PODCAST · news
The Rick Smith Show
by Rick Smith
By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show. Working Americans are tired of listening to think tank approved corporate news and commentary. They want a direct, honest approach to the issues that matter, so this is what The Rick Smith Show provides. No puppets. No focus groups. No talking points. Want more #RickShow? Go to https://www.thericksmithshow.com The Rick Smith Show streams live every weeknight from 9p-11p EST on YouTube & Twitch TV, and the show runs every night in prime time on Free Speech TV. Be sure to add the FSTV channel on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, on the FSTV iOS app, or find us in the regular channel lineup on DirecTV or Dish. Radio listeners – You can find us in most major markets, including New York City on WBAI 99.5 FM, Los Angeles on KPFK 90.7 FM, Chicago on WCPT AM 820, Columbus on 98.3/92.7 FM, Minneapolis on A
Episodes
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The Rick Smith Show 10-16-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Can anything still bring a divided America back together? Rick talks with Tim Stretton, director of the Congressional Oversight Initiative at the Project On Government Oversight, about the issues that could actually unite working people across party lines....
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The Rick Smith Show 10-15-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Trump cut a diesel deal with Vladimir Putin, and Beijing is cheering. Rick talks with Emily de La Bruyère, co-founder of Horizon Advisory, about why waiving sanctions on Russian diesel is a gift to China and what it means for American workers at the pump....
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The Rick Smith Show 10-14-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-13-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, about the leaked audio from the Texas Senate candidate's fundraiser and what it reveals about the GOP plan for your earned benefits. Ken Paxton told Washington lobbyists "we have to...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-12-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-9-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Dr. Katrina Gamble, founder and CEO of Sojourn Strategies, about defeating authoritarianism and building the collective power needed to defend democracy. Then Jonathan Fritz, senior fellow for China policy at the Center for American…
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The Rick Smith Show 10-8-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Leonard Aguilar, President of the Texas AFL-CIO, about the Contract with America's Workers and the fight to build union power deep in the heart of Texas. Later, NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss brings the victory story every worker...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-7-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick sits down with Don Bell, policy counsel with The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, POGO, to dig into AI and surveillance: who's watching, who's profiting, and why your rights shouldn't be the price of new tech. Then IUPAT...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-6-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Bucknell economics professor Matías Vernengo about September's weak jobs report, just 29,000 jobs added and unemployment up to 4.2%, and the economic fallout from Trump's tariffs and war. Then Phil Glover, AFGE District 3 national vice...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-5-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Laurel Kilgour of the American Economic Liberties Project about their Phoenix case study, which shows how Wall Street investors bought up homes, pushed up rents and ramped up evictions. Then Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-2-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Guardian labor reporter Michael Sainato about the week's top labor stories and the union members and supporters running for office this fall. Then satirist and author Bruce Kluger joins to talk about his journey from serious op-ed writer to...
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The Rick Smith Show 10-1-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Joe Spielberger, senior policy counsel at the Project On Government Oversight, about Trump's taxpayer-funded "public service" ads, including a recycled 2024 campaign spot, and whether they break federal propaganda laws. Then Mother Jones...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-30-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, about new EPI data showing immigrants grow every state's economy, deportations cost U.S.-born workers their jobs too, and the deportation drive…
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The Rick Smith Show 9-29-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick sits down with AlterNet Senior Editor Sarah Burris to break down the top stories hitting America's working people. Then author John Hanson joins Rick to talk about his book, Fight & Win: Minneapolis Teamsters Strike, 1934, built on the stories his…
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The Rick Smith Show 9-28-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-25-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Tony D. Cardwell, President of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-IBT, about CSX raking in record profits while 1,100 workers get the axe. Then Matthew Hinkel, Assistant Professor of Economics at Alma College, joins Rick...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-24-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick sits down with Bill Scher, Politics Editor at the Washington Monthly, to break down Trump TV, the president's speech at the United Nations, and what it means for the midterm elections. Then Emily de La Bruyère, co-founder of Horizon Advisory, joins…
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The Rick Smith Show 9-23-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-22-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with newly elected AFSCME President Patrick Moran about the CLARITY Act being halted, for now, and his vision for AFSCME’s future, including stronger worker power and public services. Later, AlterNet Senior Editor Sarah Burris joins Rick to…
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The Rick Smith Show 9-21-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-18-2026
