Best ACLU of Massachusetts Podcasts (2025)

1
ACLU: Fighting Trump for Immigrants 34:33

5h ago34:33

34:33

Please donate to the show! We have an important conversation with Laura Rotolo, the senior advocacy director for field initiatives at the ACLU of Massachusetts, in part three of our series on immigration during the Trump administration. We discuss how current actions on immigration attack our democratic foundations, why the administration has chose…

1
Tufts Student Abducted 40:35

16d ago40:35

40:35

Please donate to the show! In part two of our series on immigration during the Trump administration, we talk with Nicole Eigbrett, a co-executive director of the Asian American Resource Workshop. We discuss ICE's abduction of Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, the importance of defending immigrant rights from the administration's assault, the L…

1
Immigrants in Massachusetts 34:05

20d ago34:05

34:05

Please donate to the show! We start a series on immigration during the second Trump administration by speaking with Dr. Geralde Gabeau, the founder and CEO of the Immigrant Family Services Institute. We take a look at temporary protected status for immigrants, economic reverberations for all Americans, and the personal crises of those being targete…

1
Massachusetts Primary Care Crisis 25:53

24d ago25:53

25:53

Please donate to the show! Our fourth and final episode in our series on healthcare discusses the findings of an alarming report into the state of health care in Massachusetts conducted by the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. We explore the difficulties of getting primary and preventative care in our state, the realities that insurance cover…

1
Medicare for All in New York 35:10

1M ago35:10

35:10

Please donate to the show! We invite Morgan Moore, executive director of the New York Metro Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, to the show for the third part of our series on health care. We take a look at New York as a case study for advancing single-payer health care legislation, challenging reluctant Democratic legislative lead…

1
MassCare 38:43

1M ago38:43

38:43

Please donate to the show! We continue our series on health care with a special guest: Kimberley Connors, executive director of the Single Payer Campaign of Massachusetts, or MassCare. We discuss the history of advocacy for single-payer health care in Massachusetts, other models around the world, and why it's so urgent to adopt single-payer health …

1
HealthCare Now 36:53

4M ago36:53

36:53

Please donate to the show! In the first episode of our new season, we kick off a series on healthcare by discussing the Luigi Mangione incident and the public’s response. We delve into the critical work of Healthcare Now, reflect on the Trump administration’s influence on healthcare goals, and explore how potential changes to Medicare could reshape…

1
End of Session 31:15

5M ago31:15

31:15

Please donate to the show! Today, we dive into the latest legislative moves in Massachusetts. First, we’ll revisit question one on the state auditor and examine the legislature’s actions. Then, we’ll unpack the end of the legislative session, where lawmakers broke their own rules to pass key bills—including economic development and climate change i…

1
Ballot Q Results 28:24

6M ago28:24

28:24

Please donate to the show! Today, we will be discussing the five ballot questions that appeared on the state ballot across Massachusetts. We’ll break down the results—covering the three that passed and the two that failed—and dive into the details, outcomes, and key takeaways from each. Tune in for everything you need to know about how these measur…

1
Presidential Election Takeaways 1:02:12

6M ago1:02:12

1:02:12

Please donate to the show! Today, we’re stepping into the realm of national politics to unpack the recent election results, which didn’t unfold as many of our listeners might have hoped. We’ll explore key takeaways, share differing perspectives, and discuss what these results mean moving forward. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mass …

1
Getting People to Vote 23:32

6M ago23:32

23:32

Please donate to the show! Today, we’re diving into strategies for mobilizing voters and convincing them to support causes you care about. We’ll discuss what motivates marginal voters, the importance of a theory of change in politics, and how to effectively engage with elected officials and key issues. Plus, we’ll break down the tools of election s…

1
City Budgets 25:14

7M ago25:14

25:14

Please donate to the show! Today, we’re tackling the issue of city and town revenue in Massachusetts. We’ll break down how state laws limit local revenue-raising options compared to other states and the impact these restrictions have on our communities. From the constraints of Proposition 2½ to the role of the state legislature and the Speaker’s po…

1
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics 30:48

7M ago30:48

30:48

Please donate to the show! Today, we will be discussing how unfortunate it is that data often doesn’t drive decision-making, despite claims of economic reasoning. We’ll cover a few upcoming ballot measures, including: unionizing Uber and Lyft drivers, increasing the tipped minimum wage, and addressing widespread misconceptions around progressive po…

