Podcast Summary: "Just the News No Noise" Thanksgiving Edition – November 26, 2025
Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Hosts: John Solomon & Amanda Head
Episode Date: November 26, 2025
Featured Guests: David Walker (Former U.S. Comptroller General), Les Rubin (Mainstreet Economics), Rachel Sheffield (Heritage Foundation), Jason Sorens (American Institute for Economic Research)
Episode Overview
This special Thanksgiving edition of Just the News No Noise delves into the state of American government spending, focusing on entitlement and welfare programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare. With a holiday tone, John Solomon and Amanda Head host a series of interviews exploring how bloated government threatens the nation’s fiscal health, the persistence of fraud in benefit programs, and potential reforms toward a leaner, more responsible government. The episode highlights personal reflections, expert insights, and a call for a more active private charitable sector.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Theme: Gratitude and Government Reform
(John Solomon & Amanda Head, 03:55–06:53)
- The hosts reflect on Thanksgiving and what they’re thankful for, connecting personal gratitude to broader national aspirations: “A smaller, leaner, more efficient government that's more responsive to the people and less costly to it.” – John Solomon (03:55)
- The economic outlook and consumer optimism are discussed, along with government spending as a barrier to prosperity.
“The American people would much rather spend that money on those types of things [family, food, celebrations] instead of paying more for a large government.”
—Amanda Head (05:23)
2. Interview: David Walker on Government Waste and Reform
(09:00–19:23)
Highlights:
- David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General, calls out government inefficiency, excessive promises, and the “mountains of debt.”
- He prescribes three focus areas for rapid reform:
- GAO’s high-risk list
- The annual improper payments report
- The duplication, overlap, and redundancy report
“The government has grown too big, promised too much, subsidized too many, lost control of the budget. … No wonder we got a problem.”
—David Walker (10:06)
Notable Solutions:
- Walker advocates for a constitutional amendment capping national debt relative to GDP, requiring an Article 5 convention if Congress fails to act.
- He discusses learning from failed attempts at reform (e.g., the DOGE initiative), emphasizing that only Congress can rescind allocated funds.
“There’s three things that have to be focused on like a laser... We need a government transformation initiative... but we also need a constitutional amendment that will limit how much debt as percentage of the economy we can take on.”
—David Walker (10:33)
Memorable Moment:
- Walker draws a parallel to Brazil’s integrated benefits system: “If Brazil can do it, we can do it.” (15:25)
3. Interview: Les Rubin on Entitlement Expansion and State Control
(25:39–35:09)
- Rubin criticizes federal mismanagement of SNAP and argues for block-granting to states for efficiency.
- He points to political incentives as a driver of program expansion: “Politicians want to give away as much as they can. They’re focused on the next election, not the next generation.” (27:41)
- Discusses difficulties in removing people from programs and the “culture of entitlement.”
- Rubin advocates for public education on national debt and suggests looking to other nations like Argentina for models of reform.
“The closer you get to the people, the better off I think we are. The federal government just seems to manage to get very inefficient in everything they do.”
—Les Rubin (26:47)
4. Interview: Rachel Sheffield on Welfare Dependency and Structural Flaws
(41:36–50:08)
- Sheffield highlights that SNAP and welfare spending have expanded massively (42 million Americans on SNAP, $100B/year) with little impact on actual poverty reduction.
- She identifies systemic dependency traps and marriage penalties as key flaws.
“We have seen spending increase and we have not seen poverty decline... We’re spending all this money... but we’re not actually helping people move forward, improve their lives, become more self-reliant.”
—Rachel Sheffield (42:18)
- Discusses “Housing First” homelessness policy as an expensive failure, emphasizing the need for addressing underlying causes like job loss and addiction.
5. Interview: Jason Sorens on Private Charity vs. Government Welfare
(55:22–63:08)
- Sorens argues that government welfare crowds out private charity, referencing the brief SNAP suspension as proof of community-led support surging in its absence.
- He provides historical context: private fraternal societies and charities flourished before large-scale state intervention.
“Welfare programs actually do crowd out private charity. And so the more the government does, the less families and churches and charities do to address those needs.”
—Jason Sorens (56:59)
- Sorens recommends gradual reform over abrupt termination and suggests adjusting Social Security indexation as a practical solvency fix.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Government Bloat and Urgency
“This next year is of critical importance. So it's full court press, pedal of the metal.”
—David Walker (11:09)
On Federal vs. State Program Administration
“If you want something done inefficiently, give it to the federal government.”
—Les Rubin (26:47)
On Entitlement Expansion
“…we just keep expanding the program and that's what's killing that and many other programs.”
—Les Rubin (27:41)
On Marriage Penalties in Welfare
“Marriage is one of the greatest protectors against poverty, against child poverty. … we're creating a barrier to protecting against poverty.”
—Rachel Sheffield (45:43)
On Private Charity
“The more the government does, the less families and churches and charities do to address those needs.”
—Jason Sorens (56:59)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening Reflections and Thanksgiving Theme: 03:55–06:53
- Interview with David Walker: 09:00–19:23
- High-risk reforms: 10:06
- Constitutional amendment: 11:17
- Interview with Les Rubin: 25:39–35:09
- SNAP mismanagement: 26:47
- Culture of entitlement: 27:41
- Interview with Rachel Sheffield: 41:36–50:08
- SNAP spending vs results: 42:18
- Marriage penalty: 45:43
- Homelessness policy critique: 47:51
- Interview with Jason Sorens: 55:22–63:08
- Charity crowd-out: 56:59
- Entitlement reform options: 59:33
- Final Reflections and Traditions: 68:35–73:09
Tone & Takeaways
The hosts maintain a warm, earnest, and determined tone, blending traditional holiday gratitude with sober, sometimes urgent, analysis of government overreach and inefficiency. The episode balances technical fiscal policy discussion with calls for principled action, both public and private. Contributions from guests underscore bipartisan agreement on the unsustainability of current federal spending trajectories, the necessity for structural reform, and the potential for American communities and values to fill in where government should pull back.
Conclusion
This Thanksgiving episode underscores the critical juncture facing U.S. fiscal policy—a call for reforming entitlements and reducing government size before national debt reaches an irreparable point. Through expert testimony and spirited discussion, the show highlights both practical policy prescriptions and the enduring value of American civil society. The consensus is clear: meaningful change requires not just political will, but an awakened electorate and revitalized culture of personal and private responsibility.
For listeners:
This episode is a must for anyone concerned with public policy, the future of American entitlements, and the health of civic institutions. The blend of sobering facts, reforms, and warm, Thanksgiving sincerity offers both education and inspiration.