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      in World Politics

      Is America Ready to Raise the Minimum Wage?

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      Since the federal minimum wage was introduced in the United States in 1938, it has provided a level of security for workers to be able to afford a minimal living standard. However, the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has not changed since 2009, the longest timespan without an increase in its history. Critics argue that $7.25 is not a livable wage, which by 2018 was worth 14.8% less after adjusting for inflation. For nearly a decade, discussions about raising the wage have continued, with the minimum wage in 30 states now above the federal level.

      Do Americans Really Need a Roof Over Their Heads?

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      Yet according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2021 report, a full-time minimum wage worker, whether at the $7.25 federal wage or higher state minimum wages, could afford a one-bedroom rental at market rate in only 7% of US counties. The report estimates that workers will need to make $20 an hour to earn a one-bedroom housing wage.  

      With debates around the issue ongoing, how sensitive is the American public to a minimum wage increase? President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats’ proposal for a $15 minimum wage may be popular among workers, but fear of the consequences complicate its passage.

      To Raise or Not to Raise?

      Businesses with razor-thin margins face a threat of closure if wages increase. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that a $15 minimum wage would result in a likely loss of 1.4 million jobs. Likewise, the national deficit was also predicted to increase by $54 billion over the next decade if the wage were raised. Opponents argue that a new minimum wage will create more problems than it solves, fail to alleviate poverty and transfer the extra $333-billion cost to firms on to consumers in the form of higher prices. In contrast, Republican senators have floated increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour in exchange for policy concessions on immigration.

      Proponents of the $15 minimum wage assert that it will bring earnings closer to the rising cost of living expenses. A report by the Economic Policy Institute states that essential and frontline workers constitute 60% of those who would benefit from the higher wage. A National Low Income Housing Coalition report states that with a $15 minimum wage, some inland states would approach full-time wages that support modest rent at 30% of one’s income. The CBO report estimates that 900,000 Americans would be brought out of poverty with a $15 minimum wage. The raise would also decrease racial income inequality.

      A recent survey by the Pew Research Center showed that 62% of Americans supported an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15, with only 10% opposed to any level of increase, with clear partisan differences: 72% of Republicans expressed opposition to a $15 minimum wage while 87% of Democrats were in favor.

      Embed from Getty Images

      In 2013, a Gallup poll showed that small business owners were divided on increasing the minimum wage to $9.50, juxtaposed to 76% of the public supporting an increase to $9. In 2014, analysis by CBS News found that people were less supportive of raising the minimum wage if they thought it would lead to job losses. The issue of how raising the minimum wage will affect small businesses is a crucial component of how willing people are to support an increase.

      We conducted a national web survey using quota sampling and recruited 625 American respondents via Qualtrics on June 22-24. Rather than just ask about support for the minimum wage in the abstract, we randomly assigned respondents to one of four questions to evaluate on a five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Targeted formulation of the statements allowed us to directly test whether support differs between $15 as the Democrats have proposed versus the $10 endorsed by some Republican senators. The methodology would also show whether support declines if primed to think about the potential negative impacts to small businesses.

      With no mention of businesses closing, increasing the minimum wage to $10 was more popular than the $15 option (64.31% vs. 57.21%), reflecting that opponents of a $15 minimum wage favor a more modest increase as found by previous survey work. When primed to consider that some small businesses may close due to increased employment costs, support for both a $10 and $15 wage declined (53.13% vs. 55.77%). Regression analysis finds statistically significant drops in support for increasing the minimum wage when the increase was listed as $15 instead of $10 and when businesses closing was mentioned. The pattern endures when controlling for demographic factors.

      Political Divide

      Surprisingly, a majority of Republicans agreed with raising the minimum wage to either $10 or $15 when we did not reference small businesses. This deviates from past survey work showing strong Republican opposition to increases in the minimum wage, signaling that conservatives may be more open to increasing the minimum wage than they have been in recent years. Additionally, non-white Republicans were more willing to support an increase than white Republicans, consistent with trends among racial minorities being more willing to support an increase than white Americans.

      Unsurprisingly, a majority of Democrats supported raising the minimum wage to $15 both when businesses closing was mentioned or not. However, the inclusion of small businesses closing had a larger effect on declining support than specifying a $15 wage versus a $10 wage. This indicates that Democrats are not immune to concerns about small businesses failing from an increased minimum wage but have largely accepted a $15 over a $10 minimum wage as the path forward. Providing protections for small businesses such as a gradual increase of the minimum wage or government financial support for businesses could garner more support for the wage hike among Democrats, making the proposed increase more feasible. 

