WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

Interview with Nathaniel Raymond, executive director, Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Raymond about the evolution and current state of Sudan’s war, which included the RSF’s 18-month siege of El Fasher, leading to the highest of five levels of famine for the 500,000 people who were sheltering there.

Interview with Michael F. Brown, an independent journalist, conducted by Scott Harris. Brown’s work and views have appeared in The International Herald Tribune, The Nation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Washington Post and elsewhere.

Michael Brown discusses his recent article, “Trump Ambassador Pick Vows to Pressure South Africa Over Gaza Genocide Case,” and nominee Brent Bozell’s unwillingness to declare his opposition to repealing laws allowing Black Americans to vote in U.S. elections.

Interview with Heather Digby Parton, a columnist for Salon.com and winner of the Hillman Prize for opinion journalism, conducted by Scott Harris.

Parton talks about the Epstein files legislation and Trump's coverup, and her recent commentary, “Donald Trump’s Enemies List Keeps Growing,” the Epstein files controversy, his increasing number of “pay-to-play” pardons and convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionists pardoned by Trump who have since been re-arrested for new crimes including child molestation, sexual abuse and threats to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Interview with Ari Paul, New York City-based journalist and lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, conducted by Scott Harris.  Paul has reported for the Nation, the Guardian, In These Times, Jacobin and many other outlets.

Ari Paul discusses his recent coverage for FAIR.org regarding the ongoing MAGA-connected right-wing media takeover in his articles, “As Ellison Buys Out TikTok, U.S. Moves Toward One-Party Media” and “Conde Nast, Paramount Cut Jobs—and Political Dissent.”   

Interview with Jennifer Loewenstein, former associate director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, conducted by Scott Harris.

Jennifer Loewenstein discusses the situation in Gaza and the West Bank that has been mostly absent from news coverage since the ceasefire was signed on Oct. 9, as well as the important current debate in the UN Security Council over the control and composition of an international force that would be deployed to Gaza.

Excerpt of a talk by William I. Robinson, professor of sociology, global and international studies, Latin American and Iberian studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara at the Nov. 8th Hartford, CT conference, “Our Power: A Working People’s Conference on Civil Liberties and Resistance.”

Professor Robinson, the event’s keynote speaker, is an authority on what’s driving the world’s elites toward ever-greater austerity and repression. His talk focused on the political economic context in which neoliberal governments are losing authority and the far right is gaining ground, as well as the relationship between the crises o...

Interview with Norman Solomon, director of RootsAction and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, conducted by Scott Harris.

Norman Solomon talks about his recent commentary, “A Year After Trump Won, Why Won’t Democrats Change Their Playbook?” — a discussion that goes well beyond the mainstream’s superficial analysis of the 2025 off-year election results. Solomon is author of War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine.

Interview with John Tarleton, editor-in-chief of The Indypendent, New York City's free progressive monthly newspaper, conducted by Scott Harris.

John Tarleton reflects on Zohran Mamdani’s election victory, becoming New York City’s first Muslim and immigrant mayor in 50 years, the youngest mayor in a century, as well as the city’s first democratic socialist mayor, the challenges ahead for governing America’s largest city, and how his winning campaign could impact national politics.

Interview with Steve Ellner, an associate managing editor of Latin American Perspective, conducted by Scott Harris.

Steve Ellner discusses the situation in Venezuela as the Trump regime appears to be preparing an attack or invasion of the country with the goal of removing President Nicolás Maduro from power. Ellner is a retired professor at the Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela, where he lived for over 40 years and is co-editor of Latin American Social Movements and Progressive Governments: Creative Tensions Between Resistance and Convergence.

Interview with Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of the national organization Vote Common Good, conducted by Scott Harris.

Doug Pagitt discusses his group’s mission of “mobilizing people of faith to make the common good their voting criteria,” with a focus on how progressive religious activists are now taking action to oppose the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda and frequently violent ICE raids targeting communities of color.

