Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Dan Vicuña, Senior Policy Director for Voting and Fair Representation at Common Cause, talks about the consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Louisiana v. Callais case that eviscerated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the disenfranchisement of millions of people of color, and ways in which our nation can work toward achieving a multiracial democracy.

2) Annie Laurie Gaylor co-founder and co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and author of three books including, “Woe to Women: The Bible Tells Me So,” talks about the tax payer funded Trump regime religious rally in Washington, D.C., “Rededicate 250,” that featured white Christian nationalist rhetoric from speakers including  House Speaker Mike Johnson, Franklin Graham, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others, that the FFRF criticized as an “unprecedented and shocking mix of church and state.”

3) Melanie D'Arrigo, Executive Director with the Campaign for New York Health talks about the campaign dedicated to passing and implementing universal, single-payer health care in New York State. Supporters of the New York Health Act say that New Yorkers will pay less and get more by cutting out waste and using the negotiation power of 20 million New Yorkers. New Yorkers will save billions of dollars by not paying rising premiums, deductibles, co-pays, out-of-network charges, and long-term care costs.

4) John Miksad, a member of Veterans for Peace and World Beyond War, talks about a coalition of groups sponsoring 2 events in Norwalk, CT on Memorial Day, May 25th to promote peace, honor the fallen and support our current troops by keeping our soldiers out of harm’s way in endless disastrous wars, including Trump's disastrous war on Iran, his deployment of the U.S. military to attack civilian boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and his oil blockade of Cuba.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) As Trump War on Iran enters 11th Week, US Media Ignores Israel's Ongoing Attacks on Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza.

James Zogby, co-founder and President of the Arab American Institute, and Director of Zogby Research Services, a firm that conducts public opinion surveys across the Middle East, discusses the dire situation in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza under continuing military attack by Israel, critically important news that's been lost or ignored by most corporate media coverage during the Iran war.

2) Trump, Musk, DOGE Downsizing of Social Security Administration Demolishes Agency Customer Service

Martin O'Malley, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration in the Biden administration, former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore, talks about the impact of the Trump administration's downsizing of the Social Security workforce on customer service, how to fairly address the projected shortfall in the Social Security Trust Fund by 2032, and the current Trump regime attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law.

3) 36 Mental Health Professionals Call for Donald Trump's Immediate, Lawful Removal from Office

Dr. Henry Abraham, is Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine, co-recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize for his role as the coauthor of the Constitution of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and author of, "After the Genocides- Immigration, Education, and the Prevention of Nuclear War," Here he talks about a group of 36 leading physicians and other doctors with expertise in mental health, who he's acting as a spokesperson for, “who issued a statement calling for President Donald J. Trump’s immediate, lawful removal from office for medical reasons. His mental instability, coupled with his sole, unchecked authority to launch nuclear weapons, makes him a clear and present danger to the safety of all Americans.”

4) New Documentary Film Captures ICE Violent Targeting of Workers, and Impact on their Families

Robert Greenwald is the founder and president of Brave New Films, a nonprofit production company that creates and distributes investigative political and social justice documentaries. He'll talk about his important new documentary film, "ICE: No One Is Safe -At Work," which highlights how ICE immigration raids affect workers' and their family's lives --- and how listeners can view the film and support Brave New Film's important work.

1) Rightwing Supreme Court Majority Repeals Voting Rights Act, Sends Nation Back to 'Jim Crow' Era 

Marjorie Cohn, is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, dean of the People’s Academy of International Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild.  Cohn, author of the books, "Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues." and "The United States and Torture: Interrogation, Incarceration, and Abuse," will take a critical look at the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Louisiana v. Callais case that's decimated what was left of the Voting Rights Act, as examined in her commentary, "The US Supreme Court, Race & the Right to Vote."

2) Is the US-Israel War on Iran about to Reignite?

Phyllis Bennis, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project and author of "Understanding Palestine & Israel," examines the dire situation in the West Bank with a rising number of murders of Palestinians and land seizures by Israeli settlers -- and ongoing deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza that's been lost in most of the corporate media coverage, overshadowed by the Iran war. She'll also discuss the important issues raised in her recent article, "The U.S.-Iran War is Illegal. Here's Why That Matters." 

3) Assessing the Power of the US Pro-Democracy Movement to Protect the 2026 Midterm Election 

Journalist Micah Sifry, editor of the Connector newsletter which focuses on the "intersection of politics, movements, organizing and technology, with an emphasis on how we make our democracy healthier." He'll talk about his recent Substack piece, "MayDay: The Pro-Democracy Movement Structure Test."  He'll comment on the results of this year's nationwide May Day actions that called for “no work, no school, no shopping” -- and how this tactic, if effective, could impact future resistance plans to disrupt business-as-usual to counter Trump's expected interference in the November 2026 midterm election.

4) CT Health Justice Now Coalition Demands Legislation to Prevent 250,000 Residents From losing Affordable Healthcare

Liz Dupont-Diehl, Associate Director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group CCAG, part of a statewide coalition that’s advocating for urgent legislative action to prevent an estimated 250,000 CT residents from losing access to affordable health insurance resulting from last year's deep Trump, GOP federal budget cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and other social safety net programs.  People who will lose health care coverage this year and in 2027 include those losing Access Health CT financial help, enrollees in the Covered TCT program, and whose coverage will be impacted by new work requirements and other bureaucratic obstacles designed to discourage enrollment in these programs. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Taxpayers Hit for $4,000 Spent on War, Amid Tax Cuts for the Rich, Historic Defunding of Social Safety Net Programs

Lindsay Koshgarian, Program director with the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, talks about her group's recent report, "Tax Day 2026: Taxpayers Are Paying More than $4,000 for War." The report notes that while more than half of Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities, Donald Trump and the GOP passed the "Big Ugly Bill" that cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans, cut health insurance and food assistance for millions of Americans, and added billions in new spending for war and mass deportations. More recently amid the U.S. war on Iran, the president has asked Congress for a record $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon in 2027, representing a 40%-44% increase over previous spending.

2) Trump's Wars on Iran, Venezuela and Cuba: a New Stage of US Imperialism 

Steve Ellner, a retired professor of Venezuela's Universidad de Oriente where he lived for over 40 years, author of more than a dozen books and currently Associate Managing Editor of Latin American Perspectives. talks about his recent commentary, "U.S. Imperialism Enters a New Stage," which examines Donald Trump’s rhetoric and actions against Iran, Venezuela and Cuba which have few parallels in modern history.

3) Young Democrats Challenge the Party's Old 'Out-of-Touch' Leaders

Cameron Landin, Executive Vice President of College Democrats of America, and a student at the University of Chicago, discusses his views on some of the Democratic Party's positions on issues including the Trump, Netanyahu war on Iran, U.S. aid to Israel and proposed progressive legislation such as Medicare for All.  He'll also talk about some of the Democrat's internal issues including the role of AIPAC in campaigns, and RootsAction and other progressive activists' call for the release of the Democrat's 2024 Election Autopsy Report.

4) Trump's FEMA Administrator a GOP Voter Suppression Operative

Filmmaker and journalist Greg Palast, author of several New York Times bestsellers including "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy," talks about his recent article, "Mr. Colbert, I’m not laughing anymore."  Palast investigates far right activist Gregg Phillips, recently appointed as Associate Administrator of FEMA's Office of Response and Recovery,  who claims he was tele-transported to a Waffle House. Phillips is the discredited conspiracy theorist behind the group True the Vote, whose film, 2,000 Mules claims that Jewish billionaires paid Black men to stuff ballot boxes in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit causing Trump to lose the 2020 presidential election. True the Vote, challenged over 300,000 voters in the 2024 election, and is preparing to do the same in the 2026 midterm election this November.

1) As Americans Increasingly Oppose Trump's Iran War, Congress Inches Closer to Invoking War Powers Act

Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action and the Peace Action Education Fund, the nation’s largest grassroots peace network with chapters and affiliates in states across the U.S., talks about what his and other anti-war groups are doing to oppose Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu's illegal war in Iran and Lebanon, action being taken to pressure Congress to invoke the War Powers Act, and how listeners can get involved.

2) Amid Iran War Large Number of US Service Members Now Seeking Advice on Applying for Conscientious Objector Status 

Rebecca Roberts, a member and current Organizing Manager of the group About Face: Veterans Against the War, discusses the work she and others do at About Face providing guidance and advice to active-duty U.S. military servicemen and women navigating their rights of conscience, and seeking conscientious objector status during the current illegal U.S. war on Iran.

3) #Next250 Reshaping US 250th Anniversary Celebration Centered on a 'Declaration of Interdependence' to Guide us into the Next 250 Years
Saru Jayaraman is co-founder and President of One Fair Wage; Director of the Food Labor Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and author – her latest book is titled, “One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America.” She’ll talk about the Next 250 national mobilization coinciding with the U.S. 250th anniversary, where a massive gathering is planned in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 27th, grounded in a Declaration of Interdependence to elevate historically excluded voices and build a forward looking civic agenda rooted in shared responsibility and democratic participation.

4) New Book, “Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?” Calls for Proactive Measures to Achieve a Truly Multiracial Democracy. 

Steve Phillips is host of the Democracy in Color podcast and best-selling author of “Brown Is the New White” and “How We Win the Civil War.” He’ll talk about his new book, “Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?” observing that just six years after the racial reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd, America is witnessing a full-scale assault on equality unparalleled since the overthrow of Reconstruction, while offering a powerful offensive strategy to combat resurgent white supremacy.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) The Collapse of Iran War Talks Followed by Trump Blockading Strait of Hormuz
Brandon Carr, Studies Associate at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and Kevan Harris, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California, LA, discuss their views on the 5-week US, Israeli bombing campaign against Iran that many call a strategic disaster, the future of negotiations to end the war, Israel's continued destabilizing attack on Lebanon, and the dangerous erosion of international law.

2) US Corporate Media's Failure to Call Out GOP Voter Suppression Campaign

Julie Hollar, Senior Analyst with the group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), discusses her recent commentary, "Who Will SAVE America From Misleading Coverage of Voter Suppression?" and the importance of calling out the disinformation in Trump and GOP talking points re: their false claim that millions of non-citizens are voting and discrediting U.S. election outcomes.

3) Assessing the US Movement Resisting Trump's Fascist Agenda 

Michael Albert, co-founder of South End Press, Z Magazine, the Z Media Institute, and host of the podcast Revolution Z. Author of 21 books on economics, politics and socialism, Michael will assess Trump's murderous war on Iran, fascist repression at home, and a growing pro-democracy resistance movement -- while envisioning a transformative "long march" progressive agenda that discards major elements of the decaying status quo system.

4) Possible GOP Scheme to Retain Control of House if They Lose Midterm Election

Steve Posner, an adjunct assistant professor of writing at the University of Southern California, talks about his recent San Francisco Chronicle, commentary, "How Trump Can Keep the House Without Winning the Midterms," describing a possible anti-democratic scheme where "Trump’s election deniers in GOP-led states slow walk recounts and stall certification of Democratic wins, creating a situation where Republicans retain their House of Representatives majority."

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) US Israel War Hurts All Iranians, Including Regime Opponents

Naghmeh Sohrabi, Charles (Corky) Goodman Professor of Middle East History and Director for Research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University discusses her the impact of the US, Israeli war on average Iranian people not generally discussed in our media, as explored in Professor Sohrabi's "These Are the True Things" blog focused on stories written by Iranians coping with life inside the Islamic Republic.

2) Trump Sets in Motion Multiple Strategies to Rig Midterm Election to Help GOP Maintain Control of Congress

David Daley, senior fellow in communications at Fair Vote, and author of "Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections," discusses the ongoing efforts by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans to implement voter suppression laws and policies, including Senate debate on the "Save America Act," and the president's most recent executive order that instructs the federal government to compile a list of eligible citizens who can vote in each state, and instructs the US Postal Service to only transmit mail-in ballots to people on that list.

3) Trump's Staggering Level of Corruption Requires Ethics Law Overhaul

Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, discusses the multiple and unprecedented  instances Trump administration corruption that Revolving Door Project has been investigating during the president's 2nd term. He'll address the need for accountability, and what government reforms will be necessary to prevent such blatant executive branch abuses in the future, as what followed the Nixon era Watergate scandal.

4) Jewish Groups Organize Passover Seder Outside Hartford CT ICE Office Protesting Mass Deportation

Daniella Hobbs a member of the Hartford Jewish Organizing Collective, talks about her group organizing a Passover Seder on Tuesday, April 7th outside the ICE Regional Field Office in Hartford "to demand ICE out of Connecticut." The Seder will include music and ritual elements adapted to modern times, including a recitation of ten modern-day plagues and four cups dedicated to collective liberation. In observing this year's Passover the group is demanding freedom for our neighbors held by ICE. 

 Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Iran Maintains Upper Hand over US and Israel in Escalating and Costly War 

Matthew Hoh, Associate Director of the Eisenhower Media Network, a former Marine captain, Iraq war combat veteran, and Afghanistan State Department officer who resigned in protest over U.S. war policy in 2009.  Captain Hoh will assess the current state of the illegal US, Israeli war on Iran, charges that the US lacked a coherent strategy and made inadequate preparations for this conflict, and prospects that the Trump regime many soon deploy US troops to a ground war inside Iran.

2) Veterans Group Offers Counseling to US War Resistors and Conscientious Objectors 

Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister, former president and current national board member of Veterans For Peace, president of the Golden Rule Committee, and a member of the crew that sailed the Golden Rule to Cuba. He'll assess the US/Israeli war on Iran from the perspective of veterans and active duty service members, some of whom are now seeking advice on how to follow the protocol to disobey illegal orders, and apply for conscientious objector status.

3) Assessing New Dept. of Homeland Security Sec. Markwayne Mullin and Future of ICE Mass Deportation Operations

Kica Matos, the president of the National Immigration Law Center and the Immigrant Justice Fund.  A Distinguished Practitioner at Yale University’s Brady Johnson Program in Grand Strategy, Matos will discuss the recent Senate confirmation of Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, what if any changes may be made in DHS/ICE policies, her view of what Senate Democrats are doing to negotiate reforms in ICE operations -- and her critical work at NILC.

4) Tenured Texas Professor Fights his Termination for Exercising Free Speech

Tom Alter, a tenured professor of history at Texas State University, talks about his termination from the university without due process for remarks he made at a socialist conference in his capacity as a private citizen. Professor Alter will talk about his legal battle defending free speech and academic freedom important to all educators and citizens -- and his national speaking tour including events in Connecticut in April. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) US-Israeli War on Iran Escalates, as Erratic Trump Appears to Look for Exit 

Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director with the group Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) founded by Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi before his assassination, discusses the current state of the U.S., Israeli war on Iran, escalation of the regional conflict destroying fossil fuel infrastructure and disrupting energy supplies, the prospect of the deployment of U.S. troops to Iran, and  the consequences for international law.

