Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Wednesday January 20, 2022
1.) THE DAILY SIGNAL
Good morning from Washington, where President Biden surprises critics by taking reporters’ questions for nearly two hours. He wouldn’t talk about his mental fitness, though, as Fred Lucas reports. In Virginia, parents can help a new conservative governor make good on promises, Mike Gonzalez writes. On the podcast, welfare expert Robert Rector explores the insanity of the far left’s “anti-work” movement. Plus: Deroy Murdock assesses the first year of the Biden presidency, and “Problematic Women” considers an Olympian’s take on today’s threat to women’s sports. One year ago today, the same day Joe Biden is sworn in as president, Kamala Harris takes the oath of office to become the nation’s first female vice president.
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2.) THE EPOCH TIMES
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3.) DAYBREAK
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4.) THE SUNBURN
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.20.22
Good Thursday morning.
Jacksonville-based logistics juggernaut Crowley announced that it’s bringing Marcus Jadotte on board as senior vice president of Government Relations.
In his new role, he will helm Crowley’s legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts and boost awareness of its growing defense and civilian government services offerings among federal, state and local officials. He will be based in Washington, D.C.
“I am pleased to join Crowley and look forward to advancing the company’s best-in-class solutions for the U.S. maritime industry and beyond, including the company’s burgeoning energy, transportation and technology services,” Jadotte said.
Jadotte most recently worked as vice president of federal government relations at Raytheon Technologies, one of the largest aerospace and defense contractors in the U.S. He has also worked in the C-suite at aviation services provider AAR and NASCAR.
He also served as assistant secretary for industry and analysis for the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Barack Obama administration and the U.S. Department of Labor during the Bill Clinton administration.
Jadotte’s Florida connections include stints as chief of staff to U.S. Reps. Peter Deutsch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as well as an economics degree earned at Florida State University.
“Through his extensive experience bridging the public and private sectors, Marcus will further strengthen Crowley’s engagement with policymakers through leadership and outreach that builds trust, innovative policies and effective advocacy across our services for commercial and government customers,” said Parker Harrison, Crowley’s senior vice president and general counsel.
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Florida Politics’ roster is expanding next week, with the addition of Gray Rohrer.
Rohrer comes to Florida Politics from the Orlando Sentinel, where he has worked as the Tallahassee Bureau reporter covering a wide range of news beats, including the Legislature.
At Florida Politics, he will use his expertise to provide Florida Politics’ readers with timely, insightful coverage on economic development and budget issues in a Legislative Session where lawmakers are poised to OK another $100 billion-plus budget.
Rohrer is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, where he earned a degree in political science. He has written for numerous publications throughout his 15-year career covering politics in the Sunshine State.
He launched his career covering local politics for the Beaches Leader Newspapers and the Cape Coral Daily Breeze before focusing jumping up to statehouse coverage, first for Sunshine State News and later at LobbyTools, where he anchored their coverage of property insurance, gambling, economy, labor, real estate, transportation, technology and budget issues.
In 2015, after working as a freelancer covering the special redistricting Session for The Associated Press, he joined the Orlando Sentinel.
Look for his first Florida Politics byline next week.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@PBump: [guy on Twitter] “i am certain about this thing that I am wrong about”
—@SamStein: Some folks will be surprised that (Joe) Biden said he was surprised by how stalwart Republican opposition to him would be.
—@GovRonDeSantis: Protecting life does not end with the unborn. This Session, I called on the Legislature to promote adoption & foster care, so all Floridians have a fair chance in life. Florida has 4,000 more licensed caregivers than in 2019 & I am proposing additional funds for foster parents.
—@NikkiFried: As Governor, I’ll protect a woman’s freedom to decide.
Tweet, tweet:
Honored to meet with stakeholders from all over the state today to hear about the issues important to you and your families. FL is special because of the engagement of our citizens and I’m so lucky to work with each and every one of you to move our state forward! #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/Uv0lhg1VVn
— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) January 19, 2022
—@JasmenRogers: Rep. Erin Grall (the bill sponsor) mentions that her sister had an abortion … says she’s pushing this bill to honor her sister. HOW can you honor your sister’s autonomy and decision to do what’s best … by restricting that choice?!?
—@HeatherGBarwick: She honors me because that was the biggest mistake I made in my entire life. And more than honoring me, she honors my lost child.
—@RepJoseOliva: @JoeGruters A government-enforced mandate requiring private business to engage in displays of allegiance for the purpose of advancing freedom is the antithesis of freedom. Let’s rethink that one.
—@NateMonroeTU: the capitolist is just fulfilling every journalist’s ideal: comfort the comforted and afflict the afflicted.
—@MDixon55: As I just heard it put: “Broward days, the one day of year the Capitol is full of Democrats”
Tweet, tweet:
The beatings will continue until morale improves. Kudos to Chairman @GovGoneWild for recognizing that UCF is superior to the Gators. @alevine014 #Chargeon @UCF_Football @GasparillaBowl pic.twitter.com/adgqz7rPrQ
— Chris Latvala (@ChrisLatvala) January 19, 2022
—@MattNorlander: Simply incredible. Florida State wins a 13th straight overtime game. Never been done before. FSU 79, Duke 78. Never get involved in a land war in Asia, and never get involved in an overtime game against Leonard Hamilton.
—@BChesky: Starting today, I’m living on Airbnb. I’ll be staying in a different town or city every couple weeks
‘Ozark’ final season begins — 1; ‘Billions’ begins — 3; Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 5; James Madison Institute’s Stanley Marshall Day Celebration in Jacksonville — 8; XXIV Olympic Winter Games begins — 15; Super Bowl LVI — 24; Will Smith’s ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ reboot premieres — 24; Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show begins — 27; season four of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ begins — 27; Synapse Florida tech summit begins — 28; ‘The Walking Dead’ final season part two begins — 31; Daytona 500 — 31; Special Election for Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 3 — 34; CPAC begins — 35; St. Pete Grand Prix — 36; Joe Biden to give State of the Union — 40; ‘The Batman’ premieres — 43; the third season of ‘Atlanta’ begins — 62; season two of ‘Bridgerton’ begins — 64; The Oscars — 66; Macbeth with Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga begin performances on Broadway — 68; Grammys rescheduled in Las Vegas — 73; federal student loan payments will resume — 101;’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 106;’ Top Gun: Maverick’ premieres — 127;’ Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 133;’ Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 170; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 181; Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner novel ‘Heat 2’ publishes — 201; ‘The Lord of the Rings’ premieres on Amazon Prime — 225;’ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 260; ‘Black Panther 2’ premieres — 295; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 298; ‘Avatar 2′ premieres — 330;’ Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 393;’ John Wick: Chapter 4′ premieres — 428; ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 554;’ Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 638; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 918.
— TOP STORY —
“Donald Trump spent weekend stewing that ‘wiseguy’ Ron DeSantis won’t kiss his ring“ via Asawin Suebsaeng and Adam Rawnsley of Yahoo News — In recent weeks, if you’ve run in the ex-President’s inner circle or floated in and out of his social or political orbits, chances are high that you’ve heard Trump casually insulting DeSantis, even in conversations that initially had absolutely nothing to do with DeSantis. Ever eager to protect his turf and with an eye on 2024, Trump has gossiped with certain confidants and advisers about DeSantis’ political vulnerabilities and “weaknesses.” On several occasions, the twice-impeached former President has lately told associates that if they’re asked about the DeSantis-Trump tensions on TV, they should decline to confirm or deny the existence of a simmering cold war between the two conservative icons.
—“Looks like DeSantis could turn into Trump’s personal nightmare” via Charlotte Klein of Vanity Fair
“Lincoln Project teases ‘divorce’ between Trump and DeSantis” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The ex-Republican operatives at the Lincoln Project are gleefully exploiting the latest GOP crackup, with an ad buy promoting the so-called “divorce” between Trump and DeSantis. The spot is a rerun. “Sad!” was first launched in September. But the context is fresher, with Trump and DeSantis seemingly engaged in a rhetorical Cold War that could heat up on little notice. The placements are deliberate and provocative, with ad buys in Palm Beach, where Trump could see it, and Tallahassee, where the Governor might view it. A co-founder of the group contextualizes the most recent buy.
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
“Roger Stone slams DeSantis for ‘disloyalty’ to Trump” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Notorious provocateur Stone warned DeSantis to step aside for Trump in 2024, slamming DeSantis’s “disloyalty” to Trump and implying the former President could pull his support. His warning came after reports that a rift was growing between Trump and DeSantis over COVID-19 vaccines and their shared aspirations for the 2024 Republican nomination. “Gov. Ron DeSantis refuses to put his own presidential ambitions on hold until President Donald Trump has decided to whether he wants to run again,” Stone said in a YouTube video posted Wednesday. “I consider that to be an incredible act of disloyalty and ingratitude.” Stone called DeSantis “an unknown congressman with a bad haircut, an ill-fitting suit and an undistinguished record in Congress until President Donald Trump’s endorsement lifted him to the Republican nomination” in 2018.
“Lara Trump says DeSantis needs ‘another opportunity’ to endorse Trump in 2024” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — On Wednesday, Lara Trump discounted rumors of “bad blood” between Trump and DeSantis while suggesting Florida’s Governor may just need “another opportunity” to demonstrate his support for Trump ahead of the 2024 election. Lara Trump was on Varney & Company on the Fox Business Network, where she was asked to respond to a report that it was “too much to ask” for DeSantis to preemptively endorse another Trump term in 2024.
—DATELINE TALLY —
“15-week abortion ban passes first test in Legislature” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — A House committee advanced a 15-week ban on most abortions on a 12-6 party-line vote in the first legislative debate on the controversial bill. Abortion is presently legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy in Florida. Rep. Grall, the bill’s sponsor, said abortion needs to be limited because medicine and science have changed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. “This is not an abortion ban,” she said. “This is about 15 weeks. This is about having all your available options at the ready for you for 15 weeks.” But Democrats said it would interfere with what should be a private medical decision and particularly hurt low-income women and people of color who lack access to health care.
—“Democrats swarm abortion bill at first committee stop” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
“Florida abortion bill will affect access across the South, advocates say” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — The ban on abortion after 15 weeks proposed by Florida Republicans won’t just affect Florida if it becomes law. For years, as nearby states have passed laws to limit abortion access, Southerners have made their way to the Sunshine State to take advantage of Florida’s relatively strong abortion protections. If a 15-week ban passes, access to abortion for people from out of state could be curtailed, advocates on both sides of the issue say. “If you look at Texas, they haven’t had access to abortion care beyond six weeks for four months,” said Laura Goodhue, executive director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. “You can imagine if access were eliminated in Florida, what it would look like in the South.”
Senate approves Governor’s emergency fund, but slashes price tag — The full Senate voted in favor of establishing a pot of money for the Governor to use during states of emergency. As Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida reports, the chamber’s plan sets the account balance at $500 million, which is just half of $1 billion DeSantis requested in his budget proposal. The proposal was pitched last year but fell through after it was determined that the state could not seed the account with federal money. The Senate’s 2022 plan (SB 96/SB 98) would fill the pot of money with general revenue dollars. The House version of the bill, introduced Tuesday, would provide the full $1 billion.
“Wilton Simpson says he’d vote for constitutional carry bill” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Simpson says he would support removing laws requiring a concealed-weapons permit to carry a gun if it comes to a vote. Simpson made the comment to reporters Wednesday after conservatives at the Republican Liberty Caucus said they met with the Senate President. The group has been among a cohort of pro-gun rights organizations pushing for “constitutional carry.” However, Simpson said he would not get involved in constitutional carry legislation until it gets to the Senate floor. That differed from comments one gun rights organization said Simpson made during the meeting. “Simpson told the group he ‘would support, vote yes, and challenge senators to bring a constitutional carry bill,’” according to an email.
“Senate passes health care liability protections as providers look to House to do the same” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — A must-pass bill for Florida’s nursing homes, doctors and hospitals cleared the Florida Senate Wednesday by a mostly partisan 22-13 vote. Democratic Sen. Linda Stewart was the only member of her party in the chamber to support the bill. Sponsored by Sen. Danny Burgess, the bill (SB 7014) extends through June 1, 2023, the protections health care providers currently have from COVID-19 related lawsuits. Senate Democrats all voted against the measure. Four senators have excused absences and did not vote. The current law that shields businesses and health care providers from COVID-19-related lawsuits was one of the first measures passed by the Legislature during the 2021 Session. The law clarifies that to successfully sue a health care provider for COVID-19, the plaintiff must prove gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
“Senate presidential search exemption proposal diverges from House version as it approaches final committee” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Legislation that would provide a public records exemption on information about applicants seeking a state university or college presidential position is headed to its final committee stop after clearing the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. However, the Senate bill looks a little different from the House version, which is on to its second committee after garnering approval at its first stop Tuesday. The measure (SB 520), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, cleared its second committee with one amendment that provided the bill be effective upon becoming law. The Senate legislation approaches its third committee without a key amendment tacked on in a House meeting Tuesday, an alteration that changed guidelines in the bill.
—ETCH-A-SKETCH—
“Senate ignores DeSantis’ redistricting map, moves forward with plan less friendly to GOP” via Skyler Swisher and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — The Florida Senate moved forward with a congressional redistricting map that carves out fewer Republican-friendly districts than a surprise proposal put forth by DeSantis earlier this week. The Senate map is seen as the plan to keep much of the status quo in place, reinforcing the 16-11 Republican advantage over Democrats in congressional seats and even giving Democrats a good shot at a new seat being created. The House must still vote on its version of the map, one draft that would radically reshape many districts. The final map must also be signed into law by DeSantis, or he could veto it. The Senate discussed the maps without mentioning DeSantis’ plan. Sen. Ray Rodrigues, who is leading the Senate’s redistricting efforts, said he only learned of the Governor’s plan this week, and senators are following the legislative process.
“DeSantis’ office disses Al Lawson district as ‘unconstitutional gerrymander’” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Governor’s Office labeled Florida’s 5th Congressional District an “unconstitutional gerrymander.” The harsh assessment comes as draft congressional maps moving through the Florida Legislature all include a similar configuration. Ryan Newman, General Counsel for DeSantis’ office, surprised lawmakers by submitting a draft congressional map on Sunday. Lawson condemned the Governor’s proposal Tuesday. “It is evident that DeSantis is trying to restrict minority representation, specifically African American voters,” the Congressman said. But Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ press secretary, said CD 5 as it exists now should not stand. Asked if the Florida Supreme Court five years ago put an unconstitutional district into play, Pushaw asserted it had.
“Senate debates legislative map that will shape its 2022 political environment” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — A draft map (S 8058) reached the Senate floor six days after the Senate Reapportionment Committee cleared it for full debate. While the Florida House must also sign off on the map, the chambers traditionally have allowed one another to craft their own district boundaries for legislative maps. The maps will ultimately become law without any involvement of the Governor’s Office. This map holds significant political consequences for chamber members, and under its current configuration, places several incumbent Senators seeking re-election into shared districts. Sens. Dennis Baxley and Keith Perry both live in the proposed Senate District 9. Neither to date has said how they will deal with that situation.
“Shevrin Jones proposes change to the Senate’s draft congressional map” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Sen. Jones has offered changes to a proposed congressional map before the Florida Senate votes on it. The Democrat wants to see Miami Gardens, a community he represents in the state Senate, kept wholly within one congressional district. Under his draft map (S 8060), it would sit within Florida’s 24th Congressional District. The Senator took issue with a draft map advanced by the Senate Reapportionment Committee (S 8040) set for floor discussion Wednesday afternoon. That map splits Miami Gardens between CD 24 and Florida’s 25th Congressional District. “The latest maps are a severe disservice to the voters of Miami Gardens, a predominantly African American city, with important local challenges that deserve focused representation in Congress,” Jones said.
—TALLY 2 —
“Critics fear legislative proposal to fix nursing home staffing shortages may affect care” via Verónica Zaragovia of WLRN — A survey from the Florida Health Care Association published in August found 92% of long-term care facilities in the state faced significant staffing challenges, with more than half saying they have had to reduce admissions as a result. One proposal, filed by Sen. Ben Albritton, would slash the hours licensed nurses have to spend with patients and allow time spent with therapists or activities directors to count toward the requirement. But some in the industry say there could be problems if licensed nurses provide less care. Amy Runkle, a CNA in Venice, says the idea of replacing licensed nursing assistants with other staff is dangerous. “You need to be certified; you need to be properly trained,” said Runkle, who has worked as a CNA for 31 years and is also a member of 1199 SEIU.
