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☆ Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff says the difference in competence between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker is the 'most dramatic that I have ever seen in electoral politics'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff said fellow Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock is "an asset to the nation." Ossoff told Insider that Warnock stood above his opponent in "qualifications, competence and quality." Warnock is locked in a competitive Dec. 6 Senate runoff election with Republican Herschel Walker. "The contrast between Senator Warnock and his opponent in terms of preparedness, in terms of qualifications, competence and quality, is the most dramatic that I have ever seen in electoral politics," Ossoff told Insider. In the November general election, Warnock led Walker 49.4%-48.5%, with the incumbent Democrat receiving 1,946,139 votes to 1,908,424 for Walker, per Insider and DDHQ.

☆ Deadline looms to use easy filing tools to sign up for missing $1,400 stimulus checks, child tax credit payments
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesHow much the 2021 tax credits are worthGetty ImagesThe American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress in 2021 temporarily made enhanced tax credits available to millions of Americans. It also made existing tax credits — the child tax and earned income tax credits — more generous. The child tax credit included up to $3,600 for children under age 6 and $3,000 per child ages 6 through 17. Up to half of those amounts were paid in advance through monthly child tax credit payments. The earned income tax credit, which applies to low- and middle-income workers, was also enhanced for that tax year.

☆ 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.

☆ Chuck Schumer reacts to Democrats retaining control of Senate: 'This election is a victory and vindication'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted to Democrats maintaining control of the Senate. On Saturday, Schumer tweeted, "This election is a victory and vindication for Democrats." Democrats will continue to control the Senate following Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto's win in Nevada. Schumer was tweeting in response to results announced in Nevada where incumbent Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto beat Republican Adam Laxalt. For a majority, Democrats need 18 seats, while Republicans need eight.

The ballot measure amended the state constitution to enshrine expansion for Medicaid health care coverage to all adults who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Eliot Fishman, the senior director of health policy for the health care advocacy group Families USA, said that in South Dakota parents with practically any work income were ineligible for Medicaid. It took over two years, because advocates first pursued the process in South Dakota in October 2020. Supporters cheer for South Dakota Gov. Medicaid expansion, however, would not remain its focus.

☆ As a key deadline looms to claim 2021 tax credits, Republicans complain of 'suspicious timing' of IRS letters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The federal agency recently sent letters to more than 9 million individuals and families who may qualify for the tax benefits but who have not yet filed a 2021 federal income tax return. Alternatively, ChildTaxCredit.gov also lets people file their 2021 federal income tax returns. watch nowThat includes a tool provided by Code for America, GetCTC.org, that will allow people to claim their 2021 child tax credits, earned income tax credits and third stimulus checks. Tax filers typically have up to three years to file their returns and claim tax credits for which they are eligible. Moreover, the notices reference two additional tax credits, the EITC and CTC, in addition to stimulus checks.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire ran for reelection to a second term. 2022 General EmbedsNew Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, secured a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — was the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell. What experts sayThe New Hampshire race was rated as "tilt Democratic" by Inside Elections, "lean Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "leans Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire is running for reelection to a second term. 2022 General EmbedsNew Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, is aiming to secure a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — is the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell. What experts sayThe New Hampshire race was rated as "tilt Democratic" by Inside Elections, "lean Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "leans Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

☆ Live Results: The Senate midterm elections are here, and control of the deadlocked chamber of congress is up for grabs.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In 2020, Democrats gained control of the Senate for the first time since early 2015. 2022 General EmbedsDespite holding the majority, two Senate Democrats — Sens. There are 35 seats up for grabs on Election Day — 21 held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats. Six incumbents — five Republicans and one Democrat — announced they would not be running for an additional term, leading to close races in Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Other battleground states this election season include close races in Wisconsin and Georgia.

☆ Biden’s stock market record so far is the second worst since Jimmy Carter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —The stock market started the Biden era with a boom. Entering Monday, the S&P 500 advanced just 13.2% since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. Of course, the stock market is not the economy, nor should it be viewed as a barometer to govern towards. Slammed by the Fed’s all-out war on inflation, the S&P 500 is down 20% this year, on track for its worst year since 2008. The underperformance of the stock market under Biden matters because many Americans have exposure to stocks, either directly or indirectly in their 401(k) and pension plans.