2) Heritage Foundation, Trump Regime's 'Project 2026' Targets Women's Rights

Katherine Spillar, Executive Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, and Executive Editor, Ms. Magazine to discuss your Ms. Magazine article, "Project 2026 Declares Open War on Women's Rights," with a focus on Trump administration policies' impact on women, and voter suppression legislation designed to disenfranchise millions of women across the country in the 2026 midterm election.

3) Another US Oil War in Iran Spikes Energy Prices, Disrupts Supply Chains; Aggravates the Climate Crisis

Lois Parshley, Climate Research Director with Public Citizen’s Climate Program.… will examine the spike in energy prices, and interruption in the delivery of energy supplies due to Trump's Iran war, creating hardship for vulnerable populations, and strategies for the world escaping this cycle of endless oil wars that has caused so much violence and destruction — and the catastrophic contribution to the climate crisis!

4) Nuestra América Convoy Arrives in Cuba, Challenging Trump's Oil Blockade

Andy Shallal owner of the Busboys and Poets bookstores and progressive political cultural hub in Washington, D.C., talks about the Trump regime's blockade of oil to Cuba, the impact on the Cuban people, and the Nuestra América Convoy to Cuba, the recently delivered a shipment of 6,300 pounds of critical humanitarian aid to the island nation by air and sea.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Steven Levitsky, David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies at Harvard University and co-author with Daniel Ziblatt, of "How Democracies Die," and "Tyranny of the Minority," talks about his recent article, "The Price of American Authoritarianism," assessing Donald Trump's first 12 months back in the White House and the threat he now poses to the 2026 midterm election, U.S. democracy and our republic.

2) Craig Mokhiber, former director of the New York Office of the United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights until he resigned in protest due to the Gaza genocide, discusses the catastrophic war launched against Iran by Trump and Netanyahu, the further dismantling of international law, and the resulting death and economic chaos engulfing the region, addressed in his recent article, "Understanding the U.S. and Israel’s illegal war on Iran."

3) Justin Glawe, an independent journalist and editor of the American Doom newsletter, discusses his recent article, "Inside the FBI raid in Georgia — and what it really means," and his reports on the Trump regime plan to nationalize the 2026 midterm election, in a clear effort to employ voter suppression to prevent a Democratic Party takeover of the House and U.S. Senate.

4) Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat serving on the Federal Communications Commission, talks about her concerns regarding the concentration of media ownership, FCC censorship and interference in the exercise of First Amendment right to free speech, the future of public media and the expansion of broadband access.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1. Trump Has No Clear Objectives in his Lawless and Chaotic War with Iran 

Mel Goodman, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University and a former CIA analyst, whose latest book is titled American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump, shares his views on the motivation and conduct of the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, as well as the short and long term consequences for international law, the world economy and the American empire.

2. "It’s Time to Make Some Thunder:" Bishop William Barber Responds to Trump-GOP Midterm Election Gerrymandering Scheme! 

Excerpt of speech by Bishop William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, president and senior lecturer at Repairers of the Breach, and founding director of the Center for Public Theology & Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. In this November 2, 2025 speech he talks about the Moral Mondays coalition response to President Trump’s effort to gerrymander the First Congressional district in North Carolina, and efforts to rig the 2026 midterm election nationwide.

3. Trump Follows Israel Into Catastrophic War on Iran, Netanyahu Calls the Shots 

Branko Marcetic, a Jacobin staff writer and the author of "Yesterday’s Man: The Case Against Joe Biden" talks about his recent commentaries, "Trump Is in Way Over His Head in Iran," and "The US Is Fighting Israel’s War on Iran," and "US Military Aid to Israel Is a National Security Risk."

4. CT Working Families Party and Progressive Coalition Legislative Agenda Includes Immigrant Rights Bills and Increasing taxes on the Wealthy  Sarah Ganong, State Director of the Connecticut Working Families Party, discusses WFP's CT legislative agenda, which includes standing up for immigrant rights, advocating for an equitable state budget with higher taxes on the wealthy, and demanding fair schedules for workers in hospitality, retail, and food service jobs. She'll also talk about statewide groups organizing for the March 28th anti-Trump, pro-democracy No Kings Day protests in CT and nationally.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Donald Trump Pursues Aggressive White Supremacist Agenda in Second Term

Amanda Hollowell, Chief of Campaigns with the group Color of Change, talks about her group's 20 years of critical work advocating for racial justice, and assesses the Trump administration's aggressive attack on America's long struggle to achieve a multi-racial democracy and implementation of discriminatory federal policies, underscored by President Trump's personal racism and bigotry that he regularly publicly displays in his speeches and on social media.

2) Trump Regime's Massive Buildout of Immigrant Concentration Camps Meets Resistance 

Journalist Andrea Pitzer, author of the book, "One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps," examines Donald Trump's current violent mass deportation campaign, and the haunting similarities to Germany's rounding up, brutalizing and imprisoning immigrants, Jews and other minority groups - in concentration camps in the 1930s.

3) States Push for New Taxes on Rich to Replace Trump-GOP Budget Cuts to Vital Social Safety Net Programs

Kamolika Das, Local Policy Director with the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, talks about a current nationwide effort to raise revenue in states to replace billions of dollars in vital local and state funding for social safety net programs that were lost in last year's Trump-GOP budget mega-bill that dramatically cut social programs while giving away huge tax cuts for profitable corporations and the rich.

4) Student Stage National Anti-Ice Walkout, Launch 'Spring Surge to Melt Ice'

Lily, a Connecticut activist with National Student Walkout Against ICE, talks about anti-ICE school protests that took place across the U.S. on Friday, Feb. 13th -- and the organizing going on now among national student groups for the 'Spring Surge to Melt Ice' campaign. 
 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's Fascist Threat to Democracy Enters New, Violent Phase

Christopher Vials, Professor in the English Dept. at the University of Connecticut at Storrs where he studies the cultural impact of the US far right, is the author of “Haunted by Hitler: Liberals, the Left and the Fight against Fascism in the U.S.,” and co-editor of “The US Antifascism Reader.” He'll assess Donald Trump's first 12 months back in the White House of his 2nd term, and the threat he now clearly poses to the 2026 midterm election, democracy and our republic, touching on some of the issues examined in a recent commentary he co-authored with Bill Mullen, "Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement’s Aspirational Fascism."

2) Trump asks Republican Congress to "Nationalize" the 2026 Midterm Election

David Daley, Senior Fellow in Communications at the group FairVote, is the author of the national best-seller "Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count." He'll examine Donald Trump's recent threats to "nationalize" this November's midterm elections, Steve Bannon's recent warning that ICE agents will surround polling places --- all driven by MAGA's false claims of massive voter fraud. He'll share his views on what steps could and should be taken now to implement safeguards to protect the nation from these threats, and ensure we have a free and fair election.

3) Trump Blocks Oil Supplies From Reaching Cuba, Contributing to Looming Humanitarian Crisis

Alianza Americas Deputy Director Helena Olea, discusses concern re: the growing humanitarian crisis impacting the Cuban people resulting from Donald Trump's recent Executive Order blocking oil shipments to the island, shutting down their energy generating capacity while threatening secondary sanctions on any nation that provides Cuba oil supplies.

4) FBI Spies on, Then Raids WAPO Journalist's Home in Major Attack on Press Freedom

Kevin Gosztola, publisher of the Dissenter Newsletter and author of "Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case Against Julian Assange," talks about his recent Dissenter article, "FBI Spied on Washington Post Reporter Prior To Raiding Their Home,"the related Trump regime attacks on the First Amendment with the recent arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, and the mass layoff of 1/3 of the staff at the Washington Post.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Minnesota Shows the Country How Effective Resistance to ICE Violence Can Work 

Pastor Doug Pagitt, executive director of the Minneapolis-based organization Vote Common Good, talks about the extraordinary courage and resilience the nation has witnessed among his city’s ordinary citizens standing up to the brutal and cruel ICE secret police force that engages in lethal violence.  He'll discuss what people across the country can learn from the incredible grassroots organizing going on in Minneapolis to meet the current crisis, and how Americans can adapt those skills, tactics and logistics to their own local efforts in defense of the rule of law and democracy.

2) National Coalition of Local Prosecutors to Target Federal Lawbreakers for Accountability

Fairfax County Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, co-founder of the new group, Fight Against Federal Overreach, talks about the mission of the "FAFO" national coalition of District Attorneys collaborating to ensure federal officials are held accountable when they exceed their lawful authority, violate the U.S. Constitution, ignore the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and basic human decency.  The group's goal is to hold all federal officials, including ICE and CBP agents and their commanders, accountable for illegal actions.

3) With Looming Threats from Nuclear Weapons, AI and Climate Crisis, Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight

Jon B. Wolfsthal, Director of Global Risk at the Federation of American Scientists discusses the Bulletin of American Scientists' announcement that their Doomsday Clock was recently set at 85 seconds to midnight, "the closest the Clock has ever been to midnight in its history, while calling for urgent action to limit nuclear arsenals, create international guidelines on the use of AI, and form multilateral agreements to address global biological threats."

4) Veterans Group Tells US soldiers It's their Duty to Disobey Illegal Orders

Mike Tork, Veterans for Peace treasurer, and Anthony Aguilar a retired US special forces officer who resigned in protest from his work with US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution centers, talk about the Veterans For Peace education campaign, including billboards, reaching out to active-duty U.S. soldiers and National Guard troops urging them to “follow the law and their conscience” and refuse to obey illegal orders.  This veterans campaign comes in the face of Donald Trump's ordering the U.S. military to attack civilian boats, and seize oil tankers in international waters, kidnap Venezuela's president, threats to occupy Greenland, and deployment of the ICE secret police force to U.S. cities, while warning of a future invocation of the Insurrection Act that could send the US Army or Marines to states across the country. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1)  The world revolts against Trump's irrational, deadly domestic & foreign policy

Melvin Goodman is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, and a former CIA analyst. Goodman, whose most recent book is titled, “American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump,” talks about Pres. Trump's disastrous foreign policy including his attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of its president, threats to takeover Greenland and breakup NATO, and his irrational imposition of tariffs around the world, the subject of his recent columns, "Donald Trump, Poster Child for Megalomania," and "Nazi Germany 1933 and MAGA America 2025."

2) ICE Killing of 2 Minneapolis Residents Provokes Angry Protests and General Strike 

Madison McVan, is a reporter with the Minnesota Reformer, an independent, nonprofit news organization, where she covers the impact of the Trump administration in Minnesota. She talks about state residents’ response to Trump's deployment of a flood of ICE agents to the state, the federal agent killing of Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, the earlier ICE agent killing of Renee Good, and the Jan. 23rd statewide general strike. She'll also discuss Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act and send in potentially thousands of active-duty U.S. military to Minnesota.

3) Oil is the Total Focus of Trump's Venezuela Policy that also Benefits his Big Donor

Filmmaker and journalist Greg Palast, author of several New York Times bestsellers including "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy," talks about his recent investigation, "How New Venezuela President Will Save Us from Trump’s Crazy: The Radical Pragmatist versus Rubio’s Vulture," explaining how billionaire and Trump donor Paul Singer is one of the prime beneficiaries of the U.S. military attack and abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as Singer is about to take over CITGO, the crown jewel of Venezuela's oil empire.

4) New Book, "Anthropause" Advocates 'Degrowth' as a Path to Prevent Climate Collapse

Stan Cox, a research scholar in Ecosphere Studies at the Land Institute, where he formerly served as Lead Scientist for 20 years, talks about his new book "Anthropause: The Beauty of Degrowth," which indicts our obsession with endless expansion and poses a new model of degrowth for protecting the Earth from climate collapse. Stan is the author of 8 books, including, "The Path to a Livable Future," "Sick Planet," and "How the World Breaks."

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) As Trump Escalates Attack on Democracy Resistance Grows

Yint Hmu of Public Citizen's democracy campaign discusses the work her group is doing to challenge and resist the Trump authoritarian agenda both at home and abroad, including their many lawsuits and national protest organizing.  They'll also talk about the explosive situation in Minneapolis in the aftermath of the ICE shooting death of Renee Good, as Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act and declare martial law.

2) Religious Leaders Step Up to Resist ICE Violence

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights talks about her group's condemnation of the ICE killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, and a call for accountability, justice and an end to ICE brutality nationwide.

3) 'Walk Out' Protest Actions Respond to Rising State Violence in Minnesota 

Tamika Middleton, Chief Political and Strategy Officer with Women's March, talks about the January 20th Free America Walkout protest, and other important work Women's March is prioritizing. Student leader

Saniyah Yoland of the group Get Free, a youth-led progressive activist movement, talks about the work they're doing organizing students for the Friday, Jan. 23rd school walkout protest.

4) FCC Commissioner Decries Government Assault on Free Press

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat serving on the Federal Communications Commission talks about her concerns re: the concentration of media ownership, FCC censorship and interference in the exercise of First Amendment right to free speech, the future of public media and the expansion of broadband access. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Takeover of Venezuela for Oil Follows Decades Long Destabilization Campaign

Alexander Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, talks about President Trump's regime's illegal kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, imposition of a naval blockade, seizure of oil tankers, and the president's declaration that the U.S will run Venezuela and take control of that nation's oil for many years ahead. He’ll also address Trump’s threat to attack other nations including Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Greenland and Canada and Iran.

2) Minnesota Explodes in Protest after ICE Killing of Renee Good

Pastor Doug Pagitt, Executive Director of the Minneapolis-based national organization Vote Common Good, that organizes religious activists to take action against the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda, talks about this moment of crisis in the aftermath of the ICE shooting death of ICE observer Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of 3.

3) Trump Aligned Oligarchs Launch Media Mergers to Transform Outlets into MAGA Propaganda Platforms  

Victor Pickard the C. Edwin Baker Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at the Annenberg School for Communication, where he co-directs the Media, Inequality & Change Center, talks about recent mega media mergers, spinoffs, and the effort by Trump-supporting oligarchs to buy up media properties that could dramatically impact news coverage and cultural content. He'll touch on his recent co-written piece, "The Political Economy of the US Media System: Excavating the Roots of the Present Crisis."

