WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

Interview with John Bonifaz, a constitutional attorney and the co-founder and president of the Free Speech For People, conducted by Scott Harris.John Bonifaz assesses our national crisis as the Trump/Musk coup continues, including the constitutional crisis this administration has provoked as the Trump regime ignores judge-issued injunctions ordering them to halt their illegal actions.  Bonifaz is co-author of the 2018 book, "The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump."

Resistance Roundtable features two guests:  -Prof. Christopher Vials, who teaches English at UCONN-Storrs, discusses the theory and practice of fascism and how Trump 2.0 is careening toward a complete dissolution of what remains of American democracy.  -Leslie Blatteau, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, talks about the threat posed by the Maga agenda to Connecticut schools, students, parents, and communities.Interviewed by: Scott Harris, Ruthanne Baumgartner and Richard Hill

A deep dive into the history of African American involvement in the US labor movement with Steven Pitts, recently retired labor policy advisor of the UC Berkeley Labor Center; and Michael Zweig, economist, labor and civil rights activist, and founder of the Center for the Study of Working Class Life at SUNY Stony Brook.Host: Richard Hill

Isabelle sits down with her friend Regina Mosley, a community organizer, to talk about love and community organizing. Clips from past conversations with community organizers are included and a wide ranging conversation ensues. Everything from key elements of organizing to the patriarchy's impact on Valentine's Day gift giving is discussed. Music from Ayminor featuring Call Me Ace is included. Please be advised that this show includes a conversation about the murders of unarmed Black people by the police.

Interview with Kay Evert, one of the co-founders of the group NoVoiceUnheard, and Sydney, an organizer with the Pittsburgh branch of the 50501 protest movement and 50501’s national press liaison, conducted by Scott Harris.Kay Evert talks about the national mobilization network opposing Donald Trump’s illegal conduct and authoritarian agenda that, on Feb. 5, coordinated some 80 protest rallies in all 50 U.S. states against Trump, Elon Musk, and the Republican Party’s power grab.

Interview with Derek W. Black, Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina, conducted by Scott Harris.Derek Black discusses what’s at stake in the Trump administration’s attack on the federal Department of Education, his motivation for this assault, and the importance of federal funds to providing quality primary and secondary education to millions of students across the U.S. He also touches on the issues examined in his new book, “Dangerous Learning: The South’s Long War on Black Literacy.”

Interview with Amanda Marcotte, a senior politics writer at Salon.com and author of "Troll Nation: How the Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters," conducted by Scott Harris.Amanda Marcotte discusses her article re: Oligarch billionaire Elon Musk’s lawless federal agency takeover, “‘ Hitler had some decent points’: Internet trolls guide Musk’s covert coup,” examining the vile white supremacy that permeates Musk’s fascist child army, conducted by Scott Harris

Interview with Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and international adviser for Jewish Voice for Peace, conducted by Scott Harris.  Phyllis Bennis talks about Donald Trump floating the idea that the US should take over Gaza, ethnically cleanse 2.3 million Palestinian residents and rebuild it into a “Middle East Riviera,” as well as the international rejection of this criminal proposal.Bennis is author of the new book “Understanding Palestine & Israel,” published by Interlink Books.

Immigration Defense SpecialJohn Lugo of Unidad Latina en Accion, and Bethany Perryman, communications director for the Connecticut ACLU, discuss strategies for defending undocumented people against ICE raids in local communities.Host: Richard Hill

Interview with Mazin Qumsiyeh, director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University, conducted by Melinda Tuhus