OVERTIME: Paul KD Updates Us on All Things Minnesota - TVLR 10/3/26

And I think-- So, uh, but, you know, to, to bounce off with public sector, like we were just talking about, um, I think the big thing we're seeing is, in Minnesota, and I am sure around the country, I'm sure it's gonna hit Alabama and the rest of the South too, is, um, uh, trickle-down austerity, right?

Mm.

So the way that a lot of austerity works these days, um, so is that the federal government cuts spending in some way, which then trickles down to the state, which then eventually trickles down to the county, right? Because, um, I'm, I don't know how it works in, i- i- in, in every state, but in Minnesota, it's the counties that administer, uh, food stamps and WIC and, um, other programs that determine Medicaid eligibility.

Um, and then it kinda...

So these cuts factor all the way down, right? And, um, and we're seeing that, you know, at the same time, interestingly enough, that, um, they're pouring money into ICE and into, uh, fighting these crazy foreign wars that we're engaged in and, uh, you know, attacking the working class in other countries.

Um, they're also attacking the working class by, um, cutting programs that we really need, like food stamps.

You know, food stamps affect me personally 'cause I work in a grocery store.

It's a government subsidy for grocery stores, so, you know, obviously [chuckles] that's gonna be pretty important for my job, um-

Right

... just on, like, a, you know, capitalistic way.

But, um, these, the cuts in the, from the one beautiful, the big beautiful bill, uh, are gonna, you know, are over the next couple of years gonna really wreak havoc on, uh, on hospitals, on, um, uh, county-level programs and education programs.

Um, luckily, I, you know, people are fighting back, and unions are fighting back against the cuts that are coming up now and will continue to do so, um, both in healthcare and in public sector stuff.

So, um, yeah, happy to talk about specific instances with that, but I, I think that's the kind of broader thing that we're gonna see around the whole country is, um, these trickle-down cuts.

Yeah.

I, I'm really, really agree with that, and I know that in some ways, the one big beautiful bill, uh, actually targeted blue states, uh, states like Minnesota more so than states like mine and Alabama, right? It was kind of a, you know, in a deliberate attempt to sabotage expanded Medicaid, uh, and, you know, the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to SNAP, uh, and we have pending, uh, cuts to federal education programs.

All of those, as you said, do trickle down.

State and local governments have to kick in, uh, and try to cover the holes.

Uh, I know I talked about it earlier in the program today about Alabama, we're facing about a $200 million shortfall in our general fund just to keep up with SNAP-

Oh

... uh, which is, you know, such an important program for so many of our people here and, as you said, also, you know, keeps a lot of people employed, uh, which is, you know, not to be left out there.

So it's gonna be a really tough, uh, season, I think, for legislatures across the country, uh, and for local governments across the country, and I think that's why, uh, you know, having strong unions who are actually en- engaged in this process and, uh, advocating at every level can really make a big difference and, and so that's-

Right

... you know, if I have any, any hope, it's, like, knowing that there, there's such a degree of, of organization and militancy among, uh, some of the public sector unions that, you know, that should, there should be a factor that, that can help, hopefully.

Uh, we'll see.

Uh, but yeah.

And I think-- So, uh, but, you know, to, to bounce off with public sector, like we were just talking about, um, I think the big thing we're seeing is, in Minnesota, and I am sure around the country, I'm sure it's gonna hit Alabama and the rest of the South too, is, um, uh, trickle-down austerity, right?

Mm.

So the way that a lot of austerity works these days, um, so is that the federal government cuts spending in some way, which then trickles down to the state, which then eventually trickles down to the county, right? Because, um, I'm, I don't know how it works in, i- i- in, in every state, but in Minnesota, it's the counties that administer, uh, food stamps and WIC and, um, other programs that determine Medicaid eligibility.

Um, and then it kinda...

So these cuts factor all the way down, right? And, um, and we're seeing that, you know, at the same time, interestingly enough, that, um, they're pouring money into ICE and into, uh, fighting these crazy foreign wars that we're engaged in and, uh, you know, attacking the working class in other countries.

Um, they're also attacking the working class by, um, cutting programs that we really need, like food stamps.

You know, food stamps affect me personally 'cause I work in a grocery store.

It's a government subsidy for grocery stores, so, you know, obviously [chuckles] that's gonna be pretty important for my job, um-

Right

... just on, like, a, you know, capitalistic way.

But, um, these, the cuts in the, from the one beautiful, the big beautiful bill, uh, are gonna, you know, are over the next couple of years gonna really wreak havoc on, uh, on hospitals, on, um, uh, county-level programs and education programs.

Um, luckily, I, you know, people are fighting back, and unions are fighting back against the cuts that are coming up now and will continue to do so, um, both in healthcare and in public sector stuff.

So, um, yeah, happy to talk about specific instances with that, but I, I think that's the kind of broader thing that we're gonna see around the whole country is, um, these trickle-down cuts.

Yeah.

I, I'm really, really agree with that, and I know that in some ways, the one big beautiful bill, uh, actually targeted blue states, uh, states like Minnesota more so than states like mine and Alabama, right? It was kind of a, you know, in a deliberate attempt to sabotage expanded Medicaid, uh, and, you know, the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to SNAP, uh, and we have pending, uh, cuts to federal education programs.

All of those, as you said, do trickle down.

State and local governments have to kick in, uh, and try to cover the holes.

Uh, I know I talked about it earlier in the program today about Alabama, we're facing about a $200 million shortfall in our general fund just to keep up with SNAP-

Oh

... uh, which is, you know, such an important program for so many of our people here and, as you said, also, you know, keeps a lot of people employed, uh, which is, you know, not to be left out there.

So it's gonna be a really tough, uh, season, I think, for legislatures across the country, uh, and for local governments across the country, and I think that's why, uh, you know, having strong unions who are actually en- engaged in this process and, uh, advocating at every level can really make a big difference and, and so that's-

Right

... you know, if I have any, any hope, it's, like, knowing that there, there's such a degree of, of organization and militancy among, uh, some of the public sector unions that, you know, that should, there should be a factor that, that can help, hopefully.

Uh, we'll see.

Uh, but yeah.