The New Yorker staff writer E. Tammy Kim joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss how the government shutdown is affecting the federal workforce. They talk about how the shutdown began and what it means for hundreds of thousands of civil servants who have been furloughed, laid off, or required to work without pay. They also examine the Administration’s new “reductions in force,” or mass layoffs across key agencies, and how those cuts are being used in the effort to shrink and politicize federal agencies—and how those efforts could weaken not just essential public services but the long-term stability and nonpartisan functioning of the federal government itself.

This week’s reading:

“Inside the Trump Administration’s Assault on Higher Education,” by Emma Green
“The Indictment of Letitia James and the Collapse of Impartial Justice,” by Ruth Marcus
“The Real Problem Is How Trump Can Legally Use the Military,” by Jeannie Suk Gersen
“The End of Israel’s Hostage Ordeal,” by Ruth Margalit
“What Zohran Mamdani Knows About Power,” by Eric Lach

Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.

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