Boston Public Radio

On Wednesday, WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen said the film "Joker" was disturbing and fascinating.

A new FRONTLINE documentary takes viewers inside Saudi Arabia's power structure to find answers about the journalist's murder.

Juul's new CEO used to be a tobacco industry executive.

Thirty-two prisons bought uninspected and degraded meat for their inmates, Corby Kummer says.

The law will go into effect in 2023, but a legal fight with the NCAA seems imminent, says Trenni Kusnierek.

WGBH News Reporter Craig LeMoult said Monday that legislators aren't equipped to respond to new data about ultrafine emissions particles.

The Trump administration is proposing a change to the rules that govern who is eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. Under the proposed rule changes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates 3 million people would lose benefits, which includes an estimated 90,000 people in Massachusetts, according to the state's Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). The proposed changes would prohibit the states from expanding who is eligible for the program beyond the federal baseline, which is $33,475 for a family of four — or 130 percent of the federal poverty level. Right now, 39 states, including Massachusetts, offer federally-funded SNAP benefits to people who make more than that — up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level — but still qualify for benefits because they have other expenses that make it hard for them to pay for food. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said the rule changes will “close a loophole” and will save the federal government an estimated $2.5 billion a year. The administration and some Republicans in Congress have highlighted a case that involves a wealthy Minnesota man who had extremely low income, but huge assets, and said he applied for and collected SNAP benefits. Corby Kummer, executive director of the food and society policy program at the Aspen Institute, told Boston Public Radio on Wednesday that the proposed change would also impact half a million children who currently get discounted school lunch. Kummer said that the administration's narrative harkens back to the derogatory trope of the welfare queen: that people rely on public services paid for by the rest of upstanding citizens, so they don't have to work themselves. "The whole premise of this welfare queen free-loader, people are gouging the government and taxpayers because they want free school lunches, is so absurd. It's so hateful that it's hard to believe the cynicism, Kummer said. "This whole idea that people would be deliberately trying to freeload off of the government for food stamps, as opposed to, for example, the multimillionaire large big-ag farmers who get huge subsidies for growing things like soybean ... that gets unstated because that's Trump's base." Corby Kummer is also a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the line to ask our listeners about their thoughts on last night's 2020 Democratic debate. Washington Post's National Politics reporter Annie Linskey spoke with Jim and Margery about last night's debate and previewed the subsequent debate tonight. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed Dan Coats resignation as Director of National Intelligence. Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the 120th anniversary of the Hood ice cream sandwich. WGBH's executive arts editor Jared Bowen reviewed exhibits from the Clark Art Institute. Naturalist Sy Montgomery spoke about conservation efforts being made to help puffin populations in Maine and tiger populations in India. Former Central Intelligence Agency officer John Woodward Jr. joined to discuss the role of Director of National Intelligence and how it will change now that Coats is out.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Have you taken vacation time yet this summer? We opened the lines to ask our listeners about their work-life balance. NBC Sports Boston anchor Trenni Kusnierek joined Jim and Margery to talk about David Ortiz's recovery. Former state secretary of education Paul Reville discussed his new book on improving schools for low-income communities. Boston Globe reporter Dan Adams gave us the latest updates on the state's cannabis industry. Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, discussed the latest immigration headlines. CNN's John King called in from Detroit to preview tonight's 2020 Democratic debate. We opened the lines again, this time to ask our listeners if they'll be watching the 2020 Democratic debates tonight and tomorrow.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Charlie Chieppo of Chieppo Strategies and Michael Curry of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, discussed Trump's racially charged tweets against Rep. Elijah Cummings, previewed Tuesday's presidential debates, and discussed the latest local political news. Bob Thompson discussed the completion of Orange is the New Black, Netflix's most popular show. We opened the phone lines to hear from listeners about the efficacy of political apologies. Bruce Marks, CEO of the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, joined us to discuss how to make home ownership possible for low to moderate income families. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discussed President Donald Trump's outreach to black voters by embracing rapper A$AP Rocky. We heard from listeners again, this time about escapism in TV-watching habits. Inaugural poet Richard Blanco gave us a lesson in evocative writing.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines to hear from listeners about the unaffordably of housing in the Boston area. Callie Crossley joined to discuss the protests in Puerto Rico that forced Governor Rossello to resign. Vikki Spruill, the president of the New England Aquarium discussed the organization’s role in the fight against climate change. Emily Rooney joined us with her weekly list of fulminations and fixations. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed a $5 billion fine levied by the FTC against Facebook. We spoke with Dr. Leah Zallman, who has been researching how Trump's immigration policies are impacting immigrant communities’ access to healthcare. Does Massachusetts’ craft beer industry have a diversity problem? Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung joined us to discuss her latest column. The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company cast of Cymbeline joined us for our weekly news quiz.