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Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | November 1, 2025
Dear John,
As we enter November, understaffed and under-resourced food banks across the nation are seeing surges as 42 million Americans and their families prepare for their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to potentially be cut off. The Trump administration has been refusing to release the emergency funds, authorized by Congress and set aside just for the purpose of keeping SNAP funded during the ongoing government shutdown. Twenty-five states have sued the administration over withholding the funding, and on Friday, a federal district court judge ordered the administration to release the contingency funds “as soon as possible.” The question now is whether the administration will comply with the district court’s ruling, or ignore it—as they have done repeatedly over the past several months.
When it comes to the SNAP crisis, as well as the Affordable Care Act health insurance tax credits that are set to expire and which are at the center of the government shutdown fight, the Trump administration and Republicans have repeatedly attempted to blame Democrats for stonewalling. But over the course of the shutdown, which enters its second month today, polls have consistently shown the public (nearly half of Americans at this point) blaming Trump and the Republicans in Congress for the shutdown. And nearly two-thirds disapprove of Trump’s management of the federal government, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released this week. As Abby J. Leibman, president & CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, wrote in Ms . this week, “Even suggesting that Republicans are protecting this program while Democrats are trying to destroy it is like an abuser blaming his victim for getting in the way of his fist.”
Let’s be clear why this is happening. Earlier this summer, Republicans in Congress engineered massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations, blowing a hole in the federal budget. During the debates over the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” Democrats pushed to extend the expiring ACA tax credits, which make health insurance more affordable for many Americans, but Republicans refused to negotiate. Now, they say we can’t afford the tax credits—but apparently, we *can* afford to fund their billionaire buddies.
With reports emerging this week that lawmakers are, in the words of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, “looking for an off-ramp,” we hope that millions of Americans’ most basic needs for food and for health care are not cast aside.
This coming week will see a number of elections in states across the U.S. While you might not think of 2025 as being an “election year,” these contests will serve as important bellwethers for 2026—and many of them are crucial races in their own right. In Pennsylvania, three Democratic justices on the state Supreme Court face retention votes that could influence rulings on women’s rights, abortion, redistricting and voting rights for years to come. In California, voters are considering a measure that could course correct the Texas GOP’s power-grab mid-decade redistricting push for a number of House seats earlier this year. And states like Virginia and New Jersey will see gubernatorial races that will shape the balance of power. A lot is at stake this November 4, and Ms. is following these races closely—stay tuned next week for our coverage and post-election analysis from our stable of experts.
For equality,
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Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
P.S. — October marked Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and over at On the Issues, host Michele Goodwin chatted with advocates and policy experts to learn how they are addressing the ongoing crisis—from pandemic-era spikes in violence to the Trump administration’s recent budget cuts and their impact on support for women and girls experiencing DV. I’d encourage you to take a listen [[link removed]] .
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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The Trump Administration Is Turning Its Back on More Than 40 Million Hungry Americans [[link removed]] The Trump Administration’s Latest Power Play: Starving Americans to Secure Democrats’ Submission [[link removed]]
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Millions Face Sharp Increases in ACA Premiums if Enhanced Tax Credits Expire [[link removed]] ‘Liberation’ Opens on Broadway—And Ms. Magazine Is at Its Heart [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on
Apple Podcasts [[link removed]] + Spotify [[link removed]] .
We know there’s a long way to go when it comes to addressing the domestic violence crisis in our country. From pandemic-era spikes in violence to the Trump administration’s recent budget cuts and their impact on support for women and girls experiencing domestic violence, how are advocates and policy experts addressing the ongoing crisis?
We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today!
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For over 50 years, Ms . has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you [[link removed]] . We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity .
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