Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Wednesday November 17, 2021
1.) THE DAILY SIGNAL
|
2.) THE EPOCH TIMES
WORDS OF WISDOM “Give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” BRIAN TRACY MORNING BRIEF TOP NEWS With all that has been going on in America right now, you must agree that there has never been a more important time to have access to honest, fact-based news reported in Truth and Tradition.
For a limited time, get full access to The Epoch Times for 4 months for just $1: And as an added bonus, you will also get Epoch TV 100% FREE with your new subscription! Get 4 Months for $1
POSITIVE NEWS EPOCH OPINION A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR Urgent: Only Weeks Remain To Shield Your Retirement Savings From Biden’s Tax Plans His tax plans are aimed at your retirement investments. You’ve got to move your money. Now. BEFORE he changes the laws. Joe Biden has already said he’s making raising taxes a top priority. So make protecting what’s yours a top priority, too. Right now — a unique IRS loophole lets you move your IRA, 401(k), pension, or savings account 100% tax- and penalty-free into certain tax-advantaged investments that could protect you. All the details are laid out for you in this FREE GUIDE to protect your wealth and retirement savings. Click here to request it now. 100% FREE Protect yourself from Joe Biden’s tax plans FAST. Don’t wait – click here to get your FREE IRS Loophole Guide today. EPOCH TV EPOCH FUN If this email has been forwarded to you and you would like to sign up, please click here. Copyright © 2021 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved. The Epoch Times, 229 W 28th St, Fl.5, New York, NY 10001
With social media censorship sidelining many important headlines, our Morning Brief email is how we make sure you get the latest developments that our reporters have curated from around the world. It’s our way of keeping you truly informed so that you can make the decisions that align with your values. We hope you enjoy our coverage. Manage your email preferences here.
|
3.) DAYBREAK
|
4.) THE SUNBURN
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 11.17.21
Good Wednesday morning:
The deadline to submit nominations for INFLUENCE Magazine’s annual list of the Rising Stars in Florida Politics is Thursday at noon.
Please email me your nominations to Peter@FloridaPolitics.com.
___
Tampa General Hospital will host a tribute to health care workers in the Capitol courtyard at 12:30 p.m.
The tribute will see Senate President Wilton Simpson, Tampa General President and CEO John Couris and CMO Dr. Peggy Duggan lead the public in ringing bells to honor the health care heroes of Florida.
The event is part of Tampa General’s “We Are TGH Day” at the Capitol. Scores of Tampa General workers and patients boarded buses to Tallahassee on Tuesday afternoon to spend Wednesday talking to lawmakers about their experiences of giving and receiving care at the institution.
Many of the health care heroes — the physicians, nurses, technicians and support services workers who keep TGH running — will be in the Capitol courtyard for the ceremony.
The first “We Are TGH Day” was held in 2019 and saw Couris and Simpson, then-Senate President-designate, celebrate the hospital performing its 10,000th transplant — a milestone hit by only a small number of hospitals.
Tampa General has hit several milestones since and has become known as one of the highest volume transplant centers in the nation. In October, TGH was named one of the Top 10 Best Smart Hospitals globally and announced that it had completed its 700th lung transplant.
___
Spotted — At the Florida Education Association gathering in Tallahassee to mark American Education Week: Vance Aloupis, Robin Bartleman, Lori Berman, Lauren Book, David Borrero, Kamia Brown, Richard Corcoran, Gary Farmer, Benjamin Gibson, Mike Gottlieb, Mike Grieco, Joe Gruters, Chris Latvala, Jason Pizzo, Tina Polsky, Alex Rizo, Anthony Rodriguez, Kelly Skidmore, Annette Taddeo, Allison Tant, Perry Thurston, Matt Willhite, Patricia Williams and Marie Woodson.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@PressSec: For anyone who needs to hear it. @VP is not only a vital partner to @POTUS but a bold leader who has taken on key, important challenges facing the country — from voting rights to addressing root causes of migration to expanding broadband.
—@Mkraju: Asked (Joe) Manchin what WV voters are telling him about $1.75T bill after a week back home. Says his voters are “very much concerned. Inflation has hit them extremely hard. … I hear it when I go to the grocery store … They say, ‘are you as mad as I am?’ And I say ‘Absolutely.’”
—@JonCooperTweets: BREAKING: The number of shipping containers sitting on docks at the Port of Los Angeles has declined by 29% in recent weeks. Why isn’t the media reporting this GREAT NEWS?!
—@elahelzadi: my take on masks remains that some of y’all still wear shoes inside your homes and there are limits to my trust
—@MDixon55: Have never seen so many floor questions go unanswered. Several times now @ArdianZika has responded to questions by not yielding time. Basic idea is questions were outside scope of the bill, which happens, but seems more frequent today. Running a tight ship down there … And now they are one-by-one going over Democrat-filed amendments and declaring them at odds with chamber rules because they are outside the call of the Special Session … It always feels scripted because, well, there are actual scripts. But no one is even trying to hide the guiderails during this special
—@MDixon55: When you don’t win a congressional election, you also get to give your goodbye floor speech early
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
ExcelinEd National Summit on Education begins — 1; ‘Hawkeye’ premieres — 7; FSU vs. UF — 10; Florida Chamber 2021 Annual Insurance Summit begins — 14; Jacksonville special election to fill seat vacated by Tommy Hazouri’s death — 20; ‘Sex and the City’ revival premieres — 22; Steven Spielberg’s ’West Side Story’ premieres — 23; ’Spider-Man: No Way Home’ premieres — 23; ’The Matrix: Resurrections’ released — 37; ’The Book of Boba Fett’ premieres on Disney+ — 42; Private sector employees must be fully vaccinated or tested weekly — 48; final season of ‘This Is Us’ begins — 48; CES 2022 begins — 49; NFL season ends — 53; 2022 Legislative Session starts — 55; Florida’s 20th Congressional District Election — 55; Special Elections in Senate District 33, House District 88 & 94 — 55; Florida TaxWatch’s 2022 State of the Taxpayer Day — 56; Joel Coen’s ’The Tragedy of Macbeth’ on Apple TV+ — 58; NFL playoffs begin — 59; XXIV Olympic Winter Games begins — 79; Super Bowl LVI — 88; Daytona 500 — 95; CPAC begins — 99; St. Pete Grand Prix — 100; ‘The Batman’ premieres — 106; ’Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 173; ’Top Gun: Maverick’ premieres — 194; ’Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 198; ’Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 234; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 245; ’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 324; ‘Black Panther 2’ premieres — 359; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 362; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres — 394; ‘Captain Marvel 2’ premieres — 457; ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 618. ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 702; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 982.
“Florida defends mask rules, vows to fight federal complaint” via Ana Ceballos of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida’s State Board of Education remained steadfast on Tuesday in its effort to defend the state’s school mask rules from federal interference, a stance that comes just as all districts have come into compliance with state rules after months of disagreement. President Joe Biden’s administration attempted to support school districts that required students to wear masks in schools by offering federal money to cover any penalties the state levied in response to a strict mask mandate. The State Board of Education granted Education Commissioner Corcoran’s request to “vigorously defend” the state from the complaint and allowed him to explore the option to file suit against the federal government over the issue, if necessary.
— SPECIAL SESSION —
“Ron DeSantis won’t ‘micromanage’ Special Session” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “Look, I think the Special Session seems like it’s on track,” DeSantis said in Miami. “You know, my view, when I became Governor… …I said I’m a recovering member of Congress. I don’t like to remember those days. I had people that will come up to me, who I served with, saying how much they miss me up there, and I say, ‘I don’t miss you guys at all.’ I’m happy to be down here, you know, in the Southern Command in Florida,” the Governor quipped before getting serious. “But I made the point that it’s not me as Governor (dictating) to the Legislature. I can say, ‘Here’s what I’d like to see. … I’ll work with them.”
“Florida business groups need the impossible: bipartisan agreement on a COVID-19 bill” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Florida businesses may need the Florida Legislature to do what seemingly is impossible in COVID-19 politics: work in a bipartisan manner. Unless Republican leaders in the Legislature agree to alter a broad public records exemption bill or convince Democrats to support the proposal, complaints filed against Florida businesses accused of violating the proposed new vaccine mandate ban will be available for public review. The public record exemption bill requires a supermajority vote to pass. That means 66% of the members have to support the proposal, not a simple majority. Already there are signs the broadly written public record exemption bill could be in trouble, at least in the House.
“Florida vaccine mandate bill doesn’t go far enough, activists say” via Kirby Wilson and Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — At a spirited Tuesday rally, a few hundred Floridians demanded an end to vaccine mandates. For nearly two hours, the audience listened as more than a dozen speakers strode into the sunshine to extol the virtue of personal choice. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez spoke. There were flags and chants and, in the end, an impromptu rendition of “God Bless America.” Not 100 yards away, inside windowless Capitol building chambers, lawmakers were having a different conversation. Throughout the Special Session, Republican leaders have been caught between two sides. One is a silent, but influential business community opposed to government interference in the workplace. The other side is a small number of passionate activists opposed to vaccine mandates who are frustrated because they feel the state isn’t going far enough.
“Senate bill limiting Surgeon General emergency powers clears final committee” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A Senate bill that would strip the state Surgeon General of authority to mandate vaccinations during a public health emergency cleared its final committee stop on Tuesday. The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the bill (SB 8) along a party-line vote. The measure now awaits the Senate’s full consideration. Sponsored by Republican Sen. Aaron Bean, the bill limits the state Surgeon General’s authority to mandate vaccinations. Under a Republican bill passed in 2002, lawmakers granted the Surgeon General emergency powers, including the authority to mandate vaccinations or quarantine “by any means necessary.” A staff analysis noted the measure was passed amid ongoing national security concerns after the Sept. 11 attack.
“‘Dead on arrival’: House Democrats cry foul after amendment massacre” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A slew of party-sponsored amendments went unheard. One would have provided re-employment assistance for COVID-19 impacted workers. Another pitched COVID-19 education. Most failed or were ruled out of order. Some were withdrawn. In an unconventional move, House Speaker Chris Sprowls opened the meeting with a warning that angered Democrats: “some” amendments are outside the Special Session scope. “If the Governor wants to be so bold as to put forward these proposals concerning vaccine requirements, then he also should be so bold as to listen to our ideas about things and how to make these bills better,” Democratic Rep. Fentrice Driskell told reporters after the meeting.
“An emotional firefighter paramedic pushes back against COVID-19 vaccine requirements” via Issac Morgan of Florida Phoenix — Several anti-vaccine activists and an emotional first responder testified against COVID-19 vaccine mandates by employers at a legislative meeting in the Florida Senate, claiming that forced vaccines threaten personal freedoms. Wendy Williams, a firefighter paramedic in Orange County, told state lawmakers from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that she and other first responders suffered mental distress from vaccine requirements for workers. Williams said she’s been serving in her position for 22 years, and “our department is under a vaccine mandate forced by our Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.” She did not specify whether she got the vaccine or not at the committee hearing.
“Conspiracy theories run rampant during testimony on DeSantis’ vax mandate ban” via Florida Phoenix — Committee hearings on DeSantis’ legislative response to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates ran heavily on alarmist claims of impending fascism and endorsements by medical experts of unproven COVID-19 treatments, including ivermectin. During some four hours of hearings Monday before the Senate Commerce Committee, for example, conservative political activists joined forces with vaccine-resistant first responders, plus doctors who flew in for the occasion from as far away as Hawaii. Taken together, they portrayed the COVID-19 vaccines as actively dangerous and lavished praise on natural immunity, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectin.
“Quorumgate? Anthony Sabatini, others marked present against House rules” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — During a flash quorum call near the end of Tuesday’s House floor session, members were seen voting for each other, a no-no under House rules. Among those who were marked as present when they weren’t at their desk was Sabatini. But Rep. Chip LaMarca owned up to it without a problem. “It was a quorum call, and he was on the blue carpet. I’d have done the same for any other member (even if they loaded our phone lines with complaints all summer!),” LaMarca tweeted. LaMarca followed up. “I just want to clarify. I did not vote for him. I pressed the button for the quorum call mid-session as instructed by the whip through Rep. David Smith,” he said.
Legis. sked.
— The House meets for a floor session, 8 a.m., House Chamber.
— The Senate Select Subcommittee on Legislative Reapportionment meets workshop proposed Senate maps, 10 a.m., 412 Knott Building.
— The Senate meets for a floor session, 2 p.m., Senate chamber.
— DATELINE TALLY —
“Darryl Rouson questions splitting Tampa in congressional cartography” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — In all draft maps published by staff, district lines shift westward, stopping in Pinellas County. That puts Oldsmar, Safety Harbor and much of Palm Harbor in the district, areas today represented by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, in Florida’s 12 Congressional District. Moreover, the drafts split Tampa, Florida’s third most populous city, with 384,959 residents in the census. With the ideal population for congressional districts set at 769,221 people, Rouson questioned why Tampa was not kept intact. Jay Ferrin, staff director for the Senate Reapportionment Committee, said the shift was largely a byproduct of inserting Florida’s 28th Congressional District, a new seat awarded to Florida after the census reapportionment process, in Central Florida.
“Senate maps put Blaise Ingoglia, Ralph Massullo in potential matchup” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — Maps of proposed state Senate districts create a potential 2022 Republican Primary showdown between two current House members who are hoping to move up. All four redistricting maps from the Senate Committee on Reappointment show a Senate District 10 that would include all of Citrus and Marion counties, a small section of northwest Pasco County, plus a shift east to include Sumter County and The Villages. That places Reps. Massullo and Ingoglia on a collision course for next year’s election. Both have opened campaign accounts: Ingoglia for Senate and Massullo for re-election in House 34. In Tallahassee for the Special Session, both legislators declined to talk about the maps or a potential matchup.
“Background checks for those buying bullets: South Florida legislators push Jaime’s Law” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — State legislators will try to pass a law in this upcoming Session that would require background checks for ammunition buyers in honor of one of the teens killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting. State Rep. Dan Daley and a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High graduate, first filed the bill in the 2020 legislative session. It never made it to the House floor. He tried again for this past Session, too. He’s hoping the third time is the charm. “It’s an uphill battle, but we must do something to address the scourge of gun violence,” Daley said Tuesday afternoon. Jaime’s Law is named for Jaime Guttenberg, the 14-year-old dancer shot in the back as she tried to run for her life from the third floor. A new law honoring her would require background checks for ammunition purchases.
Lawmakers may consider revoking Key West’s charter — A draft bill shared with Florida Politics would repeal the City of Key West’s charter. The proposal is just 18 lines long and gets to the point, calling for the charter’s repeal and transferring all “assets and legitimate liabilities and revenue streams” to Monroe County. It is unknown who is sponsoring the proposal, but it comes after a contentious fight in the 2021 Legislative Session over a set of ordinances approved by Key West voters that would have limited cruise ship traffic at its port. A proposal preempting the referendums appeared to die in the final days of Session but was resurrected and passed via an amendment to a broad transportation bill. In the months since, Commissioners have floated potential workarounds to the law. A spokesperson for the Florida House reminded Florida Politics that bills in drafting are confidential, so they could not confirm or deny FP’s inquiry about the legislation.
—“North Florida officials push for research into $2 billion rail restoration” via Tristan Wood of Florida Politics
“Lobbying compensation: GrayRobinson cements Top 5 status with another $2.2M report” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The GrayRobinson team led by Dean Cannon represented nearly 200 clients in Q3, earning an estimated $2.2 million. “It’s an exciting time to be one of the top-tier lobbying firms in the state of Florida,” said Kirk Pepper, a longtime member of the GrayRobinson government affairs and lobbying team. “The size of our firm and the fact that we specialize in both legal and lobbying work sets us apart, but our mix of clients is what truly makes us unique.” The firm’s top-end earnings estimate grew to nearly $3.7 million, up about 5% from the approximately $3.5 million max estimate in Q2. With three quarters down, the firm is on track to earn $9 million this year.
—STATEWIDE—
“Florida cities sue state over ‘anti-riot’ law” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald — Seven South Florida cities, as well as Tallahassee and Gainesville, filed a lawsuit in state court Tuesday challenging what they say is the executive branch’s “commandeering” of local budget authority in the so-called “anti-riot” law that passed earlier this year. The law, HB 1, was a priority of the Republican-led Legislature and DeSantis after demonstrators across Florida and the nation protested the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. As a hammer against local governments that attempt to rein in law enforcement, lawmakers included a new provision in state law that gives the Governor and Cabinet veto power over city and county budgets. The lawsuit challenges the change as a breach of the separation of powers of the Florida Constitution.