The Organic Farm Stand features an interview with Emily Oakley, co-owner of Three Springs Farm in eastern Oklahoma. Emily recently presented a proposal for a "stand alone" Real Organic Project label and she describes just what that would entail in this fascinating conversation on today's show.
Also featured: Hot Topics with Diane and the honey bee update from Vincent Kaye.
Hosts: Richard Hill and Diane Lauricella

Interview with Peggy Bailey, executive vice president for Policy and Program Development with the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, conducted by Scott Harris.

Peggy Bailey discusses her group’s views on the major issues and possible solutions to end the ongoing government shutdown, i.e.: extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and addressing the impending cutoff of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Interview with artist and activist Robert Shetterly, creator of the ‘Americans Who Tell the Truth’ project, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

The project, which channels the “power of art to illuminate the ongoing struggle to realize America’s democratic ideals,” offers a variety of ways to engage with his portraits through exhibits and educational programs. Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Shetterly about his personal development as a portrait painter and discusses his goal of inspiring courageous citizenship.

Interview with Maria Stephan, co-lead and chief organizer with the Horizons Project and author and editor of five books on authoritarianism and civil resistance, conducted by Scott Harris.

Maria Stephan assesses the recent No Kings Day protests, Trump and the Republican Party’s labeling anti-authoritarian protesters as “anti-American and terrorists,” and what new strategies and tactics may be necessary to adopt in the face of Trump’s deployment of heavily armed ICE agents and the US military to cities across the country.

Interview with Henry Burke, senior researcher with the Revolving Door Project, conducted by Scott Harris.

Henry Burke examines Donald Trump’s recent pardon of convicted money launderer Changpeng Zhao, which many observers link to Zhao’s boost of the Trump family’s crypto business and an “example of Trump’s Pay-to-Pardon scheme.” He also shares his views of how Trump, unlike any other U.S. president, has exploited his office to accumulate what some estimate to be more than $3 billion added to his personal fortune during the first nine months of his second term.

Interview with Andra Watkins, a New York Times best-selling author and Project 2025 dissector on her Substack online newsletter, "For Such a Time as This," conducted by Scott Harris.

Andra Watkins discusses the current government shutdown, suspension of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) food and nutrition benefits that relate to her recent, timely discussion and articles, “How Project 2025 Plans to Starve You into Faith” and “How to Starve Fascists and Cause Their Christian Nationalist Takeover of SNAP and Other Welfare Assistance to Backfire.”

Interview with Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel with the ACLU, conducted by Scott Harris.

Chad Marlow takes a critical look at President Trump’s late September National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM-7) authorizing government-wide investigations into nonprofits, activists, and their donors and funders using vague and overbroad labels of “terrorism” and “conspiracy against rights.” He also explores what pro-democracy groups and state governments can do to protect groups and individuals’ right to dissent and free speech.

Interview with Gregg Gonsalves, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, and a founder of the group 'Defend Public Health,' conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Gregg Gonsalves, a recipient of a MacArthur fellowship in 2018, who describes Defend Public Health’s work over the past year and what he thinks the future prospects are for repairing the damage done to U.S. public health policy.

Interview with David Paul, a member of the Task Force on the Americas and Democratic Socialists of America, conducted by Scott Harris.

David Paul assesses the Trump regime’s escalating military threats against Venezuela, Columbia and Latin America; the bombing of small boats and murder of 40+ alleged drug smugglers or fishermen in international waters; open White House discussion of a regime change war targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and a summary of recent U.S.-Venezuela relations.

Interview with Hardy Merriman, former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, conducted by Scott Harris.

Hardy Merriman discusses his views on the direction and strength of the U.S. anti-authoritarian resistance movement, i.e. the recent No Kings Day mobilization — and what new strategies and tactics may be necessary to rapidly adopt in the face of Donald Trump’s deployment of heavily armed ICE agents and the U.S. military to cities across the country.

The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict’s research and training focuses on support for nonviolent civil resistance movements fighti...

Interview with Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas, conducted by Scott Harris.

