WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast - podcast cover

WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

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WPKN's leading public affairs coverage concerning politics, policy, planet and so much more.
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Episodes

Sarah Kendzior on Merrick Garland’s Delay in Prosecuting Trump Laid Groundwork to Establish His Mafia State

Interview with Sarah Kendzior, author, "They Knew: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent," and "Hiding in Plain Sight," conducted by Scott Harris. Sarah Kendzior discusses her views on the outcome of the 2024 election, with a focus on Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland and the DOJ’s 2 1/2 year delay to prosecute Trump for his coup attempt – – allowing him to run and win back the presidency, as well as advice on how to maintain your sanity during the very dark and dangerous fou...

Nov 21, 202418 minEp. 45

Immigrant Advocacy Groups Vow to Resist Trump’s Mass Deportation Pledge

Interview with Dulce Guzman, executive director of Alianza Americas talks about her groups' recent call for justice and unity, conducted by Scott Harris. Dulce Guzman’s recent call for justice and unity after Donald Trump’s election victory, and nationwide preparations are being made to resist Trump’s campaign pledge to deport 11+ million immigrants living in the U.S.

Nov 14, 202414 minEp. 44

Assessing Media’s Failures in Covering the 2024 Election

Interview with Victor Pickard, C. Edwin Baker professor of media policy and political economy and co-director at the Media, Inequality & Change Center at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, conducted by Scott Harris. Victor Pickard assesses corporate media’s coverage of the 2024 election with a focus on the decline of legacy media outlets such as newspapers and cable TV news, the growing strength, reach and influence of right-wing “Bro” social media and podca...

Nov 14, 202419 minEp. 43

Kamala Harris’ Defeat Linked to Ignoring Working-Class Economic Discontent

Interview with Branko Marcetic, a Jacobin magazine staff writer and author of "Yesterdays Man: The Case Against Joe Biden," conducted by Scott Harris. Branko Marcetic examines why Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election to twice impeached, convicted felon and coup plotting insurrectionist Donald Trump, with a focus on the Democrat’s failure to speak to the economic concerns that were by far voters’ leading motivation for choosing a candidate on Election Day.

Nov 14, 202418 minEp. 42

How Will Members of Trump’s Cult Respond to His Election Win

Interview with Steven Hassan, a mental health professional, author, and one of the nation's foremost deprogrammers who have helped people leave destructive cults, conducted by Scott Harris. Steven Hassan talks about the new edition of his book, “The Cult of Trump,” and the impact Donald Trump’s election victory will have on the president-elect himself, his followers, and his MAGA movement’s attack on U.S. democratic institutions.

Nov 14, 202428 minEp. 41

Election Outcome will Decide Future of Social Security and Medicare

Interview with Alex Lawson Executive Director of Social Security Works, conducted by Scott Harris. Alex Lawson talks about his work ahead of the election to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, with a focus on opposing Trump – GOP proposed cuts to benefits, and support for updating the Social Security COLA formula, V.P. Harris’ proposal to expand Medicare to cover long-term care at home and provide Medicare more power to negotiate lower drug prices.

Nov 07, 202416 minEp. 40

Disinformation Floods US Election Campaign Fueling Distrust in Government and Inciting Violence

Interview with Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of digital justice and civil rights with the media democracy group Free Press, conducted by Scott Harris. Nora Benavidez discusses the important issues examined in Free Press’ recent reports on how social media platforms have degraded or abandoned content moderation, creating an environment that could fuel the spread of dangerous disinformation before and after the November 5th election, which could lead to deepening distrust in the elec...

Nov 07, 202419 minEp. 39

Trump’s Misogyny and Role in Eliminating Reproductive Rights Have Made Women’s Votes Pivotal in Determining Presidential Election Winner

Interview with Amanda Marcotte, a senior politics writer at Salon.com, author of "Troll Nation: How the Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters" and publishes the biweekly politics newsletter, Standing Room Only, conducted by Scott Harris. Amanda Marcotte discusses election issues including the critical role the gender gap will play in the election outcome, and the long-term post-election damage we can expect from Trump’s toxic, hateful message targeting immigrants and the trans community....

Nov 07, 202419 minEp. 38

Democrats Should Worry that Biden-Harris Gaza Policy Will Lose Votes in Must-Win Battleground States

Interview with Richard Eskow, host and managing editor of "The Zero Hour" and the lead writer for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. He recently wrote the piece "Dems Are Afraid Gaza Will Cost Them the Election. They're Not Afraid Enough," conducted by Scott Harris. Richard Eskow discusses the Biden/Harris administration’s position on Israel’s savage war in Gaza and how it may impact the turnout of voters Kamala Harris needs to win the battleground states essential for an electoral coll...

