WPKN: Politics, Policy, and Planet Podcast

Interview with Margaret Poydock, a senior policy analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, conducted by Scott Harris.Margaret Poydock discusses EPI’s new report, “100 Ways Trump Has Hurt Workers in his First 100 Days,” which she co-authored, as well as the response of workers and opponents challenging the Trump regime policies. His new book Examines “The Green New Deal from Below” Jeremy Brecher, is a historian, documentary filmmaker, activist, and author of over a dozen books on labor and social movements, including his widely acclaimed book, “Strike!” which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1972. Jeremy will talk about his latest book, “The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy,” which explores community-led initiatives in various sectors such as renewable energy, green schools, and fair labor practices.

Interview with Jacob Love, senior attorney with the Boston-based group Lawyers for Civil Rights, conducted by Scott Harris.Jacob Love talks about his work challenging President Trump’s executive order to strip birthright U.S. citizenship from children born to immigrant parents. He’ll also discuss his concern about reports that the Trump regime is now actively considering deporting immigrants from the U.S. to Libya and Rwanda — as well as the hundreds of Venezuelans who have already been remanded to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison without due process.

A Catholic Worker Activist’s Appeal to Pope Leo to Visit Gaza: Interview with Kathy Boylan, a member of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker community in Washington, D.C., conducted by Scott Harris.Kathy Boylan discusses her hopes for Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, as a peacemaker and advocate for social justice, as well as personal appeal to the new Pope to visit Gaza and take a moral stand against Israel’s continuing war against the civilian Palestinian population, and current blockade of all food and humanitarian aid.

The May, 2025 Monthly Labor Report focuses on the fully emergent fascist assault on higher education and intellectual life the US with special guest Fred Kowal, president of United University Professions (UUP) and economist Michael Zweig.  The conversation includes an analysis of what social and political forces must coalesce to create a truly effective anti-fascist front.Host: Richard Hill

Interview with Dr. Kristen Panthagani,  a scholar with the Yale Emergency Scholars (YES) Program, completing an integrated emergency medicine residency and research fellowship focusing on health literacy and communication, conducted by Scott Harris."The views expressed in this interview belong to Dr. Panthagani and do not necessarily reflect the views of Yale University or Yale New Haven Hospital."Dr. Kristen Panthagani discusses criticism of Trump-appointed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s spread of disinformation about the safety of vaccines, promotion of bogus “cures” for the growing measles epidemic, regressive rhetoric about people suffering from autism, the mass firing of federal research scientists and budget cuts ending research into Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Interview with Mark Colville, longtime social justice activist and leader of New Haven CT's Amistad Catholic Worker House, and a Yale student who wishes to remain anonymous, conducted by Scott HarrisMark Colville discusses Yale University administrator’s decision to revoke Yalies4Palestine university club status, the larger issues of freedom of speech on campus, the illegitimate conflation of any criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and the Trump administration’s attack on colleges and university federal funding to suppress dissent and academic freedom.

Interview with Craig Mokhiber, an international human rights lawyer and former director of the New York Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, conducted by Scott Harris.Craig Mokhiber discusses Israel’s blockade of food supplies to Gaza, starving 2.3 million Palestinians, the recent International Court of Justice hearings on Israel’s attack on and interference with UNRWA and other UN agencies in Palestine — as well as the long-term impact of Israel and the U.S. government’s undermining of international law and the impact on future conflicts around the world.Mokhiber is an international human rights lawyer and former director of the New York Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights who resigned in protest in 2023 because of the unfolding genocide in Gaza and the UN’s failures.

Interview with Ralph Nader, America’s best-known and most effective public interest lawyer, ran for president four times with the Green Party and as an independent, conducted by Scott Harris.Ralph Nader talks about the current constitutional crisis under the Trump regime, and his new book, “Civic Self-Respect,” a handbook on democracy and how citizens are empowered by their several roles, not only as voters but through other roles: such as workers, parent, and veteran.

Greenport, New York's native Candace Hall talks about being Greenport’s Village Clerk along with some candid personal revelations: the complexities of being part of a large family in a small town, being the first young black woman to achieve community prominence and the psychological importance to her of black representation. (WPKN May 7, 2025)

Interview with Gareth Gore, a London-based investigative journalist and editor, conducted by Scott Harris.Gareth Gore talks about his new book, “Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church. He discusses the late Pope Francis’ views on Opus Dei, the conservative personal prelature within the Catholic Church, and the coming college of cardinals vote for his successor, as well as the rising influence of the political right-wing inside the U.S. Catholic Church.