Best Micah Hacker Podcasts (2025)

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The Aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s Murder. Plus, the Rise and Fall of CBS. 50:20

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3d ago50:20

50:20

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in front of a crowd of students at Utah Valley University. On this week’s On the Media, how the murder of a MAGA media powerhouse is driving both calls for unity, and more violence. Plus, CBS cracks under pressure from the Trump administration. [01:00] Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger…

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Apocalypse Again 21:41

22h ago21:41

21:41

Brooke chats with Dorian Lynskey, cultural journalist and author of the recent book, Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World, to examine our centuries-long obsession with telling end-of-the-world stories and what they reveal about our shifting fears through history. Plus, the evolution of the apocalyptic story, from the B…

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No, Trump Isn't Cracking Down on Crime. Plus, How Ukrainians Tell Their Story of the War. 54:39

10d ago54:39

54:39

President Trump is preparing to send the National Guard to cities across the country. On this week’s On the Media, what the press is missing about the president’s so-called “crackdown” on crime. Plus, in the aftermath of a Russian attack, a Ukrainian town asks journalists to record the atrocities. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Jamison Fo…

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The Viral Outrage Over Peanut the Squirrel 30:04

12d ago30:04

30:04

A beloved squirrel named Peanut was seized in a raid by New York environmental officers last year. A maelstrom of online outrage ensued, upending New York wildlife enforcement in the process. In conversation with NYC Now's Janae Pierre, our colleague, reporter Jon Campbell, unravels the saga -- revealing a story about mistaken identities and the po…

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Is America Becoming an Autocracy? 50:28

17d ago50:28

50:28

President Donald Trump’s countless executive orders and mounting deportations are testing America’s democratic institutions. On this week’s On the Media, what we can learn from Hungary’s recent backslide into autocracy. Plus, why resistance movements throughout history have succeeded with 3.5 percent of the population, or less, behind them. [01:00]…

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The Journalist Who Saw WW2 Coming 9:59

20d ago9:59

9:59

For these last couple of weeks of August we’ve been airing a miniseries from our friends at Radio Diaries.The third and final part is about a woman named Dorothy Thompson. In 1939, Time Magazine called her a woman who “thinks, talks and sleeps world problems and scares strange men half to death.” They weren’t wrong. Thompson was a foreign correspon…

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The Power of Shortwave Radio. And, What Gets Lost with Voice of America? 50:36

24d ago50:36

50:36

This month, the director of Voice of America is being forced out in the latest of many moves to dismantle the state broadcasting service. On this week’s On the Media, a history of the Voice of America, and how it’s been politicized. Plus, hear why propagandists in Russia, China, and Iran are celebrating cuts to U.S.-funded foreign reporting. [01:00…

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The Forgotten Shock Jock Who Paved the Way for Rush Limbaugh 9:39

27d ago9:39

9:39

This week, we're airing part two of a documentary series, courtesy of Radio Diaries, about three radio personalities who had huge audiences in their time, but today, are largely forgotten. These days, we’re used to media that thrives on conflict, that amplifies the most outrageous voices in the room. It’s something we often trace back to shock jock…

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Silicon Valley's Rightwing Roots. Plus, the CEO of Bluesky Reimagines Social Media 50:28

1M ago50:28

50:28

When Donald Trump returned to office, tech companies donated millions of dollars to his inaugural committee. On this week’s On the Media, the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley. Plus, the CEO of the burgeoning social media platform, Bluesky, on how to billionaire-proof the internet. [01:00] Micah Loewinger speaks with Becca Lewis, a postdoctoral res…

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The Famous Black Preacher Who Feuded With MLK 15:41

1M ago15:41

15:41

For these final weeks of summer we wanted to transport you away from the doom and gloom of the daily news with a trio of stories produced by our friends at the public radio documentary-maker, Radio Diaries. The series is called “Making Waves” and it profiles three people who pushed the boundaries of radio: one to warn, one to rile, one to preach. T…