4) US Venezuela Attack Rouses U.S. Senate to Pass War Powers Resolution 

Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild, discusses her recent commentary, "Trump Will Try to Defend Aggression Toward Venezuela. It’s Still Illegal." She'll also comment on the legal and accountability issues related to the ICE murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) After Venezuela Attack Trump Threatens to Strike Iran Again

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft is author of, "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy.” Parsi talks about his recent article, "As expected, Netanyahu back demanding more war with Iran," recent Trump threats to intervene in Iran if the government kills anti-government protesters, and the message to Iran's leaders after the US kidnapping of Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro.

2) Trump's Kidnapping of Venezuelan President will have Far Reaching Consequences

Steve Ellner, an associate managing editor of Latin American Perspective, and a retired professor at the Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela, where he lived for over 40 years -- and Andreína Chávez, based in Caracas, who wrote the recent DropSite News article, “War of the entire people: Venezuela's Grassroots Rise to Resist Trump's Naval Blockade," examine the consequences of Donald Trump's attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, in Venezuela, Latin America and the world.

3) Trump - RFK Jr's Research Cuts and Vaccine Changes Threaten US Public Health

Kayla Hancock, Director of Public Health Watch at Protect Our Care talks about her group's opposition to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to cut seven grants worth millions of dollars to The American Academy of Pediatrics, jeopardizing initiatives on reducing sudden infant deaths, improving adolescent health, preventing fetal alcohol syndrome and identifying autism early.

4) Resistance to Trump Growing in his 2nd Year Back in the White House

Kevin B. Anderson, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara talks about his recent article, "The Worm Turns: Trumpist Fascism." He'll discuss issues related to effective resistance, the need to organize a popular front, big tent opposition to Trump's authoritarian rule, while ensuring progressives don't sacrifice minority constituencies or controversial positions on the climate crisis, the right of Palestinians to self-determination and independence, and trans people's rights to basic human rights. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's Moves to Interfere with and Manipulate the Outcome of 2026 Midterm Election

Jim Saksa, a journalist who's written for Slate, Politico Magazine, The Economist, NPR’s Morning Edition and Philadelphia City Paper, discusses his recent Democracy Docket article, "DOJ Sues Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin and DC, Expanding Campaign of Voter Data Lawsuits to 22," and other warning signs about the Trump administration's possible plans for disrupting and/or manipulating the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections.

2) RFK Jr Attempts to Ban Trans Youth Gender Affirming Care

Parker Molloy, a Chicago-based media critic, cultural commentator, and publisher of "The Present Age" Substack newsletter, discusses her views on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, recent announcement essentially banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people, even in states where it's still legal.

3) CBS Political Censorship of "60 Minutes" an Outcome of Media Merger Madness

Craig Aaron, co-CEO of Free Press and Free Press Action, two media reform organizations, talks about CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss' decision to kill the 60 Minutes' story on the Trump regime's deportation of immigrants to El Salvador's notorious CECOT Prison, and recent corporate mergers that are enabling political censorship.

4) Trump's Deadly & Chaotic Year Back in the White House

Paul Street, an independent radical-democratic policy researcher, journalist, historian and author of more than 10 books, his latest titled, "This Happened Here: Amerikaners, Neoliberals, and the Trumping of America." He talks about his recent commentary, "Four Pieces in the Fascist & Exterminist Jigsaw Puzzle," and his hopes for effective anti-fascist organizing in 2026.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1)  As Trump Poll Numbers Plummet, MAGA World is Fracturing

John Nichols, Executive editor of The Nation magazine, author, co-author and editor of over a dozen books, his latest cowritten with Senator Bernie Sanders is the New York Times bestseller "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism." John will talk about his recent Nation magazine article, "Zohran Mamdani on FDR, LaGuardia—and Trump," on his hopeful interview with New York City Mayor-Elect, and the current political environment where there are increasing signs Donald Trump's MAGA world might be starting to fracture.

2) Trump Marching to War with Venezuela Unless Congress Intervenes 

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink Women for Peace and author, talks about President Trump's unconstitutional march to war with Venezuela, some pushback we're now seeing in Congress, the work Code Pink is doing to raise awareness about the regime's murderous interventionist policy, and the current lack of an active and effective U.S. peace movement.

3) Impeachment: the Antidote to Authoritarian Presidents

John Bonifaz, constitutional attorney, and co-founder and president of the group Free Speech For People, discusses Rep. Al Green's (D-Houston) recent introduction of Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump, which was tabled by a House vote of 237-140, and what accountability for Trump's long list of unconstitutional and corrupt actions would and should look like if Democrats win back control of the House and/or Senate in the 2026 midterm election.

4) Nurses on the Frontline of RFK Jr's Anti-Science Agenda

Mary Turner, RN, President of National Nurses United, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the U.S., discusses two issues the union is currently addressing: NNU's demand Congress take urgent action to restore ACA subsidies to prevent a spike in monthly health insurance premiums for some 24 million ACA policy holders, and the union's concern re: Pres. Trump's executive order banning state regulations on artificial technology medical applications.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint 

1) Dr. John Gartner, a prominent psychotherapist, author and founder of the group Duty to Warn, founded in 2017 by mental health professionals and laypeople to warn the community-at-large of impending danger of Donald Trump's presidency, shares his concerns about President Trump's deteriorating mental health as he nears the end of his first year in his 2nd term in the White House.  He'll also address the cult-like devotion Trump continues to command from millions of Americans. 

2) Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works talks about the U.S. healthcare crisis, where Donald Trump and the GOP controlled Congress have refused to restore Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, that if not approved will cause many of the 24 million ACA recipients to see their monthly insurance premiums double or triple, resulting in millions losing their coverage. He'll also discuss long term solutions to America's broken health care system. 

3) Dr. Robert Steinbrook, Director Health Research Group Public Citizen discusses his views on the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice vote last week changing CDC's recommendations for administering the hepatitis B vaccine to infants, major Trump administration and HHS Sec. RFK Jr's cuts to research on cancer, Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases, as well as general administration threats to public health. 

4) Eric Ross, a PhD candidate in the History Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discusses the rising tensions and violence directed by the Trump regime targeting Venezuela, and his recent article, "The Trump Corollary: U.S. Imperialism in Latin America from the Monroe Doctrine to Maduro," with a view to better understanding the current crisis in the context of the long history of U.S. military intervention in Latin America.

1) Sen. Bernie Sanders Denounces Trump’s Dangerous Move Toward Oligarchy, Authoritarianism & Kleptocracy

Excerpt of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ speech from the floor of the U.S. Senate Feb. 4, 2025, where he denounced the Trump administration defiance of the U.S. Constitution and rule of law, describing it as a dangerous move toward oligarchy, authoritarianism and kleptocracy.

2) US War Crime Attacks on "Drug Boats" : A Prelude to US Attack on Venezuela

Matthew Hoh, Eisenhower Media Network Fellow, is a former USMC Captain and State Department Officer, Iraq War combat veteran and Afghanistan War State Department officer.  He'll discuss the Trump regime's announced intention to launch airstrikes against Venezuela, as well as covert CIA operations in the country... I'd also like to talk about your views on the US bombing of suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans -- and news reports that there were standing orders to kill survivors of those attacks.

3) The Trump U.S. Congo-Rwanda agreement is about Profiteering Not Peace

Maurice Carney, Executive Director of Friends of Congo discusses Africa observers concerns over Donald Trump's recent meeting with the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda where they signed an agreement aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo, while opening the region’s critical mineral reserves to the U.S. government and American companies.

4) New Book Recounts Successful 25 Year Campaign That Cut U.S. Youth Incarceration by 75%

Journalist Nell Bernstein, talks about her new book, "In Our Future We Are Free: The Dismantling of the Youth Prison," which recounts the story of how a coalition of parents, activists, and prison officials launched a successful campaign in states across the U.S. to end the prosecution of young people as adults, slashing the number of children locked in cages by a stunning 75 percent.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Is the Trump-GOP Authoritarian Nightmare Unravelling?

Sasha Abramsky, freelance journalist and author discusses his recent Nation and TruthOut commentaries that have tracked Donald Trump's increasing depravity and erratic behavior which the nation has witnessed in recent weeks - and also talks about his new book, "American Carnage: How Trump, Musk, and DOGE Butchered the US Governmen," which follows 11 federal workers, from 8 agencies for the first half of 2025 as their lives were upended by the Trump regime's mass layoff of government workers and assault on the government.

2) COP30 UN Climate Summit's Glimmer of Hope

John Noël Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Program Director, talks about the lack of action to phase out fossil fuels at the UN COP30 Climate Summit in Belem, Brazil that ended Nov. 22nd. He'll also address the Trump regime's refusal to send a US delegation to COP30, and the global impact of a diminished US role in green energy production, and efforts to mitigate the climate. crisis.

3) New Accusations of Trump Hegseth War Crimes

Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister, former president and current national board member of Veterans For Peace (VFP), talks about VFP's support for the legislators message to active duty military and National guard men and women, advising them they have an obligation refuse illegal orders to fight illegal wars at home or abroad/ He'll also discuss the recent tragic shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C.

4) AI Music Generator Technology: A Complicated Double Edged Sword

David Rovics, an internationally known songwriter, musician, writer and podcaster, talks about his latest album of songs, "Ai Tsuno's Army of Robots," created with artificial intelligence. He'll explore the controversy, skepticism and fear surrounding this new powerful technology re: job displacement, privacy, and the potential for abuse and misinformation. But David shares his positive experience collaborating with an AI music production platform, that created his new album.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Diljeet Singh, President of Physicians for a National Health Program talks about America's deepening health care crisis -- with a focus on the expiring Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, and her work at PNHP advocating for the adoption in the U.S. of a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program.

2) Zimyl Adler, Senior Forest, Land & Climate Finance Policy Advocate with Friends of the Earth U.S. discusses  what was, and was not accomplished at the UN COP30 Climate summit in Belem, Brazil, with a focus on FOE's views on the widening climate crisis, finance, and justice gaps blocking real climate progress.

3) Greg Palast, investigative journalist for The Guardian, New York Times best-selling author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, and filmmaker examine the recently released emails between Harvard University's Larry Summers and Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex trafficker of minors  — emails in which Summers, who is married, seeks advice from the convicted predator on how to seduce a young economist he was mentoring at Harvard.

4) Greg Mello, Executive Director of the Los Alamos Study Group discusses his views on Donald Trump's comment several weeks ago about his intention to resume nuclear weapons testing. He'll also talk about the danger many see in the expiration and/or violation of long standing nuclear weapons treaties with Russia, with the remaining New Start treaty expiring in February 2026.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Jennifer Loewenstein, former associate director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses the situation in Gaza and the West Bank that has been mostly absent from news coverage since the ceasefire was signed on October 9th, as well as the important current debate in the UN Security Council over the control and composition of an international force that would be deployed to Gaza.

2) Ari Paul, a New York City-based journalist and lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs who has reported for the Nation, the Guardian, In These Times, Jacobin and many other outlets, discusses his recent coverage for FAIR.org re: the ongoing MAGA-connected right wing media takeover, "As Ellison Buys Out TikTok, US Moves Toward One-Party Media," and "Conde Nast, Paramount Cut Jobs—and Political Dissent."

3) Heather Digby Parton, a columnist for Salon.com and winner of the Hillman Prize for opinion journalism, talks about her recent commentary, "Donald Trump’s enemies list keeps growing," his increasing number of "pay-to-play" pardons, and convicted January 6th insurrectionists pardoned by Trump who have since been re-arrested for new crimes including: child molestation, sexual abuse and threats to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

4) Michael F. Brown, an independent journalist whose work and views have appeared in The International Herald Tribune, The Nation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Washington Post and elsewhere, discusses his recent article, "Trump ambassador pick vows to pressure South Africa over Gaza genocide case," and nominee Brent Bozell's unwillingness to declare his opposition to repealing laws allowing Black Americans to vote in U.S. elections.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Doug Pagitt, Executive Director of the national organization Vote Common Good discusses your 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.

2) Steve Ellner is an associate managing editor of Latin American Perspectives and a retired professor at the Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela, where he lived for over forty years. Co-editor of, "Latin American Social Movements and Progressive Governments: Creative Tensions Between Resistance and Convergence," 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.

3) John Tarleton, editor-in-chief of The Indypendent, New York City's free progressive monthly newspaper, reflects on Zohran Mamdani's election victory becoming New York City's first Muslim mayor, first immigrant mayor in 50 years, and 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.

4) Norman Solomon, director of RootsAction and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, is author of, "War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine."  He 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.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Chad Marlow, Senior Policy Counsel with the ACLU discusses takes a critical look at President Trump's late September national security presidential memorandum (NSPM-7) authorizing government-wide investigations into non-profits, activists, and their donors and funders using vague and over-broad labels of “terrorism” and “conspiracy against rights.”  He'll also explore what pro-democracy groups and state governments can do to protect groups and individuals' right to dissent and free speech.

2) Peggy Bailey, Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Development with the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, talks about to discuss her group's views on the major issues, and possible solutions to end the ongoing government shutdown, i.e.: extension of ACA subsidies, addressing the impending cut-off of SNAP benefits, and major budget cutbacks in other federal social safety net programs.

3) Andra Watkins, a New York Times best-selling author and Project 2025 dissector on her Substack online newsletter, "For Such a Time as This," discusses the current government shutdown, suspension of SNAP food and nutrition benefits that relate to her recent, timely discussion and article, "How Project 2025 Plans to Starve You into Faith" & "How to Starve Fascists And Cause Their Christian Nationalist Takeover of SNAP and Other Welfare Assistance to Backfire."

4) Maria J. Stephan, co-lead and chief organizer with the Horizons Project and author and editor of five books on authoritarianism and civil resistance, 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.

5) Henry Burke Senior Researcher with the Revolving Door Project, examines Donald Trump's recent pardon of convicted money launderer Changpeng Zhao, that 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'll also share 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 9 months of his second term.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Robert Weiner, Director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, discusses the critical issues being decided in the Louisiana v. Callais case now before the US Supreme Court, the expected ruling in this case will impose racial gerrymandered Congressional district maps eliminating the voices of Black and Latino legislators, 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.

2) Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas discusses the importance of local elections, highlighting typical low turnout and the need for more civic engagement. She'll also talk about steps her office is taking to ensure elections in Bridgeport are secure and open to all eligible voters, questions about early voting and absentee voting -- as well as concerns that the Trump regime is now laying the groundwork to manipulate the results or cancel the 2026 midterm election.

3) Hardy Merriman, former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, whose research and training focuses on support for nonviolent civil resistance movements fighting for rights, freedom, and justice, and how communities can organize to counter political violence. He'll discuss his views on the direction and strength of the US anti-authoritarian resistance movement, i.e. the recent No Kings Day mobilization -- and what new strategies and tactics may be necessary to rapidly adopt in the face of Donald Trump's deployment of heavily armed ICE agents and the US military to cities across the country.

