Tuesday, January 12, 2021

DAILY BREW WE NEED LAW AND ORDER

Melania Trump Sends Urgent Message on “Path Forward,” Sends Heartfelt Message to Millions of Supporters
Nancy Pelosi Accuses Rioters of Choosing ‘Whiteness over Democracy’
Fascist Rule: Democrat “Domestic Terrorism” Bill Criminalizes Political Opposition
Ocasio-Cortez: Trump Must Be Held Accountable — ‘We Came Close to Half of the House Nearly Dying’
Angela Merkel Slams Twitter’s Decision To Ban Trump: ‘Problematic’ Violation Of ‘Fundamental Right’



Daily Brew

TOGETHER WITH

The Motley Fool

Good morning, and congrats to Alabama for winning the NCAA national championship. If only we were as productive as DeVonta Smith in college...

Now for the smoothest segue you'll see all day.

Students: The deadline to apply for the Brew U college ambassador program is TOMORROW. This is a resume-building opportunity you don't want to miss. Apply here

MARKETS


NASDAQ

13,036.43

- 1.25%

S&P

3,799.61

- 0.66%

DOW

31,008.69

- 0.29%

GOLD

1,843.80

+ 0.46%

10-YR

1.145%

+ 2.50 bps

OIL

52.18

- 0.11%

*As of market close

  • Government: House Democrats took another step toward impeaching President Trump for inciting an insurrection. They filed an impeachment resolution, and a vote is planned for Wednesday.
  • Crypto: Bitcoin fell almost 22% from its all-time high of nearly $42,000 last week. Mark Cuban weighed in on Twitter yesterday: "Watching the cryptos trade, it's EXACTLY like the internet stock bubble...along the way MANY fortunes will be made and LOST and we find out who has the stomach to HODL and who doesn't." 

BUDGET

Austin, We Don't Have a Problem

Last spring, forecasters warned of catastrophic budget shortfalls for US states, which needed to spend more on pandemic aid but would collect less tax revenue due to the surge in unemployment. Governors prepared to make painful cuts in critical services, including healthcare and education.  

That crisis hasn't fully materialized. And some states are in a much better financial position than they had anticipated eight months ago.

The evidence:

  • Yesterday, Texas estimated that revenue for this budget cycle would come in just a hair lower than the last cycle. And it gave a buzzcut to its projected budget shortfall.
  • Despite everyone tweeting that they're leaving SF, California is "swimming in money," writes the AP. Last Friday, it released its most expensive budget in history, complete with a $15 billion one-time surplus.
  • Optimistic revenue numbers from other states, including Maryland, Minnesota, and Connecticut, showed that the worst-case scenario was averted. 

What happened? 

The K-shaped recovery

While lower-income workers have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic, "Folks at the top are doing pretty damn well," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

  • In his state, residents pocketed a record $185 billion in capital gains income from asset sales...and $18.5 billion of that went to the government.
  • In Texas, homeowners swarming Lowe's this summer supported sales tax revenues. Texas also benefited from a surge in e-commerce revenue thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision that allows states to collect sales tax from out-of-state retailers.

Federal stimulus in the form of added unemployment benefits and direct payments also helped shore up state budgets.

Still, "better than expected" doesn't mean "good." In his State of the State address yesterday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo emphasized that, "Businesses have been lost, lifetime savings have been exhausted, personal debt has mounted." NY faces a $15 billion revenue shortfall this year, the largest in the state’s history. 

        

Omer Messinger via Getty Images

Yesterday, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Twitter's permanent suspension of President Trump is "problematic."

  • The reasoning: Free speech is a fundamental right, and while it's sometimes curtailed, that should only happen under legal guardrails set up by the government—not decisions by Big Tech CEOs who aren't publicly accountable

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and Russian dissident Alexei Navalny voiced similar concerns about the precedent set by Twitter's action. And EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton wrote, "The fact that a CEO can pull the plug on POTUS's loudspeaker without any checks and balances is perplexing."

Europe has its own ideas on tech regulation 

Merkel would like to see the US impose similar rules to Germany, which enacted pioneering internet regulation in 2018. Last month, the EU went even further, proposing regulations to fine tech platforms up to 6% of annual revenue for failing to remove illegal content quickly. 

Zoom out: Twitter's shares fell 6.4% yesterday. Investors are wondering how the loss of the app's highest-profile user will affect future growth and profitability. 

        

Francis Scialabba

Following last week's attack on the Capitol, some of the biggest names in biz—JPMorgan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Marriott—hit pause on political spending over the weekend. Not looking to get left behind...

  • Deloitte, T-Mobile, and Walmart are reassessing their political spending strategies. 
  • 3M, Coca-Cola, UPS, Microsoft, Facebook, Ford, and BlackRock suspended all donations. 
  • Airbnb, AT&T, Amex, and Dow pulled support for 147 Republican lawmakers who voted against certifying Joe Biden's electoral college victory. Hallmark is even asking for its money back from Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall.

Big picture: Large corporations regularly donate to politicians of both parties through political action committees (PACs), often funded by employees, but now they want some distance from the fracas on the Hill. While PAC donations are publicly disclosed, businesses could theoretically continue with more discrete giving to "dark money" groups that don’t disclose donors. 

Looking ahead...because we're in the quarter after a major election cycle, less money is at stake. But if businesses stick to their bans on certain politicians or reduce future spending, it could ding fundraising heading into the 2022 midterms. 

        

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iPhone screenshots

Encrypted messaging platforms Signal and Telegram have shot to the top of the App Store's free app charts, reflecting the growing use of privacy-focused apps after Big Tech's mass-deplatforming of President Trump.

A little celeb endorsement helps: Both Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave Signal some love on Twitter, leading to 325,000 new installs since Thursday. Signal's end-to-end encryption and policy against collecting user data make it a popular option for users who prioritize privacy.

Zoom out: A scroll through the free app charts reveals a number of other unfamiliar social media apps. The rise of social networks that tout "free speech," like MeWe and CloutHub, directly coincides with Apple banning Parler, an indicator that the app's largely conservative user base is looking for a new home. 

+ While we're here: Parler sued Amazon on antitrust grounds after Amazon pulled its web hosting services for the app.

        

Venla Shalin/Redferns

What do "Halo" by Beyoncé, "Rumor Has It" by Adele, and "Sucker" by the Jonas Brothers all have in common? 1) They were played way too much on the radio and 2) OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder wrote them.

Yesterday, private equity firm KKR bought a majority stake in Tedder's impressive songwriting catalog in a deal that values the 500+ songs at around $200 million, per the WSJ. 

Counting stars...and dollars 

Tedder's haul is the latest eye-popping deal in a wave of musical copyright transactions that have already popped lots of eyes. Last month, Bob Dylan sold the rights to his catalog for over $300 million, and Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks pulled in $80 million for the rights to 80% of her catalog. 

  • Why the hefty price tags? As streaming becomes more dominant, the long-term value of hit songs is only increasing.  

Bottom line: For many musicians, their decision to sell came down to one factor—the pandemic. With touring on hold, Tedder and others opted to cash a ticket while the market is frothy. 

        

TAXES

Corporations Aren’t People, but People Might Be Corporations

Tax illustration

Mark Wang

At least when it comes to the surging gig economy. The share of gig workers at US businesses jumped 15% from 2010 to 2020, according to ADP, and the pandemic only pushed more American workers to go solo when they lost jobs or earnings.

But...

While being your own boss is fun to brag about on distanced first dates, tax season is a different story. Freelancers have to operate as independent businesses, and figuring out what to send the IRS’s way can be so confusing even the Westworld creators would say, “now that just seems way too convoluted.” 

We’re here to help: With tax season on its way, Morning Brew will be rolling out a new series to make sure you're prepared for this unconventional filing season.

