Beacon Podcast

This week on the podcast, Ben and Cate cover Trump’s State of the Union exploring its nationalist tone, economic impacts, and the need for fact-checking. They also break down national deportation trends and the legal hurdles of immigration policy. On the state level, Cate discusses budget negotiations, Republican-driven funding roadblocks, and the powerful child care…

The post Podcast: Navigating Trump’s policies and Maine’s continuous budget battles first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben breaks down Trump’s plan to slash taxes for the rich and gut Medicaid — moves that could hit Maine hard. Esther and Cate dig into the real-life impacts, from delayed meds for MaineCare patients to USAID job losses. But it’s not all doom and gloom: they also explore the…

The post Podcast: Cracks in Trump’s power and the push for Maine budget solutions first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Channa interviews Rep. Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor), who is currently serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives. Friedmann shares why he decided to run for office; his frustrations with the lack of bipartisanship when it comes to the supplemental budget; two bills he is sponsoring surrounding affordable…

The post Podcast: Rep. Gary Friedmann on Maine’s budget deadlock and the fight for affordable housing first appeared on Maine Beacon.

In this week’s episode, Ben, Cate and Esther come together to explain the flurry of political developments coming out of the White House and what federal news is actually impacting Mainers. They revisit the role of protesting and its importance in building community and momentum. Cate unpacks the partisan deadlock in the Maine legislature over…

The post Podcast: How Trump’s executive actions actually impact Mainers and more on Maine’s budget standoff first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa discuss how Mainers and people across the U.S. have been responding to the first few weeks of the Trump administration. On Wednesday, a “50 protests in 50 states” rally was held in Augusta as part of a larger movement of organizers in each of the 50…

The post Podcast: The future of strategic protesting in Maine and resisting Trump’s immigration agenda first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded Wednesday morning, before the White House Office of Management and Budget rescinded a memo that froze federal grants and loans.  This week on the podcast, Esther and Ben unpack some of the chaos the White House caused when it issued a since-rescinded directive that ordered a spending “pause” on…

The post Podcast: Responding to Trump’s chaos, Mills’ State of the Budget and ICE raids first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Esther dive into the harmful and alarming blitz of executive orders Pres. Donald Trump released as he kicked off his second presidential term. We’ll also talk about how people can care for themselves and support their communities (or find support in them!) as Mainers work to push…

The post Borders, birthrights and resistance: The impacts of Trump’s executive orders first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Public policy director Cate Blackford joins Senior Organizer Esther Pew to chat about paid family medical leave in Maine, as well as the positive and negative aspects of Gov. Janet Mills’ recently proposed budget. And with the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term coming up on Monday, the two highlight the Portland People’s March happening…

The post Podcast: Dissecting Mills’ budget proposal and fighting against fascism first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Ben Chin and Esther Pew are back for the first podcast episode of 2025! The hosts discuss two petitions — regarding voting rights and a red flag law — that will potentially be on the 2025 ballot. “ I’ve talked to people who are responsible gun owners and want to make sure that people using a…

The post Podcast: Two ballot proposals unveil barriers to voting and paths to gun safety first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, we are revisiting Deputy Director Ben Chin’s interview with author and community organizer George Goehl. The two discusses Goehl’s book “The Fundamentals of Community Organizing”, which looks at how to bring people together and win structural change. Goehl lays out the core practices that organizers shouldn’t leave behind, even as…

The post ‘Never be cynical again’: A conversation with George Goehl first appeared on Maine Beacon.