
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
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Social justice means applying the law equally to all people. But in practice, that doesn't always happen. We're business and trial lawyers with over 60 years experience of practice. Together, we practice law, we seek social justice, and we reveal the conflict between the two. And in this podcast, we bring together guests from a variety of backgrounds to discuss the current issues..
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2d ago
There’s an old English song, “It’s the rich what gets the pleasure. It's the poor what gets the pain.” The song holds true today. We talk with Bill LaFayette, the owner of Regionomics, about the expanding wealth gap in America.
In 1980, the income of one percent of Americans was 23 times that of the other 90%. In 2022, the income of the top one percent was 69 times the income of the bottom 90%. In 1965, CEO compensation at the 350 largest publicly traded firms was 21 times the typical worker's compensation. In 2023, CEO compensation was 290 times a typical worker’s compensation.
Some of the bi ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2w ago
With billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos circling in President Trump’s orbit, we are witnessing a new age of extremely wealthy business owners seeking to expand their influence on the government. The robbers barons of the late 19th century—JP Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie—had nothing on these fellows.
As we moved into the mid-20th century, the wealthy wanted to hide their wealth—as if they were like everyone else. When Fortune magazine first published its list of the wealthiest Americans in the 1970s, the people listed weren’t happy about it. They ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2M ago
Are immigrants a drain on society, or does America benefit from their presence? It’s a hot topic, with Republic politicians telling lies during the last election about Haitians in Springfield eating dogs and cats—and telling these stories solely for the purpose of political gain. What was really stunning is that those lies resonated with some number of people, and Haitians were threatened with violence.
We talk with Flannery Rokey-Jackson of Community Refugee & Immigration Services here in Columbus, Ohio, about two classes of immigrants. Because of the crisis in Haiti, the Haitians were gr ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2M ago
Do police officers get it right more often than not when it comes to shooting a suspected threat? Are police trained adequately in terms of simulated scenarios and stressful situations? Are small police departments able to access the same level of training as police departments in large metropolitan areas? Do people suspected of a crime, who fail to comply with police commands, bear responsibility for being shot?
We talk with retired police officer Bob Meader, who served as a commander at the Columbus Police Academy, about the challenges that come with police work.
As Bob puts it, how many ski ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2M ago
People lie out of self-preservation—think Pete Rose lying about not betting on baseball—or to promote a political goal—President George W. Bush’s administration stating Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, when he didn’t. Besides lying, people often talk about things as if they know with certainty what they’re talking about, when, in reality, they’re just guessing.
Why do people, mostly politicians it seems, behave this way? Because it works. Regardless of whether false statements are made knowingly or not, too many people rely on a speakers’ veracity and don’t bother to doublecheck ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
2M ago
After a career in health care and raising a family in Georgia, Connie Cheren decided to take up the challenge of providing health care services in Kenya, but she had no clue how to get started. So, she just said yes to the idea and then figured things out. Now, thousands of Kenyans benefit from safe water programs, mobility carts, computer schools and medical clinics. What’s at the heart of Connie’s approach? Listening. Listening to the people and together developing with them programs that improve lives.
Listen to our conversation with Connie about Partners for Care ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
3M ago
Guessing the outcomes of cases brought before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) can be challenging, and, sometimes, the court's decisions leave you scratching your head. Jack and Gonzo discuss our current court’s propensity to rule in favor of popular conservative causes.
If the casinos in Vegas took bets on how SCOTUS were to decide a case, the odds makers probably wouldn't give long odds, because you pretty much know how the justices will rule by their political affiliation. Oh, sure, the justices are supposed to look at each case objectively, but we’re all subject to sublimina ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
3M ago
Ohio lawmakers recently passed legislation that allows teachers to carry firearms in the classroom with just 24 hours of training. Teachers, educators and law enforcement testified against the bill. Still, HB 99 passed. Why do our lawmakers think teachers should serve double duty as security guards—with minimal training?
Ohio lawmakers have also proposed in HB 616 that teachers be prohibited from teaching “divisive or inherently racists concepts.” That sounds like a good idea, except the bill defines divisive or racist topics to include critical race theory and the 1619 Project. But these are ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
5M ago
Does the First Amendment give us the right to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater? No, and this is one of the very few restrictions on free speech in America. Jack and Gonzo discuss the importance of free speech with Nico Perrino, Executive Vice President of FIRE.
Founded in 1999 as the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, FIRE has worked to advance the cause of free speech and the values of the First Amendment at our nation’s colleges and universities. In 2022, FIRE changed its name to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression to reflect its broader effort to protect and pr ..read more
JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo
5M ago
Lawyers know how difficult it can be to represent a client with developmental disabilities and how ill equipped our justice system is to protect them. Our guest, McCracken Poston, Jr., is a practicing criminal defense attorney and former member of the Georgia House of Representatives. He just published his new book “Zenith Man: death, love and redemption in a Georgia courtroom,” the true story behind a controversial and unusual murder case.
McCracken’s client, Alvin Ridley, who suffers from autism, was charged with murdering his wife ..read more