The first piece, a high-level overview of the growth of the gig economy, just dropped. Check it out

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

  • Facebook is removing content that includes the phrase, "stop the steal," which was a rallying cry for President Trump and his supporters who, without providing evidence, alleged widespread voter fraud. 
  • Walmart is partnering with Ribbit Capital, a VC firm that backed Affirm and Robinhood, for a new fintech startup.  
  • Staples will make its third attempt at buying Office Depot. The offer is $2.1 billion.  
  • Pfizer and BioNTech are raising their Covid-19 vaccine output goal by more than 50% to accommodate more demand. 
  • SPAC news: Bitcoin exchange Bakkt is going public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company. Tesla challenger Lucid Motors is in talks to do the same.
  • Crocs said last year was likely its best ever in terms of sales. 

BREW'S BETS

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Thought-provoking pod: Ezra Klein reflects on the media industry in his final podcast for Vox. Give it a listen

*This is sponsored advertising content

GAMES

Logo Quiz

This is the logo for a company called Industrious. Based on its logo, what do you think the company does? 

 

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ANSWER

Did the "worker" bee help at all? It's coworking.

 

          
 



January 12
John Hancock
FEATURED BIOGRAPHY

John Hancock

READ MORE
 
Haiti earthquake of 2010: search and rescue
FEATURED EVENT
2010
Haiti severely damaged by earthquake

READ MORE

MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY
Comet Tempel 1: nucleus
2005: The U.S. space probe Deep Impact was launched, and in July it shot a 370-kg (810-pound) mass into the nucleus of the comet Tempel 1 in order to study its cometary structure. [ Sort fact from fiction in our space objects quiz.]
All in the Family
1971: The groundbreaking television series All in the Family debuted on CBS; the sitcom became known for its frank and satirical treatment of sensitive or important topics. [ Read our list of the 10 best American sitcoms.]
Batman: The Movie
1966: The live-action TV series Batman premiered on ABC; a huge hit, it starred Adam West as the Caped Crusader and Burt Ward as Robin. [ How much do you know about superheroes?]
Jeff Bezos
1964: American entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, who played a key role in the growth of e-commerce as the founder of Amazon.com, was born. [ Take our quiz about tech companies.]
Rush Limbaugh
1951: American radio personality and author Rush Limbaugh, who was known for his conservative and often controversial opinions, was born. [Test your knowledge of American personalities.]
Hattie Ophelia Caraway
1932: Hattie Ophelia Caraway became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate. [Read about seven female firsts in U.S. politics.]
SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY

Columnists
The Weird Position I’m in After the Storming of the Capitol Building

Matt Vespa


Is Truth Irrelevant?

Thomas Sowell


Do Not Believe These People

Derek Hunter


The 'Good American'

Dennis Prager


The Conservative Purge Won’t Stop With Big Tech

Todd Starnes



How Mark Robinson Beat Bloomberg's Billions to Win North Carolina's Second-Highest Office

Salena Zito


Pelosi’s Desire to Invoke the 25th Amendment Is Like the Conspiracies She Demonizes, Says Constitutional Expert

Brad Slager


Exploiting the Capitol Riot to Kill Trump

Pat Buchanan


Biden Treasury Secretary Must Respect Financial Privacy

Brian Darling


ADVERTISEMENT
Green New Deal Ideologies, Fantasies and Realities

Paul Driessen


Free Speech Is Being Tested Again

Cal Thomas


A Survival Guide for Conservatives During the Biden Years

Nicholas Waddy


Arnold Schwarzenegger, There Is a Massive Difference Between Kristallnacht and the Storming of the Capitol

Michael Brown


Biden’s Climate Appointments and the Potential Disruption to the Global Fossil Fuel Market

Vijay Jayaraj



Video
Gov. Evers: Saying Abortionists 'Execute Babies' Is 'Blasphemy'
Trump blasts Schiff as 'political hack'

Pelosi's condescension offers some laughs
Pelosi open to border infrastructure
INVESTING
Data Confirms Big Tech's Left-Wing Bias

New York vs. Florida, Round #4

Volatus Aerospace Continues Coast-to-Coast Expansion with Acquisition of UAViation Aerial Solutions

Equality Of Outcome Is Marxism


Tipsheet
House Homeland Security Chair Suggests Putting Cruz, Hawley on No-fly List

Leah Barkoukis


We Are Not Panicking

Congressman Andy Biggs


The One Question Surrounding CNN's Move with Jim Acosta

Matt Vespa


Patriots Coach Calls an Audible on Trump and the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Matt Vespa


