The Center Square, Author at The Michigan Star

Oddsmakers Move Walz Behind Shapiro as Kamala Harris’ Pick

August 6, 2024 The Center Square

Kamala Harris, Josh Shapiro, and Tim Walz in front of The White House (composite image)

As the final hours tick down to an expected announcement, the pick for vice president on the Democrats’ ticket remains shrouded in secrecy and angled toward the governor of Pennsylvania.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ reveal is expected before Tuesday’s launch of a battleground states tour in Philadelphia. While the campaign has cautioned the starting point where she is expected to be alongside her running mate is not an indicator of the choice, a leading candidate since July 21 has been Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Monday morning Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appeared to be a finalist.

Apple Files to Dismiss DOJ Antitrust Case Against Its Smartphone Business

August 5, 2024 The Center Square

Apple has filed a motion to dismiss a case from the United States Department of Justice claiming that it monopolizes the smartphone market using anticompetitive practices making it harder to switch to another phone. Antitrust experts say this case, if won by the DOJ, could set dangerous precedent by granting the government power to more easily define companies as monopolies and practices as monopolistic, and determine what companies must do or cannot do to avoid the label.

The United States Department of Justice and 16 Attorneys General — including California and the District of Columbia — filed a lawsuit in March alleging Apple illegally monopolizes the smartphone market, such as green boxes with “social stigma” for non-Apple text messages and Apple smartwatch incompatibility with other operating systems.

Biden Admin Title IX Rule Blocked in Four More States, Bringing Total to 26

August 5, 2024 The Center Square

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Biden administration can’t implement its Title IX rules in an additional four states, bringing the total number of statewide injunctions to 26.

With a recent block awarded in Oklahoma on Wednesday and then an emergency appeal granted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, over half of the United States will be exempt from the Thursday deadline.

Shoplifting Rose Twenty-Four Percent This Year, No End in Sight

August 5, 2024 The Center Square

Shoplifting has soared in the U.S. in 2024, forcing many stores to leave cities and continuing a trend in recent years.

Shoplifting has risen 24 percent in the first half of 2024 alone, according to newly released data from the Council on Criminal Justice.

Biden Administration Gives Up on Texas Border Suit, Ordered to Finish Wall

August 3, 2024 The Center Square

Texas has won another lawsuit against the Biden administration, this time one that requires it to finish building the border wall.

The ruling was issued May 29, with a 60-day window for appeal. Because the Biden administration didn’t appeal by July 29, the court’s order remains in full effect.

Hurricane Beryl to Cost Americans Nationwide Nearly $32 Billion

August 1, 2024 The Center Square

The devastation Hurricane Beryl left in its wake is estimated to cost taxpayers nationwide between $28 billion and $32 billion, according to an AccuWeather analysis. The losses to Texas, which was hardest hit, are estimated to be several billion.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, on July 8 as a Category 1 storm. It then made its way northeast, fueling tornadoes in eastern Texas and western Louisiana, up into Arkansas and Missouri. The storm turned into a tropical rainstorm moving into the Midwest and New England, causing flooding, localized tornadoes and strong winds.

New Poll: Trump Leads Harris by Four Points Nationally

August 1, 2024 The Center Square

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in front of The White House (composite image)

President Donald Trump outperforms Vice President Kamala Harris in a head-to-head matchup, according to a new poll.

The Harvard/Harris poll released Tuesday was taken after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and asked respondents: “If the 2024 election for President were held today and it was between Donald Trump, the Republican and Kamala Harris, the Democrat, who would you vote for?”

Trump Blasts Facebook, Google for ‘Wrongly Censored’ Photo of Assassination Attempt

July 31, 2024 The Center Square

Donald Trump in front of Google headquarters (composite image)

Former President Donald Trump blasted Facebook and Google Tuesday after Facebook admitted it had censored photos of Trump’s assassination attempt, images widely seen as a major moment and rallying point for the Trump campaign.

Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, began posting online this week that Google searches for Trump’s assassination, including the photo, were not being autocompleted like other searches. They also posted screenshots saying that searches for Trump turned up news for Trump’s opponent, Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Israel a Potential Issue in Michigan’s U.S. Senate Race

July 31, 2024August 14, 2024 The Center Square

Candidates in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race disagree on issues ranging from electric vehicles to crime, but most recently, they’ve clashed over foreign policy.

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich, is facing former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers. Republicans hope to flip the seat as incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow is not running for reelection.

