All Broke And Hungry

 

New Mexico Is The State Most Dependent On Food Stamps

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal food assistance initiative in the U.S., supporting roughly one in eight Americans. The program helps low-income households purchase groceries, with monthly benefits averaging around $180 per person nationwide.

This visualization, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, highlights the states most reliant on food stamps, based on 2025 data from SmartAsset. While participation rates vary widely, the figures reveal stark contrasts in economic need and cost of living across states.

New Mexico Leads in SNAP Dependence

New Mexico stands out as the most SNAP-dependent state, with 21.5% of residents receiving assistance, nearly double the national average. The average monthly benefit there is $176.51 per person, totaling over $80 million in monthly aid. Persistent poverty rates and rural isolation help explain the state’s high reliance on federal food assistance.

Oregon follows closely at 18.1% enrollment, while Louisiana ranks third at 17.5%. In each case, elevated unemployment and cost pressures have contributed to continued demand for benefits.

Coastal and Urban States See Higher Benefit Amounts

States like New York ($218.44), Massachusetts ($215.64), and Hawaii ($361.78) report some of the highest average benefits per person. These higher payments reflect steeper living costs in dense urban and island economies.

Rank	State	Population with SNAP	Avg benefit per person	Number of beneficiaries	Total monthly benefits
1	New Mexico	21.5%	$176.51	457,699	$80,790,060
2	Oregon	18.1%	$182.17	772,893	$140,797,421
3	Louisiana	17.5%	$186.90	803,988	$150,268,544
4	Oklahoma	16.9%	$186.85	692,477	$129,386,266
5	W. Virginia	15.5%	$167.74	273,566	$45,886,908
6	Nevada	15.2%	$171.80	496,848	$85,360,880
7	Massachusetts	15.1%	$215.64	1,076,187	$232,066,810
8	Pennsylvania	15.0%	$181.70	1,958,047	$355,777,154
9	New York	14.9%	$218.44	2,962,913	$647,210,404
10	Illinois	14.8%	$195.94	1,879,564	$368,278,250
11	Michigan	14.5%	$175.44	1,473,832	$258,575,524
12	Alabama	14.3%	$193.08	736,178	$142,142,795
13	California	13.9%	$190.25	5,494,318	$1,045,310,679
14	Kentucky	13.0%	$178.94	595,155	$106,498,834
15	Rhode Island	12.8%	$200.95	142,726	$28,680,737
16	Florida	12.6%	$181.97	2,943,012	$535,551,777
17	North Carolina	12.5%	$174.75	1,378,291	$240,858,724
18	Ohio	12.2%	$186.03	1,450,955	$269,917,495
19	Georgia	12.1%	$186.08	1,356,493	$252,417,633
20	Mississippi	12.1%	$180.46	357,042	$64,432,174
21	Arizona	11.7%	$182.25	887,253	$161,705,602
22	Maine	11.6%	$176.55	163,520	$28,869,975
23	Wisconsin	11.6%	$163.89	689,315	$112,973,934
24	Washington	11.4%	$184.51	905,471	$167,068,578
25	Hawaii	11.3%	$361.78	163,576	$59,178,123
26	Delaware	11.2%	$180.54	118,209	$21,340,950
27	Texas	11.0%	$177.82	3,455,085	$614,386,464
28	Maryland	10.7%	$182.49	667,981	$121,902,010
29	Missouri	10.5%	$196.10	655,940	$128,629,589
30	South Carolina	10.4%	$186.42	567,895	$105,867,349
31	Colorado	10.3%	$195.97	614,843	$120,493,408
32	Vermont	10.0%	$188.75	64,633	$12,199,424
33	Connecticut	9.9%	$192.89	363,524	$70,118,853
34	Tennessee	9.6%	$203.20	690,545	$140,318,213
35	Virginia	9.4%	$173.84	824,866	$143,392,688
36	Alaska	9.0%	$364.31	66,377	$24,181,479
37	New Jersey	8.7%	$194.63	826,094	$160,778,766
38	Indiana	8.5%	$195.71	586,403	$114,763,019
39	Iowa	8.2%	$169.04	267,158	$45,159,537
40	South Dakota	8.1%	$198.24	75,282	$14,923,544
41	Minnesota	7.8%	$158.45	451,966	$71,616,027
42	Arkansas	7.8%	$172.82	239,748	$41,434,391
43	Nebraska	7.5%	$181.00	150,600	$27,258,920
44	North Dakota	7.2%	$174.33	57,129	$9,959,141
45	Montana	7.1%	$170.68	80,523	$13,743,731
46	Idaho	6.7%	$179.01	133,545	$23,906,189
47	Kansas	6.3%	$177.23	186,036	$32,971,957
48	New Hampshire	5.4%	$169.56	75,717	$12,838,748
49	Utah	5.1%	$192.17	177,087	$34,030,139
50	Wyoming	4.6%	$183.81	27,122	$4,985,385

