President Donald Trump’s massive tax-and-spending package is officially the law.

The legislation provides tax cuts for some Americans. But it could raise costs for some of the country’s poorest households. That’s due to reductions in Medicaid and food assistance. The legislation Republicans are calling the “big beautiful bill" seeks to cut Medicaid and food stamps by more than $1 trillion.

Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll dig deeper into how the bill will impact SNAP and Medicaid benefits in Connecticut.

GUESTS:
Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Social Services
Sujata Srinivasan, senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
Amari Brantley, policy coordinator, End Hunger Connecticut!

President Donald Trump&rsquo;s massive tax-and-spending package is officially the law.
The legislation provides tax cuts for some Americans. But it could raise costs for some of the country&rsquo;s poorest households. That&rsquo;s due to reductions in Medicaid and food assistance. The legislation Republicans are calling the &ldquo;big beautiful bill"&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-snap-baby-bond-25c03837e9b2a0a4d6f60384ec5d0677">seeks to cut Medicaid and food stamps</a>&nbsp;by more than $1 trillion.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we&rsquo;ll dig deeper into how the bill will impact SNAP and Medicaid benefits in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://portal.ct.gov/dss/knowledge-base/articles/home/dss-commissioner?language=en_US">Andrea Barton Reeves</a>, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Social Services</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/people/sujata-srinivasan">Sujata Srinivasan</a>, senior health reporter, Connecticut Public</li>
<li><a href="https://endhungerct.org/about-us/">Amari Brantley,</a>&nbsp;policy coordinator, End Hunger Connecticut!</li>
</ul>

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

Connecticut's best journalists come out of the political trenches every Wednesday to join us on WNPR's weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse.

The Wheelhouse

Breaking down the future of CT’s social safety net following passage of Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’

Election results from 2024 have necessitated deep dives into the manosphere.These podcasts often don’t focus on political horse races – and many of the people on them say they’re not political.

But, according to one data firm, 54% of votes from men aged 18 to 29 were cast for Donald Trump. And his campaign did a lot of outreach to appear on the podcasts, courting an audience demographic that once went the other way.

Today on The Wheelhouse, with the midterms coming up in November we ask: Can MAGA still count on the manosphere?

Guests:
Elena Moore, political reporter, NPR’s Washington Desk
Charlie Sabgir, director, Young Men Research Project
Theodore R. Johnson, contributing columnist, The Washington Post

Election results from 2024 have necessitated deep dives into the manosphere.These podcasts often don&rsquo;t focus on political horse races &ndash; and many of the people on them say they&rsquo;re not political.
But,<a href="https://time.com/7378792/trump-young-voters-polls/">&nbsp;according to one data firm</a>, 54% of votes from men aged 18 to 29 were cast for Donald Trump. And his campaign did a lot of outreach to appear on the podcasts, courting an audience demographic that once went&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33331/unpacking-the-2024-youth-vote-heres-what-we-know-so-far">the other way</a>.
Today on The Wheelhouse, with the midterms coming up in November we ask: Can MAGA still count on the manosphere?
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/732818534/elena-moore">Elena Moore</a>, political reporter, NPR&rsquo;s Washington Desk</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ymrp.org/team">Charlie Sabgir</a>, director, Young Men Research Project</li>
<li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/theodore-r-johnson/">Theodore R. Johnson</a>, contributing columnist, The Washington Post</li>
</ul>

What Trump votes tell us about the ‘manosphere’

Across Connecticut, some students are joining a national movement to protest federal immigration crackdowns.

Students from Classical Magnet School in Hartford poured out of the classroom and onto the streets in February, holding up signs like “ICE OUT” to passing cars.

The demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement are happening in places like Hartford, Tampa and Northern Virginia in the weeks since federal agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis.

This hour, we’re discussing student protests and other ways young people are engaging in civics. We'll also get the latest on the developing conflict in Iran and the Middle East.

Guests:
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)
Gina Chace, assistant principal, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering
Annmarie Timmins, senior reporter on youth and education, NHPR
Chris Doyle, history teacher, Avon Old Farms

Across Connecticut, some students are joining&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5745489-ice-out-student-protests-texas-florida-oklahoma/">a national movement to protest federal immigration crackdowns</a>.
Students from Classical Magnet School in Hartford poured out of the classroom and onto the streets in February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5TvIo4qZits">holding up signs</a>&nbsp;like &ldquo;ICE OUT&rdquo; to passing cars.
The demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement are happening in places like Hartford, Tampa and Northern Virginia in the weeks since federal agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis.
This hour, we&rsquo;re discussing student protests and other ways young people are engaging in civics. We'll also get the latest on the developing conflict in Iran and the Middle East.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://courtney.house.gov/">U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)</a></li>
<li>Gina Chace, assistant principal, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering</li>
<li><a href="https://www.nhpr.org/people/annmarie-timmins">Annmarie Timmins</a>, senior reporter on youth and education, NHPR</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-doyle-4a232836/">Chris Doyle</a>,&nbsp;history teacher, Avon Old Farms</li>
</ul>

The latest on Iran and why CT student protests matter

A plan sponsored by President Donald Trump to overhaul national voting laws ahead of the 2026 midterms is back in Congress.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) called the SAVE America Act and its recent passage in the U.S. House a “critical step toward restoring election integrity.” But detractors, like U.S. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), said the plan would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote.

Today on The Wheelhouse, the impact on voters, if the SAVE America Act passes. Also on the show, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) responds to Trump’s State of the Union address and gives the latest on the ongoing debate about government funding and immigration reform.

GUESTS:
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)
Bilal Sekou, Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
Archon Fung, Professor of citizenship and self-government, Harvard University

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/nx-s1-5719252/trump-voting-save-america-act-explainer">plan&nbsp;</a>sponsored by President Donald Trump to overhaul national voting laws ahead of the 2026 midterms is back in Congress.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) called the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7296/text">SAVE America Act</a>&nbsp;and its recent passage in the U.S. House a &ldquo;<a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roys-save-america-act-passes-house-representatives">critical step toward restoring election integrity</a>.&rdquo; But detractors, like U.S. Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/842967615444505/">John Larson</a>&nbsp;(D-Conn.), said the plan would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote.
Today on The Wheelhouse, the impact on voters, if the SAVE America Act passes. Also on the show, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) responds to Trump&rsquo;s State of the Union address and gives the latest on the ongoing debate about government funding and immigration reform.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://delauro.house.gov/">U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hartford.edu/directory/hillyer/sekou-bilal.aspx">Bilal Sekou</a>,&nbsp;Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford</li>
<li><a href="https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/archon-fung">Archon Fung</a>, Professor of citizenship and self-government, Harvard University</li>
</ul>

Breaking down the future of CT’s social safety net following passage of Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’

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