 The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to bschott@utahpolicy.com, or message us on Twitter. Situational awareness - May 13, 2020Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake CityTICK TOCK48 days to the 2020 Utah primary elections (6/30/2020)174 Days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)252 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)257 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:
Thanks for subscribing to Utah's must-read daily political news rundown.If you know of friends or colleagues who would benefit from our daily news roundup, please encourage them to sign up for our newsletter. Today At Utah Policy Bernick and Schott on politics podcast: 'Cold fusion boondoggle'By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Managing Editor Bryan Schott and Contributing Editor Bob Bernick break down the top political headlines.  COVID-19 restrictions cause Utah's gas tax revenue to plummetBy Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor Some early state tax data showing the impact of the coronavirus' on revenues is bad. And it will only get worse.  Romney says Trump administration's efforts on COVID-19 testing 'nothing to celebrate'By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Sen. Mitt Romney criticized the United States' efforts on coronavirus testing, saying it was "nothing to celebrate" during a Senate hearing on Tuesday. OTHER UTAH HEADLINESDeseret News
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NATIONAL HEADLINESDire warningDr. Anthony Fauci warned during a Senate hearing on Tuesday that cities and states would see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift coronavirus restrictions too soon [A.P.]. The White House shelved a 63-page document that warned of a possible second coronavirus surge after reopening [A.P.]. Most Americans now believe it won't be until July or later before it will be safe to hold large public gatherings in public [Washington Post]. MassiveHouse Democrats unveiled a gargantuan $3 trillion coronavirus relief package on Tuesday. The proposal included $500 billion for state governments, $375 billion for local governments and billions in aid for others. The House plans to vote on the proposal Friday [Axios]. Democrats are also proposing a second round of stimulus payments of up to $6000 for families [CNN]. GulpThe U.S. budget deficit hit a record $738 billion in April [Reuters]. EconomyConsumer prices dropped 0.8 percent in April, leading to fears deflation is on the horizon, which could hinder any economic recovery [A.P.]. More than 100,000 small businesses in the U.S. have closed forever [Washington Post]. Big advertisers are canceling contracts for Q3 [Wall Street Journal]. Trump's financesThe Supreme Court heard two cases involving investigators seeking access to President Trump's financial records. Trump's lawyers are trying to shield those documents from becoming public [NPR]. Distraction tacticsAs the number of coronavirus deaths in the U.S. crested above 80,000, President Trump is returning to familiar territory by accusing his political foes of committing felonies [Washington Post]. Not so fastA federal judge hit the brakes on the Justice Department's efforts to drop charges against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn pled guilty to lying to the FBI [Washington Post]. Desperately in need of a civics lessonWhite House adviser, and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, suggested there was uncertainty about whether the presidential election would happen in November, and he had some role in making that decision. (Spoiler alert: There's not, and he doesn't.) Kushner later walked back those remarks [Washington Post]. Work from homeTwitter told some employees they don't ever have to return to the office and could work from home forever [BuzzFeed]. A study from NordVPN found the average working day had increased by three hours in the U.S. since mid-March when companies started allowing employees to work from home [CNBC]. Campus closedCalifornia's main universities said it's unlikely that students will return to campus this fall [CNN]. 2020Democrats took the first step toward scrapping an in-person convention this summer, voting to allow convention planners to seek alternative voting methods [CNN]. Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden called President Trump's response to the coronavirus "incompetent" [ABC News]. BUSINESS HEADLINES
Policy News CYBER24 episode 81: COVID-19 disruption has hackers on the offensiveWhen society's regular routine is thrown out off-kilter, cybercriminals get right to work. Whether they are stealing your video conferencing credentials to interrupt a meeting, using those credentials to access other accounts or launching websites to phish your employees, you need your defenses up now more than ever. Central Wasatch Commission approves funding for projects in the Central Wasatch for the 2020 work season During the May 4th meeting of the Central Wasatch Commission, the Commission approved funding for six project proposals that resulted from the Call for Ideas opened to the public in March. More National Headlines
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY1607 - Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in North America, was founded near the James River in Virginia. 1846 - The United States declares war on Mexico. 1880 - Thomas Edison performs the first test of his electric railway. 1940 - Germany's conquest of France begins as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons. 1958 - During a visit to Caracas, Venezuela, Vice President Richard Nixon's car is attacked by anti-American demonstrators. 1985 - A Philadelphia police helicopter bombed the fortified house of a radical organization, MOVE, to end a 24-hour siege. Eleven people died and the ensuing fire destroyed 53 homes. 1989 - Large groups of students occupy Tiananmen Square and begin a hunger strike. 1995 - Alison Hargreaves becomes the first woman to conquer Everest without oxygen or the help of sherpas. Wise WordsSharing Happiness "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."Buddha Lighter SideTDS "Only Donald Trump would dismiss the concerns of a front-line nurse at a reception to celebrate National Nurses Day. If Donald Trump was a 911 operator, that would be a disaster. 'Hello, 911? My house, it's being robbed!' '[as Trump]Well, I've heard a lot of houses aren't being robbed. In fact, most people have told me their houses are not being robbed right now.'"- TREVOR NOAH Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
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