Courageous Thought Podcasts by Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Politics

Courageous Thought Podcasts, Audio and Video, address and analyze political issues from Chicago to the Middle East in several show formats, reflecting his award-winning writings at Substack at www.CourageousThought.com. (Also at www.RayHanania.com and www.Hanania.com.) A professional journalist for more than a half century, Ray Hanania entered political reporting assigned as a desked reporter at Chicago City Halll covering from 1977 through 1992, covering 7 mayors (Richard J. Daley, Michael A. Bilandic, Jane M. Byrne, Harold Washington, David Orr, Eugene Sawyer and Richard M. Daley). He has written news and feature stories on politics for newspapers around the world, including for the Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, Newsday, Orlando Sentinel, Arab News, and more.  Through Courageous Thought Podcasts, Hanania produces and co-hosts several audio and video podcasts, including: Two Guys on Politics with former Congressman Bill Lipinski addressing national and international politics, issues and events Political-Review with political analyst and consultant Frank Calabrese on Chicago and Chicagoland politics, issues, and events Ray Hanania on Politics, occasional perspectives by Ray Hanania complementing his political Opinion Columns on Substack (www.RayHanania.com, www.Hanania.com and www.CourageousThought.com) The Arab Street Radio & Audio Podcast, where Ray Hanania focuses on Middle East and Arab World issues. You can reach Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com or, on his Substack website at www.CourageousThought.com.  Ray Hanania's podcasts are also vailable on Youtube.

  1. Aug 24 ·  Video

    Should Chicago Public Schools close empty schools

    Welcome to Political-Review with Ray Hanania and myself Frank Calbrese … It’s Monday, August 24, 2026 Frank is a political consultant and analyst at FrankCalabrese.com  and I’m a former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist at Hanania.com This Video Podcast on politics focuses on specific political developments, issues, and controversies in Chicago and the Chicagoland area and is broadcast when those issues arise … each week, or each day … published at Political-Review.com for August 24, 2026 on Chicago Public Schools On YouTube … check us out and subscribe This episode looks at the opening day of schools and challenges facing the school budget, school board … What’s going on, Frank, with school spending … has anything really changed other than the costs rising faster than student grades? Chicago Public School FACTS 316,224 students returned to classrooms today, the first day of the school year The schools account for more than 60 percent of our property taxes, and yet the system is not delivering … Chicago Public Schools owns and maintains 803 buildings across 522 campuses. The budget for Chicago Public Schools for fiscal year 2027 totals $10.11 billion. Chicago Public Schools has 316,224 students enrolled for the school year. The district includes 626 total schools,including Charter Schools That’s $31,623 per student spent … 30 percent of the school/campuses are half empty … Approximately 50 elementary and high schools combined in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serve fewer than 200 students, though CPS does not publish a static, isolated roster exclusively naming every individual high school under this threshold. Frederick Douglass Academy High School on the West Side, 543 N. Waller Ave. in Austin, which has reported enrollments as low as 33 students. The high school is spending just over $68,000 per student compared to the district average of $18,287, statistics from the Illinois State Board of Education show. with average administrator salaries ranging between $130,000 and $160,000. Total Administrators: CPS typically employs over 1,100 school-based administrators (principals and assistant principals) alongside hundreds of central office and network administrators. In 2013, Mayor Emannuel closed 50 schools and caused severe public backlash and community disruption, making large-scale closures politically toxic. Local politicians, community activists, and the Chicago Teachers Union strongly oppose closures, arguing they disproportionately harm Black and low-income neighborhoods and destabilize communities. Union job protection is more important than the quality and performance of the Chicago Public Schools CPS does a poor job of teaching Chicago students Five years ago, only 26 percent of the students met the minimum reading proficiency level … so they lowered that level and now only 43 percent meet the reading proficiency level … READING PROFICIENCY IS TERRIBLE instead improving teaching, the schools lower the passing grade to make it look like more students are doing better. Roughly 43% of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students meet grade-level standards in reading today, compared to about 26% to 30% five years ago. However, state officials altered the scoring benchmarks during this timeframe, which artificially inflated recent performance metrics on paper. Reading Performance Over Time Five Years Ago (Post-Pandemic Onset): Following the pandemic disruptions, elementary reading proficiency plummeted. Only about 26% to 30% of 3rd-through-8th graders met or exceeded expectations on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). Today: According to the latest Illinois Report Card data, reading proficiency for 3rd-through-8th graders is at 43%, while 11th-grade reading proficiency sits at 40%.

