WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

Interview with Alan McPherson, professor of history at Temple University, conducted by Scott Harris. Alan McPherson examines whether recent U.S. military attacks on small boats off the coast of Venezuela were a violation of the congressional War Powers Resolution of 1973 and international law. McPherson also expresses his concern that the current buildup of U.S. military forces in the region could...

Interview with Abby Maxman, president & CEO of Oxfam America, conducted by Scott Harris. Abby Maxman shares her perspective on Donald Trump’s UN speech; his closing down USAID worldwide and the cost in lives lost; the ongoing slaughter and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza and other priorities Oxfam is currently working on.

Interview with Theodore Hamm, associate professor and chair of journalism and new media studies at St. Joseph's University, conducted by Scott Harris. Theodore Hamm talks about his latest book, Run Zohran Run! Inside Zohran Mamdani’s Sensational Campaign to Become New York City’s First Democratic Socialist Mayor, an inside look at how Mamdani’s bold, grassroots campaign toppled New York’s politica...

Jeet Heer, a national affairs correspondent for The Nation and host of the weekly Nation podcast, The Time of Monsters , joins the Roundtable to discuss his recent Nation Magazine article, The Killing of Charlie Kirk is Part of a Terrible New Era of Political Violence.   Hosted by Scott Harris, Ruthanne Baumgartner and Richard Hill.

Interview with Tom Swan, executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, conducted by Scott Harris. Tom Swan talks about the Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) and other groups’ demand that Gov. Ned Lamont declare a fiscal emergency and call a special session of the  state legislature to take immediate action to protect the state’s residents from the Trump- GOP’s deep federal budg...

Interview with Elizabeth Jacobs, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, conducted by Scott Harris. Professor Jacobs shares her views on the actions taken by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which reversed recommendations for COVID vaccinations and a combined measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpo...

Interview with Matt Wood, vice president of policy and general counsel with the media democracy group Free Press, conducted by Scott Harris. Wood focuses on the continuing pattern of Trump regime threats, lawsuits and intimidation targeting media companies, as too many CEOs in the media industry are surrendering to authoritarianism, turning their backs on their duty to protect free speech.

Interview with Rachel Bitecofer, author of "Hit Em' Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game," conducted by Scott Harris. Rachel Bitecofer, a political analyst, pollster and strategist, discusses her views on the state of our democracy in the face of Donald Trump’s daily assaults on our Constitution, the rule of law and freedom of speech. She also talks about...

Interview with Kimberly Gill, community director with New Haven, Connecticut's Brave Nature School, and Carl Halberg and Hugo Crick-Furman of Bread & Puppet theater. Kimberly discusses the unique educational focus of the Brave Nature School, and Carl and Hugo talk about B&P's important history in political theater, their performance at New Haven’s Edgerton Park, 5:30 pm on Sept. 18, titled...

Interview with Justin Glawe, an independent journalist and editor of the American Doom newsletter, conducted by Scott Harris. Glawe discusses his latest column, “Martial Law is Already Here,” rising polarization and U.S. political violence in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah, and the blatant politicization and dysfunction of the Trump FBI and Department of Justice.

 Interview with Madison Sheppard, youth climate activist and lead organizer with Fridays For Future Cape Cod, conducted by Scott Harris Sheppard discusses the upcoming “Make Billionaires Pay” international mobilization for climate justice, happening from Sept. 19  to Sept. 21, with a focus on the issues, demands, and information on how listeners can participate in this action.

Interview with Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, an advisor with FOR-USA, the founder and president of Faith Strategies USA, conducted by Scott Harris. Rev. Graylan Hagler discusses his recent column, “The Killing of Charles James Kirk: Violent Speech Leads to Violence,” and his views and experiences regarding Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. Rev. Hagler is a retired senior...