4) David Paul, a member of the Task Force on the Americas, and Democratic Socialists of America, assesses the Trump regime's escalating military threats against Venezuela, Columbia, Latin America, the bombing of small boats and murder of 40+ alleged drug smugglers or fishermen in international waters, open discussion by the White of a regime change war targeting Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, as well as a summary of recent US-Venezuela relations. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Gaps in Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Endangers Future of 2.3 Million Palestinians  

Phyllis Bennis, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project, 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, when will Israeli forces fully withdraw, how reconstruction can begin -- with no details on enforcement mechanisms, clear timelines or international guarantees.

2) SCOTUS Poised to Overturn Voting Rights Act, Imperiling US Multi-Racial Democracy

Steve Phillips, 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." Phillips, host of the podcast “Democracy in Color," and founder of the political media organization Democracy in Color, discusses his views on the important issues being decided in the Louisiana v. Callais case now before the US Supreme Court, that could eliminate 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.

3) Former Intelligence Officials say Trump Poses Existential Threat to U.S. Democracy

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. Cash, who formerly served as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence & Analysis, will talk about his group's "Assessment of U.S. Democracy," that warns that 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, that’s labeled competitive authoritarianism, constitutes an existential threat to U.S. democracy.

 
4) 'Back from the Brink' Campaign Works to Prevent Civilization-Ending Nuclear War

Dr Ira Helfand, MD is a member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and co-Founder and Past President of Physicians for Social Responsibility.  Dr. Helfand, a steering committee member of the Back from the Brink campaign, discusses the threat nuclear warfare poses to humanity, how the public can help mitigate it, and calling on the U.S. to implement policies to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war. Dr. Helfand will be speaking at the Wilton, CT Quaker Meeting on Sunday, October 26th, 2025 from noon-1:30 pm.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Retired Army Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as chief of staff to Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell from 2002 to 2005, who is now a senior fellow with the Eisenhower Media Network, 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.

2) Wendell Potter, a former vice president for corporate communications at Cigna, is the president of the Center for Health and Democracy who writes the newsletter, “Health Care Un-Covered,” and author of "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans," discuss his views on the current federal government shutdown triggered due to Congress' failure to renew ACA subsidies that will cause millions of policy holders' premiums to skyrocket. He'll also talk about the many failures of the U.S. healthcare system, and the reforms he advocates to reduce costs and achieve universal coverage. Potter will be speaking in Hartford, CT on 10/15/25.

3) John Feffer, Director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, who discusses the four recent deadly strikes that the US military has carried out on boats in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, 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.

4) Robert Jereski, a lawyer and activist who serves as coordinator of Codepink Women for Peace World Court Campaign, who discusses the release of 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. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) The U.S. Labor Movement Must Organize its Members to Fight the Trump-MAGA Fascist Threat 

Bill Fletcher Jr., former president of TransAfrica Forum, a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, and the author of “They’re Bankrupting Us!”: And 20 Other Myths about Unions”  -- his latest novel is titled, "The Man Who Changed Colors."  He'll discuss the critical issues examined in his recent In These Times magazine article, "The Labor Movement Is in a Fight for Its Existence Against a Neofascist Threat." A repeat broadcast from September 1, 2025.

2) Trump Expands Military Occupation of US Cities to Fight the "Enemy Within"

Mel Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University and a former CIA analyst.  Goodman, author of “American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump” and national security columnist for counterpunch.org, discusses his recent column "Setting the Stage for the Insurrection Act," which examines the possibility that the Trump regime could invoke the Insurrection Act and declare Marshall Law in certain cities or nationally, escalating the president's attack on American's civil liberties, the Constitution, rule of law and free speech.

3) Confronting and Reversing Rising US Economic Inequality

Chuck Collins, is a senior scholar and director of the Institute for Policy Studies' Program on Inequality and the Common Good, where he coedits the Inequality.org newsletter. Author of a dozen books on economics, inequality, and social change, Collins talks about his latest, titled, "Burned by Billionaires," where he chronicles how the actions of the top .01% have severe consequences for the rest of us, exposing how the rich rig the game in their favor, resulting in a concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny class of billionaires—leading to both intense income and political polarization.

4) Portland: Trump's Next Target for National Guard Deployment

David Rovics, an internationally known songwriter, musician, writer, podcaster and Portland,Oregon based activist, talks about Trump's targeting of Portland with a National Guard troop deployment -- which he wrote about in a recent commentary, "Portland, Oregon: Myths and Realities in 2025," covering what is, and is not going down on the ground in that city -- while providing context for understanding Portland's unique activist history over recent decades.  David will be touring northeast states in October, including a concert in New Haven on October 16th, that he'll talk more about during the interview. 

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John Whitehead, founder and president of The Rutherford Institute, is an attorney and author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law, human rights and popular culture. He'll discuss his recent commentary, "Would Orwell Be Branded a Terrorist? The Government’s War on Thought Crimes," re: the Trump regime's daily violation of the constitution and rule of law, seen most recently in the selective and vindictive prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey -- and the criminalization of Trump critics as terrorists who must be prosecuted and imprisoned.

2) US Military Buildup in Caribbean May be a Prelude to Regime Change War in Venezuela

Alan McPherson, Professor of History at Temple University, examines recent U.S. military attacks on small boats off the coast of Venezuela, charges that this was a violation of the Congressional War Powers Act, and international law -- and concern that the current buildup of U.S. military forces in the region could be a prelude to a U.S. assault on Venezuela to remove the nation's President Nicolás Maduro from power.

3) Oxfam: Trump Closure of USAID humanitarian Aid Programs Has Cost Hundreds of Thousands of Lives 

Abby Maxman, President & CEO of Oxfam America talks about the highlights and lowlights at this year's United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City.   She'll share her perspective on Donald Trump's UN speech, his closing down USAID worldwide and the cost in lives lost, the ongoing slaughter and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza -- and other priorities Oxfam is currently working on.

4) New book on Zohran Mamdani's NYC Mayoral Campaign That Shook Up City Politics

Theodore Hamm, associate professor and chair of journalism and new media studies at St. Joseph's University, talks about his new book, "Run Zohran Run! Inside Zohran Mamdani’s Sensational Campaign to Become New York City’s First Democratic Socialist Mayor," an inside look at how Mamdani’s bold, grassroots campaign toppled New York’s political establishment and delivered the city’s most progressive mayoral victory. The author will also assess the state of the election campaign after incumbent NYC Mayor Eric Adams ended his campaign on Sept. 28th.

COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org
 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Rachel Bitecofer, a national analyst, pollster, and strategist is author of "Hit Em' Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game," discusses her views on the state of our democracy in the face of Donald Trump's daily assaults on our constitution, the rule of law, and freedom of speech.  She’ll also discuss her recent commentary, "From Goebbels to Google," which examines the links between radio during the Nazi era and today's social media where algorithms amplify hateful posts, sensationalism, and other forms of emotionally charged content.

2) Matt Wood, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel with the media democracy group Free Press, discusses ABC's decision to take Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off-the-air indefinitely after the host made comments about the murder of Charlie Kirk. He'll focus on the continuing pattern of Trump regime threats, lawsuits and intimidation targeting media companies, and too many CEOs in the media industry surrendering to authoritarianism, turning their backs on their duty to protect free speech.

3) Elizabeth Jacobs, professor emeritus, epidemiology at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, shares her views on actions taken by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices which reversed recommendations for COVID vaccinations and a combined measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox vaccine. Observers say Committee members, all of whom were appointed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he dismissed all 17 previous members, were unprepared, misunderstood or ignored key data, and highlighted flawed or inconclusive research often trumpeted by vaccine critics.

4) Tom Swan, Executive Director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group talks about CCAG's and other group's demand that Gov. Lamont declare a fiscal emergency and call a special session of the CT legislature to take immediate action to protect the state's residents from the Trump- GOP's deep federal budget cuts to crucial social safety net programs, including Medicaid, SNAP and the Affordable Care Act.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Graylan Scott Hagler, an advisor with FOR-USA, the founder and president of Faith Strategies USA, and retired Senior Minister at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C.  Rev. Hagler will discuss his recent column, "The Killing of Charles James Kirk: Violent Speech Leads to Violence," and his  views and experiences re: Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.
 
 2) Madison Sheppard, youth climate activist and Lead Organizer with Fridays For Future Cape Cod, will discuss the upcoming "Make Billionaires Pay" international mobilization for climate justice happening 9/19–9/21/25 -- with a focus on the issues, demands, and information on how listeners can participate in this action.
 
 3) Justin Glawe, an independent journalist and editor of the American Doom newsletter, discusses his latest column, "Martial Law is Already Here," rising polarization and US political violence in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah, and the blatant politicization and dysfunction of the Trump FBI and Dept. of Justice.

4) Kimberly Gill, Community Director with New Haven, CT's Brave Nature School, Carl Halberg and Hugo Crick-Furman of the Bread and Puppet Theater, talk about the B&P performance at New Haven's Edgerton Park 5:30 pm on September 18th titled, "Our Domestic Resurrection Revolution in Progress Circus."  Dempsey will discuss the philosophy and mission of the Brave Nature School.

1) Trump's Authoritarian Agenda Must Be Defeated and New Guardrails Legislated to Defend Democracy 

Brett Edkins, Stand Up America’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, discusses his group's work defending democracy, opposing Trump's military deployments to L.A., Washington, D.C. - and likely other US cities -- the Trump/GOP attempt to rig the 2026 midterm election -- as well as the work Stand Up America is doing with the national "Not Above the Law Coalition."

2) Trump's Destructive and Mercurial Foreign Policy Alienates Adversaries and Allies Alike 

Melvin A. Goodman is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University.  A former CIA analyst, Goodman is the author of "Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA"and "National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism." Goodman, the national security columnist for Counterpunch.org, talks about his recent commentary, "Trump and the Post-American World," and Trump's recent attack on a speedboat that killed 11 on board off the coast of Venezuela, and the US naval buildup in the region.

3) Activists and Organizers Dealing with Information Overload and Trump Outrage Fatigue

Micah Sifry, Editor of the Connector newsletter, discusses his recent article, "Keep Calm and Protect Democracy," on the issues of "Pro-democracy activists and veteran organizers alike struggling with information overload and outrage fatigue -- while also reflecting on his recent conversation with Ian Bassin, the executive director of Protect Democracy on the seven steps to autocracy and how to resist them.

4) WPKN Radio Co-Sponsors Latino Heritage Month Workshops on Immigrant Rights and Safety 

Pierre F. D'Haiti, Community Engagement Officer at Bridgeport CT's Housatonic Community College, talks about two workshops sponsored by WPKN during Latino Heritage Month at Housatonic September 17th and 29th.  The sessions from 7 to 9 p.m., will focus on immigrant rights and safety, addressing such questions as, what should you do if ICE stops you, and what are your rights? What is the red card? What is the red folder? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, and you’re either a possible enforcement target or know someone who might be, the events could be life-saving. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) The U.S. Labor Movement Must Organize its Members to Fight the Trump-MAGA Fascist Threat 

Bill Fletcher Jr., former president of TransAfrica Forum, a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, and the author of “They’re Bankrupting Us!”: And 20 Other Myths about Unions”  -- his latest novel is titled, "The Man Who Changed Colors."  He'll discuss the critical issues examined in his recent In These Times magazine article, "The Labor Movement Is in a Fight for Its Existence Against a Neofascist Threat."

2) A Desperate Trump Could Order the National Guard to Intervene in the 2026 Election

Justin Glawe, an independent journalist and editor of the American Doom newsletter, discusses the urgent issues examined in his recent article, "How Trump's National Guard shock troops could seize voting machines," and other concerns about the security of the 2026 midterm election that Trump and the Republican Party are clearly worried they'll lose - and now taking action on to rig the outcome.

3) Will the World Support a UN Plan That Could End Israel's Gaza Genocide?

Craig Mokhiber, former director of the New York Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, who resigned in protest from his post in 2023, due to the unfolding Gaza genocide and the UN’s failures. He'll discuss his recent article, "How the UN Could Act Today to Stop the Genocide in Palestine," and the general failure of international law in Gaza, Palestine and Israel.

4) Trump Orders Shutdown of $4 Billion RI - CT Wind Farm Project That's 80% Complete

Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director/Lead Organizer with Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, discusses CRCJ's response to the Trump Administration's order halting construction of the Revolution Wind offshore wind project that is 80% complete, that would power 350,000 homes in CT and Rhode Island, as well as the other priorities the group is working on in the state legislature this year.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Progressive Groups Push Democrats to Back Resolution Suspending US Military Aid to Israel 

Sam Rosenthal, Political Director with the group RootsAction.org talks about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the coalition of progressive groups supporting a resolution calling for “an immediate ceasefire, an arms embargo and suspension of military aid to Israel” that will be heard at a meeting of the Democratic National Committee August 25th to 27th.

2) Labor Day 2025: Unions Organize Nationwide 'Workers Over Billionaires' Rallies to Fight Trump Attacks on Working Families.

Constanza Segovia, Organizing Director with Connecticut For All, discusses  plans underway for Labor Day protests nationally and in Connecticut on the theme of 'Workers Over Billionaires,' where the Trump administration has over the past 7 months launched multiple attacks on working families and labor unions.

3) US Science, Public Health Under Attack as HHS Sec. RFK Jr. Cuts All Federal Funding for mRNA Vaccine Research

Dr. Ferric C. Fang, MD, Professor of Laboratory Medicine, Pathology, and Microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, discusses his views on the decision by HHS Sec. RFK Jr. and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, to cancel all federal contracts for research on mRNA vaccines, "because the public lacks trust in the technology," and the consequences for U.S. and global public health in normal times, and in the event of future deadly pandemics.

4) Floundering Democrats Urged to Follow FDR's Example of Uncompromising Battle to Enact Progressive Popular Economic Policies

Heather Digby Parton, a contributing writer to Salon.com, discusses the important issues examined in her recent Salon article, "Paging FDR: Democrats need to embrace New Deal-style politics," where she recounts how President Franklin Delano Roosevelt fought for the underdog — and was brazenly ruthless, urging floundering Democrats to follow FDR's lead.

