6.10.25 Rioting in California, disability rights at the Supreme Court, and living off the grid in New Mexico

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode Summary (June 10, 2025)

Hosted by Mary Reichert and Nick Eicher

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1. Ongoing Riots and Immigration Enforcement in Los Angeles

Protests Escalate Amid Increased Immigration Enforcement

Los Angeles has been engulfed in persistent protests and riots as immigration enforcement intensifies. Mary Reichert opens the discussion by highlighting the surge in demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city.

Violence and Government Response

Kent Covington expresses his disapproval of the escalating violence: “This violence that I've seen is disgusting. It's escalated now since the beginning of this incident... getting increasingly worse and more violent” [02:04]. LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell details the attacks on officers, noting assaults with rocks and Molotov cocktails: “Some have attacked officers with rocks, unidentified liquids and commercial grade fireworks” [01:33-01:43].

In response to the unrest, President Trump authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops and approximately 700 active-duty Marines to support ICE operations [02:17]. California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal action against Trump, accusing him of an “illegal and unconstitutional act of federalizing the National Guard” and creating unnecessary chaos [02:46-03:11]. Newsom asserts, “We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved” [02:46], while President Trump defends his actions, labeling Newsom as “an incompetent governor” [03:11].

Debate on Immigration Policies

The conversation shifts to the broader implications of Trump’s immigration policies. Jim McDonnell emphasizes the legality of ICE’s actions: “Whether or not you oppose the policy. It is actually the law” [09:49-09:51]. Andrew Arthur from the Center for Immigration Studies supports the administration’s stance, suggesting that most Americans back Trump’s border policies: “the people who attack the president about immigration enforcement aren't on the same side as the majority of American voters” [11:52].

International Relations and Environmental Activism

Tom Patterson comments on the U.S.-China trade negotiations, expressing optimism: “I think we're doing very well. They're over there now” [03:49]. The episode also touches on Greta Thunberg’s interrupted journey to Gaza, highlighting her commitment to climate activism despite geopolitical challenges [04:04-04:57].

Community Reactions and Legal Proceedings

Protests extend beyond immigration, with demonstrations in Illinois against a drag Queen storytime event at the Chicago Public Library. Kent Covington criticizes the event as “inappropriate” for children [05:23]. Additionally, a federal court in Rhode Island sentences a confessed church arsonist, Kevin Colantonio, stirring discussions about justice and security within religious communities [05:32-06:21].

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2. Special Legal Docket: Disability Rights at the Supreme Court

Ava Tharp’s Fight for Equal Education

The episode delves into a pivotal Supreme Court case, AJT vs. Aceo Area Schools, where Ava Tharp, a student with a seizure disorder, seeks equal educational opportunities. Ava’s family challenges the Minnesota school district’s refusal to accommodate her specific educational needs, resulting in reduced instructional hours that adversely affect her critical skills development.

Legal Arguments and Judicial Interactions

Ava’s lawyer, Roman Martinez, argues against Minnesota’s stringent standard of proof, asserting that “most Americans only need to show deliberate indifference” [13:08]. He emphasizes the disparity in treatment between adults and children with disabilities, questioning the fairness of the higher burden placed on young students. Justice Neil Gorsuch probes the intent behind discrimination, leading to a tense exchange where Defense Attorney Lisa Blatt mistakenly accuses Martinez and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of lying [16:01-16:57].

Implications for Disability Law

Martinez passionately appeals, highlighting the broader impact on millions of students with disabilities: “Think of 5-year-old Elena Fry with cerebral palsy... Think about Ava, who desperately needs every precious hour of school” [16:57-17:17]. The case's potential to redefine disability protections underscores the Supreme Court's crucial role in shaping equitable education policies.

Other Disability-Related Cases

The docket also covers cases involving individuals with legal blindness challenging accessibility at LabCorp clinics and the FCC's regulation of phone bill fees affecting public service funding. These cases collectively underscore the ongoing legal battles to ensure rights and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

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3. Living Off the Grid in New Mexico

Life on Spur Ranch: Challenges and Rewards

World Senior Writer Kim Henderson takes listeners to Spur Ranch in Catron County, New Mexico, to explore the realities of off-grid living. The Pattersons, Tom and Callie, manage a 117,000-acre ranch amidst sparse vegetation and abundant wildlife, including elk, deer, and javelina [23:31-24:13].