Secretary Thomas discusses the importance of local elections, highlighting typical low turnout and the need for more civic engagement. She also talks about steps her office is taking to ensure elections in Bridgeport, Connecticut are secure and open to all eligible voters, questions about early voting and absentee voting, as well as concerns that the Trump regime is now laying the groundwork to manipulate the results or cancel the 2026 midterm election.

Interview with Robert Weiner, director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, conducted by Scott Harris.

Robert Weiner discusses the critical issues being decided in the Louisiana v. Callais case now before the U.S. Supreme Court: racial gerrymandered congressional district maps eliminating the voices of Black and Latino legislators and the battle ahead to restore and strengthen civil rights law, democracy and equal access to the ballot box in coming months and years.

The Organic Farm Stand hosts an interview with L. Michael Green, executive director or Food First (Institute for Food and Development Policy), about the mission and history of this organization that has been fighting for food justice and innovative food policy for 50 years.
Hosts: Richard Hill and Diane Lauricella   

Interview with Eddie Lejuine, a 62-year-old fisherman from Cameron, Louisiana, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Eddie Lejuine traveled with other Gulf residents to Washington, D.C. in September to protest the continued buildout of LNG facilities. The group met with government agency representatives and politicians, and participated in a 'Petrostate Tour' organized by Third Act Actions Lab.  They also visited the offices of powerful fossil fuel industry promoters including the American Petroleum Institute, the American Gas Association and Venture Global, the company behind the construction of two LNG terminals in Cameron. Here Lejuine talks about the decimation of f...

Interview with Dr. Ira Helfand, member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), conducted by Scott Harris.

Dr. Ira Helfand, a steering committee member of the 'Back from the Brink' campaign, discusses the threat nuclear warfare poses to humanity and how the public can help mitigate it. He is calling on the U.S. to implement policies to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war. Dr. Helfand will be speaking at the Wilton, Connecticut Quaker meeting on Sunday, Oct. 26, from noon-1:30 pm.

Helfand is past president of...

Interview with Steven A. Cash, executive director of The Steady State, whose members are former senior national security officials drawn from across the intelligence, diplomatic, homeland security and defense communities.

Steven Cash, who formerly served as senior advisor to the undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence & Analysis, talks about his group’s “Assessment of U.S. Democracy,” which warns the Trump administration’s consolidation of executive power, weakening of institutional checks and balances, politicization of justice and intelligence, and deliberate erosion of civil service neutrality—labeled competitive authoritarianism—constitutes an existential threat to U.S. democr...

Interview with Steve Phillips, host of the podcast “Democracy in Color" and founder of the political media organization Democracy in Color, conducted by Scott Harris.

Steve Phillips discusses his views on the important issues being decided in the Louisiana v. Callais case now before the U.S. Supreme Court, which could eliminate the remaining protections in the Voting Rights Act — and the battle ahead to restore and strengthen civil rights law, democracy and equal access to the ballot box in the months and years ahead.

Phillips is a national political leader, columnist and author of the...

Interview with Phyllis Bennis, director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project, conducted by Scott Harris

Phyllis Bennis shares her views on the Gaza ceasefire agreement and its many shortcomings, including the lack of specificity on a number of key issues such as who will govern Gaza and when will Israeli forces fully withdraw? But most important, how can reconstruction begin with no details on enforcement mechanisms, clear timelines or international guarantees?

WPKN's live interviews from the streets of Middletown, Hartford, Bethel and Stamford in CT; East Hampton, Long Island; and New York City.
conducted by Mike Merli, Tyler Nelson, Michael Zweig, Francesca Rheannon, Scott Harris and Caroline Bortoretto.
Hosted and with commentary by Richard Hill, John Lugo, Roberto and Alexandro.

Interview with Bryce Lockwood, 85-year-old retired U.S. Marine who was aboard the USS Liberty, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Lockwood was one of three Marine Corps linguists aboard the ship and was seriously burned when a torpedo exploded. He was awarded a Purple Heart and also a Silver Star for rescuing three sailors trapped in flooded ship compartments. Altogether, 34 were killed and 174 wounded.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Lockwood about the U.S. government’s cover-up of the incident and his belief that this incident has led to Israel’s actions, steeped in impuni...

