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Here’s what we’re talking about today.
This is a quick rundown of the topics we’ll be covering on today’s show. You can hit play to listen, or read the transcript below if that’s more your style.
Transcript:
Today is Tuesday, September 30, 2025, and this is your news and preview of today’s show.
In Washington, the federal government faces another potential shutdown as Congress struggles to finalize appropriations. The impact on everyday Americans would be severe: federal workers may go weeks without pay, veterans face delays in benefits, small businesses risk collapse, and Social Security and loan payments are held up. These shutdowns create backlogs and erode public confidence in government.
Government shutdowns are a relatively recent phenomenon; prior to the 1980s, if Congress missed a budget deadline, operations continued uninterrupted. That changed when the Reagan administration reinterpreted the Antideficiency Act, allowing funding lapses to halt government operations, and since then, shutdowns have become a political tool, leaving ordinary Americans to bear the consequences while agencies struggle to recover once funding resumes.
In economic news, grocery prices have reached record highs under the current administration. In August alone, food costs rose 0.6%, the steepest monthly increase in nearly three years. Year-over-year, prices are up 2.7%, and since 2019, overall food costs have climbed more than 32%. Ground beef averages $6.32 a pound, coffee is up 20.9%, steaks are up 16.6%, and apples and bananas have also risen. Experts cite labor and fuel costs, supply chain disruptions, extreme weather, corporate pricing, and tariffs as contributing factors, putting pressure on households nationwide.
New reports reveal internal communications showing members of the administration acknowledging significant policy missteps. Texts between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins reveal concern over U.S. soybean sales to China, highlighting the challenges facing American farmers.
In Congress, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has joined a bipartisan effort to release additional Jeffrey Epstein documents, defying Trump’s White House. Greene, typically a staunch supporter of Trump, has emphasized that she represents her district, not the administration, signaling a rare break within the MAGA movement.
Finally, Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat from Connecticut, joins us to discuss the looming government shutdown, gun violence, and Trump’s authoritarianism.
On the Bonus Show today:
Elon Musk and others are named in new Epstein documents.
YouTube settles a $24 million lawsuit with Trump.
And MAGA erupts over Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Don’t miss the full show with these stories and others, plus all of our analysis. Tune in at 2:30 pm eastern on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or catch the video show at 9:00 pm eastern on YouTube. Consider becoming a paid Substack supporter to support extras like these news episodes. Thank you.