      Unique Insights from 2,500+ Contributors in 90+ Countries

      To help move the issue forward, reporting on how raising the minimum wage could help small businesses would be a meaningful way to combat concerns. The Center for American Progress argues that higher wages will increase demand for goods, increase worker productivity and ultimately benefit small businesses in the long run with the correct support from the government. Politicians and media outlets supportive of increases could use this framing to solidify support for Democrats and perhaps strengthen support from Republicans as well.

      Proponents argue that increases are necessary to make the federal minimum wage a livable one, as the inflation-adjusted value of the minimum wage peaked in 1968. An increase to $15 would only partially address the impact of inflation and the rise in housing costs, the latter that has increased by nearly 30% since the last minimum wage hike. However, if small businesses close due to higher payouts, workers may not be any better off. Our survey findings suggest public sensitivity to broader impacts of a minimum wage increase, suggesting that gradual policies of raising the minimum wage or policies that can minimize the burden on small businesses could expand bipartisan support.

      *[Funding for this survey work was provided by the Mahurin Honors College at Western Kentucky University.]

      The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy. More

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      in US Politics

      What’s in the bipartisan infrastructure bill and what’s left out – visual explainer

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      Biden administrationWhat’s in the bipartisan infrastructure bill and what’s left out – visual explainerBill maintains a large portion of Biden’s proposals for roads, public transit and high-speed internet – but cuts some of the more contentious spending items Andrew Witherspoon and Alvin ChangWed 4 Aug 2021 12.54 EDTLast modified on Wed 4 Aug 2021 13.14 EDTA bipartisan group of US senators have proposed billions of dollars of new spending on roads, public transit, affordable high-speed internet and clean drinking water, among other things.This latest bill, called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is significant because it’s an iteration of President Biden’s infrastructure plan – but pared down so that it can garner enough Republican support to get through the Senate and be signed into law.The $550bn plan costs less than a quarter of Biden’s American Jobs Plan, which proposed $2.6tn in new spending over the next decade. But the bill still funds many of the investments the Biden administration has prioritized. In addition, it appears to have support from at least 10 Republicans – enough to overcome a filibuster which requires at least 60 of the 100 Senate votes.Here’s what was stripped from Biden’s plan and what is still in the Senate version:A huge portion of transportation infrastructure is still fundedThe new bill proposed $109bn in new investments for roads, bridges and related projects. It also makes significant investments in rail projects, public transit and airports. The biggest cut from Biden’s plan was in funding for nationwide infrastructure that electrifies America’s vehicles.Transportation fundingInvestments in the power grid, high-speed internet and clean water are still big parts of the new billThe bipartisan bill invests tens of billions of dollars in the country’s power grid. This is especially salient in 2021: Americans have felt the impacts of the country’s fragile grid infrastructure, from the blackouts in Texas to threats of brownouts during the summer heatwaves. In addition the bill makes massive investments in providing high-speed internet to all Americans, as well as fixing water infrastructure. The Senate bill falls short of Biden’s initial proposal, but it still makes significant new investments to address some of the Biden administration’s biggest priorities.Core infrastructureWhat was left out: the most contentious proposals on housing, clean energy tax credits and long-term careBiden’s initial bill included about $1.7tn in new spending for long-term care for older adults and people with disabilities, clean energy tax credits, schools and climate change research, among other things.Other billsMany of these line items faced strong opposition from Republicans and were left out of this bipartisan bill. They may be added into the budget bill, which the Senate will tackle in the coming months. A budget bill could be passed with a mere Senate majority using a process called budget reconciliation, and Democrats control 50 seats with the tie-breaking vote in Vice-President Kamala Harris. That said, moderate Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) said she doesn’t support the $3.5tn price tag for that bill, so it may need to be pared down to pass.TopicsBiden administrationJoe BidenUS SenateUS politicsexplainersReuse this content More

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      in World Politics

      Thought Suppression Flourishes in France and Washington

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      In August, the Daily Devil’s Dictionary appears in a single weekly edition containing multiple items taken from a variety of contexts. 

      This week, we jump from French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal of a new law intended to produce electoral momentum in the run-up to the presidential election to Republican Senator Josh Hawley’s campaign to avoid dishonoring the great tradition of white supremacy. We then move on to congressional Democrats’ greater sense of loyalty to the military-industrial complex than to their elected president and also the military threat that China’s peaceful overtures in Africa appear to represent for the US. Finally, we look at the Financial Times’ realistic, but unorthodox reading of the global debt crisis. 