Sustainability and Conservation Efforts

Tom Patterson is not only a rancher but also a dedicated conservationist. He shares, “We have a fence around it that keeps the cows out because I'm trying to make sure that we grow a new crop of narrow leaf cottonwood trees in here” [25:23]. The Pattersons have invested in solar panels, generators, and robust infrastructure to sustain their remote lifestyle [26:27-26:50].

Social and Spiritual Aspects

Living in isolation brings relational and spiritual challenges. Tom admits the difficulty in finding Christian fellowship locally, relying instead on connections from Houston via the internet: “The Pattersons have chosen to stay tied to their church in Houston” [27:14]. Despite the solitude, the Pattersons cherish the tranquility and the chance to connect deeply with nature and their faith: “Slowing down allows you to hear God's small voice” [28:27].

Daily Life and Community Engagement

The Pattersons manage daily ranch operations, from branding calves to maintaining extensive land and infrastructure. Their daughters enjoy horseback riding and the scenic views of Dillon Mountain, while Callie delights in hospitality and cooking for visitors and ranch hands [27:51-28:27].

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4. The Historical Impact of the Book of Common Prayer

Shaping the English Language and Protestant Worship

In a reflective segment, Kent Covington explores the profound influence of the Book of Common Prayer since its introduction on June 9, 1549. Authored primarily by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the prayer book not only standardized English worship but also enriched the language with enduring phrases like “at death's door” and “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” [29:33].

Theological Foundations and Communal Unity

The prayer book embodies key Reformation principles, emphasizing Scripture’s authority, the doctrines of grace and faith, and the active participation of the congregation. It facilitated a shift from Latin to English, promoting accessibility and personal engagement in worship [29:33-33:49].

Political and Social Implications

Beyond its religious significance, the Book of Common Prayer fostered a sense of unity and communal identity, aligning with the belief that “God is the Lord of Nations.” This unity was envisioned to support a peaceful and just society, anticipating the ultimate reconciliation in God's kingdom [29:33].

Enduring Legacy

Cranmer’s work continues to resonate, influencing modern worship practices and maintaining its status as a cornerstone of English-speaking Christian traditions. The episode honors the prayer book's legacy, encouraging adherence to its principles and celebration of its enduring impact [33:49].

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5. Upcoming Segments and Closing Thoughts

Looking Ahead

Mary Reichert and Nick Eicher preview upcoming topics, including potential funding cuts in Doge’s Department of Government Efficiency and an interview with New York Times bestselling novelist Andrew Clavin on deriving faith-based insights from challenging narratives [34:10].

Final Remarks

The episode concludes with a reaffirmation of World Radio’s mission to provide “biblical objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires,” echoing the commitment to sound, faith-grounded reporting [23:10-34:10].

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Notable Quotes:

• Kent Covington [02:04]: “This violence that I've seen is disgusting. It's escalated now since the beginning of this incident... getting increasingly worse and more violent.”

• Governor Gavin Newsom [02:46]: “We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved.”

• Jim McDonnell [09:49]: “Whether or not you oppose the policy. It is actually the law.”

• Tom Patterson [25:23]: “We have a fence around it that keeps the cows out because I'm trying to make sure that we grow a new crop of narrow leaf cottonwood trees in here.”

• Roman Martinez [16:57]: “Think of 5-year-old Elena Fry with cerebral palsy... Think about Ava, who desperately needs every precious hour of school.”

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This episode of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive exploration of pressing social issues, landmark legal battles, and the profound simplicity of ranch life, all underpinned by a commitment to biblically grounded journalism. Whether addressing the turbulence in Los Angeles, advocating for disability rights, or delving into the serene yet challenging life off the grid, Mary Reichert and Nick Eicher provide insightful and faith-aligned perspectives that inform and inspire listeners.

Transcript

[Nick Eicher]

Hey, good morning. Nick Eicher here. Our June giving drive is rolling and the scoreboard already shows points on the board. World Movers have placed a $130,000 challenge gift in there to say we are in. Join us. So cast your own vote of confidence for sound, fact based, biblically grounded [e-mail] JuneLivingDrive and thanks for standing with world.

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. Protests and riots continue in Los Angeles as immigration enforcement ramps up.

[Kent Covington]

Whether or not you oppose the policy.

