WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

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. democracy.

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 national bestselling book, How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good.

Interview with Phyllis Bennis, director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project, conducted by Scott HarrisPhyllis 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 impunity, in the decades since.

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 of "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans."

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