Kina Collins--War Without War

·59 min·5 clips

Ben Joravsky explains why President Trump's bombing of Iran without congressional approval is a 'war without war'.

Ben Joravsky opens the episode by framing the U.S. military action in Iran as a 'war without war', arguing President Trump bypassed Congress in violation of the War Powers Act. He notes the Senate defeated a measure to restrict Trump's authority, with only Rand Paul dissenting. Guest Kina Collins, a congressional candidate, joins and labels the administration a 'criminal enterprise' using war as a distraction. She criticizes the moral hypocrisy of attacking Iran while the U.S. has a history of domestic terror against Black Americans. The discussion shifts to political cowardice, with Collins analyzing Marjorie Taylor Greene's failure to challenge Trump and the broader lack of Democratic leadership. They then examine election manipulation in Texas, where Republican tactics suppressed Democratic votes in a primary. Collins sees a silver lining in high Democratic turnout, suggesting Texas could turn blue. The focus turns to her race in Illinois' 7th District, a crowded primary to replace retiring Danny K. Davis. Collins explains her theory of turning the district into an organizing hub for the Midwest. She reveals AIPAC has spent $2.8 million against her, framing her as the only 'movement builder' in the race. The conversation covers district demographics, including Oak Park's role and local endorsements. They discuss the cynical tactics of PACs like AIPAC and their influence in elections. Collins shares she is undecided but leaning toward Robin Kelly in the Illinois Senate primary, expressing concern about Juliana Stratton's stance on Gaza. The episode closes with Collins urging strategic voting for long-term impact.

As heard by us

War powers and Texas ballot mechanics collide, with turnout numbers making the November stakes harder to ignore.

The Ben Jarowski Show starts with a hard tension: bombing and killing in Iran alongside the insistence that the country is not formally at war.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when you want Iran's war question to collide with a Texas voting fight.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Ben Joravsky Show