Domestic Politics Archives

Tesla’s Interesting Timing On A New Factory In Mexico

28Feb

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Democracy, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Tesla’s Interesting Timing On A New Factory In Mexico

AMLO Welcomes The Deal, Rails Against U.S. Government And Critics Of Electoral Law Feb. 28, 2023—Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced today that Tesla plans to build a new electric vehicle plant in Monterrey, Mexico, the second largest city in the country. He hailed the investment as something that would bring well-paid jobs to the region. The new Mexico-based factory will join a Tesla fleet of factories: four in the United States, one in China, and one in Germany. Furthermore, it will benefit from $369 billion worth of U.S. subsidies for clean energy that Congress included as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The company is likely to announce more details Wednesday during its planned "Investors Day." The news comes as countries and companies recalibrate...

U.S. Government Owes $395.5 Billion In Interest On The Debt

26Feb

By No Comments

Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, United States

U.S. Government Owes $395.5 Billion In Interest On The Debt

Feb. 26, 2023—Here's something to remember when discussing the U.S. budget, national debt, and debt limit: The U.S. government is expected to pay $395.5 billion this fiscal year on interest charges alone. That's a helpful reminder that comes from the Pew Research Center in a recent post. For more information on the U.S. budget, go to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. There you'll find historic tables of the U.S. budget. Moreover, the U.S. government is projected to spend over $1 trillion more this year than it collects in revenue. That money not only increases the U.S. debt, it also fuels rising inflation in America and beyond.

It’s A Rocky Start To The New U.S. Congress

3Jan

By No Comments

Democracy, United States

It’s A Rocky Start To The New U.S. Congress

118th Congress begins with no Speaker named to the House. With No Leader Named In The House, Work Cannot Begin January 3, 2023—As U.S. lawmakers opened a new session of Congress today under the slimmest margins of power. Although Republicans won a majority of seats in the House, intraparty conflict is preventing them from establishing control. With slim margins in both chambers, it is likely to be a weak Congress unless the two parties find room for compromise. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R, failed to garner enough votes to become the new Speaker as 19 Republicans rejected him in back-to-back votes. In the first two ballots of the House, McCarthy won only 203 votes. In contrast to Republican infighting, Democrats voted unanimously for their leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received a total of...

House Committee Investigating January 6 Ends Work

3Jan

By No Comments

Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Democracy, Types of News: Brief, United States

House Committee Investigating January 6 Ends Work

The House Jan. 6 Committee released its final report on Dec. 19, 2022. Investigation Shows The Fragility of U.S. Democracy January 3, 2023—As a new Congress begins to take shape in Washington, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol completed its work. At its core, the committee upheld its purpose of defending democracy in the United States. A key tenet of democracy is free and fair elections. In the 2020 presidential elections, the country nearly lost in fulfilling that promise to the people. Former President Donald Trump used every means possible—including a violent attack on the legislature—to hold onto power. As the truth came to light, the evidence showed the fragility of the republic itself and the key tenets of democracy i...

U.S. Politics: Senator Says ‘No’ To Extreme Party Pressure

9Dec

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Types of News: Brief, United States

U.S. Politics: Senator Says ‘No’ To Extreme Party Pressure

Sinema Switches To Independent Status, Saying She Won't Be 'Blindly Loyal' To A Partisan Agenda December 9, 2023—As the final race for the U.S. Senate came to a close this week in Georgia, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema made a surprise announcement: She's leaving the Democratic party to be an independent leader. Her decision won't affect the control of the Senate. Democrats will continue to led the upper chamber next year. Furthermore, Sinema said she doesn't plan to caucus with Republicans. That means her announcement won't change the distribution of money for Senate staff or committee seat makeup. However, it demonstrates a blow to the power of partisan politics. As such, it gives strength to independent thinking and action in Washington. Sinema said she did not run for offic...