“Senate Health Policy Committee says yes to inpatient hospital care at home, hotel” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The Senate Health Policy Committee on Wednesday approved legislation (SB 1222) which amends existing state health care laws to allow hospitals, physicians and emergency medical transportation providers to partner together to provide nonemergency services to patients. Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Hospital has been offering inpatient services to its patients for more than a year under a pair of waivers granted by federal and state governments. But the waivers will expire, and Sen. Aaron Bean said his bill establishes the necessary framework for facilities interested in providing inpatient care outside of a hospital setting. Before passing the bill, the Senate Health Policy Committee agreed to tag on an amendment that reworded the proposal to prevent what Bean called a “scope creep.”
—“Senate Health Policy Committee passes three bills, defers action on three others” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics
“Out with COVID-19, Darryl Rouson’s peers move peer counseling bill through committee” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Republican and Democratic senators said they are all behind an effort by Sen. Rouson to make it easier for former addicts to serve as counselors for those dealing with substance abuse problems. Rouson is sponsoring a bill designed to boost the number of “peer specialists” who can provide help to those being treated for drug and alcohol addiction as well as those who are struggling with mental illness. SB 282 cleared its second Senate committee Wednesday and has only one more stop before it reaches the full Senate. Rouson is a recovering addict and has pushed similar legislation in years past. That includes the 2021 Legislative Session when a similar bill sailed through the chamber, passing unanimously.
— MORE TALLY —
“Charter school bill unanimously passes second House committee” via Tristan Wood of Florida Politics — A House bill putting guardrails on how charter schools are renewed unanimously passed its second committee stop Wednesday. The measure (HB 225), sponsored by Rep. Fred Hawkins, would require school boards to renew charter schools at least 90 days before the school year ends. Otherwise, the charter would renew automatically. The bill passed its second committee stop, the House Secondary Education and Career Development Subcommittee, with unanimous bipartisan support. Hawkins noted that public schools start working toward the next school year well in advance. If there is a problem with a charter school, districts should start addressing it with “plenty of time,” he argued.
“Bill raising claims cap before state intervention to $1 million advances in the House” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — A proposal to raise the cap on claims against local governments before the Legislature must intervene passed its first committee hurdle on Wednesday. The measure (HB 985), carried by Rep. Mike Beltran, would raise the value of claims from $200,000 to $1 million before sovereign immunity applies. The bill passed the House Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee by a 16-1 vote. Sovereign immunity is a principle stating that the government, including a local government, cannot be sued without its consent. The principle dates back to British common law. Proponents hope it would reduce the number of times Floridians would have to come to lawmakers to plead their case to receive reparations for transgressions committed against them by the government.
“State official gushes over influx of federal early childhood funding in House committee talk” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Matt Mears, the state’s Chancellor of Early Learning, was elated Wednesday afternoon when explaining that early childhood instructors received $166 million from Florida’s share of the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA). Mears spoke to the House Early Learning and Elementary Education Subcommittee, discussing how the Florida Division of Early Learning distributed the $635 million in CRRSA funding, which the Legislature allocated. He was happy to share that 26% of the funding went to instructor disaster relief payments, which came in two $1,000 checks written directly to child care instructors. In 2021, 76,005 Florida instructors received emergency payments.
“AFP-FL urges lawmakers to let the sun set on VISIT FLORIDA” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — VISIT FLORIDA will cease to exist on Oct. 1, 2023, under current law, but bills moving through the Legislature (SB 434/HB 489) would extend its authorization by five years to Oct. 1, 2028. Americans for Prosperity-Florida urges lawmakers to pump the brakes, deriding the tourism marketing agency as a form of corporate welfare. “AFP-FL works hard to protect Floridians’ hard-earned dollars by opposing public funding for unwarranted purposes,” AFP-FL State Director Skylar Zander said in a news release. “We should not allow our legislators to pick and choose what they want to see succeed in our economy — it should be our choice. After all, we know that the best way to actually promote economic growth is by ensuring that everyone is competing fairly.”
“Bill to protect farmers’ tax benefits amid growing agritourism clears makes way in Senate, House” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — The Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved legislation Wednesday morning that seeks to ensure the state’s growing agritourism industry doesn’t interfere with farmers’ preferential tax benefits. The Senate legislation (SB 1186), filed by Albritton, follows the House version of the bill, with both heading to their second committee. The House Environment, Agriculture and Flooding Subcommittee unanimously approved HB 717 on Tuesday. Filed by Rep. Josie Tomkow, the bill clarifies that farms can still be taxed at a lower rate even when parts of the land are being used for agritourism. The bill has garnered bipartisan support, clearing its first House and first Senate committee unanimously.
“Huge bottles, kegs, and 5-liter boxes: bill mulls repeal of wine container size limits” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Imagine your party guests’ faces when you cart out a $5,625, six-liter, Methuselah bottle of Château d’Yquem wine or when you lug out a $15.99, five-liter box of Franzia Cabernet Sauvignon. Then imagine their faces when the cops arrive. Why does Florida law limit wine sales to containers no larger than 1 gallon, except for reusable kegs or shipping logistics between manufacturers and distributors? “It serves no good policy basis to criminalize the sale of wine based on container size,” argued Rep. Chip LaMarca as he pushed a bill (HB 6031) through the House Commerce Committee Wednesday. HB 6031 flew through the Commerce Committee Wednesday with no opposition or debate and little discussion.
“Bill requiring Florida governments to use American-made iron and steel clears first hurdle” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A bill that would require state and local governmental organizations in Florida to use American-made iron and steel products cleared its first hurdle Wednesday after facing some scrutiny and one argument against it. The House Local Administration and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee unanimously OK’d a bill (HB 619) by Rep. Anthony Rodriguez. The measure would require taxpayer-funded public works to domestically source iron and steel products. If passed and signed by DeSantis, the rule would also cover various other governmental entities, including school districts, taxing districts, colleges and universities. Sen. Jim Boyd has filed similar legislation in the Senate.
K9s For Warriors says lawmakers deserve a treat — K9s For Warriors, the nation’s largest provider of trained Service Dogs to military veterans, on Wednesday praised the lawmakers working to help it secure funding for a new facility. The organization singled out Senate President Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, as well as Sen. Travis Hutson, Rep. Sam Garrison, Sen. Cord Byrd and Sen. Jennifer Bradley for backing a bill (HB 9049) that would fund the facility’s completion. “We are extremely grateful to our state leaders and representatives for their support in our mission to continue saving veteran lives by building the world’s largest rescue-to-Service Dog facility,” said Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s For Warriors. Diamond said that once completed, the facility will halve the wait time for veterans to receive a service dog.
— SKED —
— The Senate Rules Committee meets to consider SB 280, from Sen. Travis Hutson, to preempt new ordinances when challenges arise over the anticipated impacts to businesses, 9:30 a.m., Room 412 of the Knott Building.
— The Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider SB 620, also from Hutson, to permit businesses to sue local governments if ordinances cause at least 15% losses of revenues or profits, 11:30 a.m., Room 412 of the Knott Building.
— The Florida Senate is scheduled for a floor session, 2:30 p.m., Senate chamber.
— House Education & Employment Committee meets, 9 a.m., Morris Hall of the House Office Building.
— House Judiciary Committee meets, 9 a.m., Room 404 of the House Office Building.
— House State Affairs Committee meets, 9 a.m., Room 212 of the Knott Building.
— House Finance & Facilities Subcommittee meets, 1 p.m., Morris Hall of the House Office Building.
— House Government Operations Subcommittee meets, 1 p.m., Room 404 of the House Office Building.
— House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee meets, 1 p.m., Reed Hall of the House Office Building.
— House Regulatory Reform Subcommittee meets, 1 p.m., Room 212 of the Knott Building.
— STATEWIDE —
“Florida DOT Secretary Kevin Thibault picked to run Orlando airport” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis’ five appointees to Orlando’s aviation authority voted Wednesday to hire Thibault to run Orlando International Airport. “I stayed up late last night thinking and praying on this,” said Carson Good, chair of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and a Governor’s appointee. “I did not get any direction on who to pick, by the way.” Of the remaining two members of the authority, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings voted to hire the director of Seattle’s airport, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the Seattle airport director was his top pick, but he would vote along with the majority as a show of unanimity.
Jimmy Patronis deploys anti-fraud strike team to Southwest Florida — CFO Patronis sent a squad of anti-fraud experts to Southwest Florida on Wednesday to ensure residents impacted by recent storms and tornadoes do not become fraud victims. “Following a natural disaster, scam artists work overtime to defraud individuals in their time of need, and that is why I have deployed my Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team to Southwest Florida to be on the lookout for bad actors trying to make a buck off the damage caused by the devastating tornadoes that took place over the weekend,” Patronis said. The DFAST deployment consists of eight insurance fraud and workers’ compensation investigators who work for the Department of Financial Services Division of Investigative and Forensic Services. They will be on the lookout for common post-storm scams such as contractors or restoration professionals who offer to waive insurance deductibles or fail to perform work after they’ve been paid.
“‘That’s a problem’: Florida state agencies challenged with lack of job applicants, struggle to retain low-wage workers” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — State agencies are struggling to attract job applicants amid employee vacancies. Sen. Jeff Brandes, who chairs the committee, called for the presentation to learn about the current employment challenges faced by state agencies. Speakers from various public sectors made one thing clear: state agencies are struggling to attract and keep employees. “Not only are we seeing elevated turnover, we aren’t seeing the same degree of interest in people applying for these positions,” said Heather DiGiacomo, chief of staff at the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Over the past three years, the state has seen a 34.7% decline in the number of applicants to state positions. That’s despite a three-year, 7.2% increase in job advertisements.
“Florida has a unique potion for executing prisoners. It wants to keep the details secret” via Ben Conarck and Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald — Florida’s prison officials are asking legislators to enact more layers of secrecy around the state’s method of executing Death Row inmates, floating a bill that would make confidential any records that “could reasonably lead to the identification of any person or entity participating in an execution.” The measures would allow the Florida Department of Corrections to obscure the supply chain behind the unique cocktail of drugs used in its lethal injections. The department says doing so would prevent social activists from pressuring drug manufacturers into blacklisting the state from purchasing their products, but death penalty opponents say that it’s the manufacturers themselves that have sought to prevent their drugs from being used to kill people.
“Consulate nursing homes are changing names. Are they changing ownership?” via Hannah Critchfield of the Tampa Bay Times — The largest nursing home chain in Florida is rebranding. On its website, Consulate Health Care Services no longer lists any long-term care facilities in the state. In the wake of a bankruptcy filing and a slew of bad press over the last few years, the privately-held chain, the sixth-largest nursing home company in the nation, has quietly divided its Florida facilities into three separate companies. All three appear to be still affiliated with Consulate. Many of Consulate’s Florida nursing homes have begun to change their individual names as well, erasing any affiliation with the chain. Such reorganization leaves consumers in the dark, critics say.
“Florida Power & Light class action opens door to subrogation, future storm claims” via William Rabb of Insurance Journal — A Miami judge’s certification of a lawsuit against Florida’s largest utility company as a $10 billion class action, with damage claims from more than 4 million people who lost power in Hurricane Irma, could have significant repercussions for self-insurers and insurance companies in the years ahead. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge David Miller issued the order last month, noting that the plaintiffs had shown that the case meets all requirements for a class action. The plaintiffs allege that Florida Power & Light was negligent and breached its contract with customers by failing to fully prepare for the storm or to “harden the system” despite collecting a surcharge for that purpose.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“Joe Biden says nation weary from COVID-19, but U.S. in a better place” via Zeke Miller and Josh Boak of The Associated Press — Biden acknowledged Wednesday that the pandemic has left Americans exhausted and demoralized but insisted at a news conference marking his first year in office that he has “outperformed” expectations in dealing with it. He said he would likely have to settle for “big chunks” of his signature economic package to break an impasse in Congress and further attack inflation and the pandemic. Biden said he believes important parts of his agenda will be passed before the 2022 midterm elections and voters will back Democrats if they are fully informed, an assignment he said he will pursue by traveling the country.
“CDC data shows significant drop in new COVID-19 cases in Florida” via Brenda Argueta of Click Orlando — The CDC released several days of data after the holiday weekend that shows Florida may be turning the corner when it comes to the omicron wave. New data released Tuesday from the CDC shows there has been a large decline in new infections, and the state’s seven-day average of new cases has dropped nearly 25% in less than a week. The seven-day average of cases on Jan. 11, when the state recorded its fourth-highest set of numbers since the pandemic began, was 65,759. In the latest data reported one week later, the seven-day average was 49,690, a drop of 24.43%. Hospitalizations dropped by more than 300 over the weekend, though about half these hospitalizations are people with COVID-19 who are being treated for something else.
“COVID-19 update: Florida reports 43,179 new cases, steady hospitalizations as omicron surge continues to ease” via David Schutz of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Florida’s omicron surge continued to ease as the state’s seven-day average for new cases declined for the eighth consecutive day, and the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 remained stable, federal data shows. The state reported 43,179 new cases on Wednesday, an increase Tuesday. But the seven-day average fell to 45,456 — its lowest level since Dec. 30, according to data from the CDC. There were 11,839 patients with the virus in Florida hospitals on Tuesday and 1,613 adult COVID-19 patients in intensive care, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows. On Wednesday, the state added three deaths to its total count, bringing the seven-day rolling average to 91.
“Orange County Mayor: ‘It is my fervent hope that Dr. Paul Pino returns to work … soon.’” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Demings, isolated at home because of a COVID-19 infection, offered his support Wednesday for Dr. Pino, who was placed on administrative leave from his post as the state’s chief health officer in the county. “Dr. Raul Pino has been our trusted partner and friend throughout the pandemic,” the Mayor said in a statement emailed from his communications team. Pino faces a state investigation related to a staff-wide email he sent on Jan. 4. The email revealed that fewer than 14% of the 568 employees in the County Health Department had been fully vaccinated with a complete series and booster shot.
— CORONA LOCAL —
“Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings tests positive for COVID -19, Val Demings negative” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County Mayor Demings, who has led the county’s push for vaccination, testing and safety protocols, has tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson announced Wednesday in an email. The news release said the Mayor will be working from home this week. Congresswoman Demings, the Mayor’s spouse, said by email that she is “Negative and grateful. Will continue to test on a regular basis.” She added, “As always, we would also encourage all Floridians to sign up for the free tests now available through the USPS at https://special.usps.com/testkits, and to get vaccinated.” The Mayor is fully vaccinated and boosted and is experiencing mild symptoms, spokesperson Despina McLaughlin said. He received confirmation of a positive test Tuesday evening.
“Duval Schools reports more COVID-19 cases in first nine days of third quarter than the first two months of school combined” via Emily Bloch of The Florida Times-Union — In the nine days Duval Schools students have been back in school, the district has reported more cases of COVID-19 than it did in the first two months of the 2021-22 school year combined. Tuesday evening, the district reported 529 new cases, an all-time high for new cases reported within 24 hours. It’s worth noting that a bump in reported cases after a holiday break is to be expected. Still, an increase in new cases this high hasn’t occurred all school year. In fact, data shows that so far this month, the district has reported more COVID-19 cases than it did between all of September through December combined.
“School arts performance postponed by record-high COVID-19 positivity rate in Manatee County, athletics unaffected” via Allyson Henning of WFLA — The highly-contagious omicron variant of coronavirus is impacting the school system in Manatee County. The district is implementing additional proactive mitigation measures to slow the spread. Before students were dismissed for winter break, the county’s positivity rate was 6.9%. Performing arts students at Parrish Community High School found out their much-anticipated winter performance would not take place. It was scheduled for less than 12 hours later and has not yet been rescheduled. When the Parrish Community High School performance was supposed to be taking place Tuesday evening, the school’s basketball and soccer teams were playing games as scheduled. Students felt it wasn’t fair.
— 2022 —
“Attorney Kevin Hayslett joins Republican race for Florida’s 13th District” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times — Hayslett, a Clearwater attorney and former prosecutor, announced his plan on Wednesday to run for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Hayslett, a Republican, said he’s already been endorsed by Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and former Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats. Hayslett is positioning himself as a “law and order” candidate who is a Trump Republican and political outsider. “I care about our community, and I have deep roots here, but like many others, I’m concerned with how Washington politicians are trying to dictate how we live our lives,” Hayslett said in his announcement.
— CORONA NATION —
“Omicron is in retreat” via David Leonhardt of The New York Times — Since early last week, new cases in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and New York have fallen by more than 30%. They’re down by more than 10% in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In California, cases may have peaked. For now, the available evidence suggests that omicron is less threatening to a vaccinated person than ordinary flu. The final major piece of encouraging news involves booster shots: They are highly effective at preventing severe illness from omicron.
