The Ron Show

Ron Roberts
  • 4.7 (11)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to the Ron Show - Atlanta's only progressive audio platform airing five days a week on Georgia Now, M-F 4-6pm (replaying 8-10am the next weekday). Host Ron Roberts covers Atlanta, metro Atlanta, Georgia and national politics from a pretty unique lens ... he's just your run-of-the-mill Georgia-born gay progressive cat-dad realtor & talk show host. Dime a dozen, right?

  1. 23H AGO

    Keisha Lance Bottoms defends her record, makes case for GA Governor

    Keisha Lance Bottoms joined Ron for a look back at her mayoral era in Atlanta and to make her sales pitch to skeptical Georgia voters ahead of the gubernatorial election in November. Speaking on the race, a curious endorsement bubbled up, last week, drawing notable scrutiny among many black Georgia voters. Trump got whacked by the Supreme Court Friday, but justices may have actually been trying to bail out his floundering economy. Is the president too narcissistic to take the win? If so, more economic malaise is likely to come. California Governor Gavin Newsom was in Atlanta over the weekend, for a Bottoms' fundraiser and a conversation with Mayor Andre Dickens on his book tour; a "960 SAT score" statement was fodder for criticism by some on the right, but didn't seem to phase those in attendance - or anyone who heard the entire exchange. Georgia Rep. Marvin Lim capped the cast to share his own immigrant voter struggles . He and fellow Democrats are floating legislation to allow Georgia municipalities to embrace sanctuary policies. Lim also spoke on the work he does representing a diverse district, along with penning bipartisan legislation to protect medically challenged utility customers burdened with shutoffs. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #KeishaLanceBottoms #MarvinLIm #GeorgiaGovernor #ImmigrationPolicy #CopCity #GeorgiaPolitics #TrumpTariffs #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

    1h 29m

  2. 3D AGO

    Thurmond makes his case & Shawn Harris un-MAGA's the 14th

    Ron caught up with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Thurmond for a conversation encompassing the state of the seven-candidate race, what led him to decide to come back into the political arena after term-limiting out as Dekalb CEO, how his role in the "Cop City" squabble might relate to his governing Georgia in Trump's last two years and more. In hour two, Democratic congressional candidate Shawn Harris checked in to discuss Trump’s visit to Georgia’s 14th District, tariffs, affordability concerns, and whether Democrats in Washington have shown enough backbone. Plus, it's Friday, so it's always good to hear from Sterling Thrill. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #MikeThurmond #SeanHarris #GeorgiaGovernor #GA14 #ImmigrationPolicy #CopCity #GeorgiaPolitics #TrumpTariffs #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

    1h 35m

  3. 4D AGO

    Deported GA Army veteran, Savannah ICE chase expose flaws in DHS & immigration procedures

    PLUS: How'd an innocuous Social Circle warehouse somehow improve in value by $100 million in just two years for DHS to have paid that much more for it? Prior to his visit to Rome, GA, today, Donald Trump thought it fitting to take swipes at Atlanta over his perception of the city's crime woes (his Mar A Lago hometown with a higher crime rate per capita, mind you ...) but the day actually isn't about him; not here. Instead, Ron discussed someone who didn't shirk military duty; someone who actively sought it out despite not even being an American citizen. The deportation of Godfrey Wade, a U.S. Army veteran and longtime Georgia resident sent to Jamaica after missing a court date he says he was never notified about, was the focus of much of today's show, with his attorney Tony Kozycki at Kozycki Law joining Ron. Hear why Wade missed his court date (not his fault) but also hear how this military veteran / permanent resident was blithely vilified by one DHS official - Tricia McLaughlin - who's now resigning. She similarly smeared Renee Good and Alex Pretti, too, though, so a skunk never loses her stripes. Good riddance. Oh, and it's curious - is it not - in this "DOGE-y" era, that DHS spent $128.5 million on a warehouse previously purchased for $29 million just two-ish years ago. Hard to imagine there were upgrades and/or increases in value that come to a tidy $100 million profit for the LLC that snapped it up back in December of 2021. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #GodfreyWade #TonyKaczynski #ImmigrationReform #GeorgiaPolitics #ICE #DueProcess #AtlantaNews #DHS