      Macron’s Revised Motto: Liberté (diminished), Egalité (Two-tiered) and Neutralité

      It used to be that countries like Switzerland could claim the privilege of neutrality. The notion applied to political entities. President Macron of France has extended it to people in the name of combating “separatism,” the latest and deadliest sin against what he imagines to be republican integrity. Parliament is now deliberating on a bill designed literally to neuter the French by imposing neutrality as a behavioral norm. Macron sees the effort to inculcate and enforce “republican values” as the key to winning reelection in 2022.

      Unique Insights from 2,500+ Contributors in 90+ Countries

      “Introduced by hardline French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, the bill contains a slew of measures on the neutrality of the civil service, the fight against online hatred, and the protection of civil servants such as teachers,” France 24 informs us. The New York Times explains that this “law also extends strict religious neutrality obligations beyond civil servants to anyone who is a private contractor of a public service, like bus drivers.”

      Neutralité:

      A legal concept that provides a pretext for targeting the Muslim community in France for failing to live up to republican standards, a requirement that not only judges people on their aptitude to adhere to a modern faith known as “republican principles” (which supersedes any other creed or philosophy a person may identify with), but also proclaims that those principles are universal and should be shared by any rational person anywhere in the world

      The Context

      The law voted by parliament on July 23 seeks to eliminate “separatism” by removing a few of the traditional liberties the French formerly enjoyed. It also seeks to foment a climate of suspicion against anyone who resists signing on to a behavioral code designed to protect members of the current secular order.

      To ensure that some of Marine Le Pen’s xenophobic, anti-immigrant voters may be tempted to drift across to vote for Macron in next year’s election, the president has proposed a law clearly intended to demonstrate his personal pleasure in intimidating Muslims.

      Radical Ideology According to Senator Josh Hawley

      Republicans in the United States believe in freedom of expression so long as thought itself is controlled. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley understands that white exceptionalism is the unimpeachable foundation of the American way of life. “Over the past year, Americans have watched stunned as a radical ideology spread through our country’s elite institutions—one that teaches America is an irredeemably racist nation founded by white supremacists,” Hawley said. “We cannot afford for our children to lose faith in the noble ideals this country was founded on.”

      Radical ideology:

      The citing of any facts of history that might contradict the self-proclaimed normal and noble ideology of those who believe that the power structure they are a part of is predestined not only to rule the world, but also to restrict useful, objective knowledge of the world

      The Context

      When Hawley claims that we “have to make sure that our children understand what makes this country great, the ideals of hope and promise our Founding Fathers fought for, and the love of country that unites us all,” the key concept is “make sure.” This is the language not of education but of indoctrination, a characteristic traditionally associated with totalitarian regimes that mobilize whatever resources are required to “make sure” people toe the line.

      Embed from Getty Images

      The idea of “making sure” that children “understand” should be seen as an aporia, a simple contradiction, since true understanding means appreciating what one cannot be sure of — in other words, of putting things in perspective. Hawley clearly wants to remove what he calls the “ideals” from their context. This is more about undermining than understanding.

      There are similarities between Macron’s and Hawley’s approach to normalizing understanding and testing for loyalty.

      The Democrats’ Competing Priorities 

      US President Joe Biden has claimed that transformative FDR-style reforms are his priority and opposed Donald Trump’s race to further bloat the defense budget. Biden’s party in Congress is implementing its own priorities, similar to Trump’s.

      “One has to wonder what is even the point of a Senate Democratic majority if they’re going to not only continue Trump policies but work with Senate Republicans to undermine [Biden’s] priorities. Utterly pathetic,” tweeted Stephen Miles, executive director of Win Without War.

      Priority:

      Something political leaders want the public to believe is the first thing they wish to accomplish, even when they have no intention of implementing the stated policy and also expect it will not be implemented

      The Context

      During last year’s presidential campaign, Defense News reported that Biden said that “if elected president, he doesn’t foresee major reductions in the U.S. defense budget as the military refocuses its attention to potential threats from ‘near-peer’ powers such as China and Russia.” The website nevertheless suspected that “internal pressure from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, combined with pandemic-related economic pressures, may ultimately add up to budget cuts at a Biden Pentagon.”