“Lake Okeechobee to see dramatic changes under new plan to stop algae blooms and protect Everglades” via David Fleshler of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A sweeping overhaul of the management of Lake Okeechobee is now part of a federal plan to reverse decades of environmental damage to the Everglades and coastal communities. The proposal from the Army Corps of Engineers will increase flows of water to the Everglades and slash discharges of water to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, where the nutrient-laden water had generated plagues of thick green algae. U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, a Republican representing coastal communities such as Stuart, saw the worst algae outbreaks.
“Group home closures forcing some into the streets, nonprofits say” via Kylie McGivern of WFTS — Group homes, supporting Floridians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, are struggling to hire staff. Providers are calling it a crisis, with funding from the state among the lowest in the country. More than 100 group homes have closed within the last six months, forcing some residents into the streets. The money Florida provides for the care individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is among the lowest in the country. Earlier this year, the Legislature made a historic investment in what’s known as the iBudget Medicaid Waiver, a program that lets individuals receive care in their community, rather than an institution.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“FL COVID-19 update: 1,552 more COVID-19 cases added” via Devoun Cetoute of the Miami Herald — Florida reported 1,552 COVID-19 cases and one new death on Monday. In all, Florida has recorded at least 3,673,033 confirmed COVID-19cases and 60,846 deaths. On average, the state has added 61 deaths and 1,439 cases per day in the past seven days. Florida had a death rate of 283 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic. Two weeks ago, the state had a death rate of 277 deaths per 100,000 people.
“How will DeSantis’ Surgeon General craft COVID-19 mask rules?” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — A proposed bill would grant Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s agency the power to decide how often employees must be tested to gain an exemption from a business’ vaccine mandate. The measure would allow the Department of Health to define how personal protective equipment may be used, and what “anticipated pregnancy” means for similar exemptions. Lawmakers would be entrusting these powers to an agency run by a man who, because of how top agency officials are confirmed in Florida, still must be approved by state Senators. “Should he be making these decisions without being confirmed?” said Sen. Janet Cruz. State law allows Ladapo to serve in his post at least through the next Legislative Session, which begins in January, and the following Session, which starts in March 2023, without being confirmed.
“University of Miami students got an early holiday gift: Checks as high as $2,500 due to COVID-19 relief bill” via Jesse Lieberman of the Miami Herald — Every one of the more than 17,000 current undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the Coral Gables private university recently received a check from the school ranging from $200 to $2,500. The funds came from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III under the American Rescue Plan Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by Biden in March 2021, said John Haller, UM’s vice president for enrollment management. The $1.9 trillion law allocated $39 billion to colleges and universities across the country during the pandemic.
“COVID-19 vaccinations offered at two schools in Polk County” via The Lakeland Ledger — Polk County Public Schools and the Florida Department of Health in Polk County will offer pop-up vaccination clinics this week at two schools. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available to any student aged 5 or older at the clinics. These are voluntary events, as students, employees and family members are not required to be vaccinated. Vaccinations will be offered Wednesday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Community High in Davenport; and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Lake Gibson High in Lakeland. Both clinics are open to any student in Polk County age 5 and up, as well as their family members and PCPS employees.
— 2022 —
“Dem candidates go all-in on Joe Biden spending as inflation angst soars” via Megan Cassala of POLITICO — Tight congressional races across the nation are quickly turning into battlegrounds over a key economic question: whether Biden’s spending agenda is the chief culprit for inflation concerns gripping the country. Republicans are latching onto heightened anxiety tied to the nation’s sharpest inflation spike in three decades. Democrats, meanwhile, are scrambling to preempt the attacks by focusing on broader benefits of the multitrillion-dollar packages. The opposing bets on the infrastructure and social spending plans are laying the groundwork for a year of sparring tied to voters’ growing worries about the economy.
“‘Not-so-Special Session’: Charlie Crist criticizes DeSantis’ focus on vaccine mandates” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Crist slammed DeSantis Tuesday morning, criticizing the Governor’s recently called Special Session to hear bills addressing mask and vaccine mandates. Calling the legislative hearings a “not-so-special session,” Crist scrutinized the Governor in the virtual news conference for not prioritizing other issues impacting Floridians, like unemployment, housing affordability, and voting rights. Crist also hosted several Floridian activists to highlight the issues affecting their communities. Crist equated the Session call to political theater.
“Florida certifies Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick’s win in the congressional Democratic primary” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Cherfilus-McCormick is the official winner of South Florida’s 20th Congressional District Democratic primary. State officials, including DeSantis, met Tuesday to certify the official returns from the Nov. 2 primary election. Cherfilus-McCormick was deemed the winner, finishing five votes ahead of her competitor, Dale Holness. Cherfilus-McCormick still faces a general election, but the 20th District is so overwhelmingly Democratic that winning the primary leaves her on strong ground to win the election.
“Gayle Harrell plans re-election for SD 29, leaving SD 25 with no candidate” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — If Martin County moves south by one Senate District, Sen. Harrell plans to run in Senate District 29 in 2022. The next election would mark the beginning of her third term. But the latest Senate district drafts have the Stuart Republican’s current district, Senate District 25, drifting north, losing its land in Palm Beach County and her home Martin County. “Whatever district I am in, I will run in. It doesn’t matter what the number is,” Harrell told Florida Politics. If Harrell wins re-election under the current proposed SD 29 borders, she will lose her St. Lucie County constituents, except those in southern Port St. Lucie. In their place, she would pick up more Palm Beach County residents.
Kiyan Michael launches campaign for HD 12 — Jacksonville Republican Michael has joined the Republican Primary to succeed Rep. Clay Yarborough in Northeast Florida’s House District 12. Michael is a Navy veteran and a member of the Black Voices for Trump Advisory Board. Her campaign announcement also described her as an “Angel Mom” due to the death of one of her children in a car crash caused by an undocumented immigrant who had been deported twice before the wreck. She joins former state Rep. Lake Ray and assistant state attorney Jessica Baker in the Primary. Despite a head start for Ray, Baker leads the field in fundraising and has nabbed endorsements from high-profile Republicans such as Senate President Wilton Simpson, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams.
Personnel note: Dan Newman, Greg Goddard join the Tracie Davis campaign — Campaign pros Newman and Goddard joined Rep. Davis‘ campaign for Senate District 6 this week. Newman is a veteran of several Democratic campaigns, having previously served as Deputy Political Director for Alex Sink’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign and, most recently, as finance director for House Victory. He will serve as a finance consultant to the Davis campaign. Goddard, meanwhile, worked as Finance Director for Crist’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign and served as the Florida finance chief for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. He’s signed on to be Davis’ General Consultant. Davis is one of four Democrats running for SD 6, a Duval County-based seat currently held by term-limited Sen. Audrey Gibson.
—“Vance Aloupis hits high-water mark, adding $33,075 in October to retain HD 115 seat” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics
—”Unopposed Daniel Perez posts six-figure fundraising in October to retain HD 116” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics
—”Juan Fernandez-Barquin adds $35K to HD 119 defense, nearly a third from Petland” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
— CORONA NATION —
“Biden administration plans imminent booster expansion to all adults” via Caitlin Owens of Axios — The Biden administration is expected to begin the process of expanding the booster authorization to all adults as early as this week. America’s booster campaign got off to an underwhelming start, potentially leaving millions of vulnerable people at risk as the holidays approach. The pandemic still isn’t over, and the data is clear that vaccine effectiveness has waned over time and with the rise of Delta, but also that a booster dose restores protection against the virus to remarkable levels. Despite disagreement among experts about who needs a booster, there’s broad consensus that older people and at least some with underlying health conditions should get an additional dose around six months after their first series.
“Anthony Fauci says boosters for all key to U.S. reaching COVID-19 endemic level” via Julie Steenhuysen of Reuters — Dr. Fauci said it is possible for COVID-19 to be reduced to an endemic illness from the current health emergency next year if the country ramps up vaccination rates. Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are vital for reaching that point, Fauci said in an interview during the Reuters Total Health conference, which runs virtually from Nov. 15-18. Experts believe COVID-19 cannot be eliminated and will likely become endemic, meaning it will always be present in the population to some degree, such as the flu or chickenpox. “To me, if you want to get to endemic, you have got to get the level of infection so low that it does not have an impact on society, on your life, on your economy,” Fauci said.
“Biden’s vaccine-or-test mandate to go before Cincinnati-based federal court” via Rebecca Rainey of POLITICO — The legal fight over the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate will be heard before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals after a lottery conducted Tuesday by an obscure federal judicial panel. Nearly three dozen lawsuits have been filed in multiple federal appeals courts against the requirement, triggering the lottery to consolidate the cases before one court. The rule, released by the OSHA on Nov. 5, requires private businesses with more than 100 employees to ensure that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19, starting Jan. 4. The lawsuits argue that the rule exceeds the Labor Department’s authority and Congress’ ability to delegate to federal agencies.
“Biden administration to announce purchase of 10 million courses of Pfizer anti-COVID-19 pill” via Tyler Pager and Laurie McGinley of The Washington Post — The Biden administration is expected to announce this week that it is purchasing 10 million courses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill, a multibillion-dollar investment in a medication that officials hope will help change the trajectory of the pandemic by staving off many hospitalizations and deaths, according to two people with knowledge of the transaction. U.S. officials see this antiviral pill, and another by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, as potential game-changers to help restore a broader sense of normalcy and are eager to add them to a small arsenal of treatments for Americans who contract the coronavirus. Health officials believe the pills will help tame the pandemic because of their ability to thwart the virus’s most pernicious effects.
“Ad campaign features testimonials from young ‘long haulers’ to motivate vaccine-holdouts” via Lena H. Sun of The Washington Post — With nearly a third of American adults unvaccinated as the country enters the higher-risk winter months, some public health experts are turning to ad campaigns that feature the voices of people in their 20s sickened by “long COVID” as a way to try to motivate many younger people still reluctant to get the shots. Resolve to Save Lives, a New York City-based nonprofit, a former director of the CDC, launched a campaign Tuesday that features testimonials from three people in their 20s who have been battling long-term health complications of COVID-19 for the past year. They talk in television, radio and social media ads about devastating and lasting symptoms that prevent them from working.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“Retail sales rose by 1.7% in October despite high inflation” via Gabriel T. Rubin of The Wall Street Journal — American consumers withstood rising inflation to power a strong start to the holiday shopping season, with big retailers reporting higher sales and expectations for a solid finish to the year. Sales at U.S. retail stores, online sellers, and restaurants rose by a seasonally adjusted 1.7% in October compared with the previous month. Consumers continued their stepped-up spending despite continued COVID-19 fears and inflation concerns. The elevated spending level suggests solid holiday sales this season, lifting the economy as a whole. J.P. Morgan said it was upgrading its growth expectations, raising its forecast for fourth quarter U.S. gross domestic product to 5% from 4%.
— How the pandemic redefined home design: A recent RentCafe survey of people searching for rental apartments online found “more space” had become a priority, usurping the desire for a cheaper unit. The survey, Axios found, is a reflection of shifting long-term views that prioritize home space after months of being forced indoors. Home design expert Laurel Vernazza told the outlet, before COVID-19, home “was a place to run home from work, drop off stuff, quickly eat something if you’re lucky, and get the kids out the door for sports.” But now, she said, people are reevaluating their space and realizing, “geez, we Don’t really have space for everybody to decompress.” Now, features like spacious kitchen islands, closet renovations, ‘smart home’ upgrades and flexible home office space are premium real estate features.
— MORE CORONA —
“D.C. will no longer require masks in many public settings, Muriel Bowser announces” via Julie Zauzmer Weil of The Washington Post — Washington’s local mask mandate, one of the strictest in the nation since late July, will relax greatly beginning Monday, Mayor Bowser announced. The District had required residents to wear masks in most indoor settings since the delta variant caused coronavirus case counts to rise over the summer. On Tuesday, Bowser said that coronavirus vaccines are working: While case rates remain stubbornly above an average of 10 new cases per day for every 100,000 residents, vaccines prevent most people who catch the virus from needing hospitalization. That means it’s time to let residents choose whether to wear masks in their office buildings, retail stores and many other settings, Bowser said. Local businesses can still choose to require masks, but they will not be legally required.
“Fully vaccinated people will be allowed to celebrate NYE in Times Square” via Noah Garfinkel of Axios — New York City will allow people who are fully vaccinated to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday. Revelers must show proof of vaccination and a valid photo ID, officials said. Those who cannot get vaccinated due to a disability need to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event, Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris said at a news conference. They must also wear a mask if they can. Children under 5 will have to be with someone who has proof of vaccination, Harris added. “We want to welcome all those hundreds of thousands of folks, but everyone needs to be vaccinated,” de Blasio said.
“COVID-19 documentary ‘The First Wave’ is a simultaneously vital and hard-to-watch time capsule” via Michael O’Sullivan of The Washington Post — “The First Wave” opens with the death of a COVID-19 patient at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and it’s an upsetting enough introduction to make some viewers wonder, right off the bat, exactly what they’re getting into by choosing to watch this film, at a time when the still-scary pandemic seems far from over, despite having retreated in some places, as vaccination has spread, and promising new antiviral regimens have been discovered. The film feels like a viscerally effective time capsule from the recent past, yet one whose arrival in theaters may still be too soon for many.
“Andrew Cuomo may have to forfeit millions earned from pandemic memoir” via Grace Ashford and Luis Ferré-Sadurní of The New York Times — Former Gov. Cuomo could be forced to forfeit millions of dollars that he earned from his 2020 pandemic memoir after a state ethics board on Tuesday voted to revoke its authorization for the book. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics accused Cuomo of essentially obtaining approval under false pretenses, including breaking his promise not to use state resources toward completion of the memoir. The Commission also noted several misrepresentations in Cuomo’s request for the ethics Commission’s approval, including the nature of the book’s subject matter and how far along the project was at the time of the request. It also noted that the full financial details of the deal and contract had been withheld from the panel.
“What’s the future of outdoor dining in New York?” via Nicole Hong of The New York Times — Marking a pivotal transition in a return to normalcy, New York now faces the same question as cities like Philadelphia and Atlanta that are weighing proposals to keep outdoor dining: Which emergency innovations borne of the pandemic should remain as permanent legacies? In New York, the program has turned into a contentious battle over who should have ownership of streets and sidewalks. A group of residents sued the city last month, detailing 108 pages of complaints about outdoor dining. Supporters say outdoor dining was a vital re-imagining of the streets that salvaged an industry where hundreds of restaurants have shut down for good.
— PRESIDENTIAL —
“Biden got his bipartisan win. Now, reality sets in.” via Michael D. Shear of The New York Times — For more than an hour on Monday, Biden enjoyed the kind of political moment he had eagerly sought and long-promised, surrounded by a bipartisan cast of lawmakers on the South Lawn of the White House for the signing of landmark legislation forged through compromise at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. But after completing the signing ceremony for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill, Biden returns to a much harsher reality: historically low approval ratings, unified Republican opposition to the centerpiece of his domestic policy, growing alarm in his party about the prospect of losing control of Congress next year and a surprising surge in inflation. The President and his aides hope that the highly choreographed event will allow Biden to find his footing.
“Biden touts infrastructure bill at snowy, rusty bridge in New Hampshire” via Colleen Long, Holly Ramer, and Alexandra Jaffe of The Associated Press — Biden set out Tuesday on a national tour to persuade everyday Americans of the benefits of his big, just-signed infrastructure plan. First stop: a snowy, rusty bridge in New Hampshire, a state that gave him no love in last year’s presidential primaries. Biden left the state in February 2020 before polls had even closed on his fifth-place primary finish. But he returned as President, eager to talk up the billions in investments in upgrading America’s roads, bridges and transit systems that he signed into law Monday. Biden framed the infrastructure law in direct and human terms. He said it would have a meaningful impact here, from efficient everyday transportation to keeping emergency routes open.
What Rick Scott is reading — “Biden administration soon to announce diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics” via Josh Rogin of The Washington Post — With the Beijing Winter Olympics just three months away, the Biden administration will soon have to make clear whether it plans to send an official delegation to China. But sooner rather than later, according to several sources familiar with the plans, the White House is expected to announce that neither Biden nor any other U.S. government officials will attend the Beijing Games. This diplomatic boycott is intended, the sources say, as a way to respond to the Chinese government’s human rights abuses without impacting U.S. athletes.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“The second-biggest program in the Democrats’ spending plan gives billions to the rich” via Alyssa Fowers and Simon Ducroquet of The Washington Post — Biden’s social spending bill includes investments in clean energy and affordable child care, but it also includes a $285 billion tax cut that would almost exclusively benefit high-income households over the next five years. The measure would allow households to increase their deduction from state and local taxes from $10,000 to $80,000 through 2026 and then impose a new deduction cap through 2031. It’s the second-most expensive item in the legislation over the next five years, more costly than establishing a paid family and medical leave program, and nearly twice as expensive as funding home-medical services for the elderly and disabled.
