DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Trump-backed Walker loses: Three takeaways from Georgia U.S. Senate runoff
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker gives a concession speech during his election night party after losing the U.S. midterm runoff election to Democratic U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock beat Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election that fortified Democrats' Senate majority and handed the Republican Party another bitter loss to cap a disappointing midterm election season. Trump held two rallies for Walker in Georgia, but did not come to the state for the runoff, only phoning in to boost supporters on Monday night. That forced uncomfortable congressional Republicans to respond to Trump's statements in the days before the runoff election, pulling the focus from Walker's candidacy. At one rally prior to the runoff, Walker publicly mused about whether a werewolf could kill a vampire.

☆ Video: Why Jim Obergefell is not celebrating the Senate's same-sex marriage bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

☆ Sen. Mike Braun filing to run for governor of Indiana kicks off the GOP's first open Senate seat race of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Warren Rojas | Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Republican Sen. Mike Braun has filed to run for governor of Indiana in 2024. "I'd say here in 10 days to a couple of weeks," Braun told congressional reporters of his current timetable. "I'm very confident Indiana will stay in Republican hands," Daines told Insider between votes at the US Capitol. And fortunately for the Hoosier State, we have a lot of talented people who might run for that seat," Young told Insider at the US Capitol. The Banks and Spartz campaigns did not immediately respond to requests for comment about prospective Senate runs in 2024.

☆ Federal officials to Herschel Walker committee: Learn how to add your campaign contributions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Federal Election Commission issued a warning to Herschel Walker's joint fundraising committee. Walker faces Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in the Georgia Senate runoff election on December 6. The FEC letter offers instructions on how the treasurer can double-check his addition on year-to-date totals and cash on hand. The FEC in 2021, for example, flagged Warnock's campaign for accepting contributions that exceeded federal donation limits. A Warnock victory would give Democrats a 51-49 Senate majority while a Walker victory would maintain the Senate's 50-50 split.

It would not bar states from blocking same-sex or interracial marriages if the Supreme Court allowed them to do so. A similar, but not identical, bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this year with support from 47 Republicans and all Democrats. The House would need to approve the Senate version before it is sent to President Joe Biden to sign into law. In June, the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion, undoing 50 years of precedent. In a concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the court should consider reversing other decisions protecting individual freedoms, including the 2015 ruling on gay marriage.

☆ For retirement-system changes proposed in Congress via 'Secure 2.0,' December is do-or-die time
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

While no specific agenda has been released yet, supporters of the retirement-change proposals collectively called "Secure 2.0" are hopeful that it will be among the pieces of legislation that make it across the finish line. Increasing the extra amounts — so-called catch-up contributions — that individuals age 50 or older can put in their retirement accounts. watch nowThis year, the House passed its version of Secure 2.0, the Securing a Strong Retirement Act (H.R.2954), in late March with a bipartisan vote of 414-5. Secure 2.0 could be attached to a must-pass billAssuming that Secure 2.0 wouldn't get floor time for a vote on its own, supporters are hoping legislators will attach it to a must-pass bill this year. In September, Congress passed a stopgap measure to fund the government's 2023 fiscal year, which started Oct. 1, through Dec. 16.

☆ Rick Scott launches his Trump-backed challenge of Mitch McConnell to become Senate GOP leader
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sen. Rick Scott is challenging Mitch McConnell to become the top Senate Republican. Scott's challenge comes as former President Donald Trump and some Senate Republicans blame McConnell for a lackluster midterm election. As Politico broke the news of Scott's challenge, McConnell's allies lashed out. As the leader of Senate Republicans' campaign arm, Scott played a key role in shaping his party's strategy. Unlike McConnell, Scott did not want the GOP to aggressively intervene in contested primaries, which led to Trump-backed challengers like Dr. Mehmet Oz and Don Bolduc emerging in key races in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, respectively.

☆ Now that Americans elected Democrats to keep the Senate, here are their 3 major plans to fix the economy and fight inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In addition to abortion rights and fair elections, Democrats appealed to voters on their plans for the economy. Those may be the big takeaways, but Democrats locking down the Senate — and likely only conceding a slim majority to Republicans in the House — also indicate that voters favor Democrats' plan to rein in a tumultuous economy. That's something few economists saw as likely, however, and it looks like Democrats' plan for the economy in coming years gave them at least a slight edge necessary to pull off upset wins. Marginal victories in Nevada and Washington, for instance, were accomplished by candidates in sync with Biden's plan to lower costs for Americans. In addition to Medicare, Democrats like Fetterman have also called for allowing lower-priced drugs to be imported to the US, in addition to limiting drug price costs overall.