      In a comic historical twist, Biden did not propose a reduction in the defense budget, but instead a modest increase despite drawing down the US commitment in the Middle East. The Senate Armed Services Committee, with a majority of Democrats, applied its pressure not to reduce the budget, but to spend even more than Biden demanded. The only “internal pressure” came from one isolated progressive, outvoted by 25 Democrats and Republicans.

      The moral of the story is clear. The president cannot run the country because even the policies he prefers (sincerely or insincerely) will be overturned by the all-powerful military-industrial complex that controls Congress. Defense is no longer about defending the nation, which is already extremely well defended. It’s about supporting the defense industries that are at the core of the economy and the focus of politicians’ attention. Spending freely on defense is the norm even in a nation that hates any spending other than consumer spending. The taxpayers will never complain, because they have been taught that producing arsenals that will never be needed is consistent with the belief in the “ideals of hope and promise our Founding Fathers fought for,” to quote Hawley again.

      Embed from Getty Images

      As the wealth gap continues to grow and the effects of both the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing climate crisis have spread more misery across the nation, the Republicans and Democrats on the Armed Services Committee appear to blissfully ignore the observation of a former Republican president, Dwight Eisenhower: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”

      The US Counters a Global Overture Threat

      It goes without saying that, given the multiplicity of threats to “national security,” the US is supposed to be everywhere in the world as a military presence. For two decades, terrorism was the main pretext, but its attraction has faded, allowing other missions to emerge, especially in Africa.

      “Now, in addition to fighting violent extremist groups, they have to counter Chinese and Russian overtures in a region where great powers are increasingly competing for access, influence, and resources,” writes Stavros Atlamazoglou in Business Insider

      Overture:

      Any initiative taken by a rival power in territories currently dominated by Western colonial and neocolonial powers, especially in regions where US troops are already present as a reminder that these are the West’s private hunting grounds

      The Context

      America’s hard power, its famed military might, appears to have a new challenge. This time it isn’t a foreign army, insurgents or terrorist cells. It is, as Atlamazoglou explains, something far more frightening: “Chinese aid, in the form of loans or infrastructure development,” part of “Beijing’s quest for natural resources and global legitimacy.” How dare the most populous nation on earth seek “natural resources and global legitimacy?” No one has called them off the bench to play the same game Western powers have excelled at for the past 500 years.

      Then there is the Russian variant, which is more respectful of the well-established American model. “Russia sells arms and provides political advisors in addition to hunting for lucrative contracts for natural resources and other geopolitical benefits,” Atlamazoglou writes. The two former rivals have remained faithful to the methods developed in that golden age politicians remember as the Cold War.

      Embed from Getty Images

      Atlamazoglou relies heavily on the testimony of John Black, a retired Special Forces warrant officer, who observes that American ambassadors need “to look at the country as a whole and take more risks, use [the US] military arm to effect real change within a country.” The stirring examples of Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya demonstrate how “real change” can take place when you accept to “take more risks.”

      Black understands the risk, apparently viscerally: “China or Russia might not hesitate to work with a dictator with an abdominal [sic] human-rights record to further their geopolitical goals.” Could he have possibly meant “abominable?” Or does this describe a brutal regime that weaponizes diarrhea? Citing the US commitment to the rule of law, Black implies that the US would never cavort with a dictator possessed of an abominable human-rights record.

      How did the usually serious Business Insider allow such an “abdominal” article to appear?  

      The Great Reset: The Effect of Coordination or Chaos?

      The magnates of Davos recently agreed to mobilize their forces to implement what they call the “Great Reset,” ushering in a new golden age of socially responsible capitalism. All it requires is some concerted action under their leadership.  

      Gillian Tett, writing for the Financial Times, seems to envision a different scenario: “The total global debt is now more than three times the size of the global economy, since debt — and money — has expanded inexorably since 1971. It seems most unlikely this can ever be repaid just by growth; sooner or later — and it may be much later — this will probably cause a direct or indirect restructuring or a social or financial implosion.”

      Restructuring:

      The process by which the laws of inertia teach human beings with political and economic power, who believe they possess the intelligence capable of problem-solving, that such a belief can only be an illusion

      The Context

      Humanity finds itself struggling with a straightforward situation: multiple crises related to health, climate and an economy functioning on increasingly absurd principles. Theoretically, they can all be addressed through a harmonious global focus on rational resource management followed by intelligent decision-making. But history demonstrates on a daily basis that society has delegated decision-making to: first, individuals within nations (consumers and voters); second, nations (each competing one another); and third, those who govern the nations (theoretically, politicians whose sole aim is to hold onto power once they have acquired it and who are beholden to anyone who assists them in achieving that goal).

