Senate Votes Fail As Expected
On day 34, it appears the partial government shutdown is entering a new phase, with numerous groups and agencies crossing ideological lines and calling for an immediate end to the shutdown, including five former Homeland Security secretaries — former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly among them.

Today, two votes failed in the Senate as expected. One, sponsored by the Democrats, would have temporarily reopened the government. The other, sponsored by the Republicans, would have included money for President Donald Trump’s border wall as well as significant changes to immigration policies like asylum and DACA that were not included in the president’s weekend announcement. So where do negotiations now stand?

Jim Braude was joined by Joanna Weiss, former Boston Globe columnist and now editor of Experience Magazine at Northeastern University; and Jennifer Nassour, former chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party, now COO of ReflectUS — a bipartisan, female-focused political organization.

Local Federal Workers Use Food Pantry As Shutdown Wears On
While lawmakers are carrying on with their games — people like Candace Hall, are locked out of their jobs or working for no pay.. and are struggling to get by. So while some in the administration are encouraging those employees to go out and get loans, as Stephanie Leydon reports, many government employees are turning to local food pantries to help make ends meet.

The Valedictorians Project
Graduating from high school at the top of your class is no easy feat, but for many of Boston's valedictorians, what seems like an achievement that should set them on the right path for life is far too often falling short.

In a five-part magazine series out this week, The Boston Globe checked back with 93 of the city's 113 best and brightest — all valedictorians— who graduated between 2005 and 2007. They found that a quarter of them failed to get a bachelor's degree within six years, 40 percent now earn less than $50,000, and at least four have been homeless at some point.

Jim Braude was joined by Boston Globe reporter Malcolm Gay, 2006 valedictorian Abadur Rahman, and Chair of the NAACP Advocacy & Policy Committee Michael Curry.

IMHO: A Lesson On What Not To Do From Prince Phillip
Jim Braude shares his thoughts on why elderly drivers should get tested on their road readiness more often.