Internet Provider Decided Customers Shouldn't Have Access to Facebook, Twitter

Beth Baumann


Gun Control Group Makes the Case for the 2A Without Even Trying

Beth Baumann


It Looks Like a Key Player in a Vocal Anti-Trump Group Could Be Engulfed in a Sex Scandal

Matt Vespa


Antifa's Determined to Prevent a Book About Their Tactics From Being Published

Beth Baumann


Instead of Impeachment, McCarthy Wants Congress to Address Four Other Areas

Beth Baumann


House Dem Forgot Another Possible Cause for Her COVID Diagnosis

Matt Vespa


Trump's Homeland Security Secretary Has Just Two Words for President Trump

Matt Vespa


ADVERTISEMENT
Political Cartoons
Bearing Arms
NY Judge Says Mossberg Shockwave Not A Firearm Under State Law | Cam Edwards

Personal Preparedness In Precarious Times | Cam Edwards

Biden's Call To "Defeat The NRA" A Warning For All Gun Owners | Cam Edwards

Capitol Incident Reignites Debate Over Guns In Michigan | Tom Knighton

"People Are Pretty Scared" - Long Lines And High Demand At Gun Stores | Cam Edwards
Conservative Social Media Platform Parler is Latest Victim in Big Tech’s Sweeping Shutdowns Read More

 

Twitter Hasn’t Suspended These Accounts Or Tweets That Openly Incite Violence

Parler CEO: Unclear when will be back, sues Amazon for website takedown

Moderna Says Immunity Should Last at Least a Year

Cuomo is receiving much heat over his new position on lockdowns

Parler sues Amazon for breach of contract, antitrust violation
Read More

 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Biden's_Secret

This Secret Plan Could Destroy the US Dollar

Congress just tried to sneak THIS inside Bill H.R. 6321. Here's what that could mean for your wealth…

Click here now to learn more

Election_Uncertainty

Jan. 20,2021: Major Changes to Your IRA/401k are Coming...

If you have money in an IRA or 401k, what's coming next could put your wealth in jeopardy. Here's how to prepare now...

Click now to read more

Dollar_Collapse

Yale Economist's Urgent Warning: A Crash in the Dollar is Coming

He's warning any American who will listen: A dollar collapse is imminent. Here's how to prepare...

Click here now to read more

Dollar_Collapse

2021 Gold Bull Market? Analysts Predict Major Boom Ahead

While stocks tanked early in 2020, this "safe haven" soared. But experts predict it could hit new highs soon. What happens next...

Click here now for the details




Beware of Joe Biden's Coming Socialism...

Blockbuster New Book Reveals Details of Creeping Socialism and Why the Democrats Have Embraced a Radical Agenda for America!



Joe Biden and Democrats ran for office in 2020 on the most radical platform ever concocted by their national party.

They want to fundamentally change America with massive tax increases on working Americans and businesses.

Under the guise of a "Green New Deal," they aim to slap massive regulations on companies across America — causing jobs losses and economic depression.

Joe Biden himself said he wanted to end the oil and gas business in the United States!
Joe Biden is a cipher. He may not believe personally in anything.


FOX
Daily update January 12, 2021


NEWS

Fox News to Add Another Hour of Right-Wing Talk as Biden Takes Office
CNN has beaten Fox News in viewership over the past few weeks, according to Nielsen. Notably, Martha MacCallum, a Fox News anchor who has been ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant




CNN expands Tapper show, moves Blitzer; Fox News adds fourth opinion hour in revamp
New year, new cable news lineups. CNN and Fox News announced revisions to their 2021 schedules Monday as a new presidential administration ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Trump acknowledged he bears some blame for Capitol riot in conversation with McCarthy: sources
... some blame for the Capitol riot last week during a conversation with House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, a source familiar told Fox News.
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