5) Danbury, CT Organizes Community Resistance to Escalating ICE Raids and Abductions

Sierra-Marie Gerfao, Director of Family Ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, and Juliana Soares and organizer with the group Greater Danbury Unites for Immigrants, talk about the escalation of violent ICE raids and abductions in Danbury, and elsewhere around Connecticut, and what opponents of this lawless repression are doing to rally resistance against the Trump regime's dehumanizing policy.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Assessing Trump's 7-Months of Authoritarian Rule

Jason Stanley, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of American Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, and author of "Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future," and "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them." Professor Stanley will examine the Trump regime's 7 month history of imposing authoritarian rule, including his issuing a recent executive order mandating an expansive review of the the Smithsonian Institution's museum exhibitions, materials and operation, to ensure they align with President Donald Trump's view of history.

2) Trump's Militarized Occupation of Washington, DC: A Rehearsal for Takeover of Other US Cities

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, discusses her group's response to Donald Trump's militarized takeover of Washington, D.C., and growing concern that this is yet another test (along with Los Angeles) that's laying the groundwork for the deployment of the U.S. military to cities across the nation, and the possible future invocation of the insurrection act and suspension of constitutional rights.

3) Transactional Corruption: Paramount's Firing of Stephen Colbert Linked to FCC Approval of Corporate Merger

Sydney Register, Press Secretary with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Aaron Stephens, PCCC's Senior Legislative Strategist, will discuss their group's campaign targeting Paramount's cancellation of Stephen Colbert's contract on the Late Show linked with the company's request for FCC approval of their $8 billion merger with Skydance -- and PCCC's response to the Trump regime and GOP's unprecedented effort to gerrymander 5 Congressional seats in Texas and possibly 8-10 seats in other states in advance of the 2026 mid term election.

4) Debunking Trump's Many Lies About The Homeless

Susan Campbell, Distinguished Lecturer, College of Arts & Sciences at the University of New Haven, discusses her recent commentary, "Debunking lies about America's homeless," in the context of President Trump's takeover of the Washington, D.C.'s Police Department and his announced deployment of 800+ National Guard troops to "crack down on crime and homelessness."

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) David Daley, former editor in chief of Salon, is the author of the national bestseller, "Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections," and Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count," which helped spark the drive to reform gerrymandering. Daley, whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, the Atlantic, and the Guardian, discusses his recent Nation article, "How the GOP Hopes to Gerrymander Its Way to a Midterms Victory," in view of what Trump and Republicans are doing to carve out 5 new GOP-leaning districts in Texas, and what democracy defenders could and should be doing now to prevent the further erosion of our democratic system and ensure the integrity of elections in both the short and long term.

2) Candice Fortin, US Campaign Manager with the climate group 350.org will provide an overview of the Trump regime's multi-pronged attack on all federal climate regulations, the short and long term impact on the environment, what if anything states can do to implement their own climate regulations -- and how climate/environmental activist groups like 350.org can challenge these policies both in court and in the streets.

3) Media Matters for America Senior Fellow Matt Gertz will assess how corporate and MAGA media are covering public demand for release of the Epstein files, with some cooperating with the Trump White House by amplifying clearly bogus distraction stories designed to tamp down the controversy. He'll also comment on Paramount corporation's decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and concerns that Pres. Trump's lawsuits and many other attempts to intimidate media outlets, constitutes a very real threat to free speech, freedom of the press, and democracy itself.

4) Kellie Snider, a contemporary American artist discusses the nation's history of white supremacy and racism--  before, during and after slavery. She'll also talk about her work as an artist, and the intersection of art and politics during our current crisis where the Trump regime is launching attacks on virtually all democratic institutions. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Jennifer Loewenstein, former associate director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, examines the current famine crisis in Gaza, the Trump regime's incoherent and dishonest policies toward Gaza and Palestinians; France, U.K, & Canada's plan to recognize a Palestinian state -- and what if any difference that policy shift could make.

2) Richard W. Behan a contributor to Counterpunch the progressive news and commentary website, talks about his recent article, "The Peril of Spectacle, Especially Jeffrey Epstein’s" and where the deepening bipartisan suspicion and anger about Donald Trump's expanding scandal may take the country -- and serve as a distraction from the central, existential fight to defend democracy against Trump-Republican Party fascism.

3) Rebecca Gordon is a retired professor of philosophy at the University of San Francisco, longtime political and faculty union activist, who writes regularly for TomDispatch.com. Author of several books, including "Mainstreaming Torture" and "American Nuremberg," Professor Gordon, discusses her important coverage of how the Trump regime is expanding the surveillance state targeting perceived enemies to extend and consolidate authoritarian power, described in her recent article, “The United Surveillance States of America.”

4) Ayesha R. Clarke, Executive Director of the Connecticut based group Health Equity Solutions, examines how the federal slashing of social safety net programs in Trump's recently passed budget bill will impact Connecticut, and what Governor Lamont and the state legislature can do to prepare and offset the pain and disruption to essential services serving the state's most vulnerable residents.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Melvin Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, a former CIA analyst and author, talks about his recent Counterpunch commentary, "The Waste and Futility of the Golden Dome National Defense System," estimated to cost between $161 and $542 billion over two decades, and the larger danger of expiring U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control treaties.

2) Sharif Abdel Kouddous is the Middle East and North Africa editor with Drop Site News, who received a George Polk Award for his investigation into the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. He'll discuss his coverage of Israel's starvation campaign against Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinian civilians -- and the Trump regime's role in this war crime via the U.S. backed "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" -- as reported in his recent article, "Palestinians Are Collapsing in Gaza's Streets From Israeli-Imposed Starvation Campaign."

3) Robert Greenwald is founder and president of Brave New Films, a nonprofit production company that creates and distributes investigative political and social justice documentaries.  He'll talk about his new documentary, titled, "Gaza: Journalists Under Fire," which exposes Israel’s crimes against journalism and humanity, where more than 200 Gaza-based journalists have been killed since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel --  through the lives and deaths of  Palestinian journalists Belal Jadallah, Heba Al-Abadla, and Ismail al-Ghoul.

4) Mother Jones' magazine DC bureau reporter, Hannah Levintova, talks about her investigation featured in the Public Radio series, Reveal, titled, "The Landlord Gutting America's Hospitals," which examines how a real estate company buys up hospitals and then leases them back to health care systems, causing dozens of its hospitals to go bankrupt, close or be sold because profits were sucked out of them - resulting in the deterioration of patient care.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma, and critical care surgeon – and Dr. Ayaz Pathan an ER physician, discuss their experiences working as physicians in Gaza, the ongoing slaughter and starvation of Palestinian civilians there, their understanding of the mission of the Israeli-US backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in distributing food that has resulted in hundreds of lives lost, and the U.S. role in Israel's 21 month-long Gaza war.

2) John Tarleton, Editor-in-chief of The Indypendent, New York City's free progressive monthly newspaper, discusses his coverage of Zohran Mamdani's surprise victory in the New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, the obstacles ahead for his progressive campaign in the November election where he'll face both Mayor Eric Adams, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He’ll also consider whatMamdani's rise could mean for progressive candidates in the Democratic Party and across the U.S.

3) Filmmaker and journalist Greg Palast, author of several New York Times bestsellers including “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” talks about his recent investigations into the Trump-Republican Party plan to win the 2026 midterm elections in 2025 by employing massive voter purges in purple states, racial gerrymandering and voter suppression tactics.

4) Joan Cavanagh, a founding member of Progressives Against Medical Assisted Suicide (PAMAS,) talks about the new documentary film titled, "Thoughts on Medical Assisted Suicide,” which will be available for viewing online from July 23rd through Wednesday July 30th, in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Victor Pickard is Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, where he co-directs the Media, Inequality & Change Center. Professor Pickard discusses the important issues examined in his recent Nation magazine article, "The Media’s Profits Trump Democracy, Once Again: Paramount’s settlement with Trump is a symptom of deep structural rot in our corporate media system." In his analysis Professor Pickard goes beyond the predictable commentary on "bad media companies" surrendering to Trump, but discusses the urgent need to envision a community-based media system that prioritizes journalism, democracy and equality over profit.

2) Kali Holloway is a columnist for The Nation and the former director of the Make It Right Project, a national campaign to take down Confederate monuments and tell the truth about history. She'll discuss her recent article, "The Real Reason Those White South Africans Are Here," with a focus on the multiple ways the Trump regime is carrying out an explicitly racist, white supremacist agenda.  She'll also address corporate media's failure to call out Trump's racism, while normalizing his actions driven by hate and bigotry.

3) Interviews with participants in the pro-democracy, anti-Trump ‘No Kings Day’ June 14, 2025 protests in Trumbull and Newtown CT. The ‘No Kings Day’ protests involved 2,100 protest sites across the U.S. and attracted the participation of an estimated 5 million protesters.

4) Debra, an organizer with the group Indivisible Amity, CT -- and Tom of the Indivisible chapter in Orange CT, discuss plans for the Thursday, July 17th "Good Trouble Lives On Rally" — with speakers and music on the New Haven Green in downtown New Haven, CT from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. This event, part of day of some 1,000 +protests nationwide, is being organized in response to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration -- and in defense of voting rights, democracy, and civil liberties, is inspired by the legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis who died 5 years ago and his lifelong call to get into “good trouble.”

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Adam W Gaffney, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Bruce Lesley, President of the group First Focus on Children discuss the expected overall healthcare impact of the Trump/GOP federal budget bill just passed by Congress that cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid and Medicare, will take away millions of poor families's access to food and nutrition programs, and close hundreds of community hospitals. Both will also address viable alternatives to America's current failed for-profit healthcare system.

2) Chris Lehmann, the DC Bureau chief for The Nation magazine and a contributing editor at The Baffler, discusses the important and timely issues examined in his recent Nation article, "Trump's Big Bill is Building a Big Police State," "explaining that with more than $150 billion in outlays to expand the horrific surveillance, detention, and rendition regime created under the Laken Riley Act, the measure will carry out Trump’s pledge to make the terror wreaked by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, alongside federal and National Guard troops, in Los Angeles the standard operating procedure for immigrant roundups going forward."

3) Teddy Wilson, a journalist and researcher with more than a decade of experience covering the U.S. Radical Right who publishes the Radical Reports newsletter, talks about indicted January 6th insurrectionist, Jared L. Wise's appointment as a counselor to Ed Martin, Director of the so-called Dept. of Justice 'Weaponization Working Group,' and also discusses investigations he's conducted in his "Pardon Tracker" series re: the alarming activities of insurrectionists and other convicted criminals after they were pardoned by Donald Trump.

4) Maggie Mitchell Salem, Executive Director of the CT based group IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, discusses the impact of the Trump administration's new immigration policies on IRIS services, as well as federal funds revoked or withdrawn from IRIS' budget.  She'll also talk about her group's new 'Know Your Rights' campaign that was launched on the July 4th weekend, and other projects and services local listeners can support or volunteer for.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Sarah Kendzior, author of four bestselling books including, “They Knew: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent,” and her latest, "The Last American Road Trip," talks about the Trump - GOP mafia state's aggressive attack on the U.S. constitution, rule of law and dissent, as the regime deploys National Guard troops and the Marines to U.S. cities and instigates war (with Israel) against Iran.

2) Amanda Marcotte, a senior politics writer at Salon.com and author of "Troll Nation: How The Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters Set On Rat-F*cking Liberals, America, and Truth Itself," talks about her recent commentary, "Evangelicals push Trump into conflict with Iran," making the case that the Christian right remains Trump's most important constituency.

3) India Walton, senior strategist with RootsAction.org, won the Democratic primary for mayor of Buffalo, N.Y. in 2021, but lost the general election after establishment Democrats, Republicans and the city's business sector pulled out all the stops to defeat her.  She'll discuss Zohran Mamdani's apparent and historic victory in the New York City primary election, and the attacks and obstacles he'll likely face in the general election campaign as the Democratic Party establishment, their corporate allies and Wall Street attempt to smear Zohran as a "dangerous Muslim socialist."

4) Dulce Guzman, Executive Director of Alianza Americas discusses her group's response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limits the power of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions, without addressing the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.  She'll also talk about the next steps in defending the U.S. Constitution from Trump regime authoritarian rule.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's Bombing of Iran an Echo of Disastrous Iraq War

Phyllis Bennis, director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project, talks about President Trump's decision to launch of air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, the ongoing Israel-Iran air battle, and the danger that Trump's entry into the conflict could ignite a dangerous regional war.

2) Trump & MAGA's Embrace of Political Violence Kills

David Schultz, Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Political Science, Environmental Studies, and Legal Studies at Hamline University, discusses his recent Counterpunch article, "The Tragedy of Political Violence: It Works," recounting how violence has played a critical role in shaping history across the world and here in the U.S.  He’ll examine Donald Trump  and the Republican Party’s embrace and normalization of political violence, such as the January 6th Capitol insurrection and the more recent deployment of U.S. military forces to suppress anti-Trump/ICE protests in Los Angeles, and how Trump’s MAGA movement could employ political violence to extinguish U.S. democracy.

3) Democrats Must Adopt Progressive Economic Agenda to Defeat Trump and Protect Democracy

Norman Solomon, co-founder of RootsAction.org, executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and author talks about the recent massive June 14th nationwide anti-Trump protests, and his recent commentary, "No Kings Day' was historic: Now we need a powerful — and independent — movement against Trump," discussing the strategies and tactics necessary to stop the Trump-GOP march toward fascism.

4) Danbury CT Immigration Activists Organize the Community to Counter ICE Deportation Raids

Carolina Bortolleto, co-founder and Co-Executive Director with Connecticut Students for a Dream, and immigrant rights activist Juliana Soares discuss recent ICE deportation raids in Danbury and elsewhere in Connecticut, the Danbury community's response, and demands issued by Danbury Unites for Immigrants, a collective of local immigrant community leaders.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Jennifer Loewenstein, former associate director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, assesses the rationale and consequences of Israel's attack on Iran, Tehran's retaliation, the Trump regime’s apparent role in the attack, and the threat that this conflict could trigger a wider regional conflict involving the U.S.

2) Elizabeth Jacobs, professor emeritus, of epidemiology at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, discusses her alarm at Trump’s Health and Human Services Secreatary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s removal of all 17 sitting members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee and replacing them with new members, many of whom are reported to be critics of mRNA vaccines, and public health measures taken during the COVID pandemic.

3) Sasha Abramsky, The Nation magazine’s Western correspondent and author, his latest titled, "Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America."  He'll talk about his recent articles, "Trump Calls Up the Marines. Democracy Is in Danger," and "Trump’s Dangerous Escalation in LA," and discuss the most dangerous authoritarian actions Trump may take in the coming days.

