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Ohio governor picks Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to replace JD Vance in Senate

January 18, 2025
The pick is in to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance in the Senate. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine picked Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to be the Buckeye State’s next senator. The decision could shape the future of the former swing state, which has shifted Republican in presidential and state-level elections in recent years.

The 57-year-old Husted has nearly 15 years of experience in statewide elected office in Ohio. His experience includes eight years administering Ohio’s elections as secretary of state before becoming lieutenant governor in 2019.

While former Republican presidential candidate and co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Vivek Ramaswamy, reportedly spoke with DeWine about the position, Ramaswamy will reportedly run to succeed the term-limited DeWine in the 2026 governor’s election.

Outlets including Fox News, The New York Times and The Washington Post reported Ramaswamy will enter the race. They report he will likely do so after the DOGE commission he co-leads with Elon Musk moves toward its goal of making major cuts to government spending.

Husted would have the choice to run for reelection in a 2026 special election. The winner of the special election would then run again in the regularly scheduled election in 2028.
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Will Trump really lower your grocery bill? Most Americans doubt it

January 17, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump said he won the presidency on the promise he would lower the cost of groceries. But days before he takes the oath of office, most Americans remain skeptical he can deliver on that promise.

More than three in five Americans are slightly or not at all confident Trump will lower the cost of food, housing or health care in 2025, according to the latest AP-NORC poll.

Republicans expressed greater confidence in Trump than Democrats or independents. Still, less than half of them have high confidence in his ability to lower costs in those categories. Only one-third of Republicans have high confidence he will lower health care costs, while 44% believe grocery prices will go down.

Trump’s promise to lower grocery costs

“I won on groceries, it’s a very simple word, groceries,” Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker in an interview published Dec. 8. “I won an election based on that. We’re going to bring those prices way down.”

But in his Time Person of the Year interview published just four days later, he noted how difficult fulfilling that promise would be.

“I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard,” he said. “But I think that they will. I think that energy is going to bring them down. I think a better supply chain is going to bring them down.”

This week, Trump’s pick for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, fielded questions from Democrats and Republicans about consumer prices during his Senate confirmation hearing.

When asked if prices for families would go up or down under Trump’s policies, Bessent replied, “I believe that inflation will be much closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%.”

Lowering inflation vs lowering prices

Lowering inflation and lowering prices are two different targets. Lowering inflation would slow the increase in prices, while lowering prices would result in deflation, when the inflation rate falls below 0%.

In 2024, consumer prices rose 2.9% on the year, according to December data released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate of inflation rose three months in a row to end the year after bottoming out at 2.4% in September.

December’s surge was fueled by higher food and energy costs. The energy index rose 2.6% on the month. Food prices went up 0.3% on the month and 2.5% on the year. Food prices are up about 28% over the past five years.
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Montana’s House GOP pushes forward transgender public bathroom bill

January 16, 2025
A bill advancing in Montana’s House of Representatives would require transgender people to use public bathrooms that align with their sex assigned at birth rather than their gender identity. The measure passed 58-42 with unanimous Republican support and Democrat opposition.

If approved, the bill would apply to public facilities, including schools, jails and prisons, mandating separate restrooms and changing rooms for males and females. The bill defines sex based on a person’s X and Y chromosomes and their ability to produce eggs or sperm.

Republican sponsor Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe argues that the bill protects women’s privacy in spaces meant to be safe. She says women should not be forced to compromise due to “cultural trends.”

However, opponents of the measure, including two Democratic lawmakers, have strongly criticized the bill. Zooey Zephyr, a transgender representative, called the bill dangerous for trans women. Zephyr pointed to a legal addition allowing individuals to sue if they encounter someone of the opposite sex in a restroom or changing room.

Last month, Zephyr faced a bill that would have prevented her from using the women’s restroom at the Montana Capitol. She said, “Trans people walk through the state of Montana afraid enough already.”

Critics also raised concerns about the potential cost of implementing the bill. They also question how local governments would verify a person’s reproductive makeup.

Before heading to the Republican-controlled Senate, the bill must pass one more vote in the House.

