Biden Meets Xi, Inflation Was ZERO Last Month, Abortion, Treason and Mass Deportation
NC Dem Chair Anderson Clayton Joins Us on November 28th/Welcome New Subscribers!
Friends, a few things today:
Last night, once again, Democrats bailed out House Republicans and helped pass a continuing resolution (CR) which carries over last year’s budget through early next year. To be clear about what this process means - for at least the first four months of this new fiscal year which began on October 1st, the government is required to use last year’s budgets and plans to guide this year’s activities. While this CR was necessary to avoid disaster, that this stop-gap measures goes so far into next year and does not include Ukraine funding is yet another sign of just how dysfunctional and reckless the House GOP has become. The GOP wrecking ball continues to wreck havoc on the Congress and the country.
Meanwhile, the APEC summit kicks into high gear today in San Francisco with a meeting between President Xi of China and President Biden. This is President Xi’s first visit to the US since 2017. Important days ahead for America and the world.
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As I sit to write this morning, still thinking about these five stories we’ve been discussing of late:
2023 Has Been A Very Good Year for Democrats - not done with this one yet. Congratulations all. Leaves me very optimistic about 2024.
Inflation Was Zero Last Month - to repeat, inflation was zero last month, prices didn’t rise at all, wage growth remains strong, and groceries have only increased by 2.1% over the past year. More signs that we are getting to the other side my friends. More work to do, but congratulations all. This is a big moment in our recovery from the global shocks of COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are getting to the other side.
Note this photo from yesterday, via Mueller She Wrote:
The Largest and Most Comprehensive Poll of American Attitudes Toward the Israel-Hamas Conflict Gives Biden Strong Marks With The Public, Democrats and Young People - Realize these results are cutting against conventional wisdom now, but I think they make sense. Democrats saw an expansion of their coalition in the elections last week, not struggle; Biden’s approval has ticked up a bit in the 538 tracker this week. We have work to do here but there is no sign of significant Biden brand damage due to the conflict. In fact, Biden’s approval on the conflict is far higher than his overall approval and one on his strongest areas of polling of all the issues he faces now.
For those questioning these results, it’s possible that for many Americans Hamas’ attack on Israel brings back memories of the 9/11 era, and how similar terrorists brought so much harm and trauma to the United States and people all around the world.
Trump’s War on Immigrants and Immigration Is A Big 2024 Problem for Republicans - As someone who has been on the front lines of the immigration battles here in the US over the past 20 years, I remain shocked at how radical and wild Trump’s new immigration plans are. By embracing raids, mass incarceration and mass deportation, he has entered a dangerous political place that we know from years of polling an overwhelming majority of the country rejects, akin to the public’s rejection of abortion bans of any kind. This position was so unpopular that the anti-immigration movement abandoned it more than a decade ago, adopting a far softer “self-deportation” strategy. The GOP’s xenophobia has helped push the heavily Mexican-American parts of the US further and further away from the Rs over the past 20 years, and this plan almost certainly makes this region of the country even more challenging for all Republicans next year. It also makes it far less likely that Republicans will be successful with Latino voters next year. Trump’s plan is a literal war on immigrant communities and families across the US.
For months I’ve been talking about how abortion and treason are two new colossal 2024 problems for a party which has lost the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 Presidential elections, and lost the popular vote in the last 4 Presidential elections by 51%-46%. It’s possible now I will have to amend that formulation to be abortion, treason and mass deportation.
The GOP’s Ongoing Betrayal Of The Country - The rancid Tuberville blockade of now over 400 DOD appointments has to be understood as only one part of what appears to be a coordinated campaign to undermine the United States and our democracy in a time of rising global instability and challenge. Right now Republicans are:
Blocking over 400 Pentagon appointees, weakening our military and encouraging our adversaries to challenge us across the world./
Blocking over 60 State Department appointments, including 37 Ambassadorships and the Ambassadors to Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. Makes is far harder to achieve diplomatic solutions to our global challenges.
Failing to condemn Trump’s “vermin” comments, and his clear embrace of Fascism
Blocking critical cybersecurity legislation, turn off a DHS program called Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), and are now working to terminate DHS programs to counter use of drones by terrorists here in the US and the office which works to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction against the American people. What possible justification is for any of this?
Blocking the appointments of US Attorneys, as a way of weakening the Department of Justice and the rule of law more broadly
Fighting additional aid to Ukraine, once again appeasing Putin and enabling Ukrainian genocide; and holding aid to Isreal hostage. In recent days Trump has also made it clear he intends to withdraw from NATO and dismantle the most successful military alliance in history if he comes to power.
Excusing and covering for Trump’s theft and wanton dissemination of America’s secrets, which is almost certainly the most significant national security breach in US history.
Elevating Insurrectionists including a man who was the one of the primary architects of the Republican Party’s effort to overturn the 2020 Presidential election and end American democracy to the Speaker’s Chair.
It’s all a reminder of why we cannot let them win.
Keep working hard all. We have work to do, but feel good about where we are as we head into 2024 - Simon
By all means add immigration to abortion and treason, but please consider a FOURTH as well: gun safety legislation. As a grandmother, I worry every day about my grandchildren in school. (Worry about them anywhere, really.) This is another winning issue for Democrats.
I don't think Simon or Democrats are highlighting exactly how much the Biden administration has helped the middle class. A paper on Monday explained ~40% of the rise in wage gap between 10th & 90th percentile in 1980-2019 was reversed in past 3 years.
Wage inequality fell over the past 3 years. There was a major compression in 2021-22.
Real wages are up since pre-pandemic for lower 2/3, but especially at the bottom. Over the past year, wages grew more broadly, and faster than inflation. Relative wages are stabilizing.
The recent fall in wage inequality (as measured by 90-10 gap) reversed 38% of the inequality rise in 1979-2019 ("Great Divergence"). And the fall in inequality was around 46% as large as the fall during 1940-1950 ("Great Compression").
Wage growth has been especially strong among those without a college degree, under 40 years of age.