Beacon Podcast: Recent Episodes
Beacon
This week on the podcast, Nora sits down with Maine Center for Economic Policy President and CEO Garrett Martin to talk about why tax fairness has become one of the biggest economic issues in Maine and across the country. Nora and Garrett talk about major tax fairness victories in the last legislative session, look at…
The post How taxing the rich helps everyone, and how we can do it more first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you a special broadcast. Beacon host Cate Blackford sat down with author and advocate Heather McGhee as part of the Authors Guild Foundation’s Pascal Hall Author Series for a conversation about McGhee’s book The Sum of Us and what it can teach us about building solidarity in a…
The post What Heather McGhee says we lose when communities are divided first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we are sharing the full recording of gubernatorial candidate Shenna Bellows and U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner at a town hall in Old Town hosted by the Maine People’s Alliance (of which Beacon is a project) on May 3, 2026. The two share more on their policy platforms and backgrounds,…
The post Who holds politicians accountable? Bellows and Platner point to grassroots organizing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate is joined by guest host and legislative strategist Gus Dunn-Hindle to break down the latest in Maine politics and local organizing, from Sanford’s new mobile home park rent cap ordinance to growing rent stabilization efforts across the state. They also discuss MPA’s member-led endorsement process, key endorsed candidates, and…
The post Maine voters head into high-profile primaries first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast Esther is joined by Andrea Paluso, Director of The Child Care for Every Family Network, and Charlotte Jacobs, community organizer and former program director of a childcare center. They share how both their experience as experts in the field and as parents has shaped their worldview on why free universal child care is crucial — and how we can…
The post What it would take to build a truly universal child care system first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther is joined by union members and leaders from across Maine for a conversation about why organizing still matters and why more workers are getting involved. Jessie Hargrove, Maine Education Association president; Matthew McDonald, Maine Medical Center nurse and member of the Maine State Nurses Association; and Ally Loukas, pre-K…
The post From hospitals to classrooms, Maine unions push for change first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Esther unpack the political and human consequences of Pres. Donald Trump’s threats of war crimes and the fragile ceasefire that followed, examining what it means for global alliances, moral leadership, and the growing financial burden on taxpayers. Closer to home, they break down key parts of Maine’s supplemental…
The post What’s at stake with Trump’s war rhetoric and the Maine state budget first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Maine’s housing crisis is hitting some of the state’s most overlooked communities: mobile home parks. In this episode, Cate and Esther take a closer look at how corporate ownership is negatively reshaping these parks, where more than one in five are now owned by out-of-state investors. Residents Juliette St. Amand and Marieke Giasson share what…
The post The cost of staying: Maine mobile home park residents pushed to the brink as rent spikes first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ads in the U.S. Senate race are heating up! This week on the podcast, Esther and Cate break down Gov. Janet Mills’ newest attack ad on fellow Democratic candidate Graham Platner, and how words don’t always align with actions. The also take a look at the text messages between the Portland and South Portland police…
The post How Janet Mills’ old-school ad attack missed the mark first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Dr. Nirav Shah joins our host Cate Blackford on the podcast to discuss his run for Maine governor and how his background in public health as the former director of the Maine CDC shapes his approach to leadership. He talks about the importance of competent state governance, clear communication and rebuilding public trust. Shah outlines his plans…
The post Nirav Shah on public health, housing and the race for governor first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On our latest podcast episode, Esther and Cate look at what has been happening with ICE in Maine and how Mainers have been responding. Beth Weisberger, the owner of Gneiss Spice in Bethel, joins to share why she decided to close her business at the end of January for an anti-ICE strike. They also discuss…
The post Why business is political and what to look out for in Maine’s budget hearings first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast, Senior Organizing Director Esther Pew interviews Anat Shenker-Osorio, a linguistics and cognition expert, about how movements can more effectively mobilize folks to fight against fascism. Anat explains why simply debunking lies isn’t enough — and why replacing false narratives with truthful, values-driven stories is essential to activating people. She emphasizes the power…
The post How language can mobilize people to fight fascism with Anat Shenker-Osorio first appeared on Maine Beacon.
For the first podcast of the new year, Esther is joined by former podcast host Sen. Mike Tipping to preview the legislative session and talk about some priorities, including health care access, taxing the richest Mainers more fairly, and combating ICE’s terrifying tactics closer to home. They also talk about what’s been happening in Minnesota…
The post ICE’s unpopularity, taxing the rich and MLK with Sen. Mike Tipping first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner joins our host Cate Blackford this week on the podcast to chat about why he’s jumping into politics and what a true populist agenda looks like to him. Platner shares how his campaign defies the status quo with movement-driven organizing and economic justice at the center. Platner also explains…
The post Podcast: Graham Platner on building a movement larger than his U.S. Senate campaign first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Channa break down Maine’s big Election Day results — from voters rejecting a restrictive voter suppression law to passing new gun safety measures and a $19 minimum wage in Portland. The two discuss Democratic wins across the country, the strength of grassroots organizing, and voters’ desire for bold…
The post Podcast: What Maine’s Election Day says about the future first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Election Day is just around the corner, and Esther and Ben are back to remind Mainers to protect absentee voting by casting a “no” vote on Question 1. On the other statewide referendum, Question 2, they are voting “yes” to make it easier for law enforcement to remove firearms from people who pose a danger…
The post Podcast: Absentee voting, gun safety and why mutual aid isn’t enough first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben break down how the federal shutdown is hitting Maine — from potential SNAP cuts to thousands of state workers facing layoffs — and how a tax conformity issue could leave a $245 million hole in the state budget. They also dig into the latest political shakeups, including…
The post Podcast: Federal shutdown, SNAP concerns and Graham Platner make headlines first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Maine Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Shenna Bellows joins our host Esther to talk about her vision for a more transparent, community-driven government. She shares ideas for tackling Maine’s toughest challenges — from housing to healthcare — and lays out her plans for universal healthcare, fair taxation, and stronger support for tribal sovereignty. “No…
The post Podcast: Shenna Bellows draws on rural Maine roots in campaign for governor first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Happy Friday! This week on the podcast, we are breaking down the two statewide referendum questions on every Mainer’s ballot. Our hosts, Esther and Ben, explain why voters should vote no on Question 1, as it would make it harder for Mainers to vote by adding numerous restrictions to absentee voting. On the flip side,…
The post Podcast: A voter guide to Maine’s 2025 statewide referendums first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Gubernatorial candidate Angus King III shares why he is pivoting from business to politics in our latest podcast episode. The founder and former president of Peaks Renewables chats with our host Cate Blackford on how he plans to solve some of the biggest problems Mainers are facing today, such as the cost of living, housing…
The post Podcast: Angus King III brings a business mindset to the governor’s race first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree discusses her political journey, starting from her early involvement in Maine’s small communities and her recruitment to the state legislature. The former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives tells our host Ben Chin about her efforts on the Kids Safe Products Act, marriage equality, healthcare…
The post Podcast: Hannah Pingree stresses urgency on housing, climate in run for Maine governor first appeared on Maine Beacon.
