エピソード

  • Mike Johnson, Political Violence, and the Fight for America’s Soul

    Mike Johnson, Political Violence, and the Fight for America’s Soul
    2026/05/11
    This episode opens with an explosive showdown inside the Louisiana State Capitol as the fight over congressional redistricting turns into a screaming match over race, representation, and the Constitution itself. After the United States Supreme Court ruled Louisiana’s current congressional maps unconstitutional for relying too heavily on racial preferences, lawmakers gathered in Baton Rouge to begin drawing new maps — and tensions immediately boiled over. We break down the heated exchange between State Senators Jay Morris and Gary Carter, the role Congressman Cleo Fields has played in escalating racial rhetoric around the maps, and the larger constitutional question at the center of the debate: should race determine representation in America? We ask the uncomfortable question many politicians refuse to answer — if these districts are truly about race and not party power, why are Black Republicans routinely rejected by the very people demanding “representation”?

    We also examine the deeper implications of identity politics in modern America, why the Supreme Court’s Calais decision is forcing states to rethink race-based districting, and why so much of the public debate seems disconnected from the actual constitutional standards courts are applying. Louis and Stephen argue that representative government only works if Americans believe elected officials can represent all constituents — regardless of race — and discuss why dividing the country into racial political blocs may be doing more long-term damage than anyone wants to admit.

    In our Top 3, Louisiana lawmakers officially begin the process of redrawing congressional maps after the Supreme Court ruling, with no final decisions yet reached after a chaotic first hearing. Then the New Orleans Police Department announces sweeping payroll reforms after multiple overtime fraud investigations uncovered officers claiming overtime while allegedly working second jobs — or worse. And Governor Jeff Landry orders flags flown at half-staff across Louisiana in honor of 17-year-old Martha Elizabeth Odom, the innocent bystander killed during a gang-related shooting at the Mall of Louisiana just weeks before her high school graduation and planned enrollment at the University of Tennessee.

    We also tackle the growing concern over political rhetoric and political violence in America after President Trump accused Democrat leaders of helping create a climate that encourages unstable individuals to justify violence. We discuss Hakeem Jeffries’ “maximum warfare” comments, the broader pattern of inflammatory language in American politics, and the constitutional line between protected speech and unlawful incitement. How many assassination attempts does it take before people start taking rhetoric seriously?

    Later in the show, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson delivers a powerful National Day of Prayer speech defending faith, prayer, and the idea that America’s rights come not from government, but from God. We talk about why the founders believed faith mattered in public life, why communism and atheistic government systems historically go hand in hand, and why Johnson’s unapologetic defense of religious liberty stands out in modern politics.

    We also cover Senator Marsha Blackburn’s call for a full investigation into the Secret Service after a string of scandals, misconduct allegations, and security failures connected to agents and personnel within the agency. While acknowledging the difficult work done by the overwhelming majority of agents, we ask whether years of politicization, poor leadership, and lowered standards have damaged one of the most important federal agencies in the country.

    Plus, a lighter moment with the newly released list of America’s most popular baby names, debate over whether names like Viviana are about to surge in popularity, and a bizarre but serious report involving multiple Disney employees arrested during a federal child exploitation operation — raising difficult questions about vetting employees in organizations centered around children.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Private Property Rights, Luke Skywalker's Hypocrisy, and Marco Rubio's Best Speech

    Private Property Rights, Luke Skywalker's Hypocrisy, and Marco Rubio's Best Speech
    2026/05/08
    We open with a story that cuts to the heart of what it means to be a conservative — Louisiana's carbon capture fight has evolved from an environmental policy debate into a fundamental test of whether Republican elected officials actually believe in private property rights when money is on the table. We break down Governor Landry's new position that no one can take your land for carbon storage, Senator Kennedy's declaration that private property rights are sacrosanct, and why we think the governor is dancing on a political tightrope between the industrial interests he's courted and the landowners in Livingston, Tangipahoe, and St. Helena who are fighting back. We also explain what the blue tag actually is — the carbon equivalent of papal indulgences — why there is no free market for carbon capture, and why the only reason this industry exists in Louisiana is an $80-per-ton federal government subsidy.

