SCOTUS rules Cook can keep job; Braves manager Snitker to step down; Govt. shutdown

Summary

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Georgia Today – October 1, 2025

Host: Orlando Montoya (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Episode Theme:
This episode covers the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing Lisa Cook to remain as a Federal Reserve governor, Braves manager Brian Snitker’s departure, and the first federal government shutdown in seven years, with a strong focus on the shutdown’s potential impact on Georgia’s economy and daily life.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Federal Government Shutdown: Economic and Social Impact

• Scope of Shutdown ([00:59])
  • The first U.S. government shutdown in nearly seven years has begun, with widespread furloughs impacting hundreds of thousands nationwide and approximately 111,000 federal workers in Georgia.
• Expert Analysis: Prof. Ray Hill ([01:45])
  • The shutdown, typically a "political event, not an economic event," could become more severe if it lasts beyond a few weeks.
    • Quote: “If we get to be more than a month, a couple of months down the road and, you know, two and a quarter million federal employees are not getting paid... then this is a very serious effect on the economy given the scale of those expenditures.” — Ray Hill (01:45)
  • This shutdown may last longer than past ones due to political dynamics and a president "comfortable with economic uncertainty."
  • Ripple effects include possible missed paychecks, reduced consumer spending, and trickle-down pain for contractors and local businesses.
• Consumer Confidence and Business Uncertainty ([02:56])
  • Consumer confidence is already waning, and the shutdown could further destabilize perceptions of economic security.
    • Quote: “If I’ve got a couple of million people who don’t have paychecks, whether they’re confident or not, they’re not going to be spending the money.” — Ray Hill (03:16)
• Suspension of Government Economic Reports ([03:52])
  • If the shutdown is prolonged, missing regular statistical reports from agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics could have greater consequences, though Wall Street remains unfazed for now.
    • Quote: “Wall street doesn’t seem to have any reaction to this at all. ...For some reason, Wall street doesn’t seem to mind that. I don’t know why.” — Ray Hill (04:09)
• Effects on Airports and Travel ([04:54])
  • TSA workers, considered essential, must work without pay—but long delays could disrupt travel.
    • Quote: “It’s hard to make people do that. ...You really have a disruption in air travel. But again, I think that’s a month away if it happens.” — Ray Hill (05:13)
• National Parks Uncertainty ([06:00])
  • Confusion prevails regarding park closures. Mogee Mounds National Historical Park's trails are closed despite general NPS guidance, directly impacting local families.
    • Quote: “This is her enjoyment. And our tax dollars... helps pay for this. So this is just unbelievable.” — Penny Borgum (06:45)

2. SCOTUS Allows Lisa Cook to Remain as Fed Governor (for Now) ([07:07])

• The Supreme Court will not remove Lisa Cook as a Federal Reserve governor pending further arguments in January—this comes after allegations (denied by Cook) of mortgage fraud related to primary residence claims.
• Lisa Cook is a Georgia native with strong community roots.

3. Atlanta Mayor Announces $5 Billion Community Investment Plan ([07:40])

• Mayor Andre Dickens proposes a reinvestment plan using tax allocation districts to improve transit ($2B), green spaces ($1.5B), and affordable housing ($1.3B) in South and West Atlanta.

4. Atlanta Braves Manager Brian Snitker Steps Down ([08:30])

• Snitker leaves after a 50-year tenure and will move to an advisory role.
• Accomplishments include 811 wins, six NL East titles, and the 2021 World Series championship.
• He expressed deep affection for his team during his emotional announcement.
  • Quote: “It was his joy to be around a group of guys that makes this so special.” — (Paraphrased from coverage, 08:30)

5. End of Federal Food Insecurity Reporting and SNAP Cuts ([09:42])

• The USDA’s Household Food Security Report has been discontinued, raising concerns about understanding and addressing child hunger in Georgia.
  • Quote: “If we don’t have numbers coming from the feds... we’re going to have to really be intentional about our nutrition and anti hunger partners making sure we have that voice heard.” — Kelsey Silvio (10:00)
• Recent federal tax changes also implement the largest-ever food stamp (SNAP) cuts.

