The Trump administration last week rescinded a Obama-era rule that asked HUD recipients to measure and consider fixes to racial segregation in their communities.
President Donald Trump then followed up the decision with a tweet that critics say was an explicit appeal to white, suburban voters.
"His tweet was aimed at a strategy of appealing to racial resentment and really people's worst ideas about how our communities should be structured," David Sanchez, director of research and development for the National Community Stabilization Trust, told Cheddar. "Attitudes like that are a big reason why we have such severe segregation by race, class, and opportunity in this country, and unfortunately the president is trying to use those fears to benefit himself politically."
The loss of the rule itself has gotten less attention, in part due to its low profile as more of a regulatory tweak than an aggressive federal policy.
The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule that Trump's HUD eliminated asked municipalities and housing authorities to account for racial bias in their communities by writing a report and issuing recommendations, but it did not force municipalities to address segregation directly.
"It was about gathering data," Sanchez said. "It was about getting people talking about segregation. But it wasn't about forcing communities to do anything."
In the long-term, though, he added that cutting the rule will only contribute to the ongoing economic divide between the suburbs and cities.
"It's going to continue to concentrate economic resources, social privilege in certain people who can afford to live in high-opportunity communities," Sanchez said. "In the same way the COVID crisis has supercharged inequality in this country, this is just another step in that direction."
In February, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y. 16th District) introduced the Fair College Admissions for Students Act. The bill looks to curb the admissions advantage given to the children of alumni and donors for colleges and universities. Sen. Merkley joined Cheddar news to discuss the push behind the legislation. "My dad was a mechanic. I was applying to schools around the country. I never thought about the fact that those students who came from the most privileged backgrounds also got a special advantage in applying to college," he said. "They take up 10-25 percent of the slots at many of our universities, and so this is kind of affirmative action for those who need it least rather than a level playing field for everyone else." If enacted, the law would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 doing away with legacy or donor status admissions for any school participating in the federal student aid program.
Nancy Daoud, a private wealth adviser for Ameriprise Financial, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she discusses what led to a sharp spike on Wall Street during Tuesday's session and what she will be watching for most closely when the Fed announces it latest policy decision on Wednesday.
Russia's economy is effectively at a standstill after it was slapped with extensive western sanctions, and now it has to make the first of four monthly interest payments on dollar bonds. It's likely the country will not be able to pay — so what happens next? Major credit ratings agencies have downgraded Russian sovereign debt, with Fitch issuing a 'C' rating and S&P Global Ratings issuing a 'CCC-' rating. Caleb Silver, Editor in Chief of Investopedia, joins Closing Bell to discuss what a Russian debt default could mean for Russia's economy, U.S. consumers who have pensions with exposure to Russian assets, and whether this could create a global financial crisis.
With the number of Ukrainians being displaced due to the Russian invasion surging, two students from Harvard took it on themselves to develop a website to help connect potential hosts with refugees seeking housing. The co-founder of the website Ukraine Takes Shelter, Marco Burstein, joined Cheddar news to discuss working together with fellow freshman Avi Schiffmann to streamline the effort to aid Ukrainian refugees. "We basically worked for three days straight developing the website, and since then the response has been pretty incredible," Burstein said.
Over three weeks ago, WNBA player Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia on drug charges. According to reports, the Star arrived at an airport near Moscow where authorities found Vape cartridges and hashish oil in her luggage. Grindr faces serious charges that could carry a possible sentence of 5-10 years in a Russian prison. Experts warn that Griner's arrest could be used as a bargaining chip. Partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, Thomas Firestone, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
On a live broadcast, an employee on a Russian state news television channel held up a sign protesting propaganda about the war in Ukraine. Ruslan Deynychenko, executive director of the Ukrainian fact-checking organization StopFake, joined Cheddar News to discuss what he called the misinformation spread to the Russian people about the invasion. "They are not about informing people they are about brainwashing people," he said. "Russian government uses their media as an instrument, as a tool, of their foreign policy."
Student loan payments for millions of borrowers are set to resume on May 1st. However, signals from the Department of Education show that the date may be pushed back. Once again, it's been pushed back a few times. Initially, the Biden Administration stated loan payments would resume as the economy continues to show signs of recovery. Student Loan Expert and Author of "How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid", Mark Kantrowitz, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