[Jim McDonnell]

It is actually the law.

[Kent Covington]

The law does require us to enforce the decisions that courts make.

[Nick Eicher]

Also, a special Tuesday edition of Legal docket with key disability cases pending at the U.S. supreme Court and later, life on a remote ranch in New Mexico. It comes with many challenges, not the least of them relational.

[Tom Patterson]

There isn't a lot of Christian fellowship here that I have found. Maybe there is and I just haven't found it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, June 10th. This is the World and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reinkert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iger. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Time for the news now with Kent Covington.

[Jim McDonnell]

Protests continue in Los Angeles against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They're demanding that ICE leave the city and release those detained during immigration raids. Officials say the pattern has generally been mostly peaceful demonstrations during the day, becoming more aggressive at night with some agitators and rioters destroying property with Molotov cocktails and clashing with police. LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell says some have attacked officers with rocks, unidentified liquids and cor commercial grade fireworks.

[Kent Covington]

This violence that I've seen is disgusting. It's escalated now since the beginning of this incident. What we saw the first night was, was bad. What we've seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent.

[Jim McDonnell]

President Trump last night authorized deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops on top of 2,000 existing Guard troops. And approximately 700 active duty Marines have also been ordered to the Los Angeles area to support the National Guard. Their mission is to protect federal property and personnel, including ICE agents. By law, they cannot perform arrests or other law enforcement actions. And California Governor Gavin Newsom is suing President Trump for deploying the National Guard to the area. Donald Trump is reckless, he's immoral, he's taken the illegal and unconstitutional act of federalizing the National Guard and he's putting lives at risk. Newsom claimed, quote, we didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Local law enforcement, though, says there was a problem from the very beginning. Newsom, however, says Trump needlessly escalated the situation, but the president fired back.

[Kent Covington]

He's an incompetent governor.

[Tom Patterson]

Look at the job he's doing in California.

[Nick Eicher]

He's destroying one of our great states.

[Tom Patterson]

And if I didn't get involved, if.

[Kent Covington]

We didn't bring the Guard in, you.

[Tom Patterson]

Had a disaster happening.

[Jim McDonnell]

California Attorney General Rob Benita claims President Trump trampled on states rights by deploying the Guard without consulting the governor. Top trade officials from the US And China met in London on Monday to try and shore up a fragile truce in the trade war and restart stalled negotiations. President Trump said Monday that he's optimistic about the talks, adding that he's looking for greater access to the Chinese marketplace.

[Tom Patterson]

I think we're doing very well. They're over there now.

[Kent Covington]

I'm only getting good reports. It's a little early, but we want to open up China. And if we don't open up China, maybe we won't do anything, but we want to open up China. It'll be a great thing for China.

[Tom Patterson]

Great thing for the rest of the world.

[Jim McDonnell]

A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Huo Li Feng sat down with U.S. commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and Trade Representative Jamison Greer. That meeting follows President Trump's phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week. A boat carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and about a dozen others docked in an Israeli port on Monday, but that was not their original plan. The boat left Sicily earlier this month bound for Gaza in an apparent attempt to bypass an Israeli blockade and to deliver unauthorized aid to that region. But the Israeli military diverted the boat to Israel. Audio there of the activists aboard the boat just before the vessel was boarded. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition organized the effort and released this apparently pre recorded message from Thunberg.

[Nick Eicher]

If you see this video, we have.

[Tom Patterson]

Been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces.

[Jim McDonnell]

But the Israeli Foreign Ministry said no one was kidnapped and all are safe. The ministry said everyone aboard the boat was offered water and sandwiches and would soon be released. In Illinois, protesters spoke out on Monday as the Chicago Public Library is hosting a drag Queen story time for young children and reading.

[Kent Covington]

Having them read in drag is just inappropriate. It's inappropriate and it's going to be inappropriate. And just because it's Pride Month does not give you the permission to do it.

[Jim McDonnell]

The event Targeting children ages 2 through 5 was described as a special story time with music, books, dancing and a guest reader in drag. Others demonstrated in support of the event, saying it was about parental freedom. A federal court in Rhode island has sentenced a confessed church arsonist to more than six years in federal prison. Kevin Colantonio confessed in February to setting multiple fires around Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries last year. The fires were quickly put out, but the Pentecostal Church still sustained damages totaling nearly $100,000. Pastor Eric Perry attended the sentencing last week and told TV station WJAR he.

