Best Inside Chicago Government Podcasts (2024)

1
Capitalism Can Save the Environment | Benji Backer 49:34

2d ago49:34

49:34

Progressives have long dominated the environmental movement, advocating government spending and bureaucratic oversight as the solution to climate change. Countless local and federal regulations have been aimed at mitigating environmental harm, often hampering productivity. Is this really the best way to preserve our planet? Some conservatives belie…

1
What Happened When the Migrant Crisis Came to Chicago? 48:49

3d ago48:49

48:49

Busloads of migrants have been arriving in northern cities for the past two years, testing the patience of some residents and bringing out empathy in others. We go to Chicago to find out what the real, local effects of this surge are — not just what the politicians with their megaphones say they are. And we explore some solutions to a problem that …

1
Where Did the Migrant Crisis Come From? 35:28

10d ago35:28

35:28

American voters say immigration is the number one issue on their minds in this crucial presidential election year. How did we get here? In part one of this series we look at Venezuela, a country that has seen a massive exodus of its population over the past decade, many of whom end up in cities and states across the U.S. Go to audible.com/news wher…

1
Shifts in the Housing Market & the YIMBY Movement | Salim Furth 59:46

15d ago59:46

59:46

The pandemic transformed urban housing markets, prompting increased demand for residential space and spurring a shift toward remote work. Many remote employees have left large cities for smaller ones, but housing demand remains strong in major urban centers. As cities' populations fluctuate, the pro-development YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement h…

1
What UFO Conspiracies Have to Do with Jan. 6th 38:03

17d ago38:03

38:03

The Pentagon UFO office just released its investigation of UFO sightings going back to the 1940s. We talk with maybe the most serious historian to study UFOs, Garrett Graff, to learn what UFO questions the Pentagon investigation has laid to rest, what new questions have been raised, why it’s sometimes in the interest of national security to keep in…

1
Counterterrorism Chief Says Hamas Attack and Gaza War Have Reshaped Terror Threat 41:44

25d ago41:44

41:44

When Christine Abizaid — the director of the National Counterterrorism Center — first began working for the United States government in 2002, the biggest terror threat facing the U.S. was from Al-Qaeda. Now, homegrown far-right terrorists pose a key threat, the Hamas attacks on October 7th and the ongoing war in Gaza are fueling new risks, and some…

1
How Technological Transformation Can Make a Conservative Vision Possible | Jon Askonas 1:10:35

1M ago1:10:35

1:10:35

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence, genome editing, and materials science are poised to dramatically change the way we live, work, and learn—but is that a good thing, or is it a prospect we should dread? As it stands, conservatives are divided on that question, with some embracing technological breakthroughs and others fearing the threat the…

1
Can the U.S. Just Pull Out of the Middle East? 40:55

1M ago40:55

40:55

The answer is probably not. And that has to do with oil, the internet, and one of America’s most persistent foes, Iran. Go to audible.com/news where you'll find Peter Bergen's recommendations for other news, journalism and nonfiction listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac…

1
How Does the US Government Get Detained Americans Home? 48:40

1M ago48:40

48:40

Almost immediately after Hamas attacked Israel, the US began a well-coordinated, high-level, high-wire effort to free the Americans taken hostage. It wasn’t always like this. Until a few years ago, the US had no effective approach to securing the release of its citizens held overseas. After multiple Americans died in captivity while the government …

1
Inside the New York City Drug Crisis | Bridget Brennan, NYC Special Narcotics Prosecutor 55:07

1M ago55:07

55:07

New York has long been at the forefront of the drug crisis. In 2022, over 3,000 city residents died of a drug overdose, the highest number on record. The proliferation of inexpensive yet lethal drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, poses an escalating challenge to New York City. However, there is hope to tackle these issues through collabora…

1
A Friendly Warning for America 38:18

2M ago38:18

38:18

With November’s election approaching, it feels like the United States is at a crossroads — not just at home, but abroad too. Will the country continue to lead the global order, as it’s done so successfully since the end of WWII? Or will it retreat into isolationism? A distinguished foreign friend of America’s — the British soldier, diplomat, politi…

1
Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up | A Conversation with Abigail Shrier 59:23

2M ago59:23

59:23

In their efforts to ensure their children's happiness, a growing number of millennial and Gen X parents are turning to therapists, school psychologists, and other mental health professionals for help. Yet there is mounting evidence that this therapeutic turn has backfired. Rather than inculcate the virtues of self-discipline and independence, these…