In contrast, benefits tend to be smaller in lower-cost Midwestern states such as Wisconsin ($163.89) and Minnesota ($158.45), where overall food prices and housing costs are lower.

Low Participation in Western States

Wyoming has the lowest SNAP participation rate at just 4.6%, followed by Utah (5.1%) and New Hampshire (5.4%). Still, even in these states, food stamps remains a crucial safety net for tens of thousands of residents. Utah alone distributes more than $34 million in benefits each month to about 177,000 people.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

via zer0hedge

Safety First

 

Top Trump Officials Moved Into Military Housing Due To Left-Wing Political Threats

Via American Greatness,

A number of top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration are being housed, along with their families, on military bases, due to increasing threats of left-wing political violence.

High profile members of the Trump team, including Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller have all been moved into military housing typically reserved for senior officers.

According to a report from The Atlantic, members of Trump’s cabinet have faced growing concerns about political violence after many of them have been confronted at their private residences by protestors.

Desert Ways Now

 

Germany Submits To Islam: Christmas Market In Overath Cancelled

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe

In the German town of Overath (North Rhine-Westphalia), this year’s Christmas market has been cancelled. The cost of protecting visitors from potential terrorist attacks exceeds the organizer’s budget. The city refuses to cover the expenses. A capitulation to Islamism.

It wasn’t long ago that Christmas markets were among the social highlights of the year. Whether in small towns or major cities – they were meeting points for friends and family, for mulled wine, sausages, and quiet conversations wrapped in winter’s cold and early darkness.

Places of Togetherness 

There was this special peaceful coziness. A place where community was celebrated – joyful, calm, and without fear. A tradition that brought people closer together.

What would urban life be without safe and regular gatherings in public spaces? A wasteland. A dystopia.

These moments – when people could pause, breathe, and let the soul drift for a moment – have become scarce in Germany’s public life. Since 2015, since Angela Merkel’s open-border decision, Europe has entered its own Michel Houellebecq moment.

The mass influx of young men from predominantly Islamic countries has deeply shattered the population’s sense of security.

The Loss of Carefreeness 

And in this increasingly tense atmosphere, just when Chancellor Friedrich Merz touched a sore point by speaking about the changing face of cities, a manufactured storm of outrage erupted against him.

Even after deadly Islamist attacks – Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz in 2016 with 12 victims, the Solingen festival stabbing in 2023 with three dead, or the bombing plot at the Magdeburg Christmas market last year – Germany still refuses to confront militant Islam pressing into Europe.

The aggressive rejection of any criticism within Islamic circles points to the core problem: Islam never passed through the crucible of Enlightenment like Christianity did. Christianity’s claws were cut – and what remained was woven into the psychological fabric of modernity.

The list of Islamist attacks in Germany and Europe is long and growing month by month. And it proves how intimidation of secular Western society has become successful – when even traditional festivals like Christmas markets are only possible behind heavy police presence and concrete barriers to stop jihadist vehicle attacks.

The feeling of carefree celebration is gone.

Another Christmas Market Falls 

Green Shoots

 

Nancy Pelosi Finally Retiring From Congress At 85

After days of speculation, former House Speaker and legendary insider trader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has formally announced that she out.

In a Thursday morning video, Pelosi announced that she won't seek reelection after completing her current term.

