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| Joe Biden takes to the road to sell infrastructure deal to Americans – live | Joe Biden takes to the road to sell infrastructure deal to Americans – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The president, beset by sagging poll numbers, will visit New Hampshire on the first leg of a tour promoting bipartisan legislation | The president, beset by sagging poll numbers, will visit New Hampshire on the first leg of a tour promoting bipartisan legislation |
| The chairman of the Senate judiciary committee demanded that Attorney General Merrick Garland immediately fire the director of the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) following an investigation by the Associated Press detailing ongoing, unchecked misconduct involving correctional officers. | |
| Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who chairs the committee, called on Garland to dismiss BOP’s director Michael Carvajal who has led the organization during a series of ongoing crises including the unmitigated spread of Covid-19 in prisons as well as dozens of escapes – at least 36 within the last 22 months, deaths and chronic understaffing that has limited critical emergency responses. | |
| AP’s investigation published two days ago also found that over 100 BOP employees had been arrested, convicted or sentenced for crimes since the start of 2019 and that the agency failed to address allegations of misconduct or suspend employees that had been arrested for crimes, including one official at a prison in Mississippi who remained in his position despite being arrested on charges of stalking and harassing fellow employees. | |
| “It is clear that there is much going wrong in our federal prisons, and we urgently need to fix it. That effort must start with new leadership,” said the Senate judiciary committee in a statement posted on Twitter, also calling the BOP a “hotbed of abuse, graft and corruption.” | |
| Durbin also noted the need for new leadership in an ongoing attempt by some Democrats to reform America’s criminal justice system. | |
| “We have a new Administration and a new opportunity to reform our criminal justice system. It’s clear that there is much going wrong in our federal prisons, and we urgently need to fix it. That effort must start with new leadership,” tweeted Durbin. | |
| Carvajal had been appointed to his position by then-Attorney General William Barr, one of the few holdovers from the Trump administration. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco also said that she had confidence in Carvajal despite continued issues during his leadership. | |
| Despite inflation increasing the price of goods nationwide, Americans have increased their spending in the last month at retail stores and online, providing gains to the US economy. | |
| According to the Associated Press, the US Commerce Department reported on Tuesday that retails sales increased by 1.7% since September, the biggest spending gain since March: | |
| Read the full report here. | |
| Top experts warn that the inflation surge widely felt nationwide will get worse this winter before it gets better. | Top experts warn that the inflation surge widely felt nationwide will get worse this winter before it gets better. |
| Addressing clients via a report titled “2022 U.S. Economic Outlook,” Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research spoke to current US inflation trends, saying that,“The current inflation surge will get worse this winter before it gets better,” reports Axios. | Addressing clients via a report titled “2022 U.S. Economic Outlook,” Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research spoke to current US inflation trends, saying that,“The current inflation surge will get worse this winter before it gets better,” reports Axios. |
| Researches from Goldman Sachs though also noted that they expect the economy to “reaccelerate to a 4%+ growth pace over the next few quarters,” noting that the economy will likely approve as the service sector continues opening, consumers increase their spending, and inventory stocking increases. | Researches from Goldman Sachs though also noted that they expect the economy to “reaccelerate to a 4%+ growth pace over the next few quarters,” noting that the economy will likely approve as the service sector continues opening, consumers increase their spending, and inventory stocking increases. |
| Experts also expect unemployment rates to fall from 4.6% recorded in October to 3.7% by mid-2022 and 3.5% by the end of next year. | Experts also expect unemployment rates to fall from 4.6% recorded in October to 3.7% by mid-2022 and 3.5% by the end of next year. |
| A new poll has Biden’s approval ratings at a record low, showing increasing frustration from Democrats and independents, reports the Hill. | A new poll has Biden’s approval ratings at a record low, showing increasing frustration from Democrats and independents, reports the Hill. |
| A weekend survey conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News put Biden’s approval rate at a dismal 41%, a slight drop from 44% recorded in September. The poll also f0und that 53% of people disapprove of the way that Biden is handeling his job with 6% having no opinion. | A weekend survey conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News put Biden’s approval rate at a dismal 41%, a slight drop from 44% recorded in September. The poll also f0und that 53% of people disapprove of the way that Biden is handeling his job with 6% having no opinion. |
| Biden’s approval rating is specifically dropping among Democrats and Independents. Only 80% of Democrats surveyed said they approved of the job Biden was doing compared to 94% in September. Similarly, among independents, only 35% said they approved of Biden’s performance while 58% said they disapprove. | Biden’s approval rating is specifically dropping among Democrats and Independents. Only 80% of Democrats surveyed said they approved of the job Biden was doing compared to 94% in September. Similarly, among independents, only 35% said they approved of Biden’s performance while 58% said they disapprove. |