  2. Aug 19 ·  Video

    Chicago Public Schools with Hanania-Calabrese Political Review on

    8-10-26 Chicago Public schools & taxes - Ray Hanania & Frank Calabrese on Political-Review podcast Welcome to Political-Review with Frank Calabrese and Ray Hanania … It’s Tuesday, August 10, 2026 Frank Calabrese is a political consultant and analyst at https://FrankCalabrese.com Ray Hanania is a former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist at https://Hanania.com This Video Podcast on politics focuses on specific political developments, issues, and controversies in Chicago and the Chicagoland area and is broadcast when those issues arise … each week, or each day … published right here at: https://Political-Review.com On YouTube … check us out and subscribe This episode looks at the $1.9 billion dollar shortfall that the Chicago Public Schools need, according to major media and observers, driven by massive pension obligations … Chicago and the state will pump $1 billion into that pension debt with the state injecting some $368 million into the pensions this year with Chicago covering the rest … the Chicago Teachers Union passed an unbalanced budget and they want the state to inject $150 million more to prevent city school teacher/administrator layoffs … the CPS has proposed a $9.9 billion budget with 1,600 lay-offs … The schools are a mess … What’s going on, Frank, with school spending … has anything really changed other than the costs rising faster than student grades? You can also view this podcast on YouTube at www.Political-Review.com Subscribe to this podcast RAY HANANIA

  3. Aug 19 ·  Video

    Hanania/Calabrese Political Review on Chicago Mayoral Election

    8-6-26 Chicago Mayoral Election update with Ray Hanania & Frank Calabrese on Political-View podcast August 6, 2026 Political-Review.com Political consultant Frank Calabrese and columnist and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania tear into the Chicago elections, with a close look at the so-called "frontrunner" Alexi Giannoulias and what his issues are. He has the most money in his campaign fund but can Giannoulias win, or will he end up like Raja Krishnamoorthi who had the most money in his campaign fund when he ran and lost for US Senate last April. Candidates for mayor also include: Mayor Brandon Johnson -- candidate of the Chicago Teachers Union struggling through his first term Alexi Giannoulias – Illinois Secretary of State. He officially announced his campaign on August 2, 2026 and entered the race with one of the largest campaign war chests in Illinois politics. Maria Pappas – unannounced but expected mayoral candidate. She is the Cook County Treasurer, focused on financial management and government reform for the taxpayers George Cardenas – well-liked former Chicago alderman and current Board of Review commissioner. Matt Brewer – Attorney and former CHA executive. Joe Holberg – Entrepreneur running as a political outsider. Liam Stanton – Small business owner emphasizing government reform. Lisa Nee – Cardiologist who recently entered the race. William Kelly – Journalist and perennial candidate. John Kelly -- conservative businessman and lobbyist, founder of Sentinel Security. Willie Wilson. The Political Review Podcast will only tape when specific issues surface and become the grist for analysis by Frank Calabrese and Ray Hanania. Frank Calabrese is a political consultant and analyst at https://FrankCalabrese.com  Ray Hanania is a former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist at https://Hanania.com This Video Podcast on Politics focuses on specific political developments, issues, and controversies in Chicago and the Chicagoland area and is broadcast when those issues arise … each week, or each day … is also published at: https://Political-Review.com on YouTube Please subscribe here at Podbean or on YouTube. RAY HANANIA

  4. 03/14/2021

    03-12-21 Hadar Susskind of Americans for Peace Now

    03-12-21 Hadar Susskind of Americans for Peace Now Hadar Susskind of Americans for Peace Now guests on the Ray Hanania Show on the US Arab Radio Network with host Ray Hanania discussing Israeli-Palestinian peace, anti-Semitism versus criticism of Israel, and the Israeli elections in this live radio interview broadcast on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit. “The Ray Hanania Show” is brought to you live on WNZK AM 690 in Detroit Michigan and beginning on Wednesday March 31 we will also be broadcasting on WDMV AM 700 in Washington D.C. … at 8 AM in Detroit, (1 PM London, 3 PM Jerusalem 4 PM Riyadh and 5 PM Dubai), on the US Arab Radio Network. The shows are rebroadcast the same evening at 5 PM in Detroit This show is simulcast live on the US Arab Radio facebook page this morning at Facebook.com/USArabRadio The US Arab Radio Network was launched in 2005 by journalist and radio network founder Laila Alhusini in an effort to energize and empower Arab Americans … You can watch the Zoom Video interview by visiting Facebook.com/ArabRadio WNZK AM 690 and WDMV AM 700 are among the country’s leading independent radio stations offering formats for ethnic American communities including the Arab American community broadcasting every day of every week. For more information on our program go to the www.Facebook.com/rghanania or www.ArabRadio.us or www.Hanania.com