In recent years, similar bills targeting transgender bathroom access have been passed in at least 11 other states. They include Utah, Florida, Alabama and Ohio.
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Georgia GOP senator, banned by House speaker, arrested at governor’s speech

January 16, 2025
A Republican state senator in Georgia was arrested Thursday, Jan. 16, after attempting to attend Gov. Brian Kemp’s “State of the State” address in the state Capitol chambers. Video posted to the senator’s X account shows a scuffle outside the chamber doors before he was escorted out by police and taken to jail, according to the senator’s team.

In the video, the senator can be heard saying, “It has gone too far. I have an obligation to be in that room. I represent 200,000 people in northwest Georgia who duly elected me to be here today.”

Senator Colton Moore, who exposed and defeated corrupt District Attorney Fani Willis last year, has been arrested by the Anti-Trump Speaker of the Georgia House.

Colton is being held in the same Atlanta jail as President Trump.

We are working to ensure his expedient release.… pic.twitter.com/hRA2gM54FD
— Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) January 16, 2025

The incident is the latest in a series of controversies involving Colton Moore, whose career has been marked by intense disputes, including a growing divide with members of his own party.

Moore was expelled from the Republican Caucus in the state Senate in 2023 and was banned from the House floor the following year.

In 2023, after then-former President Donald Trump’s indictment in the state, Moore called for a special session to investigate and potentially impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. However, Moore’s fellow Republicans disagreed and said he launched verbal attacks against them for not supporting his efforts.

In response, the Georgia Senate Republican Caucus indefinitely suspended Moore.

“The Georgia RINOs responded to my call to fight back against the Trump witch hunts by acting like children and throwing me out of the caucus,” Moore said in response to his suspension.

In March 2024, following a remembrance ceremony for late Speaker David Ralston, Moore was banned from the House chambers. At the memorial, Moore criticized Ralston, calling him “one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we’ll ever see in our lifetimes,” due to allegations that Ralston leveraged his political power as an attorney to delay cases for high-paying clients.

Moore’s remarks were interrupted by Republican colleagues who deemed the comments inappropriate for the occasion. Speaker Jon Burns condemned Moore’s statements, calling them “vile,” and ordered Moore banned from entering the House chambers.

The altercation Thursday occurred ahead of the governor’s address, after Burns sent Moore a letter reminding him that the ban from House property remains in effect. The letter referred to Moore’s March 2024 comments about Ralston, and reinforced the order barring him from entering the House chamber.

In response, Moore posted a letter on his social media claiming that the ban was “unconstitutional” and “illegal” and reaffirmed his intention to attend the address.

Moore now faces a charge of “willfully obstructing law enforcement officers.”
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Capitol Hill staffers ask Congress for 32-hour work week

January 16, 2025
Members of the Congressional Progressive Staff Association are asking their bosses for a 32-hour work week. They contend it would increase retention on Capitol Hill and set an example for work load at a national level.

In a letter to all members of Congress, the staffers said they work rigorous, long hours which routinely leads to burnout.

“The intensive nature of these roles often causes staffers to seek new positions earlier than they would in a more predictable and sustainable work environment,” the letter stated. “Hiring new staff members can disrupt the flow of work, alter the office culture, and deprive the team and the member of important institutional knowledge an experienced staffer takes with them.”

The request was shot down immediately by Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.

“Why not be bold and ask for a 0-hour workweek? I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek,” Torres wrote on X.

Why not be bold and ask for a 0-hour workweek?

I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek. pic.twitter.com/2Je1Zf6FHC
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) January 16, 2025

There are many members who believe Congress doesn’t work enough already. The legislative branch is typically only in session three to four days a week.

“Let’s get back to work. These two hour work weeks we’re having up here are ridiculous. I’m tired of them saying we don’t have enough time,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said. “Let’s get to work. America works, Congress doesn’t.”

If the staffers don’t have the support of moderate Democrats or Republicans, this will not happen. But they could gain the support of progressives like Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who introduced a bill last year to shorten the standard work week under federal law to 32 hours.

“It’s vital that health, well-being, and basic human dignity are valued over employers’ bottom lines,” Jayapal stated at the time. “Establishing a 32-hour work week would go a long way toward finally righting that balance.”

