1819 News: The Podcast

Let the Games Begin!! 2025 Legislative Session

The 2025 Legislative Session has begun and we here at 1819 News have it covered for you!
We have more reporters than anyone else covering every aspect of what is happening in Montgomery with a dedicated House reporter and Senate reporter, as well as an Editor who is filling in the gaps and doing a radio show from the statehouse.
As citizens of Alabama, each of us has a responsibility to keep an eye on our state government and to make our voices heard. The flip side of that is the fact that many in state government prefer the citizens turn a blind eye to what they’re up to at the Capitol. They want you to believe the press releases and stump speeches talking about how great everything is in the state. Indeed, they prefer you to be the dog in the burning house meme where the dog is at the table and the house is engulfed in flames and he says, "This is fine."
At 1819 News, we shine the light, pursue the truth of what is going on in Alabama’s government, and keep you informed with easily digestible content. Today is no different as CEO Bryan Dawson and 1819 News Editor-in-Chief Jeff Poor discuss Governor Ivey's invigorating state of the state speech and dive into a preview of what they expect in this legislative session.
Here's a quick preview: We have Democratic reps pushing for tax cuts and Republican municipal leaders looking to increase taxes, ALFA is looking to compete in the healthcare insurance front, and there are some immigration bills likely to come our way. Will the energy President Trump is creating in DC translate to major changes in Alabama? Don't hold your breath, tune in to find out why we don't think so.
OVERTIME: Trump's first 14 Days.
To join the fight and become an 1819 News Member and have access to all of our behind the  scenes content, click here:https://1819news.com/membership

To the Inauguration and Beyond!

What we have witnessed since the swearing in of President Donald Trump has been nothing short of incredible. Conservatives have never seen what it looks like for one of our people to ascend to power and then wield that power for the objectivegood. This is new for us, and it’s riveting to watch.
This week, Dawson breaks down what he believes led to the steely resolve we are seeing in President Trump. From the fake Russian collusion accusations to China Flu and eventual lawfare and assassination attempts, today’s Trump is a different man than we saw in 2016.
Dawson also shares about his trip to D.C. for the inauguration, what that experience was like, and then breaks down some of the most impactful executive orders signed on day 1 and what they will mean for the country.
Finally, Dawson brings it home by asking where this type of leadership is in our Republican supermajority state.

Launching The Rick Burgess Show

After 31 years, The Rick & Bubba Show has ended. It was a great run, and in those three decades the show became a staple in the Alabama cultural and media landscape, as well as across the Southeast.
At the beginning of the year, host Rick Burgess launched his own show—The Rick Burgess Show—retaining much of the former program’s staff and affiliate stations.
Rumors abound about how and why The Rick & Bubba Show ended and why Bubba isn’t continuing.
Burgess joins Bryan Dawson this week to give the facts and his perspective on the rumors, but more importantly, to cast a vision for The Rick Burgess Show. He explains what’s going to stay the same, as well as what will be different.
Burgess and Dawson go on to talk about Man Church and what Trump’s choices for cabinet positions mean for the trajectory and energy of his second term.
You’ll want to tune in to hear this exclusive interview!
In the week's overtime segment: NIL and the transfer portal are destroying college football. Dawson and Burgess discuss the problem and talk solutions.
To join the fight and become an 1819 News Member and have access to all of our behind the  scenes content, click here:https://1819news.com/membership

