www.commsolutionsmn.com- The Kamala Harris campaign is confusing. Despite the lack of interviews, the information we are hearing is vague... almost like they are trying to hide what she stands for. The strange appearances by Governor Tim Walz aren't helping either. Conversely, President Trump doesn't let an opportunity to speak to the public go to …

This week on the podcast, Ben and Cate discuss the new Pan Atlantic poll showing some interesting results across the state. They also dig into expenditure reports and online ad archives to give a sense of the hard-fought battle for control of Maine’s state legislature. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future… The post The under-the-radar ad …

Marshall Ganz, America’s pre-emeninent expert on grassroots organizing, sits down with Ben Chin on the podcast this week to discuss how to build organizing skills, build a movement, and create lasting change. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app… The post Heads…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- We just had what looks to be the one and only presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. All of the press claimed victory for the Vice President, but is that really the truth? They went toe to toe on the economy, Afghanistan, January 6th, crime, immigration, and more. Despite the initial reaction from the m…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- We're on the eve of the first (and maybe only) presidential debate. We set it up and give you our predictions, not only on the outcome, but on the press, the process, and what must happen. Nations around the world wink at having a freedom of speech, but in America, we are the only nation that has it enshrined in our constit…

On the podcast this week, Cate and Esther discuss the presidential debate and its aftermath, Maine’s new online voter registration system and increased rates of Mainers registering to vote. They also discuss Maine’s housing crunch and how it’s affecting college students and some possible solutions seen in Connecticut. Plus rays of hope. You can sub…

Missouri Military Minute - Lt. Dan Band At Ft. Leonard Wood by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

The largest military-friendly bill in Missouri in recent years.Von Minnesota News Network

On the podcast this week, Cate interviews Miles Rapoport, Executive Director of 100% Democracy, an initiative to advance voting as both a fundamental right and a civic responsibility. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple… The post 100% Dem…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The last two election cycles have shown that the polls are consistently wrong. President Trump consistently outperforms the polls, and we believe that this year is no different. We discuss results from the past couple of presidential cycles and what we see happening in the culture with President Trump picking up a lot of no…

This week on the podcast, Ben interviews Vincent Bevins, journalist and author of the new book If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. Bevins discusses the mass movements of the 2010s across the world, where they failed and how change can be made. Ask a question or leave a comment for… The post Vincent Bevins on why mass pro…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Things have been blowing by at breakneck speed. Huge news stories, that would normally last weeks in the media, now are here and gone in days. We take a moment to call out Comcast and professional sports over their latest scam to bilk more money from the fans. At some point, the average fan will be completely priced out and…

This week on the podcast, Ben interviews Deepak Bhargava, a longtime social justice leader and organizing luminary on his new book, Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World. Cate and Ben also discuss Kamala Harris’ economic agenda and their shared love of Robert Caro. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future… The post Deepak B…

This week on the podcast, Esther Pew is joined by an impressive array of Maine LGBTQ and reproductive rights experts to discuss the implementation of the state’s new shield law, protecting health care providers and patients from investigation and prosecution by authorities in other states. The panel includes Mary Bonauto with GLBTQ Legal Advocates …

On the Beacon Podcast this week, Esther Pew interviews Tess Parks, a policy organizer with Maine Recovery Advocacy Project, on drug policy and recovery. Esther and Ben also discuss the pick of Gov. Tim Walz as the Democrat for VP and how his record in Minnesota compares to Maine. Ask a question or leave a… The post Under Walz, Minnesota did what Ma…

Esther and Ben discuss the big changes in the presidential race and the effects on enthusiasm and turnout in Maine. They also recap some findings from investigations of the Lewiston mass shooting and talk about how local housing regulations have worked in Portland. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at… The post Podcast: Maine’s el…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Sometimes the news moves faster than we can keep up with. In the time between we cut this, edited it, and posted it, both Lou Dobbs passed away (RIP) and Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Despite that, this is still a hard-hitting, explosive podcast. We all watched in horror as a 20-year old Thomas Crooks trie…

Missouri Military Minute - National Churchill Museum In Fulton by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

Features historian Bob PriddyVon Minnesota News Network

You heard us right! This week, Ben and Cate talk about Pres. Joe Biden’s proposal on Tuesday to cap rent increases at 5% for large corporate landlords. The proposal is a huge win for tenant advocates and would impact 20 million homes around the country. And that’s not all — around Maine this week, we’ve… The post Good news for tenants (really!) fir…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- We recently witnessed the first (and possibly last) presidential debate of the 2024 election season. It was a massacre. President Biden not only did worse than anyone expected, President Trump handled Biden and the moderators almost perfectly. Biden stumbled, mumbled, and stared blankly, and with an open mouth, into space. …

