October 31, 2025 • 7 mins
The government shutdown is the Democrats' fault since they don't believe in scrapping the filibuster. Millions of Americans will lose SNAP benefits tomorrow if a solution isn't worked out today. Mike thinks it's time for NJ to have a Republican governor.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now more of the Mark Simone show on seven to
ten wor filling in for Mark. Here again is Ken Rosotto.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And it is a Friday morning. It is Halloween. Are
you dressing up? Are you going out? At what age?
Is it too old to go out? You know that
Halloween actually has its date going back to the eighth century,
and it was adults who dressed up for Halloween. It
was a religious holiday. Just give me a little son
you could chat about. No, it was not a pagan holiday.
(00:29):
It was similar to Sowen, but it's not a pagan holiday.
It's actually a Christian holiday. Anyway, Mark is off today,
Ken Rosatto in New Jersey, Republican state Senator Michael Testa
is here to talk about the federal Schumer Democrat government shutdown,
on the fact that's starting tomorrow, SNAP benefits will not
go out to eight hundred thousand New Jersey residents. We
say good morning to Senator.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Good morning. It's good to be back with you. And look,
I think for Halloween. I heard what you were saying
earlier when I grew up. You know, I was a
child of the eighties. When you were about twelve thirteen,
you were supposed to stop trick or treating, that's for sure.
And I can tell you at my house, I see
some kids who are you know, probably able to drink
alcoholic beverages legally, who are still, you know, walking around
(01:14):
my neighborhood asking for candy. I don't necessarily love that idea.
I'm happy that they get in the spirit, and I'm
glad that you pointed out that All Hallows Eve is
not a pagan holiday.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Right, believe it or not. I mean, the term Hollows
refers to the Saints because tomorrow is All Saints Day,
so All Hollows Eve is the eve before All Hollows
which was All Saints Day. That's where it started eighth
century and it was a way of honoring the Saints
in the church. But a lot of people today it's
been co opted and people, oh, it's a pagan holiday. No,
it wasn't. So that's why we dressed up. It was
you dressed up like a saint, or you're dressed up
(01:47):
like a skeleton to remind you of your mortality. But anyway,
I digress. We should talk about the Let's talk about
the snap situation. Eight hundred thousand New Jersey residents who
depend on snap to eat. As of tomorrow, the benefits
are cut off. And that's all because five Democrats in
the US Senate will not shift ranks and vote with Republicans.
(02:07):
This is awful.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Look they're using needy people as pawns. And let's also
take note of the fact that we have air traffic
controllers right now at large airports like Newark Airport, who
are not being paid, working multiple shifts. From what I'm told,
they're getting paychecks that literally say zero on them. They're
(02:31):
being given them, but they say zero. I don't know
if that's one hundred percent true or not, but that's
the rumor that I've heard. This shutdown is one hundred
percent due to the Democrats. It has nothing to do
with President Trump. And it amazes me how supposed legitimate
news sources are trying to put the blame on the Republicans,
(02:54):
trying to put the blame on President Trump. And they
use the line, well, you have control of the White House,
the Senate, and the Congress, And I say, you know
what's really sad about that? You folks don't even have
the intellectual honesty to say that it takes sixty votes
in the Senate to overcome the filibuster, which the Democrats
(03:16):
have rejected thirteen times. They have voted no thirteen times.
And make no mistake, Andy Kim and Corey Booker, the
US senators from the state of New Jersey, have voted
no each and every time. If people are missing out
on benefits, blame them.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, just to remind everyone, we're listening to New Jersey
Republican state Senator Michael Testa. This is Ken Rosotto in
from Mark Simon today on your Friday Halloween, and this
is what is sad. We don't know if they're truly stupid,
and I think in many cases they just ignorant. Some
of the younger reporters don't get it, they really don't,
or if they're just being disingenuous. They know. But it
(03:53):
doesn't fit the narrative to say that it's the fault
of five Democrats. Listen, whenever we had, and we had
many times in history, Democrats in charge and there was
a handful of Republicans holding things up, all of the
Democrats and mainstream media blamed the Republicans. It was the
Republican shutdown, the Republican shutdown, and we took a hit
for it. On the Republican side. You can't have it
(04:13):
the opposite way. You can't say, now that the Democrats
are in the minority and the Republicans have the majority,
that the five votes we need in the Senate, that
it's still the Republican's fault. How could it be the
Republican's fault both ways?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Well, that just goes to show you how biased the
media has been. And thank God for people like you
who are actually intellectually honest and not intellectually disingenuous as
so many members of the media have been, including where
we saw it probably at its worst during the COVID shutdowns.