Supporters of the shortened week contend it will not impact productivity. They said higher morale and energy levels will help employees maintain or even increase the amount of work they get done.
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Minnesota Democrats look to run down clock until new member restores tie

January 15, 2025
Who controls the Minnesota state House? The answer might depend on who you ask.

After an Election Day where Democrats and Republicans tied with 67 seats apiece, a subsequent vacancy put Republicans ahead, 67-66, when the legislature started Monday, Jan. 13.

Now, Democrats have left the Capitol, hoping to force Republicans to abide by a power-sharing agreement the two sides agreed upon until a special election in two weeks likely restores the tie.

In the absence of 66 Democrats, Republicans voted in a speaker, which would give them power to set the House’s agenda and decide who runs House committees.

However, it’s unclear whether the vote was legal. Republicans said that with one vacancy, their 67 members reached the required quorum of the majority. But Minnesota’s Democratic secretary of state said the vote was illegal.

Republicans, in response, said that House Democrats’ decision to swear in their members off Capitol grounds during a private ceremony was also illegal.

However, two issues remain with the seats: Democratic State Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson gave up the seat he won after a court ruled that he didn’t meet the residency requirement to represent his district. A special election to fill the seat will take place on Jan. 28, and Democrats hold a strong advantage in the district.

Republicans, meanwhile, have considered blocking re-elected State Rep. Brad Tabke, a Democrat, from taking his seat. He won by 14 votes. With the race going to a hotly contested recount, Republicans have considered forcing a special election.

Minnesota Republicans say state law would allow them to launch petitions to recall the Democratic legislators.

This isn’t the first time state legislators have fled to try and block the opposing party from wielding power. Oregon Republicans and Texas Democrats have used the tactic in recent years.
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Biden works to lock in climate and clean energy funding before Trump takes office

January 15, 2025
The Biden administration is making final efforts to secure billions of dollars in funding for climate change and clean energy initiatives before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. To date, $74 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act has been allocated to renewable energy, electric vehicles and other environmental projects.

White House officials are working to finalize these commitments to make them harder to reverse. Trump has pledged to rescind any unspent funds, describing the Inflation Reduction Act as the “greatest scam in the history of any country.”

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has also indicated plans to reassess climate-related tax credits, labeling them “wasteful.”

While the majority of the legislation’s funding has been allocated, approximately a fifth of its available money, or $20 billion, remains unspent and potentially vulnerable to rollback.

This includes financing for climate-smart agriculture, home energy efficiency upgrades, conservation programs and coastal community support.

Despite Trump’s expected attempts to curtail parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, experts suggest a complete dismantling of it is unlikely. Over 75% of the bill’s announced spending has occurred in Republican districts, creating thousands of jobs, which has reportedly left some GOP lawmakers hesitant to pursue a full repeal.
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Republicans may place conditions on California wildfire aid

January 14, 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans may place conditions on aid for California wildfire victims to counter what he called bad governance that may have made the disaster worse. State and local officials are being criticized for their response to the fires that have burned more than 40,000 acres and killed at least 24 people.

“We have to make sure there are safeguards on the precious Treasury of the American people,” Johnson said. “There are natural disasters, of course. But if they are made much worse by human error and deliberate policy choices that were unwise and were stated as such at the time, then I think that’s something that needs to be carefully regarded.”

Republicans are considering multiple options for approving recovery funding that would cover areas in and around Los Angeles. They could attach the disaster relief to a debt limit extension. They may also include the aid in the government funding bill, which Congress has to pass before March 14.

“We don’t want to play games in any way. This is not politics,” Johnson said. “We need sound public policy and we need states to follow common sense. They have not done that in many respects in California.”

Democrats said added conditions are unacceptable.

“It is outrageous for Speaker Johnson to try to tie conditions onto this disaster relief or to tie disaster aid to unrelated concepts like the debt ceiling,” Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said. “We should not be leveraging the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans to try to force through policy changes.”

Democratic leadership said Johnson’s plan is an indication that Republicans require help from Democrats to authorize the federal government to borrow more money.

“Because what Speaker Johnson is doing, he does not have the votes to raise the debt limit, so he is trying to do everything he can so Donald Trump can have a victory,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said.