☆ U.S. Senate to tackle debt ceiling, Majority Leader Schumer says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will need to address the nation's debt ceiling in coming weeks, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Sunday, vowing to tackle it and other major issues in a "productive" session before the current Congress ends. "The debt ceiling of course, is something that we have to deal with, and it's something that we will look at over the next few weeks," the Senate's top Democrat said at a news conference in New York City. Democratic leaders in the Senate will meet this week to discuss their legislative path forward, Schumer added, declining to discuss any specifics. Reporting by Brendan O'Brien; editing by Susan HeaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Democrats await Nevada election result that could seal their U.S. Senate majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A Democratic victory in Georgia next month would then give the party outright majority control of a 51-49 Senate. A Democratic loss in Georgia and a win in Nevada would still put Democrats in charge of a 50-50 Senate, as Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris can break tie votes. The Senate currently is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. With nearly 97% of the vote counted in the Nevada Senate race, Laxalt was leading by around 800 votes. It could take at least a few more days before the outcome of enough House races are known to determine party control of that 435-seat chamber.

☆ Stocks have gained in the year after every midterm election since World War II - and investors can expect that run to continue even as the Fed keeps hiking rates
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The S&P 500 is likely to extend a historic run of positive returns after midterm elections, market strategists say. The S&P 500 in has posted positive returns in the 12 months after midterm elections since the end of World War II. The broad equity index has posted positive returns after each mid-term since 1946–after World War II ended in September 1945. He said heading into the year-end it appears that the S&P 500 has found a "very strong floor of support," at 3,500. Detrick said dovish signals from the Fed could leave the S&P 500 in 2023 with a higher post-midterm election return than the 14.1% average he had found.

OTTAWA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada has not ruled out another oversized interest rate hike to fight sky-high inflation, governor Tiff Macklem said on Tuesday, acknowledging Canadians feel "ripped off" by fast rising prices. The Bank of Canada surprised markets with a smaller-than-expected 50-basis point increase last week, lifting the policy rate to 3.75%. "It's been a long time since we had high inflation and we're rediscovering that it corrodes the social fabric," he added. And that's one of the big problems with inflation and it's an important reason why we got to get it back down." Earlier he reiterated the Bank of Canada would need still higher rates to fight stubborn inflation.

☆ Bank of Canada reiterates that rates need to rise to fight inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada needs to hike interest rates further to fight stubbornly high inflation, Governor Tiff Macklem said on Tuesday, reiterating that "we are getting closer, but we are not there yet." In opening remarks to the Senate's banking, trade and economy committee, he said the central bank was still far from the goal of low, stable and predictable inflation. Last week the Bank of Canada announced a smaller-than-expected interest rate hike and forecast the economy would stall over the next three quarters. Inflation in Canada has slowed to 6.9% from a peak of 8.1%, but core measures remain broad-based and persistent. The central bank revised its inflation outlook a touch lower and said it sees a return to the 2% target by end-2024.

☆ Obama brings Democratic star power to key Georgia U.S. Senate race
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., January 3, 2021. Polls show the race between Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker to be deadlocked. His trip came as Democrats are growing increasingly anxious about the Senate race. Georgia has seen a record-breaking number of early voters, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. Beyond Georgia, Republicans have focused their efforts on flipping a Democratic Senate seat in Arizona or Nevada.

☆ Obama to turn his Democratic star power on key Georgia U.S. Senate race
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., January 3, 2021. Polls show the race between Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker to be tight, while Abrams has consistently trailed Kemp in that race. Prior to the evening event with Obama, Warnock campaigned in rural Dalton, north of Atlanta. Beyond Georgia, Republicans have focused their efforts on flipping a Democratic Senate seat in Arizona or Nevada. “Bringing in President Obama helps to underscore the importance of African-American vote, while also exciting other voters.”Republicans are also expected to win enough seats to take over the U.S. House of Representatives.

However, the first two years of Biden's presidency proved one-party control of Congress and the White House does not mean the president gets what he wants. Any impeachment would then progress to a trial in the Senate, where a Democratic majority is likely to shut it down. The Senate Majority Leader, picked from the party that holds a majority of the Senate's 100 seats, decides what the chamber votes on, or never considers. Republicans likely would push hard for deep domestic spending cuts and making some tax cuts from the 2017 tax bill set to expire at the end of 2025 permanent. Whether a House Biden impeachment process proceeds to a Senate trial would rest on the shoulders of the Senate Majority Leader, likely to be Kentucky's Mitch McConnell.

☆ Stanford students call for accountability after second alleged rape reported in two months
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Stanford University officials must do more to prevent sexual violence, support victims and hold perpetrators accountable, sexual violence prevention advocates on campus said this week, in the wake of the second alleged rape reported in as many months at the school. Student activists have also planned a protest for Friday afternoon, sponsored by the group Sexual Violence Free Stanford. The group also sponsored the resolution passed Thursday, along with two executive members of the Associated Students of Stanford University, which represents the student body. "Sexual violence is a very challenging issue that we and all universities have been working aggressively to address," Mostofi said. Thirteen percent of all students experience sexual assault, according to RAINN, which characterizes sexual assault on campuses as "pervasive."

