Latest news with #Trump-proofing
National Observer
3 days ago
- Business
- National Observer
What kind of Canada do we want to build?
When the prime minister and premiers recently met in Saskatoon, it was Trump's attacks that brought them together. As wildfires forced tens of thousands to evacuate in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, the first ministers gathered to discuss the nation-building projects Canada needs. Driving into town through the smoke, they passed our billboards: a wildfire fighter facing a smoke-filled sky with the message 'Don't Let Canada Burn. Connect Canada's Clean Power. Build the East-West Electricity Grid. ' Crisis has a way of sharpening choices between falling back on what you know and evolving into what you can be. Canada must retool our economy to withstand US economic pressure and the escalating fossil-fuel-driven climate disasters. There are loud voices calling for us to react by building new pipelines, trampling Indigenous rights and deluding ourselves about climate pollution. Instead, we must build to last. We can strengthen our communities with clean, affordable energy. We can steward some of the world's vast remaining forests. We can cut pollution, grow good jobs that can't be offshored and build our economy on security, not volatility. The economic future will belong to countries that can supply affordable, clean power for their economies, writes Jamie Biggar In doing so, we'll position ourselves to be leaders in the clean electricity transition that's building momentum. Despite political backsliding in the US, demand for clean electricity technology is booming because it's cheaper, faster to deploy and safer for communities. In China, EV car sales grew 40 per cent in 2024 alone, and now 1 in 4 cars sold worldwide in 2025 will be electric. Global oil demand will peak this decade. According to the International Energy Association, annual global investment in clean energy and electricity infrastructure is now fully double the global investment in fossil fuels. In 2026, the $26T European Union market will introduce a carbon tariff, putting real costs on any carbon-intensive imports from countries that fall behind. The economic future will belong to countries that can supply affordable, clean power for their economies. We have a choice: invest in infrastructure that sets Canada up to thrive for the next fifty years, or double down on costly projects designed for a world that is slipping away. Clean, reliable electric power is the future because it cuts risks, costs and pollution alike. Since clean electricity is where the world is going, we are fortunate to have incredible resources and leaders across the country. Canada's largest operating battery storage facility opened in Ontario just before the first ministers' meeting — a project conceived by the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corp, with a 70 per cent Indigenous workforce. One of the most powerful nation-building, Trump-proofing projects is an East-West electricity grid that moves clean power when it's needed. Since the 1960s, we have built our electricity grids North-South to export power to the US. We've neglected East-West connections that would unite our country and boost our economy. It's time to change that. Consider Alberta and BC. Alberta has world-class wind and solar potential. BC has massive hydroelectric capacity. Connecting their grids means clean Alberta power will flow to BC when the wind blows and the sun shines. When the wind dies down and day turns to night, then BC's power will flow back to Alberta. That's a system built to last. Nova Scotia is another case in point. The province has vast offshore wind potential — enough to send power across Eastern Canada, including the markets and manufacturing centres of Quebec. But without links between the provinces, that energy won't reach the places it's needed. This isn't just about megawatts. It's about the country we want to build. Do we want short-term projects that lock us into pollution and geopolitical risk, or long-term infrastructure that strengthens Canada's independence and economic staying power? It also means meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities whose lands and rights are too often trampled when governments rush major projects. True partnership, based on consent, is moral, constitutional and smart. It leads to better designed projects, fewer delays and shared prosperity. At its best, Canada is a country built on evolving agreements between nations — Indigenous and non-Indigenous. We can live up to that vision by ensuring Indigenous peoples are full partners in building a clean energy future — indeed, they have been leading in the field in Canada for years. Prime Minister Carney is right that we are making decisions in a 'hinge' moment for the country. We're deciding what kind of projects we will fund and fast-track. We can keep pouring public money into unneeded pipelines. Or, we can build the infrastructure to connect our clean power and secure our long-term prosperity. Don't let Canada burn. Canada needs energy that's built to last: clean, reliable and built in partnership with the communities that host it.