[Kent Covington]

Should have got more time. And what happened after three years, three years probation?

[Mary Reichert]

What's going to happen after that when he gets out?

[Jim McDonnell]

Perry said the 36 year old appeared to have no remorse for his actions and that the church is planning to step up its security. Colantonio pleaded guilty to malicious damage by fire, obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs and two counts of assault on a federal officer. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, more on the unrest in Los Angeles. Plus, living off the grid. This is the WORLD and everything in it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, the 10th of June. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the WORLD and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. First up, the riots in la. They're continuing for a fourth straight day while a power struggle plays out between California political leaders and the president. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

[Tom Patterson]

I was trying to encourage the administration.

[Jim McDonnell]

That if they deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles, it would create a sense of chaos.

[Nick Eicher]

President Trump considered the chaos was already created, committing to federalizing the Guard after protests against immigration enforcement got out of hand.

[Kent Covington]

ICE arrested 44 individuals, most of whom.

[Jim McDonnell]

Had criminal records in Los Angeles.

[Mary Reichert]

Andrew Arthur of the center for Immigration Studies previously served as an immigration judge and advisor to Congress and the White House. He told our Washington producer Harris and Waters that what started as a targeted action has become much bigger.

[Kent Covington]

And I think that there are those who oppose Donald Trump generally and oppose.

[Jim McDonnell]

Immigration enforcement who are taking to the.

[Kent Covington]

Streets and engaging in these actions.

[Nick Eicher]

Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE has yet to release details about the number of suspected illegals detained as of Friday. And critics of the policy point to that lack of specificity as adding to the confusion. Jenny Murray heads up the National Immigration Forum.

[Tom Patterson]

Did they have a criminal history or not? Were they sensitive populations or not?

[Mary Reichert]

Right.

[Tom Patterson]

Children or not?

[Nick Eicher]

Murray says her group would prefer a focus first on migrants with a criminal history beyond illegal border crossing. And she worries ICE may be violating rights.

[Kim Henderson]

We don't know yet.

[Tom Patterson]

I think all the facts on the ground, but where maybe some of those things could have been violated. And that's why there might be outrage.

[Mary Reichert]

Some protesters have been peaceful, but others have not. Simon Hankinson researches immigration policy for the Heritage Foundation.

[Kent Covington]

In many of these riots, you see the Mexican flag and the Palestinian flag being displayed and you see the American flag burning.

[Mary Reichert]

He says the Biden administration's lax border enforcement set the stage for the conflict we're seeing play out in the streets.

[Kent Covington]

So now that ICE is going to back to the job of enforcing immigration laws, there are many who are trying to make it appear as if this is some sort of disgusting historical anomaly, but it's really not.

[Mary Reichert]

Add to that self proclaimed sanctuary cities hamstringing ice, efforts to detain and deport.

[Kent Covington]

Whether or not you oppose the policy.

[Jim McDonnell]

It is actually the law.

[Kent Covington]

The law does require us to enforce the decisions that courts make.

[Nick Eicher]

Meantime, opponents of Trump's tougher border policies are protesting another move he made that took effect on Monday. He ordered the State Department to place travel restrictions on a dozen countries he maintains fail to meet adequate security and vetting another seven countries face limited restrictions.

[Kent Covington]

Very simply, we cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United states.

[Mary Reichert]

Back in 2017, President Trump signed a similar order targeting nations with majority Muslim populations. That kicked off a legal battle and several revised orders that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts in 2018.

[Jim McDonnell]

There is sufficient evidence that the proclamation is reasonably related to an independent national security justification.

[Mary Reichert]

Roberts pointed out the travel ban was a legitimate state interest.

[Jim McDonnell]

The policy is limited, after all, to countries that were previously designated by Congress or prior administrations as posing national security risks.

[Nick Eicher]

Arthur of the center for Immigration Studies says the Trump administration learned from that legal battle.

[Jim McDonnell]

The current order stands on pretty good ground. It's, if anything, better factually supported than the earlier order.

[Nick Eicher]

President Trump's first travel ban prohibited all travel from restricted countries, no exceptions. His newest one contains a variety of exceptions for categories including lawful permanent residence, athletes and some persecuted religious minorities. But Murray at the Immigration Forum says that move could have negative economic repercussions.

