TOP NEWS: Rail Workers Blame Fiery Train Crash in Ohio on Wall Street Profit-Seeking

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February 07, 2023 Top News

New Report Unpacks Dangers of Emerging Military Tech, From AI Nukes to Killer Robots "While the media and the U.S. Congress have devoted much attention to the purported benefits of exploiting cutting-edge technologies for military use, far less has been said about the risks involved." Brett Wilkins Rail Workers Blame Fiery Train Crash in Ohio on Wall Street Profit-Seeking "Do not let this thing be normalized," said one railroad worker. "It's time to take back our rail system from greedy profiteers who externalize risks and reap profits at our expense." Jake Johnson French Workers Erupt Again to Fight Macron's Assault on Pensions "Retirement should be a second life, not a waiting room for death," said one pensioner. Kenny Stancil Mandela Barnes Launches PAC to Help Candidates Abandoned by Democratic Establishment "Too often, fairly or unfairly, the questions of 'Can this person win?' and 'Does this person have what it takes?' come up," Barnes said. "Sometimes those questions aren't always asked in good faith." Julia Conley Sanders to Join Rail Workers in Fresh Demand for Paid Sick Leave "A worker should not be fired for going to the doctor. Yet it is 2023 and railroaders are fighting for sick leave in the richest country on Earth," said one rail union leader. Jake Johnson Google Targets Low-Income People With Ads for 'Fake Abortion Clinics': Study "Lower-income women are being targeted, and they're the ones that are going to suffer the most." Kenny Stancil Fueled by Industry Pollution, Superbugs Could Kill 10 Million People Per Year by 2050: UN "Antimicrobial resistance is one of the definitive challenges of our times," said one U.N. leader. "Getting a grip on environmental pollution is critical." Julia Conley 'Amazing News': EU Proposes Ban on Toxic 'Forever Chemicals' The proposal treats the PFAS family of chemicals "as the public health menace it is," said one advocate.  Julia Conley VIEW ALL NEWS

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Opinion

Why the States Have a Major Role to Play If We Want Tax Justice If we want more tax fairness from coast to coast, let's push back on the destructive proposals to cut already-too-low taxes on wealthy people and corporations. Amy Hanauer A Biden Strategy to Get Debt Ceiling Ruled Unconstitutional This is a proposed pathway to counteract the Republican Party's economic terrorism. Miles Mogulescu Looking Down on This Poverty-Soaked World From Atop Mount Davos If poor people could unite to form a new political alliance across the lines that historically divided them, they would be uniquely positioned to lead a broad and powerful human-rights movement that confronted militarism, racism, and economic exploitation together. Liz Theoharis The Promise and Failure of Zionism It is only through justice and equality that the Jewish homeland can become what so many hoped and dreamed it would become. Sheena Anne Arackal VIEW ALL OPINION

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Amy Coney Barrett backstabs Republicans in Nov surprise

 

It's Our Democracy!

Today’s Action: Get out the vote for Democratic Senate candidate Mandela Barnes!

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Today's Top Stories:

Surprise! Amy Coney Barrett backstabs Republicans days before the election
The right-wing justice took a break from undermining basic freedoms and blocked a conservative group from sabotaging Biden's $400 billion student loan forgiveness plan in a transparent if much appreciated attempt to maintain the court's paper-thin illusion of impartiality.

Take Action: Impeach Clarence Thomas for hiding corrupt payments to his wife!

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VIDEO OF THE DAY: Oprah shakes up Pennsylvania Senate race with huge announcement
The media mogul may have given the New Jersey resident his start on TV many years ago, but turned her back on the dog-murdering Republican in epic fashion.

Take Action: Charge Dr. Oz for killing and cruelly abusing hundreds of dogs!

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Don't let them erase our history!
National Women's History Museum: It's no secret that some politicians are actively trying to erase women's rights and the battles that won them. National Women's History Museum is fighting back to ensure that the vital lessons of the past are preserved and our equal rights restored for future generations. Please chip in today to support their vital work!

