The U.S. lost a stunning 22 million jobs in March and April at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, with only about half of those numbers returning in the following seven months. With weekly jobless claims remaining high, voters might want to know more about what former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump intend to do on the issue of labor.
Biden has pledged to do whatever it takes to help jobs recover through direct stimulus payments. His plan includes funding for state and local governments to keep essential workers on their payrolls and federal payouts to supplement state unemployment checks.
Meanwhile, Trump favors tax cuts and deregulation to stimulate the economy but concedes that another infusion of cash stimulus is likely needed. The president also extended federal unemployment benefits for six weeks after they were set to expire in July but at a lower rate of $300 a week, half the amount of the earlier benefit.
Both candidates support tax incentives for manufacturers to keep jobs at home. Biden even proposes tax penalties for those businesses that ship manufacturing jobs overseas with the intention of selling finished products back into the U.S.
Whoever wins the election in November faces a daunting task, with millions still out of work, consumer spending slowing down, and a resurgence in coronavirus cases adding to the economic woes.
Iran has vowed to strike back days after a U.S. drone attack killed their top general. Hagar Chemali, CEO of Greenwich Media Strategies, joined us to discuss the latest.
Heather Timmons, White House correspondent for Quartz, discusses the fallout from Justice Anthony Kennedy's announcement that he will retire from the Supreme Court on July 31. Timmons says the frontrunner for his seat is U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Here are your Need2Know stories for Tuesday June 7, 2022:
Today, voters head to the polls for primary elections in California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
Senator Joe Manchin said he would support raising age requirements for gun purchases to 21. Manchin told CNN he also "wouldn't have a problem looking at" a ban on AR-15 assault rifles.
Meanwhile, five players on the Tampa Bay Rays roster opted not to wear a patch added to its uniforms intended to celebrate pride month.
Russia resumed attacks on the Ukrainian capital for the first time in months after vowing to focus its resources on the eastern region known as 'the Donbas.' Cheddar News Speaks with national security and foreign policy analyst Ari Aramesh on the latest developments surrounding Ukraine.
