The Rick Smith Show

Rick Smith welcomes Rutgers lecturer Mark Weber, who analyzes Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters’ dramatic push to put Turning Point USA chapters in every school—a move hailed as a major MAGA initiative but fraught with controversy over politicizing education in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death. Weber highlights resistance from local educators and questions the long-term impact. Brent Booke...

Rick Smith sits down with Stuart Appelbaum, president of RWDSU, to unpack the impact of President Trump’s inflationary spiral and flawed tariff policy on working families. Appelbaum addresses the White House’s latest anti-labor moves and highlights how solidarity helped return Jimmy Kimmel to late-night TV. Rick reflects on Trump, the “unitarian executive” racing toward unprecedented attacks on in...

Rick Smith talks with Raw Story’s Sarah Burris about the packed, emotional Kirk memorial, where conservatives, led by President Trump, hailed Charlie Kirk as a martyr and vowed to carry his work forward. Burris explores the right’s push to make Kirk an enduring symbol of their movement. Then, Randi Weingarten, president of AFT, joins to discuss her new book “Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Educ...

Rick is joined by Jon Schleuss, President of The NewsGuild-CWA, and Matthew Cunningham-Cook, reporter with the Center for Media and Democracy, to examine the Trump administration’s ongoing assault on journalism and the free press. Schleuss highlights the heightened threats facing reporters, the erosion of press freedoms, and the dangers posed to democracy when truth-tellers are targeted. Cunningha...

Rick speaks with Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, about Trump allies exploiting Charlie Kirk’s murder to silence dissent and weaponize grief against perceived enemies. Alex unpacks how this moment reveals the right’s broader strategy to intimidate opposition while avoiding accountability. Later, Pennsylvania State Representative Napoleon Nelson, Chair of the Legislative Bl...

On today’s Rick Smith Show, Rick covers the top stories affecting working people, exposing political and economic challenges in real time. With expert guests and direct, honest analysis, Rick highlights major headlines often neglected by corporate media. The show gives working-class listeners the news and perspective they need to navigate complex issues and fight for their rights.   Don’t miss our...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick calls for refocusing the conversation on a working-class message as mainstream media fixates on division, especially in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s murder. Will Rice, Policy Consultant with Americans for Tax Fairness, joins to break down the coming introduction of the Billionaire Income Tax Act and what it means for economic fairness. Later, Sara St...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick explores the fallout from the death of Charlie Kirk and how the reaction is shaping discourse across America’s college campuses. Raw Story reporter Sarah Burris joins to discuss the media narratives and the political exploitation surrounding the tragedy. Bucknell University Professor Matias Vernengo provides perspective on how campuses, already battlegr...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick reflects on the shocking tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s murder and how moments of violence deepen America’s divides. He shares memories of 9/11, recalling the horror of that day and how the aftermath reshaped the nation, fueling extremism and pushing the country down a darker path. Rick also opens up about the approaching anniversary of his wife’s near-fatal...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick digs into the latest jobs numbers revision with Sara Estep, economist at the Center for American Progress, who explains what the data reveals about the sinking Trump economy and the widening struggles for working families. Together, they uncover how the administration’s rosy rhetoric hides deep economic pain. Later, Jill Manrique, Executive Director of...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick discusses the troubling rise of authoritarianism in America and sheds light on “Operation Midway Blitz,” a push that threatens working people and democracy alike. Lisa Graves of True North Research joins to expose the dangers of unchecked power and the erosion of accountability under Trump. Later, Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick breaks down Trump’s so-called “winning economy” as job numbers continue to collapse since his so-called “liberation day,” exposing a reality far from the promises. Rick examines the administration’s desperate distractions, from bizarre conspiracy claims that Trump once snitched for the FBI in the Epstein case to inflammatory memes portraying an “Apocaly...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by veteran labor reporter Steven Greenhouse to discuss the state of work and organizing in America after Labor Day, as Donald Trump attacks unions while claiming to champion American workers. LIUNA Vice President Mike Hellstrom previews the upcoming New York City Labor Day Parade and highlights labor’s broader push to restore power to working...