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Trump's Fact Eradication Program. Plus, How Jubilee is Transforming Political Debate 50:20

1M ago50:20

50:20

President Trump fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following a weak jobs report. On this week’s On the Media, how the Trump administration is threatening government data. Plus, a viral YouTube channel raises questions about the meaning of political debate. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone situates President Trump’s recent firing …

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Eric Adams' Latest Scandal 20:13

1M ago20:13

20:13

Here in New York we’re not due to select our next mayor till November but somehow it feels like we’re already embroiled in pre-election chaos. Eric Adams is now running as an independent, and to do so he was required to present the signatures of 7,500 New Yorkers who support him. He actually handed in around 50,000 signatures so he more than made t…

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Images of Mass Starvation Shift Gaza Coverage. Plus, the Forgotten History of the First Sitcom. 50:30

2M ago50:30

50:30

As reports of starving children in Gaza mount, France, Britain, and Canada are preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood. On this week’s On the Media, Palestinian journalists documenting food scarcity in Gaza are themselves going without food. Plus, how Israeli tv stations are deflecting blame for the blockade on aid. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinge…

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McKay Coppins on The Murdochs 19:46

2M ago19:46

19:46

Brooke spoke in May with McKay Coppins, a staff writer at The Atlantic, about the remarkable, extensive interviews he conducted with members of the Murdoch family — particularly James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn. (Rupert and his eldest son, Lachlan, declined to participate). Hear about the infighting and sibling rivalry, and how the HBO show “Succ…

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Trump's Presidential Library Grift. Plus, the Hacker Behind the NYT’s Mamdani Story. 50:09

2M ago50:09

50:09

The FCC just approved a lucrative merger between Paramount and Skydance. Weeks earlier, Paramount settled a lawsuit with the president by paying him 16 million dollars. On this week’s On the Media, hear how that money is being funneled to Donald Trump’s future presidential library. Plus, how conservative outlets are coordinating attacks on universi…

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EXTENDED VERSION: Michael Douglas Movies And The Crisis Of Masculinity 32:44

2M ago32:44

32:44

EXTENDED VERSION: Brooke sits down with Jessa Crispin, critic and editor-in-chief of The Culture We Deserve, to talk about her new book What Is Wrong with Men: Patriarchy, the Crisis of Masculinity, and How (Of Course) Michael Douglas Films Explain Everything, which tracks the “masculinity crisis” through Michael Douglas films. On the Media is supp…

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MAGA Fractures Over Epstein. Plus, What Michael Douglas Movies Tell Us About Masculinity. 50:13

2M ago50:13

50:13

The Trump administration is trying to subdue fury from all angles over the Epstein Files. On this week's On the Media, how the controversy is fracturing Republicans and firing up Democrats. Plus, tracing today’s so-called “masculinity crisis” through the films of Michael Douglas. [00:00] Host Brooke Gladstone dissects the bitter division between Pr…

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Planning for Inevitable Climate Disaster 16:42

2M ago16:42

16:42

The Atlantic hurricane season is currently underway – and in fact, it was the tail end of tropical storm Barry that contributed to the deadly flash floods in Texas two weeks ago that has claimed at least 132 lives so far. As I write this, over 100 people are still missing. According to writer Nathaniel Rich, when it comes to planning for a fraught …

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Inside the Artificial Intelligence Hype Cycle. And How AI is Making Music 50:17

2M ago50:17

50:17

Like it or not, more people are using artificial intelligence than ever. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the AI arms race between the U.S. and China, and how the tech gets overhyped. Plus, a composer wrestles with a new AI music generator – which threatens his own job. [01:00] Brooke speaks with Ed Zitron, host of the Better Offline podcast…

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Having a Child in the Digital Age 31:22

2M ago31:22

31:22

In Amanda Hess' new book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age, she explores the many apps, megamaternity brands, high-tech baby gear, and social media subcultures that have infiltrated in the process of having a baby in modern-day America. OTM producer and new parent Molly Rosen speaks with Hess about how new technologies have transforme…