“Americans broadly support Supreme Court upholding Roe v. Wade and oppose Texas abortion law, Post-ABC poll finds” via Scott Clement, William Bishop and Robert Barnes of The Washington Post — Americans say by a roughly 2-to-1 margin that the Supreme Court should uphold its landmark abortion decision in Roe v. Wade, and by a similar margin the public opposes a Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The lopsided support for maintaining abortion rights protections comes as the court considers cases challenging its long-term precedents, including Dec. 1 arguments over a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The poll finds 27% of Americans say the court should overturn Roe, while 60% say it should be upheld, attitudes that are consistent in polls dating to 2005.
“Investigation finds Scott used loophole to avoid taxes” via Mahsa Saeidi of WFLA — The independent, nonprofit investigative newsroom ProPublica is calling out Sen. Scott, accusing him of benefiting from a tax loophole instead of taking action to close it. Scott is one of the wealthiest Senators, and once ran one of the world’s largest health care companies. Right now, Scott is under fire after a ProPublica investigation found he used a loophole to dodge estate taxes. The loophole is utilized by more than half the country’s rich, according to the nonprofit newsroom that examined troves of IRS records. To be clear, this is not a partisan issue. ProPublica found both Democrats and Republicans have been exploiting loopholes to avoid paying taxes.
“DHS watchdog declined to investigate Border Patrol horseback conduct with Haitian migrants” via Michael Wilner, Bryan Lowry, and Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald — The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has “declined to investigate” the conduct of horse-mounted Border Patrol officers in Del Rio, Texas, chasing Haitian migrants as they attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The inspector general’s office has referred the case back to the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility, which “immediately commenced investigative work, including its review of videos and photographs and the interview of witnesses, employees, and CBP leadership,” the DHS statement said, referring to Customs and Border Protection.
“Opposition group behind halted march claims victory despite Cuban government’s crackdown” via Nora Gámez Torres of the Miami Herald — In response to the Cuban government’s crackdown, the group behind the opposition march halted on Monday urged Cubans to continue protesting and raising their voices against “injustice.” In an early morning statement on Tuesday, Archipiélago, the group behind the march, said the reasons for the initiative still remain and that the Cuban government “has not understood the message.” “The Cuban government has responded to our demands as a dictatorship does: with extreme militarization of the streets,” the statement said.
— CRISIS —
“The head of the Jan. 6 committee said his patience is about up with a high-profile witness: Mark Meadows.” via Nicholas Wu of POLITICO — The Jan. 6 select panel’s patience with former White House Chief of Staff Meadows is wearing thin as lawmakers weigh another criminal contempt referral. Chair Bennie Thompson said he would be signing a letter Tuesday to Meadows to reiterate the committee’s demands. The letter will “basically be repeating what we’ve been saying all along. We need these questions answered. We’ve given you an opportunity or several occasions for to be responsive and you’ve not done it,” Thompson said. Meadows declined to show up for a scheduled deposition last Friday, and his lawyer has indicated he would not cooperate with the panel because of former President Donald Trump’s invocation of executive privilege.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“Donald Trump seeks continued block on sending White House files to Jan. 6 panel” via Charlie Savage of The New York Times — Trump asked a federal appeals court to block the National Archives from giving Congress quick access to records from his White House related to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, arguing that litigation over whether they are properly shielded by his claim of executive privilege should fully play out first. In a 54-page brief filed before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Jesse Binnall, a lawyer for Trump, reiterated his argument that the Constitution gives the former President the power to keep those files confidential even though he is no longer in office and even though Biden refused to assert executive privilege over them. The dispute raises novel issues about the scope of executive privilege when invoked by a former President without the support of the incumbent one.
“Judge questions why Justice reversed course on Trump taxes” via Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney of POLITICO — A federal judge poised to rule on Trump’s effort to block Congress from obtaining his tax returns expressed skepticism Tuesday about the Justice Department’s abrupt reversal in the case after Trump left office. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden suggested it was strange that last July, about six months after Biden was sworn in, the Justice Department concluded the Treasury Department was legally obligated to turn over Trump’s tax returns to the House. McFadden, a Trump appointee, implied that the reversal was driven by politics, and he said the new stance might dictate that Congress could be entitled not only to Biden’s returns, but even the taxes filed by Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
—“Chris Christie reveals Trump’s election night moment that made him feel sick” via Dana Bash of CNN
— LOCAL NOTES —
“Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Alex Fernandez comfortably win runoff races for Miami Beach Commission” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Miami Beach has two new Commissioners after Tuesday’s runoff election. In Group I, Gonzalez is again on the Miami Beach Commission after defeating opponent Raquel Pacheco, a local business owner. Gonzalez will succeed Mickey Steinberg, departing to chase the Miami-Dade Commission seat held by term-limited Sally Heyman next year. And in Group III, Planning Board member Fernandez defeated real estate investor Stephen Cohen to take outgoing Commissioner Michael Góngora’s seat.
“Bryan Calvo, Luis Rodriguez win lopsided runoff races for Hialeah City Council” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Hialeah has two new City Council members after a runoff election Tuesday. In Group VI, law school student Calvo defeated registered nurse and business owner Angelica Pacheco to succeed Paul Hernandez, who opted not to seek re-election to the seven-member Council. And in Group VII, auto parts sales manager Rodriguez, an auto parts sales manager, beat banker Maylin Villalonga to take the seat of term-limited Council member Katharine Cue-Fuente.
“Voter-passed tax referenda generate a bonanza for local governments, inviting pushback from the Legislature” via Amy Keller of Florida Trend — The Great Recession of the late 2000s blew a hole in Marion County’s budget. Property values in and around Ocala plunged, dragging tax receipts down with them. Options to deal with the cash crunch were few. “We didn’t want to their homes and jobs,” says Kathy Bryant, a Marion County Commissioner since 2010. She and her colleagues slashed spending instead. By 2015, she says, the county had backlogged millions of dollars of transportation and any longer. The proposed solution? Ask voters to sign off on a local option, four-year, one-cent sales tax increase. Voters passed the sales tax referendum with 55% approval in 2016, and in 2020, more than 70% of Marion County voters extended the penny tax for another four years.
“Confederate monument debate will continue for Jacksonville City Council” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The withdrawal last week of legislation for moving the Confederate monument from Springfield Park won’t be the last word on the monument or how Jacksonville should treat the Confederacy in public spaces. City Council member Aaron Bowman said that when the Council meets Thursday to review its strategic plan, he will propose charting a timeline for discussions about Confederate monuments in the first half of 2022, leading to a proposal financed in next year’s budget and completed by June 2023. “I don’t know how much support it’s going to get, but from my perspective, doing nothing is not an option right now,” he said.
“FDLE criminal case against Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony removed from State Attorney Harold Pryor’s office” via Dan Christensen of Florida Bulldog — Using a confidential executive order, DeSantis transferred the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s criminal case against Tony to the State Attorney’s Office in Fort Myers. The Governor’s quiet decision over the summer to remove Tony’s case from the jurisdiction of Pryor followed what sources said was Pryor’s reluctance to file felony and other charges against Tony as recommended by the FDLE. The FDLE’s investigation began after Florida Bulldog reported in early May 2020 that Tony signed an FDLE affidavit the prior January declaring under oath that he never had a criminal record sealed or expunged.
“Company sues mother of murdered boys over husband’s $4 million life insurance payout” via Fresh Take Florida — An insurance company is suing the mother of two boys killed by her estranged husband over a $4 million life insurance payout which claims she may not have been legally entitled to receive. Meanwhile, she is trying to collect $10 million from her husband’s estate. The legal battle, just underway in federal court, is the latest twist in the crime earlier this year. It sheds new light on the father’s actions days before the killings and hints at the vast amounts of money at stake for surviving family members. Paul Reinhart fatally shot the couple’s young sons on May 4 before setting fire to the family’s vacation home near Suwannee in western Florida and fatally shooting himself.
“PBC school board drops FSBA membership over remarks about Guatemalan, LGBTQ students” via Sonja Isger of The Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach County School Board members have resigned their memberships in a statewide organization that offers board training and lobbies on their behalf after the organization’s President was called out for her remarks about Guatemalan and LGBTQ students. Their alarm began when board members learned of remarks made by Chris Patricca, who is President of the Florida School Boards Association and a Lee County school board member, in an online September meeting. “The biggest challenge that those principals are facing is getting them out of the bathroom because they’ve never seen running water before,” Patricca said in remarks captured during the meeting.
“SEC probing Miami Beach facial-recognition tech firm overspending on condo, tennis” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — Alfi, a Miami Beach facial-recognition technology company that gained notoriety this summer as a meme stock and suspended or fired several top executives, is now facing a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Alfi, which went public in May, has been asked to retain documents that date back to April 2018. Last month, the company placed its CEO, Paul Pereira, and its CFO, Dennis McIntosh, on leave pending its internal investigation as it terminated its chief technology officer and Pereira’s son, Charles. The moves came in response to transactions involving a South Beach condominium purchased for $1.1 million and an agreement to sponsor a tennis event in the British Virgin Islands.
“Black population in Boynton jumps but FIU study shows community lags in economic equity” via Jorge Milian of The Palm Beach Post — U.S. Census figures show that Boynton Beach’s Black population increased 21.7% from 2010, helping drive the city’s head count jump to more than 80,000 residents. What the census numbers don’t show, but an FIU study looking into racial and social equity in Boynton Beach makes entirely clear, is the continuing disparities between Blacks, and to a lesser extent Hispanics, compared to whites. The per capita income of Blacks ($18,598) is less than half that of whites ($41,0150), and of the 8,000 workers employed in the retail and service industries, most are Black or Hispanic.
“Brevard fire medic under investigation for allegedly insensitive remark to shooting victim” via Dave Berman and Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — A member of the Brevard County Fire Rescue staff is under investigation after he allegedly made a racially insensitive remark to a man being transported by ambulance to the hospital after the man had been shot by a sheriff’s deputy. It is the second incident in a month involving alleged racial insensitivity by a BCFR employee. In the previous incident, an off-duty Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighter was seen in a photo on social media wearing blackface at a beachside Halloween party. The latest incident came to light Tuesday when County Commissioner Bryan Lober referenced it during a Commission meeting.
“A singer relieved herself onstage at a Florida concert. Will she face criminal charges?” via Madeleine Marr of the Miami Herald — As the old saying goes, when you gotta go, you gotta go. But does it have to go down onstage during a concert? That’s what happened Thursday night during a shocking live performance at the Welcome to Rockville Festival at the Daytona International Speedway. The lead singer with Brass Against, Sophia Urista, was singing a cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Wake Up,” when she announced she had to relieve herself and called a fan up onstage. Video shared to social media (which we will not show here) shows Urista pulling down her pants and urinating on the guy, who had a can on his face, and didn’t seem to mind.
“Food ran out in the Everglades after heavy rain last year. Wading birds had trouble nesting” via Adriana Brasileiro of the Miami Herald — Wading bird nesting, a key indicator of Everglades health, was weak in 2020 after a very wet rainy season started early with massive storms in May, diluting pools where fish had concentrated and flooding nests full of chicks that weren’t able to fly yet. Most nest counts were well below the 10-year average and just a fraction of the record-breaking 2018 season that produced massive colonies close to numbers seen in the 1930s and 1940s. There were considered highly productive decades for Everglades birdlife. The 2020 wading bird report estimated there were 43,860 wading bird nests in South Florida, lower than the 10-year average of 46,841 nests and about three times less than in the banner 2018 season, when 138,834 nests were counted.
“Kristin Dozier named new Capitol Region Transportation Planning chair” via Tristan Wood of Florida Politics — Leon County Commissioner Dozier was unanimously voted the new chair of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency’s board during its meeting Tuesday. The CRTPA oversees transportation planning within Florida’s Capital Region. Dozier, who previously served as the board’s vice chair, will replace Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow. Her appointment continues a multiyear tradition of yearly chair seats alternating between a Tallahassee Commissioner or Leon County Commissioner. The board provides input and prioritizes projects that are angling for state funding. According to the board’s proposed five-year tentative work program, the board is overseeing the planning of an estimated $238 million in infrastructure projects in Leon County alone from 2023 to 2027.
“Outspoken Trumper who was regular at government meetings killed in traffic accident” via Meta Minton of Villages-News.com — David Serdar of Fruitland Park, was riding a bicycle at 9:11 p.m. Tuesday when he was hit by a truck on Picciola Road, near the intersection of Michigan Avenue in Leesburg. He was transported by ambulance to Leesburg Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Serdar was riding northbound on Picciola Road when he was struck by a 2012 Toyota pickup, driven by 30-year-old Rachel Dyer, police said. She also had been northbound on Picciola Road. She was not injured. Serdar was well known for attending local government meetings and speaking out on various topics, including Trump, preserving the planet and the future of children. He often cited his close ties to state Sen. Dennis Baxley. Serdar was known for driving a sport utility vehicle, heavily decorated with political signs and flags.
— TOP OPINION —
“Florida Democrats should stick together to defeat bad public records law” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — The Legislature must show a “public necessity” when creating a public records exemption. The text of a new bill, SB 4, makes a flimsy case based on a heavy dose of supposition glued loosely to lots of conjecture. Democrats in the state Legislature have a chance to stop this bad law from taking effect. All they have to do is stick together. If they remain disciplined and vote as a bloc, they can chalk up a rare victory and keep public records in the sunshine, where they belong. Will they do it? Thankfully, it takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to pass an exemption to the state’s public records laws. The Republicans don’t have that many votes on their own. They need some Democrats to support the bill.
— OPINIONS —
“Anti-vaxxers are playacting at victimhood, using a deeply offensive symbol” via Leonard Pitts Jr. of the Miami Herald — The Nazis are coming. That, to a distressing extent, is the crux of the argument being mounted by some of those who refuse to obey vaccine mandates. On Sunday, a group of them even showed up at the Bronx office of New York State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz with yellow Stars of David affixed to their clothes. On the one hand, these people go about likening themselves to victims of Nazi oppression. On the other hand, we are seeing more and more people embrace tactics reminiscent of … wait for it … Nazi oppression.
“When can the U.S. declare victory over COVID-19?” via Spencer Bokat-Lindell of The New York Times — At this uncertain juncture, how close is the United States to something we could call a new normal, and how should Americans think about managing the transition? Here’s what people are saying. Experts say the coronavirus will eventually become endemic: Outbreaks will be rarer and smaller, and hospitalizations and deaths will decline. In the United States, “it’s certainly possible” some regions will be assigned endemic status in 2022. “No one is trying to eradicate COVID-19 from the planet,” Dr. Dara Kass, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center. Instead, she said, “we’re trying to remove it from being a guiding force in our lives.”
“Florida should stop withholding important COVID-19 information” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — As the delta variant gripped Florida this summer, Latinos and younger adults saw what was happening, and they jumped to get vaccinated. That finding shows what happens when people are armed with the facts and equipped to make informed medical decisions. And it’s another lesson of how state government has put Floridians at risk by withholding key COVID-19 data. Two of the groups most hesitant to be vaccinated, 25-to-44-year-olds and the Latino population, led the state in new vaccinations as the delta variant swept Florida. The newspaper found the trend became especially apparent in South Florida, as younger people and minorities sought vaccinations at higher rates than the state as a whole.
“Restore the Everglades to protect our drinking water — and Florida’s future” via Marco Rubio and Daniella Levine Cava for the Miami Herald — We are now closer than ever to making restoring freshwater flows to Biscayne Bay a reality, thanks to a new project planned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. The project, named the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration project (BBSEER), is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The goal is to restore freshwater flows to the wetlands along Biscayne Bay, improve the area’s resilience to sea level rise, and ultimately protect the Biscayne aquifer. The writing on the wall is clear: We could never adequately protect the Biscayne aquifer or the bay if we allowed the Bird Drive Basin wetland to be developed.
“Yvonne Hinson: Demand fair districts before it’s too late” via Florida Politics — We have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to ensure our communities reflect our values, goals and desires for a better future. Once every 10 years, our nation engages in the process of drawing lines that outline districts for future elections at the local, state and federal levels. I have the responsibility to come together with my colleagues in the Florida Legislature for this meaningful opportunity to draw new political district maps of Florida’s communities. Sadly, some politicians want to draw maps that provide political advantages through gerrymandering. Whether diluting or packing votes, gerrymandering is a form of suppression and disenfranchisement, which is unacceptable. Everything we want and need from our community is on the line. Fair representation is foundational to our democracy.
