Robin Johnson
Host of Heartland PoliticsRobin A. Johnson is a governmental relations, public policy and political consultant. He is an expert on government reform issues and has consulted with numerous local governments on consolidation/merger, public-private partnerships and full-cost accounting of public services. Robin has also helped candidates win elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, state legislature, judiciary and local government. Robin served as a consultant to the Office of Statewide Performance Review in the Illinois Governor’s Office and is former director of the Illinois Center for Competitive Government, a partnership between the Illinois Comptroller’s Office and the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. Prior to that, he was Director of the Local Government Affairs Division of the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. Robin served on the Board of Directors of the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) in 1999-2000.
-
Liaquat Ahamed talks about his book Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World. He reveals history through biography--the lives of four central bankers whose decisions precipitated the Great Depression and led to World War II. Key topics include the gold standard, financial "bubbles," the role of tariffs (Smoot-Hawley Act), lessons for today, and Ahamed's new book coming out soon that is a prequel to Lords of Finance. This book was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for History. -
Fred Burton, a former State Department special agent and New York Times best-selling author, talks about the book he co-authored with Samuel Katz called Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah's War Against America. He discusses Iran's role in terrorist bombings, kidnappings and killings of Americans after the Iranian revolution, the life, abduction and death of CIA Station Chief William Buckley, how 'Beirut Rules' differed from previous spycraft rules, why the US didn't retaliate, and much more. Burton also addresses whether the American public might be more supportive of the current Iran War if the terrorist attacks against the US from this period were given greater weight by the Trump administration. -
Daniel Bullen discusses his book, Daniel Shays's Honorable Rebellion: An American Story. He talks about how this 'rebellion' was misrepresented, the economic conditions that led to the protests by small farmers in western Massachusetts, profiles of Daniel Shays and his fellow protesters, the roles of Founders George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, the similarities and differences with the Whiskey Rebellion, and why this story is important for today. -
Jon Ralston talks about his book, Games Changer: How Harry Reid Remade the Rules and Showed Democrats How to Fight. We discuss Reid's upbringing into poverty in small town Nevada, his rise in politics, relationship with the casino industry, connection with Howard Hughes, investigations of him by the FBI, his rebuilding of the Nevada Democratic party, and the evolution of his political views, including on the filibuster and "nuclear option." Ralston is Founder and CEO of Nevada Independent and regular commentator on MS-NOW. He is recognized as the leading authority on Nevada politics. -
Michael Tackett, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief for the Associated Press and former Chicago Tribune political reporter, talks about his book, The Price of Power: How Mitch McConnell Mastered the Senate, Changed America, and Lost His Party. We discuss his rise in politics, understanding power and how to use it, mastering the rules of the Senate, the importance of fundraising, the filibuster, the Trump impeachments, and much more. -
Patrick Pfingsten, author of The Illinoize political newsletter, radio host, and TV commentator, talks about the results of the Illinois primary election, including national impacts, statewide outcomes and analysis of a key local Republican race in the QC region. -
Dillan Vancil, Republican Candidate for Congress in Illinois' 17th District, talks about why he's running, his background and experience, key issues facing voters in the district, and why he's the better candidate to face incumbent Eric Sorenson. -
Jared Abbott, director of the Center for Working Class Politics, talks about the realignment of working class voters to the Republicans and Trump, how Democrats can win them back, the importance of proper messaging and language, the tie between economic and cultural issues, and presidential candidates with the most appeal to working class voters. -
Brian Reisinger, author of Land Rich, Cash Poor, talks about the US ag economy, the impact of tariffs and globalization, bailout funding, foreign purchases of US land, impact of immigration restrictions, the latest on the Farm Bill, fewer heirs taking over farms, and the political impact of the slumping farm economy in this year's midterm elections. -
Former Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) talks about how he was able to win two terms in his Red state, his advice to the Democratic Party in winning working class and rural voters, how to repair the damaged party brand, his favorite '28 presidential candidates and more.
