What happens in New York, the country’s largest and most diverse city, has national ramifications. What is the projected mayoral race winner Eric Adams’ relationship with NY Governor Cuomo, whose investigation by state attorney general’s office has upended his national reputation as he gears up to run for a fourth term next year? What about Adams’ rapport with President Biden, whose ambitious legislative agenda depends on his ability to hold onto Democrats’ slim majorities in the House and the Senate? How does Hakeem Jeffries, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus and has AOC in his backyard, and his fellow Brooklynite Chuck Schumer, help Biden pursue his plans? · In a special edition of Beltway Briefing, moderated by Ken Fisher, New York Public Strategies’ Katie Schwab, Stuart Shorenstein, Jamie Ansorge, and Rose Christ discuss what the NYC mayoral race means and provide other updates on New York’s political direction.

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

Special Edition : New York, New York

The Supreme Court on Thursday, by a 7-2 vote, left “Obamacare” intact and showed that the conservative majority doesn’t fall along partisan lines as much as the left thinks it does. In other big news this week, antitrust scholar and Big Tech critic Lina Khan – a prominent figure in the “New Brandeis Movement” - which espouses a 21st century version of the populist competition policies once championed by Justice Brandeis, was sworn in as FTC chairwoman, after President Biden elevated her to the agency’s top post. Is Biden, in his early policy moves, developing an answer to Trumpist populism? Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin debate this week’s events inside the Beltway and ponder whether Biden is developing a new policy synthesis that is as an antidote to conservative populism.

Progressive Populism

President Biden is in Cornwall, England, where the G-7 annual economic summit began on Friday with a sense of new unity among the group and an endorsement of the theme that a renewed global alliance and commitment to multilateralism were ready to prove themselves capable. Yet, in an odd dynamic, it was the former president who was in the headlines of all top publications, an acknowledgment he is still the GOP’s engine — even as his actual voice has been diminished - and thus very much still a factor in their news cycle and political coverage. Are we are then really in the post-Trump era? Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Towner French discuss Trump's continued importance in Republican politics and underscore the intensity of current crises around the globe, noting it extends beyond the former president and his efforts to undermine election results.

Trump Redux?

The U.S. appears to be trying to close the curtain on the pandemic, as COVID-19 cases continue to fall and increasing numbers of Americans are getting vaccinated. Combined with the latest jobs report, with the economy knocking the unemployment rate below 6 percent, many analysts are hoping for an economic boom this summer as a full “reopening” draws nearer. But is it really that simple, or are there signs that a broader shift might be remaking the economy in ways that make it harder to see the road ahead? Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the impact of the jobs report on the biggest questions shaping the partisan debate, including Biden’s multitrillion-dollar spending push, and ponder whether we are seeing long-term behavioral shifts or short-term alterations on the road to economic recovery.

The Post-COVID Economy?

Mask-wearing in the U.S. has become another flashpoint in the partisan culture wars. As a result, despite the recent change in CDC mask guidelines, which signaled a welcome shift toward pre-pandemic social norms yet left people across the country scrambling to make sense of the abrupt change, the debate about masks will almost surely continue. On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to reconsider a controversial Mississippi abortion law. It will be a blockbuster case, which will thrust the court -- with a 6-3 conservative majority -- into the 2022 midterm election debate. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the cultural aspect of the rapidly changing mask rules and ponder the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision to revisit an issue that still deeply divides the country.

Culture Wars

A president who prides himself on choreography and planning faced a string of unexpected events last week that showcased the need for political agility: from the Colonial Pipeline shutdown and the resulting surge in gas prices to a rapid escalation of violence in the Middle East, a spike in the costs of consumer goods, and new CDC mask guidance which, although welcome by most Americans, caught the President’s aides off guard and prompted a confusing rush in states to update their rules. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the simultaneous foreign and domestic crises that amounted to a reality check for a president who has placed nearly all of his political capital in resolving longer-term issues, such as ending the pandemic and served as a reminder that any manner of crises can intervene to throw the trajectory off course.

Biden’s Reality Check

A months-long dispute over Republican principles among House leaders and across the broader GOP landscape is expected to culminate this week with a vote to remove Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney from her position as the third-ranking House Republican. Meanwhile, Friday’s mediocre jobs report for April puzzled many analysts who expected hundreds of thousands of more new jobs and added fuel to arguments that no more government spending should be approved until the effects of the last package can be understood. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the GOP leadership fracas and its impact on Biden’s agenda and address major questions about the economic recovery raised by the jobs report.

GOP at a Crossroads

On his 99th day in office, Joe Biden pitched an ambitious plan to reshape America in his first major address to Congress, striking a decidedly optimistic tone and ushering in a new era of big government and big government spending. It was a historic evening, as for the first time in US history, two women were seated behind the president addressing a joint session of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Patrick Martin discuss Biden’s populist, direct appeal to working-class Americans and break down his sweeping proposals which, despite broad bipartisan support among voters, face a partisan reality check.

The New "New Deal"?

The June 22 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, which will likely determine the City’s next mayor, is now less than two months away. Two Republicans and 12 Democrats are running to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio. The new mayor, to be chosen in the general election on Nov. 2, will inherit a city profoundly affected by the pandemic, racial and social inequality, and a spike in shootings. Despite this, New Yorkers are optimistic about their city’s future - with the right mayor. Public Strategies New York team – including Stuart Shorenstein, Katie Schwab, and Rose Christ, with moderator Ken Fisher, discuss the leading candidates and how endorsements and donations are helping to shape up the first New York City mayoral election with ranked choice voting.

Special Episode: NYC Mayor’s Race

In 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington made their states the first in the country to pass measures legalizing cannabis. At the time, 51% of registered voters polled said they supported legalization. On March 31 and April 7, 2021, New York and Virginia became the 15th and 16th state, respectively, to legalize adult-use cannabis for residents 21 and older. And a recent survey indicates that support for legalizing marijuana use in the U.S. is the highest it has ever been, as roughly seven in 10 adults surveyed recently said that marijuana use should be legal. Public Strategies’ multi-state cannabis team – including Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Ashley Allen, and Jamie Ansorge, discuss the rapid pace of cannabis law changes across the U.S. and provide an overview of the current legalization status by state – beginning with Illinois, New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. N.B. Under federal law, the use and possession of cannabis in the U.S. is illegal, by way of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

Special Episode: Cannabis Legalization

For decades, corporations have steered clear of politics. Now, however, there's more of an expectation for big businesses to speak out and weigh in on hot-button social issues, as reflected in their recent response to Georgia's new voting legislation. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss corporate America’s growing political activism and, as companies increasingly use their clout to speak out on social issues, argue that “conscious capitalism” is here to stay.

Conscious Capitalism

On the heels of the just-enacted $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief law, President Biden unveiled on Wednesday his $2 trillion infrastructure plan, a far-reaching program that he will seek to pay for with a substantial increase in corporate taxes. If his full set of proposals become law, they would mark a new era of ambitious federal spending to address longstanding social and economic problems. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin debate the infrastructure plan, including the challenge Biden has in balancing his big goals and the growing national debt, and discuss corporate America’s willingness to criticize Georgia’s new voting law and otherwise speak out on social justice issues.

The Era of Big Government is Not Over

With President Biden’s cabinet confirmed, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss how to talk to the Administration, the political implications of the new Georgia voting law, and President Biden’s recent press conference.

How to Talk to the Biden Administration

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faces growing pressure to resign in the wake of numerous allegations of sexual harassment. The allegations, which followed a mushrooming scandal around the deaths of nursing home residents, are complicating other political priorities in the state including negotiation of the State Budget, leaving many to wonder how long it will take to complete four ongoing investigations, whether the Governor can maintain popular public support, and how long the three-term governor can hold on. Meanwhile, 2021 New York City mayoral race is heating up, as incumbent Bill de Blasio is barred from running for third term by term limits. The primaries, scheduled for June, will be the first New York City mayoral election to use ranked-choice voting, as opposed to the plurality voting of previous primaries. The new mayor will inherit a city reeling from Covid, high unemployment, surging gun violence, and an exodus of residents. New York Public Strategies’ Ken Fisher, Stuart Shorenstein, Katie Schwab, and Rose Christ guest-host today’s discussion and break down the state of New York politics.

What's Going On in New York

On Thursday, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law, cementing the first major legislative victory of his presidency that will set off a massive government rescue effort aimed at sending aid to millions of Americans. Is the bill, which had broad bipartisan public support but which no Republican lawmaker voted for, a blueprint for Biden’s legislative agenda? Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin debate the impact of the landmark legislation and discuss other political, economic and cultural issues that have dominated this week’s headlines.

hubhopper

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

hubhopper