4) Ann Wright, a 29-year US Army/Army Reserves veteran who retired as a Colonel and a former US diplomat who resigned in March 2003 in opposition to the war on Iraq, discusses her views on Donald Trump's federalization and deployment of National Guard and Marine troops to Los Angeles over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, to suppress mostly peaceful protests re: militarized ICE deportation raids, and growing concern about the Trump regime's partisan politicization of the U.S. military. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Israel's Seizure of Ship Carrying Humanitarian Aid to Gaza Violates International Law
Craig 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 due to the unfolding Gaza genocide and the UN’s failures. He'll discuss his urging the UN to convene under Uniting for Peace to mandate a protection force be deployed in Gaza, a call for a complete military embargo of Israel, robust sanctions against the regime, demand for a ceasefire, and action be taken to hold all perpetrators accountable.

2) No Kings June 14th AntiTrump Nationwide Protests, Likely to be the Biggest Since Trump Returned to the White House  

Tamika Middleton, Managing Director of Women's March, discusses a broad coalition's plans for the June 14th national No Kings and Kick Out The Clowns protests in the face of President Trump and the Republican Party's attack on democracy and the rule of law, that are being organized in more than 1,600 locations across the U.S.

3) Trump Attacks on LGBTQ Community Provokes Energized Resistance

Human Rights Campaign National Press Secretary Brandon Wolf provides an overview of Donald Trump's many attacks on the LGBTQ+ community over the first 5 months of his administration, and in the first few days of June Pride Month. He'll also discuss how HRC and a national coalition of allied groups are pushing back in the courts and on the street.

4) If Trump Imposes Insurrection Act the US Will be on its Way to Dictatorship

Charles Haynes with the group Citizens Against Tyranny in America talks about Trump's deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests against ICE deportation raids, and his recent column, "Trump Protestors: You Have No Idea What Is To Come," with a focus on his concern that Trump may soon be deploying US military troops against US citizens protesting his authoritarian power grab, and the need for protest organizers to be prepared on how to respond.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Progressive Groups Demand Democrats Hold Emergency Meeting to Develop Effective Challenge to Trump's Autocracy 

Alan Minsky, executive director of Progressive Democrats of America, discusses a petition circulated by several progressive groups calling for the Democratic National Committee to “convene an emergency meeting of all its members—fully open to the public—as soon as possible," to strategize in confronting "the predatory, extreme and dictatorial actions of the Trump administration.  He’ll also review what happened in the May 30th meeting of the DNC's executive committee.

2) 'Project Esther' Advocates Suppression of Pro-Palestinian Protest, But Equates All Dissent with Terrorism 

Andra Watkins, a New York Times best-selling author, who’s devoted many months researching and dissecting Project 2025 on her Substack online newsletter, "For Such a Time as This,” She'll discuss her recent column, "Project Esther: Where Dissent = Terrorism," with a focus on how the Trump regime's targeting of individuals and groups protesting Israel's genocide in Gaza, and in support of independence and self determination for Palestine, have as their larger goal the suppression of all dissent that they label as terrorism.

3) Group Files Human Rights Complaint Against US for Complicity with Israel's Gaza Genocide

Seth Donnelly one of the founders of Taxpayers Against Genocide, a grassroots movement spreading across the US, who talks about his group's class action lawsuit in Northern California against Congresspersons for their use of tax dollars to fund Israel's genocide in Gaza.

4) Coalition Wins Amendments to Connecticut 'Trust Act,' Strengthening Protections for Immigrant Community

Juan Fonseca of Danbury, the campaign manager of the Trust Act NOW! coalition, discusses the CT Senate's recent passage of amendments to the state's TRUST Act, assessing what was, and was not accomplished by groups working to strengthen protections for the state's immigrant community. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) The Deadly Impact of Trump-GOP House Budget Bill

Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, discusses his group's strategy to defeat Trump's grotesque budget bill in the U.S. Senate that mandates the largest cuts to Medicaid and Medicare in U.S. history, slashing the SNAP food assistance program, while disproportionately giving the wealthiest Americans and profitable corporations a tax break that will cost $4 trillion over the next decade -- all this while increasing the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion.

2) Trump White Supremacy on Full Display in Meeting with South Africa's President

Ron Jacobs, contributor to Counterpunch.org and author of "Nowhere Land: Journeys Through a Broken Nation," talks about his commentary, "Culture, Christianity, and the Afrikaner Blues," in the context of the blatantly false claims made by Donald Trump during South African President Ramaphosa's recent meeting at the White House.

3) Veterans' Fast Demands Israel Restore Full Humanitarian Aid to Gaza 

Vietnam Veteran Russell Brown, talks about his participation in the 40-day “Veterans & Allies Fast for Gaza,” where dozens of US war veterans and religious activists have gathered at United Nations headquarters in New York City, with the goal of raising awareness of the famine looming over Gaza. Participants plan to consume less than 250 calories a day, mirroring the average daily nutrient intake of residents in Gaza.  The fasters are demanding 1) Full humanitarian aid to Gaza under UN authority and 2) No more U.S. weapons to Israel.

4) Connecticut Teachers Union Civil Disobedience Protest Calls for Equitable Funding for State's Schools

Leslie Blatteau, President of the New Haven Federation of Teachers talks about the CT 

chapter of the American Federation of Teachers union's recent civil disobedience protest resulting in the arrest of 10 members and students in front of CT Governor Ned Lamont's office at the State Capitol. The protest was part of a campaign to "secure more robust and equitable investments in Connecticut’s neighborhood and magnet schools." 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2-week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Visit to Oil-Rich Gulf Monarchies has Mixed Outcome 

Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director with the group Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN,) an American non-profit organization founded in September 2020 by Saudi US based journalist Jamal Khashoggi before his assassination ordered by the Saudi monarchy. Jarrar will discuss his group's views on President Trump's recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.A.E., the deals announced, gifts received, and major issues discussed, including the ongoing slaughter and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

2) Broad Opposition to Trump-GOP's Extreme Medicaid, SNAP Budget Cuts

Analilia Mejia, Co-Executive Director of Popular Democracy in Action discuss her group's opposition to the Trump/GOP budget proposal that will cut a combined $1 trillion from Medicaid and the SNAP food stamp program, that will result in 10.3 million people losing Medicaid coverage over the next decade in order to pay for major tax cuts primarily benefiting the nation's wealthiest families.

3) Bill Targets Nonprofits Not Aligned with MAGA agenda

Lia Holland , Campaigns and Communications Director with Fight For The Future, talks about her group's opposition to a provision included in this year's GOP reconciliation bill, similar to last year's H.R. 9495, which would allow the Trump regime to remove the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that it says support terrorism, with no requirements for providing evidence to prove such a charge -- as a way to punish charities that advocate for issues that don’t align with Trump's MAGA agenda.

4) New Book Examines Gaza Genocide & Palestine, Israel History  

Sim Kern, a former teacher, journalist, novelist, and bestselling author of "The Free People’s Village," talks about his new book, "Genocide Bad: Notes on Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation," part activist memoir, part crash course in Jewish and Palestinian history, Genocide Bad dismantles Zionist propaganda in ten unapologetic essays. Drawing connections between Biblical promises and exploding pagers, medieval dress codes and modern-day apartheid.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) A Catholic Worker Activist's Appeal to Pope Leo to Visit Gaza
Kathy Boylan, is a member of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker community in Washington, D.C. discusses her hopes for Pope Leo XlV, 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.

2) Challenging Trump's Effort to Eliminate Birthright Citizenship
Jacob Love, Senior Attorney with the Boston based group Lawyers for Civil Rights 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.

3) New Report Finds 100 Ways Trump Has Hurt US Workers

Margaret Poydock, a senior policy analyst at the Economic Policy Institute who 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 these Trump regime policies.

4) New Book Examines "The Green New Deal from Below"
Jeremy Brecher, a historian, documentary filmmaker, activist, and author of more than 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 titled, "The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy," that explores community-led initiatives in various sectors such as renewable energy, green schools, and fair labor practices.

1) Ralph Nader Assesses Trump's 100-Day Attack on Democracy  

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

2) Israel's Gaza Food Blockade Triggers Famine, Hospitalizes 9,000 Children for Acute Malnutrition

Craig Mokhiber, 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. He'll discuss Israel's blockade of food supplies to Gaza starving 2.3 million Palestinians, recent International Court of Justice hearings on Israel's attack on, and interference with UNRWA and other UN agencies in Palestine -- and the long term impact of Israel and the U.S. government's undermining of international law and the likely impact on future conflicts around the world.

3) Yale Bans Pro-Palestinian Campus Group Chilling Free Speech

Mark Colville, a longtime social justice activist who leads New Haven, CT's Amistad Catholic Worker House, and a Yale student discuss Yale University administrators 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 in an effort to suppress dissent and academic freedom.

4) HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Pushes Vaccine Disinformation and Defunds Critical Public Health Research
Dr. Kristen Panthagani, PhD, a resident physician, Yale Emergency Scholar at Yale New Haven Hospital, and a research fellow focusing on population health, epidemiology, communication and misinformation. She'll discuss 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 with autism, the mass firing of federal research scientists and budget cuts ending research into Alzheimers and cancer.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2-week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Assessing Trump's Disastrous First 100 Days 

Melvin Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, a former CIA analyst and author talks about his recent article, "The Meltdown of the United States," where he observes, "The executive branch has taken on powers that are usually associated with wartime requirements.  The legislative branch has been largely neutralized because of the near total abdication of the Republican Party.  And the judicial system is facing an unprecedented challenge from a president and vice president who have no respect for our courts and our judges."

2) Trump Deports US Citizen Children, Arrests Wisconsin Judge

Dulce Guzmán, Executive Director of the group Alianza Americas discusses her group's concerns about the arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hanna Dugan over allegations she obstructed justice after directing a migrant out of her courtroom as federal agents waited to arrest him. She'll also address the Trump regime's continued defiance of federal and Supreme Court orders -- while hundreds of people are being deported without due process, some to a brutal prison in El Salvador.

3) Trump Policies Risk Dangerous Global Nuclear Proliferation

Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action, the country’s largest grassroots peace and disarmament organization, talks about his article, "Trump, the Peace President? More Likely the Proliferation President," assessing the Trump regime's foreign policy on Iran's nuclear program, the Ukraine war, Israel's ongoing slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and nuclear disarmament.

4) Opus Dei, Trump's MAGA Movement and Pope Francis' Catholic Church

Gareth Gore, a London-based investigative journalist and editor talks about his new book about Opus Dei the conservative personal prelature within the Catholic Church, "Opus The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church. He'll also discuss the late Pope Francis' views on Opus Dei, the coming college of cardinals vote for his successor, and the rising influence of the political right wing inside the U.S. Catholic Church.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2-week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Campaign Prepares for Trump's Invocation of the Insurrection Act

Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor, an organizer with the Climate Disobedience Center, discusses her group's recent "Call to Courage" campaign -- amid concern that the Trump regime may be getting ready to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would give the president power to deploy US military on domestic U.S. soil to enforce mass deportation of immigrants and/or unconstitutionally target protesters and quash dissent.

2) Effective Resistance to Trump's War on Democracy

People For the American Way President Svante Myrick discusses the escalating constitutional as the Trump regime defies or ignores court orders -- and the growing concern that the president may invoke emergency powers, such as the Insurrection Act of 1807, to eliminate all remaining checks on executive power, and establish a brutal and violent police state to crush all dissent.
 
3) Assessing Corporate Media's Coverage of Trump 2.0

Ari Paul, a New York City-based journalist and lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs who has covered politics and labor for the Nation, the Guardian, Dissent, Al Jazeera, the Forward, discusses his recent article, "Failing to Rise to the Constitutional Crisis," about the deficiencies of corporate media's coverage of the Trump regime's authoritarian coup, and the growing importance of independent, non-commercial progressive media outlets.
 
4) Groups Petition Democrats to Call an Emergency Meeting to Design Response to Trump's Authoritarian Coup

Sam Rosenthal, political director of RootsAction.org discusses his group and Progressive Democrats for America's petition calling for the Democratic National Committee to convene an emergency meeting, declaring that "business as usual must give way to truly bold action that mobilizes against the autocracy that Donald Trump, Elon Musk and their cronies are further entrenching every day." He'll also talk about what actions petitioners are asking the Democratic Party to take in response to the current constitutional crisis.
 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Fawzia Afzal-Khan, visiting professor in gender and sexuality studies, Princeton University, discusses her recent article, "Student and Faculty Repression on US Campuses: the Palestine Exception," relating to the reported 600 international students who have had their visas revoked by the Trump State Dept., and the preliminary ruling by a judge in Louisiana that the Trump regime can proceed with its deportation of Palestinian Columbia University graduate student, and Green Card holder Mahmoud Khalil.

2) Micah Sifry, is a writer, editor and organizer with nearly forty years of experience covering politics, technology and international affairs, who is currently working on a novel and writing a weekly newsletter on democracy, movements, organizing and tech called The Connector. Micah will discuss his recent New York Times article, "A Different Kind of Anti-Trump Resistance is Brewing," and issues related to Trump/Musk's mass firing of tens of thousands of federal government workers.

3) Lindsay Koshgarian, Program Director of the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies talks about her group's latest annual analysis, the 2025 Tax Day Receipt, highlighting exactly where Americans' 2024 income taxes went and what those numbers say about our national spending priorities. Overall, in 2024, the average taxpayer contributed $3,707 per person for weapons and war – the equivalent of the price of 628 dozen eggs – including war and the Pentagon, weapons contractors, and aid to foreign militaries.

4) Jeff Hauser, Executive Director of the Revolving Door Project discusses growing concern that people in Trump's inner circle may have had knowledge of his changing tariff policy, allowing for insider trading -- combined with the fact the SEC is dismantling a key tool in collecting trading data, the Consolidated Audit Trail, that impairs regulators’ ability to understand suspicious activity.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) The Disastrous Impact of Trump's International Tariffs on US Economic Inequality
Omar Ocampo, a researcher at the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, discusses his recent article, "‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Will Concentrate Wealth Even More,” the repercussions of Donald Trump's decision to impose massive international tariffs, and the vision for a progressive alternative fair trade policy.
 
2) The Trump Resistance Movement and the History of General Strikes
Fred Glass, a labor historian, retired union communications director, and writer/director of the documentary film, "We Mean to Make Things Over: A History of May Day," will discuss his recent article, "Best Guess: How Do We Defeat the Fascists?" the history of general strikes, and United Auto Workers' President Shawn Fain's idea for a general strike on May Day 2028 or before.

3) Interviews with New York City Hands Off Protesters  

In the largest day of protests yet in Donald Trump's second presidency, it's estimated that over a million Americans protested the twice impeached, convicted felon's agenda, billionaire Elon Musk's demolition of the federal government, and the Republican Party controlled Congress threat to make major cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. The protests, which were organized in more than 1,400 cities and towns across the US, Canada and Europe, sent a message to Trump, Musk and the GOP: Hands off our healthcare, hands off our civil rights, hands off our schools, our freedoms, and our democracy.  The interviews in this segment were recorded during New York City's Hands Off protest, which drew well over 100,000 people.
 
