Rep. McEachin (D-VA): "The American People" Lose From Tax Reform Bill
GOP negotiators are still hammering out the final details of the party’s tax plan, in a reported effort to have the proposal on President Trump’s desk by next week. A CBS News poll from last week found that 53 percent of people nationwide disapprove of the GOP tax bill, while only 35 percent approve.
Democrats argue that the bill raises the national deficit over $1 trillion, hurts the middle class, and makes the rich richer. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) added another woe to the mounting list: the proposed tax reform would actually hinder Trump’s aggressive military buildup promises.
“The American people are the losers under this bill,” he said, enumerating all of the issues he sees with the proposed legislation. “In addition, in a state like mine (Virginia), where military spending is so important, they’re robbing the military as well from buildup.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-donald-mceachin-d-va-says-the-gop-tax-plan-has-caused-the-party-to-lose-all-credibility).
President Joe Biden announced Friday that along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the U.S. will revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The consumer price index jumped 7.9 percent in February, marking a 40-year high for inflation in the U.S. This report comes less than a week ahead of the Fed's all important meeting. Kayla Bruun, Economic Analyst, Morning Consult, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Markets opened lower amid hotter-than-expected inflation data, which surged to its highest level in nearly 40 years. Lisa Erickson, Senior Vice President and Co-Head, Public Markets Group, U.S. Bank joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the significance of this figure ahead of the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting.
As the Russia-Ukraine war disrupts the global economy, sending markets on a roller coaster ride, gold remains hovering around $2,000 an ounce. Often seen as a safe haven in times of economic crisis, Jason Cozens, founder and CEO of gold-as-currency platform Glint Pay, joined Cheddar’s Opening Bell to discuss the latest gold rush, how the war is impacting prices, and how people can use Glint to trade in the precious metal. “You know the stock markets and cryptocurrencies are risky investments," he stated. "Whereas gold is just reliable money. It's no one else's liability if you own."
As Western sanctions weigh on Russia's economy, the country is at the risk of defaulting on its debt. Fitch ratings agency has downgraded Russia's debt for the second time in a week, warning a "sovereign default is imminent." Jesse Wheeler, Economic Analyst at Morning Consult, explains what that means, and how it could have ripple effects across the global economy.
Uber Lyft and Doordash are all set to spend $1 million dollars on a campaign and efforts to stop lawmakers from classifying their gig workers as employees. The campaign features TV and online ads highlighting Washington area workers who say they prefer the flexibility of being an independent contractor rather than following the model of a company employee. Professor at NYU. Stern School of Business and author of the sharing economy, Arun Sundararajan, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
President Biden is looking at unlikely partners to buy oil, after banning all Russian energy imports. Among them is Venezuela, a regime that has been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2019. Ariel Cohen of the Atlantic Council explains to Cheddar News why that might not be a bad choice.