America's Talking

Taxpayer-funded critical race theory training program draws criticism. Biden administration rolls out more COVID measures, says vaccine requirements for domestic flights not ‘off the table’. Congress faced government shutdown this weekend. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CBO says Biden spending plan adds to deficit. Lawsuits challenging Biden's private sector vaccine mandate consolidated, sent to Sixth Circuit. Biden loses legal battle, COVID confidence as vaccine mandate stalls. FBI 'tagging' parents fuels debate over school boards, parental rights. Energy companies to Biden: Poor policy decisions are responsible for spike in energy costs Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inflation hits highest level in years as wholesale prices rise 8.6% in 12 months. Bipartisan infrastructure bill passes, leaving larger Dem bill in limbo. Navy SEALs sue Biden administration over COVID mandate. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Analysis: Heavy Democratic losses hurt Biden agenda. Lawsuits target Biden administration over mandatory worker vaccinations for larger employers. COVID mandates oust cops nationwide, police leaders warn of fallout. Supreme Court to consider major gun rights case this week. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

White House releases new '$1.75 trillion' spending plan. New corporate minimum tax proposal gives hope to Democrats on reconciliation. Manchin likely kills proposed tax to fund reconciliation bill. Polls: Biden and Congress hit new lows among voters. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Food prices hit a 10-year high worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s food price index. U.S. companies are feeling the pinch, resorting to increasing prices to offset their costs to purchase goods and deal with labor and transportation problems. The FAO index measures the monthly change of international prices of five food commodity prices, including cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat and sugar. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly jobs report Friday showing the economy created far fewer jobs in the month of September than experts expected. Total nonfarm employment increased 194,000 in September, well below the Dow Jones estimated 500,000 jobs for the month. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Biden made headlines for claiming the bill would cost “zero dollars,” despite media reports and members of both parties commonly naming the bill’s cost at $3.5 trillion for the last several months. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Joe Biden’s federal vaccine mandate sparked controversy among Americans, but one of the nation’s most elite fighting forces may be hit harder than other groups by the new requirement. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in August, with Biden’s approval, that all U.S. service members must receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The decision came after the Pfizer vaccine received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That mandate, though, leaves many U.S. troops facing a tough personal decision. Just the News reported this week that hundreds of Navy SEALs have been told they will not be deployed if they don't receive the vaccine and will no longer be able to serve as a Navy SEAL. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

