Archives for August 3, 2025 at 5:20 pm EDT

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Texas House Democrats Flee the State

August 3, 2025 at 5:20 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Texas Democratic lawmakers fled the state Sunday in a bid to block passage of a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year, raising the stakes in what’s poised to be a national fight over redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm election,” the Texas Tribune reports.

“The maneuver, undertaken by most of the Texas House’s 62 Democrats, deprives the Republican-controlled chamber of a quorum — the number of lawmakers needed to function under House rules — ahead of a scheduled Monday vote on the draft map.”

“The 150-member House can only conduct business if at least 100 members are present, meaning the absence of 51 or more Democrats can bring the Legislature’s ongoing special session to a halt.”

Tariffs Hit Main Street

August 3, 2025 at 11:45 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Financial Times reports a divide “is widening in the US economy as the biggest banks and technology groups shrug off Donald Trump’s tariffs to post huge earnings gains while consumer-facing companies struggle with rising costs.”

It’s Trump’s Economy Now

August 3, 2025 at 11:42 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For all of President Donald Trump’s promises of an economic ‘golden age,’ a spate of weak indicators this week told a potentially worrisome story as the impacts of his policies are coming into focus,” the AP reports.

“Job gains are dwindling. Inflation is ticking upward. Growth has slowed compared with last year.”

“More than six months into his term, Trump’s blitz of tariff hikes and his new tax and spending bill have remodeled America’s trading, manufacturing, energy and tax systems to his own liking. He’s eager to take credit for any wins that might occur and is hunting for someone else to blame if the financial situation starts to totter.”

“But as of now, this is not the boom the Republican president promised, and his ability to blame his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, for any economic challenges has faded as the world economy hangs on his every word and social media post.”

U.S. and Israel Float Idea of ‘All or Nothing’ Gaza Deal

August 3, 2025 at 11:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For months, the Israeli government had focused on negotiating a two-phased deal for a 60-day cease-fire in Gaza and the release of some hostages, leaving discussions about a permanent end to the war for a later stage,” the New York Times reports.

“With the talks now at an impasse, American and Israeli officials appear to be sharply changing their tone by signaling that they will push for a comprehensive deal. But Israel and Hamas remain far apart, and it was unclear if a new approach would be more likely to secure an agreement.”

Trump Puts Switzerland in Trade-War Crossfire

August 3, 2025 at 11:09 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Wall Street Journal: “In a land famed for its neutrality and order, the Swiss reacted with shock and confusion to Trump’s decision to impose a 39% tariff—higher than all but three nations on last week’s executive order: Laos, Myanmar and Syria. Switzerland is one of the few nations whose Aug. 1 tariff rate was higher than Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ threats in April.”

“The move upended months of negotiations in which Swiss officials believed they were on the verge of securing a favorable deal.”

Hamas Releases Video of Hostage Digging Own Grave

August 3, 2025 at 11:07 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Emaciated and pale, Evyatar David, a 24-year-old Israeli hostage, was filmed by his Hamas captors digging his own grave in a cramped underground tunnel, one of a series of videos that Palestinian militants have released in recent days of emaciated Israeli hostages,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“David and another hostage, 21-year-old Rom Braslavski, also shown emaciated and weak, beg to be freed in the videos, warning that their deaths are near. They criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ignoring their plight.”

Proportionate Response

August 3, 2025 at 10:57 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sam Wang: “Democrats are considering retaliatory gerrymandering actions against what Republicans are doing in Texas. However, such measures are highly problematic for a well-working democracy.”

“I propose that any response should be measured and proportionate. In other words, if there’s going to be a response, it should be limited to the size of the Republican offense…”

“The Texas gerrymander is only likely to yield 3 additional seats. Ohio will only add 2 or 3 seats. These offenses are manageable.”

Nuclear Option Lingers as Senators Leave for Recess

August 3, 2025 at 6:59 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Senate leaders failed to reach a bipartisan deal to speed through more of President Trump’s nominees — so senators are heading home with a GOP promise of changing the rules when they return in September,” Axios reports.

“Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) refused to back down from his demands, and Trump ultimately gave Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) cover to let his fatigued conference go home and reset.”

Trump’s Tariffs Are Making Money

August 3, 2025 at 6:54 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump’s extensive tariffs have already started to generate a significant amount of money for the federal government, a new source of revenue for a heavily indebted nation that American policymakers may start to rely on,” the New York Times reports.

“As part of his quest to reorder the global trading system, Mr. Trump has imposed steep tariffs on America’s trading partners, with the bulk of those set to go into effect on Aug. 7. Even before the latest tariffs kick in, revenue from taxes collected on imported goods has grown dramatically so far this year. Customs duties, along with some excise taxes, generated $152 billion through July, roughly double the $78 billion netted over the same time period last fiscal year, according to Treasury data.”

Trump Has No Plans to Mandate IVF Coverage

August 3, 2025 at 6:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The White House does not plan to require health insurers to provide coverage for in vitro fertilization services, even though the idea was one of President Donald Trump’s key campaign pledges,” the Washington Post reports.

“Last year, Trump said that if he returned to office, the government would either pay for IVF services or issue rules requiring insurance companies to cover treatment for it. The pledge came as Trump faced political blowback over abortion rights after his appointees to the Supreme Court helped overturn Roe v. Wade.”

Unemployed Americans Endure Longer Job Searches

August 3, 2025 at 6:44 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Job seekers are out in the cold this summer. Especially the ones who have been hunting for a while,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Beyond the headline-grabbing top-line numbers in the jobs report for July was another striking piece of data: The number of people unemployed for at least 27 weeks topped 1.8 million, the highest level since 2017, not counting the pandemic’s unemployment surge. The median length of unemployment in the U.S. has also ticked up, from a seasonally adjusted 9.5 weeks in July 2024 to 10.2 weeks last month.”