Latest news with #Republican-leaning
USA Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump says daylight saving time is 'popular,' but enough to be permanent?
Nearly a month after the 2025 summer solstice – the so-called longest day of the year – the amount of afternoon daylight in the U.S. has been slowly diminishing and eventually will give way to the early nights of late fall and winter. But what if an extra hour of evening daylight could be squeezed out of every day? That's what almost 20 states have advocated for by passing measures in recent years in favor of year-round daylight saving time. President Donald Trump expressed support for such a notion as recently as three months ago, calling it 'very popular,'' though he has also referred to the move as a '50-50 issue.'' The practice of changing clocks twice a year has few supporters, what with the confusion and sleep disruption it creates. The dispute lies on whether to stick with standard time, which in this country runs from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March, or embrace year-long daylight saving time. Here's what we know about the long-running debate: Is Congress any closer to making a change? It appeared that way in January when both chambers introduced legislation for a permanent DST, which in the Senate was known as the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025. Both bills were promoted by Republicans from Florida, at a time when the GOP grabbed control of the House and Senate. But even though the measures have continued to gain sponsors, more than 40 altogether, no action has taken place, and lawmakers from some states have expressed reservations. In 2022, the Senate unanimously approved a bill championed by then-Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for permanent DST, with exceptions for Hawaii and Arizona, but the measure died in the House. What are the pros and cons of both sides? Supporters of full-time DST promote opportunities for more after-school and after-work recreational activities in the daylight and amid warmer temperatures, which could improve the health of children and adults. Advocates also say later daytime hours would lead to reduced energy use, thereby cutting down on the carbon footprint amid growing concerns about climate change. Opponents point out the safety risks of children having to go to school and possibly wait for buses in the dark. They also say later daytime hours disrupt sleep and make it more difficult to wake up when it's dark in the morning. Which states want yearlong DST? Of the 18 states that have enacted legislation for year-round DST since 2018, seven are in the Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Those are all Republican-leaning states, but the issue is not red and blue. Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Delaware and Maine typically favor Democrats and they voted for the switch, and in deep-blue California voters authorized the legislature to ditch the clock-changing system, albeit requiring a two-thirds majority, if Congress allows it. The other states that prefer a permanent DST are Idaho (for the Pacific time zone only), Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Only Hawaii and Arizona (most of it) observe standard time for the whole year, as do the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. How did we get here? DST was implemented as an energy-saving effort during both World War I and WWII. They were temporary measures, as was the adoption of year-round DST in 1974 during a severe energy crisis. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act to standardize timekeeping across a nation that had allowed states to observe DST inconsistently. The law established specific periods for standard time and DST, and though it gave states the option to remain on standard time for the year, it did not allow them to go to permanent DST without congressional approval. Until 2005, DST ended the final Sunday of October and began the first Sunday in April. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the stretch to its current format of nearly eight months. Now the question is whether legislators will 'lock the clock'' and make the later daylight hours permanent.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Epstein problem could expose a GOP malaise
The big question on the tips of many political watchers' tongues right now is whether the Trump administration's botched handling of the Epstein files will do what virtually nothing has yet: turn President Donald Trump's devoted base against him. Through a multitude of controversies over the years – including a violent Trump-inspired uprising at the US Capitol, multiple indictments and a conviction on 34 felony counts – that base has stood resolutely and almost unshakably in his corner. The more apt question, though, is whether the Epstein saga exacerbates an already looming malaise on the right. Because the seeds of this problem had already been planted and fertilized. While Trump's overall approval rating among Republicans remains high, significant numbers of them disapprove of his handling of a range of issues. Many of his early actions have been unpopular with a significant cross-section of Republicans. And even with the big policies that appear to have widespread GOP backing, that support appears shallow. Trump has also taken a series of actions in recent weeks that appear to be out of sync with where much of MAGA has stood – including striking Iran, a big-spending agenda bill and funneling more weapons to Ukraine. The timing of the Epstein brouhaha, in other words, is not great for the president. A new CNN poll released this week is one of the first to get directly at how unenthused Trump's supporters appear to be right now. The poll found a record-low 21% of Americans strongly approved of Trump – the lowest number in either term so far. What's more, 25% of Republican-leaning voters said Trump hasn't paid enough attention to the country's most important problems. But perhaps most striking was the response to its question about the 2026 midterm elections. The poll found that while 72% of Democratic-leaning voters said they were 'extremely' motivated to vote