      Unique Insights from 2,500+ Contributors in 90+ Countries

      In other words, the more universal the problem, the less likely it will be that it may be solved. Local and national crises continue to exist, but they have now become dominated by universal crises. The consumer economy and the quasi-democratic nation-states are structured, in terms of decision-making, in a way that makes any voluntary effort at restructuring impossible.

      Not only do our economies and political systems need restructuring. Our thinking about who we are and how we function as a society needs some serious revision.

      *[In the age of Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain, another American wit, the journalist Ambrose Bierce, produced a series of satirical definitions of commonly used terms, throwing light on their hidden meanings in real discourse. Bierce eventually collected and published them as a book, The Devil’s Dictionary, in 1911. We have shamelessly appropriated his title in the interest of continuing his wholesome pedagogical effort to enlighten generations of readers of the news. Read more of The Daily Devil’s Dictionary on Fair Observer.]

      The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy. More

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      in US Politics

      Biden calls on Cuomo to resign after report corroborates harassment allegations – live

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      Key events

      Show

      5.36pm EDT
      17:36

      ‘No one’s invincible’: fresh mask mandates and rising Delta cases hit California

      5.01pm EDT
      17:01

      Today so far

      4.53pm EDT
      16:53

      Biden calls on Cuomo to resign after investigation corroborates harassment allegations

      4.36pm EDT
      16:36

      Biden: Delta has created ‘a largely preventable tragedy that will get worse before it gets better’

      4.29pm EDT
      16:29

      Pelosi joins other prominent Democrats calling for Cuomo’s resignation

      4.10pm EDT
      16:10

      Biden expected to announce new federal eviction moratorium – reports

      3.53pm EDT
      15:53

      Albany county DA is conducting an ‘ongoing criminal investigation’ into Cuomo

      Live feed

      Show

      5.53pm EDT
      17:53

      An officer has died after being stabbed today at a transit station outside the Pentagon, the AP reports:

      The Pentagon, the headquarters of the US military, was temporarily placed on lockdown after gunshots were fired Tuesday morning near the entrance of the building.
      A Pentagon police officer who was stabbed later died, according to officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
      More details about the violence were expected at a Pentagon news conference. The connection between the shooting and the stabbing of the officer was not immediately clear. The authorities did not immediately provide details or the sequence of events.
      The incident occurred on a Metro bus platform that is part of the Pentagon transit center, according to the Pentagon Force Protection Agency. The facility is just steps from the distinctive Pentagon building, which is in Arlington County, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from the US capital.
      An Associated Press reporter near the building heard multiple gunshots, then a pause, then at least one additional shot. Another AP journalist heard police yelling “shooter”.
      A Pentagon announcement said the facility was on lockdown due to “police activity”. The agency responsible for security at the building, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, tweeted shortly before noon that the scene of the incident was secure. The lockdown was lifted except for the area around the crime scene.

      Read more:

      5.36pm EDT
      17:36

      ‘No one’s invincible’: fresh mask mandates and rising Delta cases hit California

      Erin McCormick in San Francisco reports:
      A surge in Covid-19 infections, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, has prompted San Francisco and six other counties in California’s Bay Area to reimpose mask mandates for indoor spaces, less than two months after experts in the highly vaccinated region celebrated what they hoped would be a return to normal.
      In recent days, San Francisco’s infection rates have surged to nearly 20 times what they were at their lowest point in June and two of the city’s hospitals have reported that more than 200 of their own workers have tested positive for the virus.
      “It teaches us that no one is invincible,” said Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an associate dean at UCSF who specializes in infectious diseases.
      The surge in cases comes as California and the nation have seen continued increases in infections, with federal officials acknowledging that “the war has changed” and the new Delta variant is as contagious as chicken pox.
      The return to mask wearing sees the San Francisco Bay Area join other parts of the state, including Los Angeles and Sacramento, that have already reimposed mandates as cases climb across the state.
      New California cases have jumped from fewer than 900 a day at the end of May to more than 9,000 a day now, according to state data. Nationally, new cases hit a low point in late June of about 12,000 per day, but they have now shot up to more than 78,000 a day, according to data from the New York Times.
      Read more:

      5.01pm EDT
      17:01

      Today so far

      That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
      Here’s where the day stands so far:

