The Rick Smith Show

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show Rick kicks off with investigative reporter Greg Palast, who exposes the “real story” behind the FBI raid on Fulton County, Atlanta, arguing it’s less about 2020 and more about Trump’s fixation on his loss as a pretext to supercharge voter suppression against Black and brown communities in future elections. Palast previews his film, Vigilantes Inc.: America’s...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show Rick opens with Dan Herman, senior director for national security, accountability, and reform at the Center for American Progress, to unpack CAP’s new report, “The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans.” They walk through how DHS has been weaponized in Minneapolis and why Democrats are demanding oversight, investigations, and st...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show Rick dives deep into Minneapolis' labor uprising against ICE terror and street violence. First up, acclaimed labor journalist Steven Greenhouse unpacks the federal crackdown's toll on workers, from raids disrupting work sites to the latest police killing fueling outrage. He details how Minnesota unions are channeling George Floyd-era militancy into a...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show Rick talks with labor attorney David Borer, breaking down the chilling ICE crackdowns in Minneapolis, the workers caught in the middle, and what legal and constitutional tools unions and communities still have to fight back. Later, Rick is joined by Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, President of the Minnesota Regional Labor Federation, to lay out how organized labor i...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick opens the show wrestling with ICE’s execution of Alex Pretti. He digs into the human cost, challenging “law and order” narratives and demanding accountability from the politicians who hide behind them. Later, he’s joined by Sarah Burris, Senior Editor at AlterNet, to break down ICE abuse, runaway immigration enforcement, and the latest police killing on...

On this episode Rick is joined by Social Security Works Alex Lawson and Labor Historian Erik Loomis. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Bucknell economics professor Matias Vernengo to break down Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos and sketch out what a world dominated by nationalist economics and the dismantling of 20th-century alliances might actually look like for workers and democracy. Later, historian Erik Loomis returns to explore talk of sending...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick Smith looks back at the nightmare that has been Year One of Trump’s second presidency—chaos, cruelty, and the constant distractions working people can’t afford. Rick also breaks down Trump’s latest wild message about Greenland and what it says about the priorities of this administration. Then Rick is joined by Aretha Morgan, a striking pediatric ER nurs...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick Smith digs into the weekend’s biggest political chaos with Sarah Burris, senior editor at AlterNet. From Trump floating the idea of sending troops to Minneapolis, to new tariff threats aimed at allies over Greenland, Rick and Sarah break down what it all means and why the instability never stops. Then Rick is joined by Natalie Baker, Director of Economi...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick Smith breaks down the chaos and consequences of Trump’s so-called “Great Health Care Plan” with Laura Packard, founder of Voices of Health Care Action. Rick and Laura dig into what the administration’s promises really mean for working families, rising costs, and access to care. Then, Rick is joined by Michael Sainato, labor reporter at The Guardian, to...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick Smith takes on the myth that “everything was cheaper under Trump.” Rick is joined by Margaret Poydock, Senior Policy Analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, to break down EPI’s new report, 47 Ways Trump Made Life Unaffordable, exposing how Trump-era policies drove up costs for working families. Later, legendary labor journalist Steven Greenhouse joins...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by David Janovsky, Acting Director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), to unpack the FBI’s controversial handling of the investigation into the killing of Renee Good and explore real avenues for holding ICE and federal law enforcement accountable within a system seemingly designed to shield them. Later, R...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick checks in with Mother Jones freelance journalist Amanda Moore for an on-the-ground update from Minneapolis, where ICE operations are ramping up and Border Patrol’s presence is intensifying tensions in neighborhoods already on edge. Amanda explains how everyday encounters are escalating into chaos as residents and activists track federal agents through t...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Sarah Burris, Senior Editor at AlterNet, to dig into the latest turmoil in Venezuela, the political battles in Minnesota, and the broader chaos defining the Trump administration’s agenda. Sarah connects the dots between foreign adventurism and domestic dysfunction. Later, NC-9 congressional candidate and 24-year Army veteran Rich Ojeda talk...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Craig Harrington, Research Director at Media Matters, to unpack the frantic “justification gymnastics” inside MAGA world as right-wing media scrambles to sell its latest talking points on Trump’s Venezuela adventure. Craig breaks down how the narrative keeps shifting to protect the former president. Later, Virginia Burger, former active-dut...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Emily de La Bruyère, co-founder of Horizon Advisory, about how China’s leaders must be ecstatic watching the United States chase every distraction as Trump abducts Venezuela’s president and shifts focus away from Beijing’s long-term strategy. Emily unpacks the geopolitical stakes and what U.S. inattention means for global power. Later, Ed Wyt...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by economist Francisco Rodríguez, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and author of The Collapse of Venezuela, to unpack the roots of Venezuela’s economic implosion and the scorched‑earth politics that paved the way for today’s crisis. Then investigative journalist Greg Palast steps in to dig into Donald Trump...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Sarah Burris, Senior Digital Editor at Alternet, about Donald Trump’s recent cognitive test spectacle and the explosive reporting around a planned U.S. invasion of Venezuela. Later, former Obama OSHA official Jordan Barab joins the conversation to break down the Trump administration’s effort to roll back workplace safety rules, arguing that l...

Last new show of 2025 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, about the devastating consequences of Speaker Mike Johnson blocking a vote to extend ACA subsidies and why it could hit working families hardest. Lawson also reacts to Donald Trump’s vile, tone-deaf response to the murder of Rob Reiner. Later, Aurelia Glass, policy analyst with the Ame...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick calls out the disgraceful response from Donald Trump following the death of Rob Reiner and his wife, exposing a complete lack of decency and reminding listeners that the GOP continues to mirror his cruelty and moral collapse. Later, Lori Wallach, director of Rethink Trade, joins Rick to break down Trump’s economic failures, soaring trade deficits, crumb...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick sits down with Morris Pearl, Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires, to unpack how private equity is dismantling America’s economy from the inside out, destroying jobs, gutting communities, and enriching a powerful few. They explore what real reform could look like and how policy can protect workers instead of profit hoarders. Later, Sarah Burris, Senior E...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Laura Packard, founder of Voices of Health Care Action, about the Senate’s failure to act as millions brace for massive spikes in health insurance premiums. Packard lays out what rising costs will mean for working families and why lawmakers are ignoring a looming crisis. Later, Rick Heldreth, Mid-Atlantic Region Vice President of the AFGE Cou...

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Will Bunch, national columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, about the growing resistance to ICE raids and the fear, disruption, and community pushback unfolding across the country as federal agents escalate harassment tactics. Later, Randy Landreneau, President of US Inventor, joins Rick to explain how America’s patent system—originally des...