1
Ballot Questions 37:42

8M ago37:42

37:42

Please donate to the show! Today, we will be discussing the propositions that will be on the ballot in November, including: Question 1, which addresses whether or not to audit the state legislature; Question 2, which focuses on whether or not to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement; Question 3, which asks if rideshare drivers should be given t…

1
Primaries 41:52

9M ago41:52

41:52

Please donate to the show! Today we will discuss the recent primary elections! We will be covering what happened with the state house representative seats, talking a little bit about the governor's council, and what it's like to run a second time as a challenger. We'll also get into the system that we have in Massachusetts and why it is so broken. …

1
Shelter 28:52

10M ago28:52

28:52

Please donate to the show! Today we will discuss shelter, including legislation such as ERAP and RAFT, the current policy sphere, how it has changed, how it affects cities and towns, and how Governor Healy has been engaging with this issue. City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan to chat about Massachu…

1
Tim Walz 33:05

10M ago33:05

33:05

Please donate to the show! Today we discuss Kamala Harris's Vice Presidential pick, Tim Walz. We're also going to be talking about Walz's state of Minnesota and how impressive it is that their one-vote majority of Democrats is passing so much policy. We'll compare it a little bit to Massachusetts, where we will be discussing our session this time a…

1
Legislative Amendments 36:34

10M ago36:34

36:34

Please donate to the show! Today we discuss the legislative cycle to remind you of what happens in Massachusetts every two years. We will talk about a little bit about a few specific amendments that have been announced and then pulled, and we'll talk about why this happens. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachuset…

1
The Olympics 44:00

10M ago44:00

44:00

Please donate to the show! Today, we discuss the Olympics and the real consequences of having Olympics in your city: displacement, gentrification, militarization. We'll talk about the athletes' under compensation relative to big executives, and the corporatism of the International Olympic Committee. Jordan Berg Powers, Anna Callahan, and Jonathan C…

1
Passing Illegal Legislation 19:46

11M ago19:46

19:46

Please donate to the show! Today, we discuss the implications of passing laws that are not currently legal, and why that is particularly important for legislators at the city and state levels here in Massachusetts. We start with home rule petitions for policies that the state has not allowed legislation for yet, and later explore how Republicans an…

1
What Passed in 2024? 30:58

11M ago30:58

30:58

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the legislative session which is ending in a few weeks and the 121 bills that passed. Don't get your hopes too high, though. We will talk about the many things that have not passed, and those will include things like pay equity, gun safety, prescription drug pricing, plastics and climate bills, childca…

1
Funding Our Education 40:21

11M ago40:21

40:21

Please donate to the show! Today, we discuss the funding of our public schools here in Massachusetts, the student opportunity act, how inflation has impacted schools, and the expiry of federal Covid-19 funds for schools. We are joined by experts from Mass Budget and Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance to examine this issue as analysts, advocat…

1
Community Land Trusts 36:42

11M ago36:42

36:42

Please donate to the show! Today we will be talking about community land trusts--what they are, how they can support residents like you--as well as other state-level legislation including the TOPA (Tenants' Opportunity to Purchase Act) and Real Estate Transfer Fee. Minnie McMahon from the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative joins Anna Callahan an…

1
Progressive Mass 28:50

12M ago28:50

28:50

Please donate to the show! Today we will be highlighting a wonderful organization in the state that does fantastic work on the progressive scene. It is called Progressive Mass, and we will be joined by fellow podcaster Jonathan Cohn, the Policy Director. Anna Callahan interviews fellow podcaster Jonathan Cohn. This is the audio version of the Incor…

1
Foul Play! Outside Interference and the Real Estate Transfer Fee. 25:24

12M ago25:24

25:24

Please donate to the show! Today we will be talking about corporate interests, lobbyists, and how they influence housing bills, from the state level to the city level here in Medford. We focus on the case of the real estate transfer fee and repercussions that we've seen recently. Jonathan Cohn and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. Th…

1
Behind-the-Scenes Budget 38:05

1y ago38:05

38:05

Please donate to the show! Today we discuss what's happening with the budget, how the budget process is not meeting our needs, how different it is from what we voted for it to be. And then we dig in to talk about a number of specific topics, including inflation, earmarks, taxes and more. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat abo…