In an off-kilter move for someone who is reportedly gearing up to challenge Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, Governor Janet Mills on Monday offered universal praise for Collins’ actions in office. “She’s in a tough position,” said Mills. “I appreciate everything she is doing.” Collins, who has long been personally friendly with Mills, said…
The post Podcast: Mills should be pressuring Collins, not praising her first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben Chin sits down with Rep. Rafael Macias (D-Topsham), a retired naval officer and first-time legislator. Rafael reflects on the past session including a landmark bill ensuring farmworkers receive minimum wage, the hurdles of budget negotiations, and frustrations with the lack of progressive action despite a Democratic majority. Rafael also…
The post Podcast: Rafael Macias challenges Maine Democrats to deliver first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we are revisiting Ben’s conversation with grassroots organizing expert Marshall Ganz for a special encore episode. The two discussed how to strengthen organizing skills, effectively build a movement, and create lasting change. Ganz is a senior lecturer in leadership, organization and civil society at Harvard University and the author of…
The post Podcast: Marshall Ganz on the problems of modern organizing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into Sen. Susan Collins’ latest string of controversial votes — from confirming far-right conspiracy theorist Joe Kent and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, to approving funding for a $1 billion jet for Trump on the back of taxpayers. Also, health insurance rates are proposed…
The post Podcast: The battles over health insurance and voting rights in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben interview Jordan Wood — a Democrat who is looking to unseat Sen. Susan Collins. Before running for the U.S. Senate, Wood served as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Katie Porter, where he supported her work taking on Wall Street banks and financial interests. He also previously served…
The post Podcast: How Sen. candidate Jordan Wood would take on Collins and big money first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into the Trump administration’s restrictions on federally funded programs, including Head Start, which serves about 3,000 kids in Maine. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general suing to block these restrictions that target immigrants without legal status and would…
The post Podcast: Building a universal childcare system that works for all first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into how Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill injects roughly $170 billion into immigration and border enforcement with minimal oversight, while creating new barriers to legal immigration. It also weakens and erodes protections for children and immigrants. Channa explains why Trump’s “Alligator Alcatraz” and new border…
The post Podcast: Why Americans are backing immigration under Trump’s presidency first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate chats with Garrett Martin of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. They do some unpacking on what the new federal tax bill really means for Maine families. Garrett breaks down how deep cuts to programs, like stricter work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance could leave many Mainers without…
The post Podcast: The real cost of Trump’s federal budget bill first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Andy O’Brien from the Maine AFL-CIO provides an overview of the wins and losses for labor from the 2025 legislative session. Key wins included the rejection of $40 million in childcare cuts, continued funding for free school meals, improved retirement security for mental health workers, and expanding minimum wage to…
The post Podcast: Breaking down Maine labor wins and losses in 2025 legislative session first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther breakdown the final state budget, including wins like the new mansion tax, boosted child tax credit, and more support for General Assistance. Cate also dives into what didn’t make the cut, such as necessary funding for Maine’s family planning network. Esther shares an overview of recent…
The post Podcast: Inside Maine’s part 2 budget deal first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund joins Cate to break down the serious threats in Pres. Donald Trump’s federal budget reconciliation bill. The proposal would block Planned Parenthood from participating in Medicaid (MaineCare), cutting off care for more than 1.1 million people. This could mean closing nearly 200…
The post Podcast: How the federal budget threatens reproductive healthcare and Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben share with our listeners how everyday Mainers can take action to protect essential programs and urge lawmakers like Sen. Susan Collins to stand up against federal budget cuts that would slash health care and food assistance while handing a $1.5 trillion tax break to the rich. Plus,…
The post Podcast: Trump’s budget is a disaster. Here’s what you can do about it. first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther, Cate and Ben are together to discuss the Maine state budget, as well as the federal budget proposal from the Trump administration. In Maine, lawmakers are considering a tax on income over a million dollars (which is supported by a majority of Mainers). On the federal level, the budget…
The post Podcast: How Trump’s budget cuts would hurt Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey breaks down how his office is standing up to President Donald Trump’s executive orders, holding Big Tech and Big Oil accountable, and defending immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights. With an 80% success rate in federal legal challenges, Frey shares why the rule of law still matters…
The post Podcast: AG Aaron Frey on defending Maine from Trump administration policies first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate connects with Charlotte Jacobs — a parent and childcare provider at Seedlings to Sunflowers Nonprofit Childcare and Family Center in Gorham — and Hazel Willow, a Maine parent who has utilized Head Start and now advocates for protecting childcare services and workers. “My child’s last day living in the…
The post Podcast: ‘A Day Without Childcare’ and the real cost of care gaps first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben interviews award-winning author Ron Currie on his latest novel “The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne”. Currie’s new book takes place in his hometown of Waterville, ME, and explores Franco-American cultural and economic struggles. Even through fiction writing, Currie draws from personal experiences and dives into intimate themes of…
The post Podcast: Ron Currie explores Franco-American culture through fiction writing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we are bringing back an episode from May 2024 with Luc Kuanzambi, who immigrated to Maine from the Congo. Although this episode was recorded a year ago, Kuanzambi’s message could not be more important: Americans need to be listening to immigrants’ stories firsthand. “The American public is not familiar with…
The post Podcast: What the media gets wrong about the Maine immigrant experience first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate brings listeners to the State House, where she momentarily steps out of a public hearing regarding Maine’s paid family and medical leave (PFML). She is joined by Maine People Alliance members’ Cassie Nedwell and Amy Jane Larkin, who share their personal stories that highlight the need for PFML. “With…
The post Podcast: Protecting paid family and medical leave for Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther, Cate and Ben are back together to discuss why tax fairness is a crucial part of building a more equitable future for Maine. They touch on how Mainers are putting the pressure on Sen. Susan Collins, delivering a letter signed by 1,300+ Mainers urging her to oppose new tax cuts for the ultra wealthy…
The post Podcast: Why Trump’s tax plan would leave everyday Mainers ‘paying more, getting less’ first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther is joined by Jan Collins, the assistant director of Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC). After Jan’s son was incarcerated in 2012, she became intimately aware of the horrors happening within Maine’s prison system and began fighting to break down harmful stereotypes and inhumane practices. Esther and Jan discuss the…
The post Podcast: Building a more humane justice system in Maine with Jan Collins first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben dive into the real-life impact of national immigration policies right here in Maine. They break down some recent high-profile ICE arrests, including a viral TikTok video out of Waldo County and the troubling case of a truck driver detained in Lewiston. They also take a hard look…
The post Podcast: Trump administration targets immigration (again) first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben sits down with artists Natasha Mayers and Anita Clearfield to discuss the intersection between art and activism. They share the role art has in shaping political movements, and how they’ve seen their work make an impact in the past. In 2012, Natasha founded the Artist Rapid Response Team (ARRT!),…
The post Podcast: How art fuels activism with Natasha Mayers and Anita Clearfield first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate and Esther do a deep dive on what is happening with health care at the state and federal level. They break down three bills that would help reform Maine’s health care system by: preventing medical debt from affecting consumer reports, preventing AI from denying health insurance claims, and addressing…