On this episode of the Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with historian Peter Cole, Ph. D., Professor at Western Illinois University and Co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project, about Donald Trump’s deployment of troops in Washington, D.C., and threats to send them to Chicago and Baltimore. Cole lays out the troubling historical parallel of National Guard units breaking strike...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Army veteran and Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah to discuss the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, DC, highlighting concerns over militarization and the message it sends to American citizens. Shah draws on his experience to critique the use of soldiers for political purposes. Later, Raw Story reporter Sarah Burris returns to brea...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick marks Labor Day with a hard look at Trump’s relentless attacks on working people and unions, highlighting how his policies undermine jobs, wages, and worker protections. Rick also calls out the shortsightedness of Trump’s decision to stop the Revolution Wind project and stall other clean energy investments that created thousands of good-paying union jobs. Joining the c...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with David Madland, Senior Fellow at the American Worker Project, about Trump’s abysmal record on labor, from attacking collective bargaining to siding with corporate interests while workers bear the costs. Madland highlights how these policies weaken unions and strip away protections for working families. Later in the show, former NLRB General Counsel Jennifer A...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick speaks with retired Army Major and NC-9 Congressional candidate Rich Ojeda about Trump’s controversial executive order criminalizing flag burning and the President’s unsettling decision to deploy National Guard soldiers into U.S. cities. Ojeda underscores the dangers these actions pose to constitutional freedoms and democracy. In the second half, economics professor Ma...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Guardian labor reporter Michael Sainato to discuss Trump’s shutdown of the Revolution Wind project, his broader assault on the National Labor Relations Board, and how these actions further enrich the CEO class, which already enjoys a staggering 632-to-1 pay advantage over workers. The conversation underscores corporate power’s tightening grip at the expens...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick speaks with labor attorney David Borer about the recent 5th Circuit Court decision declaring the National Labor Relations Board’s structure unconstitutional after 90 years, a ruling with major implications for workers’ rights and union protections. The conversation underscores the assault on institutions meant to safeguard the working class. Later, Sarah Burris of Raw...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick highlights James from Seven Hills, Ohio, who was fired for eating leftover chicken and a fruit cup on the job, an act monitored, likely by AI, until it reached a threshold for criminal charges. Rick stresses how this harsh treatment reflects the double standard working people face, punished for salvaging food destined for the trash while CEOs and corporate criminals ro...

On the Rick Smith Show, Rick speaks with labor attorney David Borer about the recent 5th Circuit Court decision declaring the National Labor Relations Board’s structure unconstitutional after 90 years, a ruling with major implications for workers’ rights and union protections. The conversation underscores the assault on institutions meant to safeguard the working class. Later, Sarah Burris of Raw...

On the Rick Smith Show, Amy Hanauer, Executive Director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, discusses how Trump’s tax law slashes essential public spending, reduces federal support to states, and benefits the wealthy at the expense of everyday families. She outlines urgent state-level options for offsetting cuts. Scott Paul, president of the Alliance of American Manufacturing, joins...

On The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Raw Story’s Sarah Burris about Trump and Putin’s Alaska encounter, a heavily militarized Washington, DC, and new revelations from the Epstein files. Investigative journalist Greg Palast joins to discuss his latest special, All Washed Away: Trump drowns FEMA, uncovering how Trump's FEMA dealings fueled disaster profiteering and tragic consequences, as exp...

Rick opens The Rick Smith Show by examining the challenges teachers face prepping for the new school year often doing so in their own time and buying classroom supplies on their own dime. He discusses what Democrats need to do to win back working class voters, emphasizing policy changes and authentic outreach. Later, Rick welcomes Robert Benson, associate director at American Progress, to analyze...