FDA preps ban on menthols, flavored cigars
Citing a desire to reduce the use of flavored tobacco products, the Food and Drug Administration is preparing guidelines on a ban of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Young Voices Associate Contributor Jacob Rich joins Jim on the Final 5 to explain why that could be counterproductive, considering smoking rates among younger Americans and the African-American community are shrinking.
What does the 100 day milestone for President Biden really mean
President Joe Biden hit the historically significant 100-day milestone today. But how significant is that milestone – and what does it mean. Washington Monthly writer Bill Scher breaks down the president’s first address to a joint session of Congress tonight on the Final 5, and puts the 100-day mark into context.
Polls show 100-day numbers for Biden on trend
As President Biden marks his 100th day in office on Friday, new polls show the Commander-in-Chief’s approval ratings are showing a small advantage. Still, the issues that Americans care most about have shifted a bit since his inauguration. Ipsos Public Affairs President Cliff Young joined Jim on The Final 5 to break down Biden’s numbers, and how new CDC guidance on masks are shaping America’s approach to the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases spike to record high in India
As India weathers a dangerously high wave of COVID-19 cases, the country’s government is trying to stem the tide. One potential remedy includes a massive stockpile of the yet-to-be-FDA-reviewed AstraZeneca vaccine that the U.S. continues to amass. Shruti Rajagopalan, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about ways the country can get ahead of the pandemic.
Biden plan calls for more electric cars, but what would its impact be
President Joe Biden is calling for more electric cars to reduce the United States’ carbon footprint, but Young Voices contributor Kat Dwyer says his plan won’t have the impact it might seem to have at first blush.
Biden brings in world leaders to talk climate
On this Earth Day, President Biden convened dozens of world leaders for a virtual summit on climate change, which included the first meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Rachel Esplin Odell from the Quincy Institute joined Jim on The Final 5 to take a look at the American divide on addressing climate change, how the U.S. will navigate re-joining the Paris climate accords, and how former Secretary of State John Kerry figures into the administration’s plans moving forward.
Is there common ground on guns
The never-ending debate on guns in America renews itself after each and very mass shooting, but can both sides find any common ground when it comes to preventing gun violence. Isaac Wright joined Jim on The Final 5 to share his insight as a gun owner, what his Democratic Party could do better, and where Republicans may be able to find compromise that wouldn’t impinge upon the Second Amendment.
Reaction to Chauvin verdict continues
Hours after three guilty verdicts in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the reaction continues. But where does the movement go now - former assistant U.S. attorney David A. Katz and University of Maryland senior lecturer Dr. Jason Nichols joins Jim to break it all down on The Final 5.
Anticipation builds over Chauvin verdict as Maxine Waters wades in
Before the jury began deliberations in the case of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd, they listened to hours of closing statements in a marathon day. It also included debate over comments made by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA,) calling for protestors to become more confrontational, and how they could factor into the case. Criminal defense attorney Lakai Vinson joined Jim on The Final 5 to break down what it all means.
Dem push to expand SCOTUS meets resistance
Even as a handful of Democrats push through with a bill aimed at expanding the Supreme Court from 9 to 13 justices in an effort to reverse the influence of the 3 appointees put onto the high court by former President Trump, it likely won’t see the light of day. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she won’t put the bill up for a vote. Young Voices senior contributor Brad Polumbo joins Jim on The Final 5 to explain why he believes the bill could otherwise set a never-ending precedent of court packing.
Douglass County Maryland offered as alternative to DC statehood
While the full House is poised to pass H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill, it’s still faces an uncertain future in the United States Senate, even with Democrats wielding the tie-breaking vote. David Krucoff is advocating for the District to instead be retroceded into Maryland, forming Douglass County. He joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain how his plan would work, which currently only has the support of one federal lawmaker in the region, Rep. Andy Harris.