☆ Holocaust survivor to oversee start of rightist Italian parliament
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Liliana Segre attends a debate ahead of a confidence vote at the upper house of parliament after former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi pulled his party out of government, in Rome, Italy, January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/Pool/File PhotoROME, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Italy's new parliament opens on Thursday, with a Holocaust survivor due to preside over the first session of the upper house Senate as the most right-wing coalition since World War Two takes control of both chambers. Liliana Segre was the only member of her family to emerge alive from the Nazi Auschwitz concentration camp at the end of the war. Honoured as a senator for life, the 92 year-old is the oldest active member of the house, meaning she will start proceedings. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAdditional reporting by Angelo Amante; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Senate defense bill does not extend Boeing 737 MAX certification -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The first Boeing 737 MAX 7 is unveiled in Renton, Washington, U.S. February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Redmond/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The latest version of the U.S. Senate's defense bill does not contain an amendment to extend a December deadline for Boeing Co (BA.N) to win regulatory approval for the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 jetliners, according to sources and documents seen by Reuters. Unless it gains an extension from Congress, Boeing must meet new modern cockpit-alerting requirements that could significantly delay the planes' entry into service. Wicker had sought to attach the measure to the version of the defense bill that was filed on Tuesday. There are other opportunities to make changes to the defense bill and an extension could be attached to other measures Congress will consider before year end.

☆ Congress is still considering changes to the retirement system, including catch-up contributions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Tom Brenner | ReutersThere's still a decent chance that changes to the U.S. retirement system will be enacted before the end of the year. "There's still tremendous bipartisan interest in doing another retirement security bill," said Paul Richman, chief government and political affairs officer for the Insured Retirement Institute. Upping the catch-up contribution anteNosystem Images | E+ | Getty ImagesCurrently, retirement savers age 50 or older can make so-called catch-up contributions to their retirement savings. The House bill would expand the 401(k) catch-up to $10,000 for individuals who are age 62, 63 or 64. The Senate proposal differs by allowing people from age 60 through age 63 make the extra $10,000 catch-up contribution.

☆ Gen X is late to the leadership table in US politics, prompting the question: Will it ever produce a president?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Darren Samuelsohn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

By historical standards, Gen X should be in charge of the US by now. Think of them as the godparents of the "Xennials" — those born in the late 1970s or early 1980s who aren't fully Gen X or millennial. No matter whether you deny the 61-year-old Obama is a boomer, Gen X is starting to get up there in age. Michael Ciaglo-Pool/Getty ImagesWhat's the US missing without a Gen X president? "It's like seeing a ghost that doesn't appear," she said of any expectation the presidency would just suddenly open up for Gen X.

☆ 81-year-old Bernie Sanders jokes that he couldn't hear a question about age limits for politicians
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders, asked about age limits for politicians, said it's important to look at the individual. When asked whether he planned to run again, Sanders said "I haven't made that decision." The Senate's average age this Congress is 64.3, the oldest in the chamber's history, according to the Senate Historical Office. CBS Mornings hosts noted that some younger politicians are saying it's time for their generation to step up and most Americans think there should be age limits for politicians. When an Insider journalist asked Sanders about America's aging leaders, the senator interrupted him with a classic Sanders rant.

☆ There's overwhelming support for an age limit on the president and Congress. Here's why that won't happen anytime soon.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

Some have proposed age limits for elected officials amid concerns about America's gerontocracy. The history of the contemporary movement for term limits largely dates back to the early 1990s, when dozens of states enacted term limits not just for their own legislatures but for their federal representatives in Washington. "Put it this way: I'm a little more interested in term limits than age limits," Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told Insider. "There's a logic to term limits, because the principle of democracy is taking turns," Raskin, 59, said. "If there were to be term limits, the legislature certainly should have more terms than the executive," he offered.

☆ Czech opposition party wins most major cities in local election
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala speaks during an interview with Reuters in Prague, Czech Republic, July 13, 2022. REUTERS/David W CernyPRAGUE, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis's opposition ANO party won most of the country's major cities in municipal elections seen as a test for the ruling coalition's handling of the energy crisis. The opposition has been saying that the government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala has done too little too late to help the people. Among the individual parties, ANO came out behind two parties of the ruling coalition, Prime Minister Fiala's Civic Democrats, and the Christian Democrats. Regardless of the second round results, the ruling coalition will maintain its majority in the Senate.

☆ Rick Scott joins Mitch McConnell in rallying around Ron DeSantis' migrant flight stunt
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Rick Scott plugs Ron DeSantis' migrant trafficking project in a new fundraising pitch. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell hailed the migrant shuffling as "a good idea" on Tuesday. Exploiting migrants for political gain is the rare thing McConnell and Scott agree on right now. Scott is the second Senate GOP leader to climb aboard the DeSantis bandwagon this week. This spring McConnell threw cold water on Scott's self-styled midterm strategy blueprint, emphatically stating "that will not be part of a Republican Senate majority agenda."

Search resuls for: "Senate's"

25 mentions found