  5. 02/14/2021

    02-12-21 Arab Radio with Ray Hanania

    Arab Radio: Trump impeachment, mayoral election in Dearborn, Biden and Palestine Its Friday Feb 12, 2021 … and this is the “The Ray Hanania Show,” … and I am Ray Hanania, special US Correspondent and Op-Ed columnist for the Arab News Newspaper … “The Ray Hanania Show” is brought to you live on WNZK AM 690 in Detroit Michigan and on WDMV AM 700 in Washington D.C. …at 8 AM in Detroit, (1 PM London, 3 PM Jerusalem 4 PM Riyadh and 5 PM Dubai), on the US Arab Radio Network. The shows are rebroadcast the same evening at 5 PM. Our show is simulcast live on the US Arab Radio facebook page this morning at Facebook.com/USArabRadio The US Arab Radio Network was launched in 2005 by journalist and radio network founder Laila Alhusini in an effort to energize and empower Arab Americans … This morning we’ll be talking about a lot including Biden on Palestine, Iran’s threats, the Trump impeachment, the mayoral race in Dearborn … WNZK AM 690 and WDMV AM 700 are among the country’s leading independent radio stations offering formats for ethnic American communities including the Arab American community broadcasting every day of every week. Our call-in studio line is 248-557-3300 for more information on our program go to the www.Facebook.com/rghanania or www.ArabRadio.us or www.Hanania.com

  6. 01/15/2021

    01-15-21 Arab Radio on DC Protests, BLM, Biden, Trump & News Media Bias

    01-15-21 Arab Radio on DC Protests, BLM, Biden, Trump & News Media Bias #ArabRadio #Censorship #DCProtests #JoeBiden We talk about the censorship of social media and the news media, the protests in Washington D.C., and the upcoming Biden administration’s commitment to #ArabAmericans and #MuslimAmericans … can he deliver and what can he deliver?   We broadcast live on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit and we’ll stream live on USArabRadio Facebook page at at 8 AM EST (7 AM Chi)   View the Zoom video on the US Arab Radio Facebook page at this link: https://www.facebook.com/USArabRadio   For more information on Ray Hanania's columns, podcasts and radio shows visit www.Hanania.com.

  7. 12/13/2020

    12-11-20 Alice Speri on Social Media Censorship

    12-11-20 Alice Speri on Social Media Censorship Alice Speri, a writer with The Intercept (TheIntercept.com) discusses a recent article she wrote with co-author Sam Biddle in which she explores censorship by Zoom against programs and conferences that feature topics Zoom considers violations of US Law. Click here to read her article. Speri joined host Ray Hanania on The Arab street Radio/US Arab Radio Network on Tuesday Dec. 11, 2020 on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit. Speri and Hanania talk about the parameters of censorship as they apply to social media and how Zoom censorship a University program that only included a discussion about a controversial figure in Palestinian and Israeli history, Leila (Laila) Khaled, the first woman to hijack an airplane during the military conflict against Israel in the 1970s. Just the discussion of the topic prompted Zoom to block the program and censor the panel. The article she wrote is titled "Zoom Censorship of Palestine Seminars Sparks Fight over Academic Freedom. Zoom cited anti-terrorism laws to shut down an event with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled -- and other events criticizing its censorship. The Arab street Radio is broadcast Live every 2nd Tuesday of the month on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit, Michigan and is simulcast Live on the USArabRadio Facebook page online. For more information on Ray Hanania visit his Internet writing hub at www.Hanania.com. For more information on The Arab street Radio visit www.TheArabStreetRadio.org. For more information on US Arab Radio visit www.ArabRadio.us.

  8. 11/15/2020

    Ray Hanania discusses theTrump-Biden election and more on Arab Radio 11-13-20

    Ray Hanania discusses theTrump-Biden election and more on Arab Radio 11-13-20 Radio host Ray Hanania discusses the election battle and the issues between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit, sponsored by the Arab News Newspaper (ArabNews.com) and US Arab Radio Network. For more information on Ray Hanania's podcasts, radio shows, or syndicated columns on mainstream or Middle East topics visit www.Hanania.com.

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About

Courageous Thought Podcasts, Audio and Video, address and analyze political issues from Chicago to the Middle East in several show formats, reflecting his award-winning writings at Substack at www.CourageousThought.com. (Also at www.RayHanania.com and www.Hanania.com.) A professional journalist for more than a half century, Ray Hanania entered political reporting assigned as a desked reporter at Chicago City Halll covering from 1977 through 1992, covering 7 mayors (Richard J. Daley, Michael A. Bilandic, Jane M. Byrne, Harold Washington, David Orr, Eugene Sawyer and Richard M. Daley). He has written news and feature stories on politics for newspapers around the world, including for the Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, Newsday, Orlando Sentinel, Arab News, and more.  Through Courageous Thought Podcasts, Hanania produces and co-hosts several audio and video podcasts, including: Two Guys on Politics with former Congressman Bill Lipinski addressing national and international politics, issues and events Political-Review with political analyst and consultant Frank Calabrese on Chicago and Chicagoland politics, issues, and events Ray Hanania on Politics, occasional perspectives by Ray Hanania complementing his political Opinion Columns on Substack (www.RayHanania.com, www.Hanania.com and www.CourageousThought.com) The Arab Street Radio & Audio Podcast, where Ray Hanania focuses on Middle East and Arab World issues. You can reach Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com or, on his Substack website at www.CourageousThought.com.  Ray Hanania's podcasts are also vailable on Youtube.

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