“Mickey wants to gamble! As companies rush to cash in on sports betting in Florida, even Disney wants action” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Floridians are being inundated with sports-betting TV ads and petition drives as it seems everybody wants a piece of the gambling action. Florida is at the center of the sports-betting universe these days. Residents are being flooded with ads and petition requests. Even Disney, which has long opposed gambling, is now angling for a piece of the action. The most important thing to know is that everyone involved in this fight wants one thing: more money. The Governor and Legislature set off the frenzy earlier this year by legalizing sports betting for the first time in Florida, granting a monopoly to the Seminole Tribe.
— ON TODAY’S SUNRISE —
As DeSantis’ legislative priorities for the Special Session advance, Republican leaders are in tune with the Governor’s marching orders, for the most part.
Also on today’s Sunrise:
— When it comes to ditching federal worker safety standards, Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes says Florida’s business community has not signaled support for pulling out of OSHA.
— And it’s official, Cherfilus-McCormick is the winner in a special Democratic Primary for Florida’s 20th Congressional District. She triumphed over three sitting legislators who resigned to run.
To listen, click on the image below:
— ALOE —
“The longest lunar eclipse in centuries will happen this week, NASA says. What to know” via Maddie Capron of The Charlotte Observer — You can see the longest partial lunar eclipse in hundreds of years this week. The “nearly total” lunar eclipse is expected overnight Thursday, Nov. 18, to Friday, Nov. 19, NASA said. “The Moon will be so close to opposite the Sun on Nov 19 that it will pass through the southern part of the shadow of the Earth for a nearly total lunar eclipse,” NASA said on its website. The eclipse will last 3 hours, 28 minutes and 23 seconds, making it the longest in centuries, Space.com reported. Only a small sliver of the moon will be visible during the eclipse. About 97% of the moon will disappear into Earth’s shadow as the sun and moon pass opposite sides of the planet, EarthSky reported.
“Florida’s gas prices continue small drops even as holiday travel ramps up” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — Gas prices in Florida declined by just one cent last week after a huge jump in October that sent the cost to its highest in eight years. The average price across the Sunshine State was $3.27 a gallon on Sunday. But three weeks of slow decline may be the start of a continued slide at the pump. Crude oil prices, which affect the cost of gasoline, dropped by nearly $3 last week, settling Friday at $80.79 a barrel. Still, prices at the pump will remain well above last year’s prices, heading into what is expected to be a busy Thanksgiving travel season.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to AG Pam Bondi, Max Flugarth, Amy Mercado, and Bill Nelson, Jr.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
5.) MORNING BREW
|
BECOME SMARTER IN JUST 5 MINUTES
Get the daily email that makes reading the news actually enjoyable. Stay informed and entertained, for free.
6.) THE FACTUAL
|
7.) LIBERTY NATION
|
8.) FOX NEWS
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
9.) UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
10.) THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
|
11.) AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE
|
12.) THE FLIP SIDE
- Subscribe
- Past Issues
- RSS
- Translate
|
13.) AXIOS
Axios AM
🐪 Happy Wednesday. Smart Brevity™ count: 1,096 words … 4½ minutes. Edited by Zachary Basu.
🩺 At 12:30 p.m. ET today, please join Axios’ Caitlin Owens and Sam Baker for a virtual event on innovations in early cancer detection. Register here.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The pace and severity of climate change are outrunning humans’ efforts to contain it, Axios climate reporter Andrew Freedman writes.
- Why it matters: Extreme weather will continue to worsen, even if countries meet every commitment from the Scotland summit.
State of play: Severe flooding hit Canada and the Pacific Northwest before the ink was dry on the Glasgow agreements.
- The nations attending the summit agreed to try to keep warming to 1.5° Celsius above preindustrial levels, though we’re still on course to exceed the goal.
- Warming is still slightly below that threshold, at about 1.1°C, but we’re barreling toward it — and already seeing unprecedented extreme events even before we get there.
What’s happening: As the world warms, the odds of extreme weather and climate events are rapidly escalating.
- Kate Marvel, a NASA climate researcher, says the future could hold “monsoon disruptions, the die-off of the Amazon rainforest, or the disintegration of the West Antarctic or Greenland ice sheets.”
Being there: At multiple points during COP26, climate negotiators held up pictures of their grandchildren while making speeches about what the future generations will face due to climate change.
- But climate disasters are occurring here and now, says Friederike Otto of the Grantham Institute at Imperial College in London. She specializes in studying how climate change affects extreme events.
🔮 What we’re watching: Emerging research shows that if and when emissions reach net zero, additional warming would slow down quite quickly, said Michael Mann, a Penn State climate scientist.
The bottom line: However bad extreme weather has gotten at the time we reach net zero, it’s likely to stay there.
Chris Krueger of Cowen Washington Research Group narrates this eye-popping graphic from his D.C. Download newsletter:
Fiscal policy remains at an 11 for the 2nd year in a row. Context and comparison went bye-bye over a year ago. Speed, scope and scale for fiscal policy under Biden is unprecedented; only question remaining is the magnitude.
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
The decked-out corner office for executives was already dying, but is now getting even scarcer, Erica Pandey writes for Axios What’s Next.
- Why it matters: As hybrid and remote work become more common, the office is becoming a destination for collaboration. Meeting rooms and open plan, café-like seating areas are replacing offices. Where you sit and work no longer denotes your place in the hierarchy.
What’s happening: 60% of firms are redesigning their offices for the COVID era, according to a new report from commercial real estate firm CBRE, which surveyed big companies around the world.
- Our old idea of private offices — earmarked for one person and decorated with framed family photos — is disappearing. Companies are replacing those with call rooms or study rooms that anyone can reserve as needed.
- A quarter are eliminating private offices entirely.
The firms that are holding onto private offices are downsizing them. Around 80% are limiting them to 149 square feet or smaller.
- “People are choosing to do their heads-down work at home,” says CBRE’s Susan Wasmund, lead author of the report.
Companies are giving the square footage they’re taking away from private offices to meeting rooms of all shapes and sizes.
- And they’re adding amenities to make workers’ time in the office worthwhile — auditoriums, outdoor spaces and baristas.
Investment banks and law firms will likely be among the last private-office holdouts, retaining some aspects of formal office trappings.
👀 One more new trend: In the past, workers had to submit requests — and often provide medical reasons — to get standing desks. Now, 65% of firms say offering a sitting and standing option is standard.
In this view from the Beijing end, President Biden and Xi Jinping greet each other via video link during their virtual summit Monday night.
Map: AP
This map shows the population center of the U.S. shifting steadily west from the 1800 census (Maryland) through last year (Missouri).
- The Census Bureau announced yesterday the U.S. center of population (the average of where 331.4 million residents lived) in 2020 was near Hartville, a town of 600 people in central southern Missouri.
Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Staples Center in L.A. — home of the NBA’s Lakers, the NHL’s Kings and the WNBA’s Sparks — becomes Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 25, in a 20-year naming deal with the Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange.
- Why it matters: This reflects the mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies, Axios Pro Rata author Dan Primack writes.
Crypto.com paid more than $700 million for the rights — one of the biggest naming deals in sports history, the L.A. Times reports.
- For context, SoFi paid over $600 million for 20-year naming rights to L.A.’s new NFL stadium, where the Chargers and Rams play.
- Intuit paid over $500 million for 23-year naming rights to the new Inglewood arena that’ll house the L.A. Clippers.
Beto O’Rourke, sprinting through his second day as a Democratic candidate for Texas governor, rejected the playbook that failed Terry McAuliffe in Virginia.
- “Trump doesn’t live in Texas,” O’Rourke told Nicole Cobler of Axios Austin in a phone interview, as he traveled from San Antonio to Laredo. “Biden doesn’t live in Texas. 30 million of us are what’s most important to me.”
O’Rourke, in an uphill fight to unseat Gov. Greg Abbott, prodded President Biden to do more to protect voting rights:
- “One thing that we really need [Biden] to do that he has not done is make voting rights a priority, because everything else flows from that. Everything else becomes possible once everyone who’s eligible has the ability to vote.”
Abbott responded to O’Rourke’s Monday announcement by tweeting: “Beto wants to … impose socialism – take your guns. Bring it.”
Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic are the latest top athletes to voice concerns about the safety of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who has not been heard from since accusing China’s former vice premier of sexual assault on Nov. 2.
- The allegations on Peng’s social media page were removed within minutes, and China’s state-controlled media has suppressed all reporting on the case.
- Tennis authorities have called for a full investigation into the allegations by the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
📬 Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here for your own copy of Axios AM and Axios PM.
14.) THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15.) THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
16.) THE WASHINGTON TIMES
|
|
|
17.) THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
|
Copyright © 2021 MEDIADC, All rights reserved.Washington Examiner | A MediaDC Publication 1152 15th Street NW Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20005 |
You received this email because you are subscribed to Examiner Today from The Washington Examiner. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive.We respect your right to privacy – View our Policy Unsubscribe |
18.) ASSOCIATED PRESS
19.) FORT MYERS (FLORIDA) NEWS-PRESS
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20.) CHICAGO TRIBUNE
|
21.) CHICAGO SUNTIMES
Owner of Schubas, Lincoln Hall accused of secretly recording nanny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22.) THE HILL MORNING REPORT
|
23.) THE HILL 12:30 REPORT
24.) ROLL CALL
Morning Headlines
House Democrats are planning Wednesday to censure Arizona Republican Paul Gosar and remove him from both committees on which he serves for posting an animated video of him killing Democratic colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and attacking President Joe Biden with swords. Read more…
House Democrats are starting to acknowledge changes to their sweeping budget package that will be needed to get through the evenly divided Senate, such as dropping a special add-on tax credit for electric vehicles built with unionized labor. Read more…
Biden visit to New Hampshire touts infrastructure law — and Dem lawmakers
Against the backdrop of a light November snowfall, President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted the role of New Hampshire’s current all-Democratic congressional delegation in passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill that he signed into law Monday. Read more…
Click here to subscribe to Fintech Beat for the latest market and regulatory developmentsin finance and financial technology.
FDA to sidestep advisers on boosters-for-all approval
The Food and Drug Administration’s committee of outside experts is not planning to meet to discuss the data on Pfizer’s request for authorization of boosters-for-all, which federal officials are expected to greenlight this week, as they have for other critical decisions on COVID-19 vaccines. Read more…
Sen. Tim Scott endorses in 9 House races
Sen. Tim Scott, a top fundraiser heading into his reelection campaign next year, endorsed contenders in nine competitive House races Tuesday, positioning the South Carolina Republican as a rainmaker for his party and fueling speculation about his ambitions beyond 2022. Read more…
Judge questions flip on House request for Trump tax records
A judge on Tuesday questioned whether the Biden administration’s decision to turn over Donald Trump’s tax records to Congress applies only to the former president. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden brought up how the federal government switched positions in July on Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal’s request. Read more…
Mayorkas defends border policies against GOP attacks
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas found himself on defense before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as Republicans grilled him on the record-high number of migrants who journeyed to the southwest border last fiscal year. Read more…
CQ Roll Call is a part of FiscalNote, the leading technology innovator at the intersection of global business and government. Copyright 2021 CQ Roll Call. All rights reserved Privacy | Safely unsubscribe now.
1201 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20004
25.) POLITICO PLAYBOOK
POLITICO Playbook: McCarthy’s latest crazy-town headache
DRIVING THE DAY
SIREN FOR BIDEN — “Voters have increasing doubts about the health and mental fitness of President JOE BIDEN, the oldest man ever sworn into the White House, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll,” Marc Caputo writes in a story that posted minutes ago. “Only 40 percent of voters surveyed agreed with the statement that Biden ‘is in good health,’ while 50 percent disagreed. That 10-percentage-point gap — outside the poll’s margin of error — represents a massive 29-point shift since Oct. 2020, when Morning Consult last surveyed the question and found voters believed Biden was in good health by a 19-point margin. …
“The new polling comes amid persistent questions about whether Biden — who turns 79 on Saturday — will run for reelection in three years and as Democrats have grown increasingly concerned with the party’s gerontocracy. Biden says he will run again, but some longtime allies have raised doubts. Even ‘Saturday Night Live’ recently ribbed Biden over whether he was ‘lucid.’” Toplines … Crosstabs
Biden’s favorability ratings are also lagging, with this week’s number at 45% — matching a low for the president since he took office. But he still garners a higher number than congressional Democrats, who have a 40% favorability rating.
PARTY DISCIPLINE — If you want to know more about the state of the House GOP Conference — and, likely, your future House majority! — today should provide a pretty telling snapshot. Ten months after rioters stormed the Capitol hunting for lawmakers, most House Republicans are expected to vote against rebuking one of their colleagues, PAUL GOSAR (R-Ariz.), who posted an anime video of himself stabbing Rep. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-N.Y.) in the neck.
At the same time, the GOP rank and file is having a heated debate about punishing the 13 centrist Republicans who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Nevermind that DONALD TRUMP pined for a big bipartisan win like this when he was in office. Fringe members like Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) are pushing to strip the “traitors” of their committee assignments. She posted their phone numbers online, leading to harassing calls and at least one death threat.
The conversation that dominated Tuesday’s GOP Conference meeting wasn’t about Gosar’s video, but whether to boot moderate Rep. JOHN KATKO (R-N.Y.) from his position as House Homeland Security ranking member for backing BIF.
HOW THE VOTE WILL GO DOWN: A senior House GOP aide tells us leadership is confident that not many Republicans will side with Democrats in booting Gosar from his committee assignments — the exceptions being Reps. LIZ CHENEY (R-Wyo.) and ADAM KINZINGER (R-Ill.).
Here’s why:
1) An apology (to his colleagues, but not AOC): Leaders have told members that the video was posted by Gosar’s staff, not him, and that he deleted it when he found out. Publicly, Gosar has defended the video, saying it was “nothing hateful” and that the left “mischaracterized” his intentions. But at the Republican Conference meeting Tuesday, we’re told, Gosar expressed regret and said that he didn’t mean to promote violence. (This begs the question why Gosar hasn’t said this publicly or apologized directly to AOC, who regularly receives death threats.)
2) Accusations of Dems overstepping: GOP sources say Democrats might have gotten more support from Republicans had they moved to rebuke Gosar and stopped there. But even moderate Republicans think kicking him off the Oversight and Natural Resources committees is too much. There’s also a concern among moderate members about having to vote to rebuke every crazy thing their colleagues say, which these days, they argue, is a lot.
3) Help from Katko: We’re told that Katko stood up in conference Tuesday and said he didn’t plan to vote with Democrats on the punishment. After his support for BIF and, in January, his vote to impeach Trump, Katko’s announcement could (though probably won’t) help his fragile standing with the GOP’s right flank. But more importantly, it also might make other moderates think twice about punishing Gosar.
MCCARTHY’S BALANCING ACT — You can’t watch all this drama without also asking how this plays into House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY’s bid for speaker. On Tuesday night, MTG told reporters that if McCarthy doesn’t punish Republicans who voted for BIF, she might not back him for the top post if Republicans retake the House next year. On the other side, moderate members are frustrated that he hasn’t done more to rein in the far-right members coming after them.
Some House Republicans say privately that McCarthy is doing a poor job of balancing his speakership ambitions with his job as leader, and that it could come back to bite him. One noted that PAUL RYAN used to say that leadership is supposed to be “the heat shield” for members, but McCarthy is allowing moderates to get walloped by crazies. (Of course, we know how Ryan’s attempt to manage Trump’s rise within his conference turned out. No one’s saying this is easy stuff.)
“He is straddling the fence,” a House Republican member told us. “When you straddle the fence, you better hope it’s not a barbed wire fence.”
But another senior Republican aide argued that these parallel situations benefit McCarthy. By warning moderate members against censuring Gosar at the same time he’s telling Trump mini-mes that “now is not the time” to strip moderates of their committee assignments, this person said, McCarthy gets to position himself as a unifier.
Democrats, for their part, are disgusted with what they say is McCarthy’s lack of leadership and moral compass. “What Paul Gosar did is both despicable and beneath the office that he holds,” Oversight Chair CAROLYN MALONEY (D-N.Y.) told Playbook on Tuesday night. “Leader McCarthy won’t take responsibility for the actions of the actions of his caucus … This is a big deal. We saw that some of the Republican supporters will act on provocations of violence.” Our Congress team has more on the saga here
Good Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri.