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DOJ considering special counsel, staffing-up for possible Trump indictment
Attorney General Merrick Garland is preparing the ground for a post-midterm climax of 1/6 related investigations into the insurrectionist ex-president, including the potential unprecedented indictment of a former commander in chief.

Take Action: Keep Trump off Facebook!

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Judge who tried to block abortion rights helped his ex-wife get an abortion in college
Alyssa Jones, the ex-wife in question, told reporters that her then-boyfriend Judge Brian Zahra flipped through the Yellow Pages looking for abortion clinics when she told him she was pregnant. He even made the appointment! Abortion for me but not for thee is the cynical reality of the GOP's "pro-life" stance.

Take Action: Demand Congress enshrine abortion protections into law!

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Trump to announce 2024 campaign launch less than one week after midterms
Incredibly exasperated sigh turns to growl turns to profusive vomiting.

Take Action: Investigate Trump for stealing nuclear secrets!

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Marjorie Taylor Greene pledges to end Ukraine support if GOP retakes congress
This isn't our spin, folks. This comes directly from the horse's mouth, as MTG promised Friday that, “under Republicans, not another penny will go to Ukraine. Our country comes first. They don’t care about our border or our people.”

Take Action: Compel Marjorie Taylor Greene to testify before the January 6th committee!

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Michigan Democrats on verge of STUNNING development
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen: Whoa.

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October jobs report beats expectations, unemployment remains at historic lows
Even after half a year of war in Ukraine, OPEC collusion, historic interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, and Republicans rooting for a recession, the economy under Biden and the Democratic congress continues to show strength as 261,000 jobs were added in October and unemployment remained well under 4%.

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Trump loyalist Kash Patel offered immunity for stolen Mar-a-Lago document testimony
The advisor of the scandal-ridden ex-president told right-wing media outlets this summer that all documents taken to Mar-a-Lago were declassified by Trump, despite any evidence or paper trail. Patel was finally compelled to testify before a federal grand jury Thursday, though his lawyer denies any "deal" was reached.

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Workers sue Twitter after massive culling that is almost certainly illegal under federal law
The Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires at least 60 days advance notice of layoffs affecting more than 50 employees, which would be many many days more than the 1-day warning Musk gave employees at Twitter. Are we sure this guy's really a business genius?

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Seriously?

Ron DeSantis rolls out ad saying God created him "on the 8th day" to fight for Republicans

US Air Force claims pilots were not trying to draw penis in the sky

Fox News morning show host offers shocking defense of Paul Pelosi attacker

Oath Keeper leader admits during trial that he supports the "right to riot"

Finland’s "Party Prime Minister" cleared after investigation into viral videos of her dancing with friends

Seriously.

US Air Force claims pilots were not trying to draw penis in the sky

NBA star suspended over not apologizing for anti-Semitism loses Nike deal

18 cases of voter intimidation already under investigation in Arizona

Judge shoots down My Pillow Guy's attempt to reclaim seized phone

Private equity firm caught trying to shoplift $4 billion from supermarket chain before sale

Hope...

GoodGoodGood: Awesome Socks Club raises millions for healthcare in impoverished nations

New computer chip can transmit twice the internet's traffic in a second

Paraglider spots woman trapped on sinking car and saves her life

State-of-the-art movie studio powered by solar panels opens in the UK

Study shows psychedelic mushrooms effective against depression

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Today’s Action: Get out the vote for Democratic Senate candidate Mandela Barnes!

Polls leading up to the election have shown incumbent Republican Senator and noted coup-enthusiast Ron Johnson with a razor-thin lead over his progressive Democratic challenger, Mandela Barnes. With control of the US Senate hanging in the balance this Tuesday, we need every available progressive to step up and help Barnes defeat Johnson on November 8th. Phone banking is one of the best ways that you can help get out the vote in this upcoming election — luckily, plenty of organizations are still hosting virtual events you can join right from your couch! Barnes has been polling neck and neck with the Trump lackey throughout the summer. You can be the difference-maker this election!