    44 min

  4. 5D AGO

    Ron + Wendy on polling & the run for MTG's vacated seat

    PLUS: more on the deadly ICE chase in Chatham & how one conspiracy theorist & his debunked claims seem central to the Fulton / FBI raid Ron caught up with Wendy Davis, former Rome city commissioner, Congressional candidate and co-host of Kudzu Vine, for a straightforward look at polling throughout the country in red districts, why Democrats feel more confident about Sen. Jon Ossoff’s 2026 race, and how affordability and tariffs are still hitting voters - and are likely about to get worse. Ron and Wendy break down the messy special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene and discuss the crowded GOP field, Trump’s endorsement drama, and Shawn Harris’ strategy as he tries to compete for votes outside the Democratic party while keeping Democrats in his camp. There's more to learn (and discuss) in the aftermath of an ICE-induced high-speed chase where a Savannah school teacher was killed by a fleeing immigrant. A controversy once thought to be just happening in sanctuary cities like Minneapolis is at the heart of this tragedy: poor (if any) communication between DHS/ICE and local law enforcement. Also, Ron caught up with ProPublica investigative reporter Doug Bock Carter, who uncovered the source for much of the flimsy rationale behind an affidavit that led to the FBI raiding the Fulton Elections facility for 2020 ballots. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #WendyDavis #KudzuVine #JonOssoff #SeanHarris #MarjorieTaylorGreene #DonaldTrump #JamesTalarico #JasmineCrockett

    1h 29m

  5. 6D AGO

    Election conspiracies and data center utility costs add up - for GA residents

    Lo and behold, bipartisan voices are urging Trump-led conspiracy theorists to "move on." Both former Governor Roy Barnes (D) and former Senator Saxby Chambliss (R) took to the AJC's Politically Georgia podcast to rail against relitigating the 2020 election, especially after the FBI’s seizure of Fulton County ballots. Ron followed that up, conversing with election data consultant Michael Handelman of Civic Forge Solutions , whose AJC op/ed touched on conspiracy claims being weaponed by sheer complexity — and why Georgia taxpayers keep footing the bill. Ron also discussed the tragic death of a Savannah teacher during an ICE pursuit, raising tough questions about enforcement tactics and public safety. Dr. Amy Sharma of Science for Georgia joined to discuss bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting ratepayers from Georgia Power’s data center expansion costs. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #RoyBarnes #SaxbyChambliss #MichaelHandelman #AmySharma #GeorgiaElections #FultonCounty #ICE #GeorgiaPolitics

    1h 29m

  6. FEB 14

    The 'Georgia Diagnosis' - some bipartisan, some hyper-partisan: the Docter (Au) is in

    Hey it's Ron; earlier in the week I'd highlighted some sound legislative offerings from Republican women in the Georgia general assembly that I hoped Democrats would join in on and push across the finish line. There's another, giving pharmacists the ability to prescribe HIV prevention medication, again, penned by a Republican. This is encouraging to see. What's discouraging, of course, is that the same Georgia GOP saw fit earlier in the week to "poison-pill" a bill both parties were enthusiastic about - HB 54 - by adding anti-trans language into it. To discuss some of that refreshing (and rare) bipartisanship - but also the more troubling legislation making its way through this session, is Dr. Michelle Au, representative for Georgia's 50th House District, and host of the new podcast "Georgia Diagnosis." Rev. Senator Raphael Warnock added an amendment to DHS funding in an attempt end DHS/ICE purchasing warehouses in Oakwood and Social Circle, GA, two small communities sure to be overwhelmed by facilities their infrastructure cannot handle; the kind of treatment op/ed writer Patricia Murphy called 'unconscionable.' Then I got my mental wellness break with comedian / political satirist Sterling Thrill. Between 'Bad Bunny' triggering Megyn Kelly & Pam Bondi going full "Karen" with her flash cards, we had plenty to chuckle about - and did. Lastly, an op/ed I saw from Mariah Parker & Dominique Grant at Fair Play ATL reminded us all that Atlanta's Olympic legacy isn't just tarnished by a bombing, but a lack of positive impact - and its negative impacts on housing affordability. It's their push to insist that Atlanta hosting eight FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 invests its windfall in positive change and a lack of ICE in the city's streets.