JOIN US — White House press secretary JEN PSAKI will join POLITICO standards and ethics editor Anita Kumar for a live interview today as part of POLITICO’s inaugural Women Rule Exchange. The conversation will provide insight into how Psaki is reinventing her role for this era and the Biden presidency, what life is like inside the White House, especially for working mothers, and the latest developments with the Biden agenda. RSVP here to watch live
BIDEN’S WEDNESDAY:
— 10 a.m.: The president and VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive the President’s Daily Brief.
— 12:30 p.m.: Biden will depart the White House en route to Detroit, where he is scheduled to arrive at 2:15 p.m.
— 3:05 p.m.: Biden will visit a General Motors factory, where he will deliver remarks at 4:30 p.m.
— 5:40 p.m.: Biden will depart Detroit to return to the White House, where he is scheduled to arrive at 7:20 p.m.
The White House Covid-19 response team and public health officials will brief at 11 a.m. White House deputy press secretary CHRIS MEAGHER will gaggle aboard Air Force One on the way to Detroit.
The HOUSE will meet at 10 a.m. to consider a measure to censure Gosar and a number of other bills, with first votes predicted between 1:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. and last votes predicted between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.
The SENATE will meet at 9:30 a.m. to resume consideration of BRIAN NELSON’s nomination to be Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes. At 10 a.m., the Senate will proceed to two roll-call votes on the motion to invoke cloture on Nelson’s nomination and a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the NDAA.
PLAYBOOK READS
CONGRESS
SINEMATOGRAPHY — Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA gave a rare interview to Burgess Everett and Marianne LeVine, who write that the controversial Arizona Democrat maintains an air of mystery even as she defends herself against critics (who, she notes, have the right to protest her). Among the tidbits:
- “‘I’ve been concerned at the push that happens in both parties, this push to have no disagreements. To only have unity or to only speak with one voice. And some will say, “Oh, that is our strength,”’ Sinema said. ‘Having some disagreement is normal. It is real, it is human. And it’s an opportunity for us as mature beings to work through it.’”
- She won’t discuss Build Back Better negotiation specifics or even say whether she’ll vote for it, though she says the climate provisions are the “most important part of what is under discussion.”
- She’s not switching parties, though Republicans want her to.
- She won’t say whether she’s running for reelection.
- She thinks positive or negative commentary on her clothing is gendered and off-limits.
- She criticizes Democrats for setting expectations too high, and she credits the Congressional Black Caucus and moderate Republicans — not progressives — with getting the BIF through the House.
THE NEW ‘X’ DATE — Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN told lawmakers Tuesday that she could stave off default until Dec. 15, but after that they may have problems. In short: Cancel your holiday plans and read Jennifer Scholtes and Caitlin Emma for the latest.
ALL POLITICS
HOUSE DEMS’ STRATEGY — Facing a bleak midterms outlook, the DCCC is commencing a multimillion-dollar voter engagement and turnout operation focused on people of color, NPR’s Juana Summers scooped this morning. That comprises “an initial $30 million investment to hire local community organizers, launch targeted advertising campaigns aimed at nonwhite communities, as well as building voter protection and education programs. The committee is also working to combat disinformation efforts that are specifically focused on voters of color.”
PREDICTING 2022 — NYT’s Nate Cohn writes that while Virginia and New Jersey’s latest elections proved significant, the “special elections in Ohio’s 11th and 15th congressional districts, where Democrats and Republicans each retained long-held seats, revealed a possible bright spot for Democrats and faintly signaled that political conditions may not be as dire for Democrats as they seem. … Unlike in the flashier races for Virginia and New Jersey governor, the two Democratic candidates in the Ohio congressional races ran about as well as Democrats usually do.”
EYES ON BETO — Democrat BETO O’ROURKE announced his campaign for Texas governor Monday, but WaPo’s Mariana Alfaro and Michael Scherer write that he’ll have to contend with a state that moved further to the right since he ran against GOP Sen. TED CRUZ in 2018.
HAT IN THE RING — “DANIEL GOLDMAN, the former federal prosecutor who served as counsel to House Democrats in the first impeachment investigation of former President Donald Trump, announced Tuesday he will run for New York attorney general,” ABC’s Aaron Katersky reports.
THE WHITE HOUSE
LIFE’S A GAS — The White House is scrambling to find ways to try to help ease high gas prices, reports Ben Lefebvre, a badly timed attack line for Republicans amid massive Democratic efforts to address the existential threat of climate change. Pain at the pump has helped contribute to Biden’s slide in the polls. But Democrats are split on whether the administration should tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as one method to try to increase supply.
TRUMP CARDS
TRUMP STONEWALLING STRATEGY FACES A NEW TEST — WaPo’s Ann Marimow and Spencer Hsu posted a story this morning on why Trump’s infamous stonewalling strategy — using the slow-moving courts to delay Hill investigations — might indeed crumble this year. An appeals court is slated to review Trump’s request to try to maintain privilege over documents the Jan. 6 panel has requested. Those arguments happen after Thanksgiving, and the two write that the court “could rule before the new year.”
They’re also skeptical that SCOTUS will help out the former president if he receives an adverse ruling: “The court might view the separation-of-powers concerns as less significant because Congress and the sitting president are on the same side. The justices also might want to steer clear of deciding such a high-profile political dispute on an emergency basis, at a time when the court has been criticized for how often it makes substantive decisions through the so-called shadow docket.”
JUDGE QUESTIONS DOJ REVERSAL, via Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney: “U.S. District Court Judge TREVOR MCFADDEN suggested it was strange that last July … the Justice Department concluded the Tresury Department was legally obligated to fork over Trump’s tax returns to the House. That opinion reversed one DOJ issued in 2019 authorizing the Treasury Department to withhold the returns.
“McFadden, a Trump appointee, implied that the reversal was driven by politics and he said the new stance might dictate that Congress could be entitled not only to Biden’s returns — which have already been made public — but even the taxes filed by Biden’s son HUNTER.”
MEDIAWATCH
THE PROJECT VERITAS RAID — WaPo media critic Erik Wemple has a lengthy piece exploring the First Amendment implications of the feds’ recent raid of Project Veritas’ JAMES O’KEEFE’s home. While O’Keefe and his methods are widely reviled in mainstream newsrooms, that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t covered by First Amendment protections. Some free press advocates have accused the FBI of overreach. Wemple concludes that DOJ “had better have” evidence of criminality in the politically sensitive case, which involves the alleged theft of the diary of ASHLEY BIDEN, Joe Biden’s daughter, during the 2020 campaign.
— Josh Gerstein, earlier this week: “FBI raid on Project Veritas founder’s home sparks questions about press freedom”
PLAYBOOKERS
Nicolle Wallace had a ferocious interview with Chris Christie, and ignited Twitter in the process.
Jamaal Bowman is receiving a talking-to by the Democratic Socialists of America in “the next few days” after several DSA chapters voiced disapproval over the fact he traveled to Israel this week.
Andrew Bates took a swipe at Detroit-based Little Caesars Pizza a day before Joe Biden visits Detroit. (The Little Caesars-owning Illitch family are Democratic donors, and Denise Ilitch is a Democratic member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.) In fairness, it’s hard to argue with Bates’ review of their pizza.
Joe Biden said we’ll hear about his Fed chair announcement in “about four days.”
Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso ducked questions from Manu Raju about the Wyoming GOP’s decision to stop recognizing Liz Cheney as a Republican.
Larry Hogan decried Donald Trump’s targeting of pro-BIF Republicans, calling it “Trump cancel culture.”
SPOTTED: National security adviser Jake Sullivan at the St. Regis on Tuesday night.
SPOTTED: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas eating dinner at Oyamel with their spouses (except Cardona’s) and White House Deputy Cabinet Secretary Cristóbal Alex.
OUT AND ABOUT — Former Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and Fox News host Ben Domenech attended an event to celebrate the launch of Stephen Kent’s new book, “How The Force Can Fix The World” ($15.99), at Mission in Dupont Circle on Tuesday night. A crowd of politico Star Wars fans heard Hodges speak about her Star Wars story of overcoming abuse and trauma with the “galaxy far, far away,” and the beauty of “A New Hope,” while Domenech spoke about Star Wars’ pivotal role as our modern myth and his enduring love for Lando Calrissian in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Pics
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — McLarty Associates is joining Ankura in early January to “form a premier, next-generation multidisciplinary consulting firm.”
STAFFING UP — Jimmy Kolker has joined the State Department as a part-time senior adviser to Gayle Smith, the department’s coordinator for the global Covid response and health security, where he’ll focus on global health security issues. Kolker is a former Obama-era senior global health official, and previously served as U.S. ambassador to Uganda and Burkina Faso.
TRANSITION — Matt Slavoski is now state press secretary for Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). He previously was comms director for Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.).
WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Alex Kisling, director of strategic comms at the Atlantic Council, and Monisha Samanta Kisling, cardiac genetic counselor at MedStar Health, welcomed Mia Rani Kisling on Monday. She joins big brother Asher. Pic
— Kara Swisher, host of the NYT opinion podcast “Sway” and a contributing NYT opinion writer, and Amanda Katz, a writer, editor and CNN alum, welcomed Solomon Lee Swisher Katz on Monday morning. Pics
— Julia Ainsley, NBC News correspondent covering DHS and DOJ, and Newman Ainsley, executive director of OrthoVirginia for the Northern Virginia region, welcomed Caroline Banks Ainsley on Tuesday afternoon. She came in at 8 lbs and 20 inches, is named after her two grandmothers, and joins big sister Mary Wells. Pic … Another pic
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) (6-0) … Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice … Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf … NBC’s Noah Oppenheim … Chris Stirewalt … John Boehner … Terry Branstad … Howard Dean … Linda Moore of TechNet … Diana Aviv (7-0) … POLITICO’s Helena Bottemiller Evich and Jerome Baldwin … Jarrod Agen of Lockheed Martin … Charmaine Yoest of the Heritage Foundation … Arielle Mueller of Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-Utah) office … Brian Jones of Black Rock Group … White House’s Sonja Thrasher … Labor Department’s Ahmad Ramadan … Camryn Anderson of Strategic Marketing Innovations … Halie Soifer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America … TechNet’s Linda Moore … Intuit’s Paul Lindsay … Howard Fineman … Rick Dunham … MSNBC’s Lily Corvo … Suzan G. LeVine … Jeff Watters of the Ocean Conservancy … AKPD’s Isaac Baker … Harry Jaffe … Lea Anne Foster … Ralph Posner … Kellie Boyle … Lucas Fleischer … Erika Compart … Marty Reiser … Alex Gallo … Carly Montoya … David Kurtz … Andrew Hinkebein … Mike DeFilippis … Mike Maloof … WSJ’s Felicia Schwartz … Mike Ricci of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s office … Sarah Gibbens
Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.
Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike Zapler, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Allie Bice, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross.
Follow us on Twitter
26.) AMERICAN MINUTE
27.) CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS
28.) CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS
|
29.) PJ MEDIA
The Morning Briefing: Let’s Hope We Survive the Rittenhouse Circus
Top O’ the Briefing
Happy Wednesday, dear Kruiser Morning Briefing friends. I’m thinking of redecorating my house with taxidermy and disco balls.
This country has been bouncing from one overly-tense crisis to another for far too long now. It’s difficult to remember when the last time things were calm for any length of time. It’s not that I think we’ll be lighting a unity candle and linking arms for a nationwide Kumbaya rendition anytime soon, but it would be nice if emotions weren’t constantly ratcheted to a fever pitch.
Just in time for the holidays, another potential powderkeg has been added to the calendar.
The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse is heading into the endgame phase now:
The Hill reported that defense attorneys put a “pile of paper slips with the numbers of the 18 jurors, which he said had been exhibited to the defendant, in the raffle drum.” And then Rittenhouse “selected six slips of paper one by one, eliminating those six and leaving 12 official jurors.”
One person of color reportedly remains on the jury.
The seven-woman, five-man jury will weigh whether or not Rittenhouse legally used self-defense when he fired his Smith and Wesson M&P rifle at Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber as they attacked him and grabbed his gun, killing them, and at Gaige Grosskreutz after he drew his pistol at point blank range, wounding him.
This trial has, of course, been far more politically charged than it should have been because the mainstream media pretty much tried it in the court of public opinion long before any charges were even filed. The MSM has been lying about this case from the get-go and it’s still doing so.
It’s almost like they want this situation to go south.
Kevin wrote a post yesterday about the tensions building up outside the courthouse, which included this tweet from our Townhall colleague Julio Rosas, who is on the scene:
Predictably, there are some representatives of Black Lives Matter on the scene. Wherever they are, trouble is sure to follow. As we discussed last week, they’re the real domestic terrorist problem in the United States.
It’s impossible to get a read on how the jury will react. The prosecution was an absolute train wreck but, again, the MSM has been trying to put its thumb on the scale of justice. There’s also the danger that any unrest over the outcome in Kenosha will spread throughout the country.
Maybe we will catch a break and justice will be served and cities won’t go up in flames.
Then we can return to our regularly scheduled Biden disasters.
Everything Isn’t Awful
PJ Media
VodkaPundit: Insanity Wrap: Voting by Napkin Legal in Seattle
Pro-Pedo Prof Gets Clown-Slapped and Placed on Leave
Tempers Flare Outside Kenosha Courthouse, Fascist Crowd Taunting Jurors in Kenosha
Pfizer Files for Emergency Use Authorization of New COVID Pill
Jury Deliberations Begin in Kyle Rittenhouse Murder Case and Look Who Chose the Jury
‘Yes … But’: Exposing the Heart of Islamic Apologetics
Is the Government Getting Your COVID Test Results Before You Do? Why?
Republican Victory in 2022 Will Put America at a Crossroads
No Mainstream ‘Journalist’ Is More Racist Than MSNBC’s Joy Reid
WHISTLEBLOWER: FBI Is Tracking Parents for Alleged ‘Threats’ Against School Officials
CBO Proves the Biden Administration Is Lying on Multiple Fronts
Anti-Semitic Leftist Who Also Hates Police Enters North Carolina Congressional Race
The Myths of Black Victimization and White Supremacy in Today’s The United States
#TrueStory. Democrats Only Hate Gerrymandering When the GOP Does It
Newly Active Parents Looking to Target ‘Mental Health Programs’ in Schools
PolitiFact Stands By Their Rittenhouse Illegal Weapon Fact Check
Loudoun County Schools May Not Retaliate Against Teacher Who Defied Pronoun Policy
Townhall Mothership
Sen. Hawley Introduces Legislation to Defend Parents’ Rights in Education
Newsom Aims to Boost California’s ‘Abortion Infrastructure’: Report
You’ll Be Graded on Wokeness: Professor Forces Students to Put Their Pronouns on Assignments
Hispanic Actress Complains to Netflix About Stereotyped Character in Neil Patrick Harris Series
George Clooney Has Questions About Alec Baldwin Shooting
Cam&Co. You Don’t Have To “Take A Beating” To Act In Self-Defense
How Rittenhouse Fact-Checkers Blew It On Gun Rights
Witch hunt denied: Inspector General takes a pass on investigating Whipgate
NPR weirdly bemoans Michelle Wu’s victory in Boston on the basis of defeating black candidates
Chinese web users shocked by the brutality of Chinese government officials
‘Wrong on many fronts here’: AOC gets torched over her take on the Keystone XL and Line 3 pipelines
It appears that President Joe Biden ‘misspoke’ about his house burning down with his wife in it
VIP
Kenosha DA Thomas Binger Has a History of Trial Screw-Ups
The Most Vulnerable Senators in the 2022 Midterm Elections
Move Over, Fat-Shaming; Thin-Shaming Is Now a Thing
The Democrats Are on Track to Get Clobbered Next Year
Liz Cheney Is in Big Trouble With the Wyoming Republican Party
GOLD Democrats Are Facing Disaster In 2022, Which Is Nice
Around the Interwebz
Mel Brooks To Receive Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Career Achievement Award
Fujifilm announces film-digital hybrid Instax Mini Evo camera
Uber reintroduces shared rides with a new name
Everything You Thought You Knew About ‘Hobo Code’ Is Wrong
Smells Like Onion
The Kruiser Kabana
Kabana Gallery
Kabana Tunes
30.) WHITE HOUSE DOSSIER
|
Editor
Cut to the News
8409 Lee Hwy #3984
Merrifield VA 22116-9998
USA
31.) THE DISPATCH
The Morning Dispatch: U.S.-China Leaders Seek to Ease Tensions
Plus: Is Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Behind Europe’s latest border crisis?
The Dispatch Staff | 5 |
Happy Wednesday! We wanted to give you an early heads up that there will not be a Morning Dispatch on Saturday, January 1, 2022 because a) it is a Saturday b) it is New Year’s Day and c) HBO Max’s just-announced Harry Potter 20th anniversary special debuts the night before.
Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories
- Pfizer announced on Tuesday it has formally requested Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 oral antiviral, Paxlovid, which it claims reduced the risk of hospitalization or death for high-risk adults by 89 percent in a clinical trial when taken within three days of the onset of symptoms. The Biden administration reportedly plans to spend about $5 billion stockpiling 10 million courses of the drug for the United States, while Pfizer said it will license the drug to a global health nonprofit so generic drugmakers can increase supply and bring down prices for low-income countries.
- The U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday that retail sales increased 1.7 percent from September to October, a sign the American economic recovery is still going strong despite COVID-19 and inflationary concerns.
- The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Biden administration plans to announce the United States will engage in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, with neither President Joe Biden nor any other top U.S. government officials attending the Games in response to the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuses. The move is not expected to affect American athletes planning to participate.
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday warning that the United States could default on its debt shortly after December 15 if lawmakers do not act to raise the country’s borrowing limit before then.
- Germany’s energy regulator temporarily suspended the approval process for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline on Tuesday, saying the companies behind the project need to form a German subsidiary in order to receive an operating license. European natural gas prices spiked on the news, as it’s unclear how long the approval process will now take.
- Members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus elected GOP Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania their new leader this week. He will succeed Rep. Andy Biggs, the Caucus’ current chair, in 2022.
- Rep. Jackie Speier of California announced Tuesday that she will not seek an eighth term in 2022, becoming the latest Democrat to announce his or her retirement ahead of midterm elections widely expected to sweep Republicans into the House majority.
- The Senate voted 68-29 on Tuesday to confirm competition lawyer Jonathan Kanter, a prominent critic of Big Tech companies, to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
Biden and Xi Attempt to Lower the Temperature
The heads of the United States and China convened in a virtual meeting Monday night, signaling an effort by the world’s leading superpowers to repair bilateral ties following a period of heightened tension. President Biden—broadcasting from the West Wing’s Roosevelt Room—spoke to President Xi Jinping and other leading Chinese officials for three-and-a-half hours in what both sides described as a constructive clearing of the air.
“I’m happy to have found time to meet, and I look forward to a candid and forthright discussion like all of the discussions we’ve had thus far,” Biden said to open the meeting. “As I said before, it seems to be our responsibility—as leaders of China and the United States—to ensure that the competition between our countries does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended. Just simple, straightforward competition.”
Xi, who hasn’t left China in roughly two years, expressed regret that the two leaders couldn’t meet face-t0-face, but said the virtual conversation—the first of its kind since Biden took office in January—sufficed. “I feel very happy to see my old friend,” Xi said, using the term “lao peng yo”—an indication of mutual respect and trust.
These heads of state’s exchange of pleasantries comes amid recent geopolitical strain, which some onlookers have described as a precursor to another “Cold War” stalemate. Last month, China’s aggression near Taiwan’s airspace reached its peak, with nearly 150 military aircrafts breaching the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the first few days of October alone. Other issues—like economic competition, the coronavirus pandemic, and Beijing’s many domestic human rights abuses—have disrupted Sino-American relations since former President Donald’s Trump’s time in the White House.
But according to Craig Singleton, who researches China at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, both leaders are hoping to mend ties amid domestic priorities. “Like President Biden, Xi is facing an unprecedented number of domestic challenges, including a COVID-19 resurgence, rampant energy shortages, and a looming housing bubble burst. The last thing either Biden or Xi want right now is a major foreign policy crisis,” Singleton told The Dispatch. “That is why, at least in the near term, both men appear willing to overlook major differences in the bilateral relationship in favor of lowering the temperature.”
Belarusian Border Crisis Heats Up
We wrote to you yesterday about a concerning buildup of Russian military forces along the country’s border with Ukraine. Today, it’s a different pair of Eastern European countries whose shared boundary is in the news.
Poland first declared a state of emergency at its Bruzgi-Kuźnic border checkpoint with Belarus nearly two months ago, but Tuesday was arguably the worst day of the crisis thus far: hundreds upon hundreds of Middle Eastern and North African migrants seeking asylum in Poland began throwing stones and other debris at Polish border agents, who responded with water cannons and tear gas. At least 11 people have reportedly died at the border over the past month.
“I am angry,” 23-year-old Kurd Rawand Akram—a refugee from Iraq—told the New York Times. “Everyone is angry. This is the last thing we could do. There is no other solution if we ever want to get to Europe.”
Why, you may be wondering, is an Iraqi refugee trying to enter Poland … via Belarus? Looking at a map of the region, it doesn’t seem to make much intuitive sense. Belarus is not a stop along the quickest or easiest route to the European Union. That’s where Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko comes in.
Often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator,” Lukashenko has been itching for ways to get back at the European Union after the body sanctioned him and dozens of other Belarusian government officials in response to the violent crackdown on protesters. The former Soviet state’s 2020 elections, widely believed to be fraudulent, sparked the unrest. The EU strengthened those sanctions over the summer after Belarusian officials diverted a Ryanair flight to Minsk in order to arrest a journalist on board.
Lukashenko has responded in recent months with what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has labeled a “hybrid attack.” To hear the EU tell it, Lukashenko has been luring prospective migrants to Belarus with loosened visa restrictions and promises of easy passage into Poland, Lithuania, or Latvia—the European Union. Once there, the migrants are ushered by Belarusian officials to the relevant border, where they are decidedly not welcome.
Worth Your Time
- Larry Summers—former Clinton administration Treasury Secretary and Obama administration National Economic Council director—has been warning about today’s scourge of inflation since the beginning of the year. In the Washington Post this week, he argues that it’s time for the rest of the economic world to join him. “The [Biden] administration should signal that a concern about inflation will inform its policies generally,” Summers writes. “Measures already taken to reduce port bottlenecks may have limited effect but are a clear positive step. Buying inexpensively should take priority over buying American. Tariff reduction is the most important supply-side policy the administration could undertake to combat inflation. Raising fossil fuel supplies, by relaxing regulations and deploying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, are crucial. … While an overheating economy is a relatively good problem to have compared to a pandemic or a financial crisis, it will metastasize and threaten prosperity and public trust unless clearly acknowledged and addressed.”
- Over the past two years, the Worth Your Time section has linked to a lot of work from Derek Thompson, The Atlantic staff writer focusing on economics, technology, and the pandemic. Thompson launched a new podcast for The Ringer this week called “Plain English,” and we can already tell it’s going to be great. Tuesday’s episode? A conversation with New York Times tech reporter Kevin Roose about the metaverse, cryptocurrency, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Are they short-lived fads, or precursors to a better online future?
- Freddie deBoer considers himself a democratic socialist, but he’s come to a conclusion that very few of his fellow leftists have. “It’s time for young socialists and progressive Democrats to recognize that our beliefs just might not be popular enough to win elections consistently. It does us no favors to pretend otherwise,” he writes for The New York Times. “The idea that most Americans quietly agree with our positions is dangerous, because it leads to the kind of complacency that has dogged Democrats since the “emerging Democratic majority” myth became mainstream. Socialists can take some heart in public polling that shows Americans warming to the abstract idea of socialism. But “socialism” is an abstraction that means little without a winning candidate. And too much of this energy seems to stem from the echo-chamber quality of social media, as young socialists look at the world through Twitter and TikTok and see only the smiling faces of their own beliefs reflected back at them. Socialist victory will require taking a long, hard road to spread our message, to convince a skeptical public that socialist policies and values are good for them and the country. Which is to say, it will take decades.”
Presented Without Comment
“The WH has begun bracing lawmakers for a disappointing estimate from the CBO, which is likely to find that the cost of the BBB will not be fully paid for with new tax revenue over the coming decade.” @arappeport
Toeing the Company Line
- In light of Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial, David’s Tuesday French Press (🔒) focuses on the law of self-defense—and the increased prevalence of open-carried rifles. “The presence of angry, openly armed men dramatically increases the sense of danger surrounding any public confrontation, and then it entrusts other angry (often) armed men to understand exactly when menace transforms into deadly threat,” he writes.
- In this week’s Sweep, Sarah catches readers up on all things 2022, Audrey provides an update on Gov. Larry Hogan’s future plans, and Chris argues that Democrats’ pandemic response will hurt the party in next year’s midterms. “Pandemic fatigue is a major part of what’s driving voters into the arms of the GOP,” he writes. “If Democrats maintain the belief that one day the virus will be forever banished, they will continue to face a backlash.”
- Like Sisyphys and his boulder, House Democrats maintain that they are finally—for real, this time!—getting close to passing the Build Back Better Act. Tuesday’s Uphill has all the latest on their efforts, as well as a helpful breakdown of the immigration and family provisions tucked into the bill.
- Biologist Matt Ridley joined Jonah on The Remnant yesterday for a conversation about his new book about the search for the origin of COVID-19. Did the virus emerge from a lab? What would that mean for virological research? And how can we prepare ourselves for future pandemic?
Reporting by Declan Garvey (@declanpgarvey), Andrew Egger (@EggerDC), Charlotte Lawson (@lawsonreports), Audrey Fahlberg (@AudreyFahlberg), Ryan Brown (@RyanP_Brown), Harvest Prude (@HarvestPrude), and Steve Hayes (@stephenfhayes).
Subscribe to The Morning Dispatch
An essential daily news roundup, TMD includes a brief look at important stories of the day and original reporting and analysis from The Dispatch team, along with recommendations for deeper reading and some much-needed humor in these often fraught times.
32.) LEGAL INSURRECTION
|
33.) THE DAILY WIRE
34.) DESERET NEWS
35.) BRIGHT
|
36.) AMERICAN THINKER
|
|
37.) LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL
38.) THE BLAZE
39.) THE FEDERALIST
40.) REUTERS
|
41.) NOQ REPORT
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
42.) ARRA NEWS SERVICE
43.) REDSTATE
About Those Claims That a U.S. Marshal Said Two Rittenhouse Jurors Are Holding Up Verdict Due to Backlash, Doxxing Fears
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on the RedState.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.
Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions |
44.) WORLD NET DAILY
|
45.) MSNBC
November 17, 2021 THE LATEST Why Steve Bannon’s indictment isn’t all bad news for him by Zeeshan Aleem Americans who want former President Donald Trump and his allies to be held accountable for the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol may have celebrated Monday when they saw Steve Bannon turn himself into the FBI on a contempt of Congress charge. “But it’s important to understand that Bannon also views this spectacle as politically favorable, as evidenced by his dramatic public statements on Monday,” Zeeshan Aleem writes. Bannon isn’t just fighting Congress. He’s fighting against the legitimacy of the law.
Read Zeeshan Aleem’s full analysis and more on your Wednesday MSNBC Daily. TOP STORIES Far-right extremists crave the attention that martyrs get — just without the suffering. Read More Making a stand against Fox News is just a phone call away. Read More It took more than a week, but Kevin McCarthy finally commented on Paul Gosar’s latest controversy. Read More TOP VIDEOS MORE FROM MSNBC
How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this all happening? Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night every week on his podcast, aptly titled, “Why Is This Happening?”
In the newest episode, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., joins Chris to discuss her new book, ‘This Is What America Looks Like: My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman.’ They cover how she got into politics, her response to accusations of anti-Semitism and what’s needed to ensure more productivity and less combativeness among members of Congress. Listen now.
This week on Into America, Trymaine Lee speaks with former Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson, America’s first Black female prisoner of war, whose story hasn’t made it into the spotlight. They discuss Shoshana’s traumatic capture and rescue in Iraq, life after war and her hopes for the military to honor the sacrifices by women of color who wear the uniform. Listen now.
Follow MSNBC
Check out the MSNBC channel on Apple News
Download the NBC News Mobile App and watch MSNBC
|
46.) BIZPAC REVIEW
|
|
47.) ABC
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
48.) NBC MORNING RUNDOWN
To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today’s Top Stories from NBC News WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021 Good morning, NBC News readers.
Democrats are in a race to rebrand President Joe Biden’s massive safety net bill as inflation cries grow louder. Legal experts weigh in on the judge’s unusual order for Kyle Rittenhouse to pick his own jury by lottery. Plus, the home of the Lakers is getting a new name.
Here’s what we’re watching this Wednesday morning. Democrats are refocusing their message on President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill in response to inflation concerns from voters and key centrist lawmakers as Congress moves closer to final votes on the massive spending package.
The White House and Democratic leaders are trying to rebrand the legislation as an antidote to widespread price hikes — particularly as Republicans are trying to create as much political pain as possible for Democrats over inflation and other economic concerns.
“Want to fight inflation? Support Build Back Better,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday, arguing that the bill would lower the cost of prescription drugs, child care and overall expenses related to raising families.
Biden also hit the road Tuesday as part of a major effort by the administration to tout the benefits of the massive bipartisan infrastructure law he signed earlier this week, with less than a year before the 2022 midterm elections. Wednesday’s Top Stories
As international travelers return to the U.S., airlines, nonprofit organizations and travel groups have finally seen an uptick in the digital health passes they had hoped travelers would use since their launch. Plus, the FDA is expected to authorize the Pfizer Covid-19 booster shot for all adults this week. Kyle Rittenhouse was put in the odd position of randomly picking names out of a tumbler to establish the final Kenosha jury panel that will decide his fate. Legal experts weigh in on the attention-grabbing move. Unrest flared Tuesday in the freezing forests and swamplands of the Poland-Belarus border. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier said the migrant crisis, which Europe accuses Putin’s close ally of creating, was an attempt to “distract” from Russia’s troops massing near Ukraine. The New Mexico city created a third branch of public safety, in addition to the police and fire departments, staffed by behavioral health responders. Also in the News
Editor’s Pick
The apparent killing of a pet corgi by Chinese pandemic prevention workers has sparked widespread outrage in China and launched a debate on the lengths authorities will go to contain Covid-19’s spread. Select
Target is releasing new weeklong deals every Sunday ahead of Black Friday. One Uplifting Thing
With Abba’s homage to youth, “Dancing Queen,” playing in the background, 86-year-old great-grandmother Salina Steinfeld was crowned “Miss Holocaust Survivor” in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
Organizers say the pageant bestows glamour and respect on Jewish women whose youth was stolen by the Nazi holocaust of World War II.
Watch the video here. Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? Get the NBC News Mobile App 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 |
49.) NBC FIRST READ
|
From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mike Memoli, Mark Murray, and Ben Kamisar
FIRST READ: Breaking down Biden’s battleground travel as president
Among the favorite family expressions Joe Biden is fond of quoting is this one from his father: “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value,” NBC’s Mike Memoli writes.
Biden’s White House carefully budgets how the president spends his time and where he spends it. And a year before the midterm elections, a close study of his travel itinerary since taking office offers some potential clues as to what political real estate the Biden White House sees as most valuable to his and his party’s political future.
Today, to sell the bipartisan infrastructure bill he signed into law, President Biden will return to Michigan for the fifth time since taking office. He’s visited only Pennsylvania (seven trips) and Virginia (six) more in that time, according to our review of the president’s daily schedule.
Overall, Biden has been to 21 states this year on official travel. And what stands out most perhaps is where he hasn’t gone much, or at all – just one trip so far to Florida, for instance, and none yet to Nevada or Arizona. Biden has visited Ohio three times, and Wisconsin and Georgia just twice.
He’s made just one trip west of the Rocky Mountains as president, a multi-day jaunt that included a mix of disaster assessment stops in Idaho and California, followed by a campaign stop for Gavin Newsom and a message event for his economic agenda in Colorado.
John Tully/Getty Images
The ongoing pandemic and Biden’s age – he turns 79 this weekend – are undeniable factors keeping the president from a more rigorous travel schedule this year. He’s also been grounded in Washington for extended stretches around legislative deadlines and the crisis in Afghanistan.
Biden, of course, has left Washington frequently for other reasons, making 26 primarily personal trips to Delaware and 12 to Camp David, mostly on weekends.
White House officials have been saying they expect the president to be a major player in the midterm election campaign, particularly when most of the legislative heavy lifting is fully behind him.
Here are the number of times Biden has visited an individual state as president, which excludes trips to Delaware and Camp David where he has no official events:
Pennsylvania – 7
Virginia – 6 (tally does not include visits to Arlington National Cemetery and agency visits)
Michigan – 5
Delaware – 4
Maryland – 3
New York – 3
Ohio – 3
Connecticut– 2
Georgia – 2
Illinois – 2
Louisiana – 2
New Jersey – 2
Wisconsin – 2
California – 1
Colorado – 1
Florida– 1
Idaho – 1
New Hampshire – 1
North Carolina – 1
Oklahoma – 1
Texas – 1
|
Data Download: The numbers you need to know today
40 percent: The portion in a new Politico/Morning Consult poll who say President Biden “is in good health,” with 50 percent disagreeing.