On this edition of The Rick Smith Show, Rick speaks with Don Bell, Policy Counsel at The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, about the growing dangers of artificial intelligence, including threats to privacy, accountability, civil rights, and democratic oversight. Later,...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-17-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Katie Harris, Vice President of Federal Affairs at the BlueGreen Alliance, about the Trump EPA’s assault on Clean Air Act protections putting polluters first and making asthma great again. Later, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-16-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Bobby Kogan of the Center for American Progress about Trump's $5,000 promise, who actually pays for it, and why a check dangled before an election isn't a raise. Then Sunny Glottmann of the AFL-CIO Tech Institute walks through their new...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-15-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Alternet Senior Editor Sarah Burris to unpack Trump's $5,000 promise, his choice to mark 9/11 in Washington instead of New York, and the rest of the circus keeping working people distracted from what's actually being taken. Then Bucknell...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-14-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department at the AFL-CIO, and Johnny Jones, President of AFGE Local 1040 to mark the anniversary of 9/11 and its lasting impact on the transportation industry and the workers who keep…
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The Rick Smith Show 9-11-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Labor reporter Michael Sainato to break down the week's top labor stories, Trump's former labor secretary accused of drinking on the job and creating a toxic workplace, union membership gains in 2025 concentrated in states with bargaining...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-10-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks Labor journalist Steven Greenhouse who makes the case that Trump has been the worst president for workers and unions in modern history. Then Jeff Hauser, Executive Director of the Revolving Door Project, explains how Democrats risk blowing a...
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The Rick Smith Show 9-9-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Brent Booker, President of LIUNA, to mark Labor Day and discuss the dignity of work and the fight ahead for working families. Then Sarah Burris, Senior Editor at Alternet, breaks down the top stories of the day, the headlines shaping…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-31-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick tackles “Reunionizing America,” starting with LaborLab Executive Director Bob Funk, who exposes how corporate union-busters spend 1.7 billion dollars a year to stop workers from organizing. Later, David Madland of the American Worker Project joins to…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-28-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, digs into the affordability crisis with CAP’s Natasha Murphy on a Patients’ Bill of Rights to Lower Health Care Costs and Trevor Higgins on A Plan for American Electricity Affordability. They break down why prices are rising, who’s responsible, and what it...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-27-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Rutgers education lecturer Mark Weber about robo-sex-doll teachers in classrooms and what it says about how poor kids are taught and the deprofessionalization of teaching. Later, Annie Norman of Americans for Financial Reform joins the show…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-26-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with veteran labor organizer Rand Wilson about his recent writing on how workers can organize Amazon and build lasting power inside the company. Later, labor and employment professor John Logan examines Trump’s failure to save Conn-Selmer jobs…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-25-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick welcomes Bowzer of Sha Na Na fame to talk about who is really fighting to protect Social Security and who is not, cutting through the spin around the program’s future. Later, Andrew Haley of Union One joins to explain how his company works to protect...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-24-2026
Don’t miss our daily TV show on Free Speech TV: www.freespeech.org Find us on: · DirecTV (Channel 348) · Dish (Channel 269) · Sling · Roku · Apple TV · Amazon Fire TV · Get the FSTV iOS app HERE Did you miss last night’s show? Miss part of the #RickShow on your local radio station? Want to listen...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-21-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick Smith opens with Alex Lawson of Social Security Works, asking what kind of future today’s politics are leaving the next generation and why protecting Social Security matters for working families. Later, AFGE District 3 Vice President Phil Glover joins…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-20-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Joe Spielberger of POGO about National Whistleblower Day and why whistleblowers matter in exposing corruption and protecting the public. Later, Rick takes on the growing influence of billionaires in the 2026 midterms and calls out Spotify’s...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-19-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick takes aim at Trump’s latest distractions, suggesting a political motive behind the delayed Gordie Howe Bridge opening while firing back at the new buzzword “communinism” with his own “Commonism” retort. Then Brent Booker, General President of LIUNA,...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-18-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick is joined by Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage, to make the case for a true living wage and a fairer future for working people. Later, Veronica Goodman of the Center for American Progress breaks down career and technical education policy…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-17-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Sarah Austin, Senior Analyst at ITEP, about the latest report showing how states shift taxes away from corporations and the wealthy while raising sales taxes on working families. Later, Pamela Smith, President and CEO of Verified Voting…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-14-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, about a so-called centrist plan to gut workers' benefits under a Social Security bill dressed up as the "Promise Act" because nothing says promise like raising your retirement age.…
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The Rick Smith Show 8-13-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, about the bizarre push toward robot "sex doll" teachers, Trump's Department of Education deprofessionalizing the teaching field, and the ongoing assault on Head Start. Then...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-12-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick takes on GOP "family values" hypocrisy in light os Florida gubernatorial candidate Bobby Williams sounding off on maternity leave, and a Pennsylvania legislator pushing a state Day of the Bible. Turns out the party of family has a funny way of showing...