    1h 29m

  7. FEB 13

    GA lawmaker's move to shield carpet industry from PFAS fallout should yield a Democratic candidate

    PLUS: a SE Georgia community wants nowhere near a nickel refinery, McBath brilliantly plays Pam Bondi & GA Repub infighting ratchets up In Northwest Georgia, Republican Rep. Kasey Carpenter is reviving legislation that would shield carpet manufacturers from PFAS “forever chemical” lawsuits, even though investigations have found contamination in local water and communities. Democratic Congressional candidate Shawn Harris has the preferable messaging, but he's not running against Carpenter; so where is the Georgia HD 4 candidate who will, Ron wonders. Meanwhile, Richmond Hill residents are fighting a proposed nickel refinery near schools and wetlands, drawing painful parallels to the 2024 Conyers chemical fire. Hear Ron catch up with a friend who moved, with her husband and daughter, from Conyers fresh off a 2024 environmental disaster, who'd like to avoid having moved to the potential for another. Plus, the Georgia GOP governor’s race takes a dramatic turn as new polling shakes up the field, and Ron highlights how the RNC is looking to let Donald Trump decide who should be Georgia Republicans' nominee instead of voters. Then, of course, there's more legal infighting about fundraising, because, of course Repubs who champaign unfettered money in politics can also hate the unfairness of money in politics.Lost in all the Pam Bondi noise was this brilliant, powerful exchange between Rep. Lucy McBath and Attorney General Pam Bondi during a heated House hearing. That said, it's hard not to enjoy / revisit the popcorn-snacking exchanges that has even conservative pundit Erick Erickson calling for Bondi's ouster. AJC contributor Jamie Dupree sums up the fruitlessness of the GOP's clamoring over the SAVE Act as Ron notes the deep flaws that'll even impact MAGA voters. Lastly, between Bondi's antics and the reaction to 'Bad Bunny' by Megyn Kelly, it has to be pointed out that it's notable what MAGA conservative get worked up about and what they don't. Florida-based minister Joe Smith wrote in his Substack about the dichotomy, and there's something for misguided MAGAs (and sometimes even outraged liberals) to do some soul-searching over.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #CaseyCarpenter #LucyMcBath #PamBondi #RickJackson #BurtJones #PFAS #NickelRefinery #GeorgiaPolitics

    1h 29m

  8. FEB 11

    Rep. Saira Draper Slams FBI Raid as ‘Regurgitated Conspiracy Theories’

    PLUS: GA GOP can't handle 'affordability,' so it resorts back to 'anti-trans' measures & the fuss over PFAS in NW Georgia The unsealing of an affidavit that was the basis for the FBI raid of Fulton County's 2020 ballots is raising fresh questions, along with derision from legal experts.. Ron spoke with State Rep. Saira Draper (HD 90) to allow for a Democratic party response, Draper calling the move politically motivated and warning about chain-of-custody issues and renewed efforts to undermine trust in Georgia’s elections. The conversation also touches on the SAVE Act, voter ID debates, and the push to revisit hand-marked paper ballots.Ron also covered Senate Republicans adding anti-trans amendments to a bipartisan health care bill. Georgia Equality’s Jeff Graham connected with Ron to explain why advocates say the move targets transgender Georgians and jeopardizes broader health reforms that had broad bipartisan support before the 'poison pill' amendments were added.Then, Democratic Congressional candidate Shawn Harris has been ringing alarm bells since last summer, and a year-long effort between the AJC, Associated Press, AL.com and PBS/Frontline chronicled the carpet industry's use of PFAS ("forever chemicals") in stain resistance while poisoning northwest Georgia water supplies. So of course, Georgia Republicans are racing to sneak a once-dead bill back into relevancy to protest carpet makers from litigation, right? Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #SyraDraper #JeffGraham #GeorgiaEquality #FultonCounty #GeorgiaPolitics #ElectionIntegrity #TransRights #SAVEAct

    1h 29m
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4.7
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Ron Show - Atlanta's only progressive audio platform airing five days a week on Georgia Now, M-F 4-6pm (replaying 8-10am the next weekday). Host Ron Roberts covers Atlanta, metro Atlanta, Georgia and national politics from a pretty unique lens ... he's just your run-of-the-mill Georgia-born gay progressive cat-dad realtor & talk show host. Dime a dozen, right?

Information

  • Creator
    Ron Roberts
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    691
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ron Roberts
  • Show Website
    The Ron Show