COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Doug Pagitt, Executive Director of the national organization Vote Common Good discusses your group's mission of "mobilizing people of faith to make the common good their voting criteria," with a focus on how progressive religious activists are now taking action to oppose the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda and frequently violent ICE raids targeting communities of color.

2) Steve Ellner is an associate managing editor of Latin American Perspectives and a retired professor at the Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela, where he lived for over forty years. Co-editor of, "Latin American Social Movements and Progressive Governments: Creative Tensions Between Resistance and Convergence," Ellner discusses the situation in Venezuela as the Trump regime appears to be preparing an attack or invasion of the country with the goal of removing President Nicolás Maduro from power.

3) John Tarleton, editor-in-chief of The Indypendent, New York City's free progressive monthly newspaper, reflects on Zohran Mamdani's election victory becoming New York City's first Muslim mayor, first immigrant mayor in 50 years, and youngest mayor in a century, as well as the city's first

democratic socialist mayor, the challenges ahead for governing America's largest city, and how his winning campaign could impact national politics.

4) Norman Solomon, director of RootsAction and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, is author of, "War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine." He talks about his recent commentary, "A year after Trump won, why won’t Democrats change their playbook?" a discussion that goes well beyond the mainstream's superficial analysis of the 2025 off-year election results.

COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Chad Marlow, Senior Policy Counsel with the ACLU discusses takes a critical look at President Trump's late September national security presidential memorandum (NSPM-7) authorizing government-wide investigations into non-profits, activists, and their donors and funders using vague and over-broad labels of “terrorism” and “conspiracy against rights.” He'll also explore what pro-democracy groups and state governments can do to protect groups and individuals' right to dissent and free speech.

2) Peggy Bailey, Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Development with the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, talks about to discuss her group's views on the major issues, and possible solutions to end the ongoing government shutdown, i.e.: extension of ACA subsidies, addressing the impending cut-off of SNAP benefits, and major budget cutbacks in other federal social safety net programs.

3) Andra Watkins, a New York Times best-selling author and Project 2025 dissector on her Substack online newsletter, "For Such a Time as This," discusses the current government shutdown, suspension of SNAP food and nutrition benefits that relate to her recent, timely discussion and article, "How Project 2025 Plans to Starve You into Faith" & "How to Starve Fascists And Cause Their Christian Nationalist Takeover of SNAP and Other Welfare Assistance to Backfire."

4) Maria J. Stephan, co-lead and chief organizer with the Horizons Project and author and editor of five books on authoritarianism and civil resistance, assesses the recent No Kings Day protests, Trump and the Republican Party's labeling anti-authoritarian protesters as "anti-American and terrorists," and what new strategies and tactics may be necessary to adopt in the face of Trump's deployment of heavily armed ICE agents and the US military to cities across the country.

5) Henry Burke Senior Researcher with the Revolving Door Project, examines Donald Trump's recent pardon of convicted money launderer Changpeng Zhao, that many observers link to Zhao's boost of the Trump family’s crypto business, and an “example of Trump’s Pay-to-Pardon scheme.” He'll also share his views of how Trump, unlike any other U.S. president, has exploited his office to accumulate what some estimate to be more than $3 billion added to his personal fortune during the first 9 months of his second term.

COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org

Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint

1) Robert Weiner, Director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, discusses the critical issues being decided in the Louisiana v. Callais case now before the US Supreme Court, the expected ruling in this case will impose racial gerrymandered Congressional district maps eliminating the voices of Black and Latino legislators, and the battle ahead to restore and strengthen civil rights law, democracy, and equal access to the ballot box in the months and years ahead.

2) Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas discusses the importance of local elections, highlighting typical low turnout and the need for more civic engagement. She'll also talk about steps her office is taking to ensure elections in Bridgeport are secure and open to all eligible voters, questions about early voting and absentee voting -- as well as concerns that the Trump regime is now laying the groundwork to manipulate the results or cancel the 2026 midterm election.

3) Hardy Merriman, former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, whose research and training focuses on support for nonviolent civil resistance movements fighting for rights, freedom, and justice, and how communities can organize to counter political violence. He'll discuss his views on the direction and strength of the US anti-authoritarian resistance movement, i.e. the recent No Kings Day mobilization -- and what new strategies and tactics may be necessary to rapidly adopt in the face of Donald Trump's deployment of heavily armed ICE agents and the US military to cities across the country.

4) David Paul, a member of the Task Force on the Americas, and Democratic Socialists of America, assesses the Trump regime's escalating military threats against Venezuela, Columbia, Latin America, the bombing of small boats and murder of 40+ alleged drug smugglers or fishermen in international waters, open discussion by the White of a regime change war targeting Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, as well as a summary of recent US-Venezuela relations.