4) Connecticut Prepares for Trump Federal Education Budget Cuts 
Mary Yordon, president of the Norwalk, CT Federation of Teachers union and a vice president of the American Federation of Teachers Connecticut, talks about the massive April 5th "Hands Off" protests across the U.S., and the Stamford, CT protest where she spoke in opposition to President Trump and his Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's plan to make make major cuts to education funding, and to eliminate the federal Department of Education. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Confronting the Reality of Trump's Repugnant White Supremacist Agenda

Tim Wise, whom scholar and philosopher Cornel West calls, “A vanilla brother in the tradition of (abolitionist) John Brown,” is among the nation’s most prominent antiracist essayists and educators is author of  nine books, including his latest, "Dispatches from the Race War."  He'll assess Trump and "Trumpism" since his inauguration on January 20th, with a focus on the twice impeached convicted felon's attempt to repeal civil rights law, the legalization of discrimination and effort to eradicate DEI in the federal government, while coercing states and universities to also eliminate DEI or lose federal funding.

2) Trump-Musk Sabotage of Social Security Designed to Hasten the System's Privatization

Sam Pizzigati, veteran labor journalist, Institute for Policy Studies associate fellow, co-editor of IPS' newsletter Inequality.org, and author, discusses his recent article, "Could Elon Musk Actually Destroy Social Security as We Know It? -- and issues related to the Trump-Musk attempt to sabotage Social Security's reliability and smooth operation over 88 years, and the millions of Americans who are now angry and becoming active in resisting the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the nation's social safety net.

3) ICE Attempt to Deport International Students, First Step to Repress Free Speech for All

Dr. Nader Hashemi, director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, and associate professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at Georgetown University, discusses the campus response to the ICE arrest and attempt to deport Georgetown Univ. researcher and instructor Badar Khan Suri, alleging he has "close connections" to a Hamas official -- as well as similar arrests of a growing number of other international students across the U.S. He'll also update our listeners on growing IDF, Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, and Israel's breaking of the Gaza ceasefire and its resumption of its bloody war that's already killed more than 50,000 Palestinians.

4) Trump's Unconstitutional Executive Order to Change US Voting System Would Disenfranchise Millions
Filmmaker and journalist Greg Palast, the author of several New York Times bestsellers including The Best Democracy Money Can Buy," discusses his recent article, "Trump-Musk order will cost 21 million their vote," re: Donald Trump's March 25th executive order that restructures the way Americans can register to vote and when they can cast their ballots, an unlawful edict that will face legal challenges for encroaching on state powers outlined in the U.S. Constitution.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Defiance of Rule of Law Triggers Deepening Constitutional Crisis

Christopher Wright Durocher, Vice President for Program and Policy with the American Constitution Society who will assess the threat to democracy posed by the Trump administration actions over the past 8 weeks, and thoughts on what it will take to mount an effective defense of the US Constitution and the rule of law.   

2) Rightwing Domination of Social Media is a Powerful Channel for Political Disinformation

Kayla Gogarty Research Director with Media Matters for America will discuss her group's recent study, "New analysis found 9 out of the 10 top online shows assessed are right-leaning," and ideas being debated on how progressive activists, journalists and scholars can break through right wing media domination to reach more Americans to counter dangerous Trump-GOP authoritarianism in defense of democracy, and advocate for policy solutions to address our nation's many problems and failings.

3) As Voters' Anger Rises over Trump attacks on Federal Government Bernie Sanders and AOC Rally and Energize Opponents

Aaron Regunberg a contributing editor at The New Republic, senior climate policy counsel at Public Citizen and a steering committee member of the group Pass the Torch, discusses his recent TNR article, "Bernie Sanders Is Showing Democrats How It’s Done," and the current debate  about the need to replace the Democratic Party's leadership, i.e. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer after he voted to support the Republican House Continuing Budget Resolution, that cuts $13 billion in domestic spending while increasing defense spending by $6 billion.

4) CT Criminal Justice Reform Activists Demand State Release Video Capturing J'Allen Jones 2018 Prison Death  
Barbara Fair, a licensed clinical social worker, social justice activist, organizer and founding member of Stop Solitary CT who will talk about a planned press conference on Tuesday, March 25th to demand the release of video related to the correction officer beating death of J’Allen Jones on the 7th anniversary of his death. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Suppression of Free Speech Used as Unconstitutional Pretext to Deport Palestinian Student Activist

Sam Carliner,  a journalist  who focuses on US imperialism and the climate crisis, talks about his recent Waging Nonviolence magazine article, "How pro-Palestine student activists are fighting increasing repression," and the recent Trump administration's arrest and attempt to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who played a major role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University last spring.

2) Trump-Musk Attack on Social Security Could Disrupt Elderly and Disabled Recipients Receiving Benefits 

Justin Glawe, an independent journalist, editor of the American Doom newsletter, and author of the forthcoming book “If I Am Coming to Your Town, Something Terrible Has Happened,” discusses his latest Rolling Stone article, "Social Security Insiders Warn Trump and Musk Could Break the Program,"  and growing concern that Congressional Democrats aren't capable of mounting an effective defense of America's most popular government program.

3) Trump's Tariffs, Massive Federal Government Layoffs, Budget Cuts and Erratic Economic Policy Could Provoke US Recession

Dean Baker, Senior Economist with the Center for Economic and Policy Research talks about his recent articles, "The Democrats’ Necessary Apology," "The Trump-Musk Recession: Because They Can." and issues related to Trump's tariffs, Wall street's response and what's ahead for the U.S. economy.

4) New Book Examines the Vast Difference in How White Americans Perceive Racism and Sexism

Betsy Leondar-Wright, a community organizer, a diversity workshop facilitator, and a sociology professor teaching critical race theory and economic inequality, talks about her new book co-written with Jessi Streib, "Is It Racist? Is It Sexist?: Why Red and Blue White People Disagree, and How to Decide in the Gray Areas," as well as President Trump's attack on DEI and effort to overturn civil rights and anti-discrimination laws.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1)  Trump's Ongoing Assault on Democracy Closely Follows the Authoritarian Playbook

Jason Stanley, the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and author of "How Fascism Works," and his newest book, “Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite The Past To Control The Future,” shares his views on the Trump regime's unconstitutional attempt to eliminate entire federal agencies, the mass firing of government employees, the witch hunt targeting DEI and all federal anti discrimination policies, as well as recent threats to criminalize student protest at university campuses nationwide.

2) Target's Elimination of the Store's DEI Policy Provokes Nationwide 40-Day Boycott

Jamal-Harrison Bryant, Senior Pastor at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia discusses his call for a 40-day "fast" from shopping at Target stores during Lent starting on March 5th, in response to the company's retreat from their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies after Donald Trump launched a campaign to eliminate DEI and decades-long civil rights policies in the federal government.

3) Trump's Erratic On-Again, Off-Again Tariff Policy Born of Desperation

Richard D. Wolff, professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, author of 11 books including, “Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism,” and host of the weekly syndicated radio program Economic Update. Professor Wolff will examine Donald Trump's imposition of tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, Europe and other nations, the impact on the US economy, as well as indications that the Trump regime is getting ready to manipulate government issued economic statistics by excluding government spending from data about U.S. economic output -- and the Commerce Department's decision to disband two expert committees that worked with the government to produce reliable economic statistics.

4) Connecticut Citizen Action Group's 2025 Legislative Agenda Explained

Tom Swan, Executive Director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group discusses CCAG's priorities and goals in the current state legislative session, as well as initiatives a coalition of groups in the state are working on to build a firewall to protect CT residents from Trump 2.0 authoritarian federal policies targeting civil rights, education, and critical social safety net programs.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Confronting Democratic Party's Weak Opposition to Trump Coup
Norman Solomon, co-founder of RootsAction.org and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, discusses his recent article, "Democrats Irritated by Voters Who Elected Them Need an Attitude Adjustment." where he warns that Democratic legislators who are "perceived as wimps who failed to really put up a fight against President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk, risk facing primary challenges propelled by grassroots anger.

2) Trump Threatens, Attempts to Intimidate US Free Press
Katherine Jacobsen, Canada, and Caribbean program coordinator with the Committee to Protect Journalists, who formerly worked for The Associated Press in Moscow and as a freelancer in Ukraine.  She'll talk about CPJ's call on the Trump administration to restore Associated Press access to the White House, and the Trump regime's removal of the White House Correspondents’ Association from their decades-long role assigning reporters to cover White House press pool events, where the President's staff will itself select reporters who will cover the presidency.

3) Students Across America Resist Trump Elimination of Campus DEI
Nicole Carty, Executive Director of Get Free, a youth-led progressive activist movement and Carson Delia, a Temple University student and Get Free member, talk about confronting the Trump regime's attempt to eliminate DEI policies in higher education and censor curricula that doesn't conform to their white supremacist ideology. They'll also discuss a recent incident at Temple University where students attempting to deliver a letter to the university president addressing their concerns re: Trump anti-DEI policies, were blocked by police.

4) For Decades FBI, Local Police Have Turned Blind Eye to White Supremacist Violence 

Mike German, a fellow with the Liberty and National Security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, talks about his new book, "Policing White Supremacy The Enemy Within," a former FBI agent’s urgent call for law enforcement to prioritize far-right violence and end tolerance for police racism, and an increasingly dangerous situation where Donald Trump and his administration have embraced white supremacist and armed militia groups committing political violence on his behalf. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: WPKN Archives

1) A representative of the group Social Security Works, discusses the House GOP budget resolution that calls for $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid to help pay for extending the 2017 tax cuts, primarily benefiting the wealthiest Americans. They'll also talk about the group's campaign to educate and mobilize Americans to oppose this proposal that will eliminate millions of Americans' access to affordable health care.

2) Elizabeth Jacobs, Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona discusses rising concern about newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr's agenda at this sprawling agency, and the damage his anti-science views could inflict on the federal health response to contagious diseases such as measles and bird flu, federally funded research on new drugs and food safety, as well as supervision of Medicare, Medicaid, CHIPS and the ACA.

3) Maria J. Stephan, Co-Lead and Chief Organizer with the Horizons Project is the author and editor of five books on authoritarianism and civil resistance, including the award-winning book, "Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict." She talks about her recent article, "We are stronger than we think," and issues related to the rising protest movement opposing the Trump/ Musk agenda, the power of collective defiance and how to make cruelty backfire.

4) Mike German, a fellow with the Liberty and National Security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, talks about his new book, "Policing White Supremacy The Enemy Within," a former FBI agent’s urgent call for law enforcement to prioritize far-right violence and end tolerance for police racism, and an increasingly dangerous situation where Donald Trump and his administration have embraced white supremacist and armed militia groups committing political violence on his behalf.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's Illegal Demolition of Federal Government Provokes Constitutional Crisis, Calls for Impeachment

John Bonifaz, a constitutional attorney and the Co-Founder and President of the group Free Speech For People, and a co-author of the 2018 book, "The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump" assesses our national crisis as the Trump/Musk coup continues, and the constitutional crisis this administration has provoked as the Trump regime ignores judge-issued injunctions ordering them to halt their illegal actions.

2)  Democrats Muddled, Painful Response to Trump-Musk Coup

Kenny Stancil, a senior researcher at the Revolving Door Project with broad interests in the political economy of inequality, talks about his recent article, "Where Is the Democratic Opposition?" and an update on efforts being made to organize an effective and aggressive national Trump opposition movement both inside the Democratic Party and across civil society.

3) Trump Russia Ukraine War Peace Overture Creates Rift w US European Allies 

Mel Goodman a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, a former CIA analyst and author of books including, “American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump.” Goodman will examine Trump's latest initiative to end the Ukraine war, his reported conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- and how these announced negotiations could impact the people of Ukraine, Russia and Europe.

4) OMB Director Russell Vought, Architect of Trump-Musk Demolition of Federal Government

Branko Macetic, a Jacobin magazine staff writer and author of "Yesterdays Man: The Case Against Joe Biden," discusses his soon to be published in-depth profile of Russell Vought, the longtime radical anti-government ideologue who, as Trump’s recently confirmed director of the Office of Management and Budget, now poised to see through the cause of his life: dismantling the federal government and handing unlimited power over American life back to big business."

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's criminal plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza

Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, international adviser for Jewish Voice for Peace, and author of the new book "Understanding Palestine & Israel," published by Interlink Books. She'll talk about Donald Trump floating the idea that the US should take over Gaza, ethnically cleanse 2.3 million Palestinian residents and rebuild it into a "Middle East Riviera...."  and the international rejection of this criminal proposal.

2) Elon Musk's Child Hacker Army illegally Attempting to Eliminate Multiple Federal Agencies

Amanda Marcotte, a senior politics writer at Salon.com, and author of "Troll Nation: How the Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters, discusses her article re: Oligarch billionaire Elon Musk's lawless federal agency takeover, "'Hitler actually had some decent points': Musk's covert coup is guided by internet trolls," examining the vile white supremacy that permeates Musk's fascist child army.

3) Trump's Targeting of Education Dept Could eliminate Dozens of Federal Programs Benefitting Millions of Students Nationwide

Derek W. Black, Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina talks about what's at stake in the Trump administration's attack on the federal Dept. of Education, his motivation for this assault, the importance of federal funds to providing quality primary and secondary education to millions of students across the U.S., touching on the issues examined in his new book, "Dangerous Learning: The South's Long War on Black Literacy."

4) Tens of thousands Oppose Trump Regime 2.0 in '50501' Nationwide Protests

Kay, one of the co-founders of the group NoVoiceUnheard, and Sydney, an organizer with the Pittsburgh branch of the 50501 protest movement, and 50501’s national press liaison, who talk about the national mobilization network opposing Donald Trump's illegal conduct and authoritarian agenda, that on February 5th coordinated some 80 protest rallies in all 50 U.S. states against Trump, Elon Musk and the Republican Party’s power grab.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Launches Vicious White Supremacist Policy Agenda

Steve Phillips, columnist, host of the Democracy in Color podcast and best selling author of "How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good," discusses the Trump regime 2.0's white supremacist ideology - blatant as ever during the campaign, and undeniable in his first week in office eliminating all DEI programs, as well as revoking LBJ's 1965 executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Most recently Trump outrageously blamed DEI for the plane-helicopter collision at Reagan National Airport.