$63,000: How much Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tells The Hill she’s been fined for not wearing a mask on the House floor, adding she has not been vaccinated against Covid-19.
29: The number of days until Dec. 15, the date Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen says is the deadline to raise the debt ceiling.
5: The margin that Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick won the Florida 20th District’s Democratic primary by, making her the likely next congresswoman from the safely Democratic district.
47,328,486: The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States, per the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (That’s 92,422 more since yesterday morning.)
768,728: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far, per the most recent data from NBC News. (That’s 1,439 more since yesterday morning.)
443,374,199: The number of total vaccine doses administered in the U.S., per the CDC. (That’s 1,368,939 more since yesterday morning.)
30,708,979: The number of booster vaccine doses administered in the U.S., per the CDC. (That’s 641,535 since yesterday morning.)
58.9 percent: The share of all Americans who are fully vaccinated, per the CDC.
70.6 percent: The share of all Americans 18-years and older who are fully vaccinated, per the CDC
|
Today’s censure vote against Gosar
The House is expected to vote today on a resolution that both censures Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and removes him from the both House Oversight and Reform Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, NBC’s Capitol Hill team reports.
The Oversight Committee’s members also include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Gosar last week posted an altered animated video that depicted him killing Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Biden.
As we wrote last week, the violent images and rhetoric coming from Republicans and GOP voters – just months after Jan. 6 – is a dangerous situation.
If Republicans take control of the House in 2023, expect them to seek retribution on these censure efforts – even if the offenses aren’t as serious.
|
Tweet of the Day: Sinema speaks
|
ICYMI: What ELSE is happening in the world?
The FDA is expected to authorize Pfizer booster shots for all adults this week.
Democrats are rebranding their social spending push by arguing it will fight inflation as Republicans warn increased spending will only make it worse.
A Trump adviser, who participated in the former president’s call where he asked the Georgia Secretary of State to “find” him enough ballots to declare him the winner, has been named to a federal election advisory board.
|
|
|
Download the NBC News Mobile App
|
50.) CBS
51.) REASON
|
|
|
|
|
52.) MANHATTAN INSTITUTE
53.) LOUDER WITH CROWDER
The jury is still deliberating in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. Should the jury come back with an acquittal—which they should, since Rittenhouse clearly acted in self-defense—there is a question o … MORE |
54.) TOWNHALL
|
||
FACEBOOK TWITTER |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions You can unsubscribe by clicking here. Or Send postal mail to: * Copyright Townhall and its Content Providers. |
55.) REALCLEARPOLITICS MORNING NOTE
|
|||||||||||||||
|
56.) REALCLEARPOLITICS TODAY
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
57.) CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY
58.) BERNARD GOLDBERG
59.) SARA A. CARTER
60.) TWITCHY
61.) HOT AIR
62.) 1440 DAILY DIGEST
|
63.) AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH
64.) NATIONAL REVIEW
65.) POLITICAL WIRE
66.) RASMUSSEN REPORTS
67.) ZEROHEDGE
68.) GATEWAY PUNDIT
69.) FRONTPAGE MAG
|
|
|
|
A PROJECT OF THE DAVID HOROWITZ FREEDOM CENTERContact FPM Support Copyright 2016, frontpagemag.com |
70.) HOOVER INSTITUTE
71.) DAILY INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
72.) FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION
73.) POPULIST PRESS
The email, obtained by House Republicans from an FBI whistleblower, directed agents working in counterterrorism to monitor threats against
|
TOP STORIES:
-
BREAKING: Whistleblower Exposes FBI Plot Against Americans
- Tucker interviews General Flynn…
- Rittenhouse Judge Tells Jury to Ignore Joe Biden
-
Former US Attorney Bill Barr Gets Into Heated Argument
-
Bannon Drops Surprise Announcement on Biden, Pelosi…
-
Historic Red Wave Revealed… 70+ Seats
- Secret Operation To Move Migrants to Specific States Uncovered
- Democrat Texas Representative Makes Switch To Republican Party
-
Audit Explodes… Ballots, Voting Machines Subpoenaed
-
Democrat Texas Representative Makes Switch To Republican Party
- Cheney Just Kicked Out of Republican Party
-
Kamala Humiliated At White House event
- Xi Jinping Warns Joe Biden During Virtual Summit
- Bannon Retains Epstein’s Lawyer…
- Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna making $1,000 profit every second
|
IN DEPTH:
|
- Top Democrat Rep And Pelosi Ally Announces Retirement Click here to see original article
- Mayorkas says not all 1.2M illegal immigrants with final removal orders should be deported 24 mins ago
- SCOTUS Declines to Hear the Case For FISA Transparency 44 mins ago
- Dems Hurting Low-Income Americans the Most… 1 hour ago
- 12 More States Sue Biden Admin… 2 hours ago
- Democratic California Rep. Jackie Speier will not seek reelection in 2022 2 hours ago
- Joe Biden Thanks Mitch McConnell… 2 hours ago
- Illegal Crossings Surge 128%… 2 hours ago
- LATER HATER! Wyoming GOP Votes to No Longer Recognize Liz Cheney as a Republican 2 hours ago
- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Will Back Home Loans of Nearly $1 Million 21 mins ago
- School Board Pres REMOVED — Dossier on parents 1 hour ago
- State Treasurers Urge Rejection of Biden Nom 2 hours ago
- Pentagon: Climate Change Big A Threat As China 2 hours ago
- Enes Kanter to Biden: ‘Stop Playing with China Bullies’ 2 hours ago
- Aaron Rodgers’ victorious return 2 hours ago
- Rafael Nadal: Those refusing vax ‘selfish’ 2 hours ago
- Chinese woman who trespassed Mar-a-Lago deported 3 hours ago
- Despite NHL’s 99% Vax Rate, Games Postponed 3 hours ago
- Russia not sure Su-75 will be stealth 3 hours ago
- General Atomics flying new, heavily armed drone 3 hours ago
- Biden Chant Thunders Through Stadium 3 hours ago
- SEALs rip Biden over Afghanistan ‘retreat’ 3 hours ago
- Blinken: ‘Real concerns’ Russia may invade Ukraine 3 hours ago
- Threat of a Sino-Russian Fleet near Japan 3 hours ago
- Tehran Closer Than Ever to a Nuke? 3 hours ago
- Mel Gibson to Direct ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ 3 hours ago
- Bill Maher Blasts MSNBC over ‘White Ignorance’ headline 3 hours ago
- Rittenhouse trial: Jury deliberations LIVE UPDATES 3 hours ago
- Adele: ‘I lost weight, get over it’ 3 hours ago
- Lin-Manuel Miranda slams cancel culture 3 hours ago
- Morgan Wallen to tour following racial slur 3 hours ago
- Psaki Won’t Answer If Biden Would Back Harris 3 hours ago
- Time to Declare Victory Over COVID 3 hours ago
- Taliban Holds Parade with US Mil Equipment 3 hours ago
- EU agrees to new sanctions on Belarus — migrant crisis 3 hours ago
- Russian Anti-Satellite Test Causes Dangerous Space Debris 3 hours ago
- Iran helicopter came close to US warship 3 hours ago
- Wyoming GOP kicks Liz Cheney to the curb 3 hours ago
- ‘Trigger warning’ siren detects mean words 3 hours ago
- Repubs To Strong-Arm Biden over Houthi Sancs 3 hours ago
- Scalise: Dem bill skirts limits on green cards 3 hours ago
- MI gov vows to eliminate income tax 4 hours ago
- Sen. Hawley: Parents’ bill of rights for school info 4 hours ago
- Kamala Just Told Taxpayers A Blatant Lie 4 hours ago
- Inflation surge pushes gold to high 4 hours ago
- Ashley Biden diary: Cotton probes for DOJ leakers – 4 hours ago
- Why Elon Musk Is Selling Shares 4 hours ago
- Ohio sues Meta 4 hours ago
- Bitcoin Falls as Major Cryptos Dip 4 hours ago
- Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share 4 hours ago
- CA Gas Prices Soar — Record High 4 hours ago
- Thanksgiving Dinner to Be Costliest Ever 4 hours ago
- Xi calls Biden ‘old friend’ 4 hours ago
- De Blasio Hatred Of Trump May Cost Taxpayers $30 Mil 4 hours ago
- Cruz: Inflation like 70s Under Carter 4 hours ago
- What’s in the $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure bill? 22 hours ago
- Biden’s ‘Solution’ to Inflation Is What Got Us Into This Mess… 22 hours ago
- Sen. Patrick Leahy Won’t Run… 22 hours ago
- 13 GOP Incumbents Targeted by Trump’s Revenge Tour… 23 hours ago
TOP STORIES:
-
Former US Attorney Bill Barr Gets Into Heated Argument
-
Bannon Drops Surprise Announcement on Biden, Pelosi…
-
Historic Red Wave Revealed… 70+ Seats
- Secret Operation To Move Migrants to Specific States Uncovered
- Democrat Texas Representative Makes Switch To Republican Party
-
Audit Explodes… Ballots, Voting Machines Subpoenaed
-
Democrat Texas Representative Makes Switch To Republican Party
- Cheney Just Kicked Out of Republican Party
-
Kamala Humiliated At White House event
- Xi Jinping Warns Joe Biden During Virtual Summit
- Bannon Retains Epstein’s Lawyer…
- Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna making $1,000 profit every second
- Fauci: ‘Individual freedom is superseded by the State’…
- Biden Admits ‘I Don’t Know What Was Going on Back There’
- Bannon sends tough message after court appearance…
- Fauci: ‘Individual freedom is superseded by the State’…
- Sudden Announcement About Biden Running In 2024
- Biden Admits ‘I Don’t Know What Was Going on Back There’
- Bannon storms out of court… Sends brutal warning to AG Garland
|
IN DEPTH:
|
- Mayorkas says not all 1.2M illegal immigrants with final removal orders should be deported 24 mins ago
- SCOTUS Declines to Hear the Case For FISA Transparency 44 mins ago
- Dems Hurting Low-Income Americans the Most… 1 hour ago
- 12 More States Sue Biden Admin… 2 hours ago
- Democratic California Rep. Jackie Speier will not seek reelection in 2022 2 hours ago
- Joe Biden Thanks Mitch McConnell… 2 hours ago
- Illegal Crossings Surge 128%… 2 hours ago
- LATER HATER! Wyoming GOP Votes to No Longer Recognize Liz Cheney as a Republican 2 hours ago
- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Will Back Home Loans of Nearly $1 Million 21 mins ago
- School Board Pres REMOVED — Dossier on parents 1 hour ago
- State Treasurers Urge Rejection of Biden Nom 2 hours ago
- Pentagon: Climate Change Big A Threat As China 2 hours ago
- Enes Kanter to Biden: ‘Stop Playing with China Bullies’ 2 hours ago
- Aaron Rodgers’ victorious return 2 hours ago
- Rafael Nadal: Those refusing vax ‘selfish’ 2 hours ago
- Chinese woman who trespassed Mar-a-Lago deported 3 hours ago
- Despite NHL’s 99% Vax Rate, Games Postponed 3 hours ago
- Russia not sure Su-75 will be stealth 3 hours ago
- General Atomics flying new, heavily armed drone 3 hours ago
- Biden Chant Thunders Through Stadium 3 hours ago
- SEALs rip Biden over Afghanistan ‘retreat’ 3 hours ago
- Blinken: ‘Real concerns’ Russia may invade Ukraine 3 hours ago
- Threat of a Sino-Russian Fleet near Japan 3 hours ago
- Tehran Closer Than Ever to a Nuke? 3 hours ago
- Mel Gibson to Direct ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ 3 hours ago
- Bill Maher Blasts MSNBC over ‘White Ignorance’ headline 3 hours ago
- Rittenhouse trial: Jury deliberations LIVE UPDATES 3 hours ago
- Adele: ‘I lost weight, get over it’ 3 hours ago
- Lin-Manuel Miranda slams cancel culture 3 hours ago
- Morgan Wallen to tour following racial slur 3 hours ago
- Psaki Won’t Answer If Biden Would Back Harris 3 hours ago
- Time to Declare Victory Over COVID 3 hours ago
- Taliban Holds Parade with US Mil Equipment 3 hours ago
- EU agrees to new sanctions on Belarus — migrant crisis 3 hours ago
- Russian Anti-Satellite Test Causes Dangerous Space Debris 3 hours ago
- Iran helicopter came close to US warship 3 hours ago
- Wyoming GOP kicks Liz Cheney to the curb 3 hours ago
- ‘Trigger warning’ siren detects mean words 3 hours ago
- Repubs To Strong-Arm Biden over Houthi Sancs 3 hours ago
- Scalise: Dem bill skirts limits on green cards 3 hours ago
- MI gov vows to eliminate income tax 4 hours ago
- Sen. Hawley: Parents’ bill of rights for school info 4 hours ago
- Kamala Just Told Taxpayers A Blatant Lie 4 hours ago
- Inflation surge pushes gold to high 4 hours ago
- Ashley Biden diary: Cotton probes for DOJ leakers – 4 hours ago
- Why Elon Musk Is Selling Shares 4 hours ago
- Ohio sues Meta 4 hours ago
- Bitcoin Falls as Major Cryptos Dip 4 hours ago
- Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share 4 hours ago
- CA Gas Prices Soar — Record High 4 hours ago
- Thanksgiving Dinner to Be Costliest Ever 4 hours ago
- Xi calls Biden ‘old friend’ 4 hours ago
- De Blasio Hatred Of Trump May Cost Taxpayers $30 Mil 4 hours ago
- Cruz: Inflation like 70s Under Carter 4 hours ago
- What’s in the $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure bill? 22 hours ago
- Biden’s ‘Solution’ to Inflation Is What Got Us Into This Mess… 22 hours ago
- Sen. Patrick Leahy Won’t Run… 22 hours ago
- 13 GOP Incumbents Targeted by Trump’s Revenge Tour… 23 hours ago
You signed up for the Populist Press newsletter at www.Populist.Press We are the #1 Drudge Alternative. Visit our homepage for more incredible news!
|
REPLY TO THIS EMAIL IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED TO THE LESS FREQUENT LIST
Populist Press
7940 Front Beach Rd.
Panama City Beach, FL. 32407
74.) THE POST MILLENNIAL
75.) BLACKLISTED NEWS
76.) THE DAILY DOT
Did a friend forward this? Subscribe here. Hello! Every Wednesday, our internet culture staff discusses the world of streaming entertainment in this newsletter. TODAY:
CULTURAL OBSESSIONS Looking back at ‘Jagged Little Pill’ Jagged, the latest documentary in HBO’s Music Box series, explores the creation of Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album Jagged Little Pill and the whirlwind that was “You Oughta Know.”
Morissette’s impact is still being felt: There’s a successful Jagged Little Pill Broadway musical, and now a sitcom about the singer’s life is apparently coming together. Jagged is more of a snapshot of a time (and its sexism) than a definitive document.
Its strength is its wealth of archival footage, not just of the extensive, explosive Jagged Little Pill tour but of Morissette’s early days as an actor and pop star in Canada. A dizzying opening segment showing Morissette running on stage every night to packed arenas gives some scope to her fame. And while director Alison Klayman rounded up an interesting cast of talking heads—one radio DJ recalls that in the early ’90s, you weren’t allowed to play two women artists back to back—there’s no insight from Morissette’s family and little from friends.
There are also some odd teases: Morissette journeys into her storage unit and unpacks letters to her exes, but we don’t get to see them.
We do get to see her male bandmates on the JLP tour admit they used her largely female fanbase for after-show conquests and her reaction to it now. Throughout Jagged, Morissette is introspective, funny. She relates that she spent years in therapy for eating disorders triggered in her teens, the result of her body and diet being assessed and monitored by various producers. She also reveals that therapy helped her realize the encounters she had with men when she was a teen were not consensual.
She doesn’t name anyone, but she does succinctly call out those who ask women why they waited so long to say something: “Women don’t wait—a culture doesn’t listen.”
It’s still not clear what issues Morissette has with the doc. After the Toronto International Film Festival debut of Jagged in September, she released a statement alleging that “this was not a story I agreed to tell” and calling the doc “reductive.”
It must be jarring to see your words and experiences edited into a final product that’s out of your control, but the film doesn’t seem like it was irresponsible with the way it told the story. In fact, it feels a little too restrained. Ultimately, it doesn’t dig into the tougher questions. But it is a reminder of why people loved Alanis’ words and voice so deeply, and why JLP remains untouchable.