1
You Should Worry About A.I., But Not For The Reason You Think 44:13

2M ago44:13

44:13

New tools like Chat GPT have sparked futuristic fears about intelligent machines wiping people out. But there’s a more immediate A.I. threat coming, in a year when half the world’s population is headed to the polls. Go to audible.com/news where you'll find Peter Bergen's recommendations for other news, journalism and nonfiction listening. See Priva…

1
3/1/24: "Chief cop-watcher and top cop spar at Police Board meeting" 31:11

2M ago31:11

31:11

In this audio from a public meeting of the Chicago Police Board on Feb 22 2024, a clash took place between the heads of the Chicago Police Dept. and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Length 31.2 minutes.By Inside Chicago Government (ChiGov.com)

1
Did Oppenheimer’s Atomic Bomb Make the World Safer? 41:51

2M ago41:51

41:51

The wild success of Oppenheimer, with 13 Oscar nominations and nearly $1 billion in ticket sales, has revived a debate about the most destructive weapon ever created — and renewed concerns about how close the world might be to nuclear war. The leader of the project to build the bomb during WWII, Robert Oppenheimer, believed — at first — that it cou…

1
The Future of School Choice: Where the Movement Is Headed | Corey DeAngelis 1:24:05

2M ago1:24:05

1:24:05

The school choice movement gained significant momentum in the wake of the pandemic shutdowns, which exposed the weaknesses of traditional public schools and the challenges of remote learning. As parents became increasingly aware of the quality and content of their children's education, many began to explore alternative schooling options. By offerin…

1
China is Stalking its Dissidents — Even on U.S. Soil 42:54

2M ago42:54

42:54

The United States is home to countless dissidents from around the world who have fled repression in places like Iran, India, Russia and, increasingly, China. But US soil — even U.S. citizenship — isn’t a guarantee they’ll be left alone. Why are foreign governments daring to harass, hurt, or even kill their foes in the U.S. — and what's being done t…

1
Why America’s Biggest Terror Threat Is Homegrown 40:56

3M ago40:56

40:56

The January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol was the culmination of political trends in the United States that have festered for decades. And it may be a dress rehearsal for what comes next. Go to audible.com/news where you'll find Peter Bergen's recommendations for other news, journalism and nonfiction listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art1…

1
Homelessness at the Supreme Court: A Chance for Legal Sanity 1:01:46

3M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson has brought homelessness back into the national legal spotlight. The case revolves around the question of whether the homeless have a constitutional right to camp on public property, and its outcome could overturn prior lower court rulings that have contributed to the West…

1
Hunting the Bidens 51:03

3M ago51:03

51:03

How did Hunter Biden’s laptop, a digital chronicle of misadventures by President Joe Biden’s troubled son, become a political flashpoint and help spark potential impeachment proceedings? What personal and business secrets buried in the old computer are being weaponized against the Biden family during the 2024 campaign? Are any of them cause for con…

1
2/3/24: "Top cop strongly defends Shotspotter at public meeting" 17:48

3M ago17:48

17:48

In this audio piece, Chicago Police Dept. Superintendent Larry Snelling lent support to the controversial Shotspotter system--which Mayor Brandon Johnson has opposed. The top cop's remarks came at a January 13, 2024 public meeting of Chicago's Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability. Length 17.5 minutes.…

1
Being a Spy Can Be Pretty Stressful. The CIA is Trying to Help. 43:12

3M ago43:12

43:12

The job comes with all sorts of risks and responsibilities plus exposure to a lot of violence and trauma — whether that’s out in a war zone or in the office, where analysts may work on cases involving horrific human rights abuses. All of that can take its toll. CIA Director William Burns has acknowledged the agency needs to do more to “take care” o…

1
Is The Pentagon Really Hiding Crashed Alien Spaceships? 40:25

3M ago40:25

40:25

Sean Kirkpatrick is one of the best guys on earth to answer that question. He set up the Pentagon’s new office tasked with investigating UFO sightings by the US military. But he rarely gives interviews. Until now. You’ll hear what his investigators found out about sightings going back to Roswell, and what he thinks is the biggest UFO conspiracy of …

1
Unraveling the DEI Web: Harvard and Claudine Gay's Resignation 54:08

3M ago54:08

54:08

Radical DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) ideology has overtaken elite universities and, increasingly, American public life. Few reporters have followed the "woke" takeover of American universities and the corrosion of its institutions more closely than our guest. Our guest Aaron Sibarium, a Yale University alum, now reports on elite institutions…

