Joan talks to Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner (26th House District), who discussed his mix of optimism and nervousness in regard to the second Trump administration, emphasizing the need to focus on actions over rhetoric. He also highlighted the role of state legislatures in countering bad federal policy, talked about constituent concerns over crime and Trump administration overreach, commented on the recent conviction of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, and outlined his legislative priorities in Springfield, including affordable housing and budget negotiations.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.