Nov 07, 202425 minEp. 37

If Kamala Wins, Trump-GOP Have a Plan to Subvert Election Outcome

Interview with Teddy Wilson, a journalist and researcher on the U.S. radical right, conducted by Scott Harris. Teddy Wilson discusses the threat posed to the 2024 presidential election by Republican operatives, including the American First Legal Foundation, which are filing multiple lawsuits and laying the groundwork to challenge county and state election outcomes if Trump loses, as well as sowing chaos with plans to delay the certification of election results.

Oct 31, 202415 minEp. 35

New Book ‘Vigilante Nation’ Describes MAGA’s State-Based Attack on Democracy

Interview with David Noll, associate dean for faculty research and development and a professor of law at Rutgers University, conducted by Scott Harris David Noll discusses his new book, “Vigilante Nation: How State- Sponsored Terror Threatens Our Democracy,” co-written with UCLA professor of law Jon Michaels, which examines Trump/Republican election denialism, xenophobia and embrace of political violence in the 2024 election campaign.

Oct 31, 202421 minEp. 34

Michelle Obama Powerfully Addresses What’s at Stake for Reproductive Rights in U.S. Election An excerpt of former first lady Michelle Obama's speech delivered in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Oct. 26

An excerpt of former first lady Michelle Obama's speech delivered in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Oct. 26th, 2024. Michelle Obama powerfully spoke about the issue of reproductive rights and what’s at stake in the 2024 election, directly addressing the urgency of the issue for men, whose wives, sisters, mothers, cousins, aunts and girlfriends’ lives are jeopardized by Trump’s abortion ban.

Oct 31, 202415 minEp. 33

Media’s Credulous Coverage of Trump’s Candidacy is Journalistic Malpractice

Interview with Chris Lehmann, DC Bureau chief for The Nation magazine and a contributing editor at The Baffler, conducted by Scott Harris Chris Lehmann discusses his recent article, “The Press Needs to Start Taking Trump Literally,” addressing the media’s coverage of Trump’s unhinged and dangerous comments pronouncing Jan. 6 as “a day of love,” calls to use the U.S. military to round up his political enemies and his admiration of Adolph Hitler.

Oct 31, 202427 minEp. 32

As Wider Middle East War Looms, Most Voters Support US Arms Cutoff to Israel

Interview with Josh Ruebner, adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University's Justice and Peace Studies program and author of "Shattered Hopes: Obama's Failure to Broker Israeli-Palestinian Peace," conducted by Scott Harris. Ruebner discusses the ramifications of Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the rising death toll in Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, Biden/Harris administration calling for an end to Israel’s Gaza war, ongoing concern about a war with Iran involving the U.S. and the impac...

Oct 24, 202418 minEp. 30

Jason Stanley, Author of "How Fascism Works," on Trump’s Fascist Threats Increase as 2024 Campaign Nears End

Interview with Jason Stanley, the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and author of "How Fascism Works," conducted by Scott Harris. Professor Stanley talks about his newest book, “Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite The Past To Control The Future,” and the threat posed to democracy by Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the 2024 election and beyond.

Oct 24, 202423 minEp. 29

If Kamala wins, how can we make her more progressive?

Neil Meyer, contributing writer to Jacobin Magazine, discusses his recent article spelling out a strategy for progressives to steer a Harris-Walz administration to the left should they win on Nov. 5 ( jacobin.com/2024/09/harris-sand…-labor-dsa-strategy ). Neil also co-edits The Left Noes Newsletter ( www.left-notes.com/ ). Panel: Scott Harris, Ruthanne Baumgartner and Richard Hill Sept. 14, 2024...

Oct 23, 202449 minEp. 28

New Book Provides a Guide to the Nuts & Bolts of Progressive Electoral Success

Interview with Robert Creamer, a veteran political organizer and strategist, conducted by Scott Harris. Robert Creamer talks about his new book, “Nuts and Bolts: The Formula for Progressive Electoral Success,” a step-by-step field manual for how progressives can win electoral campaigns and a textbook for anyone who wants to know how electoral politics really works. Creamer has been a veteran political organizer and strategist for five years.

