Dear Progressive Reader,

The six-week-long government shutdown has ended and some workers are beginning to see back pay from the hours they worked for free. In some cases, such as TSA workers, additional bonuses for “exemplary service” are being promised as well. But SNAP benefits are rolling out more slowly, with blame being placed on states, since they are the ones to actually distribute the funds. In an additional burden on those already from the delays, the Trump Administration announced on Thursday that it would require all recipients to “reapply” for their benefits. A new report from the Pew Research Center shows that while the number of SNAP recipients is at nearly record high levels, the majority remain white and U.S.-born individuals.

While Republicans had hoped to dominate the news cycle with crowing about forcing Democrats in Congress to cave on their demands regarding the addition of provisions for healthcare, the news headlines were quickly sidetracked by revelations over the release of additional files from the records of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein which mentioned (again) the name of Donald Trump. Trump responded immediately by, as usual, demanding the investigation of various Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. Attorney General Pam Bondi, of course, said yes. In the meantime, when questioned on his favorite network Fox about the issue affecting the largest number of voters and their families—the cost of living—Trump told host Laura Ingraham that polls (saying people were concerned about their ability to pay their expenses) were “fake” and that the economy was “the greatest” it has ever been.

This week on our website, Ed Rampell reviews the new multi-episode documentary on the American Revolution which premiers Sunday evening on PBS. “Burns unflinchingly shows the contradictions, hypocrisies, and flaws of a revolution wherein an enslaver boldly declared ‘all men are created equal,’ ”  observes Rampell. Also, Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J.S. Davies analyze the Trump Administration’s “regime change” strategy toward Venezuela through the lens of other similar actions in recent U.S. history; Eleanor Bader speaks with author Gabrielle Oliveira about how schools can help immigrant students and their families; Jen Hurst pens an op-ed on a recent Executive Order that removes protections against involuntary institutionalization; and Margaret Wurth and Katie Baylie opine on a new report on abortion restrictions and their traumatic impact for young people.

The new 2026 Hidden History of the United States calendar is now available. You can get your calendar on our website or with the order form in the front of the latest issue of The Progressive! A quick look at this week in history reminds us that today is the anniversary of the second 1969 moratorium against the U.S. war in Vietnam that drew hundreds of thousands to the streets of Washington, D.C., and had a documented impact on then-President Richard Nixon.

Please keep reading, and we will keep bringing you important articles on these and other issues of our time.

Sincerely,

Norman Stockwell
Publisher

P.S. – If you like this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to a friend. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to this free weekly email, please share this link: http://tiny.cc/ProgressiveNewsletter.

P.P.S. – The NEW October/November issue is now available! If you don’t already subscribe to The Progressive in print or digital form, please consider doing so today. Also, if you have a friend or relative who you feel should hear from the many voices for progressive change within our pages, please consider giving a gift subscription.

P.P.P.S. – Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated to support The Progressive! We need you now more than ever. If you have not done so already, please take a moment to support hard-hitting, independent reporting on issues that matter to you. Your donation today will keep us on solid ground and will help us continue to grow in the coming years. You can use the wallet envelope in the current issue of the magazine, or click on the “Donate” button below to join your fellow progressives in sustaining The Progressive as a voice for peace, social justice, and the common good.