America in Focus: Recent Episodes
America in Focus
A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week, commentary from The Center Square editors and more! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
A New York jury convicted former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts last week, but so far it seems to have done little to dampen Trump's electoral hopes. The conviction naturally raised the question of whether they would topple Trump’s 2024 White House bid. For now, the answer appears to be no.
A Delaware jury convicted President Joe Biden's son of gun charges on Tuesday, marking the first-ever criminal conviction of a president's son. Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden in September 2023 in federal court in Delaware on three counts tied to the possession of a gun while using drugs. Two of the counts involve allegations that he allegedly lied on a form attesting that he was not using illegal drugs when he bought a .38 Special Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018. The third count alleges that he possessed a firearm while using illicit drugs.
Former President Donald Trump has kicked off a western U.S. campaign tour, stopping in Phoenix on Thursday. Though the rally was held indoors at the Dream City Church, the heat outside of the event sent several people to the hospital, according to multiple news reports. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning until Friday night for the Phoenix area, noting highs reaching near 110 degrees later in the day. Like previous events held at the church, Thursday's event, which was held by Trump-allied Turning Point Action, was expected to draw upward of 3,000 people.
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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_16d295b0-2461-11ef-9608-571bae01b13d.html
President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced what he dubbed a border security plan – five months ahead of the November election and after at least 11 million foreign nationals illegally entered the country since his inauguration. At a news conference at the White House, Biden said, “I’ve come here to do what Republicans in Congress have failed to do, take the necessary steps to secure our border. … Today, I’m moving past Republican obstruction and using executive authorities available to me as president to do what I can on my own to address the border.” The president said that foreign nationals illegally entering the country between ports of entry would be barred from receiving asylum.
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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_95eace28-22bb-11ef-9284-dfb452577a04.html
A Manhattan jury on Thursday convicted former President Donald Trump on all counts in his hush money case, a history-making verdict that could reshape the 2024 presidential election. Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records for disguising hush money payments to an adult film actress as legal costs ahead of the 2016 election. Under New York state law, falsifying business records in the first degree is a Class E felony that carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
Lawmakers have threatened to revoke the appropriations for a federally-funded scholarship program that an audit found favors liberally leaning students over conservatives by a ratio of 10 to 1. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was established in the 1970s to award scholarships to students who “demonstrate outstanding potential for and who plan to pursue a career in public service.” An audit of those scholarships performed by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, though, reported strong liberal bias at the taxpayer-funded foundation.
Donald Trump's defense team rested, wrapping up its side of the case after calling two witnesses, including one who contradicted testimony provided by former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, the prosecution's star witness. Trump had said he would testify at his trial if necessary, but decided not to take the stand in the history-making trial. His defense team rested Tuesday, clearing the way for jury deliberations to begin next week. Justice Juan Merchan told jurors to return for closing arguments next Tuesday after the Memorial Day weekend. Deliberations could begin the next day, Reuters reported.
Congress has spent more money on interest so far this year than it has spent on both national defense and Medicare. Spending on net interest hit $514 billion in the first seven months of fiscal year 2024. That's more than spending on both national defense ($498 billion) and Medicare ($465 billion). Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those 65 and older and younger people with disabilities. During the same time period, the U.S. spent $873 billion on Social Security, the federal program that provides retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits to more than 67 million Americans.
President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he plans to debate former President Donald Trump twice before the November election, but the details have yet to be worked out. Biden challenged Trump to debate in a video message posted Wednesday. "Well, make my day, pal," Biden said in the video. "I'll even do it twice."
A judge on Monday fined former President Donald Trump for violating a gag order in his New York hush money case for a tenth time. Prosecutors had alleged Trump violated the gag order an additional four times, but Judge Juan Merchan found only one instance violated the order. In his ruling, the judge fined Trump $1,000 for comments he made during an April 22, 2024, interview with "Just the News No Noise." During the interview, Trump said the jury was packed with Democrats.
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Tennessee and West Virginia led a five-state lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education challenging the federal overhaul of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. The lawsuit is one of several filed nationally on the topic after Biden’s administration rewrote the Title IX statute to expand the definition of “sex” to include “gender identity.” “The U.S. Department of Education has no authority to let boys into girls’ locker rooms,” Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti said in a statement. “In the decades since its adoption, Title IX has been universally understood to protect the privacy and safety of women in private spaces like locker rooms and bathrooms.
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Former President Donald Trump weighed in online on the ongoing chaos on college campuses as pro-Hamas protesters occupy and vandalize colleges around the country. “THIS IS A RADICAL LEFT REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY,” Trump wrote Thursday on TruthSocial, his social media site. Trump’s comments capture a repeated conservative argument, that conservative protesters like those on Jan. 6 were met with severe consequences while liberal protesters, like the Black Lives Matter rioters and the college campus pro-Hamas protesters, have been given a pass. Biden has remained silent as local leaders navigate the protests, which have featured arrests, vandalism, some viral moments of fights, and calls for violence against Jews. Many of the protests have also expressed outright support for Hamas, the group that killed hundreds of Israelis, many of them civilians and children, in the Oct. 7 attack last fall. The State Department has officially named Hamas a terrorist organization.
Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_b3eeff10-0886-11ef-a8b5-3bc6a77b3376.html
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A Jewish Yale student was reportedly stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag during a pro-Hamas protest on campus over the weekend, the latest incident highlighting the ongoing tensions on college campuses since the Hamas terror group attacked Israel Oct. 7 and ignited an ongoing war. Amidst ongoing calls for violence, lawmakers have ramped up calls for accountability for the taxpayer-funded universities as well as groups supporting Hamas, which the State Department has officially labeled a terrorist organization.
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https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_01f1743e-005a-11ef-bcdc-9b5bcee28d7f.html
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U.S. Supreme Court Justices on Thursday grappled with multiple questions about what a president can and can't do as they heard oral arguments in a case that could have wide-reaching political ramifications not only for the 2024 election, but well beyond. Supreme Court justices are considering a case involving former President Donald Trump and if presidents have immunity from criminal prosecutions. Trump's attorney D. John Sauer said the president must have immunity for a functioning democracy to flourish.
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The White House Office of Management and Budget openly criticized a report from a Congressional watchdog that estimated the federal government loses up to $521 billion a year to fraud. Jason Miller, the deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, detailed OMB concerns in a 3-page letter to officials with the Government Accountability Office. He said the fraud estimate was "not plausible."
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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has set up a week of controversy, political posturing and even risked his own job over federal funding for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. The Senate passed a $95 billion aid package earlier this year that combined Israel and Ukraine funding that included $60 billion for Ukraine and $14.1 billion for Israel. That bill made no progress in the House so far, but the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have pushed the issue to the forefront.
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A coalition of states has filed a legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s latest executive effort to forgive a portion of Americans' student loan debt.
The lawsuit comes after Biden on Monday announced the plan, which the states in question say is an overreach of executive authority. The White House claims that Biden has so far canceled at least some of the debt for 4 million Americans, totaling $146 billion so far.
The White House said the newest effort would partially forgive debt for 30 million Americans, though independent analyses have not confirmed that figure.
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President Joe Biden this week touted what he called a major drop in inflation, saying prices had fallen more than 60%. Those comments come on the heels of more federal data showing prices are on the rise, raising the question: Has inflation really fallen or is something else going on? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation that has spiked recently. BLS found the CPI rose another 0.4% last month, part of a 3.5% increase over the previous twelve months. Soon after that data was released, Biden released a statement boasting of a drop in inflation.
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The federal government reported hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in improper payments last fiscal year and trillions over the last two decades.
According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, the federal government reported $236 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2023. The true number, though, is actually much higher, but federal reporting is often lacking.
“GAO has found that these payments represent a material deficiency or weakness in internal controls,” GAO said. “Specifically, GAO has noted that the federal government is unable to determine the full extent of its improper payments or to reasonably assure that appropriate actions are taken to reduce them.”
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Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security are demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after learning that Border Patrol agents are releasing known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) into the country.
The demand comes after Republican members led the charge to impeach Mayorkas in February and after FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress expressing concerns about those illegally entering the U.S. with ties to the terrorist group ISIS.
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U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., blasted the Biden administration Wednesday for cutting back on a federal effort to increase union accountability and transparency. The Center Square exclusively obtained a letter this week that was sent from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to 10 U.S. senators. In the letter, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja defended the agency’s decision to remove a webpage built to hold unions accountable. The federal webpage in question included data on “official time,” a common practice where federal employees use work time to do union business and are therefore paid by taxpayers to do so.
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(The Center Square) – Americans want states to have a role in stopping the flood of illegal immigration, which comes as the federal government and Texas grapple over who has the right to secure the southern border amidst the ongoing crisis there. According to the survey, 29% said border states, 29% said the federal government, and 37% said a combination of both should have the final say on immigration policy. The rest are unsure. This new poll comes as the Biden administration and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are embroiled in a legal battle over what Abbott says is the state's right to defend itself from an invasion.
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(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in a case evaluating how the federal government censored Americans’ speech online, especially about COVID-19 and other controversial topics. During the arguments, justices seemed to express doubts about a prior ruling that limited federal cooperation and coercion of social media companies, particularly when the federal government pushes those companies to censor Americans’ speech. “My biggest concern is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways in most important time periods,” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said during oral arguments for Murthy v. Missouri Monday.
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(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump is narrowly beating President Joe Biden in a head-to-head faceoff going into November, a new national poll shows. The Center Square’s Voter’s Voice poll conducted with Noble Predictive Insights was released Wednesday, showing Trump beating Biden 46%-45% with likely voters. The rest are unsure. When you include options to vote for third party candidates as well, Trump’s lead over Biden grows. When the poll includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein, Trump’s lead grows to 3 points.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray on Monday confirmed that a smuggling organization working with the terrorist organization ISIS is funneling criminals through the U.S. border. He also said the FBI is currently investigating its operations that “we’re very concerned about.” In a U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing held on Monday on worldwide threats to the United States, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, asked Wray about threats coming through the U.S. border. “Over the last three years, millions of people crossed the U.S. border illegally and many have been released into the country,” Rubio said, asking first about “people with ties to dangerous gangs.”
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President Joe Biden's budget proposal seeks to set aside billions of dollars to push progressive gender, sexuality and race ideology at home and around the globe. Released this week, the $7.3 trillion budget also proposes spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to train school teachers in diversity, equity, and inclusion dogma. The White House touted the spending in its announcement of Biden’s budget, which includes $3 billion to “advance gender equity and equality worldwide.”