Oct 22, 202417 minEp. 27

Project 2025’s Sabotage of Federal Disaster Response

Interview with Andra Watkins, a New York Times best-selling author and editor of the Substack online newsletter, “How Project 2025 Will Ruin Your Life, conducted by Scott Harris. Andra Watkins talks about her recent article, “What Nobody is Reporting About Project 2025 Disaster Response,” and the deadly disinformation that’s being spread by Donald Trump and his supporters that has undermined Hurricane Helene’s and Milton’s disaster response.

Oct 22, 202419 minEp. 26

Trump, GOP Plan to Subvert Presidential Election Outcome if They Lose

Interview with Justin Glawe, an independent journalist, frequent contributor to Rolling Stone magazine and the newsletter American Doom, conducted by Scott Harris Justin Glawe discusses the important issues examined in his recent articles regarding GOP threats to undermine the 2024 election with a focus on the conduct of Georgia’s election board and the mass purging of eligible voters in that state. Glawe’s forthcoming book is titled, “If I Am Coming to Your Town, Something Terrible Has Happened...

Oct 22, 202426 minEp. 25

Texas AFL-CIO On the Move

Monthly Labor Report hosts, Richard Hill and Michael Zweig, interview Leonard Aguilar, secretary-treasurer of the Texas AFL-CIO, about the reach and growth of union organizing in Texas -- with special focus on Latinx participation and projected voting patterns. Interview by Michael Zweig and Richard Hill, Oct. 1, 2024

Oct 21, 202427 minEp. 21

Voting and Beyond: Democracy and Health by Isabelle Barbour

The Brennan Center has reported that in 2023, there were at least 356 voter suppression bills considered by lawmakers in 47 states. No matter what Nancy Pelosi tells me in her emails, chipping in five bucks is not going to increase the health of our democracy. Let's talk about what will and also about how the health of democracy impacts our health as Americans. We'll talk to folks from Fair Count, Healthy Democracy, Healthy People, the ACLU and more. This piece was first broadcasted on 5/5/24 by...

Oct 19, 202428 minEp. 23

Maria Hinojosa in Conversation with Isabelle Barbour

Maria Hinojosa is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, founder of Futuro Media, and anchor of Latino USA. She sat down with Isabelle Barbour for this feature interview that first aired on WPKN Community Radio in Bridgeport in August of 2024. The conversation includes reflections on changes to the democratic presidential ticket in the Summer of 2024 as well as an update on Maria's time at a MAGA gym.

Oct 19, 202429 minEp. 22

Trump-Backed Election Board Issues New Rules that Could Sow Certification Chaos Interview with Greg Palast, investigative journalist and director of the film “Vigilante Inc.: America's New Vote Suppression Hitmen," conducted by Scott Harris

Greg Palast talks about Georgia’s five-member state election board, dominated by MAGA election deniers, which adopted new rules raising alarm about the potential for confusion and interference in the election certification process this November, examined his article, “Prepare for November’s Quiet Coup.” Palast is also the New York Times best-selling author of “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.”

Oct 10, 202414 minEp. 19

Trump’s Racism is the Primary Driver of Voter Support Interview with James Risen, a best-selling author and former New York Times reporter, conducted by Scott Harris

James Risen will discuss the important issues of race and racism in the 2024 election campaign examined in his recent Intercept article, “Racism Is Why Trump is so Popular,” where he argues: “Trump’s popularity with his base isn’t the result of economic anxiety, as many claimed in 2016. It’s about race and demographics.” Risen is The Intercept’s senior national security correspondent who waged a seven-year battle, risking jail, after the Bush administration and later the Obama administration sou...

Oct 10, 202415 minEp. 18

Coalition Demands US News Media Aggressively Cover Election Campaign Threats to Democracy Interview with Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of digital justice and civil rights with the media democracy group Free Press, conducted by Scott Harris

Nora Benavidez talks about the coalition led by Free Press calling on corporate media outlets to report on rising authoritarianism and threats to democracy during the 2024 election campaign, covering six practices the media should adhere to during moments of crisis.

Oct 10, 202422 minEp. 17

The World’s at a Crossroads on Our Climate Future: Apocalypse or Utopia Interview with Brian Tokar, activist, author and board member of the Institute for Social Ecology, conducted by Scott Harris

Brian Tokar discusses his article “Movements for Climate Action: Toward Utopia or Apocalypse?” which examines the climate crisis and how we can chart a new path to a future that is not only sustainable but better than the way we currently live and interact with technology. Tokar will be addressing this topic at Hamden, Connecticut’s Unitarian Society on Sept. 14....

Oct 10, 202416 minEp. 16
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