next year, just 50% of Republican-leaning voters said the same. As CNN's Jennifer Agiesta noted, that 22-point gap is much bigger than we've seen in either the 2022 or 2024 elections. It's also one of the biggest gaps on record, if you include other pollsters. Polling late in the 2018 election, for example, showed Democrats with a 10-point advantage in those who were 'extremely' motivated. Gallup data from the five midterms before that showed the biggest gaps were 19 points in 2014 and 20 points in 2010 – both in the GOP's favor. Republicans dominated both of those elections. Comparing the new CNN data to these numbers isn't perfectly apt. These polls all came much later in the election cycle. It's relatively rare to ask this question in an off year, when things might fluctuate more. But the data certainly points to very different levels of enthusiasm right now. And it doesn't suggest Republicans are universally loving what they're seeing early in Trump's presidency. The CNN poll also tested Trump's approval on 10 individual issues. On all of them, at least 14% of Republican-leaning voters disapproved of him. On average, 18% disapproved. Quinnipiac University data this week showed an average of 14% of Republicans only (i.e. not including Republican-leaning independents) disapproved of Trump on issues ranging from immigration to the economy to foreign policy. Those aren't overwhelming portions of Trump's base, but they are significant numbers. And they don't come out of nowhere. If you look at big-ticket Trump policies, you also see the potential for a building malaise. Much of what Trump is doing isn't terribly popular with his base. The CNN poll this week found 81% of Republicans said they supported his recently passed agenda bill, which included substantial cuts to Medicaid. But only 30% supported it strongly – compared to 73% of Democrats who opposed it strongly. A CNN poll last month showed 82% of Republicans supported Trump's Iran strikes, but just 44% did so strongly – perhaps reflecting the discomfort many expressed before the strikes. The president's signature economic policy – his tariffs – have long lingered as a potential problem even with his base. While polling has shown many Republicans are willing to defer to Trump, they don't love the idea or think it will be good for them personally. An April CNN poll showed about as many Republicans said the tariffs would hurt their personal finances (28%) as said they would help (33%). Even some of his immigration and deportation policies are losing the support of as much as 1 in 5 Republicans or more. The Epstein mess might be a bigger deal than all of these combined for a certain segment of MAGA voters – the conspiratorial ones who have believed for nearly a decade that Trump would soon rip the lid off a massive sex-trafficking scandal involving powerful people – first with QAnon and then with Epstein. It also speaks to a more mainstream audience that just doesn't believe all of the Epstein stuff adds up and has now been given reason to believe the Trump administration isn't going to do anything about it or even might be in on the cover-up. But if it does push people away from Trump, we shouldn't just look at it in isolation. He's been risking alienating his base for a while. This could just be the straw that broke the camel's back for some.
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
'Beautiful' or 'Ugly,' Trump's big bill shapes battle for House control in 2026 midterms
By BILL BARROW, JONATHAN J. COOPER and JACK BROOK House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries leads a health care town hall with U.S. Rep Troy Carter, D-La., at Xavier University in New Orleans, on July 10. Debate over President Donald Trump's sweeping budget-and-policy package is over on Capitol Hill. Now the argument goes national. From the Central Valley of California to Midwestern battlegrounds and suburban districts of the northeast, the new law already is shaping the 2026 midterm battle for control of the House of Representatives. The outcome will set the tone for Trump's final two years in the Oval Office. Democrats need a net gain of three House seats to break the GOP's chokehold on Washington and reestablish a power center to counter Trump. There's added pressure to flip the House given that midterm Senate contests are concentrated in Republican-leaning states, making it harder for Democrats to reclaim that chamber. As Republicans see it, they've now delivered broad tax cuts, an unprecedented investment in immigration enforcement and new restraints on social safety net programs. Democrats see a law that rolls back health insurance access and raises costs for middle-class Americans while cutting taxes mostly for the rich, curtailing green energy initiatives and restricting some workers' organizing rights. 'It represents the broken promise they made to the American people,' said Rep. Suzan DelBene, a Washington Democrat who chairs the party's House campaign arm. 'We're going to continue to hold Republicans accountable for this vote.' Whether voters see it that way will be determined on a district-by-district level, but the battle will be more intense in some places than others. Among the 435 House districts, only 69 contests were decided by less than 10 percentage points in the 2024 general election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has so far identified 26 Democratic-held seats it must defend vigorously, along with 34 GOP-held seats it believes could be ripe to flip. Republicans' campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, has so far listed 18 GOP incumbents as priorities, plus two districts opened by retirements. There are a historically low number of so-called crossover districts: Only 13 Democrats represent districts Trump carried in 2024, while just three Republicans serve districts Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried. Both committees are busy recruiting challengers and open-seat candidates and more retirements could come, so the competitive map will evolve. Still, there are clusters of districts guaranteed to influence the national result. California, despite its clear lean to Democrats statewide, has at