Arthur Philips of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Cate Blackford to discuss the results of their report on Maine’s direct care workforce. It’s not good. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. The post Podcast: The ongoin…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The first presidential debate is drawing nigh. It's looking like President Biden may end up being the nominee, but what about vice president? Kamala Harris remains unpopular and doesn't seem to help Joe Biden's struggling poll numbers at all. Amy Klobuchar alway outperforms in Minnesota. Why? Why do more Minnesotans vote fo…

This week on the podcast, Esther, Cate and Ben discuss some of the testimony before the Independent Commission on the mass shooting in Lewiston, a new proposed anti-panhandling ordinance in Bangor, and some structural problems with how Maine addresses mental health, homelessness and policing. Plus: Learn how to support a strong paid family leave pr…

Guests Andy O’Brien of the Maine AFL-CIO and Lisa Margulies of Planned Parenthood join guest-host Mike Tipping to discuss the results of this week’s primary and municipal elections. From the flipping of an anti-trans school board to the ousting of Democratic incumbent Bruce White in Waterville by Cassie Julia, progressive candidates had a good elec…

Guest Mike Tipping joins Esther on the podcast this week to talk polling results, the Republican Primary race in CD2, health care, housing and Aztec history. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. The post Podcast: How much do Main…

Missouri Congressman Sam Graves pushes for C-130J funding to potentially help 139th Air Wing.Von Minnesota News Network

Missouri Military Minute - Rosecrans Memorial Airport Improvements by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

Missouri Legislature's outreach to service members.Von Minnesota News Network

Admiral James Stavridis addresses Churchill conference at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri on importance of NATO.Von Minnesota News Network

A writer from NW Missouri tells WWII stories with a unique angle.Von Minnesota News Network

www.commsolutionsmn.com- What is going on with the Biden campaign? They scheduled their convention so late, that if anything unforseen happens, there will be no Democratic candidate on the ballot in Ohio. Will President Biden make it to the general election? Will Kamala Harris? This campaign is losing and losing bad. Obama can't see all of his work…

On the podcast this week, Cate Blackford and Ben Chin are joined by Maine People’s Alliance board member Jim Parakilas to discuss some legislative primaries, MPA’s endorsements, and an important zoning conversation in Portland. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any… The post P…

This week on the podcast, Esther and Cate discuss new rules proposed for the implementation of the paid family and medical leave program passed by the legislature last year as well as the fight over funding for South Portland’s Human Rights Commission. They also talk about a sad book and a happier TV show. Ask… The post Podcast: Maine’s paid family…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Gavin Newsome promised to end homelessness in California. Now it's at all-time high. We don't see the problem getting better, but exponentially worse. He's giving them free drugs, Election polls keep rolling in, and President Trump keeps widening his lead in the swing states. In fact, he is starting to go after Biden in sta…

On the podcast this week, Esther, Cate and Ben discuss the last day of the 131st Maine legislature, a disagreement over process with the governor, and what her vetoes mean for some important policies, from investigating rape kits to paying childcare providers. Plus: Ben’s thoughts on the roast of Tom Brady and Cate has to… The post Podcast: What th…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- When times get tough, people depend on entertainment to take them away. Today, entertainment is rotten through and through. How are they making us forget our problems, when they are championing our problems? They can't create art that brings people together because they are too busy separating us. The problem is that we hav…

This week on the podcast, Esther Pew interviews Luc Kuanzambi of Portland. An immigrant from the Congo, Kuanzambi is a communications specialist and host of Luc’s 2 Cents Podcast, which highlights immigrants’ experiences and opinions on sociopolitical events. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the… T…

www.commsolutionsmn.com- It’s been a while, thanks to a technical meltdown at Comm Solutions HQ. We will not be kept down! We’ve got a couple of back episodes to release, but we’re storming forward. In this episode, we discuss the passing of Senator Joe Lieberman, and his mark on the future of the Democratic Party. They have drifted so far since th…

On the podcast this week, organizing luminary George Goehl sits down to talk with Ben Chin about Fundamentals of Community Organizing, his new treatise, website and podcast on how to bring people together and win structural change. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast… The post Podcast: How…

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 thr…

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 …

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 pl…

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 ‘m…

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…

Missouri Military Minute - State Legislature Considers Sign - Up Bonus Protections by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

Missouri Military Minute - St. Joseph Fights for The 139th Airlift Group by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

Missouri Military Minute- Mo Military Advocate At The 139th Airlift Wing by Minnesota News NetworkVon Minnesota News Network

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The State of the Union address was uneventful, so maybe that was a win for President Biden, although his angry demeanor and use of the weord "illegal" kept him from getting a bump in the polls. This guy is in trouble and Democrats are starting to get nervous. Unfortunately, the Republicans weren't able to capitalize on the …

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 Pod…