Jagged debuts Nov. 18 on HBO Max. By Audra Schroeder Senior Writer SPONSORED That toxic relationship you have with your phone—where you take one more last peek at social media or your emails while you’re setting your alarm—is keeping you from a good night’s sleep. You need a smart alarm clock. Loftie is a thoughtfully connected smart alarm clock, complete with sound baths, sleep playlists, morning meditations, and more—all designed to give you the best sleep of your life. It’s time to break up with your smartphone and wake up with Loftie. REVIEWS Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop presents an intimidating creative challenge. Live-action anime adaptations have a poor track record in the U.S., and the original Cowboy Bebop has a passionate—and therefore judgemental—fanbase.
For instance, when Netflix recently shared a side-by-side comparison between the original and the remake, fans tore it apart on Twitter, deriding the new show’s muted palette. This is, perhaps, unnecessarily harsh. Netflix’s adaptations of The Witcher and Umbrella Academy didn’t face such intense scrutiny, and nor do most comic book movies. But anime fans are picky, and Cowboy Bebop’s remake faces an uphill battle to defend its own existence.
Rather than attempting a direct remake, showrunner André Nemec retools Cowboy Bebop‘s sci-fi/noir concept for a conventional American format. Episodes run to about 45 minutes (twice the length of the anime), combining crime-of-the-week storytelling with a more serialized plot.
The production design is expensive and detailed, paying homage to the original. (Spike’s outfit? Perfect!) Likewise, Netflix’s live-action directors try to echo the anime’s stylized visual storytelling, most obviously through the purposefully theatrical fight scenes. This show is often better when nobody’s talking because the scripts are rather workmanlike.
Cowboy Bebop debuts Nov. 19 on Netflix.
By Gavia Baker-Whitelaw Staff Writer
DAILY DOT PICKS
BREAK THE INTERNET
Your favorite movies are being yassified.
Now Playing: 🎶 “Secrets (Your Fire)” by Magdalena Bay 🎶 How did you like this newsletter? Click an icon below to give us a rating!
Copyright © 2021 The Daily Dot, All rights reserved.
Don’t want to hear from us anymore?
Questions? Feedback? Contact us at info@dailydot.com.
To view in your browser, click here .
3112 Windsor Road, Ste. A-391, Austin, TX 78703 |
77.) HEADLINE USA
78.) NATURAL NEWS
|
79.) POLITICHICKS
80.) BLACKPRESSUSA
81.) THE WESTERN JOURNAL
82.) CNN
Wednesday 11.17.21 There may already be a wrinkle in your Thanksgiving travel plans: A huge brewing storm could lead to some rocky roads from the Midwest to the Northeast ahead of the holiday. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day. A pharmacist gives a booster shot of Pfizer’s vaccine at a McDonald’s in California. Coronavirus
The FDA is considering whether to expand the emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to include booster shots for all adults. A CDC advisory panel is set to meet Friday to discuss the same thing. However, some states aren’t waiting for official sign-offs to start the process. Arkansas, California, Colorado, New Mexico and West Virginia have all expanded eligibility for Covid-19 booster shots to everyone 18 and older, six months after their second dose. The Biden administration also plans to purchase 10 million doses of Pfizer’s experimental antiviral Covid-19 pill. The pill, known as Paxlovid, has been shown by Pfizer to significantly reduce hospitalization and death from Covid-19. It’s not FDA-authorized yet, but the drugmaker says it will seek approval soon. Pfizer also signed a licensing agreement allowing broader global access to the pill.
Congress
The House is expected to vote today on whether to censure Republican Rep. Paul Gosar and strip him of committee posts after he posted an anime video to his Twitter and Instagram accounts showing him appearing to kill Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Biden. A censure resolution is the most severe form of punishment in the House and hasn’t been handed down since 2010. So far, Gosar’s Republican colleagues have mostly shrugged off the matter. It’s a strong contrast to punishments some in the GOP are leveling against their own party members for breaking rank. Rep. Liz Cheney was recently disowned by her own state party for not supporting former President Trump’s false election fraud claims, and some House Republicans still want to punish the 13 GOP members who backed the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Economy
Historic inflation in the US is driving up the price of gold and strengthening the US dollar, and investors and business leaders don’t expect consumer prices to dip any time soon. Gold is a popular method for investors to guard against the long-term effects of inflation. Meanwhile, the solid performance of the US dollar shows markets are more confident in US growth relative to other economies, like in Europe, where rising Covid-19 case tallies are leading some major nations to consider new restrictions. In the UK, inflation rates are the highest they’ve been in a decade, which could lead to Britain becoming the first major economy to hike interest rates since the pandemic began. Back in the US, the Treasury secretary now estimates the government will run out of money on December 15, not December 3 as previously predicted.
Uganda
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for two separate attacks that killed three people and injured 36 yesterday in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. (Note: In yesterday’s newsletter, we misidentified who died in blasts. One police officer and two civilians were killed, police said.) The attacks bore the hallmarks of the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist rebel group affiliated with ISIS, police said. An ISIS-affiliated news agency detailed the actions of three ISIS fighters who it said were responsible for the suicide blasts. At least 81 suspects have been arrested, Uganda’s President said. This is not the first time ISIS has struck the country recently. The Islamic State reportedly took responsibility for another blast in Kampala last month that killed one person and injured several others.
Philippines
The Philippines is gearing up for a presidential election next year to replace Rodrigo Duterte, who is stepping down after a single six-year term per the country’s constitution. The race has led to high political drama that just intensified with the announcement that Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President’s eldest daughter, will be the running mate of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator who was toppled in a 1986 uprising. In the Philippines, the president and vice president are elected separately, but this alliance is a boon for both campaigns and could strengthen two powerful political dynasties. Experts say Marcos is favored to win now that the popular Duterte-Carpio is not running against him. Also in the mix: former boxing champion-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao, who says if elected, he’d investigate members of Duterte’s administration for corruption.
Sponsor Content by SmartAsset 9 Questions To Tell If You’re Retirement Ready There are a few questions that really matter when planning for retirement. Take this true or false quiz to test your knowledge of rules that can impact your finances in retirement.
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. ‘Harry Potter’ cast reuniting for retrospective special
Water your Christmas tree or else, warns a US safety group in an alarming alert
NYC will allow thousands to join in Times Square NYE celebration — with proof of vaccination
Guitars belonging to Eric Clapton and Elvis Presley to go on sale
Job advice: How to network without being annoying Or at least, without constantly worrying you’re being annoying.
$56,000 That’s how much Aduhelm, a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, costs per year. The high price tag is one of the key factors driving a major increase in Medicare Part B premiums for 2022, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If we live in a culture where market size is synonymous with societal importance, then why aren’t we talking about skin whitening?
Eliza Anyangwe, editor of “As Equals,” CNN’s gender inequality reporting project. “As Equals” has launched a series examining the phenomenon of skin whitening, a multibillion-dollar industry that affects millions around the world and often includes dangerous practices and products. Learn more about the series here. Brought to you by CNN Underscored 25 tech gifts everyone on your list will love Not sure what to get the tech lover in your life? We’ve been testing and trying all sorts of gadgets — from Apple watches to chargers — to find the very best ones that are actually worth gifting this holiday season. Why, that looks just like … Sponsor Content by LendingTree Rates Are Beginning To Rise. Refinance Before It Is Too Late Economists are urging Americans to refinance to take advantage of historically low refinance rates. These low rates are not going to last much longer.
5 THINGS You are receiving this newsletter because you’re subscribed to 5 Things.
No longer want to receive this newsletter? Unsubscribe. Interested in more? See all of our newsletters.
Like what you see? Don’t like what you see? Let us know. We’re all about self improvement. Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Sign up here.
Create CNN Account | Listen to CNN Audio | Download the CNN App
® © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc. A WarnerMedia Company. All Rights Reserved. One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303
|
83.) THE DAILY CALLER
84.) POWERLINE
85.) THE POLITICAL INSIDER – WAKE UP EDITION
|
Unsubscribe | ThePoliticalInsider.com | About | Contact | Privacy Policy | Terms of UseForward to a Friend The Political Insider, LLC | 1818 Library Street | Reston | VA | 20190
|
86.) THE PATRIOT POST
87.) DECISION DESK HQ
88.) DIGG
89.) THE POLITICAL INSIDER – LUNCH BREAK
90.) CONSERVATIVE TRIBUNE
91.) USA TODAY
|
92.) THE DAILY BEAST
When all hell breaks loose, we keep a grip on reality. Support our newsroom. Become a member today.
Advertisement
Fever Dreams A podcast covering twisted tales of the new American right.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
© Copyright 2021 The Daily Beast Company LLC If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, click here to view this email in your browser. To ensure delivery of these emails, please add emails@thedailybeast.com to your address book. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, or think you have received this message in error, you can safely unsubscribe. |
93.) JUST THE NEWS
|
94.) SHARYL ATTKISSON
95.) RIGHTWING.ORG
|
96.) NOT THE BEE
97.) US NEWS & WORLD REPORT
98.) NEWSMAX
99.) MARK LEVIN
November 16, 2021
On Tuesday’s Mark Levin Show, there’s still no verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, but CNN and MSNBC aren’t covering the story as much as the other networks. Instead, they’ve kicked their propaganda into overdrive with former Republicans turned analysts falsely claiming that a white vigilante ran around Kenosha gunning people down. These are not news operations, they’re propaganda operations. Then, Chris Christie is getting orders from the Washington Post and the Bush Family, he’s no Reagan conservative. The Bush family, specifically Neil Bush, has interesting ties to companies linked to China via a space symposium sponsored by the Bush China Foundation. The left wants a soft military and China sees this. Later, Mark recalls his early days at the Action Agency in the Reagan Administration and discovered boxes of Saul Alinksy’s book “Rules for Radicals” that were paid for by tax dollars and passed out to the public by the leftists within the government. These radicals remain interspersed in our society today. Afterward, Attorney David Schoen, who defended President Trump in his impeachment calls in to discuss the charges against his current client Steve Bannon. Schoen says that Bannon is being treated very differently from many others charged similarly. What Congress is asking Bannon to do unprecedentedly violates the executive privilege of a President of The United States and is awaiting adjudication on that matter. Subpoenas for privileged information that cannot be produced is unreasonable and deceitful. Finally, Secretary Mayorkas scoffs at Trump’s remain-in-Mexico policy and mumbles that he’d prefer to do away with it. Mayorkas added that missed immigration court dates are a misconception.
THIS IS FROM:
Fox News
MSNBC skips Kyle Rittenhouse defense’s closing argument after airing prosecutor’s case to jury
Washington Free Beacon
Bush Family Scion Sponsors Event With Blacklisted Chinese Company
Wall St Journal
FBI Tracks Threats Against Teachers, School-Board Members
The podcast for this show can be streamed or downloaded from the Audio Rewind page.
Image used with permission of Getty Images / Anadolu Agency
100.) WOLF DAILY
101.) THE GELLER REPORT
|
102.) CNS
103.) RELIABLE NEWS
104.) INDEPENDENT SENTINEL
Corrupt prosecutors in Kenosha, corrupt journalists at CBS, and a very corrupt AG who enacted his spy op on parents who don’t like CRT.
Remember who fueled the Kenosha riots — Biden, Kamala, Michelle Obama, Gov. Evers, and a slew of others in the media.
Mayorkas can’t remember a thing and doesn’t know anything when questioned at hearings.
Biden’s taking religious freedom away from federal contractors.
Kenosha Prosecutors Withheld Crucial Evidence from the DefenseThe prosecutors withheld crucial video evidence from the jury in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger withheld high-definition video evidence from the defense that was “at the… | |
CBS Parent Company Is Teaching Journalists It’s Racist to Be ObjectiveIt’s racist to be objective at CBS. Project Veritas released a new video today featuring an interview with CBS San Antonio whistleblower, Brett Mauser, who exposes his colleagues and outside corporate partners… | |
Xi Threatens Biden Over Taiwan – Help & the US Will Get BurntChinese President Xi Jinping threatened President Joe Biden during the virtual meeting when Taiwan came up. Biden didn’t say anything. During the discussions, Xi reportedly said that the United States… | |
US Military Families Are in Afghanistan-State Dept Says They Don’t Qualify for EvacuationAccording to Military.com, about 60 service members reported up the chain of command that they still had family members stranded in Afghanistan following a Pentagon memo Nov. 2 requesting the… | |
Report: 2 Jurors in Kenosha Reluctant for Fear of BacklashInvestigative Reporter Jack Posobiec said that a US Marshal, possibly at the Kenosha courthouse, said two jurors are delaying a decision in the Rittenhouse case because they are afraid of… | |
Explosive! AG Garland Lied -FBI Is Using Counterterrorism Tools to Investigate ParentsJoe Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland mobilized the FBI Counterterrorism Division to investigate, track, and tag parents after the NSBA Domestic Terrorism Letter was sent. Garland lied about this under… | |
Mayorkas Doesn’t Know If Giving Illegals $450K Encourages Illegal ImmigrationThat Testimony Is False… You Know You’re Under Oath. ~ Senator Cruz to DHS Secretary Mayorkas DHS Secretary Mayorkas was grilled at a hearing today, but there were no answers… | |
Just What We Needed, a Heavily Armed IRS with Nearly 90K New AgentsIn recent years, numerous federal regulatory agencies – including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Food and Drug Agency and the Department of Education – have created their own special law enforcement teams to… | |
Fauci: Get Boosted or Wear a Mask to Thanksgiving DinnerMedical tyrant Anthony Fauci is informing the American people about what they “can” and “can’t” do for the holidays. “If you get vaccinated and your family’s vaccinated, you can feel… | |
Massive Melbourne Protests Against Tryannical Vax Mandates, US Media Silent [Videos]There was a massive protest in Melbourne over the weekend. Thousands of protesters marched in anger over mandatory vaccination and the state government’s proposed pandemic laws. This marks the third… | |
Judge in Rittenhouse Case Tells the Jurors Who to IgnoreJudge Schroeder’s instructions to the Kyle Rittenhouse jury are to ignore Joe Biden and Donald Trump and all the other noise that could distract from the facts of the case.… | |
Remember Biden, Harris, Michelle, DNC Fueled the Kenosha RiotsAfter the Kenosha riots by Antifa and BLM, Governor Tony Evers immediately sold out the police as did Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and others. The Milwaukee County Executive said it’s definitely systemic racism.… | |
Board President Was Demoted for Keeping Dossier of Anti-CRT Parents & Their KidsJann-Michael Greenburg has been ousted as the Scottsdale Unified School Board president following controversy over a dossier of information he is accused of keeping on parents who were openly critical… | |
Media Ignores Trial of Serial Killer Immigrant from KenyaThe first trial of Billy Chemirmir, an immigrant from Kenya, has begun. He killed at least 18 white elderly people. He posed as a maintenance man or medical professional to… | |
Cori Bush Says White Supremacists Shot at Them in FergusonCommunist Cori Bush is a congressional member of the Squad who has a poor relationship with the truth. Bush became famous during the Ferguson riots when leftist protesters looted and burned… | |
MSNBC Only Showed the Prosecutor’s Closing Argument, Not the Defense’sYesterday, YouTube shut down independent live coverage of the closing statements of the prosecution and defense. They obviously didn’t like the commentary. They even shut down Law & Crime. That… | |
Lawmaker Explains Covert Op Sneaking People in Illegally & UnvettedA secret and organized operation is underway to bring more and more illegal aliens into the country from around the world. Lawmaker Lance Goodman found out about the operation from… | |
Next Up, Change the Definition of ‘Booster’ Shot to Meet MandatesThe medical despots, who have redefined the word vaccine, want to redefine boosters. It seems they are still not sure how many booster shots will be needed before Dr. Fauci claims… | |
J6 Paraders Confess to Whiteness as DoJ Runs RoughshodThe January 6 riot/parade had NOTHING AT ALL to do with race, yet Democrats have rewritten the narrative to make people think it was not only about that, but all… | |
Good Catholic Joe Removes Religious Protections for Federal ContractorsSlowly but surely, Joe Biden is eliminating the religious freedom protections that Donald Trump established. The latest hit comes from his Labor Department, which is planning to undo Trump’s policy of protecting… |
105.) DC CLOTHESLINE
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|||||
106.) ARTICLE V LEGISLATORS’ CAUCUS
107.) BECKER NEWS
108.) SONS OF LIBERTY
|
|
||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|||||
109.) STARS & STRIPES
110.) RIGHT & FREE
111.) UNITED VOICE
|
112.) THE DAILY SHAPIRO
113.) INSURGENT CONSERVATIVES
114.) WAKING TIMES
115.) UNCOVER DC