What A Day

The COVID strain first discovered in South Africa was found in the United States for the first time in the state of South Carolina. This strain is more contagious, and there’s some concern that it might be slightly more vaccine resistant than the strains we’ve been dealing with thus far.

Robinhood and similar trading platforms restricted purchases of Gamestop stock and other companies targeted by Redditors yesterday, and the values of those stocks dropped off dramatically. We talk through the steps that brought us to this point, how lawmakers are reacting, and what's next.

And in headlines: nationwide protests in Poland as the government enacts a near-total abortion ban, Austin votes to use police money to fund supportive housing, and GM will stop making gas and diesel powered cars by 2035.

Show Links:

"Robinhood’s Customers Are Hedge Funds Like Citadel, Its Users Are the Product"

https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjpnz5/robinhoods-customers-are-hedge-funds-like-citadel-its-users-are-the-product

At the Biden team's first public health briefing, officials noted that the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations in the US is on a downward trend, and they also emphasized the importance of genomic sequencing for detecting coronavirus variants.

Over 10 million people are still out of work due to the pandemic, and recent data suggest that the economy isn't getting any better. We spoke to people who have lost their jobs about what they are going through right now, months and months into the crisis.

And in headlines: a Seattle Seahawks player arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, Biden signs executive orders directed at climate change, and another banner day for stonks.

Impeachment is moving forward in the Senate despite a Republican effort to dismiss it yesterday, but a conviction next month doesn't seem likely.

Meanwhile, Senate leaders finally came to an agreement on Monday on how the 50-50 chamber would run, with the filibuster intact. For many of President Biden’s larger goals, he will need Congress to cooperate. We spoke to Crooked Media’s Editor in Chief and host of Rubicon, Brian Beutler, about the new Congress and Biden’s first 100 days in office.

And in headlines: Biden signs four executive orders targeted at fighting racial inequality, farmers continue to protest in India, and Putin and Biden get on the phone.

Show Links:

Subscribe to Rubicon: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rubicon-the-first-hundred-days-of-the-biden-presidency/id1485109198

Pfizer and Moderna say their vaccines may be less effective against a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom somewhat inexplicably lifted statewide stay-at-home orders… that decision received quick backlash given the dire state of the pandemic, especially in Southern California.

Ice loss around the globe is accelerating at a record pace according to a new study, and is line with the worst case climate change scenarios that scientists projected. We discuss Biden’s early efforts to counteract climate change, including plans to limit new drilling on federal land, and more.

And in headlines: Biden lifts Trump’s ban on transgender service members in the military, Amazon warehouse workers will vote on whether they want to unionize, and Rudy Giuliani faces a $1.3 billion lawsuit for Dominion defamation.

The House is expected to send the article of impeachment to the Senate today, with the trial set to begin the week of February 8th. There’s a distinct lack of harmony right now in the GOP, with House members who voted to impeach Trump facing backlash from local party officials, and national Republican leaders trying to hold things together. 

The US surpassed 25 million COVID cases this weekend, with some researchers saying the latest surge may have peaked… but where it has leveled off is a disaster. We talk through the state of vaccinations nationally, plus what we need to know about coronavirus variants. 

And in headlines: Chicago Teachers Union votes to defy an order to return to in-person teaching, anti-Putin protests in Russia, and Miami Heat to use dogs to test for COVID.

Show Links:

"Black, Deaf And Extremely Online" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/us/black-american-sign-language-tiktok.html

"Vaccines Alone Will Not Halt The Raging U.S. Pandemic, Modelling Shows" https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/24/world/covid-19-coronavirus/vaccines-alone-will-not-halt-the-raging-us-pandemic-modeling-shows

Biden released a 200-page national plan yesterday to centralize the COVID response effort, along with a flurry of executive orders and directives targeted at the health crisis. Plus, a more candid Dr. Fauci did his first press briefing under the new administration.

The vaccine goal for the Biden administration is 100 million shots in the first 100 days. We spoke with Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health about that plan, whether it’s fast enough, the threat of new variants, and more.

And we’re joined by actor and comedian Alice Wetterlund for headlines: rumors of a forbidden romance between a 30 Rock Star and a MyPillow guy, new rooster laws in France, and Instacart fires all its unionized employees.

Show Links:

Listen to Rubicon Season 2: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/rubicon/

Follow Alice Wetterlund: https://twitter.com/alicewetterlund

Yesterday was inauguration day, which saw President Biden give his first speech as president on themes of unity, the division in our country, and a need to get back to telling the truth. Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman ever to be Vice President, and the first Black woman and Indian-American woman as well.

Biden signed a total of 17 orders, proclamations, and memoranda on his first day in office, including directives to rejoin the World Health Organization, halt construction of Trump’s border wall, and more.

And in headlines: Trump administration officials were hit with sanctions by China, Trump issues clemency to 143 people on his last day in office, and Trump’s kids to retain their security details for 6 months longer.

Trump leaves office today after four years of hellish incompetence. We reflect on the challenges President Biden and Vice-President Harris will inherit as they takeover.

The Senate trial for Trump’s impeachment still looms, as do Cabinet confirmations. Plus, Biden plans to send Congress a major immigration bill today, which is expected to include a path to citizenship for 11 million immigrants living in the US without legal status. 

And in headlines: the SAT’s will no longer have optional essays or subject tests, corporations pause donations to GOP lawmakers who voted not to certify the election, and North Carolina Senator Richard Burr won’t be charged with insider trading.

Over the weekend, Biden’s team announced the president-elect’s agenda for the first ten days of his term, plus a dozen or so executive actions Biden intends to sign on Inauguration Day. We discuss.

Tomorrow's inauguration will have a massive security presence, with tens of thousands of National Guard troops headed to DC. Across the country, authorities continue to arrest people who participated in the January 6th attack, and states remain on high alert for any violent demonstrations.

And in headlines: misinformation down on social media following Trump’s ban, Samsung’s chief is headed to prison again, and a pandemic-defining relationship comes to an end as Affleck and de Armas break up.

Biden unveiled his proposal for a $1.9 trillion COVID rescue package yesterday, which includes $1,400 stimulus checks, an increase in federal unemployment benefits, plus $160 billion for a national vaccine program.

New York attorney general is suing Mayor Bill De Blasio and the NYPD for excessive force against protestors this summer. This marks the first time in history that the state AG has sued the NYPD.

And in headlines: US Capitol Police are being investigated for failing to keep a pro-Trump mob from storming Congress, Jared and Ivanka can’t share their toilets, and Disneyland suspends its annual pass program.