Episodios

  • Steve Cortes: You Don’t Know Barack: Exposing Obama Part 2

    Steve Cortes: You Don’t Know Barack: Exposing Obama Part 2
    Jul 30 2025
    Steve Cortes joined the podcast to discuss:
    • How Barack Obama retained influence over the Biden White House despite leaving office
    • Why Obama’s legacy has shifted from inspiring figure to net liability for Democrats
    • The billion‑dollar Obama Presidential Center in Chicago as a symbol of misplaced priorities
    Steve Cortes is a veteran political strategist, former senior adviser to President Donald Trump, and president of the League of American Workers. A former commentator for Fox News, CNN, and CNBC, he now produces documentaries and conducts polling focused on issues that affect working families. His latest project, You Don’t Know Barack, explores Obama’s record and enduring influence, especially through the lens of Chicagoans who once hoped for—and now question—his legacy.
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    18 m
  • Steve Cortes: You Don’t Know Barack: Exposing Obama

    Steve Cortes: You Don’t Know Barack: Exposing Obama
    Jul 23 2025
    Steve Cortes joined the podcast to discuss:
    • Barack Obama’s rise from Chicago community organizer to U.S. Senator and ultimately president
    • How Obama’s policies enriched connected elites while leaving working Americans behind
    • The widening racial and economic divides during and after Obama’s presidency
    Steve Cortes is founder and president of the League of American Workers and a senior political advisor at CatholicVote. A former senior advisor to President Trump and J.D. Vance, Cortes is also known for his political commentary on Fox News and CNN and for his documentary work. A lifelong Chicagoan now living in Tennessee, Cortes released a new documentary titled You Don’t Know Barack: Exposing Obama , exposing what he calls Obama’s betrayal of everyday Chicagoans and his lasting influence on current policies.
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    18 m
  • Thomas Weitzel: Law Enforcement Reform, the Safety Act, and Illinois Policing

    Thomas Weitzel: Law Enforcement Reform, the Safety Act, and Illinois Policing
    Jul 9 2025
    Thomas Weitzel joined the podcast to discuss:
    • The impact of recent Illinois legislation, especially the Safety Act, on police authority and community safety
    • The rise of anti-police sentiment, media narratives, and officer morale
    • The challenges in recruiting and retaining officers in Illinois as law enforcement leaves for pro-police states
    Thomas Weitzel is a retired police chief with 37 years of law enforcement experience in suburban Riverside, Illinois, including 13 years as chief. He comes from a family of police officers and is recognized for his outspoken criticism of anti-police legislation in Illinois. Weitzel is a national commentator on law enforcement policy, a frequent media contributor, and a strong advocate for supporting officers, protecting community safety, and reforming policies that hinder police effectiveness.
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    17 m
  • Florian Sohnke: Building Chicago’s Conservative Voice—Media, Schools, and the Fight for Urban Renewal

    Florian Sohnke: Building Chicago’s Conservative Voice—Media, Schools, and the Fight for Urban Renewal
    Jun 25 2025
    Florian Sohnke joined the podcast to discuss:
    • The origins and mission of the Chicago Contrarian as a conservative media outlet
    • The deep challenges facing Chicago: public finances, failing schools, and public transit
    • The growing but often overlooked conservative constituency in a deeply blue city
    Florian Sohnke is a freelance writer, editor, and speechwriter who founded the Chicago Contrarian five years ago to provide a consistent conservative voice in a city dominated by progressive politics. Under his leadership, the Contrarian has grown to over 20,000 monthly readers and 50,000 followers on social media, offering sharp commentary and policy solutions for Chicago’s most pressing problems. Sohnke has become a key figure in Chicago’s conservative media movement, championing fiscal responsibility, education reform, and the revival of urban Republicanism.
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    15 m
  • Shannon Adcock on Woke Schools, Homeschool Battles, and Fighting Back

    Shannon Adcock on Woke Schools, Homeschool Battles, and Fighting Back
    Jun 11 2025
    Shannon Adcock joined the podcast to discuss:
    • How school lockdowns during COVID-19 prompted her political involvement and the founding of Awake Illinois
    • The group’s recent federal civil rights complaints over gender ideology in Illinois public schools
    • Rising attacks on homeschooling and the fight to protect parental rights in education
    Shannon Adcock is a Naperville mom and founder of Awake Illinois, a grassroots organization focused on parental rights, educational transparency, and ethical governance. A former school board candidate, Adcock began organizing in 2021 after witnessing what she saw as growing influence from teacher unions and radical ideologies in K–12 education. Awake Illinois now leads advocacy efforts across the state, including federal complaints and grassroots campaigns to oppose progressive education policies.
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    16 m
  • Marsha McClary: Parental Rights and Education Reform in Illinois

    Marsha McClary: Parental Rights and Education Reform in Illinois
    May 28 2025
    Marsha McClary of Moms for Liberty joined the podcast to discuss:
    • Parental rights and educational choice
    • Men in women’s spaces
    • How gender confusion harms kids
    Marsha McClary is chair of the Moms for Liberty of Lake County Chapter. Moms for Liberty nationally is the largest parental rights organization in the United States with over 130,000 members across 48 states. She resides in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with her family of 7. Marsha is passionate about ensuring future generations in the United States have outstanding educational opportunities.
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    18 m
  • IL State Rep. Jed Davis (R-IL-75): How to reduce the Illinois state budget by $44 billion

    IL State Rep. Jed Davis (R-IL-75): How to reduce the Illinois state budget by $44 billion
    May 14 2025
    Illinois State Rep. Jed Davis (R-IL-75) joined the podcast to discuss:
    • The effect of Illinois' $50+ billion budget and how it affects the average Illinois resident
    • Reining in the state budget
    • Dav’s 16 page report detailing how the budget could be reduced to $44 billion, starting with energy policies
    Davis is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 75th District, elected in 2022. Raised in Lisbon, Illinois, Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Valparaiso University and worked in engineering and development before entering politics. He previously served as Chair of the Zoning and Planning Commission and as a Trustee of the Newark Village Board, and he led Parkview Christian Academy’s Board of Directors from 2010 to 2023. Davis lives in Newark with his wife, Melissa, and their four children.
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    19 m
  • IL State Rep. Blaine Wilhour on Gov. Pritzker, IL homeschooling bill, and IL’s status as a sanctuary state

    IL State Rep. Blaine Wilhour on Gov. Pritzker, IL homeschooling bill, and IL’s status as a sanctuary state
    Apr 30 2025
    Illinois State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-IL-110) joined the Prairie State Wire Podcast to discuss:
    • Gov. JB Pritzker’s performance and the governor’s aspirations to higher office
    • Legislative attempts to hamstring homeschooling and other educational options
    • Illinois' status as a sanctuary state and what Wilhour thinks needs to be done to align with national immigration policy
    Rep. Blaine Wilhour is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 110th District. He was first elected in 2018. Prior to serving in the legislature, Wilhour worked in agriculture and construction and served on the Fayette County Board. He is a veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard. His district includes parts of Effingham, Fayette, and Marion counties.
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    19 m