1
Bring it to the Ballot! Ballot Questions and State Power 28:42

1y ago28:42

28:42

Please donate to the show! Today we discuss ballot initiatives, the committee in the legislature that has now "dealt" with ballot initiatives, and the wonderful way they did so with a predetermined outcome. We're also talking about the end product, and organizers and advocates who ignore the rigged nature of the votes. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan …

1
Earth Day - Sustainability IS Political 28:42

1y ago28:42

28:42

Please donate to the show! Today we cover the politics of Earth Day and sustainability, some upcoming environmental lawsuits, and the role of corporations and government versus our role in preserving our planet. And no environmental discussion would be complete without coral reefs, fast fashion, American consumerism, and climate inequality. Jordan …

1
Supreme Court Corruption 27:57

1y ago27:57

27:57

Please donate to the show! Today we cover a Supreme Court case about corruption, and the little decisions that lead up to people eventually making horrible corrupt decisions. We also discuss the hollowing out of the middle class and how that has affected corruption as we see it in government, and the important implications for democracy. Jordan Ber…

1
Media Bias -- Hot Off The Press 23:59

1y ago23:59

23:59

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about today we talk about how the media does not expect for conservatives to govern and only puts all of that burden on the Democrats and how that affects all sorts of issues, from abortion to climate to taxation, including all sorts of state issues and local issues and national issues. Jordan Berg Powers, J…

1
The Governor's Council -- The Appendix of Massachusetts 29:09

1y ago29:09

29:09

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about today we talk about the Governor's Council -- what they do, the unofficial tenure of the people who've been on there for decades, their (lack of) diversity and how this affects the lives of people who have been incarcerated here in Massachusetts. Jean Trounstine and Harry Margolis join Jonathan Cohn an…

1
For Whom The Gov Serves 30:00

1y ago30:00

30:00

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about who the government really works for. Does our government work for you? Does our government work for vulnerable people? Does our government work for the bottom 50% of wage earners? And if not, who does it work for? We'll talk a little bit about the grand bargain, big lobbies like real estate and insuran…

1
Lawmakers Breaking the Law 34:27

1y ago34:27

34:27

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the three times when the state legislature broke the law instead of passing progressive policy, to make sure that they crushed progressive policy. And those times include crushing clean elections (getting money out of politics), Medicare for All (healthcare as a right for all people who live here), and…

1
DPU Decision: Done Doggedly Denying Climate Disaster 34:59

1+ y ago34:59

34:59

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the Department of Public Utilities decision that happened in December, where they made some decisions about the future of gas in the state of Massachusetts. We also discuss a little bit of environmental history in Massachusetts, the reality of distributed environmental justice, and how Massachusetts co…

1
Joint Rule 10 Day: Arbitrary State Deadlines Not Even Followed 34:32

1+ y ago34:32

34:32

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about Joint Rule 10 Day, which is a deadline for getting bills passed through certain hoops before they can pass through other hoops. This includes bills like the Transfer Fee, Debt Free College, Rent Control, PILOT Reform, Public Banking, Medicare for All, Prison Moratorium, Safe Communities Act, Vote 16, a…

1
Cities vs The State: How Massachusetts Pre-empts Progressive Local Policy 25:25

1+ y ago25:25

25:25

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about cities versus the state, and how the Massachusetts state constitution prevents cities' duly-elected city councilors from passing a whole swath of policy locally that residents need. We discuss home rule, how we compare to other states, and how inefficient the state's oversight is. Jordan Berg Powers, J…

1
Governor's Budget — What it means for You, Your Kids, and Your Pocketbook 25:27

1+ y ago25:27

25:27

Please donate to the show! Today we are talking about the governor's proposed budget. We're talking about where that money comes from, how things are getting paid for as well now. We also cover some questions, like: Can things be changed in the middle of the year like what happens next? How do we compare with other states? Phineas Baxandall from th…

1
Small Potatoes - Why We Lack Big Progress in Democrat-Majority Massachusetts 24:20

1+ y ago24:20

24:20

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about why so-called "state wins" are actually small potatoes. We dive into how we hear from state reps or state senators "Hey, look at these amazing things that we did," and how looking into their boasts reveals that not a lot of actual change was made compared to what else could they be doing with their tim…

