UNBIASED Politics — December 11, 2025

Host: Jordan Berman
Episode Theme:
A concise, fact-based rundown of current U.S. political events, legal updates, and policy changes, with the lead stories focusing on the court-ordered release of Epstein grand jury files, a major new farm aid package, changes to National Park free admission policies, social media vetting for tourists, and a landmark lawsuit by former FBI agents. The episode maintains a neutral, journalistic approach, offering clear explanations of legal and political developments without opinion or partisanship.

1. $12 Billion Aid Package for U.S. Farmers

(Main Segment: 02:38–13:50)

Key Points:

• Program Announced: President Trump’s administration officially announced the "Farmers Bridge Payments Program", allocating $12 billion for U.S. farmers affected by tariffs and what are described as “unfair market disruptions”.
• Breakdown of Funding:
  • $11 billion to “row crop producers” (soybeans, corn, wheat, sorghum, rice).
  • $1 billion for specialty crops and sugar.
• Eligibility & Distribution:
  • Farmers must have participated in planting covered commodities in 2025 and reported acreage to USDA.
  • Payments calculated with a USDA formula factoring in acreage, yield averages, and price estimates; distributed by the Farm Service Agency.
  • Funds expected by February 28, 2026.
• Background: Ongoing trade war with China since 2018 severely impacted U.S. agricultural exports, especially following tariffs imposed by both countries. Subsequent tariffs by both Trump and Biden administrations kept pressure on U.S. farmers as China turned to other suppliers.
• Policy Intent: The aid is framed as a temporary measure ("bridge") until permanent provisions in the forthcoming “One Big Beautiful Bill” take effect in October 2026, which will raise "reference prices" for key crops.
• Historical Comparison: The new package closely resembles Trump’s 2018–2020 Market Facilitation Program, which helped temporarily but didn't resolve long-term export declines.

Notable Quotes:

• “These payments are designed to serve as a... bridge, so to speak, of temporary support until farm policy changes enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill take effect in October of 2026.” — Jordan Berman (07:04)
• “Analysts are expecting that this new aid package will help farmers in the short term pay, but it likely won’t fix the bigger long-term issue of Chinese buyers and foreign buyers now buying from other countries instead of the United States.” — Jordan Berman (13:35)

2. Courts Order Release of Epstein Grand Jury Materials

(Segment: 13:51–19:58)

Key Points:

• Multiple Federal Rulings: Three separate judges ruled to unseal grand jury records from the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigations (spanning 2005, 2007, 2019, and 2021 cases).
• Legal Context: The newly passed “Epstein Files Transparency Act” mandates DOJ to release all unclassified Epstein-related files by December 19, 2025.
  • Federal law usually keeps grand jury materials secret (under Rule 6(e)), but this act provides an exception.
• Judicial Process: The DOJ cannot unseal records alone; Attorney General Bondi petitioned the courts, which found the law's language outweighed typical confidentiality protections.
• Redactions Required: Judges ordered all personally identifiable info must be redacted to protect victims, aligning with the law’s requirements.
• Scope & Expectations: Records include transcripts, exhibits, warrants, agent testimony, call logs, and financial records. One judge noted that, in at least one case, the substantive evidence was limited (just an FBI agent’s hearsay and a short PowerPoint), cautioning the public against expecting bombshell revelations.
• Deadline: DOJ must release the files by December 19, 2025, though redaction consultation with victims may affect that timeline.

Notable Quotes:

• “The federal government cannot unseal grand jury materials. It has to be unsealed by a court.” — Jordan Berman (16:30)
• “Judges kind of warned here, like, yeah, we’re allowing for the unsealing... but just be aware: there may not be any major revelations here.” — Jordan Berman (19:30)

3. Former FBI Agents File Lawsuit Over Protest Kneeling Firings

(Segment: 24:17–29:37)

Key Points:

• Suit Filed: 12 former FBI Special Agents sued FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and DOJ, alleging unlawful termination for kneeling during a June 4, 2020 protest in Washington, D.C.
• Incident Details: Agents claim their kneeling was a tactical de-escalation response to a volatile protest, not a political act.
• Allegations: Plaintiffs argue firings violated First Amendment rights (freedom from viewpoint-based termination) and Fifth Amendment rights (lack of due process).
• Remedies Sought: Reinstatement, back pay, record expungement, declaratory judgment, and a name-clearing hearing.
• FBI Response: The Bureau declined to comment, citing litigation protocol.