Politico
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Politico
Another Trump-proofing plank is breaking
Presented by With help from Camille von Kaenel, Will McCarthy, Alex Guillén and Noah Baustin DEAL OR NO DEAL: The Trump administration is taking away California's backstop Trump-proofing tactic. The Federal Trade Commission announced an agreement with four heavy-duty truck manufacturers and their trade association Tuesday, declaring California's agreement with them to continue meeting the state's zero-emission sales targets 'unenforceable.' With that, the Trump administration has kicked out one of the last remaining legs in California's strategy to protect its nation-leading climate regulations — its voluntary deals with industry. 'The Commission's swift action will put the Clean Truck Partnership squarely in the rearview mirror and prevent repeats of CARB's troubling regulatory gambit,' Taylor Hoogendoorn, the deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, said in a statement. To recap: The California Air Resources Board signed a deal in 2023 with nine truck manufacturers to abide by California's rules 'regardless of whether any other entity challenges California's authority to set more stringent emissions standards under the federal Clean Air Act' — i.e., in case President Donald Trump returned to power and tried to dismantle the state's special authority to set stricter-than-federal vehicle rules, as he did during his first term (and as he did again in June). On Monday, prior to the FTC's announcement, the companies ('original equipment manufacturers,' or 'OEMs' in industry parlance) filed a lawsuit in federal court in Sacramento, arguing that they didn't foresee this particular regulatory twist. 'The OEMs are in an impossible position,' Daimler, Volvo, International Motors and PACCAR argued in Monday's suit. 'The OEMs are subject to two sovereigns whose regulatory requirements are irreconcilable and who are openly hostile to one another. Each wields a hammer to enforce its will on industry, leaving OEMs — who simply seek to sell heavy-duty trucks in compliance with the law — unable to plan with the necessary certainty and clarity where their products need to be certified for sale and by which regulatory authority.' Environmentalists say that argument, which came just days after the U.S. Justice Department sent a cease-and-desist letter to CARB, doesn't pass the smell test. 'The Clean Truck Partnership was designed exactly for a moment like this,' said Adam Zuckerman, senior clean vehicles campaigner with Public Citizen's Climate Program. CARB declined to comment on the litigation or the FTC's move. But a former CARB official who helped negotiate the 2023 deal said it represents a significant softening of California's regulatory hammer, especially after the loss of its EV sales mandate for light-duty vehicles. 'It's bad,' former CARB Deputy Executive Officer Craig Segall said about the potential impacts to the state's pollution-reduction efforts. 'They're still going to sell some electric trucks, but it's somewhere between bupkis and inadequate.' It's unclear how the other companies that signed on to the deal — including Cummins, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — will react after not joining the lawsuit or being named in the FTC announcement. A spokesperson for Hino Motors declined to comment, while the other companies didn't respond immediately to requests for comment. The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, which joined the FTC agreement but not the lawsuit, also didn't respond. California still has one of the companies on its side, at least in the light-duty sector. Stellantis, which inked a deal last year to follow the state's EV sales rules even if they went away, reaffirmed its commitment in June after Trump signed a resolution revoking the EPA waiver California needs to enforce it. Segall argued that the four truck-makers' retreat from their ZEV commitments won't stop a long-term global trend towards zero-emission models that will benefit California. He said the state still has tools at its disposal, like offering incentives for companies and fleets that buy electric trucks, and excluding those who don't. 'It's not like there's any statute making California buy from these [companies], or any statute requiring it to provide particular incentives to them,' Segall said. California could put that plan into action soon. State agencies are supposed to deliver recommendations for bolstering the EV market to Newsom's office this week, after the governor signed a June executive order that directed CARB to start developing new regulations and suggested the state offer preferential treatment to companies that continue to work towards electrification goals. — AN Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up here! SPEAKING OF CARB: Congressional Republicans are demanding that the agency hand over documentation on which model year 2026 cars the state has approved for sale, after saying they received reports that California is still enforcing its EV mandate despite it being revoked. House lawmakers did not include specific details in a letter accusing CARB of continuing to enforce the Advanced Clean Cars II rule but argued that the agency has only certified vehicle models that are compliant with it since the regulation was revoked on June 12. 