Environmental advocates see opportunity in budget talks
Green initiatives in both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and President Biden’s $3.5 trillion dollar reconciliation plan have environmental advocates seeing an opportunity for major investments on energy and other initiatives. But will the current debate imperil their priorities? Toby Short for the Environmental Defense Action Fund joined Jim on The Final 5 to take a look at what the next steps are.
Dems try to find common ground amongst themselves
As negotiations continue on the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion dollar budget reconciliation bill, The focus remains finding common priorities for both progressive and moderate Democrats. Rhett Buttle, founder of Public Private Strategies and a former Biden campaign advisor joins Jim to break down what’s next.
Facebook’s terrible week (and it’s only Monday!)
Turns out a whistleblower’s interview with “60 Minutes” wasn’t the only bad thing to happen to Mark Zuckerberg this week. Monday’s massive outage sparked a selloff, costing him billions on paper, and continued questions about what Facebook knew about its effects on younger users continue to swirl. Young Voices contributor Eric Peterson of the Pelican Institute joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about what it all means.
Sheriffs, ICE agents sue Biden administration over border policy
As border agents struggle to get a handle on the influx of Haitian migrants coming across the border in Del Rio, Texas, a group of Texas law enforcement officials and ICE agents are suing the Biden administration over its handling of the problem. Kris Kobach, the former Kansas Secretary of State, current Attorney General candidate, and general counsel for the Alliance for Free Citizens, joins Jim on The Final 5 to explain why he’s taking the lead on the case, and why he believes declaring asylum isn’t always the answer.
Princess Blanding makes presence known in VA Gov race
A day after demanding her voice be heard in the final debate of the Virginia governor’s race, Princess Blanding joins Jim to explain why she’s in the race. The Liberation Party candidate weighs in on the issues in the race, how she’s balancing progressive values with her support of the Second Amendment, and more on The Final 5.
Shutdown looms as Republicans vow to make Dems shoulder spending burden
As the federal government faces another potential shutdown, and lack of action on the debt ceiling could trigger a default, Democrats and Republicans again find themselves at odds. Tiffany Muller of End Citizens United, a progressive group, says Republicans have been hypocritical even as Democrats propose major spending plans. She joined Jim on The Final 5 to weigh in.
Milley faces tough Tuesday on the Hill
On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee, set to face questions about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, his controversial calls to China in the waning days of the Trump administration, and many other hot button military issues. Jeff Le, political partner with the Truman National Security Project joins Jim on The Final 5 to preview what is sure to be a contentious showdown.
Hopes fizzle for bipartisan police reform
A push for a bipartisan solution on policing reform seemed promising a few months ago, but both Democrats and Republicans are now walking away from the process. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross joins Jim on The Final 5 to explain where she felt it went wrong.
Border crisis poses humanitarian challenge for U.S.
As migrants swarm at the border, many of them seeking asylum for deteriorating conditions in Haiti, the focus turns to the Biden administration’s response. Jack Kalavritinos, who served as an advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration, joined Jim on “The Final 5” to explain the agency’s role, and where he believes the current situation took a turn for the worse.
A look at the case of Gabby Petito and how the media covers missing persons
The tragic death of Gabby Petito has attracted immense media attention, and captivated a cadre of online sleuths, who broke open parts of the case for investigators. But it’s also casting criticism on media coverage of missing persons cases. Publisher and communications expert LaQuita Parks joins Jim Lokay on The Final 5 to break it down.
What’s next after Newsom wins landslide victory in recall?
Now the California Democratic governor Gavin Newsom has secured an overwhelming when in Tuesday’s recall election, what is this mean for the future of the governor and the Republican party in California? Democratic strategist Jonathan Harris joined Jim on the Final 5 to break it down.
Getting answers on Biden administration's response to Afghanistan crisis
Two weeks after the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, experts are reflecting on how the Biden administration handled the execution of the withdrawal. Adam Weinstein with the Quincy Institue for Responsible Statecraft is discussing the massive military maneuver tonight on the Final Five.
California voters head to polls in Newsom recall
On Tuesday, California voters will cast ballots in the state’s second gubernatorial recall election in two decades. On the ballot: the political fate of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, and the possibility of replacing him with a Republican, just a year shy of the end of his first term. So what issues are driving voters and the candidates? Commentary writer at Western Journal, Cameron Arcand, joins Jim to take a look at what he’s heard on the ground.
Vince and Jason Save the Nation
Common ground isn’t easy to come across in today’s hyper-political environment. A new podcast from the Daily Caller aims to tackle the divide. University of Maryland Senior Lecturer Dr. Jason Nichols and Daily Caller editorial director and WMAL radio host Vince Coglianese host “Vince and Jason Save the Nation,” and they joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain how they came together, and what unites them in spite of their political differences.
A closer look at Texas' restrictive new abortion law
Texas now has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, banning almost all abortions after 6 weeks. Tonight on the Final 5, Princeton University Political Scientist Lauren Wright, Ph.D is breaking down the law.
Feds push to block robocalls, but is it working?
New rules governing those annoying robocalls took effect this summer, and while the numbers show a small reduction, more than four billion still made it through. Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, joins Jim to break down the numbers and offer some insight on the best way to move forward.
House set to vote on $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan this month
The clock is ticking for the U.S. House to vote on the White Houses $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan. Last week, they set a deadline of Sept. 27 and there is a lot to work through in the plan. Tim Phillips, President of Americans for Prosperity joins The Final 5 to talk about it.
The mental toll of the Afghan withdrawal
As the United States’ 20-year war in Afghanistan draws to a close, many military veterans have been critical of its handling, and the mental toll it is taking on their collective psyches. Eric Rittmeyer, a Marine Corps vet and mental toughness expert, joined Jim on The Final 5 to weigh in.
Congress weighs legalizing marijuana as deadline for comment nears
Wednesday is the deadline for public comment on a series of measures the House is considering to legalize marijuana on the federal level. While it has its detractors, supporters point to the large wave of public sentiment that’s shifted in favor of pro-pot interests in recent years, not to mention the financial windfall some states have already seen. Marijuana entrepreneur Sieh Samura joined Jim on The Final 5 to make his case for legalization.
Analyzing the Afghanistan pullout
As the fallout from Thursday’s bombing in Afghanistan continues, the Biden administration continues its push towards next week’s 8/31 deadline to complete its pullout from the country. But there’s still concern for the thousands who may be left behind. Jamil Jaffer from the National Security Institute at George Mason, an alum of the Bush 43 administration and the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, joins Jim on The Final 5 to take a look at the road ahead.