Choose your news … “America’s second pandemic winter: More virus, less death” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — Two critically important things changed with the coronavirus pandemic between one year ago and now. The first was that vaccines became widely available, and most American adults availed themselves of the protections the vaccines offered. The second is that the most common variant of the virus to spread in the United States in the past month was omicron, which is far more contagious but, the data suggest, also less dangerous. What has emerged is a different sort of pandemic, one in which far more people are getting infected but, so far, fewer are dying. Yet there’s a caveat: There have been nearly as many total hospitalizations in the past month as a year ago, largely a function of multiplying the reduced hospitalization rate times a far larger number of infected people. Despite the common description of the omicron variant as “mild,” the sheer scale of infections has pushed the number of hospitalizations higher.
Or … “U.S. faces wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks, models say” via Carla K. Johnson of The Associated Press — The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing, and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March. The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November, reaching nearly 1,700 on Jan. 17, still below the peak of 3,300 in January 2021. COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents started rising slightly two weeks ago, although still at a rate 10 times less than last year before most residents were vaccinated. If the higher end of projections comes to pass, that would push total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 over 1 million by early spring.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“Florida man gets five years for COVID-19 relief, tax fraud” via The Associated Press — A Florida man convicted of fraudulently collecting more than $1.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds has been sentenced to five years in prison. Johnson Eustache was sentenced Tuesday in Orlando federal court. He pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. He must also forfeit approximately $700,000 seized from several bank accounts, as well as real properties in Palm Bay and Poinciana. Eustache submitted 13 different fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program applications to the Small Business Administration and other lenders from March 2020 to April 2021. In total, he sought more than $2.1 million in pandemic-related emergency benefits. Prosecutors said that Eustache included false statements in the applications regarding criminal history, the number of employees, and total payroll.
— MORE CORONA —
“Study: Prior infection, vaccines provide best protection from COVID-19” via Mike Stobbe of The Associated Press — A new study in two states that compares coronavirus protection from prior infection and vaccination concludes getting the shots is still the safest way to prevent COVID-19. The study examined infections in New York and California last summer and fall and found people who were both vaccinated and had survived a prior bout of COVID-19 had the most protection. But unvaccinated people with a past infection were a close second. By fall, that group had a lower case rate than vaccinated people who had no past infection. The CDC, which released the study Wednesday, noted several caveats to the research. And some outside experts were cautious of the findings and wary of how they might be interpreted.
“AI tool is built to detect which COVID-19 patients will recover from the disease based of blood protein levels” via Mansur Shaheen of Daily Mail — Researchers may have developed a new tool that uses machine learning to better predict health outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and help physicians make more informed treatment decisions. A German research team developed an artificial intelligence tool to estimate how well an infected person will fare based on a blood sample. The levels of 14 proteins found in a person’s blood can indicate whether a person who suffers a severe enough hospitalization will survive or die from the virus, and the tool developed by researchers can accurately assess their risk. In times of crisis, where resources are especially scarce, the device can help determine what patients require the most intensive care to survive, and who is more fit to fight off the virus themselves.
“When being unvaccinated means being locked out of public life” via Chico Harlan and Stefano Pitrelli of The Washington Post — At this complicated stage of the pandemic, the lives of unvaccinated people are in major flux, at the mercy of decisions made everywhere from courts to workplaces. But their lives are changing most dramatically in a handful of countries in Western Europe, including Italy, where governments are systematically reducing their liberties while beginning to return the rest of society to a state of normalcy. And while regular testing, until recently, was permitted as an alternative to vaccination, even that option has now been largely removed as countries harden their mandates. The choice is to get inoculated or face exclusion.
— PRESIDENTIAL —
“5 takeaways from Biden’s news conference” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post — Biden reinforced Wednesday that he has largely given up on his high-minded but far-fetched vision for bipartisanship on his watch. He instead cast his Republican opponents as principle-free, power-hungry legislators. At another point, Biden seemed to admit again that he misread the situation, pointing to the many sitting Republican senators who once voted to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act. Among the Biden comments that will likely be chewed over extensively was one suggesting that a smaller incursion by Russia into Ukraine might not merit the same response. “I think what you’re going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades, and it depends on what it does,” Biden said. Biden seemed to lay blame on local authorities for not better using money from the pandemic relief bill to address ongoing problems.
“Biden asks, ‘What are Republicans for?’ Republicans have already chosen not to answer.” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — During a news conference held one day shy of his anniversary in office, Biden was asked whether he had made bigger promises to the electorate than he was able to fulfill. Biden insisted that his administration had made “enormous progress” on his agenda, denying that he’d overpromised on the campaign trail and during his early months in office. But then he qualified that: Perhaps he did overpromise on one front. In recent years, in particular, the Republican Party leadership has specifically declined to offer a detailed, proactive policy agenda. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been direct about his lack of interest in outlining a policy platform.
“Biden leaves Democrats hanging as midterms burst into full swing” via Edward-Isaac Dovere of CNN — Biden spotted Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney on the White House campus last June and called out to the House Democratic campaign chair loudly enough for several others to hear: “I really want to talk to you about the races!” he shouted. A week later, at the cherry festival in Traverse City, Michigan, Biden leaned into Sen. Gary Peters, who’s in charge of Democratic Senate campaigns, with the same promise. He’s always cared most about Senate races, Biden told the Michigan Democrat, and he wanted to have a meeting, an hour at least, to talk about helping his party hold the chamber in 2022. Seven months later, there are still no meetings on the books. Democratic politicians, campaign officials, and operatives say the White House political operation is heading into the midterms unprepared and unresponsive even to basic requests for help or information.
“The long slide: Inside Biden’s declining popularity as he struggles with multiple crises” via Ashley Parker, Tyler Pager and Sean Sullivan of The Washington Post — Biden presented himself as an antidote to his predecessor, offering the promise of what his own campaign ads called “strong, steady, stable leadership” after four years of bedlam under Trump. But the tumult surrounding the administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan offered an early glimpse of the cascade of crises that have badly eroded Biden’s image of restoring calm. The administration has also repeatedly underestimated the magnitude of the nation’s challenges, including failing to anticipate the delta and omicron coronavirus variants, and has struggled to unite the liberal base and the more moderate wing of the Democratic Party. By early September, more Americans disapproved than approved of how Biden was handling his job for the first time in his presidency.
“Biden administration plans to spend more than $1 billion on Everglades restoration” via Bryan Lowry and Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to spend $1.1 billion on restoring and preserving South Florida’s Everglades during the current fiscal year, the White House announced Wednesday. According to the White House, the money comes through the infrastructure law Biden signed into law in November and represents the single largest investment in the Everglades in history. Florida’s congressional delegation split along party lines last year on the more than $1 trillion infrastructure package, with only the state’s Democrats voting in favor of it. The funds for the Everglades restoration aim to increase the ecosystem’s resilience against climate change by storing surface water runoff and minimizing seepage losses during dry periods, according to the White House.
“Biden uses infrastructure bill to fulfill ask from hedge fund billionaire donor’s foundation” via Collin Anderson of The Washington Free Beacon — Biden used his $1 trillion infrastructure bill to boost an environmental foundation run by a hedge fund billionaire who contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the Democrat’s campaign. The White House announced $1.1 billion in funding from Biden’s infrastructure bill to preserve the Everglades. The move comes less than a year after billionaire investor and Everglades Foundation founder Paul Tudor Jones lobbied the Biden administration to commit $2.9 billion to the group’s cause. Just months before making the ask, Jones contributed $50,000 to the Biden Victory Fund and an additional $2,800 to Biden’s campaign. Biden’s Interior Department hired the foundation’s former CEO, Shann Estenoz, to serve as its policy head for national parks.
“Abortion pill fight could ensnare Biden’s FDA pick” via Alice Miranda Ollstein and Lauren Gardner of POLITICO — The FDA’s decision to ease access to abortion pills is fueling a new push by anti-abortion rights groups to derail Biden’s nominee to lead the agency, potentially endangering his confirmation. The effort has already swung some previously undecided Republican senators on Robert Califf’s nomination, like Tommy Tuberville and Roger Marshall. Both initially praised Califf during his confirmation hearing in the Senate health committee and appeared inclined to support him before voting against advancing the nomination in committee over “pro-life issues.” Marshall’s office confirmed that he met with some of the anti-abortion groups working to scuttle Califf’s confirmation in the lead-up to the Senate committee vote.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Senators are sparring over Democrats’ legislation, and their own rules.” via Carl Hulse and Jonathan Weisman of The New York Times — Democratic Senators pleaded for passage of far-reaching federal voting rights protections, painting state measures imposed by Republican legislatures curtailing access to the ballot box as a threat to democracy so dire that long-standing filibuster rules should be changed to enact them. Republicans were equally passionate in their denunciations of the Democratic effort. The drama of the day was not expected to change the results of the votes planned for Wednesday night. The Senate was set to vote to cut off debate on the legislation. Democratic leaders then plan to move to change the Senate’s filibuster rules without Republican consent.
“Obamacare is proving popular in red states that didn’t expand Medicaid” via Tami Luhby of CNN — Millions of Americans have selected 2022 coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, many for the first time. More than 13.8 million people have picked plans on the federal and state marketplaces, 2 million of them new to Obamacare for 2022. That’s an increase of 21% in sign-ups through the federal exchange, Healthcare.gov, as of Dec. 15, from the same time a year ago. However, even more notable is the popularity Obamacare is enjoying in many of the states that didn’t expand Medicaid. Florida has the highest number of people picking plans at nearly 2.6 million has seen interest soar by nearly 23%. And in Texas, which has the highest uninsured rate in the nation, 1.7 million residents have selected policies, up roughly 33% from last year. Open enrollment ends Saturday, though consumers can sign up during the year if they meet specific criteria, such as losing job-based coverage.
“Mike Waltz joins bipartisan bill to strip Olympic Committee of tax-exempt status” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Rep. Waltz joined Rep. Jennifer Wexton in introducing a bill to strip the International Olympic Committee of tax-exempt status in the United States for violating its social welfare purpose. Waltz and Wexton, both longtime and leading critics of China’s human rights policies, all but conceded there is little chance of passing such a bill before the Olympics begin Feb. 4 in Beijing. Yet they suggested that their bill not only offers a prospect for influencing future Olympic decisions but could add immediate pressure to the Olympic organizers, NBC and American corporate sponsors to address human rights issues in China, including China’s ongoing genocidal oppression of the Uyghur people, during The Games’ broadcasts.
— CRISIS —
“Crowdfunds top $50K for Tampa man charged in Jan. 6 riots. Where should it go?” via Dan Sullivan of the Tampa Bay Times — Ever since Jeremy Michael Brown’s arrest in September, he has fought hard to get out of jail. Federal prosecutors have fought just as hard to keep him locked up. Facing two separate federal cases, Brown lost a lengthy legal battle last month for release on bond. In recent weeks, a crowdfunding webpage bearing his picture, and a message he apparently wrote from the Pinellas County Jail, has tallied more than $57,000 in contributions, ostensibly intended to pay for his defense. The trouble is, Brown already has a court-appointed lawyer, whose services come courtesy of a federal law intended to help the accused who are financially unable to retain legal counsel. Prosecutors earlier this month filed an emergency request for a judge to prohibit Brown or his supporters from getting the funds.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“Supreme Court rejects Trump, clears release of Jan. 6 papers” via Greg Stohr of Bloomberg — The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for some of Trump’s White House papers to be turned over to a congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. The order gives a major legal and political victory to the House select committee and its Democratic chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson. The National Archives can now turn over about 800 pages of material, including visitor and call logs, emails, draft speeches, and handwritten notes. Trump was seeking to override Biden’s decision to waive executive privilege over the documents, arguing that a former President’s rights can outweigh the incumbent’s views. But the high court said in an unsigned, one-paragraph order that Trump’s appeal didn’t offer the opportunity to decide that issue, given the reasoning of the appeals court that backed the committee in the case.
“New York Attorney General alleges Trump’s business inflated property values, wealth statements” via Shayna Jacobs, Jonathan O’Connell and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — New York Attorney General Letitia James alleged Trump’s business inflated the value of his properties and misstated his personal worth in representations to lenders, insurance brokers and other players in his real estate empire. James, a Democrat leading a civil probe into Trump and his business, spelled out the claims in a court filing late Tuesday that was offered in support of her bid to see Trump and his adult children deposed under oath. James cited examples of Trump allegedly lending his signature to financial statements that estimated the worth of properties in the Trump Organization portfolio and the value of his own fortune.
“Bill Barr has a book deal” via Andrew Beaujon of the Washingtonian — Barr, the former U.S. Attorney General, will publish a memoir of his time in the George H.W. Bush and Trump administrations in March. It’s called “One Damn Thing After Another.” In a news release, the book, publisher William Morrow says, “takes readers behind the scenes during seminal moments of the Bush administration in the 1990s, from the LA riots to Pan Am 103 and Iran Contra. With the Trump administration, Barr faced an unrelenting barrage of issues, such as Russiagate, the opioid epidemic, Chinese espionage, big tech, the COVID-19 outbreak, civil unrest, the first impeachment, and the 2020 election fallout.”
“Opera singer accepts insanity plea in Mar-a-Lago breach” via The Associated Press — The Connecticut opera singer who drew law enforcement fire when she sped through a checkpoint outside then-President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida has been found not guilty by reason of insanity. Florida prosecutors accepted Hannah Roemhild’s plea during a brief hearing Tuesday with the 32-year-old singer appearing by Zoom from her home state. Federal prosecutors accepted a similar plea deal in August. Her attorneys have said she has a history of mental illness. Roemhild only spoke to acknowledge her presence during the three-minute hearing in West Palm Beach. Under terms of the agreement, she must undergo psychiatric treatment and counseling and take medications, with monthly blood tests to confirm compliance.
“Who’s responsible after four years of deaths on Brightline’s tracks” via Rob Wile and Doug Hanks of the Miami Herald — Brightline has caused more fatalities per mile traveled than any other major rail operator in the country, according to a Miami Herald analysis of Federal Railroad Administration data. Local, state and federal elected officials and regulators appear to be playing catch-up to the deadly rail dilemma and how to address it. A report from a consultant hired by state officials in 2018 recommended several key rail safety measures, yet the Florida Department of Transportation has not implemented any of them. And in 2020, state legislation that would have bolstered public safety at rail crossings stalled. Company officials contend the rail service has been plagued by suspected pedestrian suicides on the tracks and risk-taking motorists undaunted by the large mechanical guard arms blocking rail crossings.
“Miami-Dade officially kills push for a private operator of the Rickenbacker Causeway” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Declared unofficially dead weeks ago, the push for a private operator of the Rickenbacker Causeway was formally killed Wednesday by Miami-Dade Commissioners after leaders of Key Biscayne thwarted the effort. The ending of the bidding process for a developer leaves Miami-Dade looking for other options to repair Bear Cut Bridge. On Wednesday, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said her administration would now work on two tracks: coming up with a plan for modernizing Bear Cut, and preparing a new request for proposals for upgrading the Rickenbacker. She said the plan may be far less ambitious than the $500 million upgrades sought by Miami-Dade in the solicitation that was just killed.
“Sunrise police union demands chief step away from investigation of officer who grabbed another cop by the throat” via Eileen Kelley of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The union for Sunrise police officers has demanded the city’s police chief recuse himself from the internal affairs investigation of a sergeant who was videotaped grabbing another officer by the throat. Chief Anthony Rosa called Sgt. Christopher Pullease’s behavior in the Nov. 19 incident “disgusting” and said the female subordinate acted appropriately when trying to intervene to de-escalate a confrontation at a crime scene. “We support the sergeant receiving a fair investigative process and await an unbiased and objective conclusion. However, we do not support Chief Rosa’s bias, prejudicial and unprofessional behavior,” wrote Steven Negron, the President of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 80, in a Jan. 17 letter to the Sunrise city manager and elected officials.
“Judge orders home of ex-Jacksonville City Council member seized for fraud restitution” via Steve Patterson of The Florida Times-Union — A federal judge ordered former Jacksonville City Council member Reggie Brown’s home seized and sold, apparently days after he was released from a prison where he served time for fraud. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard granted a request from prosecutors to seize the home to help settle a $411,000 forfeiture order she imposed in October 2020, when Brown was sentenced with fellow ex-Council member Katrina Brown on dozens of fraud counts involving billing for a failed barbecue sauce factory. Prosecutors said no payments had been made when they asked last month for permission to take the House on Ray Road, off Cleveland Road near Edgewood Avenue in Northwest Jacksonville. Duval County Property Appraiser’s Office records estimate the home’s market value at $93,500.
— TOP OPINION —
“Dear Trump, you’ve fallen to the mighty DeSantis. Well, at least in Florida” via Fabiola Santiago of the Miami Herald — You can tell the ex-President doesn’t get out of Mar-a-Lago and around Florida much because vaccine skeptics are a mean, scary bunch. So, for once, we, his detractors, applauded the former President for backing the COVID-19-vaccine booster rollout where in counts, in a conservative forum full of skeptics. Yet, the pandemic isn’t the true power struggle going on between the men, caught up in a drama reminiscent of Gloucester and his bastard son Edmund in Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” Theirs is a struggle for the ultimate power: the U.S. presidency. Both want to be contenders in 2024. As the world turns in Tallahassee and at Mar-a-Lago, my bet is on Trump losing the big battle. Florida can be very friendly, but often it’s lip service, a smoke screen.
