Counterpoint, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 - 10:00 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org

1) Jessa Boehner, International Program Associate with Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch discuss the recent signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal by 12 member nations in New Zealand, and the campaign being waged by a coalition of groups to defeat the trade deal in the U.S. during the next 2 years of the ratification period, in which the at least 6 countries must approve the pact for it to be implemented.

2) Nancy Altman, President Social Security Works discuss the current status of Social Security and the positions of both Democratic and Republican candidates plans to ensure the future fiscal viability of the Social Security system through new funding mechanisms for stability and/or expansion of popular benefits -- or conversely cuts in benefits and/or increasing the eligibility age.

3) Carey Shenkman, a U.S. based attorney working on behalf of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and an associate of Michael Ratner, president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights.She talks about the recent ruling by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which found that Assange's detention in Ecuador's London embassy should come to an end, and that Assange has the right to compensation for the 3 1/2 years he spent in "illegal detention." He'll also discuss the wider significance of the Assange case for both journalism and activists.

4) Matt O'Connor, Communications Coordinator with the Connecticut chapter of the American Federation of Teachers and Larry Dorman Public Affairs Coordinator with AFSCME Council 4, respond to Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy's proposed 2017 budget that would cut $371 million, or $5.75 percent from all state agency budgets and from all municipal grants, (excluding the Educational Cost Sharing program) -- and would reduce state-funded positions by “several thousand” through attrition and layoffs.

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 web site and the full 2-hour unedited program can be accessed at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint