The Dawn Show For May 18 2026

A Failed MOU? Kathy Barnette, Ida Tehran, And Batya Ungar Sargon Break Down The Truth About Iran

Kathy Barnette sits in for Dawn Stensland on The Dawn Stensland Show to dissect the breaking foreign policy crisis surrounding America's Memorandum of Understanding with Iran. We tackle the reality that the agreement is falling apart, asking what exactly the United States gained from the deal. Iranian-born analyst Ida Tehran joins the program to share her lived experience, arguing that while conservative MAGA voters are rightfully exhausted by endless nation-building, the current regime remains an active threat to American security. She urges voters to look past the global propaganda and keep trust in the strategy to manage the ultimate collapse from within. The conversation intensifies as Batya Ungar Sargon, host of Batya at News Nation, joins us for an authentic look at the deep flaws within the agreement. We note that the current situation looks like total capitulation, explaining how Iran successfully shifted the conflict from a military fight they couldn't win to an economic war designed to inflict high gas prices on American workers. We analyze the fascinating strategy at play within the administration, as leaders balance the promise of a roaring domestic economy with the absolute imperative to prevent a nuclear Iran. We wrap up the hour by pivoting to the critical fights taking place right here at home. The crew reacts to the choice facing regular citizens, noting that radical politicians in major cities like New York and Los Angeles pose a more immediate threat to the future of our children than adversaries overseas. Finally, we share some massive local news as the F3 Forum prepares to return this October, posing a foundational question for our community: can our local schools replicate the literacy turnaround achieved in the Deep South and deliver a true miracle for our students?

Behind The Buddy Bench: The Sanctuary City Policies That Stole An 18-Year-Old College Freshman

We open this segment of The Dawn Stensland Show with guest host Kathy Barnett reacting to the emotional testimony of Jessica Gorman before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on sanctuary city policies. We listen to a mother detail the tragic loss of her 18-year-old daughter, Sheridan Grace Gorman, who was murdered in Chicago by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who remained on the streets despite an outstanding warrant. The crew breaks down how failed border policies, a refusal to cooperate with ICE, and misplaced priorities among elected politicians continue to fail American citizens. Kathy Barnett welcomes commentator Mary Walter to the program to dissect how the left pursues power at any cost, detailing a system where local law enforcement is blocked from reporting criminals to immigration authorities. We call out the Senate for taking extended summer vacations while major legislative items like the SAVE Act sit stalled, highlighting how entrenched politicians protect their positions instead of securing elections. We argue that the ruling elite across the country operates under a dangerous illusion of immunity from the long-term consequences of failing to uphold basic laws. We close out the hour by diving directly into the stated platform on the Democratic Socialists of America website to expose their explicit plans for the future of the nation. Dawn's guest host walks listeners through the radical pledges of socialist candidates winning seats in Pennsylvania and beyond, including calls for open borders, complete immigrant amnesty, non-citizen voting rights, and the total demilitarization of the United States border. We issue a fierce warning to parents to stop taking American liberties for granted, challenging families to read the Declaration of Independence to their children and actively combat the internal dismantling of our country.

Fighting Socialism And Flipping Philly Red With Guest William Small

Kathy Barnett sits in for Dawn Stensland on The Dawn Stensland Show to dissect a recent Supreme Court ruling on transgender sports and the broader issues of institutional leadership. We react to the political shift occurring as progressive judges and lawmakers prioritize emotion over constitutional interpretation. We question the decisions coming from the bench, pointing directly to Justice John Roberts and calling for a return to a strategic, principled interpretation of our laws rather than managing collective feelings. We welcome entrepreneur and former write-in congressional candidate William Small to the studio to share his perspective from West Philadelphia. Small details how his construction business flourished under the first Trump administration, only to face devastating choices when the pandemic forced sudden shutdowns. He walks us through his personal experiences trying to seek assistance for his team from progressive legislators, exposing a massive gap between public progressive rhetoric and actual community support. The crew deep-dives into the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America platform, noting how their messaging wins over younger voters by bypassing traditional party lines. We look closely at progressive primary wins in Philadelphia and beyond, tracking how these campaigns successfully leverage local frustration to unseat established Democrats. We close the conversation by analyzing the future of Philadelphia, discussing the steep statistical hurdles facing local conservatives and emphasizing the urgent need for robust, practical solutions to address the city's school performance and safety.

THE MISSISSIPPI MIRACLE: How One State Moved The Education Mountain To Save Struggling Kids

Kathy Barnett steps into the host seat on The Dawn Stensland Show to deliver a fierce reality check on the state of the union and the latest decisions coming down from the nation's highest court. We react to the Supreme Court’s recent rulings on border policy and women's sports, calling out John Roberts and the judicial establishment for punting birthright citizenship back to a dysfunctional Congress. Kathy pulls back the curtain on the political class, drawing on her experience running for the U.S. Senate and traveling the nation with Vivek Ramaswamy to explain why too many leaders believe they live by a separate set of rules than the American people. We pivot to the future of the country by looking directly at the education system and the generation we are raising. Retired education commissioner Daniel McGrath joins the conversation to break down a newly released national education monitor report. We examine why reading and math scores have steadily declined since 2013, the widening gap affecting lower-skilled kids, and the ultimate success of the "Mississippi Miracle" where schools managed to lift the entire student body even through the pandemic. Kathy argues that without a strong foundation in critical thinking and civics, the nation risks losing its moral center to socialist ideology. The show goes directly to the frontlines of national security and the opioid crisis with an exclusive conversation featuring the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Sarah Carter. We break down the massive reduction in annual drug overdose deaths—dropping from over 112,000 under the Biden administration to under 69,000—and what must happen next to bring that number down to zero. Carter calls out China for the persistent flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals, and Kathy closes the broadcast with a passionate reading of the Declaration of Independence, reminding the audience exactly where our rights originate.

From Mississippi Miracle To Philadelphia: How Radical Literacy Policies Can Save U.S. Education

We open this hour of The Dawn Stensland Show with guest host Kathy Barnett sitting in for Dawn, alongside Philadelphia grassroots activist John Alante-McAulay and Leah Ferretti, the founder of Mississippi Ready. The crew reacts to the devastating reality of the pre-K to prison pipeline, highlighting how private prison systems project future bed space based entirely on childhood third-grade reading scores. Leah breaks down the mathematical and human cost of this failure, comparing the $30,000 state price tag to house an inmate against the meager $10,000 spent to educate a child. Kathy presses into the mechanics of the famous Mississippi Miracle, shedding light on the Literacy Based Promotion Act of 2013. We learn that this shift was built on rigorous teacher training, requiring extensive coursework in phonics-based instruction rather than relying on sight words or whole-language trends. Leah details her personal journey as a mother navigating severe dyslexia across all three of her children, explaining how parent choice and education scholarship accounts threw her family a vital lifeline when local public options fell short. Alante bridges the conversation back to local issues, confronting how Philadelphia schools currently handle failing metrics by juking the stats and turning failing marks into passing ones. We take a hard look at the city's spending, contrasting Mississippi's successful deployment of in-classroom literacy coaches with Philadelphia's controversial decision to spend over $200 million on non-teaching climate staff. Finally, Kathy previews the upcoming F3 Forum in Germantown, asking the ultimate question of whether Philadelphia can replicate this conservative blueprint to save its own students.