6. Other Georgia Headlines

• Gulfstream Aerospace Unveils New Jet ([10:28])
  • The new G300 will replace the existing G280, with significant local impact (as Savannah’s largest private employer), and a mock-up was presented by company president Mark Burns.
• Jimmy Carter Commemorative Stamp Issued ([11:21])
  • Launch at the Carter Center, honoring the late former president on what would have been his 101st birthday.
    • Quote: “He’s got a forever stamp. We think of him as Jimmy Carter forever... a great way to celebrate his birthday.” — Jason Carter (11:45)

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Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Ray Hill:

  • “If we get to be more than a month... two and a quarter million federal employees are not getting paid... this is a very serious effect on the economy.” — (01:45)
  • “If I’ve got a couple of million people who don’t have paychecks, whether they’re confident or not, they’re not going to be spending the money.” — (03:16)
  • “Wall street doesn’t seem to have any reaction to this at all... For some reason, Wall street doesn’t seem to mind that. I don’t know why.” — (04:09)
  • “It’s hard to make people do that... You really have a disruption in air travel. But... that’s a month away if it happens.” — (05:13)

• Penny Borgum:

  • “This is her enjoyment. And our tax dollars... helps pay for this. So this is just unbelievable.” — (06:45)

• Kelsey Silvio:

  • “If we don’t have numbers coming from the feds... we’re going to have to really be intentional about our nutrition and anti hunger partners making sure we have that voice heard.” — (10:00)

• Jason Carter:

  • “We think of him as Jimmy Carter forever... it’s a great way to celebrate his birthday.” — (11:45)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Government Shutdown – Economic Impact: [00:59]–[06:00]
• National Parks and Shutdown: [06:00]–[07:07]
• Lisa Cook/Federal Reserve – SCOTUS: [07:07]
• Atlanta Investment Plan: [07:40]
• Braves Manager Brian Snitker Steps Down: [08:30]
• Food Insecurity/SNAP Cuts: [09:42]
• Gulfstream Jet Announcement: [10:28]
• Jimmy Carter Stamp: [11:21]

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Overall Tone

The episode balances expert analysis with community voices and news headlines, retaining a calm yet urgent focus on the federal shutdown’s broad impacts while also highlighting local pride and ongoing change in Georgia’s politics, economy, and culture. A clear commitment to informing listeners about both the facts and human stories behind the headlines is maintained.

Transcript

[Peach Jam Podcast Host]

Georgia is the new hotbed for musical talent, and the music industry knows it. Record executives are turning their eyes to the Peach State to discover the next big thing. On GPB's Peach Jam podcast, you'll hear those rising Georgia artists before anyone else listen and discover the sound of what's next on the Peach Jam Podcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting.

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On Today's episode, the U.S. supreme Court will allow Lisa Cook to remain as Federal Reserve governor. Longtime Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker will not return to the dugout next season. And how will the federal government shutdown affect Georgia's economy?

[Ray Hill]

You know, if we get to be more than a month, a couple of months down the road and two and a quarter million federal employees are not getting paid, this is a very serious effect on the economy.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Wednesday, October 1st. I'm Orlando Montoya, and this is Georgia Today. The US was plunged into its first government shutdown in nearly seven years today, and it could be a long one with potential impacts to an already rattled American economy. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed and sent home without pay until Congress resumes funding. The Georgia Department of Labor says There are about 111,000 federal workers in Georgia. Earlier today, I spoke with Ray Hill, associate professor of finance at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business, about the shutdown's possible effects on the economy.

