38 days into the government shutdown this morning, a federal judge accusing the white House of withholding federal food assistance for political reasons and ordering the administration to fully distribute Snap benefits by today. Judge John McConnell saying, quote, people have gone without for too long. [00:00:17] Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable and causing irreparable harm. Saying, quote, the evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur. So there you have it. 42 million Americans rely on the [00:00:37] Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as Snap. And those benefits, were were due and a massive portion of them have not. A massive portion of the number of the 42 million Americans have not received those benefits this month, [00:00:53] despite the fact that Snap has never before lapsed during a government shutdown with delayed November payments. Millions of American families and children are now going hungry. It's serious. But after a court fight, it seems that the Trump administration is going to cave grudgingly and start sending out full payments. [00:01:12] What? What say you, Jake? So they, have one interesting point that Trump lawyers did in these cases. But outside of that, there are three facts here that prove definitively whose fault this is. So we're going to show you that and break it down for you. [00:01:30] So yesterday, as we heard just a moment ago, Federal Judge John J. McConnell Jr of the US District Court for the for Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to fund food stamps in full for all Americans receiving them, meaning that the Trump administration would need to fully pay [00:01:45] for November Snap benefits. Although the Trump administration said partial funds would be distributed this month in response to a lawsuit challenging its plan to suspend Snap payments during the shutdown. Recipients who were due to receive their benefits this week have empty balances. [00:02:03] Now, this is the second time that judge McConnell has made this order. The Trump administration didn't listen the first time. And after the latest order, the Trump administration immediately requested an appeal. The administration has asked the first U.S. Court of Appeals to issue an emergency stay of judge's ruling Thursday, [00:02:21] ordering the administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by today. But the Trump administration administration told states earlier today that while the appeal is in progress, it will follow the judge's orders and immediately begin funding the Snap benefits in full. [00:02:39] We had a listener, I think, tell us that that's happened. I don't know that that's the case, but what what is this case actually about? At issue is whether a federal judge can compel the government to use $4 billion from section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act amendment [00:02:55] of 1935 to fund November Snap benefits. The Trump administration argues that these funds are needed to support programs as women, infants and children programs and that using that money to pay for Snap would essentially starve Peter to pay Paul. [00:03:12] Recipients have yet as as of this report to see anything in their accounts. And it's late Friday. So what do you make of all this? Yeah. So the one good point they have there is they say to the judge, look, you say you we have enough money in the Agriculture Department. [00:03:30] We don't need to cut off snap. That's true. But, you know, some of it is in the work program, and we don't want to take from work to give to snap. And now you got the courts telling the executive branch how to handle their budget within the department. And that's overreaching, right? Okay. [00:03:46] That's not that bad a point. But so now you break down the rest of it to see who's right. So okay, here are the critical facts. Does snap normally get cut off in a government shutdown. Because if it does I mean, look, there's a government shutdown. What can we do. Right. [00:04:02] But as Michael pointed out to you earlier, it's true. No snap normally is not affected by a government shutdown. Second fact Trump then comes in and says, yeah, I'm stopping snap. He said this earlier so that, you know, the Democrats, [00:04:17] stop the government shutdown. So he's saying, yeah, I'm doing it for a political reason. I don't have to do it. The Agriculture Department does have plenty of money, and it normally doesn't get taken out, but I'm doing it to punish the Democrats for the shutdown. Well, then that's pretty clear, right. [00:04:34] And then the third thing is, yeah, the Agriculture Department actually does have enough money. Like if they didn't have enough money, you could say, well, you're complaining, but what can you do? There's just because of the shutdown, the more money didn't get allocated into their coffers and they don't have it and they can't legally go into debt. No, nothing like that exists even without which they have enough money. [00:04:52] Exactly. That's the point. Yeah. I mean, sorry to interrupt there, but you just made the point. And the point is that the money exists. It is. It's why I say it's a terrible argument. You said it's a good argument. I understand why their lawyers may say it's something they could do, but I think it's a terrible argument because the money is there. [00:05:09] Look, I mean, they're not they're not, stopping payments to Ice. They're not stopping payments to protective services, the Secret Service. There are ways of taking money, and that's discretionary money that's going to pay for this ice explosion that's happening across the country right now. [00:05:25] That money as the as judge McConnell has said, there are people going hungry. That is not what we do in this country. So there are ways to it's not just robbing Peter to pay Paul because the money exists in other places, and you don't need the Congress to allocate those monies. [00:05:41] There is some executive this is a white House that loves, using executive orders. They could do an executive order and get these funds paid. Yeah. And there's an issue of legal, there are legal issues and factual issues in any court case. So a legal issue is how much should the courts interfere in executive [00:05:59] branch decision, budgetary decisions. Right. So that's the part where I say, oh, that's a fair issue. Right. And I'm not judging it either way. - But yeah, that's not outrageous. - That's