Jack Hunter, editor of Rare Politics. and Jarad Geldner, senior adviser for the Democratic Coalition, discuss Washington's busy week. They cover everything from what could be a government shutdown on Friday, to the RNC's endorsement of Roy Moore, to the Senate's recent passing of tax reform.
We dig into the rescheduling of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's meeting with the President. The two top democrats will argue for a fix for both CHIP and DACA in the budget. Jarad discusses the overall feeling in Washington as tense ahead of Friday's spending deadline.
Jack weighs in on the RNC's recent embrace of Roy Moore, alleged child sex offender and Alabama candidate for Senate. Hunter notes that the alleged behavior is deplorable, and no one should be dismissing it. Jack also discusses why some Senate Republicans, like John McCain, suddenly jumped on board tax reform. He points out that the number one concern of the Republican party has always been taxes, which is why they were able to pass it as easily as they did.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years. He says the freedom the company used to have to speak up on social issues has been stifled
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point Wednesday and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labor market. The move is the Fed’s first cut since December and lowered its short-term rate to about 4.1%, down from 4.3%. Fed officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, had kept their rate unchanged this year as they evaluated the impact of tariffs, tighter immigration enforcement, and other Trump administration policies on inflation and the economy. The only dissenter was Stephen Miran, the recent Trump-appointee.
After a late-night vote and last-minute ruling, the Federal Reserve began a key meeting on interest rate policy Tuesday with both a new Trump administration appointee and an official the White House has targeted for removal.
The Trump administration has issued its first warnings to online services that offer unofficial versions of popular drugs like the blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama says his new Cabinet will include an artificial intelligence “minister” in charge of fighting corruption. The AI, named Diella, will oversee public funding projects and combat corruption in public tenders. Diella was launched earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the government's public service platform. Corruption has been a persistent issue in Albania since 1990. Rama's Socialist Party won a fourth consecutive term in May. It aims to deliver EU membership for Albania in five years, but the opposition Democratic Party remains skeptical.
The Trump administration has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors by Monday, before the central bank’s next vote on interest rates. Trump sought to fire Cook Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled late Tuesday that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Fed’s board.