1
Public Banking - What It Is and How It Could Change Your Life 34:49

1+ y ago34:49

34:49

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about public banking--what it is, why it matters, and how you might be helped by it. We discuss how it might affect communities of color, women-owned businesses, cooperatives, and small farms, as well as the political movement for and history of public banking. And then we dive into a super wonky little subj…

1
Budget Cuts -- How cutting the state budget hurts our futures 25:17

1+ y ago25:17

25:17

Today we talk about Governor Healy's 9C budget cuts. We'll dive into how it affects our funding of programs that we need, tying it to the Fair Share amendment and tax cuts that they passed. We will be talking about how you know the downturn is affecting all of us, government programs in need of investment, and explore the state budget. This is the …

1
Homelessness -- Covid-19 and Homelessness: How Massachusetts Has Fallen Behind 35:36

1+ y ago35:36

35:36

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the new regulations around shelters. We go into how Covid has affected homelessness as well as legislation to make things easier for a lot of the people who are homeless today. And of course, we will be exploring some of the deeper values that we share here among the listeners of our podcast and the un…

1
Parole -- how does it work and why it needs to be improved in Massachusetts 39:59

1+ y ago39:59

39:59

Please donate to the show! Today we talk to two wonderful experts about parole and what needs to change about it. We talk about how long people can be on parole, how many people return to jail because they break some small technical aspect of parole, and what we need to do here in Massachusetts to make parole more humane and better for our society.…

1
Local election results! Boston, Worcester, Medford, Malden, Somerville, Everett, Revere & more 43:27

1+ y ago43:27

43:27

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the results of the local elections from Nov 7. We'll go over Boston, Worcester, and Medford in some detail, as well as quick updates for Malden, Somerville, Everett, Revere, Springfield, Newton, Marlborough, & Waltham. We also talk about how the electorate for local and state elections has changed sinc…

1
Local Elections -- Vote this Tuesday Nov 7th! 35:31

1+ y ago35:31

35:31

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about city elections in Massachusetts. We'll cover why local elections matter, how to vote, and what to look for in local elected officials. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan to chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mass podcast, season 5 episode…

1
Halloween Special: Bills Graveyard! Nightmare on Beacon Street! 30:19

1+ y ago30:19

30:19

Please donate to the show! Cue the spooky music! Today we chat with Erin from Act on Mass about all the bills should have passed but died in the state legislature. Many of these bills have been around for years, and often they die not because they are voted down, but because leadership never allows them to come up for a vote! Erin Leahy joins Jorda…

1
Healey's Housing Bond Bill - what's in it and why it's not enough 22:39

1+ y ago22:39

22:39

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the $4B housing bond bill. You may think it allocates $4B to affordable housing, but in fact, our state has cut funding for affordable housing, rental assistance, and the unhoused. This bill simply allows the state to go into up to $4B of debt that will potentially be used for affordable housing. Liste…

1
UAW, unions, and worker power 38:29

1+ y ago38:29

38:29

Please donate to the show! Today we talk with Evan MacKay, President of the Harvard Graduate Students Union about workers rights. We cover the UAW strikes across the country as well as what is happening here in Massachusetts, including worker-centered policies like worker safety and right to strike. Evan MacKay joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Co…

1
MBTA -- How can we fix our public transit in an equitable and sustainable way? 40:40

1+ y ago40:40

40:40

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about the MBTA, and how it has been under-funded for decades. Public transit can be such a benefit to society and to our future sustainability. We talk about what recent developments are influencing transportation as well as some of the fare-free options in Massachusetts. Jim Aloisi joins Jordan Berg Powers,…

1
5.25 Cherish Act -- How we can support education and prevent student debt 35:22

1+ y ago35:22

35:22

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about how we can provide higher education in a way that does not leave people struggling with debt for decades. We talk to three experts about both the Cherish Act and the Debt Free Future Act. You'll hear how our current higher ed system impacts people, not only students but also our educators. Max Page, El…

1
Transparency -- MA is unique in being the only state where all 3 branches of govt are exempt from public records law. 53:50

2y ago53:50

53:50

Please donate to the show! Today we talk about transparency. Massachusetts is the only state where all three branches of government are exempt from public records law. Andrew Quemere, host of The Mass Dump and Lights Out Mass, joins us to talk specifically about the governor's track record on this issue, as well as ongoing law suits in MA about tra…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

ACLU Of Massachusetts Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen