WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes
- The “notorious RBG” days before her death was reported to have told her granddaughter Clara Spera, “My most fervent with is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Candidate Joe Biden late Friday said, “She never failed. She was fierce …” and her opinions will shape law for years to come. He added, “The people should pick the president and the president should pick the next justice.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.” And so it begins, as a fabled career of a stalwart advocate for women’s rights, who lived a life of outstanding accomplishment, comes to a close.
- This weekend may see the 200,000 mark passed as the worst coronavirus death toll of any country grows still worse, toward 400,000 or so by the end of the year.
- The Pentagon announced it is upgrading the small U.S. force on the ground in Syria, guarding oil wells that are expected to someday be turned over to the Kurds.
- The talks go on during the weekend, trying to unscramble the TikTok situation by a Sunday midnight deadline. Meanwhile, WeChat in the United States is “dead” as of Nov. 12, according to one official. That app, with real utility for Chinese-Americans and firms that sell in China is, along with TikTok, a potential security threat, the Commerce Dept. said, though so far no evidence either has been a conduit of any useful information. Pres Trump has said he’s not happy if TikTok’s parent ByteDance stays under China’s control. So far China has not chimed in. Brai Odion-Esene’s story is elsewhere on this macenews.com site.
- Also pending are the terms for the continuing resolution necessary to keep government entirely open after midnight a week from Wednesday. Will it be short term, to be dealt with in the Lame Duck session of Congress, in which Senate Republicans will want to confirm a new Supreme Court justice.? Or longer?
- And perhaps, in between everything else, somehow some progress toward a virus relief package might be seen as the gravity of a catastrophic level of unemployment, pending evictions by the tens of thousands, growing food insecurity and many bankruptcies begin to sink in on Capitol Hill and the White House.
- The upcoming week is a little light on economic data and in his preview, Kevin Kastner takes the opportunity for a close look at the weekly report on new jobless benefit claims, also on this site.
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