The post Podcast: How you can fight for fairer health care at the State House first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On this episode of the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther provide an overview on what’s happened at the federal level this past week — from Pres. Donald Trump’s unconstitutional threat to deport a Palestinian activist with a green card, to how the potential Canadian boycott of Maine would impact the state’s local businesses and overall…
The post Podcast: What Trump’s trade war means for Maine and more budget threats first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben and Cate cover Trump’s State of the Union exploring its nationalist tone, economic impacts, and the need for fact-checking. They also break down national deportation trends and the legal hurdles of immigration policy. On the state level, Cate discusses budget negotiations, Republican-driven funding roadblocks, and the powerful child care…
The post Podcast: Navigating Trump’s policies and Maine’s continuous budget battles first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben breaks down Trump’s plan to slash taxes for the rich and gut Medicaid — moves that could hit Maine hard. Esther and Cate dig into the real-life impacts, from delayed meds for MaineCare patients to USAID job losses. But it’s not all doom and gloom: they also explore the…
The post Podcast: Cracks in Trump’s power and the push for Maine budget solutions first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Channa interviews Rep. Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor), who is currently serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives. Friedmann shares why he decided to run for office; his frustrations with the lack of bipartisanship when it comes to the supplemental budget; two bills he is sponsoring surrounding affordable…
The post Podcast: Rep. Gary Friedmann on Maine’s budget deadlock and the fight for affordable housing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
In this week’s episode, Ben, Cate and Esther come together to explain the flurry of political developments coming out of the White House and what federal news is actually impacting Mainers. They revisit the role of protesting and its importance in building community and momentum. Cate unpacks the partisan deadlock in the Maine legislature over…
The post Podcast: How Trump’s executive actions actually impact Mainers and more on Maine’s budget standoff first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa discuss how Mainers and people across the U.S. have been responding to the first few weeks of the Trump administration. On Wednesday, a “50 protests in 50 states” rally was held in Augusta as part of a larger movement of organizers in each of the 50…
The post Podcast: The future of strategic protesting in Maine and resisting Trump’s immigration agenda first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded Wednesday morning, before the White House Office of Management and Budget rescinded a memo that froze federal grants and loans. This week on the podcast, Esther and Ben unpack some of the chaos the White House caused when it issued a since-rescinded directive that ordered a spending “pause” on…
The post Podcast: Responding to Trump’s chaos, Mills’ State of the Budget and ICE raids first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther dive into the harmful and alarming blitz of executive orders Pres. Donald Trump released as he kicked off his second presidential term. We’ll also talk about how people can care for themselves and support their communities (or find support in them!) as Mainers work to push…
The post Borders, birthrights and resistance: The impacts of Trump’s executive orders first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Public policy director Cate Blackford joins Senior Organizer Esther Pew to chat about paid family medical leave in Maine, as well as the positive and negative aspects of Gov. Janet Mills’ recently proposed budget. And with the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term coming up on Monday, the two highlight the Portland People’s March happening…
The post Podcast: Dissecting Mills’ budget proposal and fighting against fascism first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben Chin and Esther Pew are back for the first podcast episode of 2025! The hosts discuss two petitions — regarding voting rights and a red flag law — that will potentially be on the 2025 ballot. “ I’ve talked to people who are responsible gun owners and want to make sure that people using a…
The post Podcast: Two ballot proposals unveil barriers to voting and paths to gun safety first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we are revisiting Deputy Director Ben Chin’s interview with author and community organizer George Goehl. The two discusses Goehl’s book “The Fundamentals of Community Organizing”, which looks at how to bring people together and win structural change. Goehl lays out the core practices that organizers shouldn’t leave behind, even as…
The post ‘Never be cynical again’: A conversation with George Goehl first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Cate Blackford connects with Organizing Director of Maine People’s Alliance Genevieve Lysen to discuss MPA’s annual member retreat that took place at the beginning of December. Pulling over 100 members from across the state of Maine, the purpose of the retreat is to focus on cultivating community, relationship-building skills and…
The post How embracing community builds collective power first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, guest host Nora Flaherty-Stanford discusses the intersection of labor and climate action in Maine with Frances Eanes from the Maine Labor Climate Council. Eanes highlights the importance of labor in social change and the need for practical, worker-friendly climate solutions like offshore wind and energy efficiency upgrades. It is urgent…
The post Frances Eanes on building a worker-led climate future in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we are sharing an encore episode of Ben Chin’s interview with author and journalist Vincent Bevins. The duo discusses the common belief that large protests and social movements can lead to significant change and how these beliefs were challenged in the 2010s, with many protests leading to unintended consequences or…
The post How to make real change when mass protests fail first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben and Cate discuss the new Pan Atlantic poll showing some interesting results across the state. They also dig into expenditure reports and online ad archives to give a sense of the hard-fought battle for control of Maine’s state legislature. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future…
The post The under-the-radar ad war in the districts that will decide Maine’s legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Marshall Ganz, America’s pre-emeninent expert on grassroots organizing, sits down with Ben Chin on the podcast this week to discuss how to build organizing skills, build a movement, and create lasting change. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app…
The post Heads without bodies: Marshall Ganz on the problems of modern organizing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, Cate and Esther discuss the presidential debate and its aftermath, Maine’s new online voter registration system and increased rates of Mainers registering to vote. They also discuss Maine’s housing crunch and how it’s affecting college students and some possible solutions seen in Connecticut. Plus rays of hope. You can submit…
The post Voter registration in Maine and the Taylor Swift effect first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, Cate interviews Miles Rapoport, Executive Director of 100% Democracy, an initiative to advance voting as both a fundamental right and a civic responsibility. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple…
The post 100% Democracy: Miles Rapoport makes the case for making sure everyone votes first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben interviews Vincent Bevins, journalist and author of the new book If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. Bevins discusses the mass movements of the 2010s across the world, where they failed and how change can be made. Ask a question or leave a comment for…
The post Vincent Bevins on why mass protests have failed, how to make real change first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Ben interviews Deepak Bhargava, a longtime social justice leader and organizing luminary on his new book, Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World. Cate and Ben also discuss Kamala Harris’ economic agenda and their shared love of Robert Caro. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future…
The post Deepak Bhargava on how to be a practical radical first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther Pew is joined by an impressive array of Maine LGBTQ and reproductive rights experts to discuss the implementation of the state’s new shield law, protecting health care providers and patients from investigation and prosecution by authorities in other states. The panel includes Mary Bonauto with GLBTQ Legal Advocates &…
The post Maine’s shield goes up – stopping out-of-state attacks on reproductive and trans health care first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the Beacon Podcast this week, Esther Pew interviews Tess Parks, a policy organizer with Maine Recovery Advocacy Project, on drug policy and recovery. Esther and Ben also discuss the pick of Gov. Tim Walz as the Democrat for VP and how his record in Minnesota compares to Maine. Ask a question or leave a…
The post Under Walz, Minnesota did what Maine did, but faster first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther and Ben discuss the big changes in the presidential race and the effects on enthusiasm and turnout in Maine. They also recap some findings from investigations of the Lewiston mass shooting and talk about how local housing regulations have worked in Portland. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at…
The post Podcast: Maine’s elections just got a lot more interesting first appeared on Maine Beacon.