The margin of error for retaining Democratic control of the House and Senate is far too close for comfort. You don’t have to be a seasoned professional or a registered voter in Wisconsin to join this fight. Just be ready to do good work!

Working Families Party is hosting a text banking for Mandela Barnes TODAY from 4-6PM EDT. If you have the capacity to attend, the voters you reach could push Barnes over the top and help secure a crucial Democratic pickup in the Senate.

Our work does not stop in Wisconsin. There are progressives all across the country that need your help getting out the vote. Filter through virtual phone and text-banking events through Mobilize. Critical issues and fundamental freedoms are on the line this election, including reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, gun safety initiatives, and climate mitigation — everything we’ve worked so tirelessly for. Do your part for a truly progressive future!

PS — Please don't forget to sign the petition to demand the FBI reopen the investigation into Brett Kavanaugh, and be sure to follow OD Action on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

 @advocacy | 1002 Hull St., Louisville, KY 40204

POLITICO NIGHTLY: Fed-resistant inflation punishes Dems

 

View in browser   BY BEN WHITE Rate hikes have arguably contributed to mortgage rates increasing to 20-year highs, thus making buying a new home out of reach for many Americans. | Allison Dinner/Getty Images TAKE A HIKE — So far this year, the Federal Reserve has taken out its giant sledgehammer (interest rate hikes) and bonked the economy on the head five times to try and beat down the kind of nasty spike in inflation not seen since “E.T. the Extraterrestrial” topped box charts in 1982. It’s all done … well, pretty much nothing. Consumer price data for the month of September released today showed so-called core inflation — which strips out volatile food and energy — rising to 6.6 percent from the same time last year, the hottest pace since E.T. gobbled up all those Reese’s Pieces (Google it, very young people). Headline inflation including food and energy rose at an 8.2 percent pace, down but only by a hair from 8.3 percent last month. What Chair Jerome Powell and the Fed care about is the core number . And despite the five rate hikes totaling 3 percent this year, the Fed has made essentially no progress in slowing broad-based inflation that is especially acute in rents and services, including health care and transportation. Core inflation rose 0.6 percent in the month of September, just as it did in August. What does this all mean? Well, first it means the Fed will keep raising interest rates at a rapid clip, including three-quarters of a point (at least) at its meeting next month. Second, it means that Democrats hoping for more relief from voter anger (and GOP attack ads) over inflation before the midterms are not going to get it. While the party could still somehow manage to overcome electoral history and economic misery and hold onto the House and/or the Senate, it will have to rely on swing voters animated by abortion, fear of the Donald Trump-dominated GOP and other issues to do it. Because the economy — despite rock-bottom unemployment of 3.5 percent — is going to remain an ugly, dead weight slung around their necks. Not only have the Fed rate hikes thus far done nothing to trim demand and tame prices, they have arguably pushed in the other direction, jacking up mortgage rates to 20-year highs near 7 percent, thus making buying a new home out of reach for many Americans. That, in turn, has helped drive up rents. The owners’ equivalent rent index jumped 0.8 percent in September, the largest monthly increase since June 1990, when the Internet did not exist and the Washington NFL team actually won games. In other words, congrats, younger Americans! You can’t afford that house. But worry not! You also get to pay insanely high rent. Fed officials and economists in general still argue that inflation as measured by CPI probably peaked in June at 9.1 percent. And they point to other measures, like producer prices and surveys of businesses showing less-messed-up supply chains, to suggest inflation pressure is really easing more than backward-looking numbers like CPI show. They may be correct. But it’s not a lock. And while the Fed really just has that one blunt instrument at its disposal, the economy appears to be screaming out for structural reforms, especially on housing and immigration. Many economists argue that reduced legal immigration during the Trump years and a more stringent approach to undocumented workers helped make an already tight labor market even tighter, driving up employer costs and overall inflation. There is also nowhere near enough housing supply to exert downward pressure on prices. These are broader issues we can discuss another time. The Biden administration is trying to address some of them with industrial and “care economy” policies. But that’s a long-term project. Republicans, meanwhile, mostly want to focus on