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Former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican presidential primary Wednesday and declined to endorse former President Donald Trump. "I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign," Haley said during her remarks. "I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that." Haley said she has no regrets.
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President Joe Biden delivered a wide-ranging State of the Union address Thursday evening, touching on the economy, Ukraine, the border and more while attacking Republicans during his remarks, possibly his last time to give the address as president. “Good evening, if I were smart I’d go home now,” Biden said to begin, drawing laughs from the assembly. Biden quickly turned serious, though, saying that freedom and Democracy have not been under such great threat since the Civil War, making reference to the Jan. 6 riots. He said that the same threat is abroad, beginning his speech focusing not on domestic issues, but on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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In his first trip to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas since he took office, President Joe Biden blamed Republicans for the border crisis that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, 25 Republican governors, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and many others argue he created. Biden arrived in Brownsville on Thursday afternoon and met with local law enforcement, Border Patrol agents and Democratic officials around the same time that former President Donald Trump arrived in Del Rio, Texas, and met with Abbott and Republican officials.
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Former President Donald Trump defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Michigan’s Republican presidential primary while President Joe Biden cruised to an easy victory on the Democrats' side. The races were called within an hour of polls closing, with the GOP primary determined with about 80% of the vote counted. Biden received more than 126,000 votes while the “uncommitted” spot received more than 23,000 votes, a vote protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict and the U.S’s continual funding of the war.
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The rise of pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. university campuses often feature protesters calling for violence against Jews, leading to Jewish students feeling unsafe and frustrated by the lack of response from school administrators and federal officials. Pro-Palestine sentiment is not new to many of these campuses, but the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and the ensuing war in Gaza have sparked far more frequent and zealous demonstrations. For Ethan Melman, a born-and-raised Chicagoan attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, that issue came to a head last fall when he, a Jewish student, attended one of the pro-Palestine protests to investigate.
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James Biden, the president’s brother, testified before lawmakers Wednesday in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The testimony comes as the indictment of a key witness in the inquiry has left Republicans playing defense and Democrats calling for the inquiry to end. Several media outlets reported Wednesday that during his opening statement, James defended his brother, President Biden, saying the president was not involved in his dealings and did not financially benefit from those deals. House Republicans on the Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees are leading the inquiry, alleging that the Biden family and associates, with the president’s knowledge, raked in more than $20 million from entities in adversarial nations, including Russia and China.
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In its second vote attempt in exactly a week, the U.S. House on Tuesday night impeached Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who becomes the first sitting cabinet member to be impeached in U.S. history. Mayorkas was impeached largely along party lines by a vote of 214-213, with three Republicans voting with 210 Democrats against. As more than 10 million illegal border crossers entered the country in three years and a record number of known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended under Mayorkas’ watch, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, MD, R-Tenn., led the charge to impeach him.
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Former President Donald Trump’s first criminal trial date, in a case involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, will be March 25. A New York judge rejected a request from Trump to dismiss the case. He faces charges in multiple states while commanding the lead for the Republican nomination in the presidential race. His lawyers, appearing before Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, said the case will interfere with his campaign to return to the White House. Trump has three other prosecutions unresolved, one of which involved a district attorney under heavy scrutiny in Georgia on Thursday.
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All nine U.S. Supreme Court justices challenged constitutional arguments for removing former President Donald Trump from Colorado’s 2024 presidential primary ballot during arguments before the court on Thursday. During arguments scheduled to last 80 minutes, the justices spent almost 130 minutes listening to and questioning three attorneys: Jonathan Mitchell representing Trump, Jason Murray representing six Colorado Republicans who filed suit last year to remove the former president from the ballot, and Shannon Stevenson representing the Colorado secretary of state.
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The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday against impeaching U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against impeachment. The vote was 216 to 214 after one Republican changed his vote from "aye" to "nay," breaking what initially appeared to be a 215-215 tie. After the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson sought to have a revote, which hasn't happen.
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A visibly upset President Joe Biden addressed the nation late Thursday to respond to news that the special counsel tasked with investigating his handling of classified documents had chosen not to charge him, but also detailed numerous examples of his memory loss. The blockbuster special counsel report, while clearing Biden, sparked questions about Biden’s mental fitness when it called him an “elderly man with a poor memory.” Biden is 81 years old. "My memory is fine," Biden fired back before getting hostile with reporters who asked about his mental fitness to serve as president.
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan tax bill with a vote of 357-70 late Wednesday, but that bill now faces an uncertain future in the Senate. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act had bipartisan support after months of behind-the-scenes deals involving both parties. Whether the Senate can get the bill passed, though, remains unclear. The Senate faces several other deadlines, including a March deadline to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Act, two looming government shutdown deadlines the same month, as well as a border bill and a potential spending bill for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine. Meanwhile, the potential impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary could soon land in the Senate’s lap.
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The world is awaiting President Joe Biden’s response to a drone attack in Jordan over the weekend that left three U.S. service members dead and more than 30 injured. In his statement Sunday, Biden said “we know [the attack] was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq” and pledged to respond to the “despicable and wholly unjust attack.” That statement raised questions about what the response could look like and if it would be severe enough to escalate to a broader war in the region.
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The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security voted along party lines early Wednesday to advance two articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It did so after over several hours of debate, multiple motions filed, objections, appeals, points of order and motions to table; multiple voice and recorded votes, several recession breaks and even arguments over the breaks, as Democratic committee members continuously tried to delay the final vote.
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Former President Donald Trump touted his victory Wednesday afternoon in the state of New Hampshire, where he won the Republican presidential primary and may have sealed the fate of his only remaining opponent: former UN Ambassador and South Carolins Gov. Nikki Haley. Trump won contested races in Iowa last week and New Hampshire this week, making him the first non-incumbent presidential candidate to do so in modern history. In another record, Trump’s win was fueled in part by record voter turnout, with 320,000 New Hampshire voters heading to the polls.
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Support continues to pour in for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from fellow Republican governors who have sent their National Guard troops to Texas. They are also participating in an Emergency Management Assistance Compact with Texas, sending personnel to assist in Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star. In the face of ongoing threats by the Biden administration to strip Texas of what Abbott says is its constitutional right to defend itself, the governors have vowed to “stand with Texas.”
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House Republicans have the votes to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, MD, R-Tenn., said Thursday. Green, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, said all 18 Republican committee members support impeaching him. Three articles of impeachment have been filed against Mayorkas alleging he is derelict in duty, violating laws established by Congress, and creating a national security threat.
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One-third of Americans say that President Joe Biden is guilty of corruption and should be impeached, including some Democrats, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voter’s Voice Poll found that 34% of likely voters say “Joe Biden is guilty of corruption and should be impeached.” An additional 35% said it’s not clear if the president did anything wrong but that a Republican-led House investigation into the president should continue.
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Former President Donald Trump dominated the Iowa Caucuses Monday evening, leaving little room for his opponents to forge a path forward and make the pitch they are viable candidates. Regardless, they seem intent on trying and still do have hope, since Iowa only has 40 delegates to offer and it takes 1,215 to win the GOP nomination. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign suffered this week in particular, investing heavily in time and campaign funds in Iowa, his best chance to prove his viability before New Hampshire, where he is expected to lose handily.
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Consumer costs increased at an elevated level again in December, according to newly released federal economic data, raising new concerns about spiking inflation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday released the Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, showing the cost of a range of every day goods and services for Americans rose more than expected. According to the federal data, the CPI rose 0.3% in December alone, a break from the recent months of very low inflation. Overall, prices rose 3.4% in the last 12 months.
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U.S. lawmakers will hold a hearing Thursday on “woke ideologies” influencing the military and how that may be negatively impacting national security, including recruitment of new members. Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., will host the hearing. “The men and women who bravely serve within the military must stay focused on combat readiness, not left-wing objectives which serve no military purpose,” Grothman said in a statement. “It is imperative to extract this poisonous and unhelpful thinking from our military and return the armed services to their core functions.”
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Former South Carolina Gov. and ambassador Nikki Haley has surpassed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis among Republican voters, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll shows former President Donald Trump with a wide lead and Haley in second, surpassing DeSantis by one percentage point.
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The Republican primary’s Iowa caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 15, the first chance for voters to determine who they want to represent their party in November's presidential election. Iowa's January caucuses are a regular tradition for a presidential primary season that – this time around – has been unusually enshrouded in indictments, impeachment inquiries and lawsuits heading into election year.
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As the U.S. gross national debt topped $34 trillion, groups across the political spectrum continue to call for a fiscal commission to address the mounting federal debt. The thinking behind the idea is that a bipartisan commission could help facilitate agreement on difficult fiscal issues. However, few see such a commission as a panacea for a problem with deep roots and politically controversial solutions.
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The Michigan Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that would have attempted to ban Donald Trump from being on the state's 2024 presidential primary ballot. In November, Michigan Court of Appeals Justice James Redford ruled Trump would remain on the primary ballot. The state's highest court declined to hear an appeal. There has been a nationwide movement to have Trump removed from state ballots across the country, alleging he incited an insurrection against the government on Jan. 6, 2021, during a speech he gave at the U.S. Capitol.
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President Joe Biden's approval rating has hit a new low on the eve of 2024, when the president will seek a second term in the White House, according to a new poll. Monmouth University on Monday released the poll, which show's Biden's approval rating has dropped to 34% approval, the lowest rating Monmouth has collected since Biden became president. The same poll shows Biden has 61% disapproval rating, the highest since Biden took office.
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The Colorado state Supreme Court voted 3-4 Tuesday to block former President Donald Trump from receiving votes on the 2024 presidential ballot, saying he is disqualified because he “engaged in an insurrection,” a reference to his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol protests gone awry. The majority opinion acknowledged the U.S. Supreme Court could weigh in, and as a result postponed the effect of its ruling until Jan. 4, giving the court about two weeks. The Colorado secretary of state has until Jan. 5 to certify the 2024 ballot.
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Abortion-providing groups received $1.89 billion in taxpayer money from fiscal years 2019 to 2021, a newly released federal watchdog report shows. The Government Accountability Office, a federal agency, conducted the report at lawmakers' request, showing that Planned Parenthood received the lion's share, taking in $1.78 billion in those years. Planned Parenthood is estimated to have performed more than one million abortions during that time.
