Turning off the logistically complicated SNAP system—which relies on the federal government, states, and private companies to function in concert—and then trying to turn it back on quickly is no easy task.
Health & Social Policy
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Ripping Up SNAP and America’s Social Contract
Like their colleagues across the country, Mississippi River corridor mayors are on the front lines speeding food to desperate residents. Six out of the ten Mississippi River states have more than 10 percent of their populations who currently depend on SNAP benefits.
Posted inTAP
The Shutdown’s End as a Republican Victory? No Way.
The shutdown enabled the Democrats to highlight the Republicans’ withdrawal of health coverage from millions of Americans, and Trump’s withholding food stamps—while he was praising himself for building a ballroom and rebuilding the Lincoln bathroom—only accelerated his descent in the polls.
Posted inEconomic Policy
Six Ways Zohran Mamdani Can Make New York City Affordable Again
Mamdani begins his term with something few mayors ever have: an energized following and an international megaphone. His administration could launch a 100-day affordability sprint, using executive and emergency powers creatively and expansively to lower costs for ordinary people.
Posted inPolitics
Chuck Schumer Is Not Fit to Lead the Democratic Party
The Senate leader doesn’t just betray his own party, he’s also terrible at leading it. In Trump’s second term, facing a full-on authoritarian attack on America’s democracy and constitutional structure, Schumer is simply incapable of mounting a determined resistance.
Posted inPolitics
Trump Lost the Politics of the Shutdown
On a political level, Democrats have succeeded in painting Republicans as mean and unfeeling stewards of American decline. But Trump may win on policy nonetheless, as a gang of Democrats prepares to squander their leverage based on a vague assurance.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Despite Vow to Protect Health Care for Veterans, VA Losing Doctors and Nurses
Between December 2024 and August 2025, the VA reported a net loss of thousands of health care positions, and advocates report the impact of understaffing, facility closures, and waiting times has been ‘dire.’
Posted inLaw and Justice
Bail Crackdown on Ballot Ignores Mental Health Crisis, Advocates Say
In Texas, Proposition 3 is a constitutional amendment that would require judges to deny bail to defendants accused of certain crimes punishable as a felony. Reformers argue that the state’s criminal justice system already ensnares people struggling with untreated mental illness.
Posted inEconomic Policy
How Do We Rebuild After Trump?
Many Trump critics are focused on what he is doing to our basic democratic compact. But there’s a reason that all the presidents who led us through our worst previous crises also had an aggressive program of reform—including public provision and ownership.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Trump Is Illegally Withholding Food From Needy Families
The White House claims it cannot fund food stamp benefits for November. But not only is there a contingency fund meant to be used in this exact fashion, but it’s illegal for the Trump administration to refuse to do so.