Dina Brewster, director of the Hickories, a CSA farm in Ridgefield, CT, discusses her work with the ecotype project, a collaboration focused on growing and distributing "source-identified" native plant seeds to restore local habitats, increase biodiversity, and support the food system. Also: the Small Farms Report with Steve Munno from Massaro Farm, the Honey Bee Update with Vincent Kaye, and Dian...

Erika Padilla, legal advocate with OLA -- Organización Latino Americano -- which provides a panoply of support services to immigrants on the East End of Long Island describes the work of her organization and the many ways it interfaces with the population and culture of that region. Interviewed by Richard Hill 

Interview with Pierre F. D'Haiti, community engagement officer at Bridgeport, CT's Housatonic Community College, conducted by Scott Harris.  Pierre D’Haiti talks about two workshops sponsored by WPKN during Latino Heritage Month at HCC on Sept. 17 and 29. The sessions from 7 to 9 p.m., will focus on immigrant rights and safety, addressing such questions as, What should you do if ICE stops you, and...

Interview with Micah Sifry, editor of the Connector newsletter, conducted by Scott Harris. Micah Sifry discusses his recent article, “Keep Calm and Protect Democracy,” on the issues of Pro-democracy activists and veteran organizers alike struggling with information overload and outrage fatigue — while also reflecting on his recent conversation with Ian Bassin, the executive director of Protect Dem...

Interview with Melvin A. Goodman is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, conducted by Scott Harris. Melvin Goodman, the national security columnist for Counterpunch.org, talks about his recent commentary, “Trump and the Post-American World,” and Trump’s recent attack on a speedboat that killed 11 on board off the coast of...

Interview with Brett Edkins, Stand Up America’s managing director of policy and political affairs, conducted by Scott Harris. Brett Edkins, Stand Up America’s managing director of policy and political affairs, discusses his group’s work defending democracy, opposing Trump’s military deployments to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and likely other U.S. cities in the Trump-GOP attempt to rig the 2026 m...

Interview with Aziz Dehkan, executive director/lead organizer with Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs conducted by Scott Harris. Aziz discusses the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs’ response to the Trump administration’s order halting construction of the Revolution Wind offshore wind project that’s 80 percent complete, and would have powered 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode...

Craig Mokhiber is the former director of the New York Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, who resigned in protest from his post in 2023 due to the unfolding Gaza genocide and the UN’s failures.  Here he discusses his recent Mondoweiss article, “How the UN Could Act Today to Stop the Genocide in Palestine,” and the general failure of international law in Gaza, Palestine and Israe...

Interview with Justin Glawe, an independent journalist and editor of the American Doom newsletter. Here he discusses the urgent issues examined in his recent article, “How Trump’s National Guard shock troops could seize voting machines,” and other concerns about the security of the 2026 midterm election that Trump and the Republican party are clearly worried they’ll lose — and now taking action on...

Interview with Bill Fletcher Jr., a senior scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, discusses the critical issues examined in his recent In These Times magazine article, “The Labor Movement Is in a Fight for Its Existence Against a Neofascist Threat.” Fletcher Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum and the author of "They’re Bankrupting Us!: And 20 Other Myths about Unions.” His la...

The Monthly Labor Report, broadcast on WPKN the 1st Tuesday of each month, presents an interview with Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants (CWA - AFL-CIO), conducted on the Friday before Labor Day. Sara Nelson, regarded by many as one the most militant, class conscious labor leaders in the country, addresses the current struggle of her union, and working people in general...

Interview with Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students for a Dream, conducted by Melinda Tuhus. Melinda Tuhus spoke with Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students for a Dream, which works mostly with young immigrants. Sookdeo herself is West Indian and she recently convened a meeting in Hamden, Connecticut, to bring together black immigrants from various countries to discuss th...

Interview with Rev. Sierra-Marie Gerfao, director of family ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, and Juliana Soares, an organizer with Greater Danbury Unites for Immigrants, conducted by Scott Harris The Rev. Sierra-Marie Gerfao and Juliana Soares talk about the escalation of violent ICE raids and abductions in Danbury and in Connecticut, as well as what opponents of thi...