'Forcing Americans to buy these vehicles would strain our electric grid, raise costs, and increase our reliance on China,' said Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 'Our investigation will look into whether California is continuing to enforce an EV mandate in violation of federal law.' A CARB spokesperson said the agency is reviewing the letter and declined to comment on it. — AN NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER: More than 200 environmental groups urged Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas to reverse some of their June weakening of the California Environmental Quality Act in a Tuesday letter. They urged lawmakers to remove the exemption from environmental review of 'advanced manufacturing,' which includes semiconductor factories, and to bolster protections for habitat for protected species. Top lawmakers, including Sen. Scott Wiener, had promised some sort of clean up language when voting SB 131 through in June just days after its introduction, but they have yet to introduce new legislation. The conservation and environmental justice signatories span the Natural Resources Defense Council to the Asian Pacific Environmental Network to Beyond Plastics. Six environment-oriented senators also urged McGuire and Wiener to narrow or remove the advanced manufacturing exemption and bolster habitat protections in their own letter last week. — CvK BACK TO THE BALLOT: A new property insurance showdown is here: A California insurance agent has officially filed a proposed ballot initiative to reimagine how the state regulates insurance. Elizabeth Hammack, who described herself as the agency principal and owner of an insurance intermediary called Panorama Insurance Associates, submitted the proposed initiative to the secretary of state on Monday. The long-shot initiative aims to repeal and replace Proposition 103, the 1988 ballot measure that made the Insurance Commissioner an elected position, rolled back auto and property insurance rates and set up public participation in rate reviews and approvals. The proposition has helped keep state's insurance rates below many other states, saving consumers more than $150 billion. But the property insurance industry has long chafed at the proposition. The record-breaking wildfire losses that spooked some out of the state have amped the stakes, with the insurance industry blaming the proposition for lengthy rate reviews and premiums that haven't kept up with the rising risk. Consumer Watchdog, the organization that sponsored Prop. 103, had already been preparing for a possible rematch, floating its own possible ballot measure to mandate insurers provide coverage in fire-prone areas. Denni Ritter, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association's vice president for state government relations, said the organization was 'not involved in drafting this measure' and was reserving judgment until staff had fully analyzed it. — WM, CvK HAPPY TRACKS: The California Public Utility Commission's top safety boss is riding off into the sunset. Roger Clugston, director of the Railway Safety Division, is retiring after 24 years of public service, the agency announced in a fond farewell. Clugston launched his career building tracks for the Santa Fe Railroad in the '70s and joined the CPUC in 2001 as a track inspector. He rose through the ranks, helping to launch the first California railway bridge and tunnel inspection programs. He took the helm of the newly organized Rail Safety Division in 2019, which now has 125 employees and is responsible for keeping 10,000 miles of railways safe. 'I came into the CPUC as an entry level inspector and moved up to director, and without a college degree,' Clugston said in a statement. 'You can do anything if you're willing to work hard for it.' It's unclear who will replace Clugston. The agency is in the process of filling his position, a spokesperson said. — NB — CalMatters found that the state of California may have to forgive up to 42 percent of the $1.4 billion loan it gave Pacific Gas & Electric to keep Diablo Canyon Power Plant afloat. — Ford is making a $30,000 fully electric truck in 2027. — A new study determined that livestock operations contribute to harmful levels of fine particulate matter.