[Tom Patterson]

If they happen to be hospitality, they'll be worried about both their workers and the tourists that come right to take part in their industry and in consuming their goods and services.

[Nick Eicher]

But Arthur believes most Americans support the president's border policies.

[Jim McDonnell]

I anticipate that there will be an ongoing conversation about immigration enforcement, but I think that the people who attack the president about immigration enforcement aren't on the same side as the majority of American voters.

[Nick Eicher]

Next up on the World and everything in it, a bonus legal docket.

[Mary Reichert]

That's right. It's June and the Supreme Court's term is in the final weeks. We covered five recent decisions yesterday, but we're back today to catch up on a few more organizations arguments, three of them. First, a case watched closely by disability rights groups, One family's quest for equal school hours, and the fight that took them all the way to the Supreme Court.

[Jim McDonnell]

We will hear argument first this Morning in case 24 249, AJT versus Aceo Area Schools.

[Nick Eicher]

AJT is Ava Tharp. She's a student with a seizure disorder in Kentucky. She attended school from noon to 6. Her seizures were worse in the morning, so that schedule best accommodated her. But when the family moved to Minnesota, the local school district there refused that schedule, reducing her hours of instruction by two hours a day. And her parents say that cost Ava critical skills.

[Mary Reichert]

And so they sued and they won in lower court under a law known by the acronym IDEA that stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. That law provides remedies like tuition reimbursement for private schooling, but it has no provision for monetary damages. Unlike two other disability laws, the Americans with Disabilities act and the Rehabilitation Act. The family sued under those laws as well, but they lost. And that's because where they live in the eighth Circuit, a higher standard of proof is required than in other circuits.

[Nick Eicher]

Minnesota requires proof of bad faith or gross misjudgment by the school. In refusing the requested accommodation, Ava's lawyer Roman Martinez argued that's not fair. Most Americans only need to show deliberate indifference. An easier standard of proof to meet the district's new theory violates the text, history, and purpose of both statutes. It contradicts decades of regulations. It defies at least five precedents of this court and decisions from virtually every circuit. It would also revolutionize disability law, stripping protections from vulnerable victims and gutting the reasonable accommodations needed for equal opportunity.

[Mary Reichert]

Martinez pointed out that grownups with disabilities don't face such a high bar, so why should kids? Justice Neil Gorsuch asked about the school's intent to discriminate.

[Kent Covington]

The act of discrimination is to treat someone else differently because of their disability. Right. And I would have thought that that might have meant, I intend to treat someone differently. It doesn't matter about my further motive. I agree. I take that point. Bad faith. But why wouldn't that be the test?

[Mary Reichert]

So, your honor Martinez explaining Intent doesn't matter here.

[Nick Eicher]

And the reason for that is that you can have people discriminated and excluded by reason of their disability, even though there's no intent. And. And so because you have a disability, you're not able to take advantage of a program. Lawyer Lisa Blatt represented the school district, and she argued that lowering the standard of proof would expose schools to massive liability. A decision from 1982 called Monahan set the higher bar for disability discrimination claims in education.

[Mary Reichert]

And reversing Monahan would expose 46,000 public schools to liability when for 40 years.

[Kent Covington]

They have trained teachers, allocated budgets, and.

[Mary Reichert]

Obtained insurance, all in reliance on Monahan. Every good faith disagreement would risk liability or even the nuclear option, the loss of federal funding, which is over $100 billion. She went further, arguing the higher proof bar ought to apply to everyone under federal disability law, and not just in education. That did not go over very well. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Counsel. It would have been nice to have known that we were biting off that big a challenge.

[Kent Covington]

I agree.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, bad as that was, it doesn't even compare with the uncomfortable exchange between Blatt and Justice Neil Gorsuch. He didn't care for the way she'd accused Martinez and the DOJ of lying.

[Kent Covington]

Yeah, I confess. I'm still troubled by your suggestion that your friends on the other side have lied. Okay, let's pull it up. Yeah, I think we're gonna have to here. And I'd ask you to reconsider that phrase. An oral argument, if I might, was incorrect. If I. If I. Incorrect is fine.

[Mary Reichert]

Oh, lie.

[Kent Covington]

People make mistakes. Okay. You can accuse people of being incorrect, but lying, misplat. If I might finish.