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The U.S. House of Representatives voted 221 to 212 Wednesday to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, who faces allegations that he personally benefited from and lied about his son's overseas business dealings, which raked in millions of dollars. This vote was not a vote to impeach the president, only to formalize the impeachment inquiry which has been gathering and releasing evidence for months.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked former President Donald Trump’s age and sparred with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over Trump’s mental fitness to be president during the Republican primary debate at the University of Alabama on Wednesday night. The remarks came after DeSantis was asked about previous comments in which he said Trump has “lost the zip on his fast ball” and whether that meant he was questioning Trump’s mental fitness.
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The rapidly growing debt of the U.S. federal government has hit another milestone, topping more than $100,000 per person. While the U.S. population and the U.S. national debt are large numbers that are difficult to calculate, the rough debt estimate and rough population estimate end up at about $100,000 of federal debt per person in the U.S.
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President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, is facing new charges. Federal prosecutors released a 56-page indictment late Thursday. The indictment unsealed in the Central District of California alleges Biden failed to file and pay taxes, evaded an assessment and filed false or fraudulent tax returns. The indictment alleges Biden attempted to dodge paying taxes of at least $1.4 million from 2016 through 2019. The new indictment contains nine charges, including lying about the taxes he eventually filed in 2018 to significantly reduce what he owed.
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The Biden administration is under fire after a website to help keep federal funding of union work transparent disappeared. The federal site in question tracks what is called “official time,” a term for when taxpayer-funded federal employees use part of their work hours to work on behalf of a public union. The Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit group that works on these issues, released a report on the Biden administration change. The tracking site was on the Office of Personnel Management’s website since 2013, but appears to have been taken down over the summer.
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A new Biden administration rule forces schools to comply with progressive ideology on gender and sexuality or risk losing the federal aid for free and reduced-price school lunches. Legal observers say this is just the first in a slew of new rules on the horizon tying federal education funding to far-left policies on gender and sexuality.
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House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has released email communication showing that a bank investigator raised concerns about Hunter Biden's overseas deals with a China-linked company. Comer's office said one of his several subpoenas to Biden family members and associates uncovered an email where a bank investigator raised concerns about "$5 million funding from Northern International Capital Holdings, a CEFC affiliated entity linked to the Chinese government, and the subsequent erratic payments to Hudson West III, Hunter Biden's joint venture with a Chinese national, and Owasco, P.C, an entity owned by Hunter Biden."
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A new economic analysis of the U.S. economy projects a recession around the corner. An international nonprofit, The Conference Board, has released its Leading Economic Indicators report, which projects into the next year for the U.S. economy. That analysis, among other things, projects high inflation, high interest rates and declining consumer spending.
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An update on the ongoing U.S. House investigation into the business dealings of President Biden's family. Stay up to date with this story and more at TheCenterSquare.com.
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Voters trust former President Donald Trump more than President Joe Biden on the economy, immigration, national security, foreign affairs and crime. Biden, however, is more trusted on health care, climate change, education and abortion. Those findings come from The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights.
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The crisis at the southern border, the growing threat of terrorism, and overseas conflicts that could entangle the U.S. are among the growing threats to national security, U.S. House lawmakers were told at a Wednesday hearing. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and National Counterterrorism Director Christine Abizaid testified at the hearing about the danger of worldwide threats spilling into the U.S.
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U.S. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., signed and issued subpoenas Wednesday for Hunter Biden, the president’s son, James Biden, the president’s brother, and their business associate Bob Walker. Pointing to released bank records and testimony from IRS whistleblowers and Devon Archer, Hunter Biden’s business associate, Comer says the Biden family and associates received more than $24 million that was shuffled between about 20 shell companies.
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Five Republican candidates trailing former President Donald Trump in the polls took to the debate stage to talk about foreign and domestic policy while trading barbs Wednesday in the third GOP debate. Trump skipped the debate Wednesday in Miami as he did the first two debates. The candidates on the stage – former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina – had plenty to discuss without Trump.
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Former Ambassador and Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both perform better against President Joe Biden in a hypothetical general election matchup than former President Donald Trump, according to The Center Square Voters' Voice poll. Conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, the poll found that in a hypothetical general election head-to-head faceoff, Biden would have 48% support among likely voters compared to Trump’s 44%. However, DeSantis does better in the same faceoff, with Biden getting 44% support compared to DeSantis' 47% support.
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U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., will introduce legislation Friday to block President Joe Biden’s “Climate Corps.” The bill, given in advance to The Center Square, would “prohibit federal funds from being made available for the Justice40 Initiative or for the American Climate Corps.” Biden announced in September he was formally creating the Climate Corps, promising to hire a “diverse generation” of 20,000 workers to improve the environment.
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The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote as early as Thursday on a controversial spending measure to send funds to Israel and pay for it by cutting from the Internal Revenue Service. The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act is the most contentious move yet backed by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in his new leadership role, a move that President Joe Biden has vocally opposed and which will face significant opposition in the Senate.
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Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Chief Mark Morgan estimates the number of people who entered the U.S. illegally and evaded capture in fiscal 2023 is closer to one million, much higher than the "over 600,000" that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told U.S. senators at a Tuesday hearing. Morgan told The Center Square Wednesday in response to questions about Mayorkas' testimony that official known gotaway data could hit one million in fiscal 2023, and the nearly 1.7 million gotaways since January 2021 is underreported by at least 20%.
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The Pentagon released a statement late Thursday saying the U.S. military had struck two sites in Eastern Syria known to house Iranian-linked forces. Those strikes come after a series of attacks on U.S. troops in the region from forces linked to Iran. "Today, at President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups," the Pentagon said in a statement. "These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17."
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More than 10 million people have been reported illegally entering the United States since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, the greatest number in history and of any administration. They total more than the individual populations of 41 states.
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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has laid out his vision for the House and legislative goals, but he faces the daunting task of reuniting a divided party in a slim majority and funding the government before the partial shutdown deadline in the middle of November. Before the vote to elect Johnson as speaker on Wednesday, Johnson sent a memo to his fellow Republicans asking for their support and promising an “ambitious” legislative agenda.
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The federal government is warning Americans to "exercise increased caution" when traveling overseas as tensions mount over Israel's war with the terrorist group Hamas in the Mideast." Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution," the department said in a "Worldwide Caution" alert posted Thursday.
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Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security say they are continuing to produce evidence to support their claim that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is derelict in his duty and should be removed from office. In July, the committee published its first report detailing the laws and court orders the committee says Mayorkas has “ignored, abused or failed to follow.” Members cite alleged violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), including an abuse of its parole program, detention and removal requirements, instituting mass parole programs, ignoring federal court orders, among other actions.
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U.S. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters Thursday afternoon that he would in fact keep running for speaker and hold another floor vote, despite reports that he was considering postponing his effort. The news came after Jordan reportedly said behind closed doors he would back the speaker pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. for a limited temporary speakership role so that lawmakers can hit key funding deadlines coming this year.
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More known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended at the northern and southwest borders in fiscal 2023 than any other fiscal year in recorded history. In fiscal 2023, 659 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) were apprehended attempting to illegally enter the U.S. – with the majority being apprehended at the northern border, according to CBP data last updated Sept. 15. The fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
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President Joe Biden addressed the Hamas terror attacks in Israel during a speech from the White House Tuesday, pledging the support of the U.S. and saying that at least 14 American citizens had been killed and that some were being held hostage. Biden condemned the "brutality of Hamas" calling it "abhorrent" and comparing it to ISIS terrorism. "Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies, families hid their fear for hours and hours desperately trying to keep their children quiet to avoid drawing attention," Biden said during the speech, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris on one side and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the other.
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U.S. House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the leading contender to be the speaker of the House Thursday morning, but by the evening, news broke that he was dropping his bid for the position. Multiple lawmakers and media outlets reported Scalise's announcement, which he made to a group of reporters at the Capitol late Thursday. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is a key contender as well, but at least for now, neither seems able to nab the 217 needed votes to become speaker of the House.
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Newly released inflation data breaks down how much prices have increased in each state. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released new data Wednesday for how the Personal Consumption Expenditure, a key marker of inflation, rose in each state last year. According to the BEA, PCE is a measure of the prices Americans pay for goods and services.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is waiving 26 federal laws to finish completing a wall in the Rio Grande Valley in an area where it halted construction over two years ago. It announced the change in the Federal Register on Thursday after receiving pressure from Democratic elected officials.
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U.S. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, both announced Wednesday their bid to replace Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as Speaker of the House. A vote for a new speaker is reportedly not expected until Oct. 11, giving lawmakers about a week to plan their next move. McCarthy, who was pushed out after striking a deal with Democrats to keep the government open, said he does not plan to run again for the position.
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During a rapid-fire two-hour debate, seven Republican presidential hopefuls exchanged canned one-liners and hurried remarks as they tried to stand out among a crowded field. Meanwhile, the elephant not in the room, former president Donald Trump, again opted out of the debate and stopped in Michigan to speak to a crowd of auto workers. Hosted by Fox Business and Univision, the Wednesday debate for top billing in the Republican Party presidential primary is a race for second, with the Real Clear Politics polling average having Trump at 56.%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 14.4%, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley at 5.8%, businessman and author Vivek Ramaswamy at 5.1%, and former vice president Mike Pence at 4.2%, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie at 2.7%, and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, who barely made the cutoff for the debate, at just 0.9% support.
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U.S. House Republicans launched the first impeachment inquiry Thursday into President Joe Biden, who faces an array of allegations around bribery and financial impropriety related to personal business dealings spearheaded by his son, Hunter Biden. Republicans say they have significant evidence to back allegations that Hunter Biden received more than $20 million from several overseas entities in China, Ukraine, Russia and more. Hunter also faces gun and tax-related legal difficulties.
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Lawmakers are scrambling to avoid a partial government shutdown this week. Funding for the federal government runs out at the end of September, Saturday at midnight, and lawmakers are still far from getting agreement on a deal that President Joe Biden can sign into law. In the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been unable to persuade enough conservative Republicans to back his push for a Continuing Resolution, a temporary funding measure to buy time.
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The Republican-led House Oversight Committee announced its first impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is scheduled for Sept. 28, next Thursday. The impeachment inquiry committee will have power to subpoena records and communications to dig up evidence and will likely be a thorn in Biden’s side heading into the 2024 election year.
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Twenty-four Republican governors said illegal immigration burdens every state and asked President Joe Biden for "honest" and "accurate" information about the situation. A letter sent Tuesday blamed Biden's policies for a surge in illegal crossings at the southern border.
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The U.S. gross national debt surpassed $33 trillion, a troubling benchmark as lawmakers show little interest in reining in spending, let alone a balanced budget. The milestone comes as Congress faces a deadline of Sept. 30 to pass another spending measure or face a federal government shutdown.