It's a fair philosophical issue. Yeah, but when you. But then you have to also analyze the factual matters in the case. [00:06:16] And when you do, then you go to what Michael is saying and the judge is like, but you have enough money even without whic. So I'm not reallocating anything. You just got to go. You you by law, this was allocated. You're supposed to pay it. A government shutdown does not affect it by law. [00:06:31] You're saying you're doing it for a political reason. That's so. I mean, you could do any politics you like, but you can't mess around with the law. And the law is you're supposed to pay these people. So that's they're like Michael said, they're appealing. But they started giving out full payments now because, yeah, they're wrong. [00:06:48] - They're wrong on the law and the facts. - Yeah. And that's it. 42 million people and they're going hungry, many of them. And that's why it's not a question necessarily of, you know, whether you're we're telling you how to spend the money, the taxpayer money that's going back to people who need that money. [00:07:04] We just as I said, 42 million people rely on snap. Let's take a look at this at this right here. This is a snap. Recipients by county. Roughly 12.6% of households receive Snap benefits in the previous 12 months. In this chart, areas that are darker blue have a higher percentage [00:07:22] of households receiving Snap benefits. You look at some of the poorest states in the country, you look at South Texas, New Mexico, and you see so much of that. That's their households receiving supplemental nutrition. You see, a huge majority of Snap households have both either children [00:07:41] or both an elderly individual or a non-elderly individual with a disability. Those families, as we've come to know, are relying on food banks now and the kindness of others in order to stay fed. Some, like Gia Haley, must now make difficult decisions in order to survive. [00:08:02] Gia Haley is trying to survive on water and coffee. Haley, 41, said she's been out of groceries since October 29th. That's nine days with no groceries and the monthly $298 she receives in food assistance did not arrive as it ordinarily would have. [00:08:18] This past Wednesday, the black coffee kind of kills my appetite. Is that where we are in America? Is that where we have a president and his administration fighting the mandate to send these benefits? Because because politicians can't agree on whether to open the government up? [00:08:38] In fact, it is where we are, and that all you need to know is that this person has coffee and water and she's drinking coffee because it suppresses her appetite. Yeah. So part of the reason that while they're appealing, they're fully complying, in my opinion, [00:08:55] is because they're beginning to see the political damage because they Trump said just the other day, oh, snap. It was expanded too much by Biden. Way too much. People shouldn't be getting it or that many people shouldn't be getting it right. Well, everybody who's on snap is like, what did you say? [00:09:12] Like, are you calling me a bum? Is that what you're like? You know that most people on snap either have children, or older themselves or are disabled. Right? And so. And 12% of the country is a giant number. 12.6 actually. Right. So that's one eighth of the country that's on this program. [00:09:29] And he's spitting in their face saying like, I, I don't think you should be getting it. And so now as people literally are starting to go hungry, they there's they're like, are you saying I'm the problem? [00:09:44] I voted for you, mother. Right. Yeah. And so not all of them voted for him, but a ton of them voted for him. This is a political disaster, by the way. It's a moral disaster. I want to read one comment from one of our members on Titcomb Coffee said, let's turn that Golden Ballroom into a food pantry for hard working Americans. [00:10:02] I bet that money would go a long way to feeding some local people in need. So look, he's saying that literally. And that would, by the way, if Trump was smart, that would be genius. Move to do like some sort of food from the white House or something, right? And he might do a symbolic. I got I got a couple of Big Macs for a couple of people around here. [00:10:20] Right. But overall, the much larger point as he's alluding to is, wait, we're going to spend $300 million on a golden ballroom. And you just had this Great Gatsby party as you're cutting food [00:10:35] from 42 million Americans. - I mean, look. - That's a great point. That's I mean, that's it in a nutshell right there. I mean, my thing about ice, you know, it's not as accurate as what that is because that is discretionary spending. The president just decided he wanted to do. [00:10:51] Yeah. And he didn't ask anybody. He didn't get any permission. He wanted to do it because he wanted to have nicer, soirees at the white House with his frickin donors. Let's be honest. Are you going to those. Are you going to be in that ballroom? You're not going to be in that ballroom. 98% of the people that are going [00:11:07] to be in that ballroom are donors. So the donors are like, oh, great, a golden ballroom for us and no money for you and no food for you. Nah, nah, they're poking the bear. And this is a terrible idea politically and morally. And, And that's why they're turning around. [00:11:24] Because they Trump tests things all the time. He thought he could just spit in the face of, people who are in need. And he's beginning to find out politically. No, you can't, you and your party is now in a lot of trouble. And part of the reason, by the way, the threat of taking away Snap and all of these cuts from the average person and [00:11:41] giving more and more to the wealthy elites is why they got their asses handed to him in this, these 2020 elections. And wait until you start hearing over the weekend, as I'm sure you will, conservatives saying that, oh, it's going to illegals. The snap money is going to illegals. [00:11:57] There are people that shouldn't be getting it in the first place. Not true. And even if there's, you know, like any entitlement program, even if there are, some leaks in the boat, you don't sink the ship just because of some leaks in the boat. But people are already going to be saying that. I'm sure every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets his wings. [00:12:15] Totally not true. But it does keep you updated on our live shows.