Hold 'em Accountable

About Hold 'em Accountable

Welcome to Hold ’Em Accountable — a channel dedicated to shining a light on politics, policy, and the people who represent us. Here, we break down the decisions made in Indiana and across the nation, exposing how gerrymandering, corruption, and backroom deals impact everyday Americans. We ask the tough questions: Are our leaders truly serving the people, or are they protecting their own power? Through commentary, news breakdowns, and sharp analysis, we cut through political spin and demand accountability from those in office — regardless of party. This channel isn’t about left or right — it’s about right and wrong. It’s about making sure Hoosiers and all Americans know the truth, and making sure their voices are heard.

Publisher

Derrick Holder

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Sept 2025

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 85 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Dr. Karen Whitney for Indiana House District 28: Who Really Pays for Indiana’s Cuts?

   Dr. Karen Whitney, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 28, joins Hold ’em Accountable to talk about public-school funding, property taxes, affordability, healthcare, economic development, government reform, and what happens when Indiana cuts state support for services Hoosiers still depend on. Whitney spent more than 40 years in higher education, including leadership at IUPUI and as president of Clarion University. Her argument is simple: cutting the state’s share of the bill does not necessarily make the cost disappear. Schools still have teachers to pay, buildings to maintain, transportation to provide, and students to educate. As Whitney puts it, “The state can walk away,” but those expenses do not. In this conversation, we discuss: • Indiana House District 28 • Hendricks and Montgomery counties • Public-school funding and school fees • Property taxes and the hidden cost of state cuts • Teacher support and education policy • College affordability and Indiana’s brain drain • Cost of living, wages, food, housing, and utilities • Corporate incentives and job quality • Rural and suburban economic development • Family farms and local control • Water and data-center development • Rural healthcare and Whitney’s 30-minute access goal • Legislative term limits • Citizen-led redistricting • Campaign-finance reform • Citizen ballot initiatives • Bipartisan governing in the Indiana Statehouse Whitney says Indiana should stop treating schools, parks, healthcare, infrastructure, and other public services as nothing more than expenses to cut. If Hoosiers still expect those services, somebody eventually pays the bill. The question is whether Indiana is being honest about who that somebody is. No spin. No talking points. Just receipts. You can also ask Alexa to play Hold ’em Accountable with Derrick Holder. #KarenWhitney #IndianaPolitics #IndianaHD28 #PublicSchools #HoldEmAccountable

2. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Julie McGill for Indiana Senate District 15: Medicaid, Schools & Affordability

   Julie McGill, Democratic nominee for Indiana Senate District 15, returns to Hold ’em Accountable for a conversation about Medicaid, public schools, housing, affordability, worker power, and what happens when government programs become almost impossible for ordinary families to navigate. Julie is not talking about Medicaid from a spreadsheet. As the mother of a child with significant disabilities, she has experienced Indiana’s waiver system, insurance denials, confusing eligibility rules, provider problems, and the exhausting reality of fighting for services her family depends on. In this conversation, we discuss: • Indiana Senate District 15 and Allen County • Julie McGill’s campaign for the Indiana State Senate • Medicaid waivers and disability services • ABA therapy and support for children with autism • Special education and public-school funding • Indiana’s private-school voucher expansion • Housing affordability and corporate ownership of homes • Rent, landlords, and local property management • Working families living paycheck to paycheck • Corporate power and worker bargaining power • FSSA oversight and government accountability • Fraud versus improper Medicaid payments • Why complicated government systems hurt vulnerable families most • Why Julie says she’ll read the 300-page manual nobody else wants to read Julie’s argument is straightforward: government should not be so complicated that only people with the time, education, and confidence to fight can get the help they qualify for. Her broader question for Indiana is even simpler: if taxpayers are funding these systems, shouldn’t they actually work for the people who need them? No spin. No talking points. Just receipts. You can also ask Alexa to play Hold ’em Accountable with Derrick Holder. #JulieMcGill #IndianaPolitics #IndianaSD15 #Medicaid #HoldEmAccountable

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Alex Wait for Indiana House District 5: Cost of Living, Schools & Housing

   Alex Wait, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 5, joins Hold ’em Accountable to talk about the cost of living, housing, public schools, childcare, healthcare, organized labor, data centers, and whether working families can still afford to build a future in Indiana. Alex describes what he calls the “cost squeeze” facing Hoosiers: wages struggling to keep pace while housing, groceries, childcare, utilities, and healthcare eat up more of the family budget. In this conversation, we discuss: • Indiana House District 5 and St. Joseph County • Alex Wait’s campaign for the Indiana Statehouse • Housing affordability and starter homes • Indiana’s minimum wage and worker pay • Unions, right-to-work laws, and collective bargaining • Affordable childcare and universal pre-K • Public school funding and private school vouchers • Teacher resources and Indiana education policy • Data centers, local control, water, utilities, and development • Rural healthcare and the Healthy Indiana Plan • Cannabis legalization and state revenue • Why younger Hoosiers are getting involved in politics • Bipartisan opportunities on housing • Constituent communication and accountability Alex argues that Indiana’s affordability problems are connected. Housing does not exist separately from wages. Childcare does not exist separately from work. Public schools affect economic development. Healthcare affects family stability. And major development projects raise questions about who receives the benefits and who carries the costs. His campaign message centers on a basic question: if Hoosiers work hard, should that still be enough to afford a home, raise a family, and stay in Indiana? No spin. No talking points. Just receipts. You can also ask Alexa to play Hold ’em Accountable with Derrick Holder. #AlexWait #IndianaPolitics #IndianaHD5 #CostOfLiving #HoldEmAccountable

Inside a recent episode

Advocate Interview: Eva Posner

Published 13 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] It's just, I mean, why? But anyway, it's not where the rubber meets the road where the rubber meets the road is your local elected officials. And then more than even beyond that, like your local elected officials understand what your life looks like. They might not be 100 % relatable but like they have driven through your community. They know like, you know, they know your schools. They know your community leaders. They have some sense of your reality in a way that national elected officials literally never will. You know, a love of our hate, I'm Donald Trump didn't come knock on your door neither to Kamala. […]

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