Good morning,
Starting today, TNR is moving the daily newsletter, which you used to get in the late afternoon, to mid-morning, with a short introduction written by me or staff writer Tim Noah or someone else. Soâletâs go.
Top news today: Congress, of course, and movement (if any) on the Build Back Better, or BBB, bill; the bipartisan infrastructure bill, or BIF; and the debt limit. There was a piece in The New York Times on Sunday in which Democratic moderates were quoted complaining about Biden going too far left. Itâs a silly premise. The left wanted $6 trillion. The bill right now is at $3.5 trillion and is likely to wind up around $2 trillion. Thatâs legislative compromise. But the sight of moderate and conservative Democrats running to the Times to grouse is in its way encouraging. If theyâre upset, maybe good things are happening.
If you donât know the name Frances Haugen, youâd better. The Facebook whistleblower revealed her identity Sunday night on 60 Minutes and gave a scorching account of Facebookâs duplicity. Sheâll be on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
Big piece to read today: The Washington Postâs investigative dig into the Pandora Papers, which reveals billions in wealth hidden from the government by the megarich. Todayâs is the first of eight articles and is focused on corrupt heads of state (King Abdullah and, shocker, Vladimir Putin).
Column to read today: E.J. Dionne on what Joe Biden needs to do to sell the BBB bill.Â
Also today: The Supreme Court convenes its new session. By next June, itâs highly possible that Roe v. Wade will no longer be law.Â
At NewRepublic.com today, as youâll see below, check out Seattle venture capitalist Nick Hanauerâs terrific column arguing that if the Democrats donât manage to pass these bills and raise his taxes, heâs giving up on them; my piece on why the BBB bill is not just about fixing the economy but saving democracy; Grace Segers on the grim likely consequences of Joe Manchinâs demand that programs in the bill be means-tested; and from the October print issue, check out Kate Aronoff on how lab-produced meats can help save the planet.Â
Thanks for reading! Michael Tomasky, editor
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