In Communist China, Xi Is Completely And Unquestionably In Charge

7Nov

By Patti Mohr1 Comment

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Types of News: Analysis

In Communist China, Xi Is Completely And Unquestionably In Charge

Xi's in charge. Communism vs. Democracy: Why It Matter November 7, 2022—If you want to know what communism looks like, you don't need to spend time in China, Cuba, Laos, or Vietnam. You don't even need to spend hours watching the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, the twice-a-decade gathering that selects the country's highest rulers. All you need to see is one minute of the final ceremony right before officials announce the new leaders. It was at that moment that party members came for former President Hu Jintao. Note, the 79-year-old Hu served as China's president from 2003 to 2013. As a leader, he served during unprecedented growth that cemented China's status as a world power. But that record didn't secure him much dignity to let him stay seated during the anno...

What Happens When China Buys Up Europe’s Ports?

2Nov

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom, Geopolitics, Global Trade, Globalization, Disintegration, Nationalism, Populism, Types of News: Analysis

What Happens When China Buys Up Europe’s Ports?

China's Xi Jinping has a stake in developing relations with Greece and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Photo: Li Xueren/Xinhua China's State-Owned Cosco To Buy Stake In Another European Port November 2, 2022—Greece may be a pioneer and champion of democracy, but in the business of trade it owes a great deal to communist China. In fact, its largest port, Piraeus, is owned by a Chinese state-owned shipping company called Cosco Shipping. That's the subject of a fine piece of reporting by Kaki Bali for Germany's DW, called "In Greece's Largest Port of Piraeus, China Is The Boss." Bali looks at the implications on trade and geopolitics as China's Cosco buys up ports in Greece, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands and Brussels. Noting the modernization of the port and jobs, ...

A Week Before The Election, Biden Asks Big Oil To ‘Share The Wealth’

2Nov

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Types of News: Brief, United States

A Week Before The Election, Biden Asks Big Oil To ‘Share The Wealth’

November 1, 2022—A week away from the U.S. Midterm elections, inflation is grabbing the attention of voters and politicians alike. As Republicans play up the impact of rising prices and pin the blame on their opponents, Democrats point the finger at companies benefiting from higher prices. It doesn't take long for the focus to fall on energy companies, specifically those earning profit from the high price of oil on global markets. That's precisely the play President Joe Biden pulled from his playbook on Monday. "In a difficult time, Americans across the country have stepped up, and they — to do the right thing. But not everyone has stepped up," Biden said. "The oil industry has not — has not met its commitment to invest in America and support the American people. One by one, major o...

20Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom, Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Brief

For All The Fuss With Truss, It’s Over

Proposed Deficit Spending Put The British Economy At Risk And Created Turmoil October 20, 2022--British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced today she'll be stepping down next week when her party chooses a new leader. She said she informed King Charles she is resigning as leader of the Conservative Party and head of the country's government. "This will ensure we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country’s economic stability and national security," Truss said on Twitter. It's been a bruising time for Truss. She served a total of 44 days after Queen Elizabeth made Truss's appointment to office official before peacefully passing away. As the country buried their beloved queen, an era of British strength faded with her. U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss resig...

U.S. Treasury Assesses Impact Of Sanctions On Russia

17Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Arms Sales, Military Industry, Eastern Europe, Sanctions

U.S. Treasury Assesses Impact Of Sanctions On Russia

U.S. Government Warns About Secondary Sanctions To People Or Entities Supporting Russia's War October 17, 2022—As Russia has waged war against Ukraine and Ukraine fought back, Western governments have carefully weighed in on the battle through the global financial system. It's a powerful economic coalition that comprises 37 countries. The U.S. government alone issued roughly 1,500 new sanctions and amended 750 more. They target Russia's defense industrial base, the aerospace sector, the microelectronic industry, financial institutions, elites and oligarchs, luxury goods, and oil refining. The sanctions are having an impact on the Russian economy. But is it enough to have an impact strong enough to end the war? Impact of Sanctions On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department rele...