— OPINIONS —
“Why you can count on a Biden bounce” via Jack Shafer of POLITICO — We’ve already seen the weeks and weeks of coverage marking the end of his presidency, capstoned by his twin failures to navigate his multitrillion-dollar Build Back Better bill past Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and get his voting bill passed. He may be cratering at just the right time. Biden can return to the smaller-gauge policies that made him popular in the first place. Second, last week he hit the lowest of all his lows in the Quinnipiac Poll, scoring only 33% in job approval. He’s fallen so far that everything has to be up from here. When you’ve fallen into the subbasement, as Biden truly has, then almost any vertical improvement looks like a comeback.
“Florida’s redistricting process was moving along. Then DeSantis jumped in with a threat” via the Miami Herald editorial board — DeSantis’ surprise move this week to submit his own aggressively partisan proposal for redrawing congressional district lines in Florida, one that goes farther to protect GOP interests than any map the Legislature was considering, is an indication of just how far he’ll go to tighten his grip on the state’s Republicans and secure a possible White House bid. DeSantis’s map would dilute Black and Hispanic voting strength. DeSantis is threatening to veto it if he doesn’t think legislators have come up with maps that gain enough ground for Republicans. Redistricting experts and Democrats were quick to say that the Governor’s map would surely run afoul of both the federal Voting Rights Act and the Fair Districts amendment of the Florida Constitution. The proposal would definitely be challenged in court, they said.
“With Legislature in Session, speak now, or forever hold your peace” via Omari Hardy for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Every year, it seems, another billionaire moves to our state, another Wall Street firm opens an office in Florida, another Fortune 500 company leaves its headquarters in New York, or California, and relocates to our state to do business here in the sunshine. But has this corporate feeding frenzy benefited the working-class people of our state? Hardly. As Florida’s rich have gotten richer, as our biggest corporations have booked massive profits, everyday Floridians — the essential workers and small-business owners who power our economy and create jobs in our communities — have been left to fend for themselves. The problem is that, in Tallahassee, your connections matter much more than the merits of your cause.
“Florida education scandal reveals conflicts, money-grubbing for tax dollars” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Two top officials, including a former chair of the State Board of Education, tried to score a $1.8 million contract off the very division they were helping run, a blatant conflict of interest. Both resigned. And the Governor’s office now suggests that should be the end of the story. The scandal involves the tiny, troubled Jefferson County School District in the Panhandle, which state officials turned over to a private company in 2017. The state wanted to hire yet another company to help oversee the transfer for approximately $1.8 million. The money was apparently too much to resist for state Board of Education member Andy Tuck and Vice-Chancellor Melissa Ramsey. The conflict of interest was as wrong as it was obvious.
—TODAY’S SUNRISE —
The 15-week abortion ban had its first hearing, giving Democrats their first crack at challenging it. Question No. 1: Why 15 weeks — and how is that constitutional?
Also on today’s Sunrise:
— Big Issues like abortion aren’t the only things being talked about this Session. We talk to a veteran political reporter about county delegations pushing their big issues … like sewers and road improvements.
— A Republican poll says there may be a reason behind the alleged rift between Trump and DeSantis. The Governor is polling almost as high as Trump among Republican primary voters.
— And we’ll let you hear what Stone has to say about the Governor in a new YouTube video.
To listen, click on the image below:
— ALOE —
“Orlando to host U.S. final home World Cup qualifier in March” via The Associated Press — The United States will play its final home World Cup qualifier at Orlando, Florida, on March 27 against Panama. The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Wednesday that the match will be at Exploria Stadium, where the Americans beat Panama 4-0 on Oct. 6, 2017, also their next-to-last qualifier. Needing only a draw in their finale to qualify, the U.S. lost 2-1 four days later at Trinidad and Tobago, and the Americans’ streak of seven straight World Cup appearances was stopped. The U.S. is 4-0 at Exploria, which has a capacity of 25,500 and opened in 2014. This game against Panama is between qualifiers on March 24 at Mexico and March 30 at Costa Rica, where the Americans have nine losses and one draw in qualifying.
“More restaurants reopening at Disney World” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Three more restaurants are scheduled to reopen soon at Walt Disney World. The trio, located inside or near company resorts, have been shuttered since the pandemic took hold in March 2020. Flying Fish at Disney’s BoardWalk reopens Jan. 27, Turf Club Bar and Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort reopens Feb. 3 and Jiko — The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge reopens Feb. 17. Reservations can be made at these locations as of Jan. 20. Menus are available at disneyworld.com.
“How ‘Encanto’ and its vibrant soundtrack became a viral phenomenon” via Bethonie Butler of The Washington Post — The animated film, about a Colombian family with magical gifts and an enchanted fortress that has protected them for generations, arrived in theaters in November to warm reviews. But the movie and its soundtrack, featuring original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a score by Germaine Franco, have gotten more popular since “Encanto” landed on Disney+ last month. In total, four songs from the film are on the Hot 100, nestled between smashes from Adele, Lil Nas X, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd. Its success, boosted by the film’s streaming debut and scores of “Encanto”-themed TikTok videos, has earned comparisons to “Frozen.”
“The case for keeping up your Christmas tree until March” via Charlie Warzel of The Atlantic — Right now, there is a hole in my living room. It was not there last week. We’ve tried to cover it up, but nothing seems to work. I am, of course, talking about my Christmas tree (RIP). Two weeks ago, my street was a Griswoldian wonderland with twinkling lights silhouetting the eaves of my neighbors’ houses and robust-looking conifers standing proudly in their windows. The decision to take down our holiday decorations after New Year’s is an arbitrary act of seasonal austerity. Normalize prolonged festivity! I’m not suggesting that we need to leave our trees up all year. Take your tree down when you’re ready. Or don’t! Apologize for nothing.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to the incredible Marva Johnson, our dear friend Jen Lux, as well as Jim Horne, Michael Johnston, now with Shumaker Advisors, Christine Knepper, Chris O’Donnell of the Tampa Bay Times, and Rick Oppenheim.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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🎂 Good Thursday morning. At noon, President Biden marks one year in office.
- Smart Brevity™ count: 1,176 words … 4½ minutes. Edited by Zachary Basu.
📱Please join us at 12:30 p.m. ET for the virtual launch of Axios Pro, our subscription coverage of retail, fintech and health tech deals, with media and climate deals coming next.
- Dan Primack and Axios Pro reporters will interview CEOs and investment industry leaders. Attendees get a code for $100 off Axios Pro. Register here.
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
This tax season’s filing delays and administrative headaches might eclipse those of last year — which was “one of the worst filing seasons” ever, according to an independent advocacy agency within the IRS.
- “Checks are getting sent in and not processed,” one revenue agent told Axios Markets co-author Emily Peck, asking for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
Why it matters: For taxpayers with complex or paper filings, this means headaches, delayed refunds and mistakes.
Zoom in: COVID pressures pushed the underfunded agency over the edge. “We’re running out of steam,” the revenue agent said.
- The IRS, which relies on some software built in the 1960s, is facing a big backlog of paper filings from last year, including 6.2 million unprocessed 1040s.
🕸️ The IRS doesn’t have scanning technology, and relies instead on humans to open the mail and manually enter information.
- Last year, the agency received 282 million phone calls and answered just 29 million.
Reality check: The agency successfully issued multiple rounds of COVID stimulus checks, as well as monthly child-care tax credit payments.
- The vast majority of taxpayers get refunds promptly.
House Jan. 6 committee leaders said last night they have “already begun to receive records that the former President had hoped to keep hidden,” after the Supreme Court ruled against Donald Trump’s effort to avoid turning over records.
- Trump lawyers had argued that releasing the documents would undermine his executive privilege, Axios’ Ivana Saric reports.
The records include diaries, visitor logs, speech drafts and handwritten notes about Jan. 6 from the files of former chief of staff Mark Meadows.
- Justice Clarence Thomas was alone among the justices in saying he would have granted Trump’s request to withhold the documents.
Democrats failed last night to change Senate filibuster rules to pass a broad voting rights bill, Axios’ Erin Doherty and Alayna Treene report.
- Why it matters: The effort was always doomed. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer argued for putting senators on the record.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — the Democratic holdout who tanked the legislation, along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) — brought this prop to the Senate floor.
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) fact-checked his graphic.
America’s Omicron wave may be peaking in some areas, but COVID deaths are climbing as cases continue to soar in most of the country, Axios’ Sam Baker and Kavya Beheraj report.
- Why it matters: Omicron’s stranglehold in the U.S. started about a month ago. Its death toll — while almost certain to be smaller than previous waves of the pandemic — is only now starting to take hold. Deaths will likely continue to rise for several weeks.
Zoom in: The Omicron wave is already receding in the places where it first appeared: New cases are slowing down significantly in and around Boston, New York and D.C.
- But it hasn’t run its course in the rest of the country. While cases are declining on the East Coast, they’ve continued to climb just about everywhere else.
U.S. stock markets performed worse during the first year of Joe Biden’s presidency than during the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency, Axios’ Dan Primack and Jared Whalen report.
By the numbers: The S&P 500 rose 19.3% between the market close before Biden’s inauguration and yesterday’s market close, compared to a 24.1% increase for Trump during the equivalent period.
- The S&P 500 had done better under most of Biden’s first year than under Trump’s. But the “lead” flipped in recent weeks due to a market selloff.
- Both the Dow Industrials and Nasdaq Composite also grew much slower under Biden than under Trump.
Historical context: U.S. stocks gained more during President Obama’s first year than during Trump’s, and also for their entire first terms.
- It’s easier to get larger percentage gains when you begin with smaller numbers. The S&P 500 was at just 850 when Obama’s term began, 2,270 for Trump and 3,816 for Biden.
Zoom out: The White House released this Year 1 graphic.
Screenshot: Presidential Inaugural Committee
President Biden’s Presidential Inaugural Committee will mark his first anniversary in office by blanketing today’s airwaves — from breakfast to evening news to prime time — with a video promoting a recovering, resilient America.
- The video is narrated by Tom Hanks, who was part of Biden inaugural festivities, and features cameos by everyday Americans — a UPS driver, a Teamster from Michigan and a bed-and-breakfast owner in Wisconsin.
- “I can feel the change,” says Sandra Lindsay, a New York nurse who was the first person in the U.S. to get the COVID vaccine.
What’s happening: The committee, which was nominated for an Emmy, is spending several million dollars in leftover inaugural funds to air the ad on broadcast and cable TV today.
- The PIC then will spend a similar amount over the next week to amplify the video on digital platforms.
Low first-year turnover among President Biden’s senior staff marks a “return to normalcy” and a sign of stability after the Trump years, Axios’ Sophia Cai writes from a Brookings Institution report.
- The departure of just five of 66 “A-Team” officials (senior executive-office positions that don’t require Senate confirmation) puts Biden’s departure rate as the third-lowest since Ronald Reagan’s presidency — above only the two Bushes.
- President Trump lost 23 of a core group of 65 in his first year.
Another new report, by the Partnership for Public Service, found that by the end of 2021, 56% of Biden’s key national security positions requiring Senate confirmation had been filled.
- Key finding: “[E]vents of 2020–21 revealed longstanding areas of fragility in the presidential transition process.”
Read the report, “The 2020-21 Presidential Transition.”
Most of NBC’s event announcers for the Beijing Olympics, which open in 15 days, will make their calls from NBC Sports HQ in Stamford, Conn., rather than traveling to Beijing, because of China’s strict COVID rules.
- “NBC’s broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing, but those plans have been canceled,” USA Today’s Christine Brennan reports.
- NBC took a similar approach in Tokyo, but with on-site broadcasters for the most popular sports, including swimming and gymnastics.
🎙️ Prime-time host Mike Tirico will anchor from Beijing from Feb. 3-10, then fly to L.A. to host the next three days and the Super Bowl.
- With Beijing 13 hours ahead of Connecticut, snowboarding analyst Todd Richards told USA Today he’ll be on a “vampire schedule.”
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14.) THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
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15.) THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES
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16.) THE WASHINGTON TIMES
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17.) THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
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18.) ASSOCIATED PRESS
19.) FORT MYERS (FLORIDA) NEWS-PRESS
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20.) CHICAGO TRIBUNE
21.) CHICAGO SUNTIMES
CTA ripped after transit agency head a no-show at City Council hearing
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22.) THE HILL MORNING REPORT
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23.) THE HILL 12:30 REPORT
24.) ROLL CALL
Morning Headlines
CQ Roll Call asked every member of Congress whether they had received a death threat since 2020. Of the 147 who responded, 110 said yes, and death threats were pervasive among both parties: 74 percent of Democrats said they had received one, compared with 77 percent of GOP respondents. Read more…
Hours before Senate Democrats were unable to change their rules to force a vote on top-priority voting rights legislation, President Joe Biden expressed hope that voters would still overcome hurdles to turn out in this year’s midterm elections. Read more…
You don’t notice climate change, until you do
OPINION — The Americans most concerned about climate change also have the most at stake. Sadly, it seems the concerns of disproportionately affected people are as likely to make the news as polar bears searching for food and a place to live before they vanish altogether. Read more…
Did an Arkansas Senate candidate win the Super Bowl?
ANALYSIS — With the NFL playoffs underway, Republican Jake Bequette is trying to leverage his professional football career into a primary victory over incumbent Arkansas Sen. John Boozman. But there’s a question about the Super Bowl victory on Bequette’s résumé. Read more…
Supreme Court allows release of Trump’s Jan. 6 documents to Congress
In a short, unsigned order, the Supreme Court on Wednesday denied former President Donald Trump’s request to stop some White House records from being transmitted to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Read more…
Senators struggle on Russia sanctions as ‘hourglass’ runs low
Senators are feeling hard-pressed to take action intended to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from giving the invasion order as Russia increases its threats against Ukraine by the day, but the Senate calendar poses a challenge to getting anything done in time to impact Putin’s strategic calculus. Read more…
Acknowledging hurdles, Biden ready to split up budget package
In a rare news conference, President Joe Biden acknowledged publicly for the first time Wednesday that his stalled social safety net and climate change mitigation package may have to be substantially slimmed down. Read more…
CQ Roll Call is a part of FiscalNote, the leading technology innovator at the intersection of global business and government. Copyright 2022 CQ Roll Call. All rights reserved Privacy | Safely unsubscribe now.
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25.) POLITICO PLAYBOOK
POLITICO Playbook: Biden breaks up with Bernie
DRIVING THE DAY
DON’T CALL ME BERNIE — There’s a lot to unpack from President JOE BIDEN’s marathon press conference in the East Room, but let’s start with this statement deep into the 1-hour-and-51-minute event:
“You guys have been trying to convince me that I am BERNIE SANDERS. I’m not. I like him, but I’m not Bernie Sanders. I’m not a socialist. I’m a mainstream Democrat, and I have been.”
It wasn’t so long ago when White House aides were happy to promote the fact that Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Budget Committee, wrote the initial Build Back Better legislation in the Senate as a signal to progressives that Biden was truly their champion. The other historical touchstones promoted were FDR and LBJ.
One of the newsiest bits from Biden was his grappling with the reality of how his two biggest priorities would need to be drastically scaled back:
1) On BBB: Biden said that the expanded child tax credit — the most important progressive achievement of his first year — will need to be jettisoned. Ditto for federally subsidized community college.
This reality has sunk in with important parts of the left. “We need to get as much as we can across the finish line,” Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) said Wednesday night when asked about Biden saying that the two issues would be sacrificed. “So we need to do what it takes to get every vote.”
2) On voting rights: As the president spoke, Senate Democrats were hours away from rejecting his pitch to scrap the filibuster to pass sweeping voting reform. But Biden set the stage for bipartisan talks on a much narrower package starting with reform of the Electoral Count Act. “I predict to you they’ll get something done on the electoral reform side of this,” Biden said. “But rather than judge what’s going to get done and not get done, all I can say is I’m going to continue to make the case why it’s so important to not turn the electoral process over to political persons who are set up deliberately to change the outcome of elections.”
SOME NEWS ON THAT — Sen. MITT ROMNEY (R-Utah) gave an update on where those voting rights talks were. Though the White House has never reached out, he said Wednesday night that 10 to 12 senators were involved in talks, and each of them has put together a list of priorities for the legislation. Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine) is going to convene the group this week, according to Romney and Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.), and see where there’s agreement. Even some of the most forceful Democratic advocates for reforming the filibuster to pass sweeping legislation are already lowering their expectations. Sen. ANGUS KING (I-Maine) has been texting with Romney about reforming the ECA.
