Upcoming & Most Recent Programs

The Center for Working Class Politics - August 31, 2026

The program is an interview with Jarrett Abbott who is the Director of the Center for Working Class Politics which is a research institute dedicated to surveying the political and economic attitudes of working-class voters, statistical analyses of elections, and the construction of a comprehensive database of progressive candidate demographics, strategy, and messaging. The interview focused on a recent report that Professor Joan Williams and Jarret Abbot have put together, "The Lefts' Coalition Crisis:  Understanding the Massive Divide Between Working Class and College Educated Voters, and How to Bridge It."  The report points out that the left needs to develop class competence. We need to connect with people whose top priorities are paychecks, prices and personal safety.  It is not just about winning elections as crucial as  that is when democracy is under attack. It's  about understanding that people need a sense of personal and economic security before they will support the changes that progressives are calling for.  While Liberals are primarily concerned about costs / working class folks are also concerned about cost, but economic security is the highest working class priority. Protecting Social Security, Medicare, lowering rents and housing costs, drug prices, Medicare and affordable childcare.  All of this requires a steady income stream, a secure economic future, rising wages, creating jobs and boosting economic growth.  Given these working class concerns, the key to success is to keep focus on the economy.  The lesson is not that working-class voters are unreachable.  It's that you can't reach them if you don't prioritize the issues that they care most about.  The report also points out that class competence can increase working-class support for progressive policies on hot button culture and climate issues.  The key is mutual respect accompanied by class-competent reframing around working-class values can move public opinion in a progressive direction.

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The Miles Delivers Action Coalition - August 24, 2026

The program is an interview with Margaret Reynolds who is the cofounder of the Miles Delivers Action Coalition which was formed in May 2026 to convince MaineHealth to keep open the Birth Center in Damariscotta, Maine.  Since its founding it has reached out to the larger community and has over 10,000 supporters.  Margaret talked about MaineHealth's rationale for closing the birthing center and the impact it will have on women who will have to drive over an hour to get help delivering their babies.  Closure would redirect  births to neighboring hospitals and would increase additional demands on EMTs, emergency departments and affect interfacility transportation systems. She pointed out that leading experts in rural healthcare have warned that evaluating maternity programs through narrow financial lenses risks overlooking their broader contribution to hospital sustainability, workplace recruitment and long term health vitality of communities they serve.  Her organization has reached out to the governor and members of the Maine State Legislature and remains optimistic that the center will ultimately continue to keep open.

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Maine Healthcare Coverage - August 17, 2026

The show is an interview of James Myall who is a lead policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy.  He has recently written a report  "MaineCare  is helping more Mainers afford health care and strengthening the economy."    MaineCare helps nearly 476,00 Mainers pay for health care.  It is one of the most effective tools to improve health, reduce medical debt, support working families and bring in  billions of dollars into Maine's economy. James pointed out that MaineCare is good value for money and helps the economy. The cost of covering an adult below the age of 65 averages around $8,000 per year for comprehensive coverage without copays or deductibles. It certainly compares favorably to Maine's private individual costs - which is about nine thousand in premiums alone.   Unfortunately the next governor of Maine and the state legislature will need to undo Republican cuts that will be made to MaineCare.  As many as 31,000 Mainers could lose their MaineCare coverage next year because they are either unable to find steady work or can't provide the right paperwork to prove their employment status. Myall believes the state should hire navigators to help people understand the new changes needed to keep their coverage. As many as 31,000 Mainers could lose their coverage next year because they are either unable to find steady work or can't provide the right paperwork to prove their employment status

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Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association - August 10, 2026

This podcast is an interview with Heather Spaulding who is the Deputy Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.  Heather  first worked for a number of years on environmental policy issues in Washington, DC. before moving back to Maine where she  got a job at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association as the director of the Common Ground Country Fair.  She has stayed with the organization moving through various administrative roles.  She is still working to keep toxic items out of watersheds and food systems from commercial pesticides to forever chemicals. The show focused on what's happening with Maine's PFOS Product ban that first took effect January 2026  and how the Trump Administration's EPA voted to approve several new pesticides that qualify as pfas and the recent U.S. Supreme Court 7-2 vote in favor of Monsanto's (Bayer's) Roundup pesticide. Heather also talked about MOFGA's advocacy campaign to convince  Hannaford Supermarket to buy Maine  native grown carrots and  the upcoming Common Ground Fair taking place during the third weekend in September.

Administration's EPA voted to approve several new pesticides that qualify as pfas and the recent U.S. Supreme Court 7-2 vote in favor of Monsanto's (Bayer's) Roundup pesticide. Heather also talked about MOFGA's advocacy campaign to convince  Hannaford Supermarket to buy Maine  native grown carrots and  the upcoming Common Ground Fair taking place during the third weekend in September.

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There was no program on August 3 due to technical issues

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