Back in 2009, the United States ushered in the new decade with a federal minimum wage of $7.25. Ten years later in 2020, it hasn’t risen at all—even as the costs of housing, education, and healthcare have skyrocketed. To explore the issue of stagnant and poverty wages, guest host Nan Enstad is joined by historian […]
Understanding the Escalating U.S.–Iran Conflict
Since the U.S.-ordered killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani over the weekend, a lot of Americans have been trying to make sense of what’s going on in Iran—and why the United States has escalated its involvement. To get more context on U.S.–Iran relations and what comes next, for today’s episode Ali talks to political science […]
The Fight for Fair Maps in Wisconsin with Rep. Dianne Hesselbein
With 2020 elections looming on the horizon, we revisit the issue of gerrymandering and the fight for fair maps with Wisconsin State Representative Dianne Hesselbein for today’s episode. She offers updates on AB 303, the nonpartisan redistricting reform bill proposed by the state legislature. With fair maps in place, Rep. Hesselbein says, “Nobody can rig […]
Reporting Back from the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid
As we embark on another year of urgent climate activism, today’s episode focuses on the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) held in Madrid from December 2–14, 2019. Our guests are local COP 25 attendees Brian Lavendel from the Sustaining All Life delegation and Carol Phelps with Christian Climate Observers Program, who share their experiences […]
What is public record? with guest host Dylan Brogan
Who can file an open record request, and when can government officials deny a request? Our host for the hour, Dylan Brogan talks with experts to unpack the policies around open records in Wisconsin. Our first guest of the hour is Amanda St. Hilaire. Amanda is a journalist with Fox6 and earlier this year she […]
Music and healing from the Vietnam war with Doug Bradley
In a hour with several callers, host Allen Ruff talks with Madison-based author, Vietnam veteran, and activist Doug Bradley. His new book is Who’ll Stop the Rain: Respect, Remembrance, and Reconciliation in Post-Vietnam America. It explores how the music of the Vietnam era helped create safe, nonjudgmental environments for listening, sharing, and understanding. Doug Bradley […]