"There has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco.’ I have truly loved serving as your voice in Congress, and I've always honored the soul of Saint Francisco — ‘Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.' The anthem of our city," Pelosi said in a voiceover. Which 'Lord' she was referring to is unclear. 

"That is why I want you, my fellow San Franciscans to be the first to know I will not be seeking re-election to Congress. With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative as we go forward."

Pelosi, who has been in congress since 1987 after winning a special election to replace the late Rep. Sala Burton (D-CA), served as House speaker from 2007-2011, and then again from 2019 to 2023. 

Pelosi become one of President Trump's largest enemies over the past decade - dramatically tearing up his State of the Union speech in 2020, and refusing to allow the National Guard to deploy on Jan. 6. 

Trump cheered Pelosi's retirement announcement - telling Fox News: "The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America," adding that she's "evil," "corrupt," and "only focused on bad things for our country."

"She was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back. I’m very honored she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice," Trump added. 

Of course, she hasn't been right for a while... this was five years ago:

via zer0hedge

You Better Be Thankful

 

OpenAI CFO Seeks US Government Backing, Disappointed Market Doesn't Have More AI "Exuberance"

How do you know i) a bubble is about to burst, or ii) an corporate fraud of epic proportions is about to unwind? Look no further than Enron or Lehman Brothers, where Jeff Skilling and Dick Fuld, respectively, launched an all out attack against the market in general, and shorts in particular as a last-ditch desperation move to distract from the imminent demise of their insolvent companies. 

It may not be that dire just yet, but in a recent podcast alongside Brad Gerstner and Satya Nadella, OpenAI's Sam Altman, when asked by Gerstner, who is an OpenAI investor (that whole "non-profit" thing is long dead and buried for those who haven't been paying attention), how a company with $13BN in revenue can afford $1.4T in commitments. Altman’s reply? “If you want to sell your shares, I’ll find you a buyer." 

Actual translation: no answer. And while Sam didn't blame the market or the shorts - yet - he is starting to blame the longs for not having enough faith. 

He is not the only one: earlier today his #2 doubled down when she blamed - get this - the market for being too pessimistic and not having enough "exuberance."

In an onstage interview at the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference in California on Wednesday, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar suggested the market is overly focused on anxiety about a possible bubble in the artificial intelligence sector and should muster more “exuberance” about the technology’s potential.

“I don’t think there’s enough exuberance about AI, when I think about the actual practical implications and what it can do for individuals,” Friar said “We should keep running at it.”

The practical implications being putting 150 million people out of work, but let's ignore that.

Of course, Friar doesn't actually care about the lack of exuberance: what she - and her boss - are much more concerned about is the epic circle-jerk vendor financing deals (see "The Stunning Math Behind The AI Vendor Financing "Circle Jerk"") that have served as the basis for much of the AI bubble rally, and somehow always have OpenAI in their centers, are finally being scrutinized.

It Just Doesn't Matter

 

US Household Debt Hits Record $18.6 Trillion As Student Loan Defaults Explode

The NY Fed published its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit.

Surprising exactly no-one, the report showed that total household debt increased by $197 billion (1%) in Q3 2025, to a new record high of $18.59 trillion. split between $13.5 trillion in housing debt and $5.1 trillion in non-housing debt.

“Household debt balances are growing at a moderate pace, with delinquency rates stabilizing,” said Donghoon Lee, Economic Research Advisor at the New York Fed. “The relatively low mortgage delinquency rates reflect the housing market’s resilience, driven by ample home equity and tight underwriting standards.” 

Some details:

• Mortgage balances grew by $137 billion in the third quarter and totaled $13.07 trillion at the end of September 2025.
  • Mortgage delinquency rate rose to 0.83% from 0.82% prior quarter
• Credit card balances rose by $24 billion from the previous quarter and stood at $1.23 trillion.
  • Delinquency rate at 12.41%, highest since 2011
• Auto loan balances held steady at $1.66 trillion.
• Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances rose by $11 billion to $422 billion.
• Student loan balances rose by $15 billion and stood at $1.65 trillion.

In total, non-housing balances rose by $49 billion, a 1.0% increase from Q2 2025. 

Taking a closer look we find that...  