Manchin seems highly engaged in the effort. “There’s a good win there,” he said Wednesday night as he left the Senate. “I mean, my goodness, that’s what caused the insurrection.”
CHANGE IN LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY BUT LITTLE ELSE — Biden was modest when it came to what he might do differently going forward. He seemed to blame the White House bubble for some of his Year One problems, which he suggested were worsened by the pandemic. His solution, he said, was to get out of Washington more to talk to the public, to bring in more outside experts “from academia to editorial writers to think tanks,” and spend more time campaigning for Democrats.
Every president complains about the White House being a prison. BILL CLINTON famously called it “the crown jewel of the federal penitentiary system.” But Biden has been around a while (36 years in the Senate and eight years as VP) and he often spends three nights a week at home in Delaware, so this was an unusual complaint.
Biden also made it clear he has no plans to break up the four-man band that runs his White House and has served as his brain trust for many years: RON KLAIN, MIKE DONILON, STEVE RICCHETTI and BRUCE REED.
“I’m satisfied with the team,” Biden said.
Ditto for VP KAMALA HARRIS: He sounded determined to run in 2024 and have her on the ticket with him: “She is going to be my running mate.”
SAYING THE QUIET PARTS OUT LOUD — Biden is a far more disciplined speaker than he was a decade ago, but one reason his handlers keep him off stage is that he is often revelatory when he speaks.
He made two massive gaffes at the presser, under MICHAEL KINSLEY’s classic definition of the word: “When a politician tells the truth — some obvious truth he isn’t supposed to say.”
First he said that a “minor incursion” into Ukraine by Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN might not be met with a drastic response from the West. Second, he said that Putin would indeed invade: “My guess is he will move in. He has to do something.” Finally, he added that NATO allies were divided over how to respond: “There are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do, depending on what happened, the degree to which they’re able to go.”
Biden later walked back his comments about a “minor incursion.” And after it was over, the White House quickly issued a cleanup statement: “If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that’s a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies.”
But the damage was done. Our Alex Ward reported, “Source close to Zelensky admin on Biden’s Russia/Ukraine remarks: ‘The fallout [in Kyiv] will be nuclear.’” (Metaphorically.) More from NYT’s David Sanger
Biden committed an equally ominous but no less honest (from his point of view) gaffe when asked about the (then imminent) failure of the Democrats’ voting rights and election reforms package: When it “isn’t passed, do you still believe the upcoming election will be fairly conducted and its results will be legitimate?”
“Well,” he replied, “it all depends on whether or not we’re able to make the case to the American people that some of this is being set up to try to alter the outcome of the election.” Asked to clarify, he added, speaking of the 2022 midterms, “Oh, yeah, I think it easily could be — be illegitimate.”
Until DONALD TRUMP, presidents have always seen guaranteeing trust in elections as a sacred obligation. For a president who says he’s guided by the idea that American democracy must survive its global contest against Chinese autocracy, it was an unusual comment — and one that anti-Trump Republicans immediately seized on to argue that Biden sounded like his predecessor.
Said Sen. BEN SASSE (R-Neb.): “President Biden basically gave Putin a green light to invade Ukraine by yammering about the supposed insignificance of a ‘minor incursion.’ He projected weakness, not strength. If that wasn’t bad enough, he undermined trust in our elections here at home. This isn’t hard: If you’re the President of the United States you affirm public trust in our elections. Sadly, both the current president and the former president repeatedly, pathetically equivocate.”
BEING POTUS IS DIFFERENT — One final takeaway from Biden as he reflected on what he’s learned after a year in the job: Being president is different from his previous gigs.
He ended the press conference with this: “If I made a mistake, I’m used to negotiating to get things done, and I’ve been, in the past, relatively successful at it in the United States Senate, even as vice president. But I think that role as president is a different role.”
Good Thursday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line and tell us what you’ve learned over the last year: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri.
JOIN US — Biden’s legislative agenda is stalled on Capitol Hill, and the Democratic Party faces a key moment of reckoning before election season. Can Democrats reset and resurrect Build Back Better, the party’s $1.75 trillion social spending package? And what’s next on voting issues? Join Rachael for a POLITICO Live interview with House Majority Leader STENY HOYER on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. They’ll talk Hill latest and also dig into Democrats’ prospects for the midterms. Register here to watch live
BIDEN AND HARRIS’ THURSDAY:
— 9:30 a.m.: The president will receive the President’s Daily Brief.
— 11:15 a.m.: Biden and Harris will meet with the infrastructure implementation task force.
— 4:15 p.m.: Biden will meet with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
— 7 p.m.: Biden and Harris will speak at a virtual DNC grassroots event.
Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 1:30 p.m.
THE HOUSE will meet at 9 a.m. to take up the Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act, with last votes expected no later than 1 p.m. Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK will testify before the Agriculture Committee at 9 a.m. House GOP leadership will deliver remarks on Biden’s first year in office at 11 a.m. Washington Gov. JAY INSLEE, Colorado Gov. JARED POLIS, Puerto Rico Gov. PEDRO PIERLUISI and D.C. Mayor MURIEL BOWSER will testify before an Oversight subcommittee about the Omicron variant at 3 p.m.
THE SENATE is in.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
PLAYBOOK READS
JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH
BIG NEWS — The Supreme Court “refused a request from former President Donald Trump to block the release of White House records concerning the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, effectively rejecting Mr. Trump’s claim of executive privilege and handing a major victory to the special House committee investigating the riot,” NYT’s Adam Liptak reports. The court backed an appeals court ruling “that Mr. Trump’s desire to maintain the confidentiality of internal White House communications was outweighed by the need for a full accounting of the attack and the disruption of the certification of the 2020 electoral count.”
— “House Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas White Nationalist Figures,” by NYT’s Luke Broadwater and Alan Feuer
CONGRESS
SCHUMER’S LONG GAME — Burgess Everett and Marianne LeVine explore a question on many political observers’ minds: Why did Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER keep pursuing his risky, obviously doomed filibuster strategy? Part of the answer is that he saw voting rights and election reform as too important not to try to get them passed, and he did succeed in swaying several senators not named Manchin or KYRSTEN SINEMA to change their minds on changing the rules.
Now, our colleagues write, Schumer “has set the table for a future majority with a slightly bigger margin, whether it’s Democratic or Republican, to follow through where he fell short and perhaps go further.”
KNOCK KNOCK, WHO’S THERE? — The FBI confirmed Wednesday it was conducting “court-authorized” activity at Democratic Rep. HENRY CUELLAR’s home in Laredo, Texas. The agency did not provide specifics, The McAllen Monitor’s Valerie Gonzalez reports. “At Cuellar’s home … federal vehicles were seen with cases and other items taken from the congressman’s home as over a dozen agents filed in and out of the residence Wednesday afternoon. Calls made to Cuellar and his office seeking comment have not been immediately returned.”
ALL POLITICS
REDISTRICTING LATEST — The GOP played it safe in redistricting last year, but 2022 could usher in a new level of viciousness in redrawing the lines, Ally Mutnick writes. “While Republicans feel confident they can claim the majority this fall, questions linger over how durable it would be in tougher political environments. To add to their concerns: Democrats have missed no chance to carve aggressive gerrymanders in states like Illinois, Oregon, Nevada and New Mexico that can pose high risk when the party is facing national headwinds, but high rewards in a more favorable climate.”
RAKING IT IN — House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY collected “$9.5 million at a Wednesday night fundraiser in downtown Washington, a major sum that kicks off his drive to win the speaker’s gavel next year,” Alex Isenstadt reports. “The figure is a new record for McCarthy: His previous largest haul at a Washington event was $350,000. … The fundraiser shows how Republican donors are mobilizing ahead of this year’s midterm elections.”
LOOK WHO’S BACK — Former Rep. DONNA EDWARDS (D-Md.) is jumping into the open primary for her old seat today. She’s been a WaPo contributing columnist and NBC/MSNBC analyst in recent years since leaving the House to make an unsuccessful Senate bid in 2016. Her launch video
2022 WATCH — Massachusetts A.G. MAURA HEALEY is planning to run for governor, with an announcement coming as soon as today, per The Boston Globe. The progressive would quickly become the frontrunner in both the primary and general elections. And her entry into the race would likely stop Labor Secretary MARTY WALSH from jumping in too, reports Lisa Kashinsky from Boston.
PLAYBOOKERS
Mitt Romney, reacting to Joe Biden’s press conference, said his wife Ann told him that Biden “said that I was ‘a straight guy’ and someone tweeted that that made Ann happy to know.”
Mark Cuban told our colleagues at POLITICO Nightly, “I think the glaring problem is that there is absolutely zero charisma in the Biden administration.”
Ashley Hinton boasted that “we secured” $829 million in federal funding to restore locks and dams in her state. “This is game-changing for Iowa’s agriculture industry & our Mississippi River communities!” she tweeted. The money, however, was part of the bipartisan infrastructure bill — which Hinton voted against.
William Brodsky, the only person who’s ever defeated Biden in a head-to-head election, was nominated by the president to be a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
Adam Kinzinger welcomed a new baby boy, Christian Adam Kinzinger.
Jen Psaki is going on Fox News today.
TRUMP’S ‘BIG LIE’ OF A GIFT — Every House Republican received a present Wednesday from Donald Trump’s outside group, Save America: a copy of Mollie Hemingway’s conspiratorial book “RIGGED: How the Media, Big Tech and the Democrats Seized Our Election” — along with a signed note from the former president.
“Republican leadership should never have certified the election on January 6, and now Democrats will never stop their assault on America,” Trump wrote. “I hope you find this book informative and encouraging in your battle for the heart of our Nation.”
While Kevin McCarthy led more than 100 House Republicans in objecting to the election that day, the GOP leader has been trying to pivot away from 2020 and focus on Biden ahead of the midterms. But as a House GOP aide who tipped us off said, Trump’s gift is the latest sign that the leader of the party doesn’t want that and expects House Republicans to fall in line.
“Just shows how Trump is continuing to pressure members/Republicans to embrace the Big Lie,” the person said.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Albright Stonebridge Group has added Erik Brattberg as SVP with the Europe practice and Ahmed Khalil as senior adviser with the Middle East and North Africa practice. Brattberg most recently was director of the Europe program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Khalil has worked at Lenovo, Toshiba and Network International.
MEDIA MOVE — Slate’s national correspondent Will Saletan is joining The Bulwark.
TRANSITIONS — Callie Eideberg is now a senior professional staff member for the Senate Agriculture Committee. She most recently spent five years at the Environmental Defense Fund. … Madison Mundy is now regional press secretary for the western region at the DCCC. She previously was comms director on a local campaign in Nassau County, N.Y., and is a Nevada State Democratic Party alum. … Amira Valliani is joining the Solana Foundation, where she’ll be running the policy team and working at the intersection of web3 and government. She’s an Obama White House alum.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) … Kellyanne Conway … Nikki Haley (5-0) … Paul Mandelson of Deloitte … Chip Englander … Robin Roberts of National Media … Bill Maher … Dan Schneider of Rep. French Hill’s (R-Ark.) office … Ian Sams … POLITICO’s Gavin Bade … Soroush Shehabi … CNN’s Diane Ruggiero … Stacie Rumenap … CBN’s Jenna Browder … Ben Watson of Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) office … Emma Thomas of Feldman Strategies … WSJ’s James Grimaldi … CBS’ Maria Gavrilovic and Peter Greenberg … Global Strategy Group’s Tanya Meck … Morton Abramowitz … Sam Dealey of Monument Communications … Jessica Hanna … Purple Strategies’ Alec Jacobs … Paola Ramos … Al Kamen … former Reps. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) and Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) … Michelle Rodriguez … Tracy Russo … Merrill Hartson … Elena Robertson … Andy Taylor … Sophie Trainor … Zack Walz … Elizabeth Ray of Joe Lombardo’s Nevada gubernatorial campaign (25) … Olivia Shestopal … Shannon Bañaga … Sue Gildea (55) … Zach Beecher of C5 Accelerate … State Department’s Carter Allen … Abby Greensfelder
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26.) AMERICAN MINUTE
27.) CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS
28.) CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS
29.) PJ MEDIA
30.) WHITE HOUSE DOSSIER
31.) THE DISPATCH
The Morning Dispatch: Looking Back on One Year of the Biden Administration
Plus: Senate Republicans side with Mitch McConnell in Trump feud
The Dispatch Staff |
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Happy Thursday! You know Democrats’ abolish-the-filibuster-to-pass-election-reform gambit that everyone has known for weeks was going to fail in the Senate? It failed in the Senate.
Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories
- The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected former President Donald Trump’s last-ditch efforts to block the release of White House records to the January 6 Select Committee, concluding the material in question—draft speeches and executive orders, handwritten notes, and call/visitor logs from the post-2020 election period—is not protected by executive privilege. The ruling could also affect former Trump aides, like Mark Meadows, who have referenced executive privilege in their refusal to cooperate with parts of the committee’s inquiry.
- Pfizer representatives said this week that multiple lab tests appear to confirm its oral COVID-19 antiviral, Paxlovid, remains effective against the Omicron variant. As a protease inhibitor, Paxlovid works by hindering the virus’ ability to replicate rather than attacking the virus head on—meaning it theoretically would not be affected by mutations to the virus’ spike protein.
- A Centers for Disease Control study released yesterday found that, prior to the emergence of the Delta variant, vaccinated individuals in New York and California were about half as likely as those with natural immunity alone to be reinfected with COVID-19. After Delta became the dominant strain, however, the unvaccinated with natural immunity were less likely to contract COVID-19 than those who were vaccinated and had no prior infection. The study does not take into account booster doses or Omicron, and one of its authors, Dr. Benjamin Silk, told reporters yesterday vaccination is “still the safest way to protect yourself against Covid.”
- The Biden administration announced Wednesday it will begin distributing 400 million N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile. The N95 masks—which the CDC formally acknowledged last week offer better protection than cloth masks—will theoretically be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers beginning next week, with each adult entitled to three.
- Starbucks on Wednesday became one of the largest companies to announce it is scrapping its proposed COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirement for employees in the wake of the Supreme Court blocking the Biden administration’s OSHA mandate. Chief Operating Officer John Culver said the company will continue to encourage vaccination and boosting, and thanked the “vast majority” of workers who are already fully vaccinated.
- Ravaged by scandal and facing a revolt from within his own party, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday most of the United Kingdom’s “Plan B” COVID-19 mitigation efforts—mask mandates, vaccine passports, work-from-home recommendations—will end next week as daily case counts in the country continue to fall.
- Inflationary pressures are proving persistent worldwide, with both Canada and the United Kingdom reporting Wednesday that consumer prices rose last month at their fastest year-over-year rate (4.8 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively) in approximately three decades. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that prices in the United States rose 7 percent over that same period.
Biden Year One
One year ago today, Joe Biden took the oath of office and told Americans it was a “time for boldness, for there is much to do.”
“We will be judged, you and I, for how we resolve the cascading crises of our era,” he said, referencing one by one the pandemic, climate change, income inequality, systemic racism, geopolitical instability, and national divisions. “Will we rise to the occasion?”
Looking back now, there are two stories you can tell about the first year of the Biden administration. The first—and the one the White House was pushing yesterday—is a story of steady progress on the most important issues in the face of some unexpected headwinds and bad luck. Nearly 6.5 million more Americans are employed today than when Biden took office, wages are up nearly 5 percent, and the unemployment rate has fallen from 6.7 percent to under 4 percent. More than 209 million Americans are fully vaccinated—up from about 2 million last January—and just about anyone else who wants to lower their chances of dying from COVID-19 by a factor of 20 can easily get their shots at one of thousands of locations. Sure, inflation is outpacing those wage gains right now, and sure, the Omicron variant has rendered this winter more like the last one than we’d like, but neither of those phenomena are really Biden’s fault, and they’ll pass sooner rather than later.
“We have faced some of the biggest challenges that we’ve ever faced in this country these past few years—challenges to our public health, challenges to our economy,” Biden said yesterday at the outset of the second solo press conference of his presidency. “But we’re getting through it.”
The second story—and the one accepted by most Americans, if public polling is to be believed—is a story of overpromising and under delivering, of arrogance and stubbornness, of naïvety and being caught flat-footed. The Build Back Better Act and voting reform push have both predictably stalled due to intra-party divisions, despite the White House’s repeated assurances that progress was being made. Signs of out-of-control inflation began popping up last spring, and it took top officials until late in the fall to publicly come around to the severity of the situation. The Afghanistan withdrawal was an unmitigated disaster, and the geopolitical ramifications are already becoming clear in Ukraine, North Korea, and Taiwan. Nearly 2,000 people are still dying from COVID-19 every day due to a highly predictable winter surge, and the administration is just now, this week, sending Americans a couple of at-home tests and N95 masks. Two of the administration’s key public health initiatives were deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and struck down. Illegal border crossings reached all-time highs, as did the murder rate in several cities across the country. Partisan rancor isn’t much better than it was under Donald Trump—if it’s even improved at all.