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The Battle Over Public Broadcasting 49:59

2M ago49:59

49:59

President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back over a billion dollars in federal funds for public broadcasting. On this week’s On the Media, the long history of efforts to save—and snuff out—public broadcasting. Plus, the role of public radio across the country, from keeping local governments in check to providing life-saving information during t…

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How Country Music Became the Sound of U.S. Patriotism 30:45

3M ago30:45

30:45

Today's country music industry is deeply associated with a certain jingoistic ‘rally around the flag,' ‘support the troops’ spirit. In this week’s podcast, we're re-airing a conversation with Joseph M. Thompson, author of Cold War Country: How Nashville's Music Row and the Pentagon Created the Sound of American Patriotism. Micah and Joseph discuss …

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Trump Tries and (Mostly) Fails to Control the Narrative on Iran. Plus, RFK Jr. is Bad for Our Health 51:33

3M ago51:33

51:33

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s revamped CDC vaccine advisory board stopped recommending certain flu vaccines this week. On this week’s On the Media, a scientist debunks the claims that RFK, Jr.’s appointees are making. Plus, how the media covered the U.S. bombing of Iran. [02:01] Host Micah Loewinger unspools the Trump administration’s attemp…

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The Final Unravelling of Bob Menendez 22:04

3M ago22:04

22:04

This week, On the Media shares the final episode of Dead End: The Rise and Fall of Gold Bar Bob Menendez. For WNYC, reporter and host Nancy Solomon describes how the FBI watched Menendez have a dinner with Egyptian spies, the moment they found gold bars in a closet, and more. As Menendez faces the trial of his life, Nancy asks: why would a man at t…

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MAGA Divides Over Iran. Plus, Inside the Crackdown on Student Journalists 50:24

3M ago50:24

50:24

President Donald Trump says he’ll decide whether or not to attack Iran within the next two weeks. On this week’s On the Media, hear why the right is split on what the president should do. Plus, scrutiny on student journalists has intensified. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone on the recent narratives forming around the ‘No Kings’ protest and President …

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Bob Menendez’s Disastrous Romance 23:48

3M ago23:48

23:48

In this week's midweek podcast, we share the next installment of WNYC's Dead End: The Rise and Fall of 'Gold Bar' Bob Menendez. Yesterday, the former senator began an 11-year prison sentence. In this episode, Nancy Solomon takes a look at a relationship that spanned a key chapter in Bob Menendez's political downfall. Nadine Arslanian was a stay at …

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Trump Deploys Troops Against LA Protesters. Plus, Journalists Under 'Less Lethal' Fire. 50:15

3M ago50:15

50:15

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump’s deployment of troops in Los Angeles was illegal before an appeals court quickly overturned it. A legal battle is now underway. On this week’s On the Media, how President Trump has exaggerated crises to expand his presidential powers. Plus, a new documentary investigates who killed a Palestinian-Am…

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How Gold Bar Bob Menendez Got His Start 15:35

3M ago15:35

15:35

Bob Menendez will become the first Senator to go to prison in more than 40 years when he reports to federal penitentiary next week. Most of you will, no doubt, be aware of the broad strokes of his corruption and bribery case. You know, the gold bars and cash found in his suburban ranch house. But our home station, WNYC, has produced a podcast that …

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Lessons From Hungary’s Democratic Backsliding. Plus, What Makes a Resistance Movement Successful? 51:00

3M ago51:00

51:00

President Donald Trump’s countless executive orders and mounting deportations are testing America’s democratic institutions. On this week’s On the Media, what we can learn from Hungary’s recent backslide into autocracy. Plus, why resistance movements throughout history have succeeded with 3.5 percent of the population, or less, behind them. [01:36]…

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Ensh*ttification, Live! Micah and Cory Doctorow in Conversation 38:16

