Canada is not our enemy, Kaine says
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Virginia’s junior Democratic senator, feels strongly that Canada doesn’t pose a national security threat to the United States — a contrast to President Donald Trump, who has threatened the Great White North with tariffs as retaliation for what he says are insufficient efforts at keeping drugs from coming across its border. […]
US could run short of money to pay its bills by August without debt limit deal, CBO says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is on track to hit its statutory debt ceiling — the so-called X-date when the country runs short of money to pay its bills— as early as August without a deal between lawmakers and the White House, according to a Congressional Budget Office report Wednesday. By that time, the government […]
Senators hear case for cutting American workweek to 32 hours
WASHINGTON — In 1955, Walter Reuther, head of what was then known as the United Automobile Workers (UAW), told a Senate hearing that coming technological advancements would make a four-day workweek possible. That was the last Senate hearing on the subject for nearly 70 years. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee finally ended […]
Members only
Credit unions in Virginia would like to grow their membership, but a rule change relaxing the state’s policy is not in the cards this spring. This year’s short General Assembly session — in an election year with a split legislature — makes it harder to pass bills with any controversial elements, and any major expansion […]
2022 Political Roundtable: Red wave? Maybe a puddle
On balance, Democrats came out winners in the 2022 midterm elections, having staved off a widely forecast “red wave” of Republican victories, according to panelists at Virginia Business’ annual Political Roundtable, held Nov. 9 in Richmond. The idea of a red wave or “red tsunami” was “perhaps … a bit of a myth … largely […]
On the cusp
Once again, Virginia is a significant factor in this year’s national electoral playing field, in which Democrats are jockeying to stay in power and Republicans are anticipated to make midterm gains. Three congressional districts in the commonwealth — all held by Democratic female incumbents — are considered vulnerable to the GOP by differing degrees. The competitive races […]
Midterm murkiness
Republicans look to extend their 2021 wins in state elections as they closely eye congressional targets in November’s midterm elections. Democrats hold seven of the state’s 11 congressional seats, with three of those having changed hands during the last midterms in 2018. U.S. Reps. Elaine Luria of Norfolk, Abigail Spanberger of Glen Allen and Jennifer […]
Supersize means
Watch your nest egg, particularly if it is extra-large. As Congress scrambles to hike taxes on the wealthy and fund trillions of dollars in social spending, legislators see a potential goldmine in so-called mega individual retirement accounts. Mega IRAs, defined as individual retirement accounts containing at least $5 million, are being touted as a hot […]
Political Kool-Aid
Depending on who’s in charge in Dee Cee, plans alternate on what is best for the U.S. economy. The choices are seemingly reduced to tax cuts versus government spending, but things are rarely as they seem. More accurately, these choices are two different sides of the same dollar — or trillions of dollars to be […]
Va. community clinics receive $79M in federal funding
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Friday that 26 community clinics in Virginia will receive $79 million in funding through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan federal stimulus package. Warner also introduced legislation this week to support other community clinics — most run by health systems in the state’s rural areas — by […]
Warner, Gade face off in debates as Election Day draws near
With a little more than a month to go until the Nov. 3 general election, it is now officially political debate season, with the first debate between incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Republican opponent Daniel Gade scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 23. Virginians will vote in the presidential election this year as […]