The Rick Smith Show

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 Economic Analysis at the Center for American Progress, to unpack the latest disappointing jobs numbers and expose the truth behind Trump’s claims of a “tremendous” economy. Reality check, working people are feeling it.Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 expose the latest disturbing Department of Labor messaging echoing white supremacist rhetoric and what it signals about whose side this administration is on. All that and more don’t miss it.​​​ Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Rick to discuss his latest article on Trump’s dangerous rhetoric around invading Venezuela, and why it’s truly all hands on deck to protect democracy before it’s too late.​​​Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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, Rick talks with Jon Schleuss, president of The NewsGuild-CWA, about the impending closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, how a union-busting ownership ran a 240-year-old paper into the ground, and why they’re now trying to blame workers for their own failures.​​​Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 the streets. Later, Rick is joined by Gina Plata-Niño, SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center, to preview the January 15 “Stop the SNAP Shift” national day of action and why protecting food assistance is critical for working families and children.​​​Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 talks about the growing militarization of law enforcement and Trump’s interventionist foreign policy, warning how these choices threaten civil liberties at home and drag working-class Americans into endless conflicts abroad.​​Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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-duty Marine Corps officer and now Senior Defense Policy Analyst at POGO, explains Pete Hegseth’s push to target Sen. Mark Kelly’s pension and how weaponizing censure could silence retired veterans who dare criticize Trump’s reckless foreign policy.​Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Wytkind, Interim Director of the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, joins Rick to break down Executive Order 14179 and why an AI “wild wild west” could be devastating for workers, unions, and democratic control over technology’s future. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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’s invasion of Venezuela, exposing the real motives, the oil and geopolitical angles, and what it all means for democracy, workers, and the global economy as the drums of war grow louder.Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 labeling certain industries as “inherently risky” is a dangerous deregulation strategy. Rick ties it all together with sharp commentary on accountability, competence, and the politics of risk, both in foreign policy and on the job. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Last new show of 2025Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 American Worker Project, joins Rick to discuss the report “Year 1 of the Second Trump Administration Made the Working Class Weaker,” and what it reveals about policy failures undermining America’s workers. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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, crumbling promises, and 49,000 lost manufacturing jobs in just nine months. Together, they unpack the real consequences of policies that put politics over working people. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Editor at AlterNet.org, joins Rick to break down the latest developments in Trump world and what they mean for democracy, accountability, and America’s political future. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Council of Prison Locals, joins Rick to warn about the dangerous consequences of Trump stripping correctional officers of their collective bargaining rights threatening safety, staffing, and the stability of federal prisons. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 designed to empower small inventors—has been twisted to advantage massive corporations. The result: innovators, entrepreneurs, and consumers pay the price while big companies tighten their control over ideas and markets.Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick reflects on his weekend trip to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, a deep-red, Trump-voting region where candid conversations with working-class rural residents revealed both their struggles and the huge opportunity for outreach. Rick describes how Trump’s policies are quite literally harming the very communities that support him—and why Democrats must show up and speak to economic reality. Later, Sarah Burris, Senior Editor at AlterNet, joins the show to unpack Marjorie Taylor Greene’s sudden political “conversion” and to laugh through Trump’s absurd bid for a FIFA Peace Prize. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Ed Wytkind, Interim Director of the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, about Elon Musk’s claim that work will be “optional” in 20 years. Wytkind breaks down what AI and automation really mean for workers, warning that without strong labor standards and worker voice, tech could accelerate inequality rather than progress. Later, Renee Saldana, Press Secretary for SEIU-UHW, joins Rick to discuss the California Billionaire Tax Act, an effort to save the state’s healthcare system as the Trump administration slashes $1 trillion in funding. Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage, about the growing national demand for a true living wage. Jayaraman highlights new polling showing overwhelming, cross-demographic support for raising the minimum wage—with a majority of workers backing $25 an hour as the standard needed to keep up with real costs. Later, John Hocevar, Oceans Campaign Director at Greenpeace, joins Rick to discuss their new report, Merchants of Myth, revealing whether decades of plastic-recycling promises have actually made a dent—or simply misled the public.Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.orgFind us on:·       DirecTV (Channel 348)·       Dish (Channel 269)·       Sling·       Roku·       Apple TV·       Amazon Fire TV·       Get the FSTV iOS app HEREDid you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen at work, or around the house? Download the podcast on our website at: https://www.thericksmithshow.comWant Merch? Check out our store HEREQuestions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-rick-smith-show419/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy