The Full Belmonte, 2/19/2024
Biden says House GOP making a ‘big mistake’ by not passing Ukraine aid
“President Joe Biden said today that House Republicans are ‘making a big mistake’ by not passing more aid to Ukraine, in the wake of Alexei Navalny’s death and Russia’s biggest battlefield victory in months.
The president was asked by reporters at the White House today whether he believes the House GOP had Navalny's ‘blood on their hands’ for holding up Ukraine aid.
‘No, I wouldn't use that term,’ Biden said. ‘They're making a big mistake not responding.’ He added that it was ‘shocking’ to see Republicans ‘walking away’ from the threat of Russia.
Last week, the Senate passed a $95 billion national security package that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. House Speaker Mike Johnson has signaled he will not bring it to the floor because it doesn’t include a ‘single border policy change.’
The White House has blamed ‘congressional inaction’ for the fall of the key Ukrainian city of Avdiivka over the weekend.
Former President Donald Trump broke his silence today about Navalny’s death, comparing it to his own legal problems, and without mentioning Putin.” [NBC News]
The Mississippi Army National Guard takes command of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine mission from the Arkansas Army National Guard last month. (2nd Lt. Jarvis Mace/7th Army Training Command/US Army)
Foreign aid
“As funding for Ukraine faces an uncertain future in Congress, the US Army has been left to foot the bill for hundreds of millions of dollars in support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia over the last few months. Since October 2023, the beginning of the fiscal year, the Army has spent over $430 million on various operations, including training Ukrainian troops, transporting equipment, and US troop deployments to Europe. Army officials are concerned that without new funding, they will have to begin pulling money from other critical projects to continue supporting Kyiv. However, a key foreign aid bill is in limbo as many US lawmakers have left for recess — and as House Speaker Mike Johnson appears defiant to bring it to the floor for a vote.” [CNN]
Wisconsin’s Democratic governor signs his new legislative maps into law after Republicans pass them
“Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, has signed new legislative district maps into law that he proposed and that the Republicans who control the Legislature passed to avoid having the liberal-leaning state Supreme Court draw the lines.” Read More at AP News
Trump hawks $399 branded shoes at 'Sneaker Con,' a day after $355 million ruling
“As he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump made a highly unusual stop, hawking new Trump-branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show On Earth!” Read More at AP News
Minnesota police search for answers after three first responders fatally shot
“Investigators in Minnesota are searching for a motive after two police officers and a firefighter were fatally shot during a domestic violence call Sunday.
Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter Adam Finseth, who also worked as a paramedic, were killed in the line of duty, the city of Burnsville said in a statement.
Police were called to a home overnight Sunday for a report of an armed man barricaded inside with family members, the statement said.
During negotiations, the man opened fire, killing Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth, and injuring another officer, according to the statement.
The shooter was also found dead, and his family members were able to safely leave the home, the city said.” [NBC News]
Powerful storm slams California with heavy rain, possible floods
“Another storm fueled by an atmospheric river is pounding California today, and could cause dangerous flooding over ground already saturated after several days of rain this month.
Flood watches are in effect for neary 35 million people across the state, and a flash flood warning has been issued for areas of coastal California, including parts of Los Angeles County, Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County.
Evacuation warnings have been issued for parts of Santa Barbara County, and the airport there is closed today due to flooding.
Parts of Los Angeles are also under an evacuation warning, in areas where authorities are concerned about more devastating mudslides.
In Northern California overnight, firefighters rescued a man trapped in a tree after he became overwhelmed by floodwaters while camping, officials said.” [NBC News]
Retirement wave
Data: St. Louis Federal Reserve. Chart: Axios Visuals
“Huge numbers of Americans are leaving the workplace in a surprise second wave of the post-COVID retirement boom, Axios' Javier E. David writes.
By the numbers: The U.S. has about 2.7 million more retirees than predicted, Bloomberg reports from a model designed by an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
That's an increase of more than 80% from just six months ago. Before the pandemic, there were often fewer retirees than expected.
Zoom in: Higher stock market returns and increasing asset values appear to be playing a role.
For those nearing retirement, there's arguably no better time to start the golden years than during a bull market.” [Axios]
New norm: Dropping kids off
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
“For many families, school pickup lines are replacing the yellow bus:
A majority of U.S. students now arrive at school in private cars, Axios' Shauneen Miranda writes from a Washington Post analysis of U.S. government data.
What's happening: The trend accelerated during the pandemic, and is being fueled by a shortage of bus routes and drivers.
By the numbers: In 2022, 53% of U.S. K-12 students got dropped off or drove themselves in private cars while 33% took the bus, according to The Post's analysis of National Household Travel Survey data.
Only 11% of students walked or biked to school — a proportion that has been falling for decades.
What's happening: In addition to the reduced availability of buses, remote work is another reason parents are more likely to drive their kids.
Reality check: Not all parents have that option. So bus cutbacks may be helping drive the rise in absenteeism since the pandemic.” [Axios]
Cillian Murphy poses at the 77th BAFTA's, in London, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
“‘Oppenheimer’ wins best picture at the British Academy Film Awards
Atom bomb epic “Oppenheimer” won seven prizes, including best picture, director and actor, at the 77th British Academy Film Awards, cementing its front-runner status for the Oscars next month.” [AP News]
Historians rank Trump as worst president
Screenshot: MSNBC
“Presidential historians in a new survey rank President Biden as the 14th best president in American history — and put former President Trump last.
The tally came from 154 presidential specialists who are current and recent members of the American Political Science Association. They were asked to give every president a score, from 0 to 100.
Abraham Lincoln topped the list with an average score of 95; Biden scored an average of 62.66, putting him two spots above Ronald Reagan. Trump averaged just under 11 points.” [Axios]
Get back
Paul McCartney at the 2004 Glastonbury Festival, playing a Höfner 500/1 violin bass similar to the one that was missing. Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
“Paul McCartney has been reunited with a bass guitar that had been missing for more than 50 years, the New York Times reports.
The Höfner 500/1 bass can be heard on many of the Beatles' earliest hits, but went missing sometime around the recording of "Let It Be," in 1969.
After multiple searches and any number of wild theories, the instrument turned out to be stashed away in a family's loft, close to where it was last seen. The family called it in after a new search effort raised awareness of the missing bass.” [Axios]
An illustration from the European Southern Observatory depicts the record-breaking quasar J059-4351, the bright core of a distant galaxy that is powered by a supermassive black hole. Source: M. Kornmesser/ESO via AP
“Astronomers have discovered what may be the brightest object in the universe, a quasar with a black hole at its heart growing so fast that it swallows the equivalent of a sun a day.” Details. [Axios]