WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

Interview with Svante Myrick, president of People for the American Way Foundation, conducted by Scott Harris. Svante Myrick reflects on the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in talking about what Donald Trump’s inauguration will mean for activists fighting for economic, racial, and environmental justice, as well as the work his group will be engaged in to counter the second Trump regime’s extremist agenda over the next four years, while proposing a progressive vision for the future.

Interview with Antonia Juhasz, a leading energy, climate and environmental justice author, analyst and investigative journalist, conducted by Scott Harris.Antonia Juhasz discusses her recent Rolling Stone magazine article, “The Trump Resistance Inside Washington’s National Cathedral,” covering the social justice activist leadership within that famous church who vow to oppose Trump’s extremist right-wing agenda. She also talks about the devastating Los Angeles fires, growing awareness of the destructive force of the climate crisis and the urgent need to shut down the fossil fuel industry.

The Organic Farm Stand, Jan. 16, 2025:  -Hot Topics with Diane Lauricella  -Small Farms Report with Steve Munno of Massaro Farm in Woodbridge, CT  -Update from CT NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association)  -Louise Washer, President of the Board of Directors of the Norwalk Watershed Association, discusses the systemic dangers of neonicotinoids and the fight to limit their uise in Connecticut.Hosted by Richard Hill and Diane Lauricella

Interview with Sultana Hossain, recording secretary with the Amazon Labor Union, conducted by Scott Harris.Sultana Hossain discusses her union’s recent national holiday strike, the ongoing campaign pressuring Amazon to negotiate with the union to sign and implement fair contracts, and concern about the Trump administration’s declared hostility to labor rights, and the future of the U.S. labor movement.

Interview with Michael Richardson, an activist with the elder-focused group Third Act, conducted by Scott Harris.Michael Richardson talks about the real-world impact of the climate crisis we see now in the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events across the globe. He assesses the incoming Trump administration’s plan to implement destructive climate policies and what our listeners can do to express their opposition effectively.

Interview with Ahmed Baba, a journalist and columnist at The Independent, conducted by Scott Harris.Ahmed Baba talks about his recent article, “How Zuckerberg’s Meta Policy Changes Empower Trump’s Disinfo Machine,” re: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Facebook will abandon professional third-party content moderation and fact-checking in favor of the user-generated “Community Notes” model Elon Musk uses.

Interview with Jonah Minkoff-Zern, Citizen Democracy Campaign co-director, conducted by Scott Harris. Jonah Minkoff-Zern talks about his group’s position on Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to pardon convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionists which were explained in their recent press release, “If Trump Pardons January 6 Insurrectionists, He Will Further Betray the American People.” He’ll also assess the consequences of this act for the rule of law and the signal it will send to right-wing domestic terrorists.

Michael Zweig, economist and labor historian, and John Nichols, National thAffairs Correspondent with the Nation Magazine, discuss the very fraught road ahead in age of governement by oligarch, but point toward strategies for push back and potential victories, both local and national.Panel:  Scott Harris, Richard Hill and Ruthanne Baumgartner

Michael Zweig, economist and labor historian, is joined by Steve Rosenthal, former political director with the AFL-CIO, for a conversation about how the draconian agenda of the incoming Trump administration may provide an opportunity for organized labor to make gains with working people and win electoral victories in 2026.Host:  Richard Hill

Interview with Mel Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, an author, and a former CIA analyst, conducted by Scott Harris.Mel Goodman talks about his concern re: Donald Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric, and how he could use violent incidents/terrorist attacks (as we just witnessed in New Orleans and Las Vegas) as a pretext to invoke emergency powers to impose repressive measures targeting his critics, dissenters, and the press. He’ll also share his concerns regarding: Trump’s foreign policy in the Middle East/Iran, Russia/Ukraine/nuclear arms, and China/Taiwan.