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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Improving Our Laws</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/improving-our-laws--5931523</link><description><![CDATA[How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills, negotiating with opponents and finding a path to make things better. Each guest shares how they got started and one policy they are proud of changing, offering an example for listeners to improve the laws in a similar way in their government.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/5931523/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Politics</category><copyright>Copyright River Media Network</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/e156e3b3cfccc3baa0aba781b353a0e1.jpg</url><title>Improving Our Laws</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/improving-our-laws--5931523</link></image><lastBuildDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:32:42 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>River Media Network</itunes:name><itunes:email>operators@multiformat.net</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/e156e3b3cfccc3baa0aba781b353a0e1.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills, negotiating with opponents and finding a path to make things better. Each guest shares how they got started and one policy they are proud of changing, offering an example for listeners to improve the laws in a similar way in their government.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="News"><itunes:category text="Politics"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Government"/><itunes:category text="News"><itunes:category text="News Commentary"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:type>serial</itunes:type><item><title>Laws need Advocates! Season 1 Intro Episode</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/laws-need-advocates-season-1-intro-episode--56546484</link><description><![CDATA[How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills, negotiating with opponents and finding a path to make things better. Each guest shares how they got started and one policy they are proud of changing, offering an example for listeners to improve the laws in a similar way in their government.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546484</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:52:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546484/beyondthebumperstickerep0.mp3" length="9674545" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[How do laws actually get better? Learn with two lobbyists as they go deep with a legislator on each issue on a particular policy they have changed. Dan Johnson and Tom Suffredin have both been elected politicians and work as lobbyists, drafting bills, negotiating with opponents and finding a path to make things better. Each guest shares how they got started and one policy they are proud of changing, offering an example for listeners to improve the laws in a similar way in their government.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>605</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/e156e3b3cfccc3baa0aba781b353a0e1.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Improving health via drug legalization with LaShawn K Ford, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/improving-health-via-drug-legalization-with-lashawn-k-ford-illinois-state-representative--56546492</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois State Representative LaShawn K Ford, a leader in changing drug policy to treat addiction as a public health problem not a crime.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546492</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:52:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546492/lashawn_ford.mp3" length="45960907" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois State Representative LaShawn K Ford, a leader in changing drug policy to treat addiction as a public health problem not a crime.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois State Representative LaShawn K Ford, a leader in changing drug policy to treat addiction as a public health problem not a crime.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1916</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/48001ffabadb5ee89a3aca8c10e3c68b.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Protecting national reproductive freedoms via state laws with Kelly Cassidy, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/protecting-national-reproductive-freedoms-via-state-laws-with-kelly-cassidy-illinois-state-representative--56546495</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Kelly Cassidy who discusses her leadership in crafting innovating policies to protect reproductive freedom especially in light of other state governments severely restricting those freedoms.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546495</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:52:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546495/kelly_cassidy.mp3" length="49229138" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois Representative Kelly Cassidy who discusses her leadership in crafting innovating policies to protect reproductive freedom especially in light of other state governments severely restricting those freedoms.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Kelly Cassidy who discusses her leadership in crafting innovating policies to protect reproductive freedom especially in light of other state governments severely restricting those freedoms.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2052</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/2e6e0435c680d2c27be5173d5f7c5f84.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>2</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Reducing health care costs via insurance rate review with Bob Morgan, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reducing-health-care-costs-via-insurance-rate-review-with-bob-morgan-illinois-state-representative--56546506</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Bob Morgan who discusses health insurance rate review and how empowering the state Department of Insurance to approve or reject health insurance carriers' proposed rates leads to more affordable coverage.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546506</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:52:53 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546506/bob_morgan.mp3" length="63989785" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois Representative Bob Morgan who discusses health insurance rate review and how empowering the state Department of Insurance to approve or reject health insurance carriers' proposed rates leads to more affordable coverage.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Bob Morgan who discusses health insurance rate review and how empowering the state Department of Insurance to approve or reject health insurance carriers' proposed rates leads to more affordable coverage.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2667</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/685a0e1bcd0c0cadb89d202873bdf962.