You heard us right! This week, Ben and Cate talk about Pres. Joe Biden’s proposal on Tuesday to cap rent increases at 5% for large corporate landlords. The proposal is a huge win for tenant advocates and would impact 20 million homes around the country. And that’s not all — around Maine this week, we’ve…
The post Good news for tenants (really!) first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Arthur Philips of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Cate Blackford to discuss the results of their report on Maine’s direct care workforce. It’s not good. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
The post Podcast: The ongoing abandonment of older Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther, Cate and Ben discuss some of the testimony before the Independent Commission on the mass shooting in Lewiston, a new proposed anti-panhandling ordinance in Bangor, and some structural problems with how Maine addresses mental health, homelessness and policing. Plus: Learn how to support a strong paid family leave program…
The post Podcast: Prosecuting panhandlers and missing mass shooters first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Guests Andy O’Brien of the Maine AFL-CIO and Lisa Margulies of Planned Parenthood join guest-host Mike Tipping to discuss the results of this week’s primary and municipal elections. From the flipping of an anti-trans school board to the ousting of Democratic incumbent Bruce White in Waterville by Cassie Julia, progressive candidates had a good election.…
The post Podcast: Why anti-choice and anti-trans incumbents lost their seats in Maine this week first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Guest Mike Tipping joins Esther on the podcast this week to talk polling results, the Republican Primary race in CD2, health care, housing and Aztec history. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
The post Podcast: How much do Mainers hate insurance companies (and other poll results) first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, Cate Blackford and Ben Chin are joined by Maine People’s Alliance board member Jim Parakilas to discuss some legislative primaries, MPA’s endorsements, and an important zoning conversation in Portland. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any…
The post Podcast: Conservative Democrats face progressive challengers in Maine legislative primaries first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther and Cate discuss new rules proposed for the implementation of the paid family and medical leave program passed by the legislature last year as well as the fight over funding for South Portland’s Human Rights Commission. They also talk about a sad book and a happier TV show. Ask…
The post Podcast: Maine’s paid family leave program takes a big step forward first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, Esther, Cate and Ben discuss the last day of the 131st Maine legislature, a disagreement over process with the governor, and what her vetoes mean for some important policies, from investigating rape kits to paying childcare providers. Plus: Ben’s thoughts on the roast of Tom Brady and Cate has to…
The post Podcast: What the clash at the State House means for Maine people first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, Esther Pew interviews Luc Kuanzambi of Portland. An immigrant from the Congo, Kuanzambi is a communications specialist and host of Luc’s 2 Cents Podcast, which highlights immigrants’ experiences and opinions on sociopolitical events. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the…
The post Podcast: Luc Kuanzambi on the Maine immigrant experience and what the media gets wrong first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, organizing luminary George Goehl sits down to talk with Ben Chin about Fundamentals of Community Organizing, his new treatise, website and podcast on how to bring people together and win structural change. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast…
The post Podcast: How to win fights and influence politicians first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben, and Cate discuss the end of the legislative session. They reflect on some of the wins from the session, including $18 million for rent relief, funding for more recovery community centers, and a bill that will create options for development of offshore wind power in Maine. They…
The post Podcast: The thrill of (legislative) victory, the agony of (legislative) defeat… first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate interviews Hillary Knight with the Capital Region Public Defenders Office in Augusta, who clarifies what the right to counsel means for Mainers, some of the realities of meeting the constitutional right to counsel, and some hopeful developments in the state. After a lawsuit in 2022 (which is ongoing)…
The post Podcast: Maine’s long-awaited public defenders first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Today on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Esther discuss updates from the legislative session including the new pilot program for housing subsidies, the outcome of Planned Parenthood’s proposed constitutional amendment regarding protecting access to abortion, and the Sears Island offshore wind proposal. Additionally, the two discuss Pres. Biden’s new plan to help erase or lower…
The post Podcast: Rent relief, abortion access, wind power and student debt relief! first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we bid a fond adieu to longtime Beacon reporter Dan Neumann, who is leaving us for the labor movement. Dan and Ben talk about some of their favorite Beacon stories and when the Beacon’s reporting has really made a difference. They also talk about what’s happening in the last part…
The post Podcast: What it means to be a ‘movement journalist’ first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther is joined by Emily Cain to talk about her time as a legislator in Maine, her experience as the executive director of Emily’s List, and the climate for women candidates for office today. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any…
The post Podcast: Women, Emily Cain wants you to run for office! first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week, Beacon reporter Dan Neumann joins Ben and Esther to discuss the results of the independent commission regarding the shooting in Lewiston, specifically the finding that the police force and military could have done more. They talk about gun safety in the state legislature, and what real change might look like. Also, it’s the…
The post Podcast: The Lewiston shooting commission’s findings, and what they mean first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week, Ben and Esther are joined by the Beacon’s Dan Neumann to talk about gender affirming care in Maine and a bill to protect Maine medical practitioners from prosecution by other states. The bill, LD 227, is at the center of a right-wing misinformation panic that has drawn in local neo-Nazis and resulted in…
The post Podcast: Gender affirming care in Maine, in the face of right-wing hostility first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate discuss the results of the Super Tuesday vote, including affordable housing in Kennebunk, Kingfield, and Cumberland. And they break down a new Pan Atlantic poll of 800 Mainers on the presidential election, and wonder why it didn’t consider ranked-choice voting. Ask a question or leave a…
The post Podcast: Kennebunk says yes to affordable housing, but not Cumberland or Kingfield first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate, Ben, and Esther talk about how the extra $107 million Gov. Janet Mills wants to put away on top of the Rainy Day fund could be better spent. They also talk about Mills’ change in tack on tribal self-determination in Maine, and dive into a complicated bill to…
The post Podcast: It’s a rainy day, so why are we still putting away more? first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week, Esther is joined by community organizers Carrie Jadud, Jodi Cohen Hayashida, Nyawal Lia and Genevieve Lysen to talk about the ins and outs of community organizing, what it means to be a community organizer, and the rewards of a very hard job. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show…
The post Podcast: So what is community organizing, anyway? first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben and Esther talk about this week’s “House Everyone!” day of action in Augusta, and advocacy for fair state worker wages in Maine. They also talk about how the Medicaid “unwinding” process is making health insurance even more inaccessible for many Mainers. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207)…
The post Podcast: ‘The Unwinding…’ and how it’s hurting Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate discuss how proposed Maine legislation could help combat otherwise-unnoticed wage theft in Maine. They also discuss how the federal Child Tax Credit would dramatically help low-income Maine families improve their standard of living, and they ponder the necessity of the proposed federal military spending bill. We’ll…
The post Podcast: Wage theft? Heck no! first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate are joined by Jodi Hayashida with Multifaith Justice Maine. They talk about Gov. Janet Mill’s State of the State address and the moral questions around her decision to put another $100 million away rather than using it to fund programs to help Mainers in need. They…
The post Podcast: How Gov. Mills’ budget stands up as a moral document first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the Beacon Podcast this week, Esther and Cate reflect on the hearing of LD 780, a proposed amendment to the Maine state constitution which would further protect abortion access and reproductive healthcare in Maine. They also discuss what the process for implementation of the new paid family and medical leave law looks like and…
The post Podcast: Protecting abortion rights and gender-affirming care in the legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther is joined by Olivia Pennington from Maine Family Planning, Julia McDonald and Aspen Ruhlin from the Mabel Wadsworth Center and Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine. Together they discuss access to reproductive and gender affirming healthcare in Maine and efforts to protect it with legislation, and a constitutional…
The post Podcast: The future of reproductive healthcare in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week, Nora, Cate and Genevieve discuss a bill to introduce a public health approach to drug use in Maine (LD 1975), and how a rent relief bill (LD 1710) can support Mainers in need of sustainable and affordable housing. If you’d like to testify in favor of LD 1975, send an email to Genevieve…
The post Podcast: Drug policy and housing in the legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week, Cate and Ben talk about this week’s encampment sweep in Portland and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to bar former Pres. Donald Trump from appearing on the Maine primary ballot and the predictable right-wing backlash. They also talk about this week’s gun safety rally at the State House, and the four big…
The post Podcast: Gun safety advocates rally in Augusta, Shenna Bellows’ decision, homeless encampment sweep in Portland first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Nora, Cate and Ben talk in depth about the Maine legislative session beginning in January, including upcoming bills and the impact of recent revenue forecasts on budgeting. They dig into ongoing campaigns and proposed legislation on drug policy, tribal sovereignty, worker rights, housing, childcare, paid family medical leave, health…
The post Podcast: What to expect in the Maine legislature in the new year first appeared on Maine Beacon.