[Mary Reichert]

Sure.

[Kent Covington]

Lying is another matter.

[Mary Reichert]

You know, I learned in law school, you do not address the court in such a flippant way as that. Now, Blatt later withdrew her accusation. Thank goodness. Lawyer Martinez for the family wrapped up with an emotional plea.

[Nick Eicher]

If you accept her arguments, think of all the people who are going to be affected. Think of 5 year old Elena Fry with cerebral palsy who needs the help of her service dog. Wonderful. Think about George Lane, the Tennessee man forced to crawl up two flights of stairs in order to have his day in court. Think about Ava, who desperately needs every precious hour of school so she can learn to communicate with her parents.

[Mary Reichert]

After nearly 10 years of litigation, Ava is now 19 years old, and she's still in high school. The outcome here could reshape the rights of more than 8 million students with disabilities across the country.

[Nick Eicher]

Next, a case that involves two men who are legally blind. Luke Davis and Julian Vargas tried to check in at a LabCorp clinic using a touch screen kiosk. Because of their blindness, they couldn't manage it without help. They tried to create a class action to sue LabCorp for violating state and federal disability laws. Interesting facts in this one, but the Supreme Court dismissed the case last Thursday with what the court calls a digit. That's an acronym standing for dismissed as improvidently granted. There was no reason given, but Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pointed in that direction during argument in this comment to LabCorp's lawyer.

[Kent Covington]

I understood that your client argued that the May class definition was too narrow and today you're saying it's improper or problematic because it's too broad.

[Mary Reichert]

Flip flopping. Your argument is just is not a good look for lawyers before the Supreme Court. Okay, on to our third and final oral argument. FCC v. Consumers Research. It's about phone bill fees, the Constitution, and who decides how public money gets raised. The Universal Service Fund is a $10 billion a year program created by Congress to ensure phone and Internet access for rural hospitals, schools and the poor. It's funded by mandatory line item fees on your phone bill. Critics say those fees are an unconstitutional tax. You'll hear the lawyers refer to them as USF charges.

[Kent Covington]

At its heart, this case is about taxation without representation. Every year, Americans pay billions for the Universal Service Fund. The rate has increased tenfold. The amount collected is now 20 times the size of the FCC's entire annual budget. The government and the FCC now agreement or at least do not dispute that USF charges are indeed taxes.

[Nick Eicher]

That's Trent McCotter. He's attorney for Consumers Research. He argued Congress gave too much taxing power to the FCC and then the FCC turned around and wrongly delegated it to a private company. McCotter went on to list other points of agreement between the parties, that the.

[Kent Covington]

USF statute sets no objective rule to limit the amount raised and that Congress has set such rules for every other domestic tax in American history. Those concessions doom their case. The amount of public revenue to raise is a quintessential legislative determination, not some minor detail to be filled in later.

[Nick Eicher]

The fifth Circuit agreed with him, citing the non delegation doctrine that restricts the ability of Congress to delegate its legislative power to other branches or entities. At the Supreme Court, Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris defended the program.

[Mary Reichert]

Congress dictated how much to charge only.

[Kent Covington]

What'S sufficient to achieve universal service, so.

[Mary Reichert]

No more than needed to support specified programs.

[Nick Eicher]

Justice Samuel Alito pushed back on that, pointing to watchdog findings that are damning.

[Kent Covington]

I mean, they say that the GAO couldn't verify the eligibility of 36% of those who receive USF benefits. Nearly 80% of the lifeline program users may be legally ineligible for the benefits they're receiving.

[Nick Eicher]

Alito homed in on the company the FCC empowered to run the program, the universal service administrative company known as usac.

[Kent Covington]

Why shouldn't we look at the record of what the FCC has actually done? And if you look at the record here, isn't it really hard to say anything other than the fact that they just have rubber stamped whatever the USAC has told them?

[Nick Eicher]

Lawyer Harris was ready.

[Kent Covington]

There are four instances in which the FCC has in fact said USAC is not doing it right.

[Mary Reichert]

So there are empirical examples of this.

[Kent Covington]

Not just being a rubber stamp.

[Nick Eicher]

Justice Jackson worried about broader consequences of a ruling limiting funding in this case.

[Jim McDonnell]

There are a number of different agencies.

[Mary Reichert]

That have similar kinds of revenue generating.