1
As the Arctic Ice Melts, Could a New Kind of Cold War Be Coming? 30:16

3M ago30:16

30:16

Until recently, the eight nations whose borders creep into the icy Arctic haven’t had much of a reason to fight over this forbidding landscape. But as climate change melts the ice and opens up access to all kinds of precious resources, the United States is preparing for the possibility of conflict. So how will the U.S. defend its interests in a pla…

1
Yes, the United States has a Space Force. Stop Laughing. 38:28

4M ago38:28

38:28

Meet the newest branch of the American military and learn how life as you know it could stop if it fails to do its job. Go to audible.com/news where you'll find Peter Bergen's recommendations for other news, journalism and nonfiction listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac…

1
12/28/23: "Chicago Police sergeant: district station crumbling, flooding, and unhealthy for years" 9:03

4M ago9:03

9:03

In this audio piece, a Chicago Police Dept. sergeant revealed unsafe and unhealthy conditions at the 11th District police station on the West Side. Length 9.1 minutes.By Inside Chicago Government (ChiGov.com)

1
Social Control, Explained: Preventing Crime and Disorder 58:14

4M ago58:14

58:14

The field of criminology has transformed in the last quarter century. Evidence-based crime policy has been replaced by misperceptions about the nature of crime and criminal offenders. Concurrently, progressive policies and programs have also reshaped the criminal justice system. However, 70 years of social science research shows that "social contro…

1
The Americans Who Would Be on the Frontline of a War in the Pacific 35:07

4M ago35:07

35:07

In the summer of 2022, the United States military ran a major training exercise to prepare to respond if its ally Taiwan gets invaded by China. Central to the strategy: the tiny American island of Guam, the westernmost part of the United States, where the U.S. has more than doubled defense spending in recent years. But not everyone on Guam is convi…

1
Who Controls America’s Past? 37:24

5M ago37:24

37:24

Revisiting history is never simple. Especially the history of the United States, which is often painful, and, invariably political. At dinner tables, school board meetings, and political protests, Americans disagree not only about how our past should be interpreted, but what actually happened in the first place. From the myth about George Washingto…

1
Questioning College: Is Higher Ed Worth It? 52:42

5M ago52:42

52:42

Two decades ago, a four-year college degree was widely regarded as the key to boosting incomes. However, recent years have witnessed a paradigm shift in conventional wisdom about the value of a college education. Over half say college isn’t worth the cost, compared with 40% a decade ago. Are the skeptics right? What’s the average return? Who is it …

1
How to Beat the Russian Army 31:45

5M ago31:45

31:45

Hollywood may have portrayed him as a nerd, but Mike Vickers was the superstar architect of America’s covert war in the 1980s that drove the Soviet army out of Afghanistan. And this alum of the Green Berets and the CIA has some ideas about how to do the same thing in Ukraine today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv…

1
12/4/23: "November council: sorrow, censure, and referenda" 11:15

5M ago11:15

11:15

In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben evaluated meetings of the Chicago City Council that took place in November of 2023. In the standard version, council members reacted to 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack's move to censure 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa. In the premium version: One alderman claims, explicit…

1
Borders of Prosperity: Immigration's Impact on the U.S. Economy 1:02:58

5M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

The role of immigration in shaping the nation's economy remains a hotly contested area of debate. Factors such as the real economic benefits of high-skilled versus low-skilled immigrants, the impact of immigration on native employment, and the role of policy in shaping these dynamics stand at the forefront of this national conversation. While immig…

1
Could Prosecuting the Former President be Bad for American Democracy? 34:45

5M ago34:45

34:45

Some countries have fallen into a toxic cycle of tit-for-tat prosecutions, where every ex-president has to expect they’ll eventually end up behind bars. Could the U.S. be next? Two constitutional experts warn that some of the criminal cases against Donald Trump could cause cycles of retribution that poison our politics. And why our saving grace jus…

1
Countdown to Election 2024: Understanding America’s Political Pulse 49:01

5M ago49:01

49:01

As the 2024 election draws near, voters in early primary states will soon decide who will be on the ballot for president in November. Will the race be a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden? And what impact, if any, will the current president's lagging popularity and the former president's legal troubles have on the…

1
NYC Under Adams: Migrant Crisis, Budget Trends, and Subway Crime 55:20

5M ago55:20

55:20

In 2021, New Yorkers elected Eric Adams as the 110th mayor of New York City. Since assuming office, the Adams administration has grappled with a migrant crisis inundating the city's homeless services, staggering budget deficits caused by a decade of mismanagement, and a growing unease among citizens regarding safety on public transit, among other i…