As much as the White House wanted to use Wednesday’s presser to project that first story, the second one easily supplanted it as White House reporters pummeled Biden with question after question about his administration’s various failures.
Trump Finds Little Support for Ousting McConnell
To the extent that there is a GOP civil war, it’s typically been framed over the past year as a battle for the soul of the party, with former President Donald Trump on one side and Rep. Liz Cheney on the other. While most Republicans have either eagerly re-embraced or reluctantly accepted Trump as the party’s leader following his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and remain in office, Cheney has been waging a (mostly) lonely fight to, in her words, make sure he never gets “anywhere near the Oval Office ever again.”
Trump has shot back plenty, helping to orchestrate Cheney’s ouster from House GOP leadership in May and elevating a primary challenger in Wyoming that, according to one poll last month, is leading the incumbent by nearly 20 percentage points. But the former president—perhaps viewing Cheney as an already vanquished foe—has in recent weeks turned his fire on another Republican leader.
“Mitch McConnell is giving the Democrats victory on everything. What is wrong with this Broken Old Crow?” Trump said last month, days after McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer brokered a deal to raise the debt ceiling and stave off a government default. “He’s hurting the Republican Senators and the Republican Party. When will they vote him out of Leadership?”
“GET RID OF MITCH!” he concluded, removing any doubt as to what he wants lawmakers to do. (Coincidentally, this is the same thing Declan yelled at his TV every NFL Sunday from 2017 through 2020.)
McConnell, 80 next month, has been Senate Republican leader since 2007—the longest such tenure in GOP history—and if he sticks it out through at least 2023, he’ll surpass the late-Democratic Sen. Mike Mansfield as the longest-serving Senate leader of either party. He announced last week he’ll run for another two-year term later this year, and none of his potential successors—Sens. John Thune, John Cornyn, or John Barrasso—made any move to stand in his way.
Worth Your Time
- As highlighted in a Presented Without Comment yesterday, top Democrats are warming to the idea of supporting primary challengers to Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Good luck with that, Henry Olsen writes in his latest Washington Post column. “The fact that [Manchin] and Sinema prioritize the views of their constituents over the views of progressive activists isn’t heresy; it’s democracy,” Olsen writes. “Both senators know they live in precincts where the majority of people don’t sing progressive hymns. The attempt to inspire fear, then, will inspire only hatred and contempt. This is the fatal flaw in progressive strategy. Progressives might be able to enforce their ideology in the ivory towers of Silicon Valley or academia, but it will not work in West Virginia or Arizona. Worse, it will likely alienate those non-progressives whose votes created the Democratic majority to begin with.”
- Matt Yglesias’ latest Slow Boring post details how, contrary to President Biden’s gripes, congressional Republicans have actually been willing to play ball with Democrats at several points over the past year—and argues an acknowledgement of these bipartisan efforts would serve the White House well going forward. “‘Republicans will obstruct everything’ is a good talking point, but it’s not actually true,” he writes, referencing the infrastructure deal, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, the lack of a government shutdown, and more. “And sitting United States senators are aware that it’s not true, so while you can try to trick your audience on Twitter, you can’t actually trick Manchin and Sinema. Not only is [Electoral Count Act] reform a live possibility, but I think that if Democrats are willing to admit defeat on their Freedom to Vote package, there might be a long-term path toward bipartisanship on some of that stuff, too.”
Presented Without Comment
Also Presented Without Comment
China Olympics organizing official says athletes may face punishment for “any behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations”
Also Also Presented Without Comment
Toeing the Company Line
- It’s impossible to know what Martin Luther King, Jr. would have to say about today’s political debates—but that won’t stop partisans from making their best guesses. “The only thing I know for sure is that if Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he’d be 93,” Jonah writes in his latest G-File (🔒). “Everything else is an argument.”
- In Wednesday’s Capitolism (🔒), Scott Lincicome goes after progressives’ “absurd” claims that American grocery stores are even partially at fault for the inflationary pressures we’re all experiencing. “These consistently low profit margins are a good indication that, far from being hyper-concentrated and ruled by greedy, price-gouging fat cats, the grocery business is one of the more competitive and consumer-friendly industries in the country,” he writes.
- Michael Shellenberger made his Remnant debut on Wednesday, joining Jonah for a discussion of his latest book, San Fransicko, on the connection between cities’ progressive governance and rising addiction and mental health crises. What can conservatives do to reverse these trends?
- On this week’s Dispatch Podcast, Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah discuss the Biden administration’s first year, shifting party preferences in a Gallup survey, and whether or not we’re on the precipice of World War III with Russia and Ukraine.
- Up on the site today: Kevin Carroll on how terrorists facilitate attacks from behind bars, Brian Riedl on Biden’s year of big spending, and Matthew Kroenig and Jeffrey Cimmino on Biden’s record on dealing with dictators.
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).
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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
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33.) THE DAILY WIRE
34.) DESERET NEWS
35.) BRIGHT
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36.) AMERICAN THINKER
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37.) LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL
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KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE— As Joe Biden marks a year in office, he has found himself in a perilous position, and there are no obvious signs of improvement. — Among Biden’s challenges is an apparently weakened position among nonwhite voters as well as younger voters, two immensely important pillars of the Democratic coalition. — Inflation has re-emerged as an important problem for what appears to be the first time in decades, and Biden has work to do to persuade the public that he’s taking it seriously. A bleak picture for Biden as first year endsAs we mark the first anniversary of President Joe Biden taking office, his first year has been defined in no small part by the persistence of a problem he promised to solve — the pandemic — and the emergence of a problem he was slow to recognize — inflation. While there are all sorts of other things that have transpired during Biden’s first year in office, his difficulties with these two problems — with the always politically-dicey challenge of high gas prices acting as a subset of the larger inflation issue — likely explain a good deal about Americans’ broadly negative assessments of his presidency. What follows are 5 warning signs for Biden (and Democrats more broadly) having to do with how the public is perceiving his presidency. 1. Biden’s overall job approval has stagnatedBiden’s job approval has been largely stable, but also weak, for the past few months. In the 2 nationally-followed polling averages, RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight, Biden’s disapproval has been consistently over 50% since October. His approval has also been under 45% in both averages since around the same time. While there is variation from poll to poll and day to day, Biden is sitting at an approval in the low 40s and a disapproval in the low 50s. The averages differ in that they include different polls, and FiveThirtyEight models the numbers so that there is less variation over time, while RealClearPolitics is a straight average of the most recent polls (so the latter bounces around a bit more). But the two averages and the individual pollsters that power them have been telling a fairly consistent story for the past few months. It’s possible that Biden’s average numbers will dip in the coming days — there may be some fresh anniversary polling that comes out after we publish this (early Thursday). For instance, Gallup found Biden at a 40%/56% spread in a poll released Tuesday, worse than the averages. What should be disconcerting to the White House is that a year into Biden’s presidency, his numbers do not look that much different from those of the man he defeated in 2020, Donald Trump, at the same time of his presidency. Trump’s overall numbers were a little bit worse at this time 4 years ago — roughly 40% approve/55% disapprove in both averages — but they improved a bit during 2018 to about where Biden is now. One of the hallmarks of Trump’s approval polling was that strong disapproval of his job performance typically was significantly higher than strong approval. The same is true for Biden. Let’s look at a couple of polls from the same pollster, conducted almost exactly 4 years apart. Economist/YouGov found Trump’s approval rating at 42% approve/52% disapprove in a poll conducted from Jan. 14-16, 2018. That included 21% strongly approving of his performance, and 40% strongly disapproving. A poll of Biden’s approval from Economist/YouGov conducted Jan. 15-18, 2022 is not much different: Biden’s approval/disapproval split is 39%/51%, with strong approval at 15% and strong disapproval at 38%. Similar trends show up in other polls. Anecdotally, Biden seemed to have less passionate supporters than Trump but inspired less intense animus among his opponents than his predecessor. But the numbers suggest Trump and Biden are viewed similarly at the year one mark, with strong opposition outstripping strong support. 2. Biden is having trouble with key subgroupsAccording an analysis from the Democratic data firm Catalist, as well as exit polls and granular precinct-level analysis, Joe Biden performed worse with nonwhite voters in 2020 compared to Hillary Clinton’s showing in 2016. Ruy Teixeira, a Democratic electoral demographics expert whom we deeply respect, has sounded the alarm bells for his party in recent items for the publication the Liberal Patriot analyzing Democratic problems with both Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. Broadly speaking, Biden’s numbers with people of color appear to be weak across the board. Let’s put this in some perspective, first. There were 2 major exit polls of the 2020 election. One was from Edison Research on behalf of several major news organizations. The other was from NORC at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Associated Press and Fox News. While they differed somewhat in their findings, they each found that Biden won a little more than 70% of the vote among voters of color (defined here as those who do not identify as non-Hispanic white), while Biden won a bit over 40% of the white vote. Compare that to what some polls are telling us about how Biden is viewed now. Reuters/Ipsos finds Biden with a 45% approve/50% disapprove split, a bit better than the averages. That poll splits respondents into white and nonwhite groups: Biden’s approval split with white adults is 41%/54%, not that different from the white vote overall in 2020. But his approval with nonwhites is just 52%/42% — still positive overall but a steep drop from what the exit polls told us about his level of electoral support with the nonwhite voting bloc in 2020. This has some implications for Democrats if weaker Biden approval among nonwhite voters translates into weaker electoral performance and/or turnout (Democrats often fret about nonwhite turnout in non-presidential election years anyway). For instance, we rate 3 Democratic-held Senate seats as Toss-ups: Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada. The electorates in all 3 of these states have very important nonwhite voting blocs. Though younger voters tend to turn out at lower rates than seniors, Democrats were aided in the 2018 midterms by a relatively engaged youth bloc. But after a year in office, Biden’s standing with the 18 to 29 year-old demographic has weakened. In December, the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School put the president’s approval spread at 46%/51% with voters under 30. According to the estimates from Catalist, Biden carried that group with 62% in 2020. To be sure, Harvard found Trump’s favorables with younger voters are at a horrid 30%/63% spread, and it’s easy to see Biden winning the youth vote handily in a rematch — but that is less relevant for 2022’s elections, as Democrats will not have the luxury of running against an unpopular Trump, although the former president may be active on the campaign trail. 3. Republicans are gaining strengthImmediately after the 2020 election, it may have seemed far-fetched to suggest that, just a year later, Democrats would be struggling in states that Biden had just carried by double-digits — but such was the case in 2021. Though Democrats started the cycle as favorites to hold the governorships of both New Jersey and Virginia, the party’s national image had deteriorated to the point where they claimed only a 51% majority in the former and lost the latter. True, gubernatorial races do not have entirely the same dynamics as federal elections, but it was telling that the Democrats’ showing in both contests represented a roughly 12-point decline from what Biden received in 2020. Partisan identification, though also not a perfect barometer, can also be instructive. According to Gallup’s quarterly tracking poll, Democrats entered 2021 with a 49%-40% identification edge (this includes both those who identify with one of the two major parties or those who indicate a leaned preference even as they identify as independent). By the third quarter of 2021, the parties were about even, and Republicans ended the year with a 47%-42% advantage. Charles Franklin, a pollster at the Marquette University Law School, compiled tracking polls from 3 other pollsters, and all showed erosion for Democratic identification compared to Republican identification last year. Since mid-November, Republicans have been ahead in the House generic ballot averages, although their aggregate advantage has seldom been by more than a few points — the GOP’s lead was 46%-42% at its highest point in RealClearPolitics’s tracker while FiveThirtyEight has generally shown a tighter scenario. Throughout most of 2017, as Trump’s approval rating was firmly in negative territory, Democrats usually posted mid-to-high single-digit generic ballot leads. In Biden’s case, it seems to have taken some time for anti-Democratic sentiments to manifest themselves down the ballot: when Republicans overtook them in November, Biden’s own numbers had already been underwater since late August (and it is not uncommon, historically, for the generic ballot to understate Republican strength, particularly earlier in the cycle). Regardless, and as of this writing, Democrats earn a 42% share in generic ballot aggregates — this matches the president’s approval rating almost exactly. If that number holds (or sinks), it would almost certainly doom the current Democratic majority in Congress. Though every member of Congress will leave eventually, the timing of retirements is often not coincidental. In 2018, the House Republican conference, which had been in the majority since the 2010 elections, suffered from a spate of retirements, and they had to defend roughly double the number of open seats that cycle compared to Democrats. The Republican exodus foreshadowed their rough night in November. This trend has been reversed in 2022, as Democrats have currently suffered about double the number of retirements as Republicans have so far. While a few long-serving Democrats veterans are departing, it may be telling that some Democrats who received more favorable seats in redistricting are still opting to retire. In a majoritarian body like the House, the prospect of serving in the minority may not be appealing. Democrats do have incumbents defending all of their most vulnerable Senate seats — but given the chamber’s current composition, and even if Biden’s approval ratings rise noticeably, Democrats would still have little room for error. 4. Inflation has led to political turbulence in the past…Over the weekend, a new CBS News/YouGov poll pegged the public’s approval of Biden’s handling of an emerging, pressing problem — inflation — at just 30%, well below his overall approval rating in the poll (44%). The Consumer Price Index increased 7% in 2021, the biggest increase since 1982 — a finding that generated considerable news coverage over the past week. That historical note underscores the reality that inflation has not been a major issue in American politics for a long time. Inflation was a persistent problem in the 1970s and early 1980s, with important impacts on 4 presidencies. Richard Nixon imposed wage and price controls to combat inflation in 1971, but inflation was still a problem when Gerald Ford took over for Nixon in 1974. Ford exhorted the nation to “Whip Inflation Now” and promoted “WIN” buttons in asking Americans to fight inflation through their own efforts (it didn’t work). The term “stagflation” — low growth paired with price increases — is historically yoked to Jimmy Carter’s presidency, though it was a problem before he took office, too. And the high inflation of the early 1980s contributed to a challenging electoral environment for Republicans in Ronald Reagan’s first midterm in 1982. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, appointed by Carter and re-appointed by Reagan, is generally credited with breaking the inflation cycle by imposing high interest rates. But we’re not used to inflation being as prominent in American politics, in large part because inflation just has not been that significant recently. The reemergence of that issue is another headache for the Biden White House and Democrats, who were slow to come around to the issue’s importance. One Democrat who does seem immensely concerned with inflation is Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who has used the issue as at least a partial explanation as to why he is hesitant to support the president’s “Build Back Better” social spending package. Pumping more dollars into the economy could only exacerbate the inflation problem, Manchin has suggested. 5. … and the public sees an administration not focused on its top concernsWhether one agrees with Manchin or not, the public does seem to believe that the Biden White House’s focus — which in recent weeks has been mainly on either elections-related legislation or BBB — is not on the issues it is most concerned about, including inflation. In the CBS News/YouGov poll cited above, just 33% of respondents said that Biden/the Democrats are focusing on issues they care a lot about, and 65% said that the Biden administration is not focused enough on inflation as an issue. In comparing Biden’s presidency so far to Barack Obama’s, both Democrats saw major bipartisan legislation pass in their first year: in Biden’s case, it was his infrastructure package, while 3 Republicans in the Senate backed Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan. But later in 2009, Democrats’ focus turned to healthcare reform. While this was a longtime goal of the Democratic Party, voters often did not list healthcare as the nation’s most pressing issue. So as the Affordable Care Act passed along party lines, Democrats seemed to spend their most valuable political capital on an issue that took a backseat to the economy in the minds of many voters — and this became Republicans’ message in their (very successful) midterm. After negotiations stalled on Build Back Better, congressional Democrats are beginning the year with a focus on voting rights — they have also vowed that they have not given up on the former. But both items face uphill battles and are perceived as more partisan than other legislation that passed Congress last year. Republicans, meanwhile, will likely maintain that the administration is more focused on placating Democratic partisans than on curbing inflation or tending to other national priorities. Re-orienting his and Democrats’ agenda on these issues could be helpful to Biden, but that is much easier said than done. Read the fine printLearn more about the Crystal Ball and find out how to contact us here. Sign up to receive Crystal Ball e-mails like this one delivered straight to your inbox. Use caution with Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and remember: “He who lives by the Crystal Ball ends up eating ground glass!” |
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38.) THE BLAZE
39.) THE FEDERALIST
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40.) REUTERS
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41.) NOQ REPORT
42.) ARRA NEWS SERVICE
43.) REDSTATE
44.) WORLD NET DAILY
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45.) MSNBC
46.) BIZPAC REVIEW
47.) ABC
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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 THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022 Good morning, NBC News readers.
