Illinois Rising

Dan Proft and Pat Hughes talk to the author of a new study showing that higher-paid lawmakers are more focused on fundraising than legislating. They also talk to Jim Iuorio, managing director of TJM Institutional Services and CNBC contributor, about Illinois’ recent credit downgrade and the state’s suspension of Wells Fargo. Hosts: Dan Proft and Pat Hughes Guests: Mitchell Hoffman, Jim Iuorio

Dan Proft and Austin Berg preview the upcoming documentary “Madigan: Power. Privilege. Politics” with one of the film’s producers, Teryn Fogel. They also talk to Rob Blagojevich, brother of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, about the toxic political culture Madigan leads in Illinois. 

Dan Proft and Jacob Huebert, senior attorney for the Liberty Justice Center, talk to a child care worker leading a nationwide fight against unionization of home child care providers. They also talk to Ron Bailey, science correspondent at Reason magazine and Reason.com, about Chicago’s driverless car ban and the city’s hostility toward entrepreneurs. And while Chicago’s restrictive Airbnb ordinance is still new, an attorney with the Beacon Center discusses how he is fighting a similar ordinance in Nashville. Hosts: Dan Proft & Jacob Huebert Guests: Jennifer Parrish, Ron Bailey, Braden Boucek​

Dan Proft and Michael Lucci, vice president of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute, talk to Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Greg Baise about how to improve the state’s poor manufacturing climate. They also talk to economist Walter Williams about Illinois’ record-high black unemployment rate, its root causes and solutions, and they talk to a leader from a Chicago-based nonprofit trying to provide opportunity to those in the city and state without it. Guests: Greg Baise, Walter Williams, Fred Long Hosts: Dan Proft & Michael Lucci

Dan Proft and Ted Dabrowski discuss the looming threat of a Chicago Teachers Union strike. Illinois faces more than $110 billion in pension debt and flawed pension math is to blame. A new reform eliminates pensions for future county board members statewide, and tuition costs in Illinois have doubled over the last decade largely due to bloated administrations. Hosts: Dan Proft & Ted Dabrowski Guests: Dan DiSalvo, Mark Glennon, David Welter

Dan Proft and Austin Berg break down what comes next in the state’s partial impasse with AFSCME. They also talk to a Chicago food truck owner who is fighting back against Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s promise to “crack down” on the food truck industry. And they discuss the lack of opportunity – and the national headlines about violence – in the city under Emanuel’s leadership, as well as potential further exodus from Chicago to Northwest Indiana. Hosts: Dan Proft & Austin Berg Guests: Mailee Smith, Gabe Wiesen, Leah Konrady

Dan Proft and Jacob Huebert, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, discuss reports of widespread food-stamp trafficking in Illinois and elsewhere, as well alternatives to failing welfare programs, with policy experts from the Foundation for Government Accountability and the Cato Institute. While everyone is talking about the Chicago White Sox stadium name change, Dan and Jacob tackle another issue with the ballpark: its taxpayer funding. And they also explore Mike Madigan’s involvement in Aurora’s mayoral race. Hosts: Dan Proft & Jacob Huebert Guests: Josh Archambault, Michael Tanner, Rick Guzman

Dan Proft and Pat Hughes, co-founder of the Illinois Opportunity Project, talk to the mayor of a Georgia town that successfully relies on the private sector for most of its services. They also break down how Chicago Public Schools’ finances affect both the city and state, and they discuss the politics of criminal-justice reform with Bryant Jackson-Green, criminal-justice policy analyst at the Illinois Policy Institute. Hosts: Dan Proft & Pat Hughes Guests: Rusty Paul, Brian Battle, Bryant Jackson-Green

Dan Proft and Steve Brown, press secretary for House Speaker Michael Madigan, debate a series of issues ranging from K-12 education to pensions, the budget debate, electoral politics and more, in an exclusive, rare conversation. Listen to the full episode and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here. Hosts: Dan Proft Guests: Steve Brown

Dan Proft and Austin Berg, writer for the Illinois Policy Institute and columnist for the Illinois News Network, discuss the state’s decision to decriminalize marijuana with defense attorney David Camic. They also discuss the state’s need for term limits with Dick Simpson, a University of Illinois at Chicago professor and former Chicago alderman, and compare and contrast Illinois’ political culture with one of the first states to actually have term limits, Oklahoma. Hosts: Dan Proft & Austin Berg Guests: David Camic, Dick Simpson, Jonathan Small​

Dan Proft and Jacob Huebert, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, talk to a Chicago-based attorney who is fighting the city’s new Airbnb regulations. They also talk to Jeffrey Tucker from the Foundation for Economic Education about the impact of Pokemon GO, and political discourse in 2016. Hosts: Dan Proft & Jacob Huebert Guests: Shorge Sato, Jeffrey Tucker

Pat Hughes, co-founder of the Illinois Opportunity Project, and Jacob Huebert, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center go in detail on AFSCME’s demands in contract negotiations. Diana Rickert, vice president of communications for the Illinois Policy Institute, joins to discuss her Chicago Tribune column on the subject. Hughes and Huebert also talk to a Chicago entrepreneur who faced obstacles from government in starting her business. They also discuss how and why the political establishment won’t give up its ability to gerrymander political maps. Hosts: Pat Hughes & Jacob Huebert Guests: Diana Rickert, Rebecca Mueller

Dan Proft and Pat Hughes, co-founder of the Illinois Opportunity Project, break down how much Illinois taxpayers are really paying for their lawmakers. Faisal Khan, former legislative inspector general for Chicago and current CEO of Project Six, talks to Proft and Hughes about the widespread corruption in Chicago. Proft and Hughes also talk to a former Illinois resident who tried to fight his high property tax bill – before moving out of the state for better options. Hosts: Dan Proft & Pat Hughes Guests: Ted Dabrowski, Faisal Khan, Paul Kaup

 Pat Hughes, co-founder of the Illinois Opportunity Project, and Austin Berg, writer for the Illinois Policy Institute and columnist for the Illinois News Network, break down what the state’s largest government-sector union is asking for in its new contract negotiations. Hughes and Berg talk to state Rep. Randy Frese, R-Paloma, about what the next budget debate might look like after the passage of the stopgap budget. They also discuss comments made by a Chicago state senator who says politicians deserve their paychecks. Hosts: Pat Hughes & Austin Berg Guests: Vinnie Vernuccio, Randy Frese

Dan Proft and Ted Dabrowski, vice president of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute, talk to state Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, about the stopgap budget discussions in Springfield. Dabrowski also shares some original research detailing the state’s decades-long spending problems. And Proft and Dabrowski talk to a fireworks business owner in Hammond, Ind. about the influx of business he receives from Illinoisans. Hosts: Dan Proft & Ted Dabrowski Guests: Jeanne Ives, Kris Zambo