The news can feel like a rocky, tumultuous ocean. And since big legacy media long ago gave up on steering our society successfully, we can all feel rudderless. But there are moments of hope. I think of these as lighthouses. You spot them and think maybe we’re headed for some solid ground.
There have been several in recent days, involving stories I’ve covered on the show and the newsletter. So here’s a break from doomscrolling — and concrete reasons for some optimism.
Trump’s SNAP plan pops
There’s nothing wrong with wanting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program reassessed at any time. But it’s insane for Trump to suspend the program that about 42 million Americans count on for food assistance at the same time that he’s proceeding with a $300 million planned renovation at the White House and seeking a personal $230 million payout from taxpayers.
This should have nothing to do with political parties. If a Democratic president did exactly this, Republican lawmakers would be up in arms — and they’d be right.
Now, federal judges have ruled the administration must keep covering SNAP during the shutdown.
Some NYC voters reject far-left Mamdani
The media is trying to anoint socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani the next mayor of New York City, despite his openly professed love for funders of Islamist terrorism. But some voters aren’t having it. This, from the latest Quinnipiac poll, helped restore some of my faith:
It seems Christian and Jewish voters are rejecting Mamdani. In particular, the growing number of Jewish leaders warning voters about him may be having an impact. In this poll, Mamdani receives just 16% support among Jewish voters—a clear rejection—while his main opponent, Andrew Cuomo takes 60%. However, note the support in the “other” category, which includes Muslim voters, and among those with no religious affiliations. Those are big battlegrounds.
In recent episodes and newsletters, I’ve laid out how Mamdani openly threatens democracy and the future of the Democratic Party. Share this with any voters you know in NYC!
College leader who celebrated Kirk assassination faces loss
It’s a rare moment of accountability, suggesting that many “elite” college students might actually reject the celebration of a political assassination — even when the victim is a right-wing firebrand.