      New York governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women and violated state and federal law, an independent investigation found. The New York attorney general, Letitia James, announced the investigation’s findings at a press conference today. Based off contemporaneous notes and interviews with 179 people, the investigators’ report details how Cuomo inappropriately touched several state employees and made sexually suggestive comments to them.
      Cuomo denied the allegations, saying he “never touched anyone inappropriately”. “That is just not who I am, and that’s not who I have ever been,” Cuomo said, claiming that the independent investigation was flawed and politically motivated. James has strongly denied those claims.
      Joe Biden said he believes Cuomo should resign in response to the investigation’s findings. The president said back in March that Cuomo should resign and might be prosecuted if the investigation substantiated the allegations against him. When asked today if he still believes that, Biden said, “I stand by the statement.” When pressed on whether Cuomo should resign, Biden replied, “Yes.”
      Coronavirus hospitalizations in the US have reached the levels of last summer, with more than 50,000 Americans hospitalized as the Delta variant continues to spread. Almost all hospitalized patients are unvaccinated, and in a speech this afternoon, Biden again urged eligible Americans to get their shot as quickly as possible. Biden described the spread of the Delta variant as “a largely preventable tragedy that will get worse before it gets better”.
      New York will now require proof of vaccination to enter indoor restaurants and gyms, mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference. The new policy will be phased in over the coming weeks and will take full effect starting the week of September 13. “It’s time for people to see vaccination as literally necessary to living a good and full and healthy life,” de Blasio said.

      Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

      4.53pm EDT
      16:53

      Biden calls on Cuomo to resign after investigation corroborates harassment allegations

      After concluding his prepared remarks, Joe Biden took several questions from reporters, and – no surprise – the first question was about New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
      A CNN reporter asked the president whether he stood by his comments from March, when he said Cuomo should resign and might be prosecuted if an investigation substantiated the sexual harassment allegations against him.
      “I stand by the statement,” Biden said. When pressed on whether Cuomo should resign, Biden replied, “Yes.”
      Asked about Cuomo potentially being impeached, Biden said he was taking things one step at a time to see how the situation would unfold, although the governor has given no indication he intends to resign.
      Biden also told reporters that he has not spoken to Cuomo since the New York attorney general announced the investigation had found that the governor sexually harassed at least 11 women.

      Updated
      at 4.59pm EDT

      4.45pm EDT
      16:45

      Joe Biden criticized the Republican governors who have banned local leaders from implementing mask requirements, even as coronavirus case numbers rise due to the spread of the Delta variant.
      “What are we doing?” Biden said, adding that the pandemic is a “national challenge” that requires the whole country to come together to address it.
      The president noted that two states with relatively low vaccination rates, Florida and Texas, now account for one-third of all Covid cases in the country.
      “I say to these governors: please help,” Biden said. “But if you aren’t going to help, at least get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.”

      4.36pm EDT
      16:36

      Biden: Delta has created ‘a largely preventable tragedy that will get worse before it gets better’

      Joe Biden is now delivering remarks on his administration’s vaccination efforts, as hospitalizations rise in the US due to the spread of the Delta variant.
      The president described the spread of the Delta in the US as “a largely preventable tragedy that will get worse before it gets better”.
      Biden argued that this latest surge in cases is different from past surges because the US now has the tools to limit the spread of the virus, in the form of vaccines.
      Underscoring the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccines, the president noted that the recent rise in cases has not sparked a comparable rise in hospitalizations and deaths, even though hospitalizations have increased.
      Data shows most of the Americans now being hospitalized and dying of coronavirus have not been vaccinated. The disparity has created what Biden called “a pandemic of the unvaccinated”.

      4.29pm EDT
      16:29

      Pelosi joins other prominent Democrats calling for Cuomo’s resignation

      House speaker Nancy Pelosi is the latest prominent Democrat to call for New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation after an independent investigation found he had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
      “Under Attorney General Letitia James, a comprehensive and independent investigation into the allegations against Governor Cuomo has been completed,” the Democratic speaker said in her short statement.
      “As always, I commend the women who came forward to speak their truth. Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the Governor to resign.”
      Both of New York’s senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have already called for Cuomo’s resignation, along with many other New York officials.
      Joe Biden is expected to soon deliver remarks on his administration’s vaccination efforts and will then take questions from reporters, who will almost certainly press him on whether he believes Cuomo should resign. Stay tuned.

