The Politics of Permanent Division

The Audience Is Always Right — and Hollywood, Graham Platner, and New Orleans All Refuse to Learn That

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 25, 2026. We open with Governor Jeff Landry sending what can only be described as a fiscal message to New Orleans — vetoing more than $12 million in state construction funding tied to city projects, including a new city hall, an early learning center, and Habitat NOLA housing infrastructure. We explain why this isn't punishment so much as accountability — New Orleans is in a continuing cash flow crisis of its own making, burned through one-time COVID money by applying it to permanent programs, and has been fighting the state on policing, courts, and governance since Landry took office. If you can't manage the money you already have, why should the state give you more? We also cover Landry's broader veto list for the week — six bills killed, including one adding the Atlantic tarpon to the state game fish list and several others with no funding attached to them. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, Landry's other vetoes include bills for economic development districts, fresh food programs in food deserts, and elderly retirement education — plus his earlier veto of the wrongful conviction compensation increase. Then the former police chief of Greenwood, Louisiana — 75-year-old Glenn Mazur, arrested earlier this month on rape and sexual battery charges — was found unresponsive in his jail cell and pronounced dead at the hospital, with an autopsy finding natural causes. And former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell — the first sitting mayor in New Orleans history to be indicted by a federal grand jury — will be honored at the Essence Festival on the 4th of July alongside Jasmine Crockett, who just lost her Senate primary in Texas. The theme of the event is the power of restoration. We let that sit there for a moment. We sit down with Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry for an update on Saturday's Senate runoff election — where early voting turnout is running below the May primary levels, driven by vacation season, the weather, and the later-in-the-year calendar shift. Nancy explains that Louisiana is ranked fourth in the nation in election integrity, that results typically come in by midnight, and that new voting machines are on track for a pilot program rollout to select parishes in 2027. She also makes a direct appeal to listeners in their 40s and 50s — the state desperately needs poll workers, the average age of current workers is 67, young people aren't stepping up, and you get paid for the day. We revisit the Supreme Court's 6-3 TPS ruling — and connect it to the real-world consequences of the Biden administration's mass placement of Haitian migrants into specific communities like Springfield, Ohio, where 10,000 migrants were brought into a small city that wasn't prepared to absorb them. We make the case that this isn't about race — it's about culture, trust, and what happens when you mass-import people from low-trust societies without any plan for integration. We also cover Graham Plattner — the Maine Democratic Senate candidate with the SS tattoo — who released a video claiming that conservative opposition to men competing in women's sports is actually just a distraction funded by billionaires who don't want a wealth tax. We respond with data: the men's 100-yard dash world record is nearly a full second faster than the women's, the volleyball net is seven inches higher for men than women, and there is exactly one woman in recorded human history who has run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds. There are thousands of men who have. The opposition to men in women's sports has nothing to do with taxes — it's about fairness to women, and any politician who can't acknowledge that is gaslighting his own base. We also talk Hollywood — specifically the new Supergirl movie, which needs $450-500 million worldwide to break even and is projected to open to $40-50 million domestically. We invoke Jerry Seinfeld's rule about comedy — the audience is always right. Wonder Woman succeeded because it was a great movie. The last three Star Wars films failed because the audience said they were awful. Snow White failed because the audience said it was awful. And when Hollywood refuses to learn from this and blames the fans instead, it will keep losing hundreds of millions of dollars on films nobody asked for while The Chosen keeps finding new viewers without a single Hollywood executive.  And we close with the observation that the most repeated lie in modern American life is the phrase your call is very important to us — because if it were, they'd be picking up the phone right now. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

Have We Forgotten What's Great About Louisiana?

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 24, 2026. Fresh off our trip to Times Square, we return home with a renewed appreciation for Louisiana after a conversation with a family that recently relocated from Washington, D.C. Their enthusiasm for Shreveport raises a simple question: have we become so focused on our state's problems that we've forgotten what makes it special? We discuss why sometimes it takes an outsider to remind us of the things we take for granted. We also break down the latest developments in Governor Jeff Landry's effort to provide teachers with a one-time stipend, why the plan remains tied up in court, and what it says about Louisiana's ongoing struggle to properly fund education. Plus, Planned Parenthood announces its return to Louisiana, and we examine what services the organization plans to offer and why its arrival is already generating controversy. Later, we discuss the resignation of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith following his guilty plea in an assault case and what leadership accountability should look like when public officials break the law. We also take a closer look at Senator Bill Cassidy's latest clash with President Trump after Cassidy joined Democrats on a War Powers resolution targeting the administration's actions toward Iran. Has Cassidy once again put himself at odds with Louisiana Republicans, or is this simply a constitutional disagreement over executive authority? Then we tackle two very different stories involving faith and public life. First, we react to a Louisiana pastor arrested after allegedly assaulting a neighbor and explain why using scripture to justify bad behavior damages the Christian witness. Then we examine a Texas politician's claim that Christianity is the most violent religion in history and debate whether that argument survives even a basic review of historical facts. Plus, a new election integrity fight emerges as the U.S. Postal Service threatens to withhold mail-in ballot delivery from states that refuse to comply with federal voter verification requirements, and the Department of Justice announces what it calls the largest healthcare fraud crackdown in American history. All that and more on this episode of American Ground Radio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