least nine House districts expected to be up for grabs: three in the Central Valley and six in southern California. Six are held by Democrats, three by the GOP. Pennsylvania features four districts that have been among the closest national House races for several consecutive cycles. They include a suburban Philadelphia seat represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, one of just two House Republicans to vote against Trump's bill and one of the three GOP lawmakers from a district Harris won. Fitzpatrick cited the Medicaid cuts. Vice President JD Vance plans on Wednesday to be in Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan's northwest Pennsylvania district to tout the GOP package. Bresnahan's seat is a top Democratic target. Iowa and Wisconsin, meanwhile, feature four contiguous GOP-held districts in farm-heavy regions where voters could be swayed by fallout from Trump's tariffs. Beyond bumper-sticker labels – Trump's preferred 'Big Beautiful Bill' versus Democrats' 'Big Ugly Bill' retort – the 900-page law is, in fact, an array of policies with varying impact. Democrats hammer Medicaid and food assistance cuts, some timed to take full effect only after the 2026 midterms, along with Republicans' refusal to extend tax credits to some people who obtained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law; 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits. 'Folks will die here in Louisiana and in other parts of the country,' House Minority Leader Jeffries warned last week during a town hall in Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's home state of Louisiana. Jeffries singled out vulnerable Republicans like California Rep. David Valadao, who represents a heavily agricultural Central Valley district where more than half the population is eligible for the joint state-federal insurance program. California allows immigrants with legal status and those who are undocumented to qualify for Medicaid, so not all Medicaid recipients are voters. But the program helps finance the overall health care system, including nursing homes and hospitals. Republicans highlight the law's tightened work requirements for Medicaid enrollees. They argue it's a popular provision that will strengthen the program. 'I voted for this bill because it does preserve the Medicaid program for its intended recipients — children, pregnant women, the disabled, and elderly,' Valadao said. 'I know how important the program is for my constituents.' The law includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. It makes permanent existing rates and brackets approved during Trump's first term. Republicans and their allies have hammered vulnerable Democrats for 'raising costs' on American households by opposing the bill. GOP campaign aides point to the popularity of individual provisions: boosting the $2,000 child tax credit to $2,200 (some families at lower income levels would not get the full credit), new deductions on tip and overtime income and auto loans; and a new deduction for older adults earning less than $75,000 a year. 'Everyone will have more take home pay. They'll have more jobs and opportunity,' Johnson said in a Fox News Sunday interview. 'The economy will be doing better and we'll be able to point to that as the obvious result of what we did.' Democrats note that the biggest beneficiaries of Trump's tax code are wealthy Americans and corporations. Pairing that with safety net cuts, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz concluded, 'The cruelty is the point.' Immigration, meanwhile, was Trump's strongest issue in 2024. NRCC aides say that will continue with the new law's investments in immigration enforcement. Democrats believe the Trump administration has overplayed its hand with its push for mass deportation. The president is a titanic variable. Democrats point to 2018, when they notched a 40-seat net gain in House seats to take control away from the GOP. This year, Democrats have enjoyed a double-digit swing in special elections around the country when compared to 2024 presidential results. Similar trends emerged in 2017 after Trump's 2016 victory. Democrats say that reflects voter discontent with Trump once he's actually in charge. Republicans answer that Trump's job approval remains higher at this point than in 2017. But the GOP's effort is further complicated by ongoing realignments: Since Trump's emergence, Democrats have gained affluent white voters -– like those in suburban swing districts -– while Trump has drawn more working-class voters across racial and ethnic groups. But Republicans face a stiffer challenge of replicating Trump's coalition in a midterm election without him on the ballot. Democrats, meanwhile, must corral voters who are not a threat to vote for Republicans but could stay home. Jeffries said he's determined not to let that happen. 'We're going to do everything we can until we end this national nightmare.' —- Associated Press reporters Michael Blood in Los Angeles and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida GOP lawmakers line up behind Trump in boosting crypto ahead of GENIUS Act vote
A pair of Florida lawmakers elected to Congress with the help of the cryptocurrency industry are poised to join a U.S. House majority backing the first crypto regulatory bill ever adopted by Congress. U.S. Reps. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, and Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, drew a combined $1.5 million from Republican-leaning crypto political committees leading up to their April 1 victories in special elections to Congress. At the time, the industry was eager to bolster the GOP's narrow House majority as it worked toward advancing the so-called GENIUS Act, the milestone crypto bill. The measure recently won bipartisan support in the Senate and is poised for a House vote, likely July 17. The crypto PAC, Defend American Jobs, hailed Patronis and Fine's elections, saying that the Floridians, "have shown a deep commitment to advancing pro-growth policies and ensuring the U.S. leads the world in crypto and digital asset innovation.' The GENIUS Act allows banks and companies to offer crypto stablecoins that would be tied to the U.S. dollar and backed by real money. With the change, crypto is expected to gain more customers who may view stablecoin as a more trustworthy digital asset than others in the crypto world, which is not always seen as reliable. GENIUS stands for Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins. President Trump, who once dismissed cryptocurrency as a 'scam' being 'based on thin air,' has converted into a fan. The conversion comes as Trump personally profits from the industry, which stands to gain new credibility with his signature on the GENIUS Act. Trump and his family control 40% of World Liberty Financial, which has been selling crypto tokens. Sales to investors may have gained the Trump family around $20 million this month, according to reporting by Forbes. Last year the president's sons also started a company that now offers stablecoins. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, has been one of the leading voices opposing the GENIUS Act, warning it has weak protections for consumers and threatens financial stability. She also said it will 'create a superhighway for Donald Trump's corruption.' The crypto industry poured millions of dollars into Trump's presidential campaign last year and later his inaugural committee. Florida fund-raiser Brian Ballard, who is close to Trump and to Florida's leading Republicans, counts crypto company Ripple among his clients. An upside for both parties Special elections: Can both parties claim victory in Florida congressional contests? Florida was test market for Trump Trump's second term to include many Floridians – and policies tested in Sunshine State Patronis and Fine were both endorsed by Trump in their special election bids. They're also promoting the crypto industry. Fine has said, 'Floridians want crypto innovation.' Patronis, who held the state Cabinet post of Chief Financial Officer for seven years before running for Congress, has tried to bring crypto into state government. He proposed having some of the Florida Retirement System funds go into digital assets such as Bitcoin, an idea which so far has failed to get off the ground. Patronis' pitch to pension managers at the State Board of Administration came after Trump spoke at the Bitcoin 2024 convention and suggested creating a national reserve denominated in bitcoins. Legislation this spring by other Trump followers, Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Deland, and Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, also failed. It would've allowed the state to invest as much as 10% of the state's retirement fund and other holdings in Bitcoin, which unlike stablecoin, is not pegged to the value of a stable asset. Gruters is running for Florida's chief financial officer post next year. The job is currently vacant since Patronis' election to Congress. Now emerging as the latest Floridian to tout cryptocurrency is U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Indian Harbor Beach, who is his party's 'whip,' or vote-organizer, on the Financial Services Committee. 'America needs to be the centerpoint of this opportunity,' Haridopolos said on FOX News. 'This will reduce costs for businesses and will make it more transparent as well. It will speed up the way we move money at a lower cost.' On crypto, Haridopolos said 'the president if fully engaged.' John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Network's Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@ or on X at @JKennedyReport. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Republicans join Trump in boosting crypto ahead of House vote Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US presidential elections 2028: Three top Democrats lead primary poll; who are they?
Kamala Harris has emerged as the early Democratic frontrunner for the 2028 US presidential race, according to a new poll, placing her well ahead of other potential candidates despite her landslide defeat in 2024 against Trump The survey, conducted by Echelon Insights and released on Monday, shows the former US vice president leading the Democratic primary field with 26% support among Democrats and Democrat-leaning voters. Buttigieg and Newsom trail behind Harris Former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and California governor Gavin Newsom are the only other Democrats to receive double-digit support in the poll, with 11% and 10% respectively. Rounding out the top five are senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, backed by 7% of respondents, and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who gained 6% support. The poll also included a few political outsiders. Entrepreneur Mark Cuban led that group with 3%, while sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and comedian Jon Stewart each received 1%. Thirteen percent of Democratic respondents said they were undecided, a reminder that the primaries are still more than two years away and voter sentiment could shift. Support shifts when Harris excluded The poll also tested the field without Harris, who is reportedly considering a run for governor in California. In that scenario, both Buttigieg and Newsom saw a slight boost, rising to 12% each. Without Harris in the mix, Ocasio-Cortez jumped to third place with 9%, followed by Booker at 8% and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, who entered the top five with 7%. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Took 1 Teaspoon Before Bed – Her Belly Was Gone in a Week Hollywood News | USA Click Here Undo JD Vance dominates Republican field On the Republican side, US vice president JD Vance is the clear leader. The poll shows him with 42% support from Republican and Republican-leaning voters, a commanding 33-point lead over his nearest competitor, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who polled at 9%. Trailing them are Secretary of State Marco Rubio (7%), former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (6%), health and human services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (5%) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (4%). Sixteen percent of Republican respondents said they were not sure whom they would support, reports the New York Post.