3M ago38:16

38:16

This past weekend, OTM co-host Micah Loewinger went to Seattle to sit down with an all-time favourite guest of the show: tech activist and writer Cory Doctorow. We recorded the following conversation in front of a live audience at the Cascade PBS Ideas festival. The topic was “Enshittification” – Cory’s theory of how everything on the internet got …

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An FCC Commissioner Sounds the Alarm. Plus, the Finale of The Divided Dial 51:12

4M ago51:12

51:12

On Tuesday, NPR and three Colorado public radio stations sued the Trump administration for violating the First Amendment. On this week’s On the Media, the soon-to-be lone Democratic commissioner at the FCC speaks out against what she calls the weaponization of her agency. Plus, the final episode of The Divided Dial introduces the unlikely group try…

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S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 4: Wall St. Wants Your Airwaves 40:06

4M ago40:06

40:06

EPISODE 4 In recent years, creative, often music-focused pirate broadcasting has been thriving on shortwave. But these surreptitious broadcasters are up against a surprising ideological foe: Not the FCC, but a deep-pocketed group of finance bros that is trying to wrestle the airwaves away from the public, and use them for a money-making scheme comp…

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Conspiracy Theories Come Back to Bite MAGA. Plus, Ep. 3 of The Divided Dial. 51:01

4M ago51:01

51:01

Before they were appointed, the leaders of the F.B.I. boosted misinformation about a ‘deep state.’ Now they’re in power, they’ve become the focus of conspiracy theories. On this week’s On the Media, how MAGA infighting about Jeffrey Epstein reveals a greater problem for the Republican Party. Plus, the story of one of the world's farthest-reaching r…

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S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 3: World's Last Chance Radio 41:58

4M ago41:58

41:58

EPISODE 3 Today, in the internet era, much of the shortwaves have been left to the most extreme voices — including a conspiratorial flat earth ministry, and an ultra-conservative cult complete with everything from sexual abuse to dead infants and illegal burials. In the 737-person northern Maine town of Monticello, one of the world's farthest-reach…

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Why Trump is Welcoming White South Africans as Refugees. Plus, Ep 2 of The Divided Dial. 50:29

4M ago50:29

50:29

On Monday, dozens of Afrikaners arrived in the US as refugees. On this week’s On the Media, how a fringe group of white South Africans have been lobbying for Donald Trump’s attention for almost a decade — but refugee status was never on their wish list. Plus, the second episode of The Divided Dial, all about how rightwing extremists took over short…

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S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 2: You Must Form Your Militia Units 33:45

4M ago33:45

33:45

EPISODE 2 Many governments eased off the shortwaves after the Cold War, and homegrown US-based rightwing extremists edged out shortwave peaceniks to fill the void. In the 1990s, US shortwave radio stations became a key organizing and recruiting ground for white supremacists and the burgeoning anti-government militia movement. On this instantaneous,…

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Trump Is Losing A Lot In Court. Plus, the First Episode of The Divided Dial (S2). 50:26

4M ago50:26

50:26

President Trump’s many executive orders, detentions, and deportations have triggered a host of lawsuits. On this week’s On the Media, how to understand the dozens of legal actions facing Trump. Plus, it’s the first episode of The Divided Dial, all about the battle for shortwave radio. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger talks with Chris Geidner, who has c…

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S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 1: Fishing In The Night 34:03

4M ago34:03

34:03

EPISODE 1: You know AM and FM radio. But did you know that there is a whole other world of radio surrounding us at all times? It’s called shortwave — and, thanks to a quirk of science that lets broadcasters bounce radio waves off of the ionosphere, it can reach thousands of miles, penetrating rough terrain and geopolitical boundaries. How did this …

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Trump’s Executive Order on Public Media Is Here. Plus, the Murdoch’s Real Succession Drama 50:26

5M ago50:26

50:26

To mark his first hundred days in office, President Trump signed three executive orders related to immigration. On this week’s On the Media, the powerful database that can help I.C.E. track down and deport people. Plus, the dramatic fight for power over Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone talks with Jason Koebler, co-founde…

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Shari Redstone's Road to Power at Paramount Global 14:49