FBI internal memo warns of plans for armed protests in all 50 state capitals around day of Biden ...
Sources told Fox News on Sunday that the FBI visited extremists prior to the Jan. 6 pro-Trump rally and Capitol riot, urging them not to travel to ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Relive The CFP Title Game Watch Party
... State Buckeyes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, there was plenty of room for stars (and you!) at FOX Sports' National Championship Watch Party.
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Pelosi spars with interviewer on stimulus check 'obstruction': 'You held out for 8 months'
Stahl remarked that Pelosi is not 'known as a person who compromises'. By Evie Fordham | Fox News.
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


House Democrats' quick 25th Amendment push urging Pence to remove Trump blocked by ...
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. House Republicans blocked quick consideration of a bill calling on ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Social media platform Parler goes dark after Amazon cloud suspension
Fox Business' Talia Kaplan, Audrey Conklin, James Leggate and Brittany De Lea contributed to this report.
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Biden announces William Burns for CIA director
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com. President-elect Joe Biden announced Ambassador William Burns ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


Fox News shuffles daytime lineup; CNN makes changes
CNN's Jake Tapper and Fox's John Roberts are among those taking on new roles. Starting next Monday, Fox's 7 p.m. hour will be led by a rotating group ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


WEB

Fox News - MOMENTS AGO: President-elect Joe Biden receives...
Fox News is live now. 2 mins ·. MOMENTS AGO: President-elect Joe Biden receives the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant


'The Fox' Returns To Atlanta Dial, This Time as Classic Hits.
Former Atlanta radio exec Chris Murray has brought back the well-known “Fox” brand back to the market. Launched Friday on the Atlanta-licensed ...
Facebook Twitter Flag as irrelevant

Today's Top Headline

Supreme Court won’t fast-track review of Trump election lawsuits

All South Koreans getting free vaccines, president says

 

Sponsored

You May Not Be Able To Get Your Concealed Carry Permit For Much Longer... Protect Yourself and Your Loved-ones

 

Trending

For CIA director, Biden taps veteran diplomat William Burns

Biden announces William Burns as pick for CIA director

2.4 million vaccinations given in UK, says PM

Venomous Snake Found Hiding Among Plant Pots in Yard

 

NATIONAL STORIES

President Donald Trump's acting head of the Department of Homeland Security resigned Monday, leaving the post earlier than planned.
Trump's Homeland Security chief resigns earlier than planned »

House Democrats introduced their resolution to impeach President Donald Trump on Monday, charging him with
House Democrats introduce impeachment resolution, charging Trump with 'incitement of insurrection' »
Tens of millions of workers lost the right to paid sick and family leave at the end of December after Congress failed to extend them in the new relief package.
Millions left without paid sick leave after Congress let pandemic benefit expire »

President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director
Biden chooses veteran diplomat William Burns as CIA director »

 

 January 12th, 2021

Hacker archives all Parler posts from Capitol riots day: "Very Incriminating"
Following last week's incursion into the US Capitol building by Trump supporters and the founder of a BLM group, a researcher who goes by... Read More ›
NASA is Freaking Out Over This...
NASA admitted there's a daunting natural epidemic out there that's killing millions of Americans each year. The worst part is nobody's talking about it because the government's sinister, hidden agenda. The media's trying to cover it all up because they're right... Read More ›
The Great Cleansing: Since Friday, Twitter suspended over 70,000 accounts
In a Monday night blog post, Twitter lays out all the latest details of a historic purge that started with the suspension of president Trump... Read More ›
Antifa strive to remove Andy Ngo’s book, still sells over 60 Mein Kampf versions
Iconic Portland book store Powell’s Books has now become the focal point of the antifa terrorists, as the thugs showed up to protest the... Read More ›
Capitol rioters are starting to face consequences for their actions
Rioters responsible for the Capitol Hill incursion Wednesday are beginning to face repercussions for their role in the unrest.Some people were let go from their jobs permanently or are subjects of... Read More ›
Up to 15,000 National Guard troops will be mobilized for Biden's inauguration
The Pentagon has authorized the National Guard to deploy up to 15,000 troops to Washington, D.C., ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s... Read More ›
Hushed-up Disaster Finally Makes the Headlines
Something far more devastating than any terrorist attack has already hit our country. The government isn't prepared to accept what's going on because they know we can't face it. That's why there are no news reports… Read More ›

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