-James Beeks: actor, Michael Jackson impersonator, Capitol rioter
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Hey! We'll be on a brief hiatus for the holiday weekend. Happy face-stuffing, and see you back in the inbox on Monday, November 29.
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Happy Thanksgiving What A Day readers. Here’s some cheery economic news for you to rub in your Republican relatives’ faces, or, alternatively, to smile about quietly because they are no longer invited to your house.
- The number of new jobless claims plummeted to a more-than-50-year low this week, in another indication that the labor market is historically strong. Claims, which effectively measure how difficult it is for people who lose work amid churn in the labor market to find new jobs, dropped to 199,000 from 270,000. That is the lowest they’ve been since November 1969.
- We know that the economy was adding jobs this summer at a much faster clip than initial economic reports (and, thus, news headlines) conveyed. The same thing appears to be true with respect to GDP. The government initially pegged third-quarter GDP growth at a tepid 2.1 percent annually. But an equivalent measure of economic growth—gross domestic income—rose at a killer 6.6 percent annual rate. Even assuming the truth lies somewhere in between, the supposed slowdown experts and journalists attributed to Delta variant wasn’t nearly as severe as it seemed.
- Forecasters now expect the hidden momentum to carry visibly into quarter four. How visibly? Depends on whom you ask! The Atlanta Fed says 8.6 percent; Morgan Stanley says 8.7; JPMorgan says 7.0; Capital Economics says 6.5 percent; and Goldman Sachs says 6.0 percent. All those numbers are adjusted for inflation. Caveat: The whole premise of this article is that forecasters can truly blow it! But in contrast to the gloomy headlines, professional economists have noticed that the economy is growing faster than at any time in a generation.
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But wait, there’s more!
- Personal consumption has caught up with its pre-pandemic trend, as if the Trump crash never happened. The headline number masks some pandemic-induced screwiness: Spending on goods has eclipsed its pre-pandemic level, while spending on services—which were most disrupted by the virus—is still catching up. But the two should converge as recovery continues and more people jettison their DIY routines and return to salons, gyms, etc.
- The hope is that the equilibrium point will be one where demand is higher overall than pre-pandemic. That has already happened in the realm of food consumption, where grocery-store purchases remain above pre-pandemic levels, while restaurant purchases have returned to normal. Is it the end of hunger in America or the great American fattening? Who’s to say. But the overall picture is one of Americans meeting more of their needs and desires than they did prior to COVID-19.
The growing economy and booming job markets haven’t solved all problems in America, let alone all Americans’ pocketbook issues. But how Americans feel about the economy—and more importantly, whom they choose to credit and blame—is a mediated process. And after this holiday weekend the media owes Biden’s economy a second chance to make a first impression.
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Catch up on the latest episode of X-Ray Vision! This week Jason and Cody dive deep into the first episode of Hawkeye and play Assembly Required, picking a Hawkeye character for a randomly assigned mission. Plus, Crooked’s own Kendra James, producer of Keep It! and Lovett or Leave It, joins to talk about her love of Star Trek as Discovery season 4 premieres on Paramount+ in a new segment called Nerd Out. Follow X-Ray Vision on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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A nearly all-white jury convicted Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie”Bryan of murder in the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery, after deliberating for about 10 hours. All three were found guilty of felony murder and now face sentences of up to life in prison; Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery with a shotgun at close range, was also convicted of malice murder. The prosecution’s case in the Georgia trial didn’t rest on any evidence of racist motivations for the shooting, but the members of the modern-day lynch mob will also face hate-crime charges in a federal trial in February. While this case has been widely watched as a test of racial bias in the justice system, it’s worth remembering that the jury delivered justice in spite of a transparently racist defense strategy, and after it took 10 weeks for police to arrest the murderers in the first place.
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- In less satisfying outcomes for violent vigilantes, disgraced former president Donald Trump said he had welcomed Kyle Rittenhouse at Mar-a-Lago, called him a “nice young man,” and said he never should have been prosecuted for shooting three people at a protest.
- A federal jury found CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies liable for their roles in fueling the opioid crisis in two Ohio counties, a landmark verdict that could set the stage for similar outcomes in thousands of similar lawsuits in courts across the country.
- An 8-year-old boy has become the sixth person to die after an SUV plowed into the Waukesha Christmas parade. Suspect Darrell Brooks, Jr., has so far been charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, with additional charges on the way.
- Central California health officials are begging state officials to make it easier to transfer hospital patients to areas with lower COVID rates, as less-vaccinated counties brace for a winter surge.
- At least 31 people died off the coast of France after a boat carrying migrants bound for Britain capsized in the English Channel.
- The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s nullification of an amendment that would have legalized recreational marijuana, which South Dakota voters approved last year.
- Unvaccinated Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has confirmed that he is suffering from COVID Toe, adding to the growing body of evidence that taking medical advice from Joe Rogan is, in clinical terms, “dumb as hell.”
- Marine biologists found a mammoth tusk at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, in another humiliating defeat for land biologists.
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The Biden administration has included Taiwan among its 110 invitees to its democracy summit in December, a decision that has, unsurprisingly, royally pissed off China. “China firmly opposes the invitation by the U.S. to the Taiwan authorities to participate in the summit for democracy,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Wednesday, calling the inclusion of Taiwan a “mistake.” The invitation follows a series of steps the administration has taken to show support for Taiwan as China escalates its military intimidation of the island and threatens an eventual invasion. The virtual summit will take place on December 9 and 10, with a focus on the themes of "defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights," according to the State Department. China, one of the primary authoritarian forces being defended against, has not been invited.
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It’s been over a year since the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. And still, police have killed more than 500 people in 2021 already – from Daunte Wright to 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, and far too many others. Meanwhile, the resounding calls to divest and defund the police continue to grow. Calls that Black organizers and advocates led long before now.
So what does it all really mean for our country? And how does this moment differ from so many past efforts in America to stop racist police practices that have terrorized Black people for centuries?
The ACLU will dive into these questions and more in our inaugural email course, “Racism in Policing” –and we want you to be a part of it. Sign up for the email course today.
In this four-email course, you’ll receive one lesson every week delivered to your inbox from us, Paige Fernandez and Carl Takei, your course guides and ACLU experts.
We’ll help you develop a deeper foundational knowledge of U.S. policing institutions, its inseparable ties to white supremacy and systemic racism, and the larger meaning behind police divestment as a solution for the safety of all communities.
By the end of our course, you’ll come away with historical context, learning resources, and the insight needed to take meaningful actions on this critical issue.
We truly couldn’t think of a more significant topic to delve into and we’re looking forward to having you with us. So don’t wait – sign up and let’s get started.
Your course guides,
Paige Fernandez
She, her, hers
Policing Policy Advisor, National Political Advocacy Department, ACLU
Carl Takei
He, him, his
Senior Staff Attorney, Trone Center for Justice and Equality, ACLU
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An Iowa judge ruled that the state must provide Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care, striking down a discriminatory law.
President Biden has nominated Shalanda Young and Nani Coloretti, two women of color, to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is spawning like crazy as it recovers from recent coral bleaching.
Former grocer Bob “Mr. Thanksgiving” Vogelbaugh will provide a free Thanksgiving dinner for whoever shows up in Moline, IL, in need of one on Thursday, for the 51st straight year.
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