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Courtesy of Philip Wallach and Oxford University Press

The 21st Show

Author charts path for revival of Congress

Philip A. Wallach is the author of the book "Why Congress", which was released in 2023 and is still relevant today. In the book, Wallach argues that the future of American constitutional democracy depends not on better presidential candidates or more ethical judges, but on Congress getting its act together.

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.  

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A man holds an Iranian flag as he looks at the damaged façade of Gandhi Hospital, which was hit Sunday when a strike also struck a state TV communications tower and nearby buildings across the street during the ongoing joint U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026.
AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

The 21st Show

Why did the U.S. go to war with Iran?

The United States and Israel went to war with Iran in conjunction with Israel early Saturday morning. A panel of political and foreign affairs experts including two Iranian-Americans discuss the possibility of regime change in Iran, the legality and necessity of the military assaults, and the role of Israel in all of this.

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a collage including a man standing in front of a packed display of open food bins, a woman on a silver scooter in front of a line of stopped cars, two women with their hair blowing in the breeze walk past a mural painted on a mint-green backdrop, and three men in suits sitting at a marble table
Vahid Salemi/AP • Foreign Ministry of Oman

The 21st Show

Are we going to war with Iran?

The Trump administration is continuing to ramp up pressure on Iran — with what’s said to be the biggest buildup of American naval power in the region in decades. Last summer, the president claimed a “spectacular military success” after bombing nuclear sites there, but last week, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, went on Fox News and said the country was “probably a week away from having industrial-grade, bomb-making material.”

What is the truth here? What is happening in Iran? Did the ayatollah really order the killing of more than 36,000 people? And ultimately, are we going to war with Iran?

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