• The pace of mortgage originations increased with $512 billion newly originated in Q3 2025.

The only silver lining in the report is that housing debt levels and delinquencies have stabilized: “Household debt balances are growing at a moderate pace, with delinquency rates stabilizing,” Donghoon Lee, an economic research advisor at the New York Fed, said in a press release accompanying the figures. “The relatively low mortgage delinquency rates reflect the housing market’s resilience, driven by ample home equity and tight underwriting standards."

While that is true, let's see what happens to the US housing market once the avalanche starts, tipped off the by scramble to sell everything in the mecca of Capitalism, New York City, which is now controlled by a communist. 

Moving on: 

Dick Is Dead

 

Dick Cheney Dead At Age 84 

Former U.S Vice President Dick Cheney died on Monday night at the age of 84, according to Punchbowl News reporter Jake Sherman.

Sherman posted on X what appears to be a statement from the family, in which it explained that Cheney "died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease." 

Here's the full statement:

"Richard B. Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, died last night, November 3, 2025. He was 84 years old. His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed. The former Vice President died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

"For decades, Dick Cheney served our nation, including as White House Chief of Staff, Wyoming's Congressman, Secretary of Defense, and Vice President of the United States.

"Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man."

No Shut-Down In Sight

 

US Expands Lockheed Martin–Built Spy Blimps Over Caribbean

There's no question that Western Hemisphere defense is back in the Trump 2.0 era. 

In fact, it's a theme we've explained to readers throughout the year: the Pentagon's strategy to reorient U.S. defense priorities away from endless wars in the Middle East and toward safeguarding the homeland and the Western Hemisphere as the world fractures into a dangerous bipolar state. This pivot is commonly referred to as "Monroe Doctrine 2.0."

The focus has been squarely on the Caribbean Sea, particularly off the coast of Venezuela, where an unprecedented buildup of U.S. military assets is underway, including missile destroyers, 10,000 soldiers, 6,000 sailors, surveillance aircraft, and what may have even been a dry bomb run by B-1 bombers last month.

More interesting has been the expanded deployment of high-altitude surveillance blimps, equipped with Lockheed Martin L-88 radar systems that detect aircraft and/or vessels over hundreds of miles. This expansion of blimps is feeding the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center and other command-and-control hubs, giving U.S. forces real-time situational awareness across the region.

Defense Blog reports: 

The United States has intensified the use of its tethered aerostat radar system operating out of Lajas, Puerto Rico, expanding persistent airborne surveillance across the Caribbean amid growing regional security concerns.

The long-standing system, equipped with the Lockheed Martin–built Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), has been flying more frequently in recent weeks, according to defense monitoring sources

Created for border security and counter-narcotics missions, the Puerto Rico TARS site now acts as a forward radar post, monitoring and expanding the U.S. military's surveillance network, bolstering military, Homeland Security, and counter-smuggling operations in the region. This is much cheaper to operate than conventional patrol aircraft or warships.

In short, the expanded deployment of TARS is more evidence of bolstering hemispheric operations and provides an early-warning sentry for both narcotic and national security operations. 

Use It Or Lose It

 

Russia 'Closely Monitoring' Venezuela Crisis As US Builds Up 16,000 Troops Off Coast

Russia says it is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela at a moment of unprecedented build-up of military assets threatening the country which possesses the world's largest crude oil reserves.

Responding to a weekend Washington Post report saying that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has requested military assistance from Moscow, especially missiles and radars, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said simply: "We are closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela."

AFP/Getty Images

WaPo has indicated that the American military build-up in the southern Caribbean includes 10,000 soldiers and 6,000 sailors, making the total force posture a whopping 16,000 troops.

The publication describes, "U.S. forces in the Caribbean include eight Navy warships, a special operations vessel and a nuclear-powered attack submarine. When the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in the Caribbean next week, it will bring with it three more warships and more than 4,000 additional troops."

Prior to the carrier group's arrival, these are the warships currently patrolling waters near Venezuela:

• USS Iwo Jima
• USS San Antonio
• USS Stockdale
• USS Jason Dunham
• USS Gravely
• USS Lake Erie
• USS Wichita
• USS Gettysburg

It is not known whether Moscow is actually following through in any way based on Maduro's urgent request - but any extra assistance is likely too little, too late at this point - as it would require significant logistics at a moment Caracas is under direct threat by the Pentagon.

