Background Briefing: November 4, 2025
After Offering to Half-Fund SNAP, Trump Turns Callousness Into Cruelty by Refusing to Fund It At All Until “Radical Left Democrats” Open Up the Government
We begin with Trump’s latest outburst on Truth Social apparently reversing his decision to half-fund the SNAP program by announcing today that “SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office … will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” Joining us to discuss callousness being trumped by cruelty as one in eight Americans, many of whom are children, face hunger is Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University. She holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an M.P.H. in public health nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and formerly served as senior nutrition policy advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2023, she was awarded The Edinburgh Medal (for science and society). She is the author of Eat Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics, and her latest book is What to Eat Now, The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters.
The Billionaire-Funded Retention Election for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court That Is Going Under the Radar
Then with elections today in Virginia, New Jersey, New York City and California, we look into the retention election in Pennsylvania going under the radar for the state supreme court in which a billionaire Jeff Yass is trying to unseat 3 Democratic judges in order to deadlock the court to later bring about one-party plutocratic rule. Joining us is Ryan Cooper, Senior Editor at The American Prospect and the Cohost of the Left Anchor podcast as well as the author of, How are You Going to Pay for That? Smart Answers to the Dumbest Question in Politics and we will discuss his latest article at The American Prospect, “The Republican Plot to Turn Pennsylvania Into Hungary”
The Mamdani Race in NYC and Sherrill Race in NJ as the Personification of the Struggle Within the Democratic Party
Then finally we speak with Dr. Ashley Koning, the director of The Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling in New Brunswick and a professor in the political science department at Rutgers University. Dr. Koning has authored several book chapters, including one in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Political Decision Making. She also serves as the Education Chair for the American Association for Public Opinion Research Executive Council and previously served as the president of their executive council. We will discuss how the Mamdani race in New York City and the Mikie Sherrill race in New Jersey are the personification of the struggle within the Democratic Party.