Former ADVA Commissioner Shares...The Rest of the Story, w/ Admiral Kent Davis

In October 2024, Gov. Kay Ivey used her "supreme executive power of this state" to unilaterally fire then-Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis.
Quite a saga led up to this unceremonious removal of the beloved ADVA commissioner, and many questions remain on whether Ivey has the authority to terminate a state agency head that serves at the pleasure of an appointed board of directors, in this case the State Board of Veterans Affairs.
A similar situation arose in the COVID pandemic years when the state health officer, who acts as the head of the Alabama Department of Public Health, Scott Harris, came under fire for his tyrannical measures in response to the virus. The governor's office claimed there was nothing Ivey could do, as an appointed board of directors chooses the state health officer, not the governor. Ivey claimed her hands were tied, so much so that legislation was passed to give the governor some authority over who the state health officer is in case another pandemic or health crisis arises.
The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that Ivey had the authority to fire Scott Harris all along and chose not to, or she didn't have the authority to fire Kent Davis, but did it anyway.
This week Bryan Dawson sits down with former ADVA Commissioner Rear Admiral Kent Davis to hear the entire story from his perspective.
Overtime: War stories with Admiral Davis ... and they involve Hunter Biden!
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RSA's Bronner Attacks Conservatives and Is Kay Ivey on Her Way Out? w/ Jeff Poor

Two Alabama Political Firestorms to Start the New Year
Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) head David Bronner recently published an article in the RSA's monthly publication The Advisor in which he bashed conservatives and conservative organizations, lamenting that we never offer any positive solutions and then pitching gambling as the panacea for all that ails the state. He named 1819 News specifically as one of those “smart” but troublesome organizations.
Bronner added to his attack with a letter to the editor of Lagniappe Daily in Mobile, criticizing 1819 News' Editor-in-Chief Jeff Poor.
Turning to the other firestorm, there was an obviously coordinated communications strategy in which numerous state agencies showered Governor Kay Ivey with praises almost in eulogistic fashion. In the wake of those adulations, rumors have abounded that she is going to step down. When 1819 News reached out to her office to see if. these rumors were true, we were told "No Comment."
All of that has set the conspiracy wheels ablaze as her stepping down would hand not only the throne to Lt. Gov Will Ainsworth but also incumbency going into what could be a hotly contested gubernatorial primary in 2026.
This week's podcast with 1819 News CEO Bryan Dawson and Editor-in-Chief Jeff Poor is as entertaining and engaging as it is informative and educational.
If you want to be in the know, this podcast is for you!
Relevant articles below:
Debbie Downer: RSA's Bronner Blasts Conservatives
Speculation Ramps Up Over Ivey's Future

The History of Populism in Alabama and the Rise of Populism on the National Political Stage

In the 2016 Presidential election there was much discussion of a populist uprising. They tried to throw negative connotations towards the term, like they do every other thing that threatens their power.
In this monologue episode of 1819 News: The Podcast, Bryan defines populism as the combined political force of the working class and goes into the history of how the working class ended up in the Republican Party. He also discusses the meteoric rise of populism on the national stage under Donald Trump and why his commitment to actually serve the forgotten American worker was the secret sauce to the 2024 landslide victory, as well as what that means for America, and Alabama.
Before jumping into the meat and potatoes portion of the podcast, Bryan gives an update on state politics, including why he thinks Garlan Gudger could make a real difference as the new Senate Pro Tem. Will there be another huge gambling push in the next legislative session that distracts the legislature from much more important bills that reflect the will of the people? Or will the gambling sycophants lick their wounds from last year's loss and move on to some other money grab?
All that and more on 1819 News: The Podcast

January 6th, Federal Prison, and a Love Story

God is always weaving His way through apparently terrible circumstances. This week we get to hear a story that exemplifies this in an unpredictable way.
Kaleb Dillard is a young military veteran who grew up in Birmingham and attended Briarwood Christian School. A relatively normal, upright young man, Dillard found himself questioning the 2020 election results, a fact which landed him at the national Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a day that will unfortunately go down in history.
Dillard was caught up in the momentum of frustrated and distrustful Americans, and as a result, came under federal indictment for crimes committed at the Capitol that day.
Dillard is not innocent and never claimed to be, but his story will frustrate you as you hear how his home was raided by federal law enforcement in a massive, publicized show of force with armored vehicles and SWAT teams. Even his parents were cuffed and detained in the back of a cop car as their house was ripped apart. Ironically, Dillard was released a few hours later on a $5,000 bond as he posed no threat to society.
This week we take the journey with Dillard from Birmingham, to D.C., to federal prison, and back to Birmingham, detailing just one of the many ways the federal government retaliated against those who showed up to voice their distrust and displeasure on Jan. 6 th . Along the way, you’ll also be treated to thekind of love story that movies are made of, as we hear how God brought an incredible woman into Dillard’s life through the whole difficult journey.
Sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride! This story is something else!
To join the fight and become an 1819 News Member and have access to all of our behind the scenes content, click here:https://1819news.com/membership