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Prices spiked more than expected in August. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, which showed it rose 0.6% last month alone, the biggest spike this year. That spike was largely driven by an increase in the price of shelter and gasoline.
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The federal archive agency that helped spark former President Donald Trump's first federal indictment has come under fire from Republicans after reporting showed the agency has embraced far-left diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Republicans blasted the National Archives and Records Administration after The Center Square reported that the agency’s latest 2022 DEI plan pledges to double down on equity training for employees.
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday opened a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. McCarthy directed a House Committee to open the inquiry, pointing to the mounting evidence that the president's son, Hunter Biden, and associates took millions of dollars from foreign interests and that President Biden knew about it.
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House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., pushed forward the investigation into President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, Wednesday by calling out a federal agency that may be withholding information. Comer put the spotlight on the National Archives and Records Administration, the federal recordkeeping agency that tipped off the Department of Justice when former President Donald Trump had allegedly held on to classified documents. Comer says NARA has held back certain information, claiming it is “personal.”
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A new trio of House education bills would push back on Critical Race Theory and federal rules in local public schools, the latest in an ongoing battle led by Republicans to respond to curriculum and policy changes in education.
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Recently released federal pricing analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that food prices will continue to rise through 2024. The USDA pointed to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index released earlier this month, which showed consumer prices overall rose 3.2% in the previous twelve months. Food prices, though rose more quickly at 4.9% during the same time. Now, USDA says that increase will continue.
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Former President Donald Trump plead not guilty Thursday to charges he faces in Georgia that he worked to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, according to court filings. The Georgia indictment includes 41 charges against Trump and 18 of his alleged co-conspirators. Trump was processed in the local jail last week, and his mugshot quickly went viral online.
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The vast majority of Americans are concerned about the situation at the U.S. border, according to new polling. The Center Square Voters' Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, asked 2,500 registered voters, including 1,000 registered Democrats, 1,000 registered Republicans, and 500 independents: "How concerned are you about the situation at the border?"
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Former President Donald Trump surrendered to Fulton County authorities Thursday on charges he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Fulton County authorities charged Trump and 18 others, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former state Republican Party Chair David Shafer, as part of the effort. The Fulton County indictment of Trump is the fourth against the former president and the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
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Eight Republican candidates trailing former President Donald Trump in the polls vied for second place Wednesday in the first primary debate. The candidates traded barbs and one-liners in a high-stakes contest at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Each of the candidates touched on some of the nation's hot-button issues, including crime, abortion and climate change. Interruptions were widespread. Many candidates talked over their peers, at times making it difficult to hear what was said. But the issues at the U.S.-Mexico border brought out some of the strongest rhetoric of the evening.
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House Oversight Committee James Comer, R-Ky., is pushing for President Joe Biden’s records from his time as Vice President to probe allegations that he worked with his son to bring in $20 million from overseas entities. Comer sent a letter to the the National Archives and Records Administration demanding unredacted records related to then-Vice President Biden’s meetings and communications with his family members, the latest step in the ongoing investigation into allegations that the Biden family raked in millions using the White House.
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Former President Donald Trump was indicted for the fourth time Monday night, this time on charges related to the 2020 election in Georgia. A Fulton County grand jury indicted the former president on 13 counts of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which narrowly went to President Joe Biden.
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Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron Desantis are virtually tied with President Joe Biden in theoretical head-to-head matchups heading into the 2024 presidential campaign, according to new polling data. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, found that in a faceoff, Trump has 41% support compared to Biden’s 44% support, while 15% remain unsure. DeSantis does slightly better, with 41% support to Biden’s 43% and 16% unsure.
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U.S. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., released financial documents he says backs up allegations that the Biden family and associates received more than $20 million in payments from foreign entities. Comer released the bank records Wednesday, the latest installment in a string of troubling evidence for President Joe Biden. Notably, the records raise the alleged income to the Biden family and associates to over $20 million and highlight alleged involvement from Russia and Kazakhstan.
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The number of terror suspects captured trying to enter the U.S. illegally has soared since President Joe Biden took office. But with more than 1 million unidentified foreign nationals evading apprehension after entering the U.S., the potential that at least some are on the international terrorist watch list poses a potential major threat to national security and raises the chances of terror attacks, observers warn.
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Newly released federal inflation data shows that producer prices rose more than expected. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Producer Price Index, a key indicator of inflation, which showed producer prices rose 0.3% in July and 0.8% over the last 12 months, higher than expected.
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One of the top international credit rating agencies has downgraded the United States government’s credit rating from the highest level of AAA down one tier to AA+, a serious economic signpost as U.S. debt continues to soar and deficits remain elevated. Fitch Ratings made the decision, pointing to the U.S. government’s high national debt and deficits as well as an “erosion of governance.”
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The House Oversight Committee released a transcript Thursday of its meeting with Devon Archer, a long-time Hunter Biden associate who alleges President Joe Biden joined phone conversations with Hunter’s business associates several times. The Archer testimony made headlines earlier this week, and now the transcript gives more details into what new evidence the committee has in its investigation.
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Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon to all charges related to his role in protesting the 2020 election results. Trump was indicted for the third time this week. According to the latest indictment, Trump faces four federal charges related to his contesting the 2020 election and connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol building. The indictment charges include conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction, and conspiracy against rights.
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Federal COVID-era vaccine policies hurt U.S. service members, according to witnesses testifying at a House Oversight Hearing Thursday examining the mandates. The Pentagon announced in January of this year that it would lift its COVID vaccine mandate but not before the vast majority of U.S. service members already were forced into vaccination. Those who refused were usually denied their exemption request and often discharged.
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Leaders of major metros around the U.S. have pushed for more progressive immigration policies in recent years by declaring themselves safe havens for illegal immigrants. Now, however, as the realities of the financial and social impacts of those policies sink in, some local leaders are thinking twice. Millions of illegal immigrants have flowed across the southern border since President Joe Biden took office, with many seeking haven in self-proclaimed "sanctuary cities."
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Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to tax-related charges after a highly unusual court hearing where his previously established plea deal fell apart. Biden’s plea deal, which was expected to be finalized Wednesday, was undone in court after last minute disagreements over whether Biden faces further charges in the future for other alleged crimes still under investigation.
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Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress Thursday about government censorship of Americans, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporting has shown that the federal government has worked with companies like Facebook and Twitter to have posts removed on a range of topics, including COVID-19 and the vaccine.
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Former President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Tuesday that Special Counsel Jack Smith informed him he is the target of a criminal probe related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. This update, which has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice, is the latest in a series of legal challenges for the former president. Trump released a lengthy statement on his social media site of choice laying out what he says was told to him.
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President Joe Biden and his son Hunter "coerced" a several-million-dollar bribe from Burisma Holdings to protect the company and get a Ukrainian executive prosecutor investigating Burisma fired, a long-awaited FBI document made public Thursday alleges.
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President Joe Biden’s pick to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff faced questions from lawmakers Tuesday over his history of backing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Charles Q. Brown testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday as the next step in his nomination process. The expected questions about Ukraine and munitions were accompanied by a less common line of questioning: how DEI has infiltrated the military and might be hurting recruitment.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray faced questions from Republicans lawmakers Wednesday over the federal law enforcement agency’s alleged bias against conservatives and Republicans. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, kicked off the hearing by blasting the FBI, laying out several instances of alleged bias, including the FBI’s role in cautioning social media companies to censor certain COVID-19 viewpoints as well as the Hunter Biden laptop story weeks before the presidential election.
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U.S. Senate Republicans launched a video on Wednesday claiming that President Joe Biden has “created the largest child trafficking ring in U.S. history.” The video quotes Republican senators at hearings expressing concern about the extraordinary number of unaccompanied minors being trafficked to and through the U.S. southern border. In one clip, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says “Biden does not care about the 300,000 plus unaccompanied children that have been placed with sponsors since he became president.”
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Cancelling hundreds of billions of dollars in student loan debt cannot be done by President Joe Biden and his administration, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday. In a 6-3 opinion, the court said Biden’s administration did not have the authority to unilaterally cancel student loan debt, blocking the president’s plan to cancel $10,000 per borrower. Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the case known as Biden v. Nebraska.
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The U.S. Air Force has become increasingly focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, and critics say it is hurting recruitment. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Charles Q. Brown has been a major backer of the DEI efforts. Brown said in the fall of 2020 that DEI was a key focal point of recruiting and a factor in promotions. The Air Force launched a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in September 2020.
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The Committee on Oversight and Accountability plans look into how cocaine ended up in the West Wing of the White House. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, sent a letter to United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Friday requesting a briefing and information related to the discovery of cocaine in the White House.
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The national debt will be nearly twice as large as the U.S. economy in 30 years, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office projects. That figure assumes no new major spending projects from Congress in that time, which is unlikely, meaning that debt levels could actually rise much more quickly. Conversely, Congress could slow that trend by cutting spending.
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The U.S. House Committee tasked with reviewing the federal pandemic response is ramping up its investigation into what influence teachers unions had over federal rules that kept schools closed. Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, sent a letter to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky demanding all records and communications between her and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s race-based affirmative action admission policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
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The majority of Americans oppose a federal ban on gas stoves, according to a new poll. The Harvard CAPS Harris poll found that 69% of those surveyed opposed such a ban. The question rose to national prominence after news broke that the federal government was considering regulatory changes that would make gas stoves either banned or prohibitively expensive for Americans. Since that news broke, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democratic lawmakers in the state implemented a ban on gas stoves in most new housing buildings.
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President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, will reportedly plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor tax-related charges. Court documents made public Tuesday show that Hunter Biden also faces a charge related to possessing a gun while being a drug user. The firearm charge will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement, which means Hunter Biden's team cut a deal and will likely not see prison time for the gun charge.
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Former Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice John Durham testified Wednesday that the federal government had no substantive basis to begin its 2016 probe into Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. During the Trump administration, former Attorney General Bill Barr tapped John Durham to investigate Crossfire-Hurricane, the name for the FBI probe into alleged collusion between Russia and the campaign of then-candidate Donald Trump.
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The federal government wasted over a half a trillion dollars in improper payments during the first two years of the Biden administration, a new analysis from a spending watchdog group found. The analysis comes from Open The Books, which reports that 82 programs across 17 agencies made improper payments in fiscal year 2022 alone, averaging $20.5 billion per month, or $683 million per day.