Island-nations off Venezuela have been some large Air Force toys dropped on them in the last days and weeks...

TASS reviews of Moscow's defense ties with the Maduro government, "On October 21, the Russian State Duma ratified the strategic partnership and cooperation treaty between Russia and Venezuela."

The report says further, "According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, this ratification is very important given the unprecedented forceful pressure, including direct military pressure, that the US is exerting on Venezuela."

And Trump might waste these expensive Tomahawks on regime change in a Third World country...why?

See This Carrot?

 

Benny Johnson's SNAP Fix: Require Every Recipient To Reapply And Prove U.S. Citizenship

Federal judges ruled Friday that the Trump administration must use emergency contingency funds to cover Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for 42 million people amid the ongoing government shutdown, which is now in its 32nd day. SNAP benefits ended on Saturday, but the court has given the administration until Monday to appeal. 

The shutdown, which began on October 1, continues as the Senate is scheduled to vote on reopening the government on Monday. Polymarket odds of a reopening on Monday are below 1%. Reopening odds by the end of the week remain at 16%. 

In the meantime, Google Search trends show "food bank near me" surged above Covid panic highs as those who rely heavily on the federal government to survive scramble for food. 

Last week, major airlines and unions blasted Democrats for the government shutdown. Airline bosses demanded that leftist politicians back the Republican-led clean continued resolution bill. 

A video posted on X shows Benny Johnson telling Newsmax's Rob Finnerty that if tens of millions of Americans were willing to stand in line for an experimental Covid vaccine, they can just as well stand in line for to reapply for food stamps.

"My thought is shut it all down. Force everyone to reapply with American citizenship. Crack down on what is available on these programs - take the junk food off - and you'll see the number of people applying for these programs collapse. Force them to cook their own food," Johnson told Finnerty. 

Finnerty responded, "They forced people like sheep to get in line to take vaccines - and within two months - something like 67% of the country was vaccinated - hundreds of millions of people in a short amount of time. You have to do the same thing here," adding, "You're talking about 42 million people and you can federalize it - don't leave it up to the states." 

The Real Question

 

Why Are 42 Million Americans Relying On SNAP Benefits?

Amid the furious debate over the government shutdown and the incoming freeze of SNAP food benefits, one important factor is often overlooked - Why are 42 million Americans, a number larger than the entire population of Canada, dependent on government subsidized groceries?  Isn't this a time bomb waiting to explode regardless of a federal shutdown?   

There have been a few temporary food stamp programs from the Great Depression through the 1950s, but they were limited in scale and funding was minimal.  It wasn't until LBJ's "Great Society" project in 1964 that food stamps slowly became a permanent mainstay of American life.  By 1969, food benefits were in full swing, yet, only 1.4% of the population used them.  Strict eligibility requirements kept the participation rate down until 1977.  

Candidates had to have a gross income below the poverty line.  Their liquid assets (including vehicles) had to have limited value.  They had to put some of their own money into a portion of the stamps in order to get the "bonus" stamps.  Able bodied adults without children were largely excluded. College students and immigrants were barred from the program.  Able bodied adults had to work or be in training.  Monthly income and expense verification was required. Food stamps were paper, creating a "shame factor".  Just because someone was under the poverty line did not mean they could qualify.

Most of these barriers have been absent from SNAP in the past few decades, which is why the percentage of users spiked from 1.4% to as high as 15% of the population.  Today, the rate stands at 12.5%, which is still extraordinarily high.  Approximately 19 million SNAP users have been on the program for longer than a year, and over 80% of people on the program are able bodied and below retirement age.

In other words, the program has become a crutch for a vast number of people who do not need it.

The most common argument in favor of expanding food subsidies is:  "What about the single moms?"  Around 25% of all SNAP users are single mothers, and yes, it is increasingly difficult for these women to work full time without child care.  However, while there are plenty of cases of desperate moms in need of a boost in times of hardship, there are also endless cases of abuse of the system.