Beacon Podcast

This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben interview Jordan Wood — a Democrat who is looking to unseat Sen. Susan Collins. Before running for the U.S. Senate, Wood served as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Katie Porter, where he supported her work taking on Wall Street banks and financial interests. He also previously served… The post Podcast: How Sen. candidate Jordan Wood would take on Collins...

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into the Trump administration’s restrictions on federally funded programs, including Head Start, which serves about 3,000 kids in Maine. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general suing to block these restrictions that target immigrants without legal status and would… The post Podcast: B...

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into how Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill injects roughly $170 billion into immigration and border enforcement with minimal oversight, while creating new barriers to legal immigration. It also weakens and erodes protections for children and immigrants.  Channa explains why Trump’s “Alligator Alcatraz” and new border…...

This week on the podcast, Cate chats with Garrett Martin of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. They do some unpacking on what the new federal tax bill really means for Maine families. Garrett breaks down how deep cuts to programs, like stricter work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance could leave many Mainers without… The post Podcast: The real cost of Trump’s federal budget bil...

This week on the podcast, Andy O’Brien from the Maine AFL-CIO provides an overview of the wins and losses for labor from the 2025 legislative session. Key wins included the rejection of $40 million in childcare cuts, continued funding for free school meals, improved retirement security for mental health workers, and expanding minimum wage to… The post Podcast: Breaking down Maine labor...

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther breakdown the final state budget, including wins like the new mansion tax, boosted child tax credit, and more support for General Assistance. Cate also dives into what didn’t make the cut, such as necessary funding for Maine’s family planning network. Esther shares an overview of recent… The post Podcast: Inside Maine’s part 2 budget deal first...

This week on the podcast, Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund joins Cate to break down the serious threats in Pres. Donald Trump’s federal budget reconciliation bill. The proposal would block Planned Parenthood from participating in Medicaid (MaineCare), cutting off care for more than 1.1 million people. This could mean closing nearly 200… The post Podcast: How the...

This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben share with our listeners how everyday Mainers can take action to protect essential programs and urge lawmakers like Sen. Susan Collins to stand up against federal budget cuts that would slash health care and food assistance while handing a $1.5 trillion tax break to the rich. Plus,… The post Podcast: Trump’s budget is a disaster. Here’s what you can do...

This week on the podcast, Esther, Cate and Ben are together to discuss the Maine state budget, as well as the federal budget proposal from the Trump administration. In Maine, lawmakers are considering a tax on income over a million dollars (which is supported by a majority of Mainers). On the federal level, the budget… The post Podcast: How Trump’s budget cuts would hurt Mainers first appear...

This week on the podcast, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey breaks down how his office is standing up to President Donald Trump’s executive orders, holding Big Tech and Big Oil accountable, and defending immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights. With an 80% success rate in federal legal challenges, Frey shares why the rule of law still matters… The post Podcast: AG Aaron Frey on defending Maine fro...

This week on the podcast, Cate connects with Charlotte Jacobs — a parent and  childcare provider at Seedlings to Sunflowers Nonprofit Childcare and Family Center in Gorham — and Hazel Willow, a Maine parent who has utilized Head Start and now advocates for protecting childcare services and workers. “My child’s last day living in the… The post Podcast: ‘A Day Without Childcare’ an...

This week on the podcast, Ben interviews award-winning author Ron Currie on his latest novel “The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne”. Currie’s new book takes place in his hometown of Waterville, ME, and explores Franco-American cultural and economic struggles. Even through fiction writing, Currie draws from personal experiences and dives into intimate themes of… The post P...

This week on the podcast, we are bringing back an episode from May 2024 with Luc Kuanzambi, who immigrated to Maine from the Congo. Although this episode was recorded a year ago, Kuanzambi’s message could not be more important: Americans need to be listening to immigrants’ stories firsthand. “The American public is not familiar with… The post Podcast: What the media gets wr...

This week on the podcast, Cate brings listeners to the State House, where she momentarily steps out of a public hearing regarding Maine’s paid family and medical leave (PFML). She is joined by Maine People Alliance members’ Cassie Nedwell and Amy Jane Larkin, who share their personal stories that highlight the need for PFML. “With… The post Podcast: Protecting paid family a...

Esther, Cate and Ben are back together to discuss why tax fairness is a crucial part of building a more equitable future for Maine. They touch on how Mainers are putting the pressure on Sen. Susan Collins, delivering a letter signed by 1,300+ Mainers urging her to oppose new tax cuts for the ultra wealthy… The post Podcast: Why Trump’s tax plan would leave everyday Mainers ‘paying more, gett...