12:00 Understanding the cuts to SNAP and food assistance
1:00 Why is democracy backsliding around the world?
Nearly 2.5 million Americans could lose their SNAP benefits as part of the recently passed federal budget. Republicans in Congress have argued that these are not actual cuts to food benefits; rather, they represent an adjustment in benefits. At Foodlink, the message is clear: these are cuts, and the people who will bear the brunt tend to be older, including many veterans. We'll discuss what's actually happening with the Foodlink team:
- Mitch Gruber, Foodlink Chief Impact Officer
- Julia Tedesco, Foodlink CEO
- Whitley Hasty, Foodlink benefits navigation manager
Then in our second hour, one in three elections around the world is being contested. Turnout is dropping. By many indicators, democracy is backsliding. So what can reverse this trend? Valery Perry, Ph.D., is a senior associate for the Democratization Policy Council. She's concerned with trends abroad... and with trends in the United States, including, as she puts it, the "hacking of the federal civil service." Perry, a western New York native, joins us in studio before she returns to Europe.
- Valery Perry, Ph.D., senior associate for the Democratization Policy Council
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