House Democrats have unveiled a litany of new tax proposals to fund President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion federal spending bill, but a new report suggests the spending plan would shrink the economy. The University of Pennsylvania’s business school, Penn Wharton, released a new budget model based on the Democrats’ plan that projects a major decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coming years if the plan were to pass. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Joe Biden announced sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandates that will force millions of unvaccinated Americans to receive the vaccine, undergo weekly testing or lose their jobs, flipping on a promise the president made in 2020 that he would enact no such mandate. Biden rolled out the list of stringent new rules via executive orders and federal regulatory changes Thursday, most notably requiring that all private employers with 100 or more employees ensure that their employees are vaccinated or get tested weekly. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new federal jobs report released Friday showed that job creation for the month of August fell far short of expectations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed nonfarm jobs increased by 235,000 with unemployment at 5.2%. Dow Jones economic experts expected 720,000 new jobs for the month. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Explosions in Afghanistan outside the Kabul airport Thursday have led to several civilian and military casualties and further heightened the chaotic evacuation of American citizens and Afghan nationals. The Pentagon confirmed that "a number" of U.S. service members have been killed. Several media reports said the death toll includes at least 12 U.S. service members. Fox News reported that 11 were Marines and one was a Navy medic. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As inflation continues its upward trend, government programs are giving Americans raises to keep up. The Biden administration announced Monday a historic increase to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated the Thrifty Food Plan, a wide-ranging report that updates the expected cost to healthily feed a family of four. The federal food report cited inflation as the driving factor behind the need for more benefits, which is the biggest increase in the program's history. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the heels of passing a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, Senate Democrats passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution Wednesday that sets Congress up for a major battle later this year. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After experiencing low fuel costs last year in most parts of the country, gas prices have now hit a new seven-year high nationwide while multiple major U.S. companies announced Tuesday they would require vaccinations for their employees, a decision that has sparked controversy and likely legal challenges. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration will require all federal employees and contractors to show proof of vaccination, a move met with swift opposition from Texas elected officials. Federal workers or contractors who can’t show a proof of vaccination will be required to wear masks, practice physical distancing, and be subject to twice-weekly COVID-19 tests under the new rules. Biden encouraged the private sector and professional sports leagues to follow suit in an address on Thursday. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Earlier this week, President Joe Biden touted the country’s economic growth since he took office, but the latest economic data show that progress may not be as sturdy as experts would like. The Department of Labor released new unemployment data Thursday showing a major spike in new jobless claims, meaning more Americans are filing for unemployment for the first time even as concerns grow over the Delta variant of COVID. The jobless increase came as a surprise to many experts, who hoped the U.S would continue an overall downward trend as the economy recovers from the pandemic-related economic shutdowns. The troubling unemployment data comes amid continued debate over the efficacy of the $300 federal weekly unemployment payments passed by Congress that are in addition to state benefits. More than two dozen states have announced they will turn away the federal benefits, citing business owners who say they are unable to fill positions despite the elevated unemployment. Meanwhile, home prices increased at a rapid rate in the last year. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the median existing-home sales price increased by 23.4% from June 2020 to June 2021, the second highest recorded since January 1999. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tried to calm lawmakers’ fears about rising inflation but also said it would probably remain elevated for months to come. Testifying before Congress this week, Powell said the Federal Reserve was willing to step in to address the situation, but that inflation should level out next year. Powell’s testimony comes on the heels of troubling news of a major spike in inflation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Tuesday released federal data showing the largest one-month spike in consumer prices in more than a decade. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Joe Biden has pushed for beefing up IRS audits of corporations to raise revenue for his new spending proposals, but Republicans are raising the alarm about the potential consequences of the plan. Biden unveiled his "Made in America Tax Plan” earlier this year as a strategy to help fund his trillions of dollars in proposed new federal spending that includes several tax hikes. Despite this, a bipartisan coalition in the U.S. House and Senate have agreed to a basic framework for Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan, but one element has been the theme of the negotiations among Republicans: no new taxes. The GOP pushback against raising taxes, though, puts more pressure on the Biden administration to find ways to fund his agenda. Aside from Biden’s controversial tax hike proposals, the president also has proposed adding $80 billion in funding to the IRS so it can increase audits of corporations. READ MORE Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For many Americans still waiting to receive their tax refund, it appears the wait could be far from over. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Joe Biden unveiled a major gun regulation and crime prevention plan Wednesday as cities around the country struggle with rising violent crime. Amid the wave of violence nationwide, Biden released a plan for more gun control measures and called on local governments to hire more police officers, a departure in rhetoric from some in his party who have pressured local municipalities to "defund" or cut back on police. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The number of people filing new unemployment claims spiked last week, the latest economic indicator that's troubling economists. Data released by the Department of Labor Thursday showed that for the week ending June 12, unemployment claims hit 412,000, a jump of 37,000 from the previous week. That increase comes after several weeks of steadily declining claims. Next week’s report will show whether the most recent data was an anomaly or if it may be a reversal of the previous trend. The data comes after the White House touted a steady drop in jobless claims last week. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The latest federal report suggests more troubles for the U.S. economy, even as experts hoped for a post-COVID economic surge. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday released new data showing a major spike in inflation, the largest since the financial crisis from over a decade ago. Some goods increased in price more than others. Household furnishings saw “its largest monthly increase since January 1976” and new vehicles increased 1.6% in May, its “largest 1-month increase since October 2009.” The inflation report comes one day after the U.S. Department of Labor showed disappointing job creation for the month of May. The U.S economy added only 559,000 nonfarm jobs last month, short of 650,000 predicted by economists. Unemployment for the month was 5.8%. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/america-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.