As Inflation and Labor Cools, Traders Look to the Fed for Hints at a September Rate Cut

July 29, 2024 The Center Square

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold the bank’s key interest rate steady this week. Traders currently expect three rate cuts this year beginning in September.

Poll: Voters, Parents Opposed to AI in Schools over Cheating Concerns

July 29, 2024 The Center Square

The majority of likely voters say artificial intelligence shouldn’t be in schools because it makes it too easy to cheat, new poll results show.

The Center Square Voter’s Voice Poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights found that over two-thirds of likely voters say they think AI should stay out of schools.

National Study Finds Giving Americans $1,000 per Month Results in Less Productivity

July 29, 2024 The Center Square

Giving Americans $1,000 per month in taxpayer-funded guaranteed income makes them worse off, says a new three-year, 3000-participant study. The National Bureau of Economic Research’s massive study found recipients and their partners work and earn less, with the negative effect on wages and earnings getting worse over time.

While proponents of universal basic income theorized such programs would improve non-economic metrics for recipients, the study surprisingly showed leisure time only increased as recipients spent less time on sleeping, child care, community engagement, caring for others, and self improvement. Transfers also reduced recipients’ non-transfer incomes significantly, with the study finding “for every one dollar received, total household income excluding the transfers fell by at least 21 cents, and total individual income fell by at least 12 cents.”

Report: Eighth-Grade Students Need Whole School Year to Reach Pre-Pandemic Performance

July 28, 2024July 27, 2024 The Center Square

An education organization that administers a nationwide assessment has found that students are still not performing as well as they were immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic and that students’ achievement gap worsened in the 2023-24 school year as compared to before COVID.

NWEA, which issues the Measures of Academic Progress, said in a report this week that some middle school students are still an entire school year behind where they were before the pandemic in almost every grade as schools are slated to run out of federal relief this fall.

Environmentalists Grateful for Appellate Win over Chemical Industry Giant

July 27, 2024 The Center Square

Health advisories issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the risks of chemicals produced at a North Carolina plant on the Cape Fear River are lawful and not reviewable by a court.

In a ruling by three judges Tuesday at the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Justice Arianna Freeman wrote, “The health advisory provides guidance, but it imposes no obligations, prohibitions, or restrictions. The health advisory also does not give rise to any ‘direct and appreciable legal consequences.’”

Michigan Bill Signed to Combat Statewide EMT, Paramedic Shortages

July 27, 2024July 26, 2024 The Center Square

Michigan has a new way to address its EMT shortage.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a law that would extend temporary EMT and paramedic licenses from 120 days to a year. House Bills 4613 and 4614 were sponsored by state Rep. Dave Prestin, R-Cedar River.

Battleground States Absent Hurdles to Place Harris on Ballot

July 24, 2024 The Center Square

Election laws in all seven battleground states will allow Democrats to place onto ballots the name of Vice President Kamala Harris, or another candidate if one materializes.

As President Joe Biden’s supporters rally around Harris to take his spot as the party nominee, Republicans are planning legal challenges. Biden announced his decision via social media Sunday afternoon, with one month until the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Biden Announces Televised Wednesday Evening Address on ‘What Lies Ahead’ for Him

July 23, 2024 The Center Square

President Joe Biden released a vague statement Tuesday morning raising more questions than answers about his health and future in the White House.

Poll: Inflation, Immigration, Economy Are Top Concerns of Voters

July 22, 2024 The Center Square

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted prior to the weekend assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, found that likely voters said inflation/price increases (45%), illegal immigration (36%) and the economy/jobs (28%) were the issues that matter most to them heading into the November election.

The poll was conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights from July 8-11 and surveyed nearly 2,300 likely voters, including 1,006 Republicans, 1,117 Democrats, and 172 true (non-leaning) independents. It has a margin of error of 2.1%. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll is one of only six national tracking polls in the United States.

U.S. Voters Suspect AI Could Impact Their Lives as It Develops According to Poll

July 22, 2024 The Center Square

New poll data of registered and potential voters reveals a general consensus that artificial intelligence could pose a threat to people as it further develops.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is technology broadly used to complete tasks, learn information, and enable computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Recently, AI technology has become more sophisticated and more widely used at an increasing rate.

National Debt Surpasses $34.9 Trillion for First Time in History

July 22, 2024 The Center Square

The national debt has surpassed $34.9 trillion for the first time in U.S. history.

It did so as the federal government’s “borrowing binge and spending spree continues,” EJ Antoni, an economist with the Heritage Foundation, said.