the supply side of the economy, meaning slashing taxes and regulations on businesses, especially energy producers. While this plays out, the Fed will keep using its sledgehammer until unemployment starts to rise, wage pressures ease, consumer and business demand falls and prices drop back toward the central bank’s annual goal of inflation around 2 percent. And as it swings away, the risks of bashing the economy into serious and prolonged recession rise. OK, so if the news was so bad, why did Wall Street whipsaw from crashing at the open today to closing sharply higher? The short answer is: Who knows? Wall Street is weird. It’s fun to try and assign a rational reason for a single day’s trading. But also largely impossible. Among potential reasons: hope that the U.K. is rethinking its wild tax cut plans; general seller fatigue after days of declines; and a belief that the Fed will hike so much that it causes a sharp recession and has to start cutting again (sounds crazy, I know). While we wound up on the good side of the swing today, this kind of volatility is usually a sign of broader dangers ahead. It’s certainly not easy on anyone’s nerves. And continued uncertainty over (among many other things) inflation, the Fed and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine promise more roller coaster days ahead. And the possibility of flying right off the rails. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com. Or contact tonight’s author at bwhite@politico.com or on Twitter at @morningmoneyben.   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.     JANUARY 6 ROUNDUP The Jan. 6 select committee voted unanimously today to subpoena Donald Trump. It’s a remarkable bid to tie up one of its last remaining threads, but the move is unlikely to successfully compel the former president’s testimony, write Nicholas Wu and Kyle Cheney. “It is our obligation to seek Donald Trump’s testimony,” the panel’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said before the vote. “There’s precedent in American history for Congress to compel the testimony of a president.” Committee vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) described securing the testimony of “Jan. 6’s central player” as “a key task” that remains unfinished. Yet even though members of Trump’s closest inner circle, like his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have testified to the Jan. 6 panel, it’s far from clear that the former president — who has routinely denounced their work — would comply with a summons. Watch the highlights: — Unseen footage of congressional leaders while Capitol was breached — Internal records show Secret Service was warned of possible violence, attack on Capitol — Milley alleges Trump ordered troops withdrawn from Afghanistan, Somalia   LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today.     POLL WATCHER 48 percent The share of likely voters in competitive congressional districts who support a generic Republican House candidate, compared with 43 percent who support a generic Democratic House candidate, according to a new poll from CNN . Nationwide, 47 percent support a generic Republican House candidate while 50 percent back a generic Democrat. WHAT'D I MISS? — Supreme Court rebuffs Trump in Mar-a-Lago docs fight: The Supreme Court today turned down Trump’s request to step into the legal fight over documents the FBI seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate . The former president was seeking an order to return about 100 documents with classification markings to a review process a “special master” is conducting of more than 10,000 documents the FBI took during the Aug. 8 search of Trump’s home. — Trump Organization assets should be frozen, New York attorney general asks court: Attorney General Tish James asked a state court today to freeze the Trump Organization’s New York assets and install an independent monitor in her civil suit targeting the former president and his real estate business. James alleged last month a years-long scheme to fraudulently overvalue the Trump Organization’s portfolio by billions of dollars. And today, she warned the state Supreme Court that Trump might be shifting his holdings outside of New York — and the reach of its courts. — Transported migrants may be on a path to citizenship because of DeSantis flights: This week, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the San Antonio area and previously opened an investigation into the flights, agreed to certify that the migrants had sufficiently cooperated with its investigation into DeSantis’ plans to fly migrants out of state. The migrants first flown to Martha’s Vineyard are now eligible to apply for “U” visas, a kind of immigration status for victims of certain crimes that occur on U.S. soil. AROUND THE WORLD People hold signs and chant slogans during a protest against the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini and the government of Iran in Istanbul, Turkey. | Chris McGrath/Getty Images TOUGH TALK — Iran this week privately pressured