5M ago14:49

14:49

The Redstone family is a controlling shareholder of Paramount Global — one of the biggest entertainment companies out there. (Think CBS Entertainment, MTV, Nickelodeon.) The family is also one of the inspirations for HBO's Succession, which makes sense the more you get to know them. Shari Redstone currently has the controlling stake in Paramount Gl…

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Brendan Carr’s F.C.C. Has Been Busy. Plus, Rewriting the History of Watergate. 50:27

5M ago50:27

50:27

The Federal Communications Commission is currently investigating CBS for “intentional news distortion” for its editing of an interview with Kamala Harris. On this week’s On the Media, what the new chairman of the FCC has been up to, and what led a top CBS producer to quit. Plus, what a growing effort to rewrite the history of Watergate tells us abo…

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Left Wing Youtuber David Pakman EXTENDED VERSION 23:24

5M ago23:24

23:24

**EXTENDED VERSION** Micah spoke to left-wing YouTuber, David Pakman for last week's show. This is the long version of that conversation. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with u…

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Brooke and Micah Enter the MAGA-verse. Plus, Liberal YouTubers Fight Back. 51:44

5M ago51:44

51:44

Conservative influencers have captured a massive audience on the internet, boasting nearly five times more followers than their progressive competitors. On this week’s On the Media, the hosts spend twelve hours immersed in right wing media and report back on what they saw. Plus, why Democrats are struggling to compete for audiences online. [00:00] …

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The Coding Language Caught in DOGE's Crosshairs 28:18

5M ago28:18

28:18

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has been edged out of the headlines this past week, or so, by the administration’s current flirtation with a constitutional crisis. But the DOGE team is still busy. One project on the office's agenda, originally reported by WIRED late last month, is to rewrite the Social Security Administrat…

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The Tariff Week From Hell. Plus, the Bluesky CEO Reimagines Social Media. 50:05

5M ago50:05

50:05

The president’s on-again, off-again tariffs are wreaking havoc on the economy. On this week’s On the Media, how the press is struggling to keep up with covering the chaos. Plus, the CEO of Bluesky, an alternative to Twitter, shares her vision for a better internet. [00:00] Host Micah Loewinger breaks down a wild week in the economy–why the press ca…

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Sen. Chris Murphy on the Crisis Facing Our Democracy 23:10

5M ago23:10

23:10

This week we’re bringing you an interview from our friends at the New Yorker Radio Hour. It's a conversation between host David Remnick and Democratic congressman Chris Murphy. Murphy is the junior senator from Connecticut and a vehement critic of leaders in his party who’ve taken a “business as usual” approach in dealing with the Trump administrat…

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Harvard and the Battle Over Higher Ed 50:32

5M ago50:32

50:32

The Trump administration has pulled funding for universities like Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, and is threatening to withhold federal dollars from public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Harvard is also fighting to retain its funding. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the distinctly American idea of “divers…

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Sports Media’s Big Gamble on the Betting Industry 18:40

6M ago18:40

18:40

According to the American Gaming Association, bets on March Madness basketball games could amount to as much as $3.1 billion. Almost every national sports outlet — ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, NBC, CBS, The Ringer — has partnered with a major sports betting company. Big money is changing hands. What does that mean for sports journalism? On …

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The Latest Spin on 'Signalgate.' Plus, a Crypto President is Born. 50:16

6M ago50:16

50:16

When a journalist was accidentally added to a Signal chat that disclosed sensitive war plans, a controversy erupted about our national security. On this week’s On the Media, a look at how right-wing media is processing “Signalgate.” Plus, why Donald Trump is calling himself the crypto president. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Will Sommer,…

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Trouble At the EPA 20:34

6M ago20:34

20:34

President Trump's appointee at the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, is making a lot of changes at the EPA. Including cutting 31 environmental rules regarding climate change pollution, electric vehicles, and power plants. Environmentalists say this is a gutting of regulation. GOP lawmakers deem the EPA a job killer that does nothing but …