    In our Top 3, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated its own previous ruling that Louisiana's state House and Senate district maps violated the Voting Rights Act — meaning Louisiana keeps its current maps and the Republican supermajorities in both chambers remain intact. Then former Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory pleaded not guilty to malfeasance in office charges stemming from his alleged unauthorized relocation of a spoil bank along the Vermilion River — and we note the unusual nature of one parish bringing criminal charges against the mayor of another. And Bossier Parish Community College is launching a new AI-powered computer programming pilot program in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education — featuring one-to-one tutoring, adaptive exercises, and automated grading.

    We also dig into Louisiana gas prices — which jumped 22 cents in a single week to $4.02 a gallon, a painful reminder that energy costs ripple through everything from grocery store shelves to diesel-powered delivery trucks to school buses. We make the comparison most people aren't making — Joe Biden drove gas to these levels without a war in Iran, so imagine where we'd be today if Trump hadn't ramped up domestic energy production first.

    In our Digging Deep segment, following the murder at the Mall of Louisiana, State Senator Alan Sebaugh has proposed expanding Louisiana's capital murder statute to include three new categories — murder committed while on parole in violation of a specific court restriction, murder committed using a firearm by someone already prohibited by law from possessing one, and murder committed in a public place with knowing reckless disregard for three or more bystanders. We walk through each scenario, debate whether capital punishment is actually a deterrent, and make the case that if we're going to have the death penalty, it should at minimum mean something.

    We also cover the Mexican Army soldiers who stood and watched — doing nothing — as a drug cartel opened fire on a funeral procession in front of them. We explain why this isn't just a crime problem or corruption problem anymore — it's the erosion of state authority itself, and what it looks like when a cartel outguns and outmans the national army.

    Marco Rubio stepped in as White House press secretary for a day while Caroline Leavitt is on maternity leave — and was asked what his hope for America is. We play the answer in full because it may be one of the most articulate defenses of American exceptionalism delivered by any public figure since Ronald Reagan. Anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. Not get anything. Achieve anything. We unpack every line.

    Then we turn to Mark Hamill — Luke Skywalker himself — who posted imagery fantasizing about President Trump living just long enough to be politically destroyed, disgraced, imprisoned, and humiliated, with an image of Trump's grave and headstone. We call it what it is — reckless, dangerous, and deeply hypocritical from the same cultural class that has spent years lecturing conservatives about their rhetoric. And we make the case using Star Wars lore — if Luke Skywalker could say there is good in Darth Vader, the most iconic film villain in history, why can't Mark Hamill find it in himself to extend even a fraction of that grace to a real human being?

    And we close with the Epstein purported suicide note released by a federal judge — which has not been authenticated, may have been written by his cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione who was in prison for murder, and shares a phrase with another confirmed Epstein document. We discuss what the handwriting tells us, what it doesn't, and why no amount of documentation is going to stop the conspiracy theories either way.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Power Causes Brain Damage, Sports Gambling Is a Tax on Stupidity, and Los Angeles Has More Mosquitoes Than New Orleans

    Power Causes Brain Damage, Sports Gambling Is a Tax on Stupidity, and Los Angeles Has More Mosquitoes Than New Orleans
    2026/05/08
    We open with a Louisiana legislative story that doesn't get nearly enough attention — House Bill 225 has passed the Louisiana House 74 to 23, proposing a constitutional amendment that would prevent governors from serving more than two terms total, whether consecutive or not. We dig into why this matters, why the Longs and the Edwards represent exactly the kind of concentrated political power the founders never intended, why power causes brain damage regardless of party affiliation, and why the bill's biggest weakness is that the legislature is willing to put term limits on the governor but not on themselves. We also push back on the argument that this is all just about stopping John Bel Edwards — and explain why true principle requires applying the same standard to the people writing the law.

    We also get former Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Scott Angelle on the phone to talk about May 1st — St. Joseph the Worker Day, a recognition he helped shepherd through the Louisiana legislature in 2021 and which has since been adopted by Wisconsin, with Texas in talks to follow. Scott explains why this isn't a day off but a day on — a day to see the truck driver, the nurse, the teacher, the energy worker, and the restaurant worker, and to say out loud that what they do matters. He talks about dignity, about the P's of St. Joseph — protector, provider, prudent, peaceful, patient, and prayerful — and why a country where more people pull the wagon than ride in it would be a fundamentally better country for everyone.

    In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, the lawsuit over the closing of Como High School in Lafayette has been dismissed after the school board rescinded their initial closure vote — but the district may try again since the school is operating at less than 40% capacity and must now pay the plaintiffs' legal fees. Then the Southern University System presidential search is running behind schedule, with the search committee missing its May 12th deadline and no new timeline yet announced. And Jefferson Parish schools logged nearly 2,000 incidents in March alone where buses failed to show up for assigned routes — leaving roughly 88 routes uncovered every single day — while the district says it has been losing bus drivers and March was an outlier.

    The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved updated K-12 English Language Arts Standards that bring back cursive writing — and we make the case that this is more important than it sounds. Handwriting forces the brain to slow down, organize thoughts, and engage muscle memory in ways that typing cannot replicate. And if students can't read cursive, they cannot read the Declaration of Independence. You cannot know what America stands for if you cannot read what America was built on.

    We also play former Congresswoman Katie Porter's new California governor's campaign ad — which features her adult son moving back to her couch because he can't find a job, and her solution is to stand up to Donald Trump and get tough on greedy corporations. We ask the obvious questions. What does Donald Trump have to do with the California high-speed rail that goes nowhere, the homelessness crisis, the Palisades fires, the highest gas taxes in the country, or the regulatory burden that's driving businesses to Texas? None of it. Every problem she named was created by the party she's a member of. And the solution she offers — stepping on toes — is apparently fine when Democrats do it but fascism when Trump does.

    We dig into Warren Buffett's characterization of sports gambling as a tax on stupidity — specifically his argument that nearly $3 billion in tax revenue generated by sports books in 2025 is ultimately money that working-class Americans are losing instead of saving or investing. We talk about why the house always wins, why the entire system is mathematically designed to extract money from the people who can least afford to lose it, and why President Trump's new IRA savings program is exactly the opposite instinct.

    We also cover a new Associated Press poll showing that 61% of Americans — six out of ten — are worried that native-born Americans are losing their economic, political, and cultural influence because of immigration. We make the case that this is not a racial concern — it's a cultural one — and explain why there is a meaningful difference between welcoming newcomers and asking them to assimilate into the ideas that make America worth coming to in the first place.

    And just for fun, we play Orkin's 2026 list of the most mosquito-infested cities in America — and spend an unreasonable amount of time being offended that New Orleans, built in an actual swamp, didn't even make the top 20 while Los Angeles, which has no standing water and no lakes, came in at number one. Washington D.C. made the list. We were not surprised.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Fleming vs. Letlow, Cassidy on the Phone, and J.B. Pritzker Thinks Trump Has It Coming

    Fleming vs. Letlow, Cassidy on the Phone, and J.B. Pritzker Thinks Trump Has It Coming
    2026/05/06
    Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 5, 2026. We open with a deep dive into the Louisiana U.S. Senate debate — the one Bill Cassidy didn't show up for. Moon Griffon hosted Fleming and Letlow on KPAL this morning, and we break down what it revealed about each candidate. We watched the whole thing and came away with a clear observation — when you ask Julia Letlow a direct policy question, she tends to say that's something we need to go study, while John Fleming comes back with the principle, the problem, and the direction. We also note that Fleming needs to stop talking about Governor Landry as much as he has been, and we discuss what it means that the candidate with arguably the best instincts is the one with the smallest campaign infrastructure. Then we get Senator Bill Cassidy on the phone — live, while he's on the road to New Orleans. We ask him directly about the debate he skipped, about President Trump's Truth Social posts calling for Louisiana Republicans to vote him out, about the SAVE Act, and about Julia Letlow's stock trades that look a lot like the kind of trades Nancy Pelosi has been criticized for making. Cassidy makes the case that you don't have to like somebody to deliver for your state — and lists the legislation he has helped pass in Trump's second term, including the Huff-Fentanyl Act and a bill to lower pharmaceutical profits that Trump called one of the most important bills he would sign this year. We press him on whether he thinks all three candidates should debate on television in prime time before the election. He says absolutely — and explains exactly what he wants to say to Letlow on that stage.In our Top 3 Thing You Need to Know, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an expedited ruling requiring Louisiana to immediately redraw its congressional districts — waiving the standard 32-day reconsideration period at the request of both sides — after finding the 6th Congressional District was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in violation of the 15th Amendment. Governor Landry has already postponed the congressional primaries. Then a recall petition has been filed against Governor Landry — the petitioners now have 180 days to collect nearly 600,000 signatures, which is about 20% of the state's registered voters. We remind listeners that a recall effort against John Bel Edwards after COVID lockdowns couldn't get there. And the Orleans Parish School Board approved a new financial deal with the city of New Orleans to end a long-running lawsuit — including a $6 million settlement now, $2 million annually through 2042, and $4 million a year from Caesars starting in 2030. We also cover Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's claim that President Trump has set a tone in this country where political violence is acceptable — and we systematically dismantle it. If the president is responsible for the tone that leads to violence against him, what exactly has he done that's violent? Mean tweets? And if that's the standard — what does that make the people who spent eight years calling him Hitler, a domestic terrorist, a pedophile, and an existential threat to democracy? We play the Bill Maher clip where he says on his own show that if you watched the White House Correspondents' Dinner assassination attempt and were disappointed the president wasn't killed, you are not a good person. We celebrate Maher for saying it — and ask why it took a liberal comedian to say what no Democrat elected official has been willing to say plainly.We get into Al Sharpton's F around and find out message to Florida Republicans over the new redistricting maps — and walk through what the Florida map actually looks like versus what the media is calling it. We point out that compact, square-block districts that cover the state don't look like the backwards C's and donut-shaped monstrosities of Chicago. We remind listeners that Sharpton's National Action Network led protesters through New York City chanting for dead cops just four days before two officers were ambushed and murdered in their patrol car in Brooklyn. And we make the broader point — if you're going to engage on the redistricting battle as a conservative, get comfortable being called a racist for believing that districts should be compact and that people shouldn't be judged by the color of their skin, because that label is coming whether the charge makes any sense or not.Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Abortion, Authority, and the Constitution: A Clash of Powers

    Abortion, Authority, and the Constitution: A Clash of Powers
    2026/05/05
    Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 4, 2026.

    We open with a fast-moving legal clash in Louisiana that quickly escalates into a broader constitutional debate. A federal judge temporarily blocks a state law eliminating the Orleans Parish criminal clerk of court — only to be overruled within hours by the Fifth Circuit. What might seem like a narrow administrative dispute turns into a much bigger question: when does the legislature’s authority to restructure government collide with the will of voters? The timing of the law, the role of elections, and the limits of judicial intervention all come under scrutiny.

    From there, we shift to a high-stakes battle over abortion policy and federal power. The U.S. Supreme Court steps in to pause a lower court ruling that would have restricted the distribution of abortion pills across state lines, setting up a looming legal showdown between Louisiana and the FDA. At the heart of the conflict is a fundamental question of federalism — who ultimately decides how these drugs are regulated, and how far federal agencies can go.

    A major leadership change in law enforcement follows a wave of scandal in New Orleans. A newly sworn-in sheriff takes office as her predecessor faces dozens of criminal charges, raising urgent questions about accountability, competence, and the future of public safety in the city.

    We dive into a controversial national narrative after a report claims New Orleans may need to be abandoned due to rising sea levels. And we break down the science of subsidence, the role of Mississippi River sediment, and the economic and strategic importance of the region — while challenging the practicality of relocating an entire American city.

    Finally, a broader philosophical debate takes center stage: is the United States a democracy or a republic, and why does that distinction matter? A media commentary sparks a deeper discussion about the Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, and the protections built into America’s system of government — with implications that reach far beyond the headlines.

    Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!
    続きを読む 一部表示
    43 分
  • Election Chaos, Jailbreak Scandal, and a Senate Showdown

    Election Chaos, Jailbreak Scandal, and a Senate Showdown
    2026/05/04
    Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 1, 2026.

    We open with a political earthquake in Louisiana: a delayed congressional primary, an “election emergency” declaration, and a surprise escalation from President Trump that turns an already volatile race into a full-blown referendum on Senator Bill Cassidy. What began as a quiet assumption that Trump would stay neutral quickly unravels, as a Truth Social post makes clear—this isn’t just about endorsements, it’s about political survival. The fallout from Cassidy’s impeachment vote resurfaces in a major way, raising the stakes for Republican voters ahead of early voting.

    From there, we break down the legal chaos surrounding Louisiana’s congressional map after a Supreme Court ruling struck it down. Democrats are now suing to force elections forward using a map already declared unconstitutional, setting up a high-stakes courtroom clash over redistricting, race, and election law. It’s a must-follow moment in the ongoing national battle over gerrymandering and judicial authority.

    Then we shift to government accountability and corruption, with multiple explosive stories out of New Orleans. A newly elected clerk is suing after his position was eliminated, while an investigation into police overtime fraud reveals widespread abuse within the NOPD. But the most shocking development centers on the Orleans Parish jail escape—where newly released arrest warrants accuse a former sheriff of knowingly ignoring years of warnings about security failures. The result: a brazen jailbreak that investigators say was entirely preventable, raising serious questions about leadership, oversight, and public safety.

    We also explore national political trends, including a new Harvard-Harris poll shaping early narratives for the 2028 presidential race. With Vice President J.D. Vance leading Republican preferences and Kamala Harris topping a divided Democratic field, the conversation highlights growing uncertainty about the future leadership of both parties.

    And we unpack a heated exchange over language used by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, diving into the historical and religious context behind the term “Pharisees” and the broader debate over rhetoric, accountability, and accusations of anti-Semitism.

    Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Election Halted: Louisiana Freezes Congressional Races After Supreme Court Ruling

    Election Halted: Louisiana Freezes Congressional Races After Supreme Court Ruling
    2026/05/04
    Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for April 30, 2026.

    We open with a political moment you almost never see in America — a state hitting pause on a federal election midstream. After the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Louisiana v. Calais, Governor Jeff Landry halts Louisiana’s congressional primaries just days before early voting, freezing campaigns, stopping ballots, and forcing the state to confront a constitutional crisis in real time. What happens when an election is already underway… and the map it’s based on is suddenly illegal?

    From there, we break down the immediate fallout of the Supreme Court’s decision and what it actually means — not the rhetoric, not the spin. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act still stands, but the rules have changed. Race can no longer be the dominant factor in redistricting, and that shift is already reshaping elections, strategies, and political power across the country. Louisiana just happens to be ground zero.

    We also dive into the political ripple effects — including how this disruption could reshape Louisiana’s high-stakes Senate race. With polling showing Senator Bill Cassidy struggling, could a fractured election and lower turnout change the outcome? And is there a path forward outside the traditional primary system?

    Then, a moment that sparks a broader conversation about history, rhetoric, and responsibility. Congressman Cleo Fields responds to the ruling by invoking Louisiana’s past — but are those claims grounded in fact, or do they distort history in a way that misleads the present? We examine what was said, what’s accurate, and why it matters when elected officials shape public perception.

    We close with a broader look at free speech and political discourse — as Senator Ted Cruz defends controversial commentary from a late-night host, raising a fundamental question: where is the line between offensive speech and government overreach?

    Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!
    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分
  • Race, Maps, and Power: Supreme Court Reshapes Redistricting in America

    Race, Maps, and Power: Supreme Court Reshapes Redistricting in America
    2026/05/04
    Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for April 29, 2026.

    We open with a landmark ruling from the United States Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Calais — a 6–3 decision that strikes down Louisiana’s congressional map and reshapes how the Voting Rights Act will be applied nationwide. The Court makes clear that while Section 2 remains valid law, it cannot be used to justify drawing districts where race is the predominant factor — reaffirming that the Constitution, and the 15th Amendment, come first. We break down what the ruling actually says, why it overturns decades of lower court precedent, and how it raises the legal bar for challenging redistricting maps going forward.

    Then we go straight to the source — an in-depth interview with lead plaintiff attorney Paul Hurd, who walks us through how the case unfolded, why it was brought, and what happens next. With elections already underway, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will Louisiana be forced to redraw its maps again? Could election timelines be delayed? And who ultimately pays the price when unconstitutional districts collide with real-world voting calendars?

    In our Top 3 Thing You Need to Know, we cover the immediate implications of the ruling, including the possibility of a third redistricting cycle in Louisiana since 2020. We also break down a major corruption indictment out of Orleans Parish — 30 counts including fraud, obstruction, and malfeasance tied to a sheriff’s office already under scrutiny after the largest jailbreak in state history. And a Louisiana woman detained overseas for more than a year over an empty medical marijuana container is finally back home after diplomatic intervention.

    Back on the redistricting front, we separate fact from spin. Despite claims from politicians that the Court “gutted” the Voting Rights Act, we explain why that’s not what the ruling does — and what it actually means for minority representation, legal challenges, and the future of congressional maps across the country. We also tackle the deeper argument at the heart of the case: whether representation in America should be based on shared interests or skin color — and what the Constitution requires.

    Finally, we dig into the real-world chaos this decision could trigger. Candidates running in districts that may no longer exist. Ballots already printed. Elections already in motion. Can courts step in this late and change the rules? Should they? And what happens when the rights of voters collide with the realities of election administration?

    Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!





    続きを読む 一部表示
    42 分