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☆ Joe Biden's biggest successes and failures in his second year in office
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

His second year in office was marked by historic legislative achievements despite Democrats' razor-thin majority in Congress. Here are some of the highs and lows from Biden's second year:Success: UkrainePresident Joe Biden talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside the White House. Conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens in September called the "staggering gains" by Ukrainian forces "a victory for Joe Biden, too." Universal pre-K was included in a sweeping spending plan passed by House Democrats until their Senate colleagues cut that out too. Failure: InflationPresident Joe Biden arrives for an event focused on inflation and the supply chain at the Port of Los Angeles in June.

☆ Trump once again stirs rumors that he could run as a third-party candidate and split the Republican vote if party turns on him
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump shared an article calling on him to abandon Republican Party if it doesn't back him in 2024. The article said Trump could run as a third-party candidate, a move that would split the GOP vote. Trump is facing rising opposition to his 2024 bid from some quarters of the Republican Party. It is a move that would split the Republican Party vote and likely doom the party's 2024 ambitions. He said that a Trump third-party candidacy could have a similar result, but that a Republican loss would teach the "corrupt gravy-train" a lesson.

☆ Democrats fret as Biden tries to bolster re-election case touting legislative wins
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Peter Nicholas | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carol-Lee-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

WASHINGTON — As 2022 draws to a close, President Joe Biden plans to give an upbeat national address Thursday afternoon with a unifying message. Biden would be traveling the country touting reduced insulin prices and new road projects, while House Republicans hold hearings into obscure conspiracy theories. The first is Biden runs and loses, perhaps to a younger Republican opponent who eclipses Trump as the new GOP favorite. His top aides have been meeting privately with left-leaning interest groups urging them to go out and showcase Biden’s record. “President Biden became the first president since FDR in 1934 to not lose a single incumbent United States Senate seat” in the midterms, Donilon wrote.

☆ 5 symbolic moments you may have missed from Zelenskyy's White House visit and historic address to Congress, from his green sweatshirt to quoting FDR
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a historic address to Congress on Wednesday. Zelenskyy made multiple comparisons to World War II and American history during the speech. There were also a few symbolic aspects to Zelenskyy's visit, as well as similarities to historic events. Pelosi also gifted Zelenskyy with a flag — an American flag that flew over the Capitol on Wednesday — in honor of his visit. Comparison to the Battle of the Bulge and Battle of SaratogaZelenskyy again made a comparison to America's role in World War II, invoking the Battle of the Bulge.

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Scott Minerd, global chief investment officer at investment and advisory firm Guggenheim Partners and a prominent Wall Street bond investor, has died, his firm said on Thursday. During his 25-year stint with Guggenheim, Minerd became a prolific commentator on financial markets and was often quoted by the media. He will be greatly missed by all," Mark Walter, chief executive and a founder of Guggenheim Partners, said in the firm's statement. Guggenheim said it had implemented a succession plan, with Anne Walsh, managing partner and CIO of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, assuming many of Minerd's responsibilities on an interim basis. Minerd was regarded in the past few years as one of the U.S. "bond kings," along with Jeffrey Gundlach, chief executive of DoubleLine, and Dan Ivascyn, chief investment officer of bond giant PIMCO.

Some hardline Republicans have even urged an end to aid and an audit to trace how allocated money has been spent. The world is too interconnected to allow any country to stand aside and feel safe, Zelenskiy said as he appealed for bipartisan support. The United States also announced another $1.85 billion in military aid for Ukraine, including a Patriot air defence system to help it ward off barrages of Russian missiles. "We would like to get more Patriots ... we are in war," Zelenskiy told reporters at the White House. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Washington was seeing no sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin was willing to engage in peacemaking.

The lawmakers are co-sponsors of the National Development Strategy and Coordination Act. That's why we've joined forces to jumpstart a national project to restore American manufacturing leadership. This committee would be charged with developing a National Development Strategy, recommending investments to improve national security, strengthen domestic manufacturing, create good-paying jobs and develop new technologies. Second, our proposal — the National Development Strategy and Coordination Act — would give this committee the authority to direct the Department of Treasury's Federal Financing Bank to achieve its goals. This would bring overdue strategic coordination to our federal loan system and inject much-needed long-term capital into critical industries.

☆ Congress was once so closely divided that Republicans lost power after the election when too many congressmen died
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Control of Congress was once so close, Republicans lost power before they ever met in Washington DC. Fourteen representatives-elect died after election day in 1931 and before the start of the new term. The special elections largely went to Democrats, flipping control of the House before the start of the term. Similarly, the 1930 election followed another major economic event: The 1929 stock market crash. With each new special election that took place, the country plunged further into a Depression, giving Democrats an edge to win their races.