Today marks one year since President Joe Biden took office — but the celebrations may be muted as he faces new setbacks and poor poll numbers.
Here’s what we’re watching this Thursday morning. One year ago, President Joe Biden took office with his party in full control of Congress after historic victories in the Georgia Senate runoffs.
The possibilities for change seemed limitless, with Biden pursuing a multitrillion-dollar agenda to tackle a host of economic problems and progressives looking to abolish the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster to pass a range of ambitious legislation.
Now that euphoria has turned to dread as the pursuit of “bold” change runs headlong into harsh realities.
Read more here. Thursday’s Top Stories
President Joe Biden predicted Wednesday that Russia will “move in” on Ukraine, just as the United States launched a fresh effort to resolve the standoff and Moscow continued to mass troops on its neighbor’s doorstep. Conservative activists want schools to post lesson plans online, but free speech advocates warn such policies could lead to more censorship in K-12 schools. The battle is raging over whether the radio spectrum used by the new wireless service poses a risk to the altimeters of airplanes and helicopters. OPINION What matters far more than a well-curated birthing tableau are the baby’s health and the following years of care, writes Terri Gerstein, director of the State and Local Enforcement Project at the Harvard Labor and Worklife Program. Also in the News
Editor’s Pick
Faced with outbreaks that threatened to overshadow next month’s Winter Olympics, officials turned to new measures that have drawn dismay from residents and experts. Select
A bread maker is a versatile kitchen appliance that can also cook pizza dough and soup and bake cakes. One Fun Thing
If you remember Vine, the 6-second video app that brightly but briefly lit up online culture in the last decade, you may also remember Nicholas Fraser.
Back in 2015 he went mega-viral with a short clip of his song “Why You Always Lying?” and spawned an internet meme so powerful he became ubiquitously known as the “Why You Always Lying” guy.
NBC News caught up with him as part of our series of features on former Vine stars and where they are now.
“What made that Vine so successful, and so timeless, is the realness and the simplicity behind its message: Everyone knows someone who lies, and everybody in their life has lied,” Fraser said. “You’re always going to be able to connect that song to somebody.”
Read the full story here.
Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.
If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at patrick.smith@nbcuni.com. If you’re a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.
Thanks, Patrick Smith 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
50.) CBS
51.) REASON
52.) MANHATTAN INSTITUTE
53.) LOUDER WITH CROWDER
54.) TOWNHALL
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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
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63.) AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH
64.) NATIONAL REVIEW
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72.) FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION
73.) POPULIST PRESS
Major news developing and whistleblowers are coming out angry
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TOP STORIES:
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Joe Biden Rocked By New Scandal…Whistleblower Sounds Alarm
-
Biden Gets Worst News Of His Presidency Just One Year In Office
- Fight Breaks Out On Fox News Between Top Stars
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Donald Trump Releases New Major Development
- Liberal Exposed After Funneling Millions to Clintons
- ‘Going To Get Worse’: Rand Paul Issues Chilling Warning…
- ‘That’s Not The Question I Asked’: Reporter Goes OFF on Jen Psaki
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War Breaks Out Between Two Supreme Court Justices… Doesn’t End Well…
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Supreme Court Makes Major Announcement About Christianity Case
- Disturbing Report About Where Biden Has Been Sneaking Off To
- Donald Trump Reveals His ‘Number One’ Priority
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IN DEPTH…
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- CNN: ‘Everyone’ Excited for Hillary Comeback 1 hour ago
- A Year of Democrat Control 2 hours ago
- Gorsuch No Mask? Fake News? 3 hours ago
- Covid: HK to Kill 2,000 Pets 3 hours ago
- Coal Stockpiles Near Historic Lows 3 hours ago
- COVID Less Deadly than Thought 4 hours ago
- Biden faces questions on transparency 1 hour ago
- Wallen Finds Ally After N‑Word Scandal 2 hours ago
- Liev Schreiber on Jon Voight’s politics 2 hours ago
- ‘View’ Veers from Idiotic to Dangerous 2 hours ago
- Four Red States Recover All Jobs 2 hours ago
- Erdogan Warns Russia on Ukraine 2 hours ago
- Enes Kanter Blasts NBA Owner over Uyghurs 2 hours ago
- UK Wage Hikes Zeroed by Inflation 2 hours ago
- Rams Fans Beat Each Other Up 2 hours ago
- France Tries Church Burning Crim 2 hours ago
- Why 2022 Could Be a Year Full of North Korean Missile Tests 2 hours ago
- Iran says much of nuclear deal text is ready 2 hours ago
- Data Shows Large Drop in U.S. Arms Sales 2 hours ago
- Threats of War and Nuclear War as Putin Tries to Revive the Soviet Union 2 hours ago
- China Says It Developed a Heat-Seeking Hypersonic Missile 2 hours ago
- Survey: Global Majority Feel Misled by Media, Business, Political Leaders 2 hours ago
- Two more House Dems retire 2 hours ago
- Emily’s List says no Sinema 2 hours ago
- Dems Target Manchin 2 hours ago
- Putin empties embassy in Ukraine 2 hours ago
- WH withholding DE visitor records 2 hours ago
- Lawmakers Want More Pandemic $ 3 hours ago
- Fauci’s Retirement: $350k a Year 3 hours ago
- Rand Paul: Inflation will get worse 3 hours ago
- Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard 3 hours ago
- Raises to be less than inflation 3 hours ago
- Bookies: 70% Chance GOP Sweeps 3 hours ago
- Mortgage Rates Highest Since ’20 3 hours ago
- Biden Fed nom Raskin climate activist 3 hours ago
- Rand Paul, CDC, & YouTube Suspension 3 hours ago
- WHO chief: Pandemic nowhere near over 3 hours ago
- Vax passports ‘no longer relevant’ 3 hours ago
- Kansas will stop ‘futile’ contact tracing 3 hours ago
- GERMANY RECORD INFECTIONS 3 hours ago
- Unusual warning sign in eyes 3 hours ago
- Mild cases lead to memory issues 3 hours ago
- NY AG: Trump co. misled banks 3 hours ago
- Inflated property values 3 hours ago
- Testimony sought from Don, children 3 hours ago
- J6 comm subpoenas Giuliani 3 hours ago
- How Ray Epps became entangled 3 hours ago
- Senate candidate smokes pot in ad 3 hours ago
- Inside Biden’s declining popularity 3 hours ago
- OSHA Vax Mandate Proves Gov’t Sucks 10 hours ago
- China Wins Gold for Tyranny 10 hours ago
- GOP & DNC can Blow it in Nov 10 hours ago
- Goodbye, Gunny 10 hours ago
- Djokovic Could Set Precedent 10 hours ago
- The Quest to Destroy Work 10 hours ago
- How Can GOP Look Good Despite Media? 10 hours ago
- Americans Sold Out by Govt Insiders 10 hours ago
- Dueling GOP & Trump 10 hours ago
- End of the Roe v. Wade Era? 10 hours ago
- Putin, Ukraine & RUBK Old News? 10 hours ago
- Domestic Violence: Women More? 10 hours ago
- Dec Econ Data shows Biden’s Failed Policies 10 hours ago
- Pfizer Pill Effective Against Omicron 18 hours ago
- Rescue Illinois With AG Candidate Shestokas 18 hours ago
- Ray Epps to speak to J6 comm 19 hours ago
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TOP STORIES:
-
Tucker Carlson Loses It on Air… Had Enough…
- Trump Allies Accuse This GOP Senator of Spreading Fake Rumors of a Trump-DeSantis Feud
-
Joe Biden Rocked By New Scandal…Whistleblower Sounds Alarm
-
Biden Gets Worst News Of His Presidency Just One Year In Office
- Fight Breaks Out On Fox News Between Top Stars
-
Donald Trump Releases New Major Development
- Liberal Exposed After Funneling Millions to Clintons
- ‘Going To Get Worse’: Rand Paul Issues Chilling Warning…
- ‘That’s Not The Question I Asked’: Reporter Goes OFF on Jen Psaki
- War Breaks Out Between Two Supreme Court Justices… Doesn’t End Well…
- Supreme Court Makes Major Announcement About Christianity Case
- Disturbing Report About Where Biden Has Been Sneaking Off To
- Donald Trump Reveals His ‘Number One’ Priority
|
IN DEPTH…
|
- CNN: ‘Everyone’ Excited for Hillary Comeback 1 hour ago
- A Year of Democrat Control 2 hours ago
- Gorsuch No Mask? Fake News? 3 hours ago
- Covid: HK to Kill 2,000 Pets 3 hours ago
- Coal Stockpiles Near Historic Lows 3 hours ago
- COVID Less Deadly than Thought 4 hours ago
- Biden faces questions on transparency 1 hour ago
- Wallen Finds Ally After N‑Word Scandal 2 hours ago
- Liev Schreiber on Jon Voight’s politics 2 hours ago
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Did a friend forward this? Subscribe here. Welcome to the Thursday edition of Internet Insider, where online and offline identities collide. TODAY:
BREAK THE INTERNET When Luna Weber (@lunatheweedwitch) needs to focus, she turns on TikTok Live. Weber lives in the Hudson Valley and runs an Etsy shop. Because she has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), she can find it difficult to get through the boring, administrative tasks required to run her business.
“As long as I can remember, I can’t get those little tasks done,” she tells the Daily Dot. “I always had to have somebody around. Even growing up, like if I had to fold my laundry, my mom had to sit with me.”
Weber, 31, uploads humorous videos and makes content about being neurodivergent on TikTok. But if she needs to hold herself accountable at some point during the day, she’ll begin a live stream. In turn, she invites others with ADHD to join her, setting up a space for them to focus together, virtually.
“It’s a really nice way for me to [work] without feeling like I have to be constantly dependent on the people that are directly here with me,” Weber says. “I can have people out in the internet world who can support me who also need that support in return. It’s a really nice exchange.”
In an unlikely pairing, individuals with ADHD are using TikTok Live to increase their productivity. Creators are branding live streams as “ADHD workspaces,” filming themselves during the workday as viewers tune in to work alongside them online.
For individuals with ADHD, the power of a smartphone has been flipped on its head. Instead of social media being a distraction, it becomes an accountability partner.
Read the whole story here. By Dan Latu Contributing Writer ENTERTAINMENT Today you can bring the big-screen to the comfort of your home for under $1,000. Whether you’re planning to host a Super Bowl party or just want to enjoy the new superhero movie in 4K, we’ve compiled a list of the best home theater projectors worth splurging on. VIRAL SPOTLIGHT In a TikTok posted on Jan. 18, an Amazon customer says she put a sign outside her door asking delivery drivers to dance while being filmed on camera.
“This guy was awesome,” Leah (@its.just.leah) says of an Amazon delivery driver who is seen dancing. “Anyone know him??”
She set the video to Cali Swag District’s “Teach Me How to Dougie.” The driver, @djeli253ent, commented on the video telling Leah to “stay giggin” and thanked her for posting the video. His employer, Amazon, also commented.
“Poppin’ and lockin’ while box droppin’,” Amazon’s TikTok account wrote on Leah’s video. In response, Leah told Amazon that @djeli253ent deserved “a raise.”
The TikTok received over 2 million views, and was received disparately by commenters. Some found it endearing, while others felt the TikToker was asking too much from delivery workers.
“Like they not working hard enough you’re out requesting extra dances,” @crabyapple commented.
Read the whole story here.
DAILY DOT PICKS
SELF-CARE Striving for imperfection This week, I flubbed two recipes. I tried making my mom’s red beans and rice, but my version was too dry and needed more Cajun spice. Then I tried making my friend’s miso-marinated salmon, but mine was too salty. I ended up with edible meals, but they weren’t the same.
Luckily, I’m practicing imperfection. I recently signed up for a 12-week ceramics class. I hadn’t touched clay since middle school, and I had never thrown pottery on a wheel. As it turns out, I’m not great at it. But that’s kind of the point.
Our instructor shows us techniques, but they don’t talk about how to make a perfect bowl so much as how to listen to our bodies. Making pottery can hurt your back, hands, and neck. The lesson is to pay attention and adjust. And as much as my perfectionist tendencies strain against it, the point isn’t to make something perfectly smooth or symmetrical.
The point is to play with clay and make something. In my kitchen, I’m playing with food and flavors to make a meal. And instead of practicing until I make perfect, I’m striving for imperfection.
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Thursday 01.20.22 The FBI says cybercriminals are trying to steal financial information from Americans by creating fraudulent QR codes that look like the ones many restaurants and other businesses are using due to the coronavirus pandemic. These fake codes direct people to malicious websites in order to steal their data or hijack their payments. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day. President Joe Biden speaking during a news conference in the East Room of the White House yesterday. President Biden
President Joe Biden held a news conference yesterday marking his first year in office. In his address, he touted major strides in Covid-19 vaccination efforts, but also the challenges that lie ahead as many priorities in his agenda remain stalled in Congress, including the Build Back Better Act and voting rights legislation. On the topic of Ukraine, where tens of thousands of Russian troops have amassed along the border, Biden predicted Russia “will move in” to Ukraine, citing concerns by the country’s president, Vladimir Putin, even as he acknowledged disunity within NATO over how to respond to a “minor incursion.” Shortly after those remarks, the White House issue a clarification stating that a potential Russian invasion “will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies.”
Voting rights
Senate Democrats suffered a major defeat yesterday in their efforts to pass voting rights legislation — a key issue for the party, which is under pressure to take action ahead of the midterm elections. An attempt by Democrats to change filibuster rules in order to pass a voting bill failed amid opposition from moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. After the vote, Sinema released a statement saying she opposed the change because it would “deepen our divisions” and “risk repeated radical reversals in federal policy.” The proposed rules change — to allow for a “talking filibuster” on the legislation — would have forced lawmakers to come to the Senate floor and speak in opposition. Once those speeches end, the Senate would be able to hold a simple majority vote for final passage.
Capitol riot
The Supreme Court cleared the way yesterday for the release of presidential records from the Trump White House to a congressional committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol. The high court’s order means that more than 700 documents will be transferred to Congress that could shed light on the events leading up to the insurrection. The select committee is seeking those documents as it explores Trump’s role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. That includes his appearance at a January 6 rally in which he directed followers to go to the Capitol where lawmakers were set to certify the election results and “fight” for their county. The documents include activity logs, schedules, speech notes and three pages of handwritten notes from then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows — paperwork that could reveal goings-on inside the West Wing as Trump on the day of the riot.
Coronavirus
With more than 18 million global coronavirus cases reported last week alone, the head of the World Health Organization says there is still no clear end in sight as health care systems remained overburdened by the influx of patients. “This pandemic is nowhere near over,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, adding the next few weeks will be critical for strained health care workers. In the US, about 63% of the total population is fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19, according to data published yesterday from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC experts also say a Covid-19 vaccine for children under the age of 5 could be available within a month. Immigration
The Biden administration defended the use of a controversial Trump-era border policy that allows authorities to swiftly remove migrants encountered at the US southern border. A Justice Department spokesman cited Covid-19 concerns as the main rationale for invoking the policy, known as Title 42. The use of the authority has drawn fierce criticism from immigrant advocates, attorneys and health experts, who argue the policy has no health basis and puts migrants in harm’s way. The United Nations refugee agency has also pushed back on the restrictions. Sponsor Content by SmartAsset Working with a financial advisor is a crucial component of any healthy retirement plan, but most people make these common mistakes when hiring one.
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. Checking in on your New Year’s resolutions Can you believe it’s almost February? If you feel like you’re failing, scientists say you should do less in order to achieve more.
Enormous coral reef discovered off the coast of Tahiti Did you know that only about 20% of the ocean floor has been mapped? There’s still so much left to sea.
A new species of tarantula discovered by Thai YouTube star Apparently, they live in the holes of bamboo plants. (It’s a no for me.)
M&M’s beloved characters are getting a new look Don’t worry, your favorite M&M characters aren’t going anywhere. The company is hoping a few subtle changes will boost their brand alignment.
Japan’s best castles to visit at least once A quiet stroll under blooming cherry blossoms, gazing at Japanese castles. I’ve officially found my next vacation destination. $530,000 That’s the amount of money raised so far by a fundraising campaign set up by Tonga’s popular Olympic flagbearer Pita Taufatofua after a tsunami devastated the island nation following a massive volcanic eruption last week. The disaster also created a plume of ash that covered all of the country’s roughly 170 islands and impacted Tonga’s entire population of more than 100,000 people. “This is one of the most delinquent, utterly irresponsible issue subjects … I’ve seen in my aviation career.”