☆ Evictions are piling up across the U.S. as Covid-era protections end and rents climb
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Shannon-Pettypiece-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Shannon Pettypiece | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Still, rents nationwide were up 9% in September, compared to a year earlier, and more than a dozen cities had double-digit rent increases, it said. In Phoenix, for example, rent increases have slowed in recent months, but in June were up 24% year over year, with a median asking rent of $2,261. In Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, evictions are at their highest levels since at least 2016, with more than 45,000 filings this year. Zenovia Johnson is one of those Phoenix renters who’s been struggling to stay in her home because of rising rents. In Minneapolis, where rent increases have trended below the national average, evictions in September were 37% above their historical averages after shooting up in June, when the state lifted its eviction moratorium.

☆ Biden’s oil windfall tax would backfire, warns Larry Summers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Economist Larry Summers is pushing back after President Joe Biden floated the possibility of punishing the oil industry for high prices by imposing a windfall profit tax. “I’m not sure [I] understand the argument for a windfall profits tax on energy companies,” Summers said on Twitter Tuesday morning. Oil companies lost billions of dollars — and many went bankrupt — in 2020 when oil prices briefly crashed below zero for the first time ever during the Covid recession. Not surprisingly, the oil industry itself fired back at talk of a windfall profit tax. Raising taxes on the oil industry would discourage investment in new production, the API warned — “the exact opposite of what is needed.”

☆ Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan vies against Republican Don Bolduc in the New Hampshire's US Senate race
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire is running for reelection to a second term. New Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, is aiming to secure a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — is the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. Sununu was deeply critical of Bolduc during the GOP primary campaign and eventually endorsed state Sen. Chuck Morse, who narrowly lost to Bolduc in the September contest. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell.

☆ The GOP is hammering Democrats on the economy, but they're also not doing anything to help
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Republicans are polling ahead of Democrats as midterms near, especially on economic issues. Polling shows that it's very possible House Republicans win back the majority on November 8 with more than 20 House seats, once the upper range of most analysts' projections, Axios reported last week. In one NBC News poll from last month, voters favored Republicans by nearly 20% on the issue of the economy. "There's nothing — nothing — that would create more chaos, more inflation, and more damage to the American economy than this." "Congressional Republicans have laid out their mega MAGA trickle-down economic plan clearly," the White House said in a Thursday statement.

☆ 'We're going to hang you': DOJ cracks down on threats to election workers ahead of high-stakes midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

That is just one example of the rising number of violent threats election workers in the days leading up to the Nov. 8 midterms. "These threats against election officials continue," Michael McDonald, a professor of political science at the University of Florida, told CNBC. Additional funding from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan can also be used to protect election workers, Polite said. DOJ launched an election threats task force in July 2021 to ensure voters are safe at the polls and to look into the rise in threatening behavior against election workers like Moss. Jared Polis signed an act protecting election workers from threats, coercion or intimidation into law.

☆ US math skills suffered their biggest-ever setback during COVID, with just 26% of 8th graders meeting the mark
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Results from the Nation's Report Card found drastic declines in math scores for fourth and eight graders. Just 26% of eight graders are proficient in math, down from 34% in 2019. Cardona said that while the pandemic is partly to blame, years of disinvestment in education is a major factor. The results were stark — math scores for eighth graders dropped in nearly every state, with just 26% of them proficient in the subject, down from 34% in 2019. For fourth graders, the average math score fell by five points, and reading scores for both grades fell by three points.

☆ Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan says he'd 'probably' be a 'royal pain in the ass' in the Senate, doesn't commit to supporting Sen. Chuck Schumer as caucus leader
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Tim Ryan said he'd "probably" be a "royal pain in the ass" if elected to the Senate next month. Ryan made the comment during an interview with Politico, where he remarked on his tight Senate race. The lawmaker also told Politico that he was unsure if he'd back Chuck Schumer as Democratic leader. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. As Ryan has campaigned across Ohio, he has spoken out against some of his party's leaders, including President Joe Biden.

As millions of Americans prepare to submit applications for student loan forgiveness through the Biden administration's new program, the residents of seven states could get a tax bill if they accept the loan cancellation. California is the largest state currently in line to tax student loan forgiveness. However, California legislators have promised to change the state's tax code to exempt student debt forgiveness from being taxed. In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Revenue confirmed its residents will owe up to $323 for $10,000 in student loan forgiveness and $646 for $20,000 in student loan forgiveness. “Legislative leaders need to find a solution that treats student loan forgiveness the same way they handled the PPP loan forgiveness that many of them received,” Cooper said.