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Zohran Mamdani Beats Out Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, New Poll Shows
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic mayoral primary winner and state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is leading the pack of candidates to potentially govern New York City in a new poll released Wednesday. Why It Matters The outcome of the New York City mayoral race carries implications extending far beyond city limits. Despite Mamdani's ascent among primary voters and his progressive base, the broader Democratic Party establishment has not unified behind him. He has yet to secure endorsements from Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, all of whom have withheld public support even after his primary win. This hesitation underscores internal Democratic divisions over Mamdani's platform, which sharply departs from establishment policies. His campaign pledges—rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, no-cost child care and "Trump-proofing" city administration—cling to a progressive vision that some party officials warn could alienate centrist and independent voters needed for a general election victory. What To Know In the poll by Slingshot Strategies, first reported by the New York Post, Mamdani has 36 percent of the vote compared to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's 27 percent and current New York City Mayor Eric Adams' 14 percent. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa landed 16 percent of the vote and independent candidate Jim Walden received 2 percent. The survey was taken from July 2 to July 6 among 1,036 registered voters in New York City, with a margin of error of 4.2 percent. When asked if New York City voters have a favorable or unfavorable view of the candidates, 40 percent had a favorable view of Mamdani compared to a 36 percent unfavorable view. Cuomo received a 44 percent total favorable rating versus 46 unfavorable. Adams had the most defeating numbers, with a total favorable rating of 28 percent compared to 62 percent having an unfavorable view of him. Mamdani saw his strongest support from millennials, Cuomo from voters with children in private schools, Adams and Sliwa with Republicans and Walden with voters who have children in public schools. Mamdani has fielded recent attacks from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who has called him a "communist" and floated possibly arresting him. Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, is pictured during a news conference at the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council building on July 2 in New York. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, is pictured during a news conference at the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council building on July 2 in New York. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) What People Are Saying Dr. Laura Tamman, clinical assistant professor of political science at Pace University, told Newsweek via email Wednesday: "I think it's taking some time for the 'old guard' in New York City politics to see that the times have changed. It would be foolish for a sitting Democrat who represents New York City to endorse someone other than the Democratic nominee for Mayor." Tamman continued, "The only question is - do they endorse or stay out of the race entirely? I expect they will eventually embrace Assemblymember Mamdani's compelling message of affordability and his army of energetic young voters." Mamdani on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "We can deliver affordability and fight authoritarianism at the same time. I am eager to partner with state and federal leaders to do exactly that." Adams on X on Tuesday: "This is a 'promises made, promises kept' administration and our newly passed 'Best Budget Ever' is the next chapter in how we continue to keep promises to our families. And that's not all we celebrated last week!" Cuomo on X earlier this month: "President Trump's threats to arrest Assemblyman Mamdani, while predictable, are insulting to the American principles of justice and further New Yorkers resentment of his heavy-handed tactics and the compliance and complicity of his supplicants. It should be universally condemned." What Happens Next New York City voters are scheduled to cast their ballots on November 4 to decide the city's next mayor. The election is expected to draw national scrutiny and could determine the direction of the city as well as the Democratic Party as a whole on issues of affordability, public safety and social policy. Analysts, including Nate Silver, have pointed out that the general election's broader electorate, which includes more conservative voters, may challenge Mamdani's prospects, making endorsements and coalition-building pivotal for the November result.
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Zohran Mamdani's Chances of Beating Cuomo, Adams in NYC Race: Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic mayoral primary winner and assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is leading the pack of candidates to potentially govern New York City, a new poll this month shows. Newsweek reached out to a political analyst via email for comment Thursday. Why It Matters The outcome of New York City's mayoral race is nationally significant as the city remains a major liberal stronghold in the United States. The next mayor will oversee critical issues such as housing, cost-of-living, and public safety, and could shape national debates ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The race also marks a test of competing party visions, with Mamdani's progressive platform facing centrist and independent challenges from Adams and Cuomo. For Cuomo, a former governor who resigned in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, it represents a potential political comeback, while Adams seeks redemption following controversy over corruption charges that were later dropped. The contest's dynamics may ultimately help define the trajectory of Democratic party politics in America's largest city. What To Know According to a poll from American Pulse conducted from June 28 to July 1, 2025, Mamdani has 35.2 percent support among New York City likely voters, compared to Cuomo's 29 percent and Adams' 13.8 percent. The likely voters were asked to pick a candidate from a list with the following options: Mamdani, Cuomo, Adams, Guardian Angels founder and Republican Curtis Silwa, independent Jim Walden, another candidate or not sure. The survey has a margin of error of 4 percent and polled 568 people. Mamdani garnered the largest percentage of likely voters from 18 to 44 years old, with 49.7 percent. Cuomo's largest percentage came from the Bronx Borough with 44.4 percent, while Adams saw his largest backing from Independents and Republicans with 23.8 percent alike. When asked how likely they were to vote for Mamdani, 48 percent either said definitely or probably, the poll shows. Nearly 46 percent said anyone else. Cuomo received the highest percentage among the likely New