James Myall of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Ben Chin to discuss the 2023 State of Working Maine report and the economic environment of the Pine Tree State. Also, Esther Pew and Nyawal Lia remember the life and work of Lado Lodoka. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show…
The post Podcast: Will robots take Maine’s jobs and other insights from the author of the State of Working Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben Chin moderates a debate between Angela Lang, founder of Black Leaders Organizing for Community, and Stanley Fritz, Director of State and Local Policy at the Very Institute, on the 4-day workweek and the work to build a sustainable and effective progressive movement. The discuss both how a 4-hour week could work (or not) at…
The post Podcast: A head-to-head debate over the 4-day workweek first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Cate Blackford interviews State Representative Cheryl Golek on her work on the Joint Special Committee on Housing, her proposal for a state housing voucher program and other ways to address rising rents and an increasing lack of affordable housing in Maine. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.…
The post Podcast: Creative solutions to Maine’s housing problems, with Rep. Cheryl Golek first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther, Cate and Ben recap and unpack this Tuesday’s election results, from town councils to statewide referenda to national trends. Plus: how to massage a shiba inu. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
The post Podcast: Homeless sweeps, electric rates, abortion rights and Britney Spears first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Beacon reporter Dan Neumann joins the podcast this week to discuss the prospects of gun safety reform at the state and federal levels following the mass killing in Lewiston. Dan, Nora Flaherty-Stanford and Esther Pew also provide a record 9 rays of hope for a difficult week. Ask a question or leave a comment for…
The post Podcast: What’s possible on gun reform in Maine and some extra rays of hope first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Note: This podcast episode was recorded prior to Wednesday’s shootings in Lewiston. This week on the podcast, Cate, Esther and Ben discuss the four citizen-initiated referendums and four constitutional amendments that are on the November 7 ballot. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast…
The post Podcast: Everything you need to know about all eight ballot questions first appeared on Maine Beacon.
A panel of advocates for reproductive and abortion rights join the podcast this week to discuss new laws going into effect in Maine on October 25th and January 1st and where Maine and the nation stand in the wake of the Dobbs decision. Esther Pew is joined by Nicole Clegg, CEO of Planned Parenthood Maine…
The post Podcast: Maine’s moment to stand for reproductive freedom first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon podcast, Ben Chin interviews former host and current state senator Mike Tipping on a range of new laws going into effect from the legislative session this year and the process of the Agricultural Worker Minimum Wage Committee, created by Governor Janet Mills after she vetoed a bill to pay farmworkers…
The post Podcast: The minimum wage doesn’t apply for farmworkers in Maine, but it may soon first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon podcast, two interviews highlight the range and depth of organizing. Ben Chin interviews Analilia Mejia, co-director of the Center for Popular Democracy and former political director for Bernie Sanders, among many other roles, while Esther Pew sits down with two Maine activists, Scott Harriman and Gracia Bintu, after they had…
The post Podcast: Creating change, from the grassroots to the halls of power first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the podcast, we revisit a panel discussion Maine People’s Alliance Senior Organizer Esther Pew hosted one year ago featuring Senior Vice President of Public Affairs of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Nicole Clegg, Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney and Maine Women’s Lobby Executive Director Destie Hohman Sprague. They discuss what full…
The post Podcast: Revisiting a conversation on Women’s Equality Day first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union, joins Esther, Ben and Cate to discuss working, organizing and policy at the state and federal level. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app or subscribe on…
The post Podcast: Chris Smalls of the Amazon Labor Union on how to organize in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Writer Andy O’Brien joins the podcast this week to discuss the neo-Nazi group attempting to create a base in Maine, the state’s history on race and extremism, and how Mainers can confront the threat these groups represent without giving them the attention they seek. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show…
The post Podcast: Is the extreme right a threat in Maine and how should we deal with them? first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Angela Hanks, Chief of Programs at Dēmos and former Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor, speaks with Ben Chin on her life and career, the role of government and the power of organizing. Plus: A Review of the show Hijack and a eulogy for Jimmy Buffett. Ask a question or leave a comment…
The post Podcast: Angela Hanks on the big problems in our economy and how to solve them first appeared on Maine Beacon.
This week on the Beacon podcast, Cate, Ben and Esther go back to school, discussing the policy implications of the end of summer vacation, including an educator hiring crunch and the way Maine pays for public education. Also: What does the closing of a major childcare center in Aroostook County mean for parents there and…
The post Podcast: Sudden collapse of childcare in Aroostook County highlights larger crisis first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the podcast this week, Esther Ben and Cate discuss Jared Golden’s outsized reaction to criticism of his vote against student loan relief, as well as a series of not-in-my-backyard actions that threaten the development of much-needed new housing in Maine. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182…
The post Podcast: The quiet undermining of new housing in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.