1
Is Israel Prepared for this Ground War? 28:28

6M ago28:28

28:28

Experts on urban and underground warfare explain why an aerial campaign alone can’t defeat Hamas, what the shortcomings are of the Israeli Defense Force, and how long, complicated, and tragic this war will be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.…

1
Phoenix's Homelessness Challenge: The Case Against "The Zone" 51:02

6M ago51:02

51:02

In Phoenix, Arizona, a massive downtown homeless encampment known as "The Zone" was recently cleared out following legal battles and a court order. For years, the area was filled with hundreds of tents lining the blocks of streets, leading to a rise in crime and serious complaints from local residents and businesses. At its height, The Zone held ab…

1
Turning Bad News into a Great Read 43:15

6M ago43:15

43:15

How do two of America's leading nonfiction writers turn some of the biggest issues affecting us into juicy narratives that change hearts and minds — and maybe even policies? Patrick Radden Keefe on how he rendered the opioid crisis as a dramatic tale of money, power, and human suffering in his book Empire of Pain, and Elizabeth Kolbert on how she i…

1
Science vs. Folk Wisdom: "Indigenous Knowledge" in Federal Governance 46:25

6M ago46:25

46:25

The role of science, its applications, and ethical implications have been focal points of many public debates in recent years. From the challenges posed by COVID to the complexities of climate change, the question of what qualifies as evidence and the definition of science itself have become partisan issues. In November 2022, our guest Joe Simonson…

1
A General and a Military Historian Say Israel-Hamas War is Most Challenging Conflict Since 1945 31:24

6M ago31:24

31:24

General David Petraeus and historian Andrew Roberts, co-authors of the new book “Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine,” discuss how they believe this war will evolve, how it compares to other conflicts of the last seven and a half decades, and what we can learn from the mistakes made during those wars. See Privacy Policy at https…

1
Can the Next Mass Shooting Be Prevented? 46:18

6M ago46:18

46:18

Another mass shooting is making headlines in the United States. With it comes the familiar feeling of powerlessness. But a rare peek inside the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit reveals that at least some shootings are being prevented, using techniques to identify people headed down the ‘pathway to violence.’ In the absence of gun reform, agents share…

1
The Inflation Equation: Bidenomics, Globalization, and More 56:21

6M ago56:21

56:21

In the period since 2020, consumer prices have increased by 18 percent. While the inflation rate has slowed from its peak, core inflation remains significantly higher than the pre-pandemic average. This prompts the question: what factors are behind this inflation surge, and what can we learn from it in terms of America's economic future? Stephen Mi…

1
How Does the Russian Propaganda Machine Work? 41:23

6M ago41:23

41:23

When Ukrainian soldiers liberated the town of Bucha, Ukraine in March, 2022, news reports showed scenes of bodies lying in the streets. Human Rights Watch documented cases of summary executions. But on Russian state television, the news was presented as “fake,” a staged event. Objective reporting about the war in Ukraine is now against the law in R…

1
You Should Worry About A.I., but Not for the Reason You Think 42:33

6M ago42:33

42:33

New tools like Chat GPT have sparked futuristic fears about intelligent machines wiping people out or, at the very least, taking all our jobs. But there’s a more immediate A.I. threat coming for us, as soon as the next election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my…

1
Israel-Hamas Conflict: Social Media, Terrorism, and Antisemitism 39:38

7M ago39:38

39:38

On the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel that involved the killing of small children, the elderly, and hundreds of other vulnerable women and men. In the U.S., the atrocity has sparked both outrage and a disturbing surge in antisemitism and anti-Zionis…

1
The Future of War 39:33

7M ago39:33

39:33

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face,” Mike Tyson famously once said. Vladimir Putin thought he could defeat Ukraine in three days. How did he get it so wrong? And what can we learn from his mistake? Throughout history, according to one of the world’s leading experts, wars have almost never played out as predicted. But if that’s t…

1
10/6/23: "Sept. City Council takes shelter, chance on finance" 10:17

7M ago10:17

10:17

In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben probed audio from several meetings of the Chicago City Council in September, 2023. In the standard version, Mayor Brandon Johnson and aldermen introduced a measure to use real estate transfer taxes for housing the unhoused. In the premium version: aldermen discussed tax-incr…

1
Beyond Wokeness: Cultural Socialism and Its Impact 56:53

7M ago56:53

56:53

The clash between "woke" progressivism and classical enlightenment ideals has tested the foundational pillars of modern liberalism—free speech, due process, equal treatment, objective truth, and beyond. This battle is most fiercely fought on university campuses across the English-speaking world. At the heart of the trendy concept of "wokeness" lies…

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