What Times Square Reveals About America at 250

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 23, 2026. Broadcasting from the heart of Times Square, we take a step back from the daily headlines to reflect on what makes America unique as the nation approaches its 250th birthday. Surrounded by people from every corner of the world, we discuss the enduring promise of the American Dream, the power of free markets, and the responsibility each generation has to preserve and improve the freedoms we've inherited. We also break down the latest developments in Louisiana's U.S. Senate race as early voting numbers reveal Republicans dominating turnout while the battle between Julia Letlow and John Fleming grows increasingly bitter. Does low turnout favor one candidate over the other, and has either candidate truly given voters a reason to support them? Later, we examine Governor Jeff Landry's stalled teacher pay proposal, the Caddo Parish Commission's decision to reject a Pride Month resolution, and the failure of a $280 million New Orleans drainage system during Tropical Storm Arthur. We also look at California's latest gun restrictions and ask why lawmakers continue targeting legal gun owners for crimes that are already illegal. Plus, we react to another round of Kamala Harris word salad, discuss Major League Baseball's decision not to punish players for displaying Bible verses during Pride Night events, and explore the growing tension between sports, faith, and politics. And from Times Square itself, we share our observations about America's greatest city, test our knowledge of New York's most iconic landmarks, and celebrate the optimism, opportunity, and freedom that continue to define the American experiment. All that and more on this episode of American Ground Radio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

The Teacher Pay Raise Battle Just Got More Complicated

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 19, 2026. We open with Louisiana's ongoing teacher pay raise battle and the growing debate over who should control education funding. Governor Jeff Landry says teachers deserve more money, a judge says the Constitution says otherwise, and local school districts are stepping in where state government has stalled. We break down the legal fight, the politics behind it, and what it means for teachers across Louisiana. We also discuss a startling report from LSU Health Shreveport showing Caddo Parish wastewater contains some of the highest levels of methamphetamine byproducts ever recorded, raising questions about drug abuse, public health, and even a surprising connection to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's efforts to challenge abortion pill regulations. Later, we look at a WalletHub ranking that claims Louisiana is one of the worst states in America for working fathers and ask whether national rankings miss what really matters about family, fatherhood, and quality of life. Plus, we celebrate Father's Day by discussing the often-overlooked role dads play in shaping families and creating generational success. We also dive into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s latest battle over food dyes, why your favorite M&M colors may be disappearing, and what that says about the growing Make America Healthy Again movement. Then we welcome Douglas Carswell of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy for a fascinating conversation about Mississippi's economic turnaround, why the state's GDP per capita now exceeds that of the United Kingdom, and what America's free-market system still gets right while much of the world moves in the opposite direction. And finally, we examine a poll showing a surprising number of Democrats believe America is worse than average compared to other countries, rank America's favorite holidays, and react to Hunter Biden's challenge to Donald Trump Jr. for a cage fight. All that and more on this episode of American Ground Radio.

Is Mifepristone Contaminating America's Water Supply?

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 18, 2026. We open with a creative legal challenge from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and a coalition of states asking whether the abortion drug mifepristone should be studied under the Safe Drinking Water Act. We break down the argument, the science, and the debate over whether concerns about pharmaceuticals in the environment are being ignored—or overstated. From there, we cover the aftermath of Tropical Storm Arthur in South Louisiana, remember two service members with Louisiana ties who were killed in a California B-52 crash, and discuss 50 Cent's growing investment in Shreveport as he breaks ground on his ambitious G-Dome project. We also dive into Governor Jeff Landry's new "Behind the Counter Protection Act" and ask whether tougher penalties for assaulting retail workers solve a real problem or simply add another law to the books. Plus, Louisiana moves to crack down on Medicaid fraud before Washington comes knocking, and we examine why rooting out waste protects both taxpayers and those who truly need assistance. Later, we discuss a Texas Senate candidate whose financial disclosures raised questions about independence and adulthood, explore a former Clinton adviser’s warning about the growing popularity of socialism among young voters, and examine a new UCLA report showing diversity numbers falling in Hollywood streaming productions. Is Hollywood becoming less diverse—or are audiences simply choosing entertainment over ideology? And we wrap up with another round of criticism from The View aimed at President Trump, the New York Knicks' White House visit, and the ongoing debate over who is really trying to rewrite American history. All that and more on this episode of American Ground Radio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!