On the Beacon podcast this week, Ben and Cate connect the seemingly disparate issues of Maine’s ferry problem, Nazi problem and drug overdose problem. Also (and thankfully), some rays of hope. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using…
The post Nazis and ferries and the New York Times first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben and Cate listen in on Ben’s conversation with Donald Cohen, the co-author of “The Privatization of Everything” and the founder and executive director of the group In the Public Interest. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using…
The post Podcast: Donald Cohen on privatization and how we can fight it first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Sen. Mike Tipping joins Ben and Esther to discuss some of the highs and lows of the legislative session just wrapping up its first year. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app or subscribe on…
The post Podcast: Paid family leave, abortion rights and other session highs and lows first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Cate and Ben discuss some of the progressive wins in this legislative session, and how new legislative leaders’ progressive worldviews helped make new advances possible. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app or subscribe on…
The post Podcast: For progressive wins this session, worldview made the difference first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben talks with former podcast host and current state senator Mike Tipping about his work so far in the legislature. Depths of Wikipedia Instagram Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple…
The post Podcast: A conversation with Sen. Mike Tipping about life on the inside first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther and Cate are joined by Dan Neumann of Beacon, to talk about the resounding defeat of Question A in Portland, efforts to raise the minimum wage in Maine, and why a Brunswick coffee shop’s union is working so hard to build ties to the community. Ask a question or leave a comment for a…
The post Podcast: How a Brunswick coffee shop union is building community support first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Cate, Esther and Ben discuss Portland landlords’ efforts to undermine the city’s voter-passed rent control; a new bill to advance Wabanaki rights in Maine, and why Gov. Mills is opposing it; and a coming floor vote for a bill to extend some labor rights to Maine’s agricultural workers. MPA events calendar Milk with Dignity march,…
The post Podcast: Portland landlords are trying to undermine rent control first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben and Esther discuss the status of bills on housing, paid family leave, Maine’s child tax credit and more, and look at what’s in the debt ceiling deal that federal lawmakers struck this week. MPA events calendar Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to…
The post Podcast: Progressive priorities move through the legislature at session crunch time first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Nora and Esther discuss some of the stories people told at the Maine Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee hearing Thursday on LD 1964 and share some clips with listeners. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182 or by writing to podcasts@mainebeacon.com Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app…
The post Podcast: Scenes from Thursday’s Paid Family and Medical Leave hearing first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben’s back, and the gang discusses some exciting housing bills working their way through the legislature and the absolutely wack-a-doodle number of disconnection notices that have been going out to Mainers from Central Maine Power and Versant; and we’ll hear from some MPA staff about canvassing, why it matters, and why you should do it.…
The post Podcast: CMP and Versant’s furious flurry of disconnection notices first appeared on Maine Beacon.
As Gov. Janet Mills looks to “modernize” the Pine Tree Empowerment Zone corporate tax credit program, Esther and Ben are joined by Maura Pillsbury of the Maine Center for Economic Policy to talk about their new report, “Are Tax Giveaways Worth the Money?” which, using state data, finds that the money governments give to corporations…
The post Podcast: Are corporate tax breaks worth it? Probably not. first appeared on Maine Beacon.
With Ben on the road again, Cate and Esther break down some of this week’s big events in Augusta — the marathon abortion rights bill hearing on Monday, the Child Tax Credit bill hearing on Thursday, and the wonderful discussion around Maine’s likely adoption of a “housing first” model to help deal with the state’s…
The post Podcast: Abortion rights, housing first, and the Child Tax Credit in Augusta first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Esther talks with two of the leaders of the recent University of Maine graduate student union effort, and the gang talks about the debt ceiling debate in DC, what the discussion around it is, and what it should be. Subscribe to U.S. Rep. Jared Golden’s Substack Normal Gossip podcast Terrestrials podcast Ask a question or…
The post Podcast: Grad student union drive brings solidarity and community first appeared on Maine Beacon.
We’ll hear an conversation between Charlotte Warren and Zoe Brokos of the community radio program Justice Radio, and Dr. Winifred Tate, Colby College professor of anthropology and director of the Maine Drug Policy Lab, about the recent report, “A better path for Maine: The case for decriminalizing drugs,” and Cate and Esther talk about positive…
The post Podcast: Criminalizing drugs is ‘expensive, it’s harmful, and it doesn’t work’ first appeared on Maine Beacon.
As Ben travels the country in his quest for social justice, Cate and Esther are joined by MPA organizing director Genevieve Lysen, to talk about bills on drug policy, housing and taxation wending their way through the legislature. Read all about it: Maine’s recovery community hopes to save lives by establishing harm reduction health centers…
The post Podcast: Taxes, housing and drug policy in the legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.
Ben talks with Dr. Marcelle Medford and Dr. Meadow Dibble about their work with the Place Justice Project. Place Justice Project events series Stand Against Racism at YMCA Central Maine Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple…
Esther, Cate and Ben talk about some wins and losses for Maine workers who want to unionize; discuss bills to protect renters in the legislature this week (help out here!); and clear up some confusion around the budget process. UMaine grad students join growing union movement Delayed union drive at Bates College fails to get…
Esther, Cate and Ben talk about the landlord-driven opposition to rent control in Portland, municipal budget season, and the angst of waiting for the federal Supreme Court student loan forgiveness decision. On rays of hope, Star Trek makes yet another appearance. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe…
In honor of Women’s History Month, Esther talks with new Reps. Mana Abdi (D-Lewiston) and Cheryl Golek (D-Brunswick) about their experiences in Augusta, what made them want to run for office, and what it means for them to be legislators. Nora and Esther also talk about what comfort TV you should be watching right now.…
Esther, Ben and Cate discuss what makes a strong social insurance program, including what a robust Paid Family and Medical Leave policy would look like. They also talk about local labor fights, as well as the joys of public education, neighborliness and Hamantaschen for Purim. (Further reading on the LePage pension hole, unionization at Shalom house and the MSEA…
Ben talks with journalist, storyteller and musician Samuel James about his podcast “99 Years“, which he describes as a Black exploration of the deliberate creation of the whitest state in the nation. They talk about the erasure of Black history from Maine, Portland’s Charter Commission, Malaga Island, and Maine’s history of racist place names. Cate…
We revisit an interview by Ben Chin with author, commentator and researcher Heather McGhee, on how and why she wrote her bestselling book The Sum of Us and what it means to move past zero-sum politics toward a future where people of all races work together to solve public problems and build better lives. She…
Esther, Cate and Ben talk about Gov. Janet Mills’ State of the Budget address Tuesday evening as well as a new report on police killings in Maine. They are also joined by Dan Neumann to talk about his recent piece in Beacon on “fentanyl hysteria” and its potential impact on drug laws. Ask a question…
Esther talks with Mareisa Weil of Maine Family Planning, Abbie Strout-Bentes of the Mabel Wadsworth Center, and Nicole Clegg of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England/Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund about the lay of the land on abortion rights, the fights ahead, and what people can do to help. Ask a question or leave a…
Esther, Cate and Ben talk about what people can do when the weather is this cold (Beacon coverage and resources), and what Central Maine Power is doing to explain away its rate increases. Also, bills in the legislature to protect and expand the legal rights of trans people, and a preview of the paid family…
Esther interviews Kathleen Sullivan and Tom Mikulka of Third Act Maine, a group of Mainers over 60 years old organizing against the crisis of climate change and threats to our democracy as part of the national “Third Act” network. (Learn more and get involved at thirdactmaine@gmail.com.) Ask a question or leave a comment for a…
Esther, Cate and Ben discuss the Bangor Daily News‘ terrible, horrible, no good, very bad editing of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—and their pretty good apology. They also look at efforts in the state legislature to protect abortion rights and they explain what’s next…
Gov. Janet Mills introduced her proposed two-year budget this week, and Esther, Cate and Ben offer their initial thoughts. Also, we chat with MPA lobby team member Rafael Macias about what the lobby team’s all about, and take a look at the competing referendum questions around a consumer-owned utility, and who all is behind them.…