2) If Confirmed by US Senate RFK Jr. Poses Grave Danger to US Public Heath

Dr. Stephanie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, FACP, Distinguished Professor of Public Health at Hunter College, talks about her concerns re: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, focusing on his anti-science views and what damage he could inflict on U.S. public health policies should he be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

3) Trump-GOP Move to Extend Tax Cuts for the Rich  

Will Rice, a consultant with the group Americans for Tax Fairness, discusses the Trump-GOP plan to cut more taxes for the rich, impose austerity on the rest of us, referencing a newly leaked memo from House Budget Committee Republicans that proposes slashing trillions from healthcare, nutrition, climate change prevention, and more while handing $1.2 trillion in new tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations.

4) Voter Suppression Key to Trump's Election Win 

Investigative reporters and best selling author Greg Palast talks about his years-long investigation into GOP voter suppression, it's impact on the 2024 presidential election, detailed in his latest article, "Trump Lost. Vote Suppression Won. Here are the Numbers..." where he concludes that if all legal ballots were counted, Trump would have lost the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, and Kamala Harris would have won the electoral college vote and the presidency.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump's Pardon of 1,500 Jan 6 insurrectionists: An Undeniable Endorsement of Right Wing Domestic Terrorism
Dr. Lawrence Rosenthal, Chair and Lead Researcher Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies University of California at Berkeley discusses Donald Trump's pardon and commutation of some 1,500 convicted January 6th insurrectionists, many of whom had engaged in violent attacks on Capitol police. He'll also consider growing concerns that that this blanket presidential pardon will be viewed as a green light by rightwing extremist groups to engage in future political violence targeting Trump's perceived enemies.

2) As Trump's Mass Deportation Begins, 6 Ways to Support Immigrants Rights Now  

Amy Gottlieb, U.S. Migration Director with the American Friends Service Committee talks about the work her group is doing to challenge Donald Trump's many executive orders setting in motion his campaign pledge to execute mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, close the southern border and suspend the entry of refugees seeking asylum in the U.S.

3) Trump's Imperial America Intends to Conquer Panama, Greenland and Canada

Joe Lauria, editor-in-chief of Consortium News, who as a journalist has written for the Boston Globe, the London Daily Telegraph, the Johannesburg Star, the Montreal Gazette, and the Wall Street Journal. He'll talk about his recent article, "The Imperial Presidency Marches On," about the domestic and international response to Donald Trump's threat to annex other nation's territories, including Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Canada, through economic blackmail, or the use of military force.

4) Elon Musk's Nazi Salute Elicits Alarming, Twisted Responses 

Stanley Heller, administrator of the New Haven, CT based group Promoting Enduring Peace, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, and host of the TV news magazine “The Struggle.” Stan will discuss multi-billionaire and Trump pal Elon Musk's white supremacy and hate speech, examined in his book, "Zionist Betrayal of Jews: From Herzl to Netanyahu," as well as Musk's recent Nazi salute at the Trump inauguration, and the US Anti-Defamation League and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's twisted defense of Musk's "Heil Hitler" gesture. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Back in Office Doubles Down on Intensifying the Global Climate Crisis

Antonia Juhasz, a leading energy, climate, and environmental justice author, analyst, and investigative journalist discusses her recent Rolling Stone magazine article, "The Trump Resistance Inside Washington’s National Cathedral," covering the social justice activist leadership within that famous church who vow to oppose Trump's extremist rightwing agenda.  She'll also talk about the devastating LA fires, growing awareness of the destructive force of the climate crisis and the urgent need to shut down the fossil fuel industry.

2) Organizing Effective Resistance to Trump's Authoritarian Repressive Agenda

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

3) The Israel-Hamas Gaza Ceasefire Takes Effect But Fails to Address Future of Palestinians in Crisis

Jennifer Loewenstein, former associate director of Middle Eastern Studies and senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, examines the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the future of Gaza and the ongoing struggle a free and independent Palestine, as well as her assessment of the new and unstable Middle East landscape that many US commentators describe as a "triumph" for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

4) Speeches and Interviews from the Anti-Trump People's March in Washington DC 

Speakers and interviews recorded Saturday, January 18th at the People's March in Washington, D.C. where tens of thousands marched and rallied to oppose Donald Trump's radical authoritarian agenda, including his campaign pledge to deport millions of immigrants, suppress the LGBTQ community, criminalize media outlets that are critical of him, prosecute his perceived political opponents, and dismantle federal climate and pollution regulations. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: 

WPKN Archives

1) Trump Pardon of J-6 Insurrectionists: A Disaster for Democracy, Rule of Law 

Public Citizen Democracy Campaign Co-Director Jonah Minkoff-Zern talks about his group's position on Donald Trump's campaign pledge to pardon convicted January 6th insurrectionists that was explained in their recent press release, "If Trump Pardons January 6 Insurrectionists, He Will Further Betray the American People,"  He'll also assess the consequences of this act for the rule of law, and the signal it will send to rightwing domestic terrorists.

2) Facebook Dumping Fact-Checking Promotes Trump Lies and Disinformation

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

3) Los Angeles Wildfire Catastrophe, the Climate Crisis and the Future of Public Policy

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

4) Amazon Labor Union's Christmas Strike Succeeds in Organizing First National Action 

Sultana Hossain, Recording Secretary with the Amazon Labor Union discusses her union's recent national holiday strike, the ongoing campaign pressuring Amazon to negotiate with the union to sign and implement fair contracts, and concern about the Trump administration's declared hostility to labor rights, and the future of the U.S. labor movement. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) On 4th Anniversary of January 6th Insurrection Democracy is on the Ropes

Sasha Abramsky, The Nation magazine's Western Correspondent, is the author of "The American Way of Poverty,” “The House of Twenty Thousand Books,” Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod,” and his latest “Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America.”  He'll discuss his recent article, "Will Trump Weaponize the FCC to Crack Down on Media Outlets He Doesn’t Like?," and the alarming anticipatory obedience we see toward Trump from Jeff Bezos, Patrick Soon-Shiong, ABC News, Mark Zuckerberg, et al.

2) Before Reagan Jimmy Carter's Conservative Economic and Foreign Policy Moved the US to the Right 

David N. Gibbs, Professor of History at the University of Arizona, and author of, "Revolt of the Rich: How the Politics of the 1970s Widened America's Class Divide," shares his views on late President Jimmy Carter's legacy, both in economics and foreign policy, that many corporate media obituaries of the 39th U.S. President omit.

3) Climate Denier Trump Threatens US Renewable Energy Future

Ken Bossong, executive director of the nonprofit Sun Day Campaign, discusses his year-end review of reports from FERC and EIA re: the mix of renewable energy sources that now comprises "30% of total U.S. electrical generating capacity, and on track to reach 37% by the end of 2027." He'll also address prospects for setbacks that may be ahead for renewal energy under Pres. Trump, who declares that climate change is a "hoax," and has pledged to repeal some of the Biden administration's key renewable energy/climate change programs and funding.

4) Danger Ahead for the World Under Trump's Muddled Foreign Policy  

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

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Trump Will Use Unitary Executive Theory to Impose his Grotesque Brand of Tryanny

Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild, discusses her recent article, "Trump Is Using 'Unitary Executive' Theory in His Bid to Amass Supreme Power," and issues related to Trump and co-president billionaire Elon Musk, and "Project 2025's" blueprint to impose an authoritarian state replacing democratic institutions.

2) New Campaign Pressuring Biden Revives Debate on Equal Rights Amendment

Kate Kelly, Senior Director of the Women's Initiative at the Center for American Progress, and former Legislative Director for Missouri Rep. Cori Bush who helped found the first-ever Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Caucus in Congress, talks about the a new national alliance that's now urging President Biden to instruct the National Archivist to certify and publish the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which was approved by two-thirds of Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the states, yet remains unpublished due to disagreement regarding the seven-year time limit Congress set in its ERA preamble that expired in the 1970s.

3) After 14+ Months of Gaza War, World Unwilling to Stop Israel's Palestinian Genocide

Michel S. Moushabeck is a writer, editor, publisher, and musician of Palestinian Arab descent, who is the founder of Interlink Publishing, a 32-year-old independent publishing house. Moushabeck, recipient of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee’s Alex Odeh Award, discuss his article, "Palestinians Endure Another Christmas of Genocide and Displacement," and issues related to U.S. Middle East policy under Pres. Biden, and the future under Donald Trump.

4) Pope Francis Calls for Global South Debt Cancellation, Reforming the International Finance System  

Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the Jubilee USA Network, a United Nations finance expert and an advisor to the Vatican and Catholic Bishops on debt and economic issues, discusses Pope Francis' call for debt cancellation for developing nations, reforming the international finance system to protect the poor, and the urgent need to address the global climate crisis.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) White Supremacist Hate Groups' Growing Threat as Trump Takes Office

Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project discusses her work tracking hate groups and white supremacists engaged in violence - and concerns that these groups and individuals could pose a threat to civil society as Donald Trump takes office and encourages political violence targeting immigrants and his perceived political enemies.

2) The UN Urged to Hold Israel Accountable for Monstrous Violation of International Law in Gaza

Kathy Kelly, board president of the group World Beyond War, who works with the international network Global Solidarity for Peace in Palestine, discusses her recent article, "When Will the UN General Assembly Suspend Israel?" and issues related to Israel's ongoing savage war in Gaza, the West Bank (and earlier in Lebanon,) U.S. Middle East policy under the incoming Trump regime, and the devolution of international law.

3) Trump GOP Demonization of Trans Youth Leads to Violence 

Media critic Parker Molloy, publisher of the Present Age newsletter, talks about her recent article, "One Day in Anti-Trans America," with a focus on Trump and the GOP's demonization of the trans community, the Democrat's non-response, and the failure of corporate media's coverage of rightwing extremists’ dangerous scapegoating, that leads to violence.

4) Philadelphia Protest Demands Biden Dismantle Government Machinery Trump Will Use for Mass Deportation

Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition discusses her group's December 18th protest action on Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Bridge, demanding President Biden issue directives to protect immigrants from Trump's mass deportation plan before he leaves office, and the nationwide activism that will be necessary to effectively challenge Trump's anti-immigrant policies over the next four years. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Ralph Nader, America's best known and most effective public interest lawyer who ran for president four times as both a Green Party and independent candidate, has always used his platform to advocate for consumer and worker protections while demanding responsible regulation of corporate America’s massive power. Nader, who's latest book is titled, "Let's Start the Revolution: Tools for Displacing the Corporate State and Building a Country that Works for the People," will talk about his effort to convince CT Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal to taken an ethical land moral stand against Israel's mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – as well as commenting on what we can expect from the incoming Trump regime 2.0.

2) Dr. Phil Brewer, a Connecticut emergency physician, who formerly served as Medical Director for Quinnipiac University’s Student Health Services, is active with the group Physicians for a National Health Program. He'll discuss his views on the recent wave of public anger and frustration re: our nation's failing health insurance industry set-off by the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson -- and PNHP's ongoing campaign for the implementation of a universal, single-payer healthcare system in the U.S. that every other industrialized nation in the world has had for decades.

3) John Stoehr, editor of the daily politics newsletter, The Editorial Board, is a journalist, a fellow at Yale’s Ezra Stiles College, a contributing writer for the Washington Monthly, a contributing editor for Religion Dispatches, and senior editor at Raw Story. He'll discuss his recent article, "Kamala Harris wasted money on campaign ads, not Beyoncé," and issues related to America's dangerous media landscape, and the corrosive political impact of widespread disinformation disguised as "news!"

4) Heather Digby Parton has been writing about politics on her blog Hullabaloo since the early 2000s, has been a Salon.com columnist since 2014, and won the 2014 Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism. She'll talk about Trump's cabinet nominees, many of whom come with the strong smell of oligarchy, corruption and retribution, as well as the national fight over the future of social security and Medicare we're likely to see next year.

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Unanswered Questions After the Overthrow of the Syrian Regime 

Phyllis Bennis, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies' New Internationalism Project, focusing on the Middle East, Palestinian rights, and U.S. militarism, talks about the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria by rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. She'll also assess the Lebanon ceasefire, Israel's ongoing catastrophic war in Gaza, and what we can expect from Trump et al on Middle East policy.

2) Courageous South Koreans Block the Imposition of a Military Dictatorship 

Dr. John Carl Baker, Deputy Director of Programs with Ploughshares discusses the issues examined in his recent Nation magazine article, "South Korean Protesters Thwarted More Than Just a Coup Attempt," as well as the future of US relations with both South and North Korea.

3) Trump 2.0 Corruption and Ethics Violations Ahead 

Jeff Hauser, Executive Director of the Revolving Door Project talks about his project's concern re: the history of corruption during Trump's first four years in the White House, and the corruption the nation is likely to witness under the incoming Trump administration -- as well as the consequences of that corruption on government programs and services.

4) Remembering 2012 Sandy Hook Mass Shooting Victims and Assessing the Fight against Gun Violence 

Po Murray, co-founder and chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance and the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation reflects on the 12th year of remembrance for the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14, 2012 -- the National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 11th, and her group's ongoing work to end gun violence across the U.S. 

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Eight Ways to Respond to Trump Election Victory Over the Next 4 Years 

David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic party, publisher of the 'Pepperspectives' substack newsletter and author of, "2025," "Saving Democracy," and "Laboratories of Autocracy."  He'll discuss his post-election column, "Resolve: 8 Reasons That Keep Me Going," and analysis of Trump's 2025 agenda and what effective resistance would look like.

2) Why Trump Voters Should Better Understand Americans Who Oppose Their Convicted Felon President

Wajahat Ali, author of “Go Back to Where You Came From,” and creator of The Left Hook Substack page, discusses his timely, incisive column, "When Will Trump Voters Be Asked To Reach Out and Understand The Rest of Us?" - and other issues related to the danger to U.S. democracy posed by Trump regime 2.0.

3) Surprise: Trump Plans More Tax Cuts for the Rich, Budget Cuts for the Rest of Us

Will Rice, a consultant with Americans for Tax Fairness, discusses the group's work raising the alarm about what Trump and the Republicans have planned to make the U.S. tax system even more unfair for working families, with deeper tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations -- as they build a government captured by right wing billionaires and oligarchs.

4) Connecticut Groups Prepare to Resist Trump Mass Deportations

John Lugo, Community Organizing Director with Unidad Latina en Accion, and Carolina Bortoletto, co-founder of CT Students for a Dream, discuss President-elect Trump's demonization of migrants, and preparations local organizations are making to defend the state's immigrant residents in the face of Trump's campaign pledge to conduct the largest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history. He’ll also address what CT State government and CT Governor Ned Lamont can do to Trump-proof the state.