      4.10pm EDT
      16:10

      Biden expected to announce new federal eviction moratorium – reports

      Joe Biden plans to announce a new federal moratorium on evictions for regions that have been hard hit by the Delta variant of coronavirus, according to multiple reports.
      The New York Times reports:

      White House aides and officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were working out details of a potential deal on Tuesday that could include a new freeze that would remain in place for up to 60 days, but officials involved in the process warned that the situation was in flux and no final decisions had been made.
      The new ban would cover about 90 percent of renters in the country, according to a Democratic leadership aide briefed on the proposal.
      Creating a new moratorium to deal with the recent spike in coronavirus rates is an attempt to deal with concerns that extending the previous moratorium without congressional approval would run afoul of the Supreme Court, the officials said.

      The last moratorium, which had been repeatedly extended to protect renters who were financially impacted by the pandemic, expired on Saturday with no replacement in effect.
      It’s still possible that the new moratorium could run into legal issues, as the supreme court ruled last month that an extension of the current moratorium beyond July 31 would require congressional authorization.
      The news comes after a group of progressive lawmakers, led by congresswoman Cori Bush, spent days staying overnight on the Capitol steps to protest the expiration of the moratorium.

      3.53pm EDT
      15:53

      Albany county DA is conducting an ‘ongoing criminal investigation’ into Cuomo

      The Albany county district attorney’s office confirmed it is conducting a criminal investigation into sexual harassment allegations against governor Andrew Cuomo.
      “Along with the public, today we have been made aware of the final independent report from AG Letitia James’ office regarding Governor Cuomo’s conduct as they relate to violations of civil harassment statutes,” Albany county district attorney David Soares said in a statement.
      “We will be formally requesting investigative materials obtained by the AG’s Office, and we welcome any victim to contact our office with additional information.”

      Albany County District Attorney’s Office
      (@AlbanyCountyDA)
      Comment from Albany County District Attorney David Soares Regarding NYS Attorney General Final Report on Governor Cuomo ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/aSVBNzhebf

      August 3, 2021

      Soares added that his office will “refrain from any additional public comment at this time regarding the status of the ongoing criminal investigation”.
      Speaking at a press conference this morning, James deflected questions about whether Cuomo should be prosecuted over the allegations detailed in the report, saying that was a decision for law enforcement officials.
      “Our work has concluded, and the document is now public,” James said.

      3.31pm EDT
      15:31

      De Blasio says Cuomo should resign and be impeached if necessary

      New York mayor Bill de Blasio has added his name to the increasingly long list of politicians who are calling on governor Andrew Cuomo to resign after an investigation concluded he had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
      “My first thoughts are with the women who were subject to this abhorrent behavior, and their bravery in stepping forward to share their stories,” the Democratic mayor said in a new statement.

      Mayor Bill de Blasio
      (@NYCMayor)
      My statement on the Attorney General’s report today: pic.twitter.com/mhn87JoOli

      August 3, 2021

      “The Attorney General’s detailed and thorough report substantiates many disturbing instances of severe misconduct. Andrew Cuomo committed sexual assault and sexual harassment, and intimidated a whistleblower. It is disqualifying,” de Blasio added.
      “It is beyond clear that Andrew Cuomo is not fit to hold office and can no longer serve as Governor. He must resign, and if he continues to resist and attack the investigators who did their jobs, he should be impeached immediately.”
      So far, Cuomo has given no indication that he intends to resign, but the New York state assembly does have the option to impeach him if he refuses to step down.

      Updated
      at 3.32pm EDT

      3.15pm EDT
      15:15

      Asked about the pandemic-related eviction moratorium that expired over the weekend, Jen Psaki said the White House is continuing to look for ways to extend the moratorium and distribute more of the rent assistance from the American Rescue Plan.
      One reporter asked the White House press secretary if Joe Biden is considering bringing Congress back from its recess to address the eviction issue, as Harry Truman did in 1948.
      Psaki responded that Democrats would need the votes to pass a moratorium extension before that happened, and she referred questions about the vote count to House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
      The White House and congressional Democrats are currently in a bit of a standoff over extending the moratorium. Congress wants the Biden administration to extend the moratorium, but the White House says that’s not possible because of a supreme court ruling on the issue last month. Meanwhile, it seems unlikely that an extension could attract enough Republican support to pass the Senate.
      And as Democrats in Washington continue to play the blame game, millions of Americans are at risk of losing their homes unless the moratorium is extended.