This week on the podcast, Esther Pew interviews Tim and Suzanna, field organizers who have been knocking on doors and speaking to tenants in the Redbank Village in South Portland, about what Mainers are going through during a state housing crisis. Also: Mike Tipping interviews reporter Evan Popp on Beacon’s Making a Difference series, profiling…
Today is the last day to sign up for health coverage through coverME.gov. Esther, Cate and Mike discuss this, the January 1 minimum wage increase to $13.80 an hour and other policy holidays on this week’s podcast, along with a review of media coverage of the new state legislature and the long history of REAL…
On the podcast this week, Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the voting down of Governor Mills’ plan for emergency heating and housing assistance by Republicans in the state senate and what that will mean for Mainers this winter. They also discuss the election of Maine’s constitutional officers, a new report on the effects of tribal…
With decisions made on legislative leadership and referenda signatures being submitted, what’s next for politics and policy in Maine is becoming more clear. On this episode of the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss the Our Power referendum, the selection of Rachel Talbot Ross as Speaker of the Maine House and more. Ask a…
Cate and Mike discuss the full election results, the analysis, autopsies and recriminations and the selection of leaders in the Maine legislature. Among calls for the GOP to move past Donald Trump nationally and Paul LePage in Maine, they wonder what that could look like for a party that has been molded by their influence…
Ben Chin, Esther Pew, Cate Blackford and Senator-elect Mike Tipping discuss the results of Tuesday’s election – what happened in races across the state, why and what it means for Maine. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using any podcasting app…
With only a few days before Election Day, Esther, Cate and Nora look at some of what Portland voters will be seeing on that city’s voluminous ballot, and celebrate the signature-gathering successes of Our Power’s consumer-owned utility and Protect Maine Elections’ foreign money out of political campaigns, um, campaigns. The gang also talks about who’s…
This week, Cate, Nora and Ben gorge themselves on a buffet of this week’s news and what’s burbling up in our state’s politics. The team looks at the history of the Christian Civic League and why its profile has risen in this election; checks in on some NIMBYism in Lewiston; talks about Maine’s national standardized…
This week, the Cate, Esther and Ben dig into election-eve campaign spending and what it may or may not mean, highlight the new “State of Working Maine 2022” report from the Maine Center for Economic Policy, and talk about state efforts to tackle Maine’s affordable housing crisis (as well as landlord pushback against some pretty…
“Everybody looks at the negative part of global warming, but with the ice melting, the Northern pass has opened up. The new sea traffic is going across the north. So rather than Maine being at the end of the pipeline, we’re at the beginning of the new pipeline.” —Paul LePage, 2013. Welcome to the fourth…
Editor’s note: This episode contains obscene, offensive, and threatening language in the first minute. If you’d like to listen but don’t wish to hear such language, please advance to the 1:00 minute mark on the recording. “This is Gov. Paul Richard LePage. I would like to talk to you about your comments about me being a…
“I think like a business person. […] You know the last thing you want to send me into is an operating room doing brain surgery. But I can understand an economy. I do understand supply and demand. I do understand what heats up inflation and I do know what’s going to cause recession” —Paul LePage,…
“About 47% of able-bodied people in the state of Maine don’t work … about 47%. It’s really bad” —Paul LePage, 2013. Welcome to the first episode of Trump Before Trump: The Legacy of Paul LePage — a special series of the Beacon Podcast. For the next four episodes, we’ll be taking a break from our…
Esther, Ben and Cate run down this week’s debates, what surprised them, and what didn’t — and give some fact-checking shout outs. Also, some activities and calls to action for Indigenous Peoples Day. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182, and subscribe to the podcast feed right here…
In this special episode of the podcast, Ben talks with David Duhalde (he/him), long-time democratic socialist activist and the author of a chapter in the new book “Power Concedes Nothing: How Grassroots Organizing Wins Elections.” Ben and David talk about David’s experiences organizing as a college student in Maine, and what it was like to…
Esther, Ben and Mike discuss competing priorities on education in the governor’s race, Maine’s record decrease in residents without health insurance, and big plans for gathering signatures for paid family and medical leave. Volunteer for paid family and medical leave signature gathering on election day. Watch the Make Medicines Affordable panel. Ask a question or…
On the podcast this week, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss new polling from the Maine People’s Resource Center, new developments in legislative races and proposed new changes to Portland city government that have prompted Mayor Kate Snyder to announce she won’t be seeking re-election. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show…
On the podcast this week, the hosts discuss celebrating Labor Day in the midst of a surge of union organizing, the use of ranked-choice voting in the Alaska special election and a new website comparing LePage and Mills by the numbers. Plus: Edward Gibbon and the corn song are among our rays of hope. Ask…
On the podcast this week, Esther Pew, Ben Chin and Mike Tipping discuss the federal decision to forgive student loan debt, the court ruling on the CMP corridor and 2022
Maine People’s Alliance Senior Organizer Esther Pew hosts a panel discussion featuring Senior Vice President of Public Affairs of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Nicole Clegg, Maine AFL-CIO President
Desmond Meade joins the podcast this week to discuss his own history and the referendum he helped lead to restore voting rights for felons in Florida. He is the executive
Esther, Cate and Mike discuss the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and its impacts in Maine. The also examine a wide range of new state legislation that went into
On the podcast this week, Esther, Cate and Mike discuss the work by dozens of Maine People’s Alliance volunteers that goes into interviewing and choosing candidates to support in November’s
Jin Woo Chung, senior economist for the Groundwork Collaborative and James Myall, policy analyst for the Maine Center for Economic Policy join host Cate Blackford to discuss rising prices, corporate
Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss the newly-launched paid family and medical leave referendum on the podcast this week, as well as South Portland mayor Deqa Dhalac’s candidacy for state
On the Beacon podcast this week, Ben and Mike discuss the Portland referendums and charter commission proposal, a newly-open House seat in Bangor, how Maine anti-abortion rights candidates get their
Ben and Mike discuss the success of the Our Power referendum signature gathering and the likely ballot measures on the issue, as well as continued local fallout from the anti-abortion
With voices from Maine Family Planning, Planned Parenthood and Mabel Wadsworth Center, the podcast hosts focus on the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision repealing the right to access abortion
Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss the news of the week, including a 6-3 Supreme Court decisions on state funding of religious schools in Maine, Juneteenth celebrations, emergency rent control
Esther and Ben talk about some of the best news and most interesting stories out of Tuesday’s primary election. Share your thoughts, ask a question or leave a comment for
We revisit an interview by Ben Chin with author, commentator and researcher Heather McGhee, on how and why she wrote her bestselling book The Sum of Us and what it means
Cate talks with Geoff Bickford of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition (on Facebook) about the work that organization is doing to enact “common sense” gun control in Maine, and how
Esther, Cate, and Nora respond to shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo and talk about replacement theory, where it’s from and how we can work against it. Share your thoughts, ask
Esther, Ben and Cate, with special guest host Nora, run through the end-of-session nothing burger that was Veto Day, and talk about some of the many recent media pieces on
Esther, Cate and Ben talk about the bombshell leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade with Nicole Clegg of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. They also preview veto override day
Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the final outcome of the Good Samaritan law, housing legislation, tribal sovereignty negotiations and what was funded in Maine’s state budget. Also: Opportunities to continue
As the legislative session winds to an end this week, Mainers rallied outside the capitol for tribal sovereignty and the Good Samaritan law. On the podcast, Gen, Cate and Mike
Sarah Woodbury, director of advocacy at Defend Our Health, joins the podcast today to discuss the Maine legislature’s response to PFAS contamination. Also: Esther, Cate and Ben give a legislative
James Myall of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins the podcast to discuss the current debate in the State House over how much should be sent out in one-time
On the podcast this week, Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss new polling results on expanding Maine’s good Samaritan law and spending the budget surplus, as well as the arrest
Cate, Ben and Mike discuss seven bills that haven’t had as much public attention this session, but may become law as the legislative session winds to an end. Also: Esther
Sarah Austin of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins the podcast this week to discuss what’s in the state budget, what’s out and what decisions are still being made.