☆ U.S. wrongly revoked Oppenheimer security clearance: Biden admin
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration on Friday reversed a 1954 decision by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to revoke the security clearance of Robert Oppenheimer, known as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his work on the Manhattan Project. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a written order that the since-dissolved AEC acted out of political motives when it revoked Oppenheimer’s security clearance nearly 70 years ago. He oversaw the first atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert, code-named “Trinity,” before the weapons were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following the war, Oppenheimer opposed nuclear proliferation and development of the hydrogen bomb, stances that Granholm suggested in her order led the AEC to revoke his security clearance. of Energy Granholm for vacating the AEC’s flawed 1954 decision to revoke Robt Oppenheimer’s security clearance,” Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said on Twitter.

☆ Biden admin says U.S. wrongly revoked Oppenheimer's security clearance in 1954
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Friday reversed a 1954 decision by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to revoke the security clearance of Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb" for his work on the Manhattan Project. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a written order that the since-dissolved AEC acted out of political motives when it revoked Oppenheimer's security clearance nearly 70 years ago. He oversaw the first atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert, code-named "Trinity", before the weapons were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following the war, Oppenheimer opposed nuclear proliferation and development of the hydrogen bomb, stances that Granholm suggested in her order led the AEC to revoke his security clearance. of Energy Granholm for vacating the AEC’s flawed 1954 decision to revoke Robt Oppenheimer’s security clearance," Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said on Twitter.

[1/2] U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia July 27, 2022. Griner arrived at the medical center last Friday after U.S. officials secured her freedom from Russia in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner, 32, was arrested on Feb. 17 at an airport outside Moscow for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. U.S. officials pressed for the release of both Griner and Whelan, who is being held on what Washington called "sham" espionage charges, a Biden administration official said. "(I) encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home," said Griner.

Biden had been hopeful that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be more apt to free Griner once America’s midterm elections were done, a calculation that proved correct. Still detained in Russia is Paul Whelan, a businessman whom the White House has also been working to free without success. In a 2012 interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” when he was vice president, Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage, and he is expected to sign the measure into law. White House officials acknowledged the headwinds and worried that the midterm elections would be a repudiation of Biden’s record. “When I look at what the Biden White House has done, I think experience and patience really paid off,” said Jennifer Palmieri, who served as White House communications director during the Obama administration.

By the time Cherelle Griner arrived at the White House, it was clear Brittney Griner was on the verge of being released. As Cherelle Griner waited to meet with Sullivan, however, a change in venue signaled what was about to happen. Biden delivered the first official confirmation that Brittney Griner was on her way home, something he’d told aides he wanted to do himself. Shortly after, advisers delivered the official notification to Biden and Cherelle Griner: Brittany Griner was secure and in the hands of US officials. Biden then brought Cherelle Griner to a chair set up next to his at the Resolute Desk.

☆ Biden administration brings WNBA star Brittany Griner home for the holidays after 10 months in Russian custody
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration is bringing WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for 10 months, home for the holidays after months of negotiation. "She is safe, she is on a plane, she is on her way home," U.S. President Joe Biden announced Thursday. Cherelle Griner was present and able to speak with Brittney when Biden made the call from the Oval Office. Notably absent from the swap was another American detained in Russia, Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody since 2018. "We've not forgotten about Paul Whelan," Biden said.

With winter approaching at the penal colony where Griner was being held, Biden faced a singularly presidential decision. Griner’s wife, who arrived in Washington on Wednesday, was invited to an early morning meeting at the White House set for Thursday. Cherelle Griner waited at the White House for a short period of time before it became clear the planned meeting with Sullivan had shifted. The White House described her suffering “intolerable circumstances” during her detention. At the White House, Biden met with Griner’s wife for the first time to show her the letter he was sending in response.

☆ Yellen sees key role for Treasury's racial equity council despite Republican criticism
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday said a new racial equity advisory committee, which has drawn the ire of Republican lawmakers, would play a big role in helping the department address acute economic disparities faced by communities of color. Yellen told the inaugural meeting of the 25 members of the Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity that the Biden administration remained focused on ensuring that disadvantaged communities were no longer left behind in the U.S. economy. "The Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity will play a major role in our effort," she said. Yellen in 2021 named Janis Bowdler, a Latina activist and former head of the philanthropic arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), as the department's first-ever counselor for racial equity. A spokesperson for Brady said the lawmakers had not yet received a reply from Yellen or the Treasury.

☆ Democrats’ plan to give Iowa the boot from top primary spot is great news
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Joshua Spivak | Joshua Spivak Is The Author Of | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

This year, it’s the Democrats with a noteworthy shakeup to the 2024 primary and caucus calendar. Biden finished a distant fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire and was seen as dead in the water. Perhaps what makes Iowa even more problematic for Democrats is that it has moved out of the political center. In 1988’s Democratic caucus, it is still arguably unknown who really won: the declared winner, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, or Illinois Sen. Paul Simon. Perhaps what makes Iowa even more problematic for Democrats is that it has moved out of the political center.