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The Rick Smith Show 8-11-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with AlterNet's Sarah Burris about Trump bristling at being called a "tenant" of the White House, plus the day's other top stories. Then Matias Vernengo, Director of the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy, breaks down the abysmal jobs numbers…
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The Rick Smith Show 7-28-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick first talks with Sarah Burris of Alternet about the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and the political theater around it. Later, Mary Okin of Living New Deal discusses Trump’s D.C. “Indy race” and the fight to protect the Wilbur J. Cohen...
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The Rick Smith Show 7-23-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with union organizer and author Phil Cohen about his new book Maximum Leverage and the lessons it offers for building worker power on the ground. Later, Stephen Schneck, President of Catholics for the Future, joins to discuss his article…
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The Rick Smith Show 7-22-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Ryan Mulholland, Senior Fellow for International Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress, about Trump’s bizarre threat to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over “poisoned” air from wildfires and his floated plan to slap tariffs...
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The Rick Smith Show 7-21-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with John Logan, Professor and Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, about how Trump is laying the groundwork for a new Red Scare, and what a fresh wave of red‑baiting could mean for unions, organizers, and…
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The Rick Smith Show 7-20-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, about Trump’s national address, his escalating declaration of war on democracy, and how attacks on elections and Social Security fit the broader authoritarian project. Later, Margaret...
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The Rick Smith Show 7-17-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with Rebekah Caruthers, President and CEO of Fair Elections Center, about Trump’s latest primetime speech to the nation, why his ranting about “free and fair elections” is really about sowing doubt, and what she expects his whining to focus on....
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The Rick Smith Show 7-16-2026
On this episode of The Rick Smith Show, Rick talks with LIUNA organizer Taf Sourov about the East 42nd Street high rise in New York City that was at risk of collapsing after buckled columns and sagging floors exposed how an anti‑union developer and nonunion contractor cut corners and put workers’...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show.
Working Americans are tired of listening to think tank approved corporate news and commentary. They want a direct, honest approach to the issues that matter, so this is what The Rick Smith Show provides. No puppets. No focus groups. No talking points.
Want more #RickShow? Go to https://www.thericksmithshow.com
The Rick Smith Show streams live every weeknight from 9p-11p EST on YouTube & Twitch TV, and the show runs every night in prime time on Free Speech TV.
Be sure to add the FSTV channel on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, on the FSTV iOS app, or find us in the regular channel lineup on DirecTV or Dish.
Radio listeners – You can find us in most major markets, including New York City on WBAI 99.5 FM, Los Angeles on KPFK 90.7 FM, Chicago on WCPT AM 820, Columbus on 98.3/92.7 FM, Minneapolis on A
HOSTED BY
Rick Smith
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Rick Smith Show have?
The Rick Smith Show currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Rick Smith Show about?
By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show. Working Americans are tired of listening to think tank approved corporate news and commentary. They want a direct, honest approach to the issues that matter, so this is what The Rick Smith Show provides. No puppets. No focus...
How often does The Rick Smith Show release new episodes?
The Rick Smith Show releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to The Rick Smith Show?
You can listen to The Rick Smith Show on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Rick Smith Show?
The Rick Smith Show is created and hosted by Rick Smith.
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