Trump's Health Appointments and What They Need to Do on Day One w/ Dr. Jordan Vaughn

If we learned anything through the COVID nightmare it is that the medical industrial complex has no limits and no conscience. The things done and the decisions made and enforced from on high had horrific consequences and few positive results, yet no consequences came from the complete failure that was the COVID response.
This week Bryan Dawson hosts Dr. Jordan Vaughn, recent recipient of The Albert Patterson Courage Award. Vaughn, CEO of MedHelp in Birmingham and a Co-Executive Director of Concerned Doctors, discusses President-elect Donald Trump's healthcare-related appointments, offering insight into what these appointees will need to do on day one to right the public health ship and bring transparency to these agencies.
The two also discuss the life-saving work Vaughn is involved in, including helping those dealing with microclotting from the spike proteins, long COVID, and other injuries stemming from the experimental therapeutic we were told was safe and effective.
Perfectly healthy individuals received this therapeutic and became invalids, but after treatment from Vaughn, they were basically "brought back from the dead." Vaughn’s work helping these folks has also opened doors into treating dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Although Vaughn has appeared on the podcast numerous times, this episode sees him really cut loose and bring the heat. You don't want to miss it!
For additional information, check out this clip of Vaughn discussing microclotting and his efforts to remedy those problems with Sharyl Attkisson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVGf-XZ3Y_s&t=2221s

Do You Have the Stomach to Take the Nation Back?

The worst thing for conservatives to do now that Trump has won is to go back to their normal lives and assume everything is going to be hunky dory because our guy won. No, winning the election was the first battle in the war to reclaim our nation and to save Western Civilization.
We are in an existential crisis, meaning that if we don't do what is necessary in these next two years, the America you know and love will not exist in any real or meaningful way.
This week, Bryan does his first monologue tackling this issue and challenges us to ask ourselves, “Do I have the stomach to take the nation back?”And on the topic of stomachs, Bryan shifts gears a bit discussing a life changing realization he had while watching an episode of Tucker Carlson featuring Casey and Callie Means. 
His epiphany was that the same people behind making cigarettes as addictive as possible are now behind making ultra-processed foods as addictive as possible, creating an epidemic of obesity that pharmaceutical companies are making billions to treat.
Due to the realization, Bryan shares how his thoughts on food have dramatically changed and how that has positively affected his life. The deeper understanding is that every single area of our life requires intentionality while swimming against the current if we hope to be healthy and flourishing citizens. 
Tucker Carlson Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUH4Co2wE-I

Happy Thanksgiving! Take a moment to enjoy one of our favorite interviews. Crimson Tide Football Legend Jeremiah Castille Shares His Story

From the locker room speech in Coach Bryant's last game to "The Fumble" in the 1987 AFC Championship games, Jeremiah Castille had an incredible career filled with some memorable moments. He comes on the podcast this week to share his incredible life story of growing up in Phenix City to coming to know Jesus, playing for Bear Bryant, and even playing in a Super Bowl.
This week's overtime segment is probably the best overtime segment we've done to date, As the University of Alabama's football chaplain, Jeremiah has some incredible stories to tell. We dive into the story of what it was like to be the chaplain during the Tua/Jalen Hurts era, watching those two incredible young men compete to be the quarterback of the top team in the nation, beginning with Tua coming in the second half of the National Championship.
To join the fight and become an 1819 News Member and have access to all of our behind the scenes content, click here: https://1819news.com/membership