☆ A 1930s eugenics experiment is the reason women's clothing sizes are so damn frustrating
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A 1930s eugenics experiment is the reason women's clothing sizes are inconsistent, as per Radke. In an email to Insider, Radke said the discovery about women's clothing sizes was one of the biggest surprises to her when researching "Butts, a Backstory." Andrew SemansThe life-sized plaster casts made by Dickinson and Belskie were dubbed Normman and Norma and helped create standardized clothing sizes. During the 1950s, standardized clothing sizes were adopted by clothing brands. "It's just too expensive for garment manufacturers to make enough clothing sizes to accommodate the wide variation of human bodies.

☆ Thanksgiving Was Born From America’s Struggles
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Meir Soloveichik | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Norman Rockwell’s painting “Freedom From Want” is perhaps the most famous artistic depiction of an American Thanksgiving, showing a family joyfully gathered round an enormous turkey. For Rockwell, the abundance of the meal was the point, reflecting the ideal Franklin Roosevelt named in his famous “Four Freedoms” speech. Equally notable is the tranquility of the family gathering. This year, it’s easy to wonder if Rockwell’s Thanksgiving has any relevance to our own. Soaring inflation has made big dinners less easy to afford, and many family gatherings will feature acrimonious discussions about the state of the country.

☆ Best Buy forecasts smaller drop in sales ahead of holiday season
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Uday Sampath Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) on Tuesday forecast a smaller drop in annual sales than it had previously estimated, saying it was confident that a ramp up in deals and discounts will bring in more inflation-weary customers during the holiday season. Best Buy expects full-year comparable sales to fall about 10%, compared with a previous forecast of a decrease of about 11%. "Best Buy may be better positioned for the holiday season than other retailers," said Jason Benowitz, senior portfolio manager at Roosevelt Investment Group. "We expect modest growth in consumer holiday spend this year and believe many companies hold too much inventory relative to demand, while Best Buy appears to have rightsized its holdings ahead of the season," Benowitz added. However, heavier discounts will take a toll on holiday-quarter profit margins, Best Buy warned.

☆ Fewer states than ever could pick the next president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Five states decided the last presidential race by flipping from Trump in 2016 to Joe Biden in 2020 – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Democratic and Republican presidential nominees have each carried 20 states in every election since at least 2008. Democrats did not demonstrate the capacity to threaten any of the GOP’s core 20 states, as Republicans did in Nevada. A race with just Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona as true battlegrounds would begin with Democrats favored in states holding 260 Electoral College votes (including Washington, DC) and Republicans in states with 235. After 2022, the list of genuinely competitive presidential states may be shrinking, but, if anything, that could increase the tension as the nation remains poised on the knife’s edge between two deeply entrenched, but increasingly antithetical, political coalitions.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks regarding student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Wednesday August 24, 2022. The Biden administration said in a new court filing Thursday that it will ask the Supreme Court to lift an injunction and allow a major student loan debt relief program to resume. Earlier Thursday, the Biden administration revealed updated guidelines that will make it easier for those struggling with their student debt to discharge it in bankruptcy. "Amidst efforts to block our debt relief program, we are not standing down." "This belief may well stop them from making payments even if the Department is prevented from effectuating debt relief," he wrote.

☆ ‘Here comes the bride’: White House to host its 19th wedding
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

WASHINGTON — “Here Comes the Bride” will be heard at the White House very soon. Stewart McLaurin, president of the historical association, said special occasions at the White House aren’t soon forgotten. “It’s like being part of the American fabric.”A White House wedding is no guarantee of a lasting marriage. Lynda Johnson Robb said she never thought about a White House wedding, but circumstances practically dictated that she and Marine Capt. Red is her signature color and December nuptials meant the White House was already decorated for Christmas.

☆ Biden Administration stops taking applications for student loan forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. President Joe Biden is flanked by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as he speaks about administration plans to forgive federal student loan debt during remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2022. The Biden administration has stopped accepting applications for federal student loan forgiveness after a court struck down its plan on Thursday evening. "Courts have issued orders blocking our student debt relief program," according to a note on the forgiveness application page at Studentaid.gov. "Amidst efforts to block our debt relief program, we are not standing down." "Judge Pittman's decision was about as wrong and weird as any federal court ruling I can recall reading," Tribe said.

☆ It's looking more likely that any recession next year will be shallow and manageable
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That's a slowdown from the year-over-year increase of 8.2% in September, and below the 8.0% increase economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected to see. And core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, saw a year-over-year increase of 6.3% in October, below September's year-over-year increase of 6.6%. This inflation data comes amid concerns of a looming recession, and debates on how bad of an economic downturn it will truly be. Any recession that comes will be mildAs Insider previously reported, a 2023 recession will look unlike any recession Americans have recently experienced, and the latest inflation data and strong jobs report bolster that sentiment. And looking forward, declining inflation levels are likely to shape the Fed's December decision on hiking interest rates.

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