PROGRESS FOR PEOPLE
Medicare drug price negotiations will save taxpayers billions,
lowering the prices of widely used drugs, reducing the federal deficit, and limiting over-sized profits for pharmaceutical giants. Time PolitiFact
Student loan borrowers can now apply for relief. A new repayment program opened to more than 20 million borrowers, with payments based on their income and family size. NPR
School kids in eight states can now eat free. Following California and Maine’s example, Minnesota, New Mexico, Colorado, Vermont, Michigan and Massachusetts will make school breakfasts and lunches permanently free to all students. Other states are considering similar changes and congressional supporters want to extend free meals nationwide. AP News
Biden touts great job numbers. President Joe Biden reported 187,000 new jobs in August, signaling that the labor market remains resilient. Politico
White House supports workers through unions and overtime pay. As worker strikes continue, the White House is bolstering U.S. unions. PBS The Biden administration also proposed a new rule that would make 3.6 million more U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay, the most generous increase in decades. AP
AND IN THE STATES…
As Republicans target Georgia’s Fani Willis, the governor opts out. Gov. Brian Kemp said he will not call a special session to investigate, nor impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. WSB-TV
A Texas judge protects Democratic-lead cities. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill widely seen as an effort to curb the power of these cities. The judge has ruled it unconstitutional. MSN
THIS WEEK, TRUMP
March 4, 2024 has been set as the trial date for Trump, indicted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan made it clear that she would run her courtroom solely in the interests of justice. Heather Cox Richardson
Trump drops six points in GOP poll. An Emerson poll, conducted Aug. 25-26 after the debate, found the lowest support for Trump to date. The Hill
Americans think Trump should face penalties if convicted. A Politico/Ipsos poll found that almost 80 percent of Americans feel that if Trump is convicted in the Justice Department’s case, he should be punished. Newsweek