This week on the podcast, Ben Chin sits down with Rep. Rafael Macias (D-Topsham), a retired naval officer and first-time legislator. Rafael reflects on the past session including a landmark bill ensuring farmworkers receive minimum wage, the hurdles of budget negotiations, and frustrations with the lack of progressive action despite a Democratic majority. Rafael also…

The post Podcast: Rafael Macias challenges Maine Democrats to deliver first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, we are revisiting Ben’s conversation with grassroots organizing expert Marshall Ganz for a special encore episode. The two discussed how to strengthen organizing skills, effectively build a movement, and create lasting change. Ganz is a senior lecturer in leadership, organization and civil society at Harvard University and the author of…

The post Podcast: Marshall Ganz on the problems of modern organizing first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into Sen. Susan Collins’ latest string of controversial votes — from confirming far-right conspiracy theorist Joe Kent and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, to approving funding for a $1 billion jet for Trump on the back of taxpayers. Also, health insurance rates are proposed…

The post Podcast: The battles over health insurance and voting rights in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Cate and Ben interview Jordan Wood — a Democrat who is looking to unseat Sen. Susan Collins. Before running for the U.S. Senate, Wood served as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Katie Porter, where he supported her work taking on Wall Street banks and financial interests. He also previously served…

The post Podcast: How Sen. candidate Jordan Wood would take on Collins and big money first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into the Trump administration’s restrictions on federally funded programs, including Head Start, which serves about 3,000 kids in Maine. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general suing to block these restrictions that target immigrants without legal status and would…

The post Podcast: Building a universal childcare system that works for all first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into how Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill injects roughly $170 billion into immigration and border enforcement with minimal oversight, while creating new barriers to legal immigration. It also weakens and erodes protections for children and immigrants.  Channa explains why Trump’s “Alligator Alcatraz” and new border…

The post Podcast: Why Americans are backing immigration under Trump’s presidency first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Cate chats with Garrett Martin of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. They do some unpacking on what the new federal tax bill really means for Maine families. Garrett breaks down how deep cuts to programs, like stricter work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance could leave many Mainers without…

The post Podcast: The real cost of Trump’s federal budget bill first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Andy O’Brien from the Maine AFL-CIO provides an overview of the wins and losses for labor from the 2025 legislative session. Key wins included the rejection of $40 million in childcare cuts, continued funding for free school meals, improved retirement security for mental health workers, and expanding minimum wage to…

The post Podcast: Breaking down Maine labor wins and losses in 2025 legislative session first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther breakdown the final state budget, including wins like the new mansion tax, boosted child tax credit, and more support for General Assistance. Cate also dives into what didn’t make the cut, such as necessary funding for Maine’s family planning network. Esther shares an overview of recent…

The post Podcast: Inside Maine’s part 2 budget deal first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund joins Cate to break down the serious threats in Pres. Donald Trump’s federal budget reconciliation bill. The proposal would block Planned Parenthood from participating in Medicaid (MaineCare), cutting off care for more than 1.1 million people. This could mean closing nearly 200…

The post Podcast: How the federal budget threatens reproductive healthcare and Mainers first appeared on Maine Beacon.