The Wheelhouse

Polls show that more Americans are embracing socialism. At the same time, politicians that call themselves Democratic Socialists are often painted by conservatives as political extremists. What is a Democratic Socialist? And why is President Donald Trump calling a popular one in the race for New York City’s mayor a communist? Today on the Wheelhouse, we define socialism. We’ll wade through complicated political waters to examine its history and complex ideology. GUESTS: Dan HaarChristopher VialsSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent political violence – and a government shutdown – have turned American politics into a mudslinging free for all. With more attention on owning the other side – and less emphasis on civility, are there still safe spaces for debate?On college campuses a new survey says more students are self-censoring in favor of speaking freely. Today on The Wheelhouse, a temperature check on political dialogue with a college Democrat and a college Republican. How are these Connecticut students charting a path forward? GUESTS: Bilal SekouJonathan Wharton, Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Connecticut Sun could be the latest professional franchise to pull out of Connecticut. But a full court press of politicians is working to save the WNBA franchise and keep the team right here in Connecticut. According to CT Insider, lawmakers want to use state pension funds to buy a minority stake in the team. Today on The Wheelhouse, what state officials are doing to “Save Our Sun” in the self-proclaimed the “Basketball Capital of the World.” GUESTS: Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.Kurt BadenhausenP.R. LockhartSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beth Bye, a former state lawmaker and outgoing head of the Office of Early Childhood, is retiring from state service after years of work helping young children. Bye’s retirement comes after the state legislature passed a sweeping bill last session offering free child care to many Connecticut families. Today on The Wheelhouse, an exit interview with Beth Bye. Plus, we check in with another advocate for children, Sarah Eagan, about her concern for the state’s social safety net. GUESTS: Beth ByeSarah EaganGeorgia GoldburnMichayla Savitt Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal tax credits for electric vehicles will expire at the end of September. Connecticut residents also won’t be able to access other federal incentives for heat pumps, rooftop solar and home energy audits. Today on The Wheelhouse, how local officials can promote energy efficiency amid a federal rollback on clean energy. Also – Connecticut’s freedom of information law turns 50 this year. We talk to reporters about continued efforts to hold officials accountable in 2025. GUESTS: Katie DykesÁine PennelloChris HartoJacqueline Rabe Thomas Jim HaddadinSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, is defending his policies on Capitol Hill. He recently spoke to Congress following a brain drain at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s director was fired. And several other high-level officials have also left the agency. They say Kennedy is weakening the administration with what they call “unscientific views.” Today on The Wheelhouse, we ask public health officials in Connecticut how they’re preparing for the next pandemic and their thoughts on the future of health policy amid a nationwide movement to “Make America Healthy Again.” GUESTS: Apoorva MandavilliLynn SosaSujata SrinivasanSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump declared war on immigration from his first day in office. Since then, the White House has vowed to protect Americans from what it’s calling an “invasion.” U.S. Sen Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is troubled by recent action, including a statewide sweep by immigration authorities that resulted in 65 arrests. Murphy accuses Trump of using racist tropes on immigration to distract Americans from his “corruption and lawlessness.” Today on The Wheelhouse, we talk to Murphy about the White House’s domestic policy agenda. You’ll also hear from Daniela Doncel and Maysoon Khan, two Connecticut Public reporters, about a special immigration status reserved for abused migrant youth – and how it’s being rolled back. GUESTS: U.S. Sen. Chris MurphyArchon FungMark Hugo LopezDaniela DoncelMaysoon Khan Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beginning on September 1, Congress will race to finalize the federal budget before the September 30 deadline. And Connecticut’s schools are feeling the ripple effects of funding uncertainty. Today on The Wheelhouse, we talk with educators about the challenges and concerns heading into the new school year. Plus, we take a close look at one Connecticut district experimenting with a year-round calendar. Tune in to hear what this means for students, families, and teachers alike! GUESTS: Connecticut Education AssociationConnecticut Association of Public School SuperintendentsLisa HaganCT MirrorCT PublicNew London Public Schools Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Connecticut earn the moniker “Constitution State”? Hint – it’s not the Constitution you learned about in history class! We’ll travel back to the 1600s to explore how history, conflict and big aspirations helped shape the state’s identity. GUESTS: Thomas BalcerskiKathy Craughwell-VardaAndrea RapaczSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though some anthropologists believe humans are apex predators, a new book argues we’re actually not. Author Kurt Gray posits understanding our vulnerabilities – coming to terms with our former reality as prey – could help us co-exist in tumultuous political times. Today on The Wheelhouse, Gray, a social psychologist at The Ohio State University, discusses his book, “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics… and How to Find Common Ground.” GUESTS: Kurt Gray, author, “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground” The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s 2025 and next year’s congressional races are already heating up. We’re learning more about U.S. Rep. John Larson’s seat in Connecticut’s First Congressional District. Columnist Dan Haar says the 2026 re-election bid will be Larson’s “toughest challenge” yet. Are Larson’s age and health a primary factor in a prospective close race? Today on The Wheelhouse, Dan Haar and constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar tackle that question and explore why the U.S. doesn’t have term limits for Congress. Also, do you know if there’s lead in your home’s drinking water? We talk to the reporters behind a CT Mirror investigation that found lead in the water lines of thousands of Connecticut homes. GUESTS: Akhil Reed AmarDan HaarColin McEnroeAndrew BrownJenna CarlessoSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gen Z has grown up in an age of school shootings, climate anxiety, the pandemic and the algorithm. With all that they’ve gone through, how is Gen Z engaging with media and with politics? Today on The Wheelhouse, we’re looking at the forces shaping Gen Z in Connecticut and across the nation. We’ll explore how this generation votes at the ballot box and ask what their future role may be in American democracy. GUESTS: Rachel JanfazaElena MooreChristian Paz Coco Cooley and Isaac Moss assisted in the production of this episode. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legislation seeking to address Connecticut’s affordable housing crisis was vetoed earlier this year by Gov. Ned Lamont. But, the proposal could soon come back in a special session. If it does, state lawmakers face a question: can they craft an affordable housing plan that satisfies both the governor and local leaders? Opponents of the original bill say it was pushing quotas on cities and towns. Local leaders said it hampered their ability to make planning and zoning decisions. But supporters say the law was a “meaningful step” forward in a state plagued by high rents and too little housing. Today on The Wheelhouse, what’s next for affordable housing legislation in Connecticut? GUESTS: Rep. Jason RojasSen. Tony HwangAbby BroneGinny Monk,Jacqueline Rabe ThomasSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump’s massive tax-and-spending package is officially the law. The legislation provides tax cuts for some Americans. But it could raise costs for some of the country’s poorest households. That’s due to reductions in Medicaid and food assistance. The legislation Republicans are calling the “big beautiful bill" seeks to cut Medicaid and food stamps by more than $1 trillion. Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll dig deeper into how the bill will impact SNAP and Medicaid benefits in Connecticut. GUESTS: Andrea Barton ReevesSujata SrinivasanAmari Brantley,Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut lawmakers passed some of the most ambitious housing legislation in years this session. The bill looked to address affordable housing, zoning and parking. But then, Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed it. The Democrat is now inviting lawmakers to make a new proposal, which he hopes to pass it later this year in a special session. Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll speak to the governor live in-studio, asking about that veto. We’ll also get his thoughts on running for a third term. GUESTS: Ned LamontMark PazniokasLiz KurantowiczBilal Sekou The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, A Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fall, students at Yale University will take a course called “Bad Bunny: Musical Aesthetics and Politics.” Bad Bunny, born on the island of Puerto Rico as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, isn’t the first Latino musician to weave activism into his work. Regarding the Yale class, Bad Bunny told Rolling Stone magazine “I have in the back of my mind that I want to do big things and make a difference, but I do it for myself.” “I don’t do it hoping that at some point, they’ll offer classes about me at universities,” he said. Today on The Wheelhouse, how politics and music intersect on the island next door. GUESTS: Albert LagunaYale UniversityRachel IacovoneCT PublicPetra Rivera-RideauWellesley CollegeLa GataCharles Venator SantiagoUniversity of ConnecticutSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut has hundreds of miles of shoreline, extending from Greenwich in the west to Stonington in the east. Many of these coastal communities have found ways to exclude certain people. There’s actually a long history of segregation on our shores, dating back decades. This hour, we’ll look at 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: Associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, University of Utah Hear more from Andrew Kahrl in this episode of Disrupted. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2023 and was produced by Meg Dalton. Our technical producers were Catie Talarski and Cat Pastor. Robyn Doyon-Aitken edited the audio. The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut lawmakers recently cemented their priorities for the next two years with final passage of a $55.8 billion budget. At the end of the 2025 legislative session, they were able to find money for Medicaid programs and invest in our children’s future, especially young children. But some – mainly the minority in the state legislature – say that it comes at too high of a cost. Today on the Wheelhouse, the “fiscal guardrails” have been breached and lawmakers will press forward amid a foggy federal funding landscape. GUESTS: Rep. Jason RojasCT House DemocratsRep. Vin CandeloraCT House RepublicansAlex PuttermanCT InsiderMichayla SavittSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 legislative session in Connecticut started with lawmakers facing an uncertain future clouded by potential federal funding cuts. The end of the session is nigh in Connecticut. Amid these murky days, we know that local lawmakers have taken drastic measures to shore up state Medicaid funding. But how far are they willing to go to secure a new two-year budget deal? Today on the Wheelhouse, a preview of the last day of regular lawmaking in Connecticut. GUESTS: Mark PazniokasCT MirrorSusan RaffWFSB News Ch. 3Ebong UdomaWSHUBeth ByeCT Office of Early ChildhoodEva Bermudez-ZimmermanChild Care for CTSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State lawmakers are foregoing budget caps to fund Medicaid. But with Medicaid relying on two primary funding sources–and U.S. lawmakers poised to pass President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”--the future of low-income healthcare programs is uncertain. Today on The Wheelhouse, America’s brittle social safety net hangs in the balance. GUESTS: Lisa HaganCT MirrorCT PublicJoan AlkerGeorgetown UniversityJohn Henry SmithCT PublicSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.