Looking at decision by President Biden to withdraw from Afghanistan
As President Biden follows through with a Trump-era decision to pull the remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan, setting a final withdrawal date of the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, reaction from Capitol Hill and the military community has been swift and split. Two men who served in the Afghan war, Army vet and Military.com reporter Steve Beynon, plus Marine veteran and research fellow from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Adam Weinstein joined Jim on The Final 5 to look at the decision, the potential consequences, and where members of the military believe the focus should lie in the months and years ahead.
Doctors say Johnson and Johnson vaccine pause should not undermine vaccine confidence
The decision to temporarily stop the use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine nationwide shouldn’t undermine confidence in the widespread vaccination effort. Dr. Susannah Hills, an ear, neck, and throat surgeon at New York’s Columbia Medical Center, joined Jim on The Final 5 explain why she believes the decision was a wise one, even though only six out of six million recipients of the Johnson and Johnson shot reported rare blood clots, and where the effort should go from here. She also offers some insight on the trends that America’s emergency rooms are seeing, one year into the pandemic.
Trump headlines GOP donor retreat
Former President Donald Trump hosted top Republican donors for a fiery speech at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, taking aim at top Republicans and re-litigating the 2020 election that he lost. But how are top Republican donors reacting? Dan K. Eberhart, a GOP donor and CEO of the firm Canary LLC, joined Jim on The Final 5 with some suggestions at how the party could move ahead, looking towards the 2022 midterms and the 2024 election.
The question of qualified immunity
The Derek Chauvin trial is re-opening the discourse on qualified immunity – and some states are already taking action. In this installment of The Final 5, Young Voices Senior Contributor Dan King talks about the implications of qualified immunity.
Despite recent calm Cuomo controversy looms large in NY
While higher-profile political scandals have overtaken recent headlines, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s dueling controversies involving COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, and nearly a dozen women accusing him of sexual harassment, remain at the forefront of the state’s political scene. Considering just a year ago, Cuomo was lauded for his handling of the nascent COVID-19 pandemic and even was being pushed as a possible last-minute replacement for Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, times have changed. What does this mean for a politico who harbored national ambitions? New York journalist and host of the “Here Now the News” podcast Jerry Barmash joined Jim on The Final 5 to look at what’s happening now, and whether impeachment could still be on the table for the three-term governor.
White House will not mandate vaccine passports but will not deter private industry
The White House announced this week that so-called “vaccine passports,” documents that indicate whether someone is vaccinated against COVID-19, won’t be part of a post-pandemic recovery plan. But it hasn’t stopped Republican governors in Florida and Texas from issuing executive orders against their implementation. Still, it’s a process that many private businesses may consider, when it comes to large-scale events like concerts. Laura Hoffner, chief of staff from the security firm Concentric, joined Jim on The Final 5 to look at the pros and cons of such a system, and whether you’ll be able to have faith in their security.
Suicide rates drop during pandemic, new research indicates
The mental health toll sustained by Americans during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was undeniable, but researchers found a silver lining: the nation’s suicide rate actually dropped. So what reversed what was expected to be an upward trend? Jacob Rich, a health and drug policy researcher with Reason Foundation, joined Jim on The Final 5o to look at the new numbers and offer some insight as to what may have helped.
Biden wants 2 trillion dollars in infrastructure spending, but will it pass
President Biden’s 2 trillion dollar infrastructure plan calls for all the usual spending on roads and bridges, but other initiatives, like green energy spending, have Republicans and some vulnerable Democrats worried. And as Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) draws a line in the sand, vowing to oppose the plan, could the White House push the plan through anyway? Dave Levinthal from Business Insider joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about the political chances of the plan and what could change the political calculus.
Calls for Georgia boycott after changes to election law
A controversial overhaul of Georgia’s voting system – one that Republicans called vital for election security, and Democrats likened to 'Jim Crow 2.0' – have some civil rights groups calling for a boycott of both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game (set for Atlanta this summer) and the delayed Masters' Tournament in Augusta. But is that feasible, and how do lawmakers respond to the threats by many out-of-state athletes? Eric Mitchell from Life Flip Media joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about what’s at stake.