Your City voters when asked who would do the best job running the city, with 33.5 percent compared to Mamdani's 32.5 percent. Adams received 12.4 percent. Mamdani has built his campaign around affordability in the Big Apple and focused on rent freezes. His platform also includes no-cost child care, free buses, city-owned grocery stores and "Trump-proofing" the city. The democratic socialist's platform could alienate centrist Democrats and independents critical in pushing him past the finish line in November. Mamdani's call to implement the Department of Community Safety, if elected, would also place outreach workers in subway stations, a stark difference from Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul's position of partnering with the New York City Police Department to ensure safety. Mamdani has been backed by Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. He has yet to receive formal endorsements from Hochul or other New York Democratic leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer or Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, despite winning the ticket last week. Nate Silver also predicted in his Silver Bulletin Substack page that Mamdani could possibly be vulnerable in the general election, as more voters will cast their ballots compared to the primary. New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani can be seen attending the 2025 New York City Pride March on June 29, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by) New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani can be seen attending the 2025 New York City Pride March on June 29, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by) What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, a New York native, on Truth Social last week: "It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor." He continued: "We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart, he's got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!" Mamdani on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "Donald Trump is attacking me because he is desperate to distract from his war on working people. We must and we will fight back." Congressman Jeffries on X on Wednesday: "Stop lying about Assemblyman Mamdani. He is neither a communist nor a lunatic. And New York City doesn't need to be saved by a wannabe King. Besides, you are too busy destroying America with your One Big Ugly Bill to do anything else." What Happens Next New York City voters will return to the polls on November 4, 2025, to decide the city's next mayor. The outcome of this race will determine the city's trajectory on pressing issues, including housing, public safety, and affordability. As Adams and Cuomo campaign as independents, the contest is expected to draw national attention and shape the political landscape for upcoming elections.
Newsweek
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump's Border Czar Issues Stark Warning to Zohran Mamdani: 'Game On'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Tom Homan, President Donald Trump's appointed border czar, issued a warning to New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani on the heels of his mayoral primary victory, saying that immigration enforcement will "double down and triple down on sanctuary cities." Newsweek reached out to Mamdani's campaign via email Wednesday for comment. Why It Matters Trump has prioritized immigration control as a key pillar of his second administration. The president campaigned last year on the promise of mass deportations and appointed Homan to execute his agenda. On Tuesday night, Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, clinched the first-round vote in the New York City mayoral primary race against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani landed the backing of Democratic U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and was largely unknown when he announced his intent to run, per the Associated Press (AP). What To Know Mamdani built his campaign around affordability in the Big Apple and focused on rent freezes. His platform also includes no-cost child care, free buses and "Trump-proofing" the city. In a link on his campaign website, Mamdani says his administration, should he become mayor, would focus on getting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of New York City facilities, end cooperation with the agency, protect personal data from outside jurisdictions and "bolster legal support" for immigrants. "Donald Trump is tearing at the fabric of New York City in his second term. He has deployed ICE agents to pluck New Yorkers from their families," Mamdani said on his website. While speaking on Fox Business with Larry Kudlow, Homan was asked about Mamdani's immigration platform, saying, "Good luck with that." "Federal law trumps him ... every day, every hour of every minute," Homan continued. "We're going to be in New York City, matter of fact, because it's a sanctuary city and President Trump made it clear a week and a half ago, we're going to double down and triple down on sanctuary cities." Homan later added: "Were going to concentrate in sanctuary cities because we know they're releasing public safety threats and national security threats back to the street, so we know we've got a problem there." He also said that federal officials don't seem to have a problem with states like Florida, where sheriffs "work for us." Trump's border czar asserted that if immigration enforcement officials can't arrest people in jail, they would "find them" in neighborhoods or work sites, adding, "so game on, we're coming." Kudlow also asked Homan if Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams is helping him, to which he responded that Adams "wants to do the right thing," and wants to be a law-and-order mayor. Tom Homan, Trump administration border czar, can be seen talking with reporters outside the West Wing at the White House on June 19 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) Tom Homan, Trump administration border czar, can be seen talking with reporters outside the West Wing at the White House on June 19 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) What People Are Saying Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday: "It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor. We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous." Trump continued: "He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart, he's got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!" Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "I have known @ZohranKMamdani since we worked together to provide debt relief for thousands of beleaguered taxi drivers & fought to stop a fracked gas plant in Astoria. He ran an impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness, & opportunity." Schumer added, "I spoke with @ZohranKMamdani this morning and am looking forward to getting together soon." What Happens Next The New York City mayoral election will now head to ranked choice voting, as no candidate received a majority of the vote Tuesday night. The AP contributed to this report.