On the podcast this week, Esther talks with citizen-lobbyists Gina Morin and Lucca Hamina and Cate talks with Rep. Kristen Cloutier about the impact regular people can make talking to
On the Beacon Podcast this week, Cate, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss local reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from vodka bans to State of the Union guests, and
Ben Chin interviews author, commentator and researcher Heather McGhee this week on how and why she wrote her bestselling book Sum of Us and what it means to move past
More than a thousand Mainers submitted testimony in favor of tribal sovereignty legislation to the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and more than 100 spoke in person over an 8-hour hearing.
Personal stories of of Mainers whose friends and loved ones have struggled with opioids were heard by the criminal justice committee yesterday as Maine considers expanding its “good Samaritan” law.
This week on the podcast, Cate Blackford interviews Jerusalem Demsas, a policy writer for Vox and co-host of The Weeds. They dig deep on housing policy nationally and in Maine,
Esther reports live from the State House on the podcast this week, with a people-powered lobbying team advocating on issues from tribal sovereignty to tax havens. Ben, Esther and Mike
On the Beacon podcast this week, Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss the fate of voting rights legislation in Washington, new campaign finance reports in Maine and the latest pandemic
This week on the Beacon podcast, Cate, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss the special election result in Gorham, the omicron surge and the re-opening of the Maine legislature. Also: An
On the Beacon podcast this week, Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss the state of the pandemic, the omicron variant, how it impacted each of their holiday breaks and what
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate and Mike discuss the most-read pieces on Beacon from the previous year and the public testimony before the Maine Paid Family Leave Commission.
In this municipally-focused podcast episode, Esther, Cate, Ben and Mike discuss the inauguration of Deqa Dhalac in South Portland, a new report from a state commission on housing and zoning
Prices are increasing. Where, why and are wages keeping up? Cate, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss inflation on the Beacon podcast this week, along with a conversation about how the
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the new short film Bounty, featuring Indigenous Mainers reading and reacting to the official proclamation of the government bounty
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate Blackford, Esther Pew, Ben Chin and Mike Tipping discuss the latest on the federal infrastructure packages and the next steps for Build Back
Esther, Cate and Mike discuss the results of Questions 1, 2 and 3, the Augusta special election and local races across the state. Also: An interview with volunteer advocate Roxy
This week on the Beacon podcast, Cate discusses the first meeting of Maine’s Commission To Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program later this week and how folks
This week on the Beacon podcast, Cate, Esther and Mike discuss Question 1, on the CMP corridor, Question 3, the food sovereignty amendment, the special election in Augusta and more.
Cate, Esther and Mike discuss a conservative backlash to political progress in Maine’s largest city on the podcast this week, including the role of local media. They also discuss a
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the public testimony on the consent decree in the HoltraChem case, as well as an update on the federal
LePage is indulging conspiracy theorists on public health measures even while criticizing Governor Janet Mills for not vaccinating more Mainers. How long can he walk that tightrope? Cate and Mike
On the podcast this week, Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the U.S. Senate parliamentarian’s decision on immigration, the Maine Apportionment Commission’s looming decisions on redistricting (maps, interactive tool) and the
Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the reconciliation infrastructure bill this week on the podcast and Ben interviews Alec Maybarduk of the Maine Service Employees Association. Plus: How you can weigh
This week on the Beacon podcast, Esther Pew sits down with Tara Williams of the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children to discuss the importance of early childhood
This week on the Beacon podcast, Ben Chin interviews Professor Hahrie Han of Johns Hopkins University on her work studying how and why movements for change succeed. She notes the
In her new book, At War with Government: How Conservatives Weaponized Distrust from Goldwater to Trump, University of Maine professor Amy Fried describes how the political right has spent decades
It’s a full crew on the podcast this week. Ben and Cate break down the results of the IPCC report and what must be done to address climate change. Esther
Cate, Esther and Mike discuss the Penobscot Nation’s sovereignty over their river and a rally in Bangor last weekend, as well as the state of the pandemic and how Maine
With filibuster reform yet to pass, a wide range of progressive priorities, from lowering prescription drug prices to expanded child care to a roadmap to citizenship for immigrant essential workers,
Cate Blackford and Mike Tipping discuss the end of Maine’s legislative session, some vetoes that weren’t overridden and how Democrats got their way on federal funding for housing and caregiving.
This week, Beacon is showcasing an episode of Reproductive Left, a podcast created by the Mabel Wadsworth Center, the only not-for-profit, private, independent feminist health center in Maine. Join hosts
Esther Pew, Cate Blackford and Mike Tipping discuss the end of the legislative session and the status-quo administration of Governor Janet Mills on the podcast this week. They highlight bills
Esther Pew interviews Leyla Hashi of Maine Youth Justice on the movement they’ve built to close Long Creek prison and end the incarceration of children in Maine. Maine People’s Alliance
From advances on voting rights and fossil fuel divestment to setbacks on workers’ rights and public power, Ben, Esther and Mike catalogue the status of a dozen important bills this
As Maine’s legislative session hurtles toward completion, Esther, Ben and Mike review the fate of wide range of legislation, including bills to close Long Creek youth prison, create a consumer-owned
This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther Pew gives a rally recap from a demonstration at the State House. Ben Chin gives an update on what legislation is where and
Penobscot-area Maine People’s Alliance organizer Rob Laraway joins the podcast to discuss the THRIVE Agenda and the work of local volunteers to get Rep. Jared Golden on board. Also: a
Carrie Walsh sent an email to her bosses, concerned that the company she worked for was violating Maine’s pandemic regulations. Seven minutes later, she was fired. Months after that, she
With new state regulations arriving on Monday, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss the state of Maine’s pandemic response and how epidemiology intersects with social science in the formation of public