Congress approved $110 billion for the disaster relief fund in December, so FEMA has enough to address immediate needs. But getting enough money to rebuild will require a formal estimate and a supplemental disaster request from the White House.
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US House bill OKs Trump talks with Denmark over Greenland purchase

January 14, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump’s allies in Congress are working to deliver on his vow to make Greenland part of the United States. Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a bill on Monday, Jan. 13, to allow Trump to enter into talks with Denmark over purchasing the arctic island on his first day in office.

The bill, titled the “Make Greenland Great Again Act,” would allow Trump to enter into negotiations with the Danish government, just after noon on Inauguration Day.

The bill would give Congress the ability to block any agreement within 60 days, but it would need a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to do so.

Danish officials have repeatedly said the island is not for sale, but are reportedly open to more dialogue with the United States on an increased military presence in the region, which is vital to European and North American national security.

Some residents of the autonomous Danish island also say that it is not for sale, and told The New York Times that they do not want to become Americans, citing fears they will lose benefits such as “free education, free health care and free medicine.”

Democratic leaders in Congress have also dismissed Trump’s desires to acquire Greenland, and the bill would almost certainly need bipartisan support to pass.

Some Democrats, like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, have not ruled out working with Trump on making Greenland part of the United States.

Additionally, Trump would not be the first president to try to buy Greenland. In the 1860s, President Andrew Johnson considered buying the island, and decades later President Harry Truman secretly offered Denmark $100 million in gold to swap the island for parts of Alaska.
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Meta kills DEI programs in its latest appeal to Trump

January 10, 2025
Meta is ending its diversity, equity and inclusion programs effective immediately in the company’s latest swing away from traditionally left-leaning causes. The company announced the policy change in an employee memo first reported by Axios.

“The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing,” the memo reads. “The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.”

The move comes just days after CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta would end third-party fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram in favor of what looks more like X’s community notes. He also announced plans for a loosening of the platforms’ hateful conduct policy.

“The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritizing speech,” Zuckerberg said. “So we’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms.”

This was seen as another move in President-elect Donald Trump’s favor, and Trump responded in kind.

“Honestly, I think they’ve come a long way – Meta, Facebook – I think they’ve come a long way,” Trump said.

When asked if Trump thought the fact-checking move was done in direct response to his threats to Zuckerberg and Meta, Trump said, “Probably.”

Trump has previously called Facebook “a true Enemy of the People” and threatened Zuckerberg with prison if he or his company tried to influence the election in any way. Since those comments, the two have made inroads, especially following the first assassination attempt on Trump.

“On a personal note, seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Zuckerberg told Bloomberg.

Meta also donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, something the company had not done for Trump’s first inauguration or for President Joe Biden’s.

The company also promoted longtime Republican executive Joel Kaplan to lead global policy for Meta, replacing former deputy prime minister of the U.K. Nick Clegg, a member of the Liberal Democrats political party.
Related Stories

Ohio governor picks Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to replace JD Vance in Senate

Will Trump really lower your grocery bill? Most Americans doubt it

Trump’s promise to lower grocery costs

Lowering inflation vs lowering prices

Montana’s House GOP pushes forward transgender public bathroom bill

Georgia GOP senator, banned by House speaker, arrested at governor’s speech

Capitol Hill staffers ask Congress for 32-hour work week

Minnesota Democrats look to run down clock until new member restores tie

Biden works to lock in climate and clean energy funding before Trump takes office

Republicans may place conditions on California wildfire aid

US House bill OKs Trump talks with Denmark over Greenland purchase

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Ohio governor picks Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to replace JD Vance in Senate

Will Trump really lower your grocery bill? Most Americans doubt it

Trump’s promise to lower grocery costs

Lowering inflation vs lowering prices

Montana’s House GOP pushes forward transgender public bathroom bill

Georgia GOP senator, banned by House speaker, arrested at governor’s speech

Capitol Hill staffers ask Congress for 32-hour work week

Minnesota Democrats look to run down clock until new member restores tie

Biden works to lock in climate and clean energy funding before Trump takes office

Republicans may place conditions on California wildfire aid

US House bill OKs Trump talks with Denmark over Greenland purchase

Meta kills DEI programs in its latest appeal to Trump