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At least 1.2 million people have been apprehended or reported evading capture at the southern border in the first five months of this year, according to data obtained and analyzed by The Center Square. The estimate is based on official apprehension data reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as gotaway data. A Border Patrol agent provides this data exclusively to The Center Square on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Gotaways are those who illegally enter the U.S. and intentionally seek to evade capture. Border Patrol agents report those who have illegally entered and evaded capture based on several factors. CBP doesn’t publicly report gotaway data.
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Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 37 counts that allege he kept sensitive military documents, shared them with people who didn't have security clearance, and tried to get around the government's efforts to get them back. Trump's arraignment at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse was largely procedural except for heightened security, lots of media coverage and hundreds of supporters outside the federal courthouse in Miami.
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A taxpayer-funded grant from the Department of Justice distributed $150,000 to “amplify the voices” of transgender people in New Orleans who are accusing the police of discrimination. Based on the assumption that LGBT people of color are discriminated against by police, Rutgers University researchers pledged to find 25 subjects and “conduct narrative interviews” to document their experiences. This study is one of many examples of taxpayer-funded federal research dollars going to projects tailored to progressive gender and sexuality politics.
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Republican lawmakers are raising concerns about a Biden administration official’s questionable family ties to far-left groups lobbying lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., chair of the Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland this week demanding records, communications, documents and more related to allegations that Haaland’s family members may be unethically connected to anti-fossil fuel groups.
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Former President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Thursday that he had been federally indicted for his handling of classified documents. Trump reportedly faces 7 counts around refusing to give back the documents, allegedly making false statements, an Espionage Act violation, and more. The indictment is not yet public. Trump has already been indicted by a New York grand jury for a different state matter, but a federal indictment from the Department of Justice overseen by President Joe Biden, an opposing political opponent, is unprecedented ground for U.S. politics.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence will announce his 2024 candidacy for president in Iowa next week. Several media outlets broke the news Wednesday, indicating the announcement will likely come June 7 in Des Moines, Iowa. The latest polling from Morning Consult puts Pence at 5% support, behind former President Donald Trump at 56% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 22%. Pence earned the ire of Trump and many of his supporters for refusing to back the former president’s challenge to the election results, especially after the infamous Jan. 6 Capitol protests.
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A coalition of education experts, governors and lawmakers are pushing back against the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" policies that have become the norm in public colleges and universities around the country. Several states have legislative efforts underway to require intellectual diversity, and professors tell The Center Square they welcome the change. Texas is the latest state to take on DEI, a broad category that employs teams of administrators to enforce equity and racial policies at the educational institution.
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The U.S. Senate voted 63-36 late Thursday to pass the debt limit deal brokered by President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “We may be a little tired, but we did it,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after the vote. The legislation suspends the nation's debt limit until Jan. 1, 2025, notably after the 2024 presidential election; caps non-defense spending but also limits defense spending increases; and expands work requirements for some of those receiving food stamps, among other things.
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U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that the White House must agree to spending cuts as part of a debt deal. "You have to spend less than you did last year," McCarthy said at a news conference. "That's not that difficult to do, but in Washington, somehow, that is a problem." McCarthy said he was hopeful negotiators would make progress although he described the two sides as "far apart."
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday evening that he is running for president. "Our border is a disaster. Crime infests our cities," DeSantis said in his announcement. "The federal government makes it harder for families to make ends meet. And the president flounders. But decline is a choice. Success is attainable. And freedom is worth fighting for." DeSantis took subtle shots at former President Donald Trump, saying he had frustration with Trump's inability to enact his agenda and blasted the "culture of losing" in the GOP.
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Will the Biden administration’s latest energy regulations force Americans out of gas vehicles and into more expensive electric cars? Lawmakers in the U.S. House held a hearing Wednesday tackling that key question. The hearing, held by the Oversight Committee’s Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee, focused on newly proposed Environmental Protection Agency tailpipe emission rules that the federal agency itself called “ambitious.”
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A new report released Wednesday shows how Chinese researchers and government officials provide evidence that the virology lab in Wuhan, China, could be the origin point of COVID-19. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations, released the report, which marks another federal-level source backing the Wuhan origins theory, which was once “debunked” as a conspiracy, mocked by news outlets and censored by social media companies.
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A former FBI agent testified before Congress Thursday saying that the FBI manipulated data to make domestic terrorism linked to Jan. 6 seem like a nationwide phenomenon instead of an isolated incident. The revelation came as part of a hearing held by the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government where FBI whistleblowers testified before lawmakers about abuse and politicization of the FBI. They also testified about backlash they received, even losing their jobs as retaliation for refusing to toe the narrative established by FBI leadership.
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President Joe Biden met with legislative leaders on Tuesday, but neither side gave any indication of progress on the debt ceiling ahead of a potential June 1 default deadline. President Joe Biden met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the White House.
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A Republican lawmaker wants to prohibit the U.S. Department of Defense from using taxpayer funds for drag queen shows and other adult cabaret performances. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., introduced legislation to stop the department from using taxpayer funds or taxpayer-funded facilities to host such performances. The bill comes after the U.S. Navy said it had one of its sailors, a drag performer and social media influencer, serve as a Digital Ambassador for military recruitment.
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U.S. Border Patrol agents are bracing for a surge of foreign nationals entering the U.S. illegally as the public health authority Title 42 came to a close at midnight. At a border conference in El Paso, Texas, Border Patrol chiefs and Department of Homeland Security executives discussed what the end of the federal policy, that’s enabled agents to quickly process some foreign nationals for removal, would be like for federal agents as millions of people are expected to cross after the Biden administration drastically changed U.S. border policies.
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Americans are worried about the safety of their money in the banking system after multiple banks have collapsed in recent weeks, according to a new poll. Gallup released the survey data, which showed that 19% are “very” worried about the safety of their money in banks and another 29% are “moderately” worried.
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A rise in crime, looting, and unhindered theft around the U.S. has helped fuel Americans' rising concerns about crime. Some of the nation’s largest cities are experiencing crime waves in recent years, and new polling shows Americans are worried. Gallup released new polling Tuesday showing that more Americans are concerned about higher crime with Americans ranking it as the sixth largest problem facing the nation, behind other issues like “poor leadership” and inflation.
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The latest in a series of new Biden administration rule changes that charge higher fees to certain home buyers with good credit and lower fees for buyers with worse credit went into effect this week despite pushback from Republicans and many financial experts.
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The U.S. Senate HELP Committee on Wednesday voted to send President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Labor to the Senate for consideration. The lawmakers voted in favor of Julie Su, who served as deputy secretary for the Department of Justice under the Biden administration.
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President Joe Biden blasted the Republicans' recently unveiled spending plan to raise the debt limit and cut spending, calling it "a reckless attempt to extract extreme concessions as a condition for the United States simply paying the bills it has already incurred." The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget released the statement, making clear the president would veto the Republicans’ recently unveiled bill, "The Limit, Save, Grow Act."
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President Joe Biden announced early Tuesday that he is running for reelection. "Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms," Biden wrote on Twitter in his announcement. "I believe this is ours. That’s why I’m running for reelection as President of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job."
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Republicans in the U.S. voted Thursday to pass the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act," the latest salvo in the ongoing battle over transgender athletes. The legislation would ban schools that receive federal funding, which is nearly all schools, from allowing biological males to compete in sports designated for women and girls.
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U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Monday Republicans will vote to cut federal spending when it agrees to raise the debt ceiling, setting the stage for a pending political struggle over growing federal debt and what to do about it.
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A group of liberal Democrats reintroduced the Green New Deal Thursday, the controversial environmental legislation that experts say would spike energy costs in the U.S. and cost taxpayers tens of trillions of dollars. Advocates, though, argue the changes are needed to prevent worsening climate change and get ahead of an inevitable renewable energy transition.
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U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., announced Wednesday that he is launching an exploratory committee in a potential run for president in 2024. “I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional,” Scott said in his announcement on Twitter. “That's why I'm announcing my exploratory committee for President of the United States. This fight is personal. I want every American to have the same opportunities I had.”
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A new report ranks all 50 states from best to worst for economic conditions, showing which states have improved, and worsened, in creating an economic climate where businesses want to invest. The American Legislative Exchange Council released the state analysis, which ranks Utah as the number one state, North Carolina as second, and Arizona as third. Idaho and Oklahoma fill out the top five spots, ranking fourth and fifth, respectively.
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Lawmakers are outraged after reports that federal COVID-relief tax dollars may have gone to wealthy hospitals while avoiding helping out poor hospitals in recovering from the pandemic. Republican members of Congress have raised this very question, asking why $17 billion of COVID-19 relief funds was used by hospitals with profits topping more than $53 billion, “while $35 billion went to hospitals that reported a loss of almost $130 billion.”
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Gas prices continue to rise this week in the U.S., hitting the highest level in months. Now, the concerns and political ramifications for the Biden administration are starting to rise as well. "Gas prices are rising," said economist Stephen Moore. "Joe Biden is doing nothing except push a crazy green agenda that will make prices even higher. "If America went back to Trump's energy policies, we'd be producing 2 million barrels more a day."
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal and science technology office, has made race and gender speech codes for its scientists a top priority. The guidance, for example, tells federal employees not to use the words "blacklist" or "whitelist" because of the racial connotations and also cautions against "using terms that assign a gender to inanimate objects, such as male/female connectors."
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President Donald Trump called the charges against him unprecedented election interference in a speech Tuesday night from his Mar-a-Lago home, just hours after pleading not guilty to nearly three dozen felony charges during his arraignment in New York City.
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The Biden administration's collusion with social media companies and others to censor speech related to COVID-19, election integrity and other issues "was far more pervasive and destructive" than initially thought, a key witness and sitting U.S. senator testified at a Thursday Congressional hearing. Republicans on the subcommittee called it "the largest speech censorship operation in recent history." “Their censorship has extended to critical topics like how best to respond to COVID-19 and even to elections themselves,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who leads the relevant subcommittee.
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U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio blasted the Pentagon’s increasingly leftward bent as it struggles to keep up with national security interests. “The United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world, but woke activists in the Biden Administration are undermining military readiness, cohesion, and purpose,” Rubio, R-Fla., told The Center Square. “We cannot allow these left-wing crazies to hollow out our military. The world is an increasingly dangerous place and America’s security requires a strong military capable of deterring – and if need be, defending – our nation.”
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Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury in New York Thursday, potentially kicking off one of the most controversial court cases in decades and the first criminal charges against a former or sitting president. The specific charges and details of the indictment have not yet been released, but prosecutors presented evidence that Trump allegedly paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer seven years ago and illegally covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.
