Due to the recent government shutdown, SNAP benefits and the American welfare state came into focus. Massive fraud in the SNAP program was unveiled. A deeper analysis shows a massive growth in the welfare state since the 1960s. It was recently announced that all SNAP recipients will have to reapply in an effort to crack down on fraud. What does the current state of the SNAP program and welfare in America really tell us about our economy, our politics, and where the U.S. is heading? This episode covered several articles from The Epoch Times (subscription required) and Fox Business. The articles in The Epoch Times are titled “SNAP and the growth of the American welfare state” and “5,000 dead people getting SNAP, 500,000 receiving benefits twice: Rollins.” The article in Fox Business is titled “All SNAP recipients required to reapply as Trump admin cracks down on fraud: ‘business as usual is over’.”