RINGSIDE POLITICS – FEBRUARY 9, 2021

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Welcome to another edition of Ringside Politics with Jeff Crouere

Today’s Hot Topics:

1) Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour would reduce the number of Americans living in poverty and boost wages for millions of Americans while adding to the federal debt and joblessness, a new report from the Congressional Budget Office projects.

The federal deficit would increase by about $54 billion over 10 years under a Democratic proposal to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15, largely because the higher wages paid to workers, such as those caring for the elderly, would contribute to an increase in federal spending, the estimate found.

Democrats are pushing to include the higher minimum wage as part of their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan. House committees this week will begin crafting the legislation along the lines that President Joe Biden has requested, but it’s unclear whether the minimum wage proposal will make it into the final product. The bill is expected to include another round of direct payments to Americans, an expansion of the child tax credit and aid to states and local governments.

2) The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump began Tuesday with the House impeachment managers showing Trump’s speech on January 6 spliced with rioters violently breaching the US Capitol and attacking police officers.

3) Lou Dobbs, the longtime host of the signature right-wing talk show on the Fox Business Network, was canned by the network on Friday night.

4) Thousands of football fans in Tampa, many seen without masks and partying shoulder-to-shoulder in the streets as if in a pre-coronavirus time warp, are worrying health care professionals who fear the Super Bowl LV hoopla will become a COVID-19 super-spreader event.

Following the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs, revelers poured into the streets outside Raymond James Stadium and elsewhere in the city, apparently throwing caution to the wind and ignoring guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stay masked up and socially distanced.

The NFL limited the crowd capacity to 22,000 in the 65,000-seat stadium and required spectators to wear masks. But outside, video footage from some Tampa neighborhoods showed scores of people without masks, turning streets into dance floors and high-fiving and hugging friends and strangers with abandon. Several nightclubs even opened their doors to take advantage of the festive atmosphere.

Today’s Guests:

1) Thomas Renz; Lead Counsel, Ohio & DHHS/CDC Case – joins the show in the first hour to discuss the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2) Michelle Hirstius; Ringside All-Star – calls in to discuss the events of the day and opine with callers.

3) Dr. Kristen Willeumier, Author; “BioHack Your Brain: How to Boost Cognitive Health, Performance & Power” – discusses maintaining strong cognitive and mental health throughout life.