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Inflation has outpaced wages for nearly two years, federal data shows. A closer look at federal wage and pricing data shows workers are making less overall as the price for all kinds of goods and services rise faster than average hourly wages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks “real” average hourly earnings, which are wages of Americans with rising inflation taken into account. “From February 2022 to February 2023, real average hourly earnings decreased 0.3 percent, seasonally adjusted,” BLS said. “The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.9 percent in the average workweek resulted in a 1.2-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.”
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The liberal crime bill pushed by local Washington, D.C. leaders and killed by President Joe Biden has backfired, inviting fresh oversight and the clamping down of federal authority on the capital city at a time when local leaders are pushing for autonomy. The crime bill would have lessened penalties for a range of crimes even as D.C. has experienced a spike in homicides, arson, and other crimes. House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., announced an oversight hearing of Washington, D.C.’s local government, an unwelcome intrusion in the eyes of local leaders who are pushing for D.C. statehood.
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Nearly 300 suspected terrorists have been apprehended attempting to enter the U.S. in the first few months of fiscal 2023 as 28 members of Congress formed a new caucus to address the crisis at the northern border, where record numbers of foreign nationals continue to illegally enter from Canada. The Northern Border Security Caucus, formed by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, and Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, is expressing concerns about “the increased human and drug trafficking, along with the decrease in Border Patrol agents and lack of security, along the U.S.-Canada border.”
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The House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Department is providing the investigatory committee with access to Hunter Biden’s Suspicious Activity Reports after months of delay. The revelation is the latest chapter in the committee’s ongoing investigation into the president’s son and his associates. The lawmakers concerned with the issue argue the president could be compromised if foreign sources have knowledge of his or his son’s alleged wrongdoing. "According to bank documents we’ve already obtained, we know one company owned by a Biden associate received a $3 million wire from a Chinese energy company two months after Joe Biden left the vice presidency,” House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky, said “Soon after, hundreds of thousands of dollars in payouts went to members of the Biden family.”
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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The U.S. Federal Reserve may be less likely to use its key tool to combat inflation because of recent bank failures. The Fed has been aggressively hiking interest rates for months to help combat inflation. While inflation has slowed, it remains elevated. Given the recent bank collapses, hiking rates again may be too risky for the Fed. “The Federal Reserve is going to have to pick its poison – tolerate some inflation for a bit to see if its current series of rate hikes takes hold and pause or keep hiking and deal with the financial instability caused by their own policy decisions,” Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group in Virginia, said in a statement.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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President Joe Biden’s 2024 budget proposal requests billions of dollars to advance his gender and sexuality agenda around the world, allocating far more taxpayer dollars to that than dozens of other spending priorities, such as stopping fentanyl from being smuggled across the southern border. Biden’s budget request for this issue in particular has more than doubled in the last two years. In the past, that focus would have been almost entirely on women and young girls. In recent years, though, advancing women's rights across the globe is sharing the focus, and the funds, with the president's gender agenda.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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U.S. House Oversight lawmakers held a subcommittee hearing Wednesday to dig further into where COVID-19 originated and who may be responsible. Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, led the hearing, saying they will be investigating not just COVID’s origins, but also decisions made during the pandemic. He began by laying out evidence that the virus came from a lab. "The genome of COVID-19 is inconsistent with expectations and is unique for its group of viruses," he said. "COVID-19 has both a binding domain optimized for human cells and a furin cleavage site – or a small part of the virus that makes it so infectious – that has never been seen before in SARS related viruses. In other words, COVID-19 has unique characteristics that made it very infectious to humans. These have never been seen before in any other viruses of its type."
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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The U.S. Senate voted 81-14 Wednesday to overturn the Washington, D.C. city council's plan to lower the penalties for a range of criminal offenses. Biden had expressed support for Congress stepping in. As previously reported, the bill would have reduced the maximum penalties for offenses like murders, armed robberies, armed home invasion burglaries, armed carjackings, unlawful gun possession, and some sexual assault offenses. Late Wednesday, 33 Democrat Senators voted with Republicans to block the criminal penalties reform in a rare exertion of Congress' jurisdiction over the capital city. Total crime is up 25% in D.C. so far this year.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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President Joe Biden released his 2024 budget Thursday that includes a trove of tax hikes, quickly sparking pushback from critics. The White House said the budget will cut deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade. Critics argued that despite those cuts, the national debt is still soaring, projected to surpass $50 trillion in the next decade. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said despite Biden's claims, U.S. Gross Domestic Product would increase from 98% at the end of this year to a record 110% by 2033.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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Nearly 60 House Democrats voted with Republicans in the U.S. House Wednesday to put a check President Joe Biden’s executive orders. The House voted on the REIN IN Inflation Act, which would require the Biden administration to publish the “inflationary impact” of each executive order before issuing it. The bill passed 272-148 with 59 Democrats in support. “Pushing one big-spending policy after another, President Biden has continued to throw fuel on the inflationary fire,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said on the House floor. “That fire is rapidly consuming the wages of our constituents. They have had to pay higher and higher prices for everything from eggs to electricity – all while inflation pushes their real wages farther and farther behind.” Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb & Casey Harper.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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The FBI has confirmed initial reports that the Biden administration is now saying the most likely source of COVID-19 is the virology lab in Wuhan, China. The news comes after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Energy gave classified briefings to key lawmakers and the White House saying the most likely origin of the virus was the lab in China. “[FBI] Director Wray confirmed that the Bureau has assessed that the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in Wuhan, China,” the agency said in a statement.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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President Joe Biden's call for funding for 87,000 IRS agents to audit Americans has raised questions about whether the new rash of auditing will target poorer Americans or be politically motivated. The Inflation Reduction Act included $80 billion to beef up IRS efforts, which Biden says will more than pay for itself in new audits. Biden’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service, Daniel Werfel, addressed concerns over this policy at his recent confirmation hearing but promised lawmakers the audits would target wealthier Americans. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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A new Republican candidate threw his hat into the presidential race late Tuesday, focusing his campaign on an “anti-woke” agenda. Vivek Ramaswamy, an author, activist, and a multimillionaire businessman, announced his candidacy on Tucker Carlson tonight and with a string of Tweets. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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A slew of city-wide vaccine mandates announced in 2021 across parts of the U.S. made virtually no difference in stopping the spread of COVID-19, newly released research found. “These mandates imposed severe restrictions on the lives of many citizens and business owners,” the study, conducted through George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, says. “Yet, we find no evidence that the mandates were effective in their intended goals of reducing COVID-19 cases and deaths.” Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.
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America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday as the nation nears its one-year anniversary of repelling the invasion of Russian troops. Biden met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and held a joint press conference to “reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine hits its one-year anniversary this week, and lawmakers want to know: where has all the money gone? With $113 billion allocated by Congress to help Ukraine in the past year, House Oversight Committee Chair U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., sent a letter to the Biden administration demanding oversight of how those funds are being spent. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci taking criticism after his recently published paper cast doubt on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. The federal government released its latest inflation data Tuesday, drawing fresh fire for President Joe Biden as the cost of living continues to rise. President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service took a slew of tough questions from lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday as the agency he seeks to lead faces a series of controversies.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss President Joe Biden touting what he said were his administration's many accomplishments since taking office during his Tuesday night State of the Union address, heralding economic gains, the bounce back from COVID-19, funding for Ukraine and more. The Super Bowl has become something like an annual holiday for Americans full of football, food and beverages, but the recent spike in food prices means catering a Super Bowl gathering will cost Americans more than ever. Half of Americans report their personal finances are “worse off” than they were a year ago, according to a new survey.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and Reporter Brett Rowland as they discuss a U.S. House committee hearing made clear the total cost of fraud and waste in taxpayer-funded pandemic relief programs remains unknown. An oversight committee hearing Wednesday highlighted the cost of fraud in taxpayer-funded pandemic relief programs as federal agencies continue to tally losses. Hays County, Texas, resident Brandon Dunn lost his son to illicit fentanyl poisoning last year. His son and two other teenage boys from the same rural county died of fentanyl overdoses less than 60 days apart.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and Reporter Brett Rowland as they discuss the federal government spending trillions of dollars a year on programs, but it doesn't have an inventory of all federal programs despite a 2011 law that says they must be tracked. Government report: Unemployment fraud may top $60 billion during pandemic. Classified documents were discovered at the Carmel, Ind., home of former Vice President Mike Pence last week, according to CNN.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the debt ceiling setting up a major battle in Congress. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen sent a letter to Congressional leaders Thursday notifying them that the agency has begun taking “extraordinary measures” as the federal government bumps up against its debt limit of just over $31 trillion. President Joe Biden touted Americans' rising wages over the weekend, but a closer look shows there is more to the story.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Attorney General Merrick Garland saying Thursday he has appointed Robert Hur as special counsel to lead the investigation into President Joe Biden after classified documents were found at Biden’s office at the Penn Biden Center and at his home in Delaware. President Joe Biden touted falling food prices Thursday, but the latest federal data shows the price of food is actually on the rise and has been for more than a year. The Department of Defense has officially lifted the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. service members.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss that after four days and 11 failed attempts to elect a Speaker of the House on Thursday, many political pundits demanded that roughly 20 Republican members give in and elect U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as House Speaker, arguing not doing so was creating a “crisis". Gunfire erupted between the Mexican Defense Forces and the Sinaloa Cartel after the cartel leader's son was arrested and shortly after President Joe Biden announced he was meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador next week.
Listen to Other ATN Productions:
America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.
Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.
Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/america-in-focus/support
Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the top news stories out of the nation’s capital in the year 2022. Supreme Court allows pandemic-related border security policy to stand for now. Southwest Airlines says it's doing 33% of scheduled flights in wake of federal probe. New ‘Twitter files’ allege Biden administration worked with Twitter to control COVID conversation.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the battle over omnibus spending continues as Congress faces shutdown Friday. Biden hosts Ukrainian head as lawmakers weigh $45 billion in new war funding. Dems face backlash over FTX scandal, return millions in donations.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the state of the southern border. Congress considers omnibus as deadline approaches. Small businesses report hardship due to inflation this Christmas season. Federal inflation data: Grocery prices continue to rise nationally.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Arizona Senator Leaves Democratic Party, Declares to Be Independent. WNBA star Britney Griner released by Russia via prisoner swap. COVID vaccine mandate for troops may finally get the axe via military budget.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Republican governors ask for end to U.S. military COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Polls: Afghanis' suffering has spiked since U.S. troop withdrawal. Inflation rose slightly in October.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss former President Trump being reinstated to Twitter but refraining from tweeting. AGs demand health-care worker COVID vaccine mandate ends. Trump refrains from tweeting despite receiving account back. National debt to GDP ratio worse than CBO estimates, group says.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Pelosi’s decision to step down from House leadership as Senate Republicans pick McConnell to lead the GOP. Former President Donald Trump announces 2024 presidential bid.
