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Biden’s 2022 State Of The Union Report Card: Where He Delivered — And Fell Flat

Promises, promises. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address last year was loaded with them: from Ukraine to infrastructure, to immigration and reproductive rights.

So, how did the president do in fulfilling those pledges? POLITICO sifted through some of last year’s claims to track his progress just before he delivers what’s expected to be another policy-packed speech Tuesday night.

Here’s our report card, using the following scale: success, in progress, needs improvement, fail.

Biden Declares War On Billionaires! President Will Demand Super Rich Pay More Tax

President Joe Biden will call for billionaires to pay more tax during his State of the Union address and demand that businesses pay a quadrupled levy on stock buybacks - two proposals that are unlikely to be passed by a divided Congress.

In his second State of the Union, and his first to the newly-split legislature, Biden intends to emphasize the lowest unemployment in 50 years, post-pandemic recovery, and the passing of bills to tackle climate change and improve infrastructure.

He also intends to renew calls to make the wealthiest pay more tax.

The death toll from Monday's devastating earthquakes has soared past 5,000 and is expected to rise further.
Desperate rescue efforts continue in the rubble of southern Turkey and northern Syria, hampered by aftershocks and frigid conditions.
Countries around the world, including the U.S., are sending search and rescue teams to the region.
The quakes have brought new devastation to an area of Syria already blighted by years of civil war.

Media Braces For The Robot Era

The rapid rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT could displace dozens of media companies if they don't move quickly to adapt to a new internet reality.

Facebook's many pivots pushed media outlets to move their focus away from social media and toward search — but now experts predict another major disruption for publishers relying on search traffic.

"It's an undoing of the robotic behavior with which we were already committing journalism, because it's questionable whether writing about National Donut Day really served anybody," said S. Mitra Kalita, a former CNN executive who has co-founded two new local media companies, Epicenter NYC and URL Media.

$754.6 Million Powerball Jackpot Won By A Single Ticket

One person in Washington has won the Powerball jackpot prize of $754.6 million -- the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and the ninth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot in history, according to Powerball.

If the winner chooses to receive their winnings in a lump sum payment, they will receive a total $407.2 million.

The winning numbers for the jackpot were 5, 11, 22, 23, 69 and the Powerball 7.

Gov. Evers 'Remains Hopeful' Regarding Negotiations On Lac Du Flambeau Dispute

Governor Tony Evers announced Monday that he met with Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal leaders after several roads were barricaded, preventing locals from getting to their homes.

The roads were initially blocked by the tribe because the easement agreement expired 10 years ago. The agreement allowed locals to travel on roads passing through tribal lands, and after the agreement lapsed, the tribe said those who used the roads to get to their private property may be fined or even arrested.

Evers said he met with President John Johnson and the Tribal Council on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation over the weekend about the dispute.

Biden Will Be Madison Area On Wednesday

President Joe Biden will make a visit to Wisconsin this week. The White House announced Friday that Biden will be in the Madison area Wednesday, following his State of the Union address Tuesday night.

The president will “discuss how his economic plan is creating good-paying, union jobs and delivering real results for the American people,” according the White House.

New Proposal Could Bring Lifetime Fishing Licenses To Wisconsin

Monday, State Representative Ron Tusler and Senator Patrick Testin circulated a proposal to create a lifetime fishing license for Wisconsin residents.

“This is an opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and develop a lifetime hobby,” said Rep. Tusler. “The lifetime license is a great option for avid fishermen or as a gift for a young family member just getting hooked on the sport.”

Momentum Growing Behind Changing Wisconsin’s Shared Revenue System

Wisconsin’s original tax bargain with local governments has fallen apart, says Wisconsin Policy Forum (WPF) president Rob Henken.

“If this were truly shared revenue, then as state income and sales tax, and other revenues grow from year to year, some portion of that growth would have also been shared with local governments,” Henken said in an interview with the Wisconsin Examiner.

The amount the state dedicates to shared revenue — money that is given to fund local governments — has stagnated in recent decades, hovering around the $900 million mark since the early 2000s. Local municipalities, which are constrained in the way that they’re able to bring in money, are calling for an increase, so they can continue funding local services like public safety, emergency medical services and transportation.

Explained: The Wisconsin Supreme Court Race And How To Register To Vote

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, four candidates will be running in the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary for one open seat on the court. The two candidates with the highest votes will then run against each other in the April 4 general election.

Despite the race being a nonpartisan election, candidates Jennifer Dorow and Daniel Kelly are viewed as Republican-supported conservatives and candidates Everett Mitchell and Janet Protasiewicz are viewed as Democrat-supported liberals.

According to guides.vote, conservative justices currently have a 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and this race could either sustain that majority or flip the court to a liberal majority.