[Ray Hill]

In the past, this has been a political event, not an economic event. All right, so we've had shutdowns. People missed maybe one paycheck. It was there. Eventually those paychecks were made up maybe two, but not much more than that. And so the economic consequences were quite small because politicians seem to be aware that this could be devastating and somebody caves pretty early on. If I'm looking at this situation, the thing that strikes me the most about it is that we have a president who seems to be very comfortable with economic uncertainty and he's already trying to reduce the federal workforce. So we're in a situation where at least we have one side that is going to be, as far as I can see, a lot I'm straying into politics now, but a lot more resolute than in the past. And so to my mind, this has a potential for going on for quite some time. You know, if we get to be more than a month, a couple of months down the road and, you know, two and a quarter million federal employees are not getting paid and Some contractors are not getting paid well, then this is a very serious effect on the economy given the scale of those expenditures.

[Georgia Today Reporter/Interviewer]

Consumer confidence, could this rattle not only consumers but also businesses? Because, you know, this is coming on top of tariffs. This is coming on top of all the chaos that's been going on. Could this further introduce more uncertainty and lack of confidence in our basic system of economy?

[Ray Hill]

The most recent surveys show declining consumer confidence already before we even get into. And so sure, that's. I wouldn't even say it's declining confidence. If I've got a couple of million people who don't have paychecks, whether they're confident or not, they're not going to be spending the money. So, you know, the ripple effect is going to be. If it lasts. If it lasts is going to be quite severe. If we follow the historical norms and somebody caves within the next couple of weeks, then I think we'll look back and see it as a political show and we won't worry about it. But that may not happen this time.

[Georgia Today Reporter/Interviewer]

I've gotten a question from one of my colleagues about economic reports because apparently.

[Orlando Montoya]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and maybe.

[Georgia Today Reporter/Interviewer]

Usda, the government issues so many reports. But if these reports aren't coming, could that also have an effect on the economy?

[Ray Hill]

Normally I'd say yes. Again, caution that if it goes on, nobody is going to miss two weeks of government reports. Okay, I don't think they will. Somebody will. Some economists trying to do researches, but the rest of the world is not going to miss that. If we get into again beyond a month, then it becomes more serious. The curious thing to me is that Wall street doesn't seem to have any reaction to this at all. If you look at the market is doing quite well and went up yesterday, and you would think that it's precisely Wall street who would be the most deterred by having not access to reports on how the economy is doing. But for some reason, Wall street doesn't seem to mind that. I don't know why.

[Georgia Today Reporter/Interviewer]

Let's go to another impact that could happen, and that is airports and travel. The last shutdown we had was really ended by TSA because all those TSA workers didn't show up for work. And then travel started getting chaos. Can you talk about the effects on that?

[Ray Hill]

TSA workers are usually deemed essential, so they're required to come to work even though they don't get paid. But at some point TSA workers say, well, I'm going to go work somewhere else or I'm not going to show up for work and it's hard to make people do that. So I think again, that's one of the couple of weeks down the pike, a month down the pike effect that we might see. I have a really nice trip I've been planning for a year at the end of the month and I am paying much close attention to it. And it's exactly about the time when you might see the, you know, the cracks begin to appear in trying to keep essential workers there. And then you'd have to you really have a disruption in air travel. But again, I think that's a month away if it happens.

[Orlando Montoya]

That was Ray Hill, associate professor of finance at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business. There's still some confusion about what parts of the National Park Service will or won't be closed in the shutdown. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

[Grant Blankenship]

In their government shutdown plan, the National Park Service says their roads and trails should generally remain open. That's not true for the six miles of trail at the Mogee Mounds National Historical Park, a thousand year old town site still important to the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma. That shocked Penny Borgum. She makes a 100 mile round trip daily to bring her elderly mother, Elaine here, a habit Elaine enjoyed for 30 years with her husband before he died.

[Penny Borgum]

This is her enjoyment. And our tax dollars and stuff pays for all this. It helps pay for this. So this is just unbelievable.

[Grant Blankenship]

Social media posts by the Park Service promise updates For GPB News, I'm Grant Blinken Shippen Macon.

