Eighty-three percent of American voters are either very worried or at least somewhat worried about the functioning of our democracy.

So what does this recent Quinnipiac poll tell us? Why are people losing faith in our democracy?

This hour, we’re asking some big questions about the future of democracy in the U.S., covering everything from political violence to voter suppression. Plus, we’ll give you a preview of some of the big races to watch on Primary Day next Tuesday.

GUESTS:

• Dr. Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Politics and Government, University of Hartford
• Archon Fung: Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School
• Anne Meng: Associate Professor in the Department of Politics, University of Virginia
• Mark Pazniokas: Capitol Bureau Chief, CT Mirror

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As students head back to school, there is new information about how the federal government will address federal student loan debt.

The White House is introducing a plan to reduce student loan payments, less than two months after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down an effort by the Biden administration to wipe out billions of dollars in student loan debt.

On a “back to school” edition of The Wheelhouse, we break down the new income-driven repayment plan, and at the local level, there’s a discussion on lawmakers' attempts to support the mental health of kids in public schools.

GUESTS:

• Nicole Narea: Politics/Society Reporter, Vox
• Ginny Monk: Children’s Issues/Housing Reporter, CT Mirror
• Katie Barnes: Writer/Reporter, ESPN.com

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From deepfakes to social media chatbots, new technologies are changing our national political landscape.

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, we’ve already seen everything from campaign ads using AI-generated images to the continued spread of misinformation on platforms like Facebook.

So, how exactly are emerging technologies like AI changing how we do politics? This hour, we’ll get into the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Plus, we’ll look at how Connecticut lawmakers are thinking about artificial intelligence and get an update on local health insurance costs.

GUESTS:

• Sujata Srinivasan: Senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
• Justin Hendrix: Co-founder and CEO of Tech Policy Press
• Ryan Heath: Co-author of the Axios Login newsletter, focused on all things AI and global trends in tech
• Micah Musser: Former Research Analyst at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology
• Alison Cross: Reporter at the Hartford Courant

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You don't have to live and breathe politics to know about the NRA or Planned Parenthood. These organizations influence our democracy in big and small ways, and they’re pretty public about it.

But what about those organizations that operate more in the shadows? Sometimes these organizations have just as much influence as the household names.

So why don’t we know about them, and what do they mean for our democracy? This hour, we investigate some of these shadowy organizations. Plus, we’ll zoom in on an organization targeting both LGBTQ+ and abortion rights in the U.S. today.

GUESTS:

• Anne Nelson: Author of Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right
• R.G. Cravens: Senior research analyst with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Elections in 2023 will determine who will lead cities and towns in Connecticut like Hartford, Bridgeport, and Fairfield.

Local party committees recently faced a deadline to endorse candidates ahead of the September primaries. On this episode of The Wheelhouse, our panel of political experts and reporters discuss the primaries—from the endorsed candidates to their opponents.

Plus, what these municipal races tell us about how Connecticut residents will vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.

GUESTS:

• Mark Pazniokas: Capitol Bureau Chief, CT Mirror
• Christine Stuart: Editor-in-chief, CT News Junkie
• Jonathan Wharton: Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs, Southern Connecticut State University

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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All week long, Connecticut Public’s talk shows are celebrating all things nautical with its first-ever NautiWeek. So, on The Wheelhouse, we’re going big on some sea creatures getting attention at the State Capitol.

In recent years, state lawmakers have put in place a number of protections for both horseshoe crabs and shellfish — including a ban on hand-harvesting horseshoe crabs just this past year. This hour, learn all about efforts to preserve both of these creatures in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Jo-Marie Kasinak: Director, Project Limulus at Sacred Heart University
• John Moritz: State Reporter, CT Insider
• Tessa Getchis: Aquaculture Extension Educator, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension Program

Special thanks to our colleague Jeni Ahrens for contributing to this episode.

Dive into all of the nautical-themed stories airing this week on Connecticut Public's original talk shows by visiting ctpublic.org/nautiweek.

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The U.S. Coast Guard is coming under fire for its years-long cover-up of sexual assault. Now, federal lawmakers — including members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation — are demanding accountability. This hour, we’ll give you the latest on that.

Plus, service on one of the largest commuter railroads in America could shut down in the coming months. What a workers strike might mean for the Metro-North railroad — and your commute.

Finally, we break down the debate over Connecticut’s new kindergarten age cutoff.

GUESTS:

• Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, CT Mirror and Connecticut Public
• John Moritz: State Reporter, CT Insider
• Alex Putterman: Reporter, CT Insider
• Lisa Fiore: Professor and Chair of the Education Department, Lesley University

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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In 2021, Connecticut passed a law mandating school districts to have curricula focused on quote "the science of reading." That refers to research-backed approaches to literacy like phonics.

Initially, all 200 school districts had until July 1 of this year to implement an approved “science of reading” program. That deadline is now July 1, 2025. But not all school districts are happy about this.

So, why is “the science of reading” facing so much pushback? This hour, we’ll break down the past and present of the so-called “reading wars” in Connecticut and beyond.

GUESTS:

• Emily Hanford: Senior producer and correspondent at American Public Media; host of the award-winning podcast Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong
• Louise Spear-Swerling: Professor emerita in the department of special education at Southern Connecticut State University
• Dr. Margie Gillis: Founder and president of Connecticut-based nonprofit, “Literacy How”

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

The Wheelhouse

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It’s official — adults in Connecticut can now grow cannabis at home. If you’re 21 or older, you can legally grow up to 12 plants per household, as long as you’re growing them indoors and away from public view.

For years, cannabis has been a budding industry in Connecticut and across the U.S. The push to legalize — and expand the cannabis market — has swept the country. About half of all Americans live in a state where it’s legal to possess and purchase cannabis if you’re 21 years old.

This hour, we’ll get in the weeds on Connecticut’s cannabis laws — and why there's been so much inaction at the federal level.

Plus, a recap of some recent Supreme Court decisions.

GUESTS:

• Jay Wexler: Law professor at Boston University and author of the book Weed Rules: Blazing the Way to a Just and Joyous Marijuana Policy
• Jordan Fenster: Reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media Group and CT Insider
• Tahira Rehmatullah: Co-founder of the CBD company, Commons, and investment firm, Highlands Venture Partners, and co-author of Waiting to Inhale: Cannabis Legalization and the Fight for Racial Justice
• Ian Millhiser: Senior Correspondent, Vox

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Connecticut has hundreds of miles of shoreline, extending from Greenwich in the west to Stonington in the east.

But many of these coastal communities have found ways to exclude certain people. In fact, there's a long history of segregation on our shores, dating back decades. This hour, we’ll unpack past and present beach access in Connecticut.

Plus, we’ll look at who does — and does not — get access to quality public spaces like parks.

GUESTS:

• Andrew Kahrl: Professor of history and African American Studies at the University of Virginia and author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline
• Dr. KangJae Lee: Assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, North Carolina State University

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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