WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

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 of global capitalism and strategies needed to resist. Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus attended the conference and presents this excerpt of Robinson’s talk.

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.