| Biden’s poll numbers could be indicative of much-felt frustration by many Americans over economic hardships, including increasing prices for goods and inflations, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. | Biden’s poll numbers could be indicative of much-felt frustration by many Americans over economic hardships, including increasing prices for goods and inflations, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. |
| In better news, the recent poll did demonstrate that the majority of Americans support the recently passed infrastructure bill, with 63% of those surveyed saying they approved of the government “spending one trillion dollars on roads, bridges and other infrastructure” and 58% saying they supported the government “spending about two trillion dollars to address climate change and to create or expand preschool, health care and other social programs.” | In better news, the recent poll did demonstrate that the majority of Americans support the recently passed infrastructure bill, with 63% of those surveyed saying they approved of the government “spending one trillion dollars on roads, bridges and other infrastructure” and 58% saying they supported the government “spending about two trillion dollars to address climate change and to create or expand preschool, health care and other social programs.” |
| Joe Biden will be making a trip to New Hampshire today to speak on $1.2tn infrastructure bill that was signed into law yesterday. | Joe Biden will be making a trip to New Hampshire today to speak on $1.2tn infrastructure bill that was signed into law yesterday. |
| The president will be traveling to Woodstock, New Hampshire, located two hours outside of New Hampshire’s capital, and speaking at the Pemigewasset River Bridge, which is in need of major repairs, according to the WMUR, a local news affiliate. | The president will be traveling to Woodstock, New Hampshire, located two hours outside of New Hampshire’s capital, and speaking at the Pemigewasset River Bridge, which is in need of major repairs, according to the WMUR, a local news affiliate. |
| Biden’s speech will primarily focus on how the newly passed infrastructure bill will benefit rural communities such as Woodstock, as town officials have spent nearly $250,000 across the past decade doing temporary repairs on the bridge. | Biden’s speech will primarily focus on how the newly passed infrastructure bill will benefit rural communities such as Woodstock, as town officials have spent nearly $250,000 across the past decade doing temporary repairs on the bridge. |
| “I think it’s a great compliment to the Granite State that this is the first stop he’s making after signing the infrastructure bill,” said Democratic state representative Steve Shurtleff, who also said that the money New Hampshire will receive from the bill is very needed. | “I think it’s a great compliment to the Granite State that this is the first stop he’s making after signing the infrastructure bill,” said Democratic state representative Steve Shurtleff, who also said that the money New Hampshire will receive from the bill is very needed. |
| Biden has had low approval ratings in New Hampshire, similar to dismal approval ratings nationwide. In a recent poll from 20 October by the UNH Survey Center, only 37% of Democratic primary voters said they would vote for Biden in the 2024 primary. | Biden has had low approval ratings in New Hampshire, similar to dismal approval ratings nationwide. In a recent poll from 20 October by the UNH Survey Center, only 37% of Democratic primary voters said they would vote for Biden in the 2024 primary. |
| Good morning, US politics live blog readers, Joe Biden is heading to the regions today to sell his legislative agenda, fresh from signing the $1.2tn bipartisan infrastructure deal yesterday in Washington. So please stay tuned for a lively day. | Good morning, US politics live blog readers, Joe Biden is heading to the regions today to sell his legislative agenda, fresh from signing the $1.2tn bipartisan infrastructure deal yesterday in Washington. So please stay tuned for a lively day. |
| Here’s what’s afoot: | Here’s what’s afoot: |
| The US president is heading to New Hampshire this morning, to North Woodstock, and is due to make remarks on his infrastructure bill and related matters at 2.25pm ET there. | The US president is heading to New Hampshire this morning, to North Woodstock, and is due to make remarks on his infrastructure bill and related matters at 2.25pm ET there. |
| Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates will “gaggle” with the media aboard Air Force One today after the expected departure at 11.15 of the presidential party from the White House. | Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates will “gaggle” with the media aboard Air Force One today after the expected departure at 11.15 of the presidential party from the White House. |
| But Biden is pushing forward against strong headwinds. The latest ABC/Washington Post poll has him at a record low approval rating, especially because of frustration from Democrats and independents. | But Biden is pushing forward against strong headwinds. The latest ABC/Washington Post poll has him at a record low approval rating, especially because of frustration from Democrats and independents. |
| Inflation is set to keep going this winter, a new report yesterday from Goldman Sachs concluded, and this is always a big worry for any president as they are limited in their ability to control it. | Inflation is set to keep going this winter, a new report yesterday from Goldman Sachs concluded, and this is always a big worry for any president as they are limited in their ability to control it. |
| Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate judiciary committee this morning on the US-Mexico border situation and immigration policy in general. | Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate judiciary committee this morning on the US-Mexico border situation and immigration policy in general. |