Notable Quotes:

• “After an internal review process triggered in 2025 by defendant Patel himself... Defendants nevertheless announced plaintiff’s unlawful terminations in identical single page letters accusing them of unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties leading to the political weaponization of government.” — Jordan Berman, reading from the lawsuit (26:49)
• “Plaintiffs allege that their terminations amount to violations of their First and Fifth Amendment rights.” — Jordan Berman (28:42)

4. Quick Hitters: Important Political and Policy Developments

(Segment: 29:37–32:15)

Federal Reserve Cuts Rates

• Third consecutive rate cut; new range: 3.5–3.75% (vote: 9–3).

Tourist Vetting — Social Media Rule

• Customs & Border Protection proposes requiring five years of social media history, plus up to ten years of email and phone data, from foreign visitors under the Visa Waiver Program.

State Department Font Change

• State changes official font back from Calibri (chosen under Biden for accessibility) to Times New Roman, ending a two-year experiment.

New “Gold Card” Residency Program

• Commerce Department launches fast-track residency (“Gold Card”): $15,000 non-refundable application, $1 million additional fee if approved (or $2M per employee for sponsoring firms).

NYC Transition Appointment

• Incoming Mayor Zoran Mamdani appoints rapper/ex-con Mycel Lennon, now a social justice activist, to his Criminal Legal System Transition committee.

Minnesota Governor’s Race

• MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell enters GOP primary for MN Governor, facing three other Republican contenders.

5. Rumor Has It: National Park Free Days Changes

(Segment: 32:16–36:36)

Fact-Check:

• Rumor: Trump changed National Park “free admission” dates and raised prices on MLK Day and Juneteenth.
  • True: Trump administration reworked the list of free admission days, removing MLK, Juneteenth, and others; added Presidents Day, Flag Day (Trump’s Birthday), and more—totaling 10 days.
  • False: No extra “surcharge” or new fee for MLK Day or Juneteenth, just removal from the free admission list.

Policy Details:

• From 2026, free entry applies only to U.S. citizens/residents. Non-residents face standard fees + $100 surcharge at select parks.
• Historic context: Number of free days fluctuated under previous administrations (as low as 4, as high as 16).

Official Framing:

• Announced as “resident-only, patriotic feature fee-free days.”
• Rationale: “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers who already support the national Park Service continue to enjoy affordable access while international visitors contribute their fair share.” — Secretary of the Interior (paraphrased) (35:38)

6. Critical Thinking: The Ex-Convict Advisor Debate

(Segment: 36:37–end)

Reflection Questions:

• For opponents: Under what criteria could someone with a criminal record serve in government? Does the nature of the crime or position matter?
• For supporters: What safeguards should exist for justice-involved individuals appointed to sensitive policy roles? Are there risks in overlooking more traditionally qualified candidates?
• For all: How should success or failure of such appointments be evaluated?

Quote:

• “Assuming Lennon takes this role once Mamdani is sworn in... how should the city evaluate the effectiveness of this appointment after the fact? What should the criteria be?” — Jordan Berman (37:35)

Endnote:
Jordan wraps with reminders to submit good news stories, holiday dilemmas for the “Peace Talks” episode, and a prompt to subscribe to the newsletter.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “These payments are designed to serve as a... bridge, so to speak, of temporary support until farm policy changes enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill take effect in October of 2026.” — Jordan Berman (07:04)
• “The federal government cannot unseal grand jury materials. It has to be unsealed by a court.” — Jordan Berman (16:30)
• “Judges kind of warned here, like, yeah, we’re allowing for the unsealing... but just be aware: there may not be any major revelations here.” — Jordan Berman (19:30)
• “Plaintiffs allege that their terminations amount to violations of their First and Fifth Amendment rights.” — Jordan Berman (28:42)
• “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers who already support the national Park Service continue to enjoy affordable access while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.” — Secretary of the Interior, quoted by Jordan Berman (35:38)
• “Assuming Lennon takes this role once Mamdani is sworn in... how should the city evaluate the effectiveness of this appointment after the fact? What should the criteria be?” — Jordan Berman (37:35)

This summary offers a structured, comprehensive look at the Unbiased Politics episode, highlighting factual content, legal and policy context, and thought-provoking questions without editorializing or omitting important details.