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Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the red wave that hit Florida but stopped there. Amid GOP gains, Warnock, Walker headed to Dec. 6 runoff to decide pivotal Georgia Senate seat.
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Join The Center Square's D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper & ATN's General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Probe launched into Homeland Security’s 'taxpayer-funded censorship campaign'. Early voting on the rise ahead of midterm elections. ‘Trick on Taxpayers’ outlines questionable projects funded by COVID-19 relief. Survey: Growing number of small businesses can’t pay rent.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Congressional Republicans Build Lead Over Democrats Heading Into Midterm Elections. GDP bounces back with 2.6% growth after decline earlier this year. ‘Declining ever since’: Home prices continue to fall since spring.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Republicans Maintain Edge in Battle for House, Senate, Gubernatorial Races. PayPal faces House inquiry after $2,500 'misinformation' fine controversy. Americans cut back on groceries because of inflation. Polls show gas prices are top concern for midterm voters with increase looming.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden takes heavy fire, defends himself after inflation data shows continued price increases. 'Breathing Room': Social Security Administration announces major raise for seniors. Prices continue to rise with food costs soaring, inflation data shows.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas Prices Rise for Two Straight Weeks, OPEC Expected to Drive Them Higher. Americans see 'most severe' pay cut in 25 years due to inflation. Poll: 74% are becoming more concerned about inflation.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Military subsidizes service members' grocery bills amid higher prices. Republican leadership pledges to 'repeal' IRS auditor expansion if GOP wins majority. Taxpayer-funded cancel culture? Lawmakers ask Education Secretary to push for tolerant campuses. Running on Empty: Petroleum reserve hits low point, gas prices begin to rise again. Report: Higher energy prices nationwide tied to government policies.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Out-of-state parents say California bill ignores their rights when kids want sex reassignment. Fed announces another rate hike to combat inflation, signals more on the way. Democrats block release of Hunter Biden financial documents in probe.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Truckers, small businesses, train industry warn of ‘dire consequences’ if rail strike occurs. Producer price index rises 8.7% in past year. Inflation report: Food prices continue sharp rise as gas costs drop. Clinton, Obama economist says U.S. 'has a serious inflation problem'.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden policy tying school funding to LGBT mandates comes under scrutiny. Report: Record 63% of small businesses freeze hiring. U.S. Army recommends food stamps for soldiers struggling with inflation. Independent voters say Biden’s attacks on ‘MAGA Republicans’ went too far.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Pandemic-era school shutdowns caused decades of student learning loss, federal report shows. Biden calls Trump and 'Maga Republicans' a threat to democracy. Union deletes document after report shows taxpayer-funded collusion with Biden administration.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Feds confirm GDP decreased for two consecutive quarters this year. Biden plan: Taxpayers to pay billions after administration 'forgives' $10K to $20K in student loan debt per borrower. Biden administration uses taxpayer dollars to help grow public unions, critics push back.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Washington, D.C.’s vaccine mandate for kids under fire as school year approaches. Poll: FBI's Mar-A-Lago raid has eroded trust in the agency. Cheney's hint at presidential run after loss met with skepticism. Biden signs $740 billion climate, tax and health care bill into law.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Department of Justice moves to unseal Trump search warrant amid widespread criticism. 'Make My Day,' Gov. Abbott says to Mayor Adams in response to threats. Critics: Small businesses in the crosshairs of new IRS auditing 'army'.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & ATN General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Monkeypox outbreak declared national public health emergency. Flight canceled? Major delay? Rule change could net refund from airline. More Democrats question Biden on 2024 ticket. Dems push IRS auditing, but Americans say agency is too politicized.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Recession? GDP shows 2nd consecutive quarter of negative growth. Federal Reserve announces rate hike to combat high inflation. Americans feeling pain of inflation as they begin back-to-school shopping. Inflation is hammering rural America, report shows. ‘Uncharted Territory:’ U.S. debt will nearly double GDP within 30 years, Feds say. Poll: 83% of parents are not planning to vaccinate their kids under 5 years old.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden appears to say he has cancer; White House clarifies (Combined with) President Joe Biden has COVID with 'very mild' symptoms, White House says. Biden approval rating hits new low, poll shows. Nearly half of small businesses are in hiring freeze, citing inflation and costs. Nikki Haley hints strongly at 2024 presidential run.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: 'They are wrong:' Biden rebuffs ‘The Squad,’ praises Israel. Hispanic groups blast Jill Biden for taco ‘caricature’. Producer Price Index rises 11.3%, another worrying inflation marker (Combine with Consumer Price Index). Return of Congressional earmarks gets pushback as lawmakers blast $3 million for Brooklyn art museum.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gov. Abbott authorizes returning illegal immigrants to border, but doesn’t declare invasion, New Jobs Report Out, & Most Americans expect higher gas prices this year as they struggle to make ends meet, polls shows.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Manchin, Sinema defy Biden on removing filibuster for abortion law as Republicans rally opposition. FBI’s response to attacks on pregnancy clinics undergoes scrutiny. Feds: 46 states saw GDP decline in first quarter of this year. Poll: 83% of Americans cutting back on personal spending due to inflation & Poll: 88% of small businesses concerned recession is around the corner. Study: Teen cannabis use rose, mental health declined in states with fewer legal restrictions
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Exclusive TCS Interview with former President Donald Trump in which he talks about the economy and the January 6th hearings. Supreme Court strikes down New York's restrictions on concealed carry. Biden calls for federal and state gas tax holidays, a move critics call a 'gimmick'.
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Join The Center Square's D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper and America's Talking Network's General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Record high diesel prices threaten domino effect to other goods, Federal Reserve announces interest rate hike, White House faces questions on Biden's mental fitness, 2024 plans, Democrats face 'greater-than-average loss of seats' in November, report says, & Producer prices spike 10.8% in past year as inflation soars.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Consumer costs jump 8.6% in May, driven by record gas prices. Gas prices hit record highs every day this month. House passes ‘red flag’ law as gun control bills await fate in the Senate. Demand for mortgages drops to lowest point in 22 years amid higher rates.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas prices jump in leaps and bounds, setting another new record. Quarter of Americans will delay retirement because of inflation, survey says. New Biden administration rule will tie federal education funding to LGBT mandates. Debate over arming teachers resurfaces after shootings. Air Force service members sue over COVID vaccine mandate.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Victims of Uvalde mass shooting include cousins, best friends, honor roll students. O’Rourke interrupts Texas school shooting news conference, confronts Gov. Abbott. Texas shooting reignites debate over gun control. CBO: Debt to surpass GDP at record level over next decade.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas prices surge to new record high Thursday, a day after stock market plummets. DHS disinformation board paused after blowback. Majority of Americans say they are ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living. Majority of Americans support restrictions on abortion as nation awaits Supreme Court ruling. Border observers: Illegal immigration surge helped fuel U.S. drug overdose spike.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden administration cancels new oil leases as gas prices hit record highs. Senate passes Supreme Court Justice security upgrade as protests heat up. Businesses fail to find workers, and experts say federal policies have made it worse.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and America's Talking Network's Cole McNeely as they discuss: Leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion would overturn Roe v. Wade. Roberts: Supreme Court to investigate leak of abortion opinion. Abortion could be severely limited in 23 states if Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Democratic judge in Texas border county implores Biden to visit before suspending Title 42. While Mayorkas continues to defend DHS 'Disinformation Bureau,'.
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Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: U.S. economy shrank in Q1, raising concerns about stagflation, possible recession. Americans more worried about inflation than they have been in decades. Biden administration faces mounting Title 42 concerns. Critics raise alarm over new DHS ‘speech police’.
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Fed report: Inflation passed on to consumers, will continue for months. Biden administration will fight to keep mask mandate for planes, trains and airports. States launch 'border strike force' to challenge Biden on lack of enforcement
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Biden approval hits low point, loses youth and minority voters. Amid inflation and worker shortage, small businesses pessimistic about the future. Producer prices rise record 11.2%, fueling more inflation fears. Consumer prices rise 8.5%, highest in 40 years.
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Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to U.S. Supreme Court. Americans more worried about crime amid violence, retail crime wave. Oil executives: Government policies play 'critical role' in cost of gas.
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Majority of Americans report ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living. Biden to release oil reserves, a move critics say is too little, too late. GOP report: Teachers unions got ‘unprecedented access’ after donating tens of millions to Democrats. Biden unveils $5.8 trillion budget proposal with increased taxes on businesses, wealthy individuals. Critics rally against Biden’s capital gains tax proposal.
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SCOTUS nominee has majority support but takes hard questions in Senate. Polls: Voters blame Biden for inflation. Economists expect elevated inflation as projected U.S. GDP plummets. Airline CEOs ask Biden to lift mask mandate.
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Bipartisan effort to repeal federal mask mandate on planes gains momentum. Biden blames gas prices, inflation on Putin, but critics push back. Inflation and rising costs likely to impact food prices in particular.
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Inflation expected to get worse this year. Consumer prices rise nearly 8% causing major inflation fears. Small businesses concerned as job openings hit record high. As gas prices reach record highs Biden to band Russian oil imports.
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Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper as they discuss: Satisfaction with Biden's performance was low ahead of state of the union address. Biden takes on Ukraine, inflation in State of the Union address. Biden divides Democrats with calls to 'fund police' and Critics pan Biden's plan to fight inflation.
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Biden addresses nation on Ukraine, says U.S. troops will defend NATO allies. Poll: Americans do not want to play a major role in Ukraine conflict. Lawmakers call for investigation, criticize federally-funded CRT program. 'Still Waiting': Lawmakers pressure IRS amid major backlogs. Poll: Voters unhappy with Biden’s work on Russia, the economy.
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Senate considers suspending federal gas tax, but critics are wary. Poll: Majority of Americans unhappy with current immigration levels. Number of Americans living paycheck to paycheck jumps 7 percent, report shows. Durham filing alleges Hillary Clinton's team ‘mined’ White House servers to dig up dirt on Trump.
