Beacon Podcast

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben, and Cate discuss the end of the legislative session. They reflect on some of the wins from the session, including $18 million for rent relief, funding for more recovery community centers, and a bill that will create options for development of offshore wind power in Maine. They… The post Podcast: The thrill of (legislative) victory, the agony of (legislative) defeat… first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate interviews Hillary Knight with the Capital Region Public Defenders Office in Augusta, who clarifies what the right to counsel means for Mainers, some of the realities of meeting the constitutional right to counsel, and some hopeful developments in the state. After a lawsuit in 2022 (which is ongoing)… The post Podcast: Maine’s long-awaited public defenders first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Today on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Esther discuss updates from the legislative session including the new pilot program for housing subsidies, the outcome of Planned Parenthood’s proposed constitutional amendment regarding protecting access to abortion, and the Sears Island offshore wind proposal. Additionally, the two discuss Pres. Biden’s new plan to help erase or lower… The post Podcast: Rent relief, abortion access, wind power and student debt relief! first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, we bid a fond adieu to longtime Beacon reporter Dan Neumann, who is leaving us for the labor movement. Dan and Ben talk about some of their favorite Beacon stories and when the Beacon’s reporting has really made a difference. They also talk about what’s happening in the last part… The post Podcast: What it means to be a ‘movement journalist’ first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Esther is joined by Emily Cain to talk about her time as a legislator in Maine, her experience as the executive director of Emily’s List, and the climate for women candidates for office today. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any… The post Podcast: Women, Emily Cain wants you to run for office! first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Beacon reporter Dan Neumann joins Ben and Esther to discuss the results of the independent commission regarding the shooting in Lewiston, specifically the finding that the police force and military could have done more. They talk about gun safety in the state legislature, and what real change might look like. Also, it’s the… The post Podcast: The Lewiston shooting commission’s findings, and what they mean first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Ben and Esther are joined by the Beacon’s Dan Neumann to talk about gender affirming care in Maine and a bill to protect Maine medical practitioners from prosecution by other states. The bill, LD 227, is at the center of a right-wing misinformation panic that has drawn in local neo-Nazis and resulted in… The post Podcast: Gender affirming care in Maine, in the face of right-wing hostility first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate discuss the results of the Super Tuesday vote, including affordable housing in Kennebunk, Kingfield, and Cumberland. And they break down a new Pan Atlantic poll of 800 Mainers on the presidential election, and wonder why it didn’t consider ranked-choice voting. Ask a question or leave a… The post Podcast: Kennebunk says yes to affordable housing, but not Cumberland or Kingfield first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate, Ben, and Esther talk about how the extra $107 million Gov. Janet Mills wants to put away on top of the Rainy Day fund could be better spent. They also talk about Mills’ change in tack on tribal self-determination in Maine, and dive into a complicated bill to… The post Podcast: It’s a rainy day, so why are we still putting away more? first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Esther is joined by community organizers Carrie Jadud, Jodi Cohen Hayashida, Nyawal Lia and Genevieve Lysen to talk about the ins and outs of community organizing, what it means to be a community organizer, and the rewards of a very hard job. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show… The post Podcast: So what is community organizing, anyway? first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Ben and Esther talk about this week’s “House Everyone!” day of action in Augusta, and advocacy for fair state worker wages in Maine. They also talk about how the Medicaid “unwinding” process is making health insurance even more inaccessible for many Mainers. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207)… The post Podcast: ‘The Unwinding…’ and how it’s hurting Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate discuss how proposed Maine legislation could help combat otherwise-unnoticed wage theft in Maine. They also discuss how the federal Child Tax Credit would dramatically help low-income Maine families improve their standard of living, and they ponder the necessity of the proposed federal military spending bill. We’ll… The post Podcast: Wage theft? Heck no! first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate are joined by Jodi Hayashida with Multifaith Justice Maine. They talk about Gov. Janet Mill’s State of the State address and the moral questions around her decision to put another $100 million away rather than using it to fund programs to help Mainers in need. They… The post Podcast: How Gov. Mills’ budget stands up as a moral document first appeared on Maine Beacon.

On the Beacon Podcast this week, Esther and Cate reflect on the hearing of LD 780, a proposed amendment to the Maine state constitution which would further protect abortion access and reproductive healthcare in Maine. They also discuss what the process for implementation of the new paid family and medical leave law looks like and… The post Podcast: Protecting abortion rights and gender-affirming care in the legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther is joined by Olivia Pennington from Maine Family Planning, Julia McDonald and Aspen Ruhlin from the Mabel Wadsworth Center and Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine. Together they discuss access to reproductive and gender affirming healthcare in Maine and efforts to protect it with legislation, and a constitutional… The post Podcast: The future of reproductive healthcare in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Nora, Cate and Genevieve discuss a bill to introduce a public health approach to drug use in Maine (LD 1975), and how a rent relief bill (LD 1710) can support Mainers in need of sustainable and affordable housing. If you’d like to testify in favor of LD 1975, send an email to Genevieve… The post Podcast: Drug policy and housing in the legislature first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Cate and Ben talk about this week’s encampment sweep in Portland and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to bar former Pres. Donald Trump from appearing on the Maine primary ballot and the predictable right-wing backlash. They also talk about this week’s gun safety rally at the State House, and the four big… The post Podcast: Gun safety advocates rally in Augusta, Shenna Bellows’ decision, homeless encampment sweep in Portland first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Nora, Cate and Ben talk in depth about the Maine legislative session beginning in January, including upcoming bills and the impact of recent revenue forecasts on budgeting. They dig into ongoing campaigns and proposed legislation on drug policy, tribal sovereignty, worker rights, housing, childcare, paid family medical leave, health… The post Podcast: What to expect in the Maine legislature in the new year first appeared on Maine Beacon.

James Myall of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Ben Chin to discuss the 2023 State of Working Maine report and the economic environment of the Pine Tree State. Also, Esther Pew and Nyawal Lia remember the life and work of Lado Lodoka. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show… The post Podcast: Will robots take Maine’s jobs and other insights from the author of the State of Working Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Ben Chin moderates a debate between Angela Lang, founder of Black Leaders Organizing for Community, and Stanley Fritz, Director of State and Local Policy at the Very Institute, on the 4-day workweek and the work to build a sustainable and effective progressive movement. The discuss both how a 4-hour week could work (or not) at… The post Podcast: A head-to-head debate over the 4-day workweek first appeared on Maine Beacon.