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>3</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Decreasing gun violence via civil liability for gun manufacturers with Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/decreasing-gun-violence-via-civil-liability-for-gun-manufacturers-with-jennifer-gong-gershowitz-illinois-state-representative--56546509</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz. She discusses her efforts to reduce gun violence by imposing civil liability under consumer fraud laws to gun manufacturers for their sales and marketing practices.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546509</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:52:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546509/jennifer_gong_gershowitz.mp3" length="53040926" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz. She discusses her efforts to reduce gun violence by imposing civil liability under consumer fraud laws to gun manufacturers for their sales and marketing practices.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz. She discusses her efforts to reduce gun violence by imposing civil liability under consumer fraud laws to gun manufacturers for their sales and marketing practices.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2211</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a0c5a50ef74ae4e2e6701560019fde7b.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>4</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Highlighting opportunities via improved public transportation with Kam Buckner, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/highlighting-opportunities-via-improved-public-transportation-with-kam-buckner-illinois-state-representative--56546512</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Kam Buckner. He discusses his efforts to improve and expand public transportation and the essential role transit plays in economic growth and mobility.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546512</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:53:01 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546512/kam_buckner.mp3" length="50593357" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois Representative Kam Buckner. He discusses his efforts to improve and expand public transportation and the essential role transit plays in economic growth and mobility.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Kam Buckner. He discusses his efforts to improve and expand public transportation and the essential role transit plays in economic growth and mobility.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2109</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a5c8123f24d9ca18498331c9d083ce60.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>5</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Increasing mental health services via state policies with Lindsay LaPointe, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/increasing-mental-health-services-via-state-policies-with-lindsay-lapointe-illinois-state-representative--56546522</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Lindsey LaPointe who discusses her social work background and the nitty gritty of mental health policy.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546522</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:53:04 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546522/lindsey_lapointe.mp3" length="56390062" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Illinois Representative Lindsey LaPointe who discusses her social work background and the nitty gritty of mental health policy.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Illinois Representative Lindsey LaPointe who discusses her social work background and the nitty gritty of mental health policy.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2350</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/49c444b90be9fed6d7db744b463ecb29.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>6</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Reducing climate change via hard decarbonization deadlines with Ann Williams, Illinois State Representative</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reducing-climate-change-via-hard-decarbonization-deadlines-with-ann-williams-illinois-state-representative--56546534</link><description><![CDATA[Our guest is Representative Ann Williams who discusses her leadership in environmental policy.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56546534</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:53:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56546534/ann_williams.mp3" length="40283976" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Our guest is Representative Ann Williams who discusses her leadership in environmental policy.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our guest is Representative Ann Williams who discusses her leadership in environmental policy.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1679</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/9fc60cc8808d3246476e130129d1b96d.jpg"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>7</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Economic development from buying residents' medical debt with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/economic-development-from-buying-residents-medical-debt-with-cook-county-board-president-toni-preckwinkle--56962965</link><description><![CDATA[Cook County Board President and Chair of the County Democratic Party Toni Preckwinkle joins Tom Suffredin and Dan Johnson on the pod to discuss some of her innovative policies with a focus on stimulating economic development and wealth creation by using the public budget to buy and forgive residents' medical debt. Medical debt can be purchased for pennies on the dollar in the secondary market. Using public budgets to relieve residents of this debt has a greater than 60 to 1 return on investment -- unheard of in similar economic development budgets like subsidizing real estate developers or businesses to relocate.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56962965</guid><pubDate>Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:25:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/56962965/toni_pretwinkle_final.mp3" length="16862563" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>River Media Network</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Cook County Board President and Chair of the County Democratic Party Toni Preckwinkle joins Tom Suffredin and Dan Johnson on the pod to discuss some of her innovative policies with a focus on stimulating economic development and wealth creation by...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Cook County Board President and Chair of the County Democratic Party Toni Preckwinkle joins Tom Suffredin and Dan Johnson on the pod to discuss some of her innovative policies with a focus on stimulating economic development and wealth creation by using the public budget to buy and forgive residents' medical debt. Medical debt can be purchased for pennies on the dollar in the secondary market. Using public budgets to relieve residents of this debt has a greater than 60 to 1 return on investment -- unheard of in similar economic development budgets like subsidizing real estate developers or businesses to relocate.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2108</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/bf3ecd3b7d17a7d01186865d1c918e05.jpg"/><itunes:season>2</itunes:season><itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