      2.54pm EDT
      14:54

      The White House press secretary criticized Florida governor Ron DeSantis for pushing back against local ordinances aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus, including mask requirements.
      “Most Republican governors are doing exactly the right thing,” Jen Psaki said. “But if you aren’t going to help, if you aren’t going to abide by public health guidance, then get out of the way.”
      Psaki also noted that Florida accounts for nearly a quarter of all current coronavirus hospitalizations in the US, even though the state represents only about 6.5% of the country’s total population.

      2.36pm EDT
      14:36

      The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, deflected questions about whether Joe Biden believes New York governor Andrew Cuomo should resign.
      “The president just said that he is going to speak to this later this afternoon and share his views, so I’m not going to get ahead of his comments,” Psaki said at her daily briefing.

      CSPAN
      (@cspan)
      Q: “Does the president believe Governor Cuomo should resign?.@PressSec: “The president just said that he is going to speak to this later this afternoon and share his views.” pic.twitter.com/Yk8GbCxA0V

      August 3, 2021

      The press secretary said there have not been any conversations between the White House and the governor’s office today.
      It’s worth noting Biden said back in March that Cuomo should resign and may face prosecution if the independent investigation corroborated the sexual harassment allegations against him.
      Psaki said she personally found the allegations laid out this morning — that Cuomo inappropriately touched several state employees and made sexually suggestive comments to them — to be “abhorrent”.

      2.17pm EDT
      14:17

      ‘We continue to believe that the governor should resign,’ New York senators say

      The two US senators from New York, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have released a statement again calling on governor Andrew Cuomo to resign after an independent investigator concluded he sexually harassed at least 11 women.
      “As we have said before, the reported actions of the Governor were profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable,” Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement.
      “Today’s report from the New York State Attorney General substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the brave women who came forward to share their stories — and we commend the women for doing so.”
      The two Democratic senators described the investigation conducted into the sexual harassment allegations as “independent, thorough and professional”.
      “No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office,” Schumer and Gillibrand said. “We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”

      2.01pm EDT
      14:01

      Joe Biden declined to say whether he believes Andrew Cuomo should resign, promising to take questions from reporters after his remarks on vaccination efforts this afternoon.
      Reporters were allowed to enter the room for the start of Biden and Kamala Harris’ meeting with Latino community leaders to discuss the economy, immigration reform and voting rights.
      Journalists quickly started throwing questions at Biden about investigators’ conclusion that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women, but the president said he would not address the matter until later today.
      “I’m going to be speaking on Covid at 4 o’clock and will take questions on Covid and other issues after that,” Biden said.

      Jenny Leonard
      (@jendeben)
      Asked if he thinks Gov. Cuomo should resign, President Biden tells reporters he will speak on Covid at 4pm and intends to take questions then. pic.twitter.com/kTBVuvC1Z8

      August 3, 2021

      Updated
      at 2.02pm EDT

      1.41pm EDT
      13:41

      Joanna Walters

      Cuomo can surely expect at the least to be showered with lawsuits in short order by some of his alleged victims.
      An interesting point, though, is that New York attorney general Letitia James chose not to refer her report directly to any criminal authorities, such as a district attorney.
      She said that her office’s work was done and effectively indicated that if there are to be any criminal charges, law enforcement will have to take the initiative.
      James referred to Cuomo violating federal and state laws, from her investigation’s point of view, and she means civil laws against harassment and retaliation.
      There is also a chance that if Cuomo doesn’t resign – as he shows no indication of doing at this point – that he could be impeached at the state level.

      1.24pm EDT
      13:24

      Joanna Walters

      Andrew Cuomo said in an address from the New York state capital of Albany that he has put out his own report on his website, countering allegations leveled at him a little earlier by state attorney general Letitia James that he has harassed multiple women.
      “Over the past several months you have heard a number of complaints brought against me….it has been a hard and painful period for me and my family, especially as others feed ugly stories to the press.”
      He continued: “But I cooperated with the review and I can now finally share the truth. My attorney, who is a non-political former federal prosecutor has done a response to each allegation and the facts are much different than what has been portrayed. That document is on my website.”
      Cuomo asked the public to look and decide for themselves.
      “I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances. I am 63-years-old, I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am and that is not who I have ever been.”

      Bloomberg Quicktake
      (@Quicktake)
      Cuomo: “I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances. That is just not who I am” https://t.co/5gMbotH34x pic.twitter.com/gkw1qd1loK

      August 3, 2021

      The contrast between Cuomo’s blanket denials and James’s toe-curling allegations is breathtaking.

      Updated
      at 1.25pm EDT More