☆ How to Apply for Student Loan Forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

The official student loan forgiveness application is available on the Federal Student Aid website. What you can do now to prepare for student loan repayment and reliefFirst and foremost, you can fill out the application for up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness on the Federal Student Aid website. “January will almost certainly be a chaotic time for the [student loan] servicers,” says Michael Lux, attorney and founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. You might also check out alternative options for student loan forgiveness, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness. If your state charges a tax rate of 5%, for example, expect to pay about $500 in taxes on $10,000 in loan forgiveness or $1,000 on $20,000 in loan forgiveness.

☆ U.S. budget deficit cut in half for biggest decrease ever amid Covid spending declines
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. budget deficit was sliced in half for fiscal 2022, the biggest drop in history following two years of huge Covid-related spending. Though still large in historical terms, the budget shortfall declined to $1.375 trillion, compared to the 2021 deficit of $2.776 trillion. Education spending totaled $639.4 billion for the fiscal year, $408 billion higher than estimated. The outlays number represented about a $550 billion decline in spending but an $850 billion increase in revenue. Prior to 2020, the highest deficit ever was $1.41 trillion 2009 as the financial crisis came to a close.

☆ Rubio and Demings spar over inflation and abortion in fiery Florida Senate debate
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and his Democratic challenger, Rep. Val Demings, dueled over inflation, abortion rights and immigration Tuesday night in what is expected to be their only debate before the election. The hourlong debate held at Palm Beach State College was punctuated by persistent interruptions and insults as the candidates each criticized the other's legislative record on Capitol Hill. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., debates Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., at Duncan Theater on the campus of Palm Beach State College on Tuesday. Thomas Cordy / Pool/The Palm Beach Post via APHeading into the debate, Demings had targeted Rubio on abortion, an issue that Democrats nationwide have highlighted to drive turnout in November. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., at Tuesday’s debate.

☆ Ohio Democratic Senate nominee Tim Ryan told Republican JD Vance to 'move back to San Francisco' if he wanted to 'run against Nancy Pelosi': 'You're running against me'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tim Ryan blasted JD Vance for repeatedly invoking Nancy Pelosi during their Senate debate on Monday. Ryan at one point told Vance to "move back to San Francisco" and run against the House Speaker. "JD, you keep talking about Nancy Pelosi. If you want to run against Nancy Pelosi, move back to San Francisco and run against Nancy Pelosi," the Democratic lawmaker said. "Yet he votes and agrees with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time.

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - U.S. farmers in economic distress have received nearly $800 million in loan relief from the Department of Agriculture (USDA)using funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh announced on Tuesday. The new law allocates $3.1 billion for USDA to make loan adjustments or payments for financially distressed farmers. The agency also cleared debt held by about 2,100 farmers who had been foreclosed on but still owed money. USDA will administer another $500 million to aid farmers with more complex financial situations, including where farmers are facing bankruptcy or foreclosure, the agency said. An earlier debt relief program in the American Rescue Plan would have allocated debt relief to farmers of color.

☆ IRS sends letters to over 9 million who could miss out on valuable 2021 tax credits. Here's how to claim that money
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More than 9 million individuals and families could be leaving money on the table by not filing a 2021 federal tax return, according to the IRS. Last week, the federal tax agency began sending letters to those people it had identified who could be missing out on payments through tax credits that could put money in their pockets. More from Personal Finance:Why some have yet to receive enhanced child tax credit paymentsWho benefits most from expanded earned income tax creditOptimism monthly child tax credit checks can be renewedThe American Rescue Plan that was enacted in 2021 authorized the stimulus checks through the Recovery Rebate Credit and also made existing child tax and earned income tax credits more generous. "The IRS wants to remind potentially eligible people, especially families, that they may qualify for these valuable tax credits," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement. Millions of eligible taxpayers fail to claim the credits for which they are eligible every year.

☆ Poor mental health in US teens exacerbated by negative experiences during Covid-19 pandemic, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Poor mental health among teens in the United States was a concern before the Covid-19 pandemic, and major disruptions to school and social life since early 2020 have only exacerbated the situation. A new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most adolescents experienced negative events during the Covid-19 pandemic – and those experiences were linked to higher prevalence of poor mental health and suicide attempts. About 1 of every 13 adolescents (8%) reported experiencing four or more adverse events during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Youth are in crisis,” Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, said in March. Approaching the mental health of teens and youth is nuanced and should be different from the way adults are treated, he said.

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