Interview with John Feffer, director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, conducted by Scott Harris.

John Feffer discusses the U.S. military’s deadly strikes on four boats in international waters off Venezuela’s coast; Donald Trump’s designation of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a “narco-terrorist” and growing concern that the U.S. may be moving toward initiating action to overthrow Maduro’s government.

Interview with Wendell Potter, president of the Center for Health and Democracy and editor/writer of the newsletter, “Health Care Un-Covered.”

Wendell Potter discusses his views on the current federal government shutdown triggered due to Congress’ failure to renew ACA subsidies that will cause millions of policyholders’ premiums to skyrocket. He also talks about the many failures of the U.S. healthcare system and the reforms he advocates to reduce costs and achieve universal coverage. Potter is speaking in Hartford, Connecticut on Oct. 15.

Potter is a former vice president for corporate communications at Cigna and author o...

Interview with Robert Jereski, a lawyer, activist and coordinator of Code Pink Women for Peace World Court Campaign, conducted by Scott Harris.

Robert Jereski discusses the release of live 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and some 2,000 Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners under phase #1 of President Trump’s 20-point Gaza Ceasefire plan, with the goal of ending Israel’s war in Gaza that’s killed more than 67,000 Palestinian civilians.

Interview with retired U.S. Army Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell from 2002 to 2005, conducted by Scott Harris.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson discusses his views on the Gaza ceasefire agreement and Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to cities across the U.S.; the legality and dangers of this policy; and his thoughts on the president’s ultimate goal and its impact on our democracy.

Wilkerson is a senior fellow with the Eisenhower Media Network.

Nicholas S. Davies discusses his Common Dreams article: Beware Trump’s Ceasefire Deal Absent Meaningful UN Action to Halt Israel’s Genocide.
And Carol Rizzolo, co-lead for CT Shoreline Indivisible talks about plans for the Oct. 18 No Kings 2 rallies which could be the largest single-day mass protest in US history.
Panel: Ruthanne Baumgartner, Scott Harris and Richard Hill

Carol Rizzolo, co-lead for  CT Shoreline Indivisible and co-founder of Safe Vote CT, discusses the plans for No Kings rallies planned in nearly 50 towns in Connecticut. Carol shares her thoughts on the national emergency we are contending with in the face of the Trump regime's openly authoritarian actions and dictats.
Interview by Richard Hill

Interview with Danny Tsoi, a furloughed federal worker at the Department of Health and Human Services, conducted by Scott Harris.

Danny Tsoi, a federal worker at the Department of Health and Human Services, is one of 620,000 government employees who’ve been placed on furlough since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. Between The Lines’ Scott Harris spoke with Tsoi, who works at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in New York and is a member of the American Federation of Government Employees union, about what’s at stake in negotiations to end the shutdown for workers like him an...

Interview with Crystal Cavalier-Keck, 7 Directions of Service cofounder, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, 7 Directions of Service co-founder with her husband Jason Crazy Bear, talks about four presentations she made during Climate Week at the United Nations, and summarizes the information shared here.

Interview with David Rovics, an internationally known songwriter, musician, writer, podcaster and Portland, Oregon-based activist, conducted by Scott Harris.

David Rovics, talks about Trump’s targeting of Portland with a National Guard troop deployment — which Rovics wrote about in a recent commentary, “Portland, Oregon: Myths and Realities in 2025,” covering what is, and is not going down on the ground in that city — while providing context for understanding Portland’s unique activist history over recent decades. David will be touring the Northeast states in October, including a concert in New Haven, Connecticut on Oct. 16, which he discusses in the intervie...

Interview with Chuck Collins, a senior scholar and director of the Institute for Policy Studies' Program on Inequality and the Common Good, conducted by Scott Harris.

Chuck Collins talks about his latest book titled, "Burned by Billionaires," where he chronicles how the actions of the top .01 percent have severe consequences for the rest of us, exposing how the rich rig the game in their favor, resulting in a concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny class of billionaires—and leading to both intense income and political polarization.