chan...

November 6, 2024 Today we spend our hour with two of our favorite guests: Sarah Burris of Raw Story and former GOP Congressman Bob Ney. Each brings a unique perspective to the race, and to the state of America as a whole. As we await the numbers to come, we'll discuss the importance of this race for working people and their futures. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV:  www.freespee...

November 5, 2024 Today is the day. We've done all the campaigning; we've done all the door knocking; now it's time to vote, and to choose the future we are going to share. Our guests today are President Jimmy Williams of The International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, and Richard Hooker of The Teamsters. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV:  www.freespeech.org Find...

November 4, 2024 As we all get ready to head to the polls (though it looks like a record number of us have voted early) we are faced with the choice between two very different Americas. Hope vs. Hate might be a tired cliche', but it is also an accurate one. Join us as we discuss the stakes of this election with guests from the Puerto Rican community, and from some of our good friends in labor...

November 1, 2024 While Trump's base is comprised mainly of rural working class voters who hate government and want to destroy it, ironically, these same voters are the ones most heavily dependent on the very government that are trying to destroy. We discuss this and more with Bucknell University Economics Professor Matias Vernengo and Scott Paul of The Alliance for American Manufacturing. Don’...

October 31, 2024 At one of his recent hate rallies, Donald Trump told the crowd that he and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson have what he calls "a little secret" that is going to ensure Trump tales power after Election Day. It's no secret - he's going to try to cheat, and he's going to try to get his minions to cause as much chaos as possible. We discuss this and more with Car...

October 30, 2024 The campaigns are making their final arguments, and those final arguments are very different. We discuss the rage-filled right and the hopeful left as the campaigns close in on Election Day. Our guests are Josh Zivalich of the Teamsters and former GOP Congressman Bob Ney. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV:  www.freespeech.org Find us on: ·      DirecTV (Channel 348) ·...

October 29, 2024 The Washington Post, like Teamsters President Sean O'Brien has decided to ignore its duty by not endorsing a candidate in this Presidential campaign, and we're getting tired of all the blatant and self-serving cowardice. WAPO, like O'Brien, is currying favor with anti-American forces, and that simply won't do. We discuss this and more with Sarah Burris of Raw Story...

October 28, 2024 As Election Day draws closer and closer, Republican leaders and Trump's own former cabinet members are sharpening their attacks against Trump, and for good reason. They are telling us, loud and clear, that Trump is a threat to democracy, and a threat to the American way of life. But will we listen? We discuss this and more with Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Te...

October 24, 2024 In America, division has replaced discourse, and that's bad for everyone. Before this change, people could argue, even argue aggressively, but still maintain respect for their patriotic opposition. So what happened? Did we all just become less agreeable, or did one side of the argument truly abandon patriotism, as many believe they have? We discuss this and more with Scott Pau...

October 23, 2024 For some reason we can't quite understand, the American people seem to have a fictional understanding of the economy and the policies that are good and bad for an economy. This leads many to base the actions, and often their votes, on beliefs that do not in any way align with reality. This is the only way to explain why anyone would think Republicans are better at managing the...

October 22, 2024 Trump loves to play dress up, especially when it makes him look like a working-class guy. His most recent stunt was to close down a Pennsylvania McDonalds so he could serve burgers and fries to pre-screened actors pretending to be customers. It's all just part of the grift, and we discuss this and more with former GOP Congressman Bob Ney and Journalist Sarah Burris of raw Stor...

October 21, 2024 Election Day is coming, and both campaigns are making their closing arguments. One side is telling us how they want to help the working class, and the other is telling us why we should hate the working class. Not a difficult choice, or so it would seem. We discuss this and more with Kevin Moore of The Teamsters and Dian Roy Smith of AFSCME. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Spe...