Heartland Politics with Robin Johnson

Robin Johnson
  • 5.0 (4)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Heartland Politics with Robin Johnson is a political podcast discussing current issues we face as a country featuring interviews with senators, congressmen, governors, and other political elite.

  1. 15H AGO

    Norine Hammond Seeks Reelection to 94th Illinois House District Based on Experience, Results

    Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) talks about her state representative district, her background, why she is seeking reelection, key issues, including affordability, ethics and downstate roads, and much more.

    29 min

  2. JAN 31

    The Threat of Tech Platforms to Our Economy and Democracy

    Timothy Wu, professor at Columbia Law School and former White Houseadvisor on tech and competition policy, talks about his new book, The Age of Extraction: How Tech Platforms conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity. We discuss the initial promise of the Internet and what went wrong, how tech platforms choked off competition, platform power in health care and housing, the role of "couch lock" and convenience in creating dependency, whether AI will break platform monopoly power or extend it, the implications for our economy and democracy, and recommendations on how to address platform monopoly power.

    29 min

  3. JAN 24

    Culture is Politics; Politics is Culture; And Politics is Everything

    Matt Grossmann talks about the book he co-authored, Polarized by Degrees: How the Diploma Divide and the Culture War Transformed American Politics. He discusses when this political realignment began, the impact of increasing levels of college attainment on American culture, the impacts on the two political parties, Trump II's attempts to change American culture, and more.

    29 min

  4. JAN 17

    Last Year's Top 10 Political Stories in Illinois

    Jerry Nowicki, editor in chief for Capital News Illinois, lists his top news stories in Illinois politics and government for 2025. He also looks ahead to some key issues and people to watch for in 2026.

    29 min

  5. JAN 10

    What Was The Top Political Story in Iowa in 2025?

    Kathie Obradovich, editor in chief of the Iowa Capital Dispatch, talks about the most important political stories from 2025 and offers insights into key topics for 2026.

    29 min

  6. JAN 3

    New Book Takes Even-handed Look at the Rise and Fall of Globalization

    David Lynch, global economics correspondent for The Washington Post, talks about his book, The World's Worst Bet: How The Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (And What Would Make It Right). Our discussion includes when this era of "hyper-globalization" began, the attraction of the theoretical underpinnings of globalization, what led to the global pushback, the role of Bill Clinton as the chief cheerleader of globalization, and much more.

    29 min

  7. 12/27/2025

    New Book Examines How American Regional Divides Are Root Causes of Political Polarization

    Colin Woodard talks about his new book, Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America. The best-selling author of American Nations explores the regional roots of the partisan divide over several key issues (guns, immigration, climate, authoritarianism) and offers ideas on how to unify the nation based on new cultural insights and opinion research.

    29 min

  8. 12/20/2025

    H.W. Brands: "No One Like Jackson Had Ever Been Elected (President)"

    Nationally-eminent historian H.W. Brands discusses his book, Andrew Jackson: His Like and Times, a timely topic since Jackson is one of president Trump's favorites. Brands discusses Jackson's upbringing that shaped his values as president, the "Corrupt Bargain" and the longest campaign for the presidency in 1828, Jackson's appeal to voters, his role in what Brands calls the beginning of American democracy and its first true test, and the similarities and differences between Jackson and Trump.

    29 min
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5
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Heartland Politics with Robin Johnson is a political podcast discussing current issues we face as a country featuring interviews with senators, congressmen, governors, and other political elite.

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