[Kent Covington]

I know some people call them fees and not taxes. Established that. In my view that doesn't make a difference.

[Mary Reichert]

That if we find that this one is unconstitutional. Are all of these programs in jeopardy in your view?

[Tom Patterson]

Yes.

[Mary Reichert]

We will have a decision very soon. What's at stake is not only a funding program, but a constitutional question of how much power Congress can delegate to federal agencies. And that's this week's bonus legal docket.

[Jim McDonnell]

Additional support comes from Dort University, equipping future teachers to create classrooms where all students can thrive. More at Dort.edu from Water's Edge Kingdom Investments, personal investments that build churches 5.05% APY on a three month term watersedge.com invest and from Ambassadors Impact Network, unlocking the power of faith based financing for your startup. [e-mail].

[Mary Reichert]

Today is Tuesday, June 10th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the World and everything in it, ranch life. But what's it like to live off the grid, deep in cattle country where the nearest neighbor might be miles away? World Senior writer Kim Henderson traveled to a remote ranch in New Mexico to find out.

[Kim Henderson]

If you're headed to Spur Ranch. Fill up your gas tank. The nearest town of any size is about an hour away. Then Prepare for an 8 mile stretch of gravel and gritty New Mexico dirt before you reach the ranch's main residence.

[Kent Covington]

Here we use the roads very deliberately as fire lines.

[Kim Henderson]

That's Spur Ranch owner Tom Patterson driving a dusty Honda side by side. Fires and droughts are on his mind this time of year. We're in Catron county, the largest county area wise in the state. Here elk outnumber people three to one. Tom's wife Callie is okay with that.

[Tom Patterson]

The elk will come down to water. And so they're, you know, like maybe 100 of them on our field. It is beautiful to look at. And all you see is God's creation.

[Kent Covington]

We have deer, javelina, black bear, raccoon, rabbits, and all sorts of squirrels. We have many bird species that are here and, oh, and turkey.

[Kim Henderson]

And don't forget cattle. But because there's so little rain, vegetation is sparse. That means it takes a great deal of land to support livestock.

[Tom Patterson]

What most people do who have cattle in this part of the world is they buy an allotment which is the right to run cattle on the US Forest service.

[Kim Henderson]

So ranchers have their own land and they also lease federal land, lots of it. They're responsible to maintain it as if it were their own.

[Tom Patterson]

And so we have like 117,000 acres of land that needs fences and it needs water for the cattle and it needs, you know, all those kinds, all the kind of infrastructure that cattle need.

[Kim Henderson]

And for Tom, there's a whole other layer to ranching. He's also a conservationist.

[Kent Covington]

I have a fence around it that keeps the cows out because I'm trying to make sure that we grow a new crop of narrow leaf cottonwood trees in here.

[Kim Henderson]

Over the decades, he's worked to build three major soil retention structures on his property. That's a lauded achievement in New Mexico.

[Kent Covington]

Genesis 1. That's what God commanded man to do. Take care of God's creation.

[Kim Henderson]

Tom is native to the area, but he made his mark in Texas as a successful attorney. Still, New Mexico was always on his mind. He and Callie bought this ranch 25 years ago, and they spend as much time here as possible. But living on a remote ranch has its challenges, and not just the four hour drive to an airport. It took seven years to build their lodge style house because it was difficult to get materials and workers. They had to dig a well for water and come up with their own electricity.

[Tom Patterson]

We have solar panels, a lot of solar panels. But we also have a generator, propane tank and a generator.

[Kim Henderson]

Cell service has gotten better recently, but they're keeping their landline phone.

[Tom Patterson]

The key to living here is duplication, redundancy. If something fails, you want to have a backup. You never know how long it's going to take for someone to get here to fix it. If you can't fix it, you don't.

[Kim Henderson]

Make quick trips for groceries and Amazon doesn't deliver to your doorstep. The challenges of remote living aren't just material, though. There are relational and spiritual difficulties too.

[Tom Patterson]

There isn't a lot of Christian fellowship here that I have found. Maybe there is and I just haven't found it. But, you know, I think that that is hard. Yeah.

[Kim Henderson]

The Pattersons have chosen to stay tied to their church in Houston.

[Tom Patterson]

I mean, I think it's so much different now than it was even when we first started coming just because of the Internet and, you know, zoom and you can connect with people a whole lot better than we could when we first started.