[Orlando Montoya]

The U.S. supreme Court will allow Lisa Cook to remain as a Federal Reserve governor for now. In a brief, unsigned order today, the high court declined to act on the Trump administration's effort to immediately remove the Georgia native from the Fed board. The justices will hear arguments in January over President Donald Trump's efforts to force her out of the central bank. Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud because she appeared to claim two properties in Michigan and Georgia as primary residences in 2021 before she joined the Fed board. Cook has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. She hails from Milledgeville in middle Georgia, with strong family connections to Baldwin county and Georgia College and State University. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has announced a $5 billion reinvestment plan for south and west Atlanta communities. Tax allocation districts, or TADs, will fund major projects in the often neglected areas to support public safety, affordable housing and dependable government services. Nearly $2 billion will focus on expanding transit networks, $1.5 billion on trails and green spaces and about $1.3 billion on affordable housing projects. Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker will not return to the dugout next season. The Braves announced today that the 69 year old Snitker will move to an advisory role. Snitker has been with the organization for nearly 50 years as a longtime minor league manager, major league coach and finally major league manager. In his 10 seasons as manager, he led the Braves to 811 wins, six NL east division titles and his career highlight the 2021 World Series championship. The Braves said he'll be inducted into the team's largest hall of Fame next year. Snitker was at times emotional during a news conference announcing the move. He said it was his joy to be around a group of guys that makes this so special. Statistics show that nearly half a million children in Georgia struggle with food insecurity. This comes as the federal government has decided it no longer will provide data tracking hunger in the U.S. gPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

[Ellen Eldridge]

For more than 30 years, the U.S. department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Report has helped people understand community needs when it comes to hunger. Kelsey Silvio is the senior policy analyst at Voices for Georgia's Children. She says ending the report risks leaving children, families and communities at risk.

[Penny Borgum]

Georgia decision makers really like to hear from their community and so if we don't have numbers coming from the feds that have already analyzed that, we're going to have to really be intentional about our nutrition and anti hunger partners making sure we have that voice heard.

[Ellen Eldridge]

In addition, Congress recently passed a tax bill that includes the largest cuts to food stamps in the nation's history. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Orlando Montoya]

Gulfstream Aerospace has announced the latest aircraft to join its fleet. The jet manufacturer, Savannah's largest private employer, says its new super midsize G300 will replace the G280. Company president Mark Burns unveiled a full scale mock up and photos of the new aircraft in production at the announcement yesterday.

[Peach Jam Podcast Host]

Georgia is the new hotbed for musical talent and the music industry knows it. Record executives are turning their eyes to the Peach State to discover the next big thing. On GPB's Peach Jam podcast, you'll hear those rising Georgia artists before anyone else listen and discover the sound of what's next on the Peach Jam podcast from Georgia Public broadcasting.

[Orlando Montoya]

And the U.S. postal Service has released a commemorative forever stamp honoring the late former President Jimmy Carter. Stamp collectors from around the country and hundreds of locals celebrated the stamp issue at the Carter center in Atlanta today, the president's grandson and the Carter Center's board chair, Jason Carter, spoke on what would have been the president's 101st birthday.

[Jason Carter]

He's got a forever stamp. We think of him as Jimmy Carter forever, you know, and this Carter center is filled still with his spirit in a very current way. And so it's a great way to celebrate his birthday.

[Orlando Montoya]

Stamps are now available for purchase at local post offices. And that's it for today's edition of GEORGIA Today. We have more on many of these stories at our webpage, gpb.org news we invite you to hit subscribe on this podcast. Do that right now to help you keep us current in your feed. We welcome feedback, comments, suggestions and story ideas. Email U.S. at Georgia Today, I'm Orlando Montoya. I'll talk to you again tomorrow.

[Peach Jam Podcast Host]

Georgia is the new hotbed for musical talent, and the music industry knows it. Record executives are turning their eyes to the Peach State to discover the next big thing. On GPB's Peach Jam podcast, you'll hear those rising Georgia artists before anyone else listen and discover the sound of what's next on the Peach Jam Podcast from Georgia Public Broadcasting.