Emirates president Tim Clark, on the rollout of 5G technology near some airports in the US. Many in the aviation industry are concerned that 5G signals will interfere with the radar altimeter onboard planes. As a result, Emirates airlines canceled flights to nine US destinations yesterday. Brought to you by CNN Underscored These meal delivery services will keep you eating well in 2022 Meal delivery services offer everything from preportioned gourmet ingredients and chef-created recipes to diet-specific, ready-to-heat meals that can be ready in minutes. Here are the best meal delivery services of 2022. The chemistry of caffeine Sponsor Content by LendingTree Your Best Refinance Rates for January 2022 Economists are urging Americans to refinance to take advantage of the lower refinance rates. These low rates are not going to last much longer.
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83.) THE DAILY CALLER
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Daily Digest |
- Biden invites Russian incursion into Ukraine
- Erik the Red Rolls Over In His Grave
- VIP Live Tonight!
- Are the Democrats Becoming a Fascist Party?
- Nick Saban calls on Manchin to support voting bill
Biden invites Russian incursion into Ukraine
Posted: 19 Jan 2022 07:37 PM PST (Paul Mirengoff)During Joe Biden’s lengthy press conference today, the subject of a possible Russian military action against Ukraine came up. Asked what his response to such an action would be, Biden said Russia would be “held accountable,” a meaningless phrase. He added that our response will depend on the scope of a Russian invasion:
“Fight about what to do” with whom? Our NATO allies. As Biden later explained:
But earlier, when the subject of Ukraine first came up, Biden said NATO is united on how to respond to a Russian military action against its neighbor. The initial response basically tells Russia that if it limits its invasion, it won’t face severe consequences. The follow-up tells Russia that NATO isn’t united on how to respond to Russian aggression against Ukraine. Presidents shouldn’t be telling our adversaries that limited aggression against our allies is basically okay. Nor should they be conceding the weakness of our major alliance. One potential defense of what Biden said might be that Russia already knows NATO is divided on the matter of Ukraine and already understands that our response to a limited incursion wouldn’t be severe. Maybe Biden sees a limited incursion as the best case scenario that’s realistic at this point, and was encouraging Russia to limit itself to such an action. But I don’t think that defense works. Otherwise, why did the White House feel the need to clean up after Biden? Jen Psaki handled that thankless task. She said:
But Psaki had to say this precisely because Biden wasn’t clear — or, to be more accurate, was pretty clear that our response to a limited move of Russian forces wouldn’t amount to much. That’s certainly how Ukraine viewed Biden’s statement. CNN reports:
Presumably, Moscow heard what Kyiv did. Perhaps I should also note that when Biden said Russia “will be held accountable,” he was looking down, obviously reading. When he added the part about “a minor incursion,” he had looked up. Thus, Biden may well have gone off-script, as Psaki’s cleanup attempt suggests he did. So too, when Biden, after earlier talking up NATO unity, later talked it down. Vladimir Putin must be pleased to know what Biden really thinks. |
Erik the Red Rolls Over In His Grave
Posted: 19 Jan 2022 04:32 PM PST (John Hinderaker)In recent years, a remarkable amount of attention has been paid to sports teams’ mascots. God forbid that a team be called the Indians, the Redskins, the Redmen or the Fighting Sioux. You can’t be the Bullets, either. But through it all, I have been confident that my home football team’s name, the Vikings, can’t be challenged. Who could possibly complain? I underestimated the Left’s tireless search for micro aggressions. It turns out that naming your team the “Vikings” is indeed problematic:
Several years ago, WWU considered whether the Viking mascot should go, because it was “hyper-masculine” and “aggressive.” Well, yeah. That is kinda the point. This is why we name teams the Lions, Tigers, Bears, Fighting Sioux, Wolves, Falcons, Trojans, Gators, Bulldogs, Bison, and so on. But the current attack on the Viking mascot is different:
It is hard to know what to make of this. The Vikings were, to be sure, Scandinavian and white. But what group of people doesn’t have an ethnicity? Who has ever said that teams named the Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Seminoles, etc. were “exclusive”? And as for gender, there certainly were Viking women. Although, if you want a mascot that is entirely gender-neutral, you may need to go with Bullets.
Does naming your team the Vikings mean that you “idolize conquest”? I think someone is taking the mascot business way too seriously. And as far as “Indigenous communities” are concerned, doesn’t it help that the Vikings raided the British, Irish, Scottish, French, and various Slavic tribes? While serving as the elite guard of the Byzantine emperors? So, are the British and French now granted the privileged status of “indigenous” peoples? Someone should tell them, it could come in handy. Liberals won’t be happy until all teams are named the Anteaters, like U.C. Irvine, or the Aardvarks, Lemurs, Cockroaches, Mudhens, Penguins, etc. Or named after people who have gone down in history on the short end of the stick, without a whiff of conquest or colonialism. Like–well, never mind. I don’t want to offend my Irish friends. (jk) Despite all of that, I think Minnesota’s Vikings are secure, at least for now. Minnesota may be a blue state, but naming your football team the Aardvarks takes liberalism to a whole new dimension. |
VIP Live Tonight!
Posted: 19 Jan 2022 02:04 PM PST (John Hinderaker)Our Power Line VIP Live show will be tonight, starting at 7 p.m. Central time (5 Pacific, 8 Eastern). If you are a VIP member, you will get an email with a link to a live address where you can watch the event and submit your own comments and questions. As always we will talk about the news of the day, and look ahead to the rest of 2022–which, one hopes, can only be an improvement over 2021. We will take questions and comments from VIP members, too. If you are not already a VIP member, you can become one by clicking on the box in the upper right portion of our sidebar. Membership costs $4.80 per month or $48 per year, and gives you access to Power Line Live events, as well as other occasional benefits like videos of Steve’s lectures. You will eliminate most ads on our site. And, most important, by becoming a VIP you support our work. The URL to become a VIP is now: https://subscriptions.powerlineblog.com Please do join us tonight! |
Are the Democrats Becoming a Fascist Party?
Posted: 19 Jan 2022 12:18 PM PST (John Hinderaker)Covid may be mutating into a kinder, gentler form, but there is nothing kind or gentle about the measures that Democrats are prepared to impose on those who disagree with them. Rasmussen finds these shocking numbers: * 59% of Democrats favor legislation that would confine all unvaccinated people in their homes, except in case of emergency. * 48% of Democrats think the government should fine or imprison individuals “who publicly question the efficacy of the existing COVID-19 vaccines on social media, television, radio, or in online or digital publications.” * 45% of Democrats would favor requiring unvaccinated citizens to temporarily live in designated facilities or locations. * 47% of Democrats favor a government program using digital devices to track unvaccinated people to ensure that they are quarantined or socially distancing from others. It is hard to say which of these measures is most outrageous. Confining people to their homes; tracking them digitally to make sure they do not interact with others; being moved to temporary camps if they are unvaccinated–all of these proposals can fairly be described as fascist, and all are supported by either a majority or near-majority of Democrats. But perhaps most chilling is the willingness of 48% of Democrats to throw people in jail who question the efficacy of existing vaccines. In the first place, such thinking evinces a total disregard for the First Amendment and the broader social value of free speech. In the second place, those who question the efficacy of vaccines are right. They don’t keep you from getting covid, they don’t stop the spread of covid, and such effectiveness as they have doesn’t last long. Those facts are, to my knowledge, undisputed, and yet by 48% to 46%, Democrats favor imprisoning those who mention them. It is no surprise that the Democratic Party contains quite a few extremists within its ranks. These data suggest that the extremists represent, viewed optimistically, a plurality of that party. |
Nick Saban calls on Manchin to support voting bill
Posted: 19 Jan 2022 10:17 AM PST (Paul Mirengoff)Alabama’s great football coach Nick Saban, a native of West Virginia, has signed a public letter urging Joe Manchin to support the Senate bill that would force the views of liberal Democrats regarding voting on the states. Saban and Manchin are said to be friends. The letter was also signed by West Virginia-connected sports figures Jerry West, Paul Tagliabue, Oliver Luck, and Darryl Talley. Saban added an important footnote to the letter. According to CNN, he told Manchin that he is not in favor of getting rid of the filibuster because he believes this would destroy the checks and balances we must have in a democracy. The other sports personalities who signed the letter said they “take no position on this aspect of Senate policies,” again according to CNN. Even if Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema were to back the voting legislation, it wouldn’t be enacted as long as the filibuster remained in place. Trying to smuggle the voting bill into “reconciliation” legislation wouldn’t work because the Senate parliamentarian stands in the way. Has Saban read and carefully considered the voting legislation he endorsed? I don’t know, but assume he has. Is there anything wrong with Saban expressing his opinion on the subject to Manchin? No. Is his opinion and that of a few other personalities who once had a connection to West Virginia entitled to anything like the weight of West Virginias, not to mention Manchin’s own considered view? Of course not. |
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January 18, 2022
On Tuesday’s Mark Levin Show, the framers spent 5 months in Pennsylvania figuring out how to form a government since the Articles of Confederation were a failure. The new nation was in debt and states were unfairly levying taxation on one another. Enter the founding of the Constitution by well-read men who understood the fall of Rome and were informed by their predecessors and contemporaries like John Locke, Montesquieu, and Sir Edmund Burke. They had challenges over slavery, mob rule, representation in Congress, and many other issues of where they reached compromise but agreed that the federal government should not have plenary power of election, but rather that the states should. Then, the Democrat party is the party of the KKK, racism, and segregation. They were that way during the civil war, and they are that way today. Chuck Schumer and his razor-thin majority will peddle every lie they can to convince people that the Democrats’ voting bill does something more than weaken a citizen’s right to vote. Later, Nancy Pelosi’s January 6th select committee is said to be weighing whether or not it can cook up some federal charges against former President Trump to prevent him from holding public office ever again. Such charges are purely political as there is no basis for such allegations. Afterward, Schumer’s daughters work for Amazon and Facebook while Schumer is overseeing antitrust legislation that affects both tech giants, according to the New York Post. This raises substantive concerns over ethics and the appearance of improprieties as Schumer has the ability to kill this legislation before there’s even a vote on it.
THIS IS FROM:
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Sen Schumer: Trump’s Republican Party Is Trying To Take Away The Vote From Black, Brown People
The Hill
Democrats see good chance of Garland prosecuting Trump
Washington Examiner
Jan. 6 panel member floats 14th Amendment as way to bar Trump from holding office
Washington Examiner
Flip: More adults identify as Republicans, giving biggest edge in 25 years
Red State
Ron DeSantis Goes Yard on Florida Republicans Looking to Surrender on Redistricting
American Spectator
Trump Supporters Swarm Pennsylvania GOP Senate, Gubernatorial Debate
NY Post
Schumer’s daughters work for Amazon, Facebook as he holds power over antitrust bill
Powerline Blog
The New York Times Does Trump Vs. DeSantis
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Fentanyl is the leading cause of death, ages 18-45.
Great story about William Lee.
Biden’s speech yesterday was lie after lie. He said a little invasion of Ukraine is probably okay. This man could get us into war. He also said he outperforms and the answer to inflation is to spend more. Questions were soft.
Democrats are moving for all power in government but Sens. Manchine and Sinema stopped it — yesterday at least.
CDC notices natural immunity.
NPR would rather paint Justices as liars than admit they lied.
NY sued for systemic racism against whites.
England stops all mandates by March.
Sen Manchin Killed the Biden Agenda TodayJoe Manchin (D-WV) stopped Biden’s anti-democratic agenda on Wednesday, and he strongly condemned the “perilous” filibuster change. The hard-left progressives saw the man with dementia in the Oval Office as… | |
CDC Admits Natural Immunity Protects Best Against Delta Over VaxDuring America’s last surge of the coronavirus driven by the Delta variant, people who were unvaccinated but survived Covid were better protected than those who were vaccinated and not previously… | |
Biden Doesn’t Know He’s Governing to the Left — Thinks He OutperformsBiden was completely out of touch during his speech this afternoon, and he read every bit of it off the teleprompter. He called on reporters in order and was able… | |
NPR Lies Even After Their Fake Justice Gorsuch Mask Story ImplodesNational Public Radio, NPR, allowed writer Nina Totenberg, to write a completely false mask story intended to smear Justice Neil Gorsuch and politicize and divide the Supreme Court. Legal affairs… | |
SCOTUS Refused to Block the Release of DJT’s Records to J6 Witch HuntersThe Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected former President Trump’s bid to block a trove of his administration’s records from being handed to the Jan. 6 House committee. The ruling came in… | |
Brandon Gave a Crazy Speech, Oh, and Russia Can Invade a Little BitBiden gave his second presser in a year and he lied. He said wages are rising. The only problem is that with inflation, any increases are wiped out. Besides, he… | |
Which Communist Inspires Democrats – Hugo or Cesar Chavez?Hakeem Jefferies slipped and said the voting bills were inspired by Hugo Chavez. He quickly corrected himself and corrected Hugo to Cesar Chavez. It seems he was right the first… | |
Ex-Dem: Dems are “Anti-American”, People Are Leaving in DrovesA Republican running for governor of Nevada switched from the Democrat Party because he says it no longer represents America’s core values. North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee became a Republican last… | |
Brianna Kupfer’s Killer’s on the Run as Her Father Talks About His Dead Child – UpdateUpdate: The alleged vicious killer was caught in Pasadena this afternoon. Young Brianna Kupfer was slaughtered by a career criminal while she worked alone in an upscale furniture store in… | |
CNN Does Venezuela in a Truly Stupid Article About Price ControlsCNN Business wants to know if the government should control the price of food and gas. Why? Because Vincent Maduro in Venezuela and the Castro Brothers in Cuba did it… | |
Fentanyl Is the Leading Cause of Death, Ages 18-45, How Many Have to Die?The newest numbers for 2021 show fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for ages 18 to 45. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show it killed nearly twice… | |
@Jack Shares a Video Warning of InflationTwitter’s @Jack shared Canadian conservative MP Pierre Poilievre’s video explaining and warning about the inflation Canadians face . He explained the evolution of currency throughout history. Poilievre’s video has over… | |
NY Sued for Systemic Racist COV Rules Depriving Whites of TreatmentAmerica First Legal filed a lawsuit against the state of New York for refusing to stop using race in determining which people should receive monoclonal antibodies. It is a crucial treatment for COVID-19… | |
William Lee: The Patriotic Devotion of Washington’s ConfidantWilliam Lee: The Patriotic Devotion of Washington’s Confidant and Bodyguard in War and Peace By Paul Dowling “If Billy Lee had been a white man, he would have had an… | |
England to Drop All Mandates – Masks-Vax-Work Mandates, Quarantines, PassportsOn Wednesday, prime minister Boris Johnson, who is under enormous pressure, announced vaccine mandates and work restrictions would soon be lifted — in March at the latest. “People in England… | |
What Gives? 28 Top 100 Songs Are Oldies, New Ones Not Catching on!Showbiz411 reports that nearly one-third — actually 28 — of the top 100 iTunes are oldies. Some aren’t even Golden Oldies. They want to know what gives. The late great… | |
CNN Weird Guy Jeffrey Toobin Suggests Kamala for SCOTUSPerv and CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin suggested some names to take Justice Breyer’s place should he retire. Democrats are trying to push Justice Breyer out partly because of his age… | |
Dr. Fauci Seemed to Tell WEF That We’ll Never Go Back to Normal“Living in greater harmony with nature will require changes in human behavior as well as other radical changes that may take decades to achieve,” Dr. Fauci had once said. Speaking… | |
Texas Synagogue Terrorist Mourned in BlackburnThe Colleyville terrorist, who held four innocent Jewish worshippers, including a Rabbi, hostage for 11 hours, allegedly acted alone. Our leaders, including those of the FBI, say there’s really not… |
105.) DC CLOTHESLINE
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106.) ARTICLE V LEGISLATORS’ CAUCUS
107.) BECKER NEWS
108.) SONS OF LIBERTY
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109.) STARS & STRIPES
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110.) RIGHT & FREE
Months after the infrastructure bill became law, we found this lurking inside it. Omicron spreads. The media say, “Governments must act!” Many have, bringing back mask mandates and closing schools. Do these rules work? No. My new…
‘There was nowhere for people who thought and felt like I did about the virtues and values and morals of being a good American. It was time to leave.’
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111.) UNITED VOICE
112.) THE DAILY SHAPIRO
113.) INSURGENT CONSERVATIVES
The nation is in the middle of a pandemic that is becoming endemic as the omicron variant lessens serious cases. This past week, the Centers for Disease…
Unvaccinated people who have had COVID-19 are at least three times less likely to become infected again than vaccinated people who have no natural immunity, a newly released CDC study found.
Democrats will do whatever they can to take over American elections.
Insurgent Conservatives
PO Box 8161 Greenwood, IN 46142
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114.) WAKING TIMES
115.) UNCOVER DC
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116.) DC DIRTY LAUNDRY