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Senators introduce bill to prevent 'crack pipe' funding. Feds warn local police about trucker convoy protesting vaccine mandates. Inflation climbs higher, worst numbers in 40 years. Poll: 75% say ‘Defund the Police’ caused violent crime wave.
America in Focus is a production of America's Talking Network.
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January job growth much better than expected. Study highlights high costs, limited benefits of government pandemic restrictions. Most Americans say their finances are not better off since Biden took office. White House defends spending as federal debt tops $30 trillion.
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U.S. Supreme Court to consider legality of affirmative action in colleges. Battle lines drawn, speculation circulates over Breyer replacement. Courts push back against COVID mandates as Americans' support for such measures dwindles. Taxpayers could experience major refund delays this year from backlogged IRS. Americans' pessimism on inflation hits record high.
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Poll: Voters favor Congressional Republicans on range of key issues heading into midterms. Biden's filibuster, voting legislation failure leaves issue to the states. Rand Paul: Federal COVID stimulus to blame for record inflation. U.S. political alignments experienced historic shift in 2021.
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U.S. Supreme Court blocks Biden's private sector vaccine mandate, upholds health worker mandate. Sinema stands up to Biden, Dem leadership on axing filibuster. Producer prices rise highest on record, adding to inflation concerns.
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Supreme Court oral arguments today. Poll: Majority supports blocking Biden’s private sector vaccine mandate. Dems threaten ousting filibuster, but moderates hold the line. Biden disapproval rating reaches new high. December sees significant job growth, but millions of Americans are calling it quits. Navy SEALs secure legal win ahead of Supreme Court vaccine arguments.
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The U.S. Supreme Court early next month will hear challenges to two of President Joe Biden's worker-related COVID-19 vaccine mandates. 24 U.S. states have joined to file suit to block the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administration for Children and Families from requiring Head Start program staff, certain contractors and volunteers to wear masks and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 31. One of the country’s most moderate Democrats, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin from West Virginia, will not vote for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan, effectively killing the legislation in the Senate. New York, California and Illinois saw the largest declines in population due to outmigration in 2020, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data, as overall population growth slowed to the lowest levels since the nation's founding.
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Inflation causing Americans to doubt Biden on economy, polls show. Producer prices spike highest level on record at 9.6%, signaling higher inflation. Report: Inflation costs American families $3,500 in one year. Senate votes to raise debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion. Congress passes $770 billion defense bill, allows discharge over vaccine refusal.
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Experts predict less economic growth, elevated inflation for years to come. Poll: Voters unhappy with economy, Biden’s leadership. Federal judge blocks Biden's vaccine mandate for federal contract workers.
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Taxpayer-funded critical race theory training program draws criticism. Biden administration rolls out more COVID measures, says vaccine requirements for domestic flights not ‘off the table’. Congress faced government shutdown this weekend.
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CBO says Biden spending plan adds to deficit. Lawsuits challenging Biden's private sector vaccine mandate consolidated, sent to Sixth Circuit. Biden loses legal battle, COVID confidence as vaccine mandate stalls. FBI 'tagging' parents fuels debate over school boards, parental rights. Energy companies to Biden: Poor policy decisions are responsible for spike in energy costs
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Inflation hits highest level in years as wholesale prices rise 8.6% in 12 months. Bipartisan infrastructure bill passes, leaving larger Dem bill in limbo. Navy SEALs sue Biden administration over COVID mandate.
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Analysis: Heavy Democratic losses hurt Biden agenda. Lawsuits target Biden administration over mandatory worker vaccinations for larger employers. COVID mandates oust cops nationwide, police leaders warn of fallout. Supreme Court to consider major gun rights case this week.
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White House releases new '$1.75 trillion' spending plan. New corporate minimum tax proposal gives hope to Democrats on reconciliation. Manchin likely kills proposed tax to fund reconciliation bill. Polls: Biden and Congress hit new lows among voters.
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Food prices hit a 10-year high worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s food price index. U.S. companies are feeling the pinch, resorting to increasing prices to offset their costs to purchase goods and deal with labor and transportation problems.
The FAO index measures the monthly change of international prices of five food commodity prices, including cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat and sugar.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly jobs report Friday showing the economy created far fewer jobs in the month of September than experts expected.
Total nonfarm employment increased 194,000 in September, well below the Dow Jones estimated 500,000 jobs for the month.
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President Biden made headlines for claiming the bill would cost “zero dollars,” despite media reports and members of both parties commonly naming the bill’s cost at $3.5 trillion for the last several months.
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President Joe Biden’s federal vaccine mandate sparked controversy among Americans, but one of the nation’s most elite fighting forces may be hit harder than other groups by the new requirement.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in August, with Biden’s approval, that all U.S. service members must receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The decision came after the Pfizer vaccine received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
That mandate, though, leaves many U.S. troops facing a tough personal decision. Just the News reported this week that hundreds of Navy SEALs have been told they will not be deployed if they don't receive the vaccine and will no longer be able to serve as a Navy SEAL.
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House Democrats have unveiled a litany of new tax proposals to fund President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion federal spending bill, but a new report suggests the spending plan would shrink the economy.
The University of Pennsylvania’s business school, Penn Wharton, released a new budget model based on the Democrats’ plan that projects a major decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coming years if the plan were to pass.
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President Joe Biden announced sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandates that will force millions of unvaccinated Americans to receive the vaccine, undergo weekly testing or lose their jobs, flipping on a promise the president made in 2020 that he would enact no such mandate.
Biden rolled out the list of stringent new rules via executive orders and federal regulatory changes Thursday, most notably requiring that all private employers with 100 or more employees ensure that their employees are vaccinated or get tested weekly.
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A new federal jobs report released Friday showed that job creation for the month of August fell far short of expectations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed nonfarm jobs increased by 235,000 with unemployment at 5.2%. Dow Jones economic experts expected 720,000 new jobs for the month.
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Explosions in Afghanistan outside the Kabul airport Thursday have led to several civilian and military casualties and further heightened the chaotic evacuation of American citizens and Afghan nationals.
The Pentagon confirmed that "a number" of U.S. service members have been killed. Several media reports said the death toll includes at least 12 U.S. service members. Fox News reported that 11 were Marines and one was a Navy medic.
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As inflation continues its upward trend, government programs are giving Americans raises to keep up.
The Biden administration announced Monday a historic increase to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated the Thrifty Food Plan, a wide-ranging report that updates the expected cost to healthily feed a family of four.
The federal food report cited inflation as the driving factor behind the need for more benefits, which is the biggest increase in the program's history.
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On the heels of passing a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, Senate Democrats passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution Wednesday that sets Congress up for a major battle later this year.
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After experiencing low fuel costs last year in most parts of the country, gas prices have now hit a new seven-year high nationwide while multiple major U.S. companies announced Tuesday they would require vaccinations for their employees, a decision that has sparked controversy and likely legal challenges.
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President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration will require all federal employees and contractors to show proof of vaccination, a move met with swift opposition from Texas elected officials.
Federal workers or contractors who can’t show a proof of vaccination will be required to wear masks, practice physical distancing, and be subject to twice-weekly COVID-19 tests under the new rules.
Biden encouraged the private sector and professional sports leagues to follow suit in an address on Thursday.
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Earlier this week, President Joe Biden touted the country’s economic growth since he took office, but the latest economic data show that progress may not be as sturdy as experts would like.
The Department of Labor released new unemployment data Thursday showing a major spike in new jobless claims, meaning more Americans are filing for unemployment for the first time even as concerns grow over the Delta variant of COVID. The jobless increase came as a surprise to many experts, who hoped the U.S would continue an overall downward trend as the economy recovers from the pandemic-related economic shutdowns.
The troubling unemployment data comes amid continued debate over the efficacy of the $300 federal weekly unemployment payments passed by Congress that are in addition to state benefits. More than two dozen states have announced they will turn away the federal benefits, citing business owners who say they are unable to fill positions despite the elevated unemployment.
Meanwhile, home prices increased at a rapid rate in the last year.
The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the median existing-home sales price increased by 23.4% from June 2020 to June 2021, the second highest recorded since January 1999.
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Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tried to calm lawmakers’ fears about rising inflation but also said it would probably remain elevated for months to come.
Testifying before Congress this week, Powell said the Federal Reserve was willing to step in to address the situation, but that inflation should level out next year.
Powell’s testimony comes on the heels of troubling news of a major spike in inflation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Tuesday released federal data showing the largest one-month spike in consumer prices in more than a decade.
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President Joe Biden has pushed for beefing up IRS audits of corporations to raise revenue for his new spending proposals, but Republicans are raising the alarm about the potential consequences of the plan.
Biden unveiled his "Made in America Tax Plan” earlier this year as a strategy to help fund his trillions of dollars in proposed new federal spending that includes several tax hikes. Despite this, a bipartisan coalition in the U.S. House and Senate have agreed to a basic framework for Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan, but one element has been the theme of the negotiations among Republicans: no new taxes.
The GOP pushback against raising taxes, though, puts more pressure on the Biden administration to find ways to fund his agenda. Aside from Biden’s controversial tax hike proposals, the president also has proposed adding $80 billion in funding to the IRS so it can increase audits of corporations. READ MORE
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For many Americans still waiting to receive their tax refund, it appears the wait could be far from over.
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President Joe Biden unveiled a major gun regulation and crime prevention plan Wednesday as cities around the country struggle with rising violent crime.
Amid the wave of violence nationwide, Biden released a plan for more gun control measures and called on local governments to hire more police officers, a departure in rhetoric from some in his party who have pressured local municipalities to "defund" or cut back on police.
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The number of people filing new unemployment claims spiked last week, the latest economic indicator that's troubling economists.
Data released by the Department of Labor Thursday showed that for the week ending June 12, unemployment claims hit 412,000, a jump of 37,000 from the previous week. That increase comes after several weeks of steadily declining claims.
Next week’s report will show whether the most recent data was an anomaly or if it may be a reversal of the previous trend.
The data comes after the White House touted a steady drop in jobless claims last week.
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The latest federal report suggests more troubles for the U.S. economy, even as experts hoped for a post-COVID economic surge.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday released new data showing a major spike in inflation, the largest since the financial crisis from over a decade ago.
Some goods increased in price more than others. Household furnishings saw “its largest monthly increase since January 1976” and new vehicles increased 1.6% in May, its “largest 1-month increase since October 2009.”
The inflation report comes one day after the U.S. Department of Labor showed disappointing job creation for the month of May. The U.S economy added only 559,000 nonfarm jobs last month, short of 650,000 predicted by economists. Unemployment for the month was 5.8%.
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