But we don't need to get to that. Look. I
released a statement that really put the blame where it
(04:50):
belongs in the lapse of the Democrats in Washington. I
called on Governor Murphy and I'm glad that he I
don't know if he directly responded to my release, but
I'm really happy to see Governor Murphy and the majority
Senate President's Katarian Assembly Speaker Coughlan announce an accelerated delivery
of forty two point five million dollars in food and
hunger grants. Because I can tell you I represent Cumberland
(05:12):
County and Cumberland County is one of the two poorest
counties in the state of New Jersey, with families that
desperately need food, they desperately need distance, and this will
go a long way to do that. So this is
one area where I will say that Governor Murphy, Senate
President's Katari, and Assembly Speaker Coughland have acted. Of course,
(05:33):
what did they do though, They blamed the Republicans in
Washington as well, instead of just accepting it and saying,
you know what, what's going on in Washington is ridiculous.
They could have kept it neutral, but no, what did
they do. They blamed the Republicans in Washington. So yet
more of the spin that is just completely false.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, the biggest, the biggest joke, Senator, is that this
is not a budget plan. This is only a continuation
of last year's budget plan, which all the Democrats voted
for to approve. So it was good enough a year
ago when Biden was president, but it's suddenly not good
enough for one more month so that they could get
back open the government again and vote on a new
spending plan. It's obvious they know that they're not going
(06:13):
to get anything that they want for the new spending plan.
So they're just trying to play like a bunch of kids,
you know, on the playground, taking their ball in their
bat and going home. And they're just being childish. And
in the meantime they're making people suffer.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
They absolutely are. And very similar to Rama Manual, Rama Manual,
sort of the mast head. If we remember, for Democrat philosophy,
never allow a crisis to go to waste, and the
Democrats in Washington, including United States Senators Corey Booker and
Andy Kim, are not allowing this manufactured crisis to go
(06:50):
to waste.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well, according to CNN, right now, the American people are
blaming the Democrats for it. In fact, President Trump's approval
writing has gone up a point since the government shut down.
So and in spite of that fact, President Trump is
saying we have to end it. He could. The way
it's going, he could keep the shutdown going two more months.
His his approval rating will keep going up. He's saying, no,
end it now, just go nuclear, get fifty one votes
(07:12):
instead of sixty, change the rules of the Senate, and
make it happen. The problem is once you go nuclear,
once that's that and we don't want to. We don't
want to ruin that rule, all right. State Senator New
Jersey Michael Testa. Always a pleasure talking to you. Fingers
crossed at this stops because real people are really going
to suffer, and we hope the Democrats come around. We
appreciate you coming on today. Happy Halloween, Bet.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Happy Halloween.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Thank you so much for having me, you Bet, thank you.
Mostly sunny, a little drier today his It's going to
be probably mid fifties but very windy, so make sure
you bundle the kids up. It's Ken Rozantowin from Mark
on your Halloween Friday seven to ten wo R. We're
coming right back
Now more of the Mark Simone show on seven to
ten wor filling in for Mark. Here again is Ken Rosotto.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And it is a Friday morning. It is Halloween. Are
you dressing up? Are you going out? At what age?
Is it too old to go out? You know that
Halloween actually has its date going back to the eighth century,
and it was adults who dressed up for Halloween. It
was a religious holiday. Just give me a little son
you could chat about. No, it was not a pagan holiday.
(00:29):
It was similar to Sowen, but it's not a pagan holiday.
It's actually a Christian holiday. Anyway, Mark is off today,
Ken Rosatto in New Jersey, Republican state Senator Michael Testa
is here to talk about the federal Schumer Democrat government shutdown,
on the fact that's starting tomorrow, SNAP benefits will not
go out to eight hundred thousand New Jersey residents. We
say good morning to Senator.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Good morning. It's good to be back with you. And look,
I think for Halloween. I heard what you were saying
earlier when I grew up. You know, I was a
child of the eighties. When you were about twelve thirteen,
you were supposed to stop trick or treating, that's for sure.
And I can tell you at my house, I see
some kids who are you know, probably able to drink
alcoholic beverages legally, who are still, you know, walking around
(01:14):
my neighborhood asking for candy. I don't necessarily love that idea.
I'm happy that they get in the spirit, and I'm
glad that you pointed out that All Hallows Eve is
not a pagan holiday.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Right, believe it or not. I mean, the term Hollows
refers to the Saints because tomorrow is All Saints Day,
so All Hollows Eve is the eve before All Hollows
which was All Saints Day. That's where it started eighth
century and it was a way of honoring the Saints
in the church. But a lot of people today it's
been co opted and people, oh, it's a pagan holiday. No,
it wasn't. So that's why we dressed up. It was
you dressed up like a saint, or you're dressed up
(01:47):
like a skeleton to remind you of your mortality. But anyway,
I digress. We should talk about the Let's talk about
the snap situation. Eight hundred thousand New Jersey residents who
depend on snap to eat. As of tomorrow, the benefits
are cut off. And that's all because five Democrats in
the US Senate will not shift ranks and vote with Republicans.
