Time’s running out to prevent millions of US children from slipping back into poverty – National & International News – THU 16Dec2021

Days to prevent millions of kids from falling back into poverty. DeSantis demands $100k donations from state appointees. Super typhoon hits Philippines.

NATIONAL NEWS

Congress has days to prevent millions of children from slipping back into poverty

Yesterday, the last monthly expanded child tax credit payments for the year went out. If Democrats cannot find a way forward to approve President Biden’s Build Back Better bill they may be the last, full stop.

The expanded credit went into effect in July. The expansion increased the amount of the yearly tax credit from $2000 per year per child 16 and under to $3600 per child under 6 and $300 per child 6-17. It also made the payments monthly in $300 or $250 increments rather than a yearly lump sum at tax return time. Some 2.3 million children whose families don’t make enough to file taxes also became eligible.

Even in the short time they’ve been available, the monthly payments have already helped lift millions of children out of poverty. By October, childhood poverty had already been reduced by 28% (about 3.6 million children). Data from August revealed that the average Child Tax Credit payments were highest in states that Donald Trump won in the 2020 election.

The Build Back Better act would extend the expanded benefits for another year. Congress has until December 28th to approve the bill to prevent there being any interruption in payments. The bill remains stalled in Congress, largely due to resistance from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

FL Gov. DeSantis demands $100k campaign donations to dole out state positions, contracts

A contender for the Democratic nomination in Florida’s governor’s race says Republican incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis is demanding $100,000 in campaign donations from University of Florida trustees in exchange for renewing their appointments. Nikki Fried, Florida’s agriculture commissioner, hopes to challenge DeSantis in next year’s gubernatorial election.

Fried made the quid pro quo allegation against DeSantis during a virtual town hall earlier this week. “Our current boards of trustees across the state were required to give a campaign contribution to Ron DeSantis in the amount of $100,000,” Fried said. “And if they didn’t give him the campaign contribution, they were not reappointed to the boards”.

Fried declined to say how she had learned of this demand from DeSantis, citing a private conversation. However, Fried is not the first to accuse DeSantis of handing out lucrative state contracts or plum positions in exchange for contributions.

Handing out contracts or appointments to donors to a successful political campaign is a common and perfectly legal practice. Threatening to terminate contracts or appointments without a donation is neither usual nor legal.

DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, is no stranger to strongarm tactics and more than usually shady fundraising practices.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Philippines: 100,000 evacuated ahead of Typhoon Rai

A powerful category five typhoon struck the Philippines today. According to the Red Cross, Typhoon Rai is “one of the world’s strongest storms of 2021”. About 10,000 villages that are home to millions of people are in its path. Nearly 100,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas before the storm made landfall. The Philippine’s weather bureau predicted storm surges along the coast as well as flash flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.

Rai is the 15th typhoon to strike the Philippines this year. Due to its immense power, size, and accompanying windspeeds, it has been classified as a super typhoon.

Aid workers fear Rai may prove unusually destructive, even for a country accustomed to at least a dozen deadly typhoons each year. Richard Gordon of the Philippine Red Cross says, “Filipinos are tough but this Super Typhoon is a bitter blow for millions of people who are still recovering from devastating storms, floods and COVID-19 in the past year”.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

Please share any thoughts, comments or questions in the Comments section below!