October 29, 2021 Briefing
Politics:
“The Justice for All Business Act proposes to strip the secretary of labor from using funds to draft, publish, or enforce a rule mandating that employers require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Cawthorn added that the bill also prohibits the federal government from ‘raining down fines” on businesses for “upholding the Constitution and defying tyrannical edicts.’”
“‘It's precisely that threat that we need to remain vigilant, and disrupt,’ Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning – the latest hearing into the calamitous U.S. pullout from Afghanistan. ‘We actually are fairly certain they have the intention to do so.’”
“Throughout 2020, Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, a lifelong Republican, wasn't having any of then-President Donald Trump's unrelenting and unsupported claims of election fraud. Now, the GOP official has been tapped by the Biden administration to help protect the nation's election system.”
Biden administration expands no-go zones where ICE can’t arrest illegal immigrants - Washington Times
“The Department of Homeland Security has expanded its list of locations off-limits for enforcement to include anywhere near graveyards, community organization offices and any area where children ‘gather’ — effectively blocking officers from making arrests across many urban areas.”
“The mandate requires all federal employees to be fully vaccinated by November 22 unless they can provide specific medical exemptions. You can view Noem’s full executive order attached below.”
Business:
Judge Extends Order Blocking United Airlines From Putting Unvaccinated Workers Seeking Mandate Exceptions on Leave - Epoch Times
“If the order expired without an injunction in place, ‘nothing would prevent hundreds of workers from ostensibly either: (1) being compelled to take a vaccination in violation of their religious beliefs or medical restrictions, or (2) being placed on indefinite unpaid leave,’ Pittman wrote in a 3-page document on Monday explaining the rationale.”
“Dallas-based Southwest Airlines must require staff to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by Dec. 8 unless they receive a religious or medical exemption, according to rules for federal contractors that the Biden administration issued last month.”
Another In-N-Out closes over COVID vaccine mandate, California health officials say - Sacramento Bee
“Health officials said that location had already been fined four times in the last few weeks for violating the health order, amassing $1,750 in fines, KRON 4 reported.”
U.S. growth slowed sharply in the third quarter, hampered by shortages and the pandemic. The economy grew 0.5%, a 2% annual rate. - New York Times
“More recent data suggests that people are returning to travel, restaurant meals and other in-person activities as virus cases have fallen, and most economists expect significantly faster growth in the final three months of the year.”
“C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., a cargo broker that manages $26 billion of freight for its customers, is seeing labor shortages contribute to delays at every hand-off point in the supply chain, Chief Executive Officer Bob Biesterfeld said.”
“All hourly pay workers will make at least $15 an hour and average nearly $17 an hour in summer 2022. Some of the pay increases will start before the summer, the Seattle-based coffee giant said.”
Facebook changes its company name to Meta - CNN Business
“Founder Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta, effectively demoting Facebook's namesake service to being just one of the company's subsidiaries, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than the overarching brand.”
Culture:
Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' movie assistant director admits to gun-safety mistakes, search warrant reveals - Fox News
“David Halls was one of the very few people including Alec Baldwin who handled the firearm prior to the accidental discharge that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.”
“The Firearms Policy Coalition filed an amicus brief in support of abortion providers in a legal challenge to the new law, arguing that the legislation sets a dangerous precedent that could potentially be exploited to limit constitutional rights, Bloomberg Law reported.”
Health:
“With 99.7% of adults in the Irish county of Waterford having received the COVID shots, they have the highest per-capita case rate of COVID anywhere in the country.”
“Florida has seen a dramatic reversal of fortune this week with some of the lowest COVID numbers in the country, marking a dramatic change from this summer when it ranked among the worst.”
Idaho COVID-19 test positivity, case rates decline; officials report 873 cases, 8 deaths - Idaho Statesman
“On Thursday, the department reported that the statewide test positivity rate — the percentage of all tests that are positive for COVID — fell to 11.5% for the week of Oct. 17-23. That’s down from 12.3% the previous week and a peak of 17.3% in early September.”