[Kim Henderson]

I mean, Callie says after a month tucked away at the ranch, she's eager to see people, to experience face to face communication.

[Tom Patterson]

You know, they could be the store clerk and I want to have this 30 minute conversation with them and they are not very interested in that. But I am just dying to talk to somebody. So it's funny.

[Kim Henderson]

Ranching has its joys, though. The Pattersons daughters grew up riding horses and looking at a peak known as Dillon Mountain right outside their living room window. Callie delights in cooking for visitors and for ranch hands. Tom looks forward to hard, fulfilling work days like tomorrow when they'll be branding new calves. Having 600 pounds of ground beef in the freezer, well, that's a perk, too. And after all these years, the Pattersons believe the silence and solitude that comes with ranch life can be a blessing as well.

[Tom Patterson]

His ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. And so it's real easy to think we're going the right direction when we may not be. So slowing down allows you to hear God's small voice because otherwise he just gets so busy and kind of ignore it.

[Kim Henderson]

Reporting for World I'm Kim Henderson in Luna, New Mexico.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Tuesday, June 10th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported world radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up next, how one book reshaped worship and the English speaking world. On June 9, 1549, Church of England parishioners heard something revolutionary. A full church service in their own language. It came from the Book of Common Prayer, a liturgy whose words have echoed through the past nearly 500 years.

[Kent Covington]

The book of Common Prayer is the work primarily of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Its wording did much to form the English language as we know it. Phrases such as at death's door, land of the living, and the upper hand all gained widespread usage through the prayer book. Have you ever been to a wedding that began? Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony. That phrasing comes straight from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. In fact, nearly every traditional English speaking wedding ceremony owes some level of rhetorical debt to the Prayer Book. The same almost could be said for funerals and phrases such as ashes to ashes, dust to dust. More than a masterpiece of English prose, the Prayer Book also exhibited the theology of the Protestant Reformation. First, it showed the primacy of God's Word for the church. It's saturated in Scripture. As much as 85% of its text either directly quotes biblical passages or made allusions to them. Thus, the Prayer Book committed the English church to Paul's declaration that faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. Second, the flow of prayer book services followed reformational theology. They tread the basic path of the three GS guilt, Grace and gratitude. We first admit our sinfulness, our inability of our own effort to please God. Admitting our helplessness, we then hear the gracious good news of God's offer of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, by the merits of Jesus Christ. Finally, having heard and renewed our trust in God, we respond with gratitude by offering a sacrifice of thanks and praise. Third, the Prayer Book applied the principle of the priesthood of all believers. It brought the congregation back into active participation throughout worship. Through reciting prayers, creeds, psalms and singing, it simplified worship to invite more knowing involvement by the people. Relatedly, the transition from Latin to English also asked parishioners to listen attentively and to consider the scriptural truth of what they heard. Beyond its meaning for the English language and the Protestant Reformation, the Prayer Book came out of political beliefs. The common in prayer came in part from a belief that God is the Lord of Nations. Worshiping together not only built the church, but strengthened communal bonds and virtues necessary for a peaceful and a just society. In addition, the Prayer book's implementation on June 9 was no thoughtless choice. In 1549, June 9 was Whit Sunday, or Pentecost. The Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 undid the Division and confusion of the Tower of Babel. Pentecost pointed toward a future of renewed unity. This unity would come through the bringing of the Gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation in the words they could understand. But it also foretold a time when God's kingdom will unite all peoples under Christ's lordship. And in the worship of him, all will make the political confession that Jesus reigns. All will make the theological confession that he, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is the one true God. Whatever our theological tradition. Let us celebrate the impact made by the Book of Common Prayer. Let us celebrate Cranmer's gift of beautiful words. Let us adhere to the reformational principles regarding Scripture, grace, faith and thankfulness. And let us pursue with it the unity that we will have in the New Jerusalem. One of common language, common theology, common political community and a common prayer. Doxology. I'm Adam Carrington.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, what's next for Doge? The Department of Government Efficiency has identified possible funding cuts. Now the hard part, making them. And what can we learn as believers from dark and troubling stories? An interview with New York Times best selling novelist Andrew Clavin. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichardt. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblical objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says this makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But Jesus holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Verses 22 through 24 of Hebrews, chapter 7. Go now in grace and peace.