Morning Headlines - Thursday, Jul. 14, 2022 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

What's Behind Biden's Record-Low Approval Rating?

In games such as golf, you win by scoring lower than any of your opponents. But in the realm of presidential job approval, such an approach is a recipe for political upheaval, as President Biden has found over the past few months. Polls continue to show his approval rating in poor shape, and even Democrats are asking questions about his political future amid broad dissatisfaction with the current state of the country.

In fact, Biden is dancing with a bleak bit of history: His approval rating of 39 percent is now the worst of any elected president at this point in his presidency since the end of World War II, according to FiveThirtyEight’s historical presidential approval data.

The Great Realignment

Shifts in the demographics of the two parties' supporters — taking place before our eyes — are arguably the biggest political story of our time.

Republicans are becoming more working class and a little more multiracial. Democrats are becoming more elite and a little more white.

Democrats' hopes for retaining power rest on nonwhite voters remaining a reliable part of the party's coalition. Democrats' theory of the case collapses if Republicans make even incremental gains with those voters.

US, Israel To Commit To Stopping Iran Nuclear Ambitions

United States President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid are set to reiterate their anti-Iran positions and sign a joint declaration committing to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The agreement is expected to be announced after a one-on-one meeting on Thursday morning in West Jerusalem on the second day of Biden’s four-day Middle East tour.

The joint declaration is expected to also include a pledge by Washington to continue US military aid to Israel.

Law Enforcement Officers' Death By Firearms Rising This Year, Compared To 2021

Thirty-three law enforcement officers died in the line of duty as a result of shootings in the first half of this year, representing an 18% increase in firearms-related fatalities, compared with the first six months of 2021, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Yet, so far in 2022, overall fatalities among law enforcement officers have fallen by roughly 31%, following last year's record number of line-of-duty deaths. Dropping from the 188 officers killed during the same period last year, a new report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund found the decline is "almost entirely related to a reduction in Covid-19 deaths."

Five Takeaways From The Stunning Inflation Numbers

Consumer inflation is still shooting upward despite interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve and a host of policy responses from lawmakers over the past several months aimed at fixing supply chains.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that the consumer price index (CPI) increased 1.3 percent from May to June and was up 9.1 percent over June of last year, the highest rise since 1981.

Here are five takeaways from the latest inflation numbers:

Michels Runs As Outsider, Donated Money To Many Insiders

Republican Tim Michels, who has the endorsement of Donald Trump, is running for Wisconsin governor as a political outsider.

But records compiled by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks political spending and donations, show Michels and his wife gave more than $200,000 to powerful Republicans and candidates for the past 12 years. His top GOP rival in the race, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and her political committees donated $130,000 over the same period.

Meet Wisconsin's 2022 U.S. Senate Primary Candidates

There's no shortage of candidates vying to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in the 2022 midterm elections.

In all, there are eight Democrats on the August 9 primary ballot. Among them are Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and state treasurer, a professional sports team vice president, a restaurant owner, a county executive, a political nonprofit leader, an attorney and an emergency management administrator.

Here & Now spoke with all nine candidates about how they would address major issues facing the nation, including the economy, jobs and inflation, abortion and healthcare, gun violence and confidence in the election system. Each candidate also shared their legislative priorities and, of course, why they want the job as a U.S. Senator for Wisconsin.

Democrats Rally Around Evers As Abortion Rights Firewall; GOP Candidates Say He's The True Radical

While the courts weigh whether Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban can be enforced, Democrats held up Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul Wednesday as a last line of defense for abortion rights in the state.

During the "Defend Choice" event one block away from the state Capitol, Evers told the pro-choice gathering the reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade was the most anger over any single issue he'd seen in his political life.

Elections Commission Fails To Agree On New Guidance For Clerks Following SCOWIS Drop Box Ruling

The state Elections Commission failed to agree on guidance for local clerks on how to follow the state Supreme Court ruling that found drop boxes for absentee ballots are illegal.

But some members suggested the commission could provide guidance later after having more time to digest Friday’s ruling.

New Chair Don Millis during yesterday’s meeting suggested the commission sign off on a letter drafted by agency staff that went over key points of Friday’s ruling.

Wisconsinites Are Carrying The Weight Of The Nation's Problems On Their Shoulders Heading Into The Midterm Election, Survey Finds

Wisconsinites have the weight of the nation’s problems on their minds heading into the 2022 midterm elections, a nod to a state whose voters might be pivotal to the balance of power in the U.S. Senate this fall.

That was a key finding of the La Follette Policy Poll, a written survey sent to 5,000 state residents last fall, which asked about the issues that matter to them most and the problems they most want solved. Nearly 1,600 responded.

The poll asked how concerned people were with the economy, government regulation, infrastructure, income distribution, taxes, the federal budget deficit, climate change, race relations, education and health care in the country and in Wisconsin.