EU diplomats to abandon sanctions against Tehran over its lethal crackdown on protesters, warning diplomats the move may rupture Europe’s ties to the country, writes Stephanie Liechtenstein, Jacopo Barigazzi, Hans von der Burchard and Paul de Villepin. “If Europe misses taking the nuances of the current situation into consideration, the ramification will be grave and the bilateral relations may not survive it,” warned one letter — sent to a group of EU ambassadors and seen by POLITICO — which details an alternate, Tehran-friendly narrative disconnected from numerous reports coming out of Iran. The EU is expected to soon hit Iran with penalties for its deadly suppression of the protests that have erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Iranian police have killed dozens of protesters and wounded or arrested thousands more, according to human rights groups. The pressure campaign comes at a turbulent moment for Iran. The recent uprising has only surged as it enters its fourth week, defying authorities and security services. Protesters have expanded their demands, calling for the ouster of Iran’s Islamic Republic. The U.S. has responded to the outburst with fresh sanctions targeting Iran’s morality police. The EU is now looking to follow suit, aiming to adopt a package of penalties at a foreign affairs ministers’ meeting on Monday. EU capitals have vowed to move ahead regardless of any Iranian pressure. DEFENSIVE POSTURE — The U.S. and its NATO allies are racing to assemble air defense shields both for Ukraine and for Europe as a whole, facing down complex issues from timing to getting systems to work together, as bombs rain down on civilians in Kyiv, writes Paul McLeary. The renewed Russian cruise missile campaign on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian targets came as NATO leaders gathered in Brussels this week, and as images of bloodied civilians poured out of Ukraine. The response from NATO allies was swift. Germany announced the first delivery of a new air defense system, and France and Spain pledged new donations to knock Russian missiles and new Iranian-made suicide drones out of the sky. At the same time, 14 members of the alliance — plus Finland — announced an ambitious effort today to build a new, interlinked missile defense system that spreads across the continent, something officials said was critical after seeing the violence Russia has loosed on Ukrainian cities. NIGHTLY NUMBER 8.7 percent The percentage that Social Security benefits are set to increase by in 2023 . That’s a historic hike and welcome news for American retirees and others — but it’s tempered by the fact that it’s fueled by record high inflation that’s raised the cost of everyday living. The cost-of-living adjustment means the average recipient will receive more than $140 extra per month beginning in January. RADAR SWEEP KEEP IT PG — Since the rise of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi to prime minister in India, the country has gone through something of a remaking. It’s easy to see in many sectors of the economy, including in Bollywood. Filmmakers are being directed away from any lewdness or depiction of depressing headlines or real world events on-screen by Modi’s political party. Samanth Subramanian reports for The New Yorker. PARTING WORDS Former President Barack Obama in 2016. | Zach Gibson/Getty Images BRING IN THE CAVALRY — Trailing and hoping for a campaign jolt, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Wisconsin, is calling for reinforcements, write Christopher Cadelago and Holly Otterbein. Barnes’ campaign has privately reached out to former President Barack Obama’s team to get the former president on the trail in the closing days of his challenge to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, two people familiar with the outreach told POLITICO. Democratic officials helping to coordinate midterm campaigns in the state also are in touch with other party luminaries about upcoming visits. Among other proposals, Wisconsin Democrats have discussed bringing in President Joe Biden, two people familiar with the conversations said. They are in various stages of planning with Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Sanders is traveling to Wisconsin in the coming weeks, according to a person familiar with the trip, though it’s unclear if he will appear with Barnes and the person did not provide any further details. The desire among Barnes and Wisconsin Democrats to bring in national figures during the campaign’s stretch run reflects anxiety within the state that the chance to flip the Senate seat may very well be slipping away. The thinking inside Barnes’ camp, two of the people familiar with it said, is that he is already getting pummeled for his ties to out-of-state Democrats, so he might as well try and capitalize on their celebrity and ability to excite potential voters. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Naomi Andu @naomiandu   FOLLOW US

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