(02:07):
This is awful.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Look they're using needy people as pawns. And let's also
take note of the fact that we have air traffic
controllers right now at large airports like Newark Airport, who
are not being paid, working multiple shifts. From what I'm told,
they're getting paychecks that literally say zero on them. They're
(02:31):
being given them, but they say zero. I don't know
if that's one hundred percent true or not, but that's
the rumor that I've heard. This shutdown is one hundred
percent due to the Democrats. It has nothing to do
with President Trump. And it amazes me how supposed legitimate
news sources are trying to put the blame on the Republicans,
(02:54):
trying to put the blame on President Trump. And they
use the line, well, you have control of the White House,
the Senate, and the Congress, And I say, you know
what's really sad about that? You folks don't even have
the intellectual honesty to say that it takes sixty votes
in the Senate to overcome the filibuster, which the Democrats
(03:16):
have rejected thirteen times. They have voted no thirteen times.
And make no mistake, Andy Kim and Corey Booker, the
US senators from the state of New Jersey, have voted
no each and every time. If people are missing out
on benefits, blame them.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, just to remind everyone, we're listening to New Jersey
Republican state Senator Michael Testa. This is Ken Rosotto in
from Mark Simon today on your Friday Halloween, and this
is what is sad. We don't know if they're truly stupid,
and I think in many cases they just ignorant. Some
of the younger reporters don't get it, they really don't,
or if they're just being disingenuous. They know. But it
(03:53):
doesn't fit the narrative to say that it's the fault
of five Democrats. Listen, whenever we had, and we had
many times in history, Democrats in charge and there was
a handful of Republicans holding things up, all of the
Democrats and mainstream media blamed the Republicans. It was the
Republican shutdown, the Republican shutdown, and we took a hit
for it. On the Republican side. You can't have it
(04:13):
the opposite way. You can't say, now that the Democrats
are in the minority and the Republicans have the majority,
that the five votes we need in the Senate, that
it's still the Republican's fault. How could it be the
Republican's fault both ways?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Well, that just goes to show you how biased the
media has been. And thank God for people like you
who are actually intellectually honest and not intellectually disingenuous as
so many members of the media have been, including where
we saw it probably at its worst during the COVID shutdowns.
But we don't need to get to that. Look. I
released a statement that really put the blame where it
(04:50):
belongs in the lapse of the Democrats in Washington. I
called on Governor Murphy and I'm glad that he I
don't know if he directly responded to my release, but
I'm really happy to see Governor Murphy and the majority
Senate President's Katarian Assembly Speaker Coughlan announce an accelerated delivery
of forty two point five million dollars in food and
hunger grants. Because I can tell you I represent Cumberland
(05:12):
County and Cumberland County is one of the two poorest
counties in the state of New Jersey, with families that
desperately need food, they desperately need distance, and this will
go a long way to do that. So this is
one area where I will say that Governor Murphy, Senate
President's Katari, and Assembly Speaker Coughland have acted. Of course,
(05:33):
what did they do though, They blamed the Republicans in
Washington as well, instead of just accepting it and saying,
you know what, what's going on in Washington is ridiculous.
They could have kept it neutral, but no, what did
they do. They blamed the Republicans in Washington. So yet
more of the spin that is just completely false.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, the biggest, the biggest joke, Senator, is that this
is not a budget plan. This is only a continuation
of last year's budget plan, which all the Democrats voted
for to approve. So it was good enough a year
ago when Biden was president, but it's suddenly not good
enough for one more month so that they could get
back open the government again and vote on a new
spending plan. It's obvious they know that they're not going
(06:13):
to get anything that they want for the new spending plan.
So they're just trying to play like a bunch of kids,
you know, on the playground, taking their ball in their
bat and going home. And they're just being childish. And
in the meantime they're making people suffer.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
They absolutely are. And very similar to Rama Manual, Rama Manual,
sort of the mast head. If we remember, for Democrat philosophy,
never allow a crisis to go to waste, and the
Democrats in Washington, including United States Senators Corey Booker and
Andy Kim, are not allowing this manufactured crisis to go
(06:50):
to waste.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well, according to CNN, right now, the American people are
blaming the Democrats for it. In fact, President Trump's approval
writing has gone up a point since the government shut down.
So and in spite of that fact, President Trump is
saying we have to end it. He could. The way
it's going, he could keep the shutdown going two more months.
His his approval rating will keep going up. He's saying, no,
end it now, just go nuclear, get fifty one votes
(07:12):
instead of sixty, change the rules of the Senate, and
make it happen. The problem is once you go nuclear,
once that's that and we don't want to. We don't
want to ruin that rule, all right. State Senator New
Jersey Michael Testa. Always a pleasure talking to you. Fingers
crossed at this stops because real people are really going
to suffer, and we hope the Democrats come around. We
appreciate you coming on today. Happy Halloween, Bet.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Happy Halloween.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Thank you so much for having me, you Bet, thank you.
Mostly sunny, a little drier today his It's going to
be probably mid fifties but very windy, so make sure
you bundle the kids up. It's Ken Rozantowin from Mark
on your Halloween Friday seven to ten wo R. We're
coming right back
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