Democrats Chart Unknown Legal Territory as the Party Scrambles to Replace Joe Biden

July 21, 2024 The Center Square

President Joe Biden on Sunday succumbed to pressure from leaders of his own party and suspended his reelection campaign. Several organizations have explained the process to replace him as the Democratic nominee.

Trump, in First Rally Since Butler, Says He ‘Took a Bullet for Democracy’

July 21, 2024 The Center Square

In his first campaign trail stop since surviving an assassination attempt and accepting the party nomination at the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump on Saturday appealed to auto workers in Michigan.

Poll: Trump Leading Biden in Michigan

July 20, 2024July 19, 2024 The Center Square

Former President Donald Trump leads President Biden by 3 points in Michigan and 5 points in Wisconsin, according to the results of a new Emerson College poll.

The poll, conducted July 15-16, surveyed about 1,000 likely voters per swing state. Democrats for the Next Generation sponsored the poll, which has a +/-3% margin of error. It was released Thursday, the final day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Poll: Two Thirds of American Voters Say Country is Heading in Wrong Direction

July 20, 2024 The Center Square

A new poll of voters finds two thirds of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, with Democrats equally divided on the question.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll found 65% of voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction, 24% said the country is headed in the right direction and 11% were unsure.

Crowdstrike: Global Tech Outage Not a Cyberattack

July 19, 2024 The Center Square

Cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike said Friday a major technology outage is not a cyberattack but is due to a defect in a single content update.

Michigan Republicans Sue Whitmer and Benson over Voter Registration Agencies

July 19, 2024July 18, 2024 The Center Square

Michigan’s governor, secretary of state and three other officials are facing a lawsuitfiled by the Trump campaign this week over granting some government offices the power to conduct voter registration.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order in December meant to designate certain state offices, including the Small Business Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to act as voter registration agencies.

President Biden Considering SCOTUS Reforms According to Report

July 18, 2024July 17, 2024 The Center Square

President Joe Biden is considering formally supporting reforms to the Supreme Court, including the introduction of term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code, the Washington Post reported.

Such reforms reflect increasing frustration among Democrats and Joe Biden’s supporters regarding recent controversies involving Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito, as well as landmark rulings by the court’s conservative majority.

University in Kentucky Suspends Instructor After ‘Offensive’ Trump Shooting Post

July 18, 2024 The Center Square

A college in Louisville has placed an instructor on unpaid leave after posting on social media he wished the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump succeeded.

“If you’re gonna shoot, man, don’t miss,” John James wrote in all caps on a post discovered Sunday by Libsoftiktok. The statement was made above a screenshot of a news story on the Saturday shooting during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania that left the former president and current Republican nominee injured after a bullet grazed his ear.

More than 205,000 Illegal Border Crossers in June, 2.5 Million in Fiscal 2024

July 17, 2024July 16, 2024 The Center Square

There were more than 205,000 illegal border crossers apprehended in June, according to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection data released on Monday.

June’s numbers bring the total number of illegal border crossers this fiscal year to more than 2.4 million.

Report: NFL Teams Earned $400 Million from NFL Revenue as Public Incentives Escalate

July 16, 2024 The Center Square

The National Football League earned more than $13 billion and distributed more than $400 million in 2023 to each team from national revenue, Sportico reported.

The record distribution comes as teams across the league continue to push for public incentives for new stadiums and renovations.

Record-Breaking 1.5 Million Michiganders Choosing Mail-in Ballots

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024 The Center Square

Four weeks out from Michigan’s Primary Election Day, more than 1.5 million of the state’s voters have requested or received an absentee ballot, breaking records set in 2020.

More than 178,000 of those voters have already submitted a completed ballot.

Small Businesses Worry About Inflation, Survey Shows

July 13, 2024 The Center Square

Small businesses cite inflation as their number one concern, according to new survey data.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses released the survey results Tuesday, which show that 21% of small business owners cite inflation as “the single most important problem in operating their business,” more than any other issue.

Controversial Election Bills Now Law in Michigan

July 10, 2024July 9, 2024 The Center Square

Michigan’s process of handling election recounts and fraud allegations has changed, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing two controversial bills into law Monday.

Senate bills 603 and 604 modify the requirements for conducting ballot recounts and prosecuting election-related crimes.

Bill Introduced to Enhance Northern Border Security Measures

July 9, 2024 The Center Square

A congressman whose district lies along the northern border in upstate New York has filed a bill to strengthen northern border security measures.

Corn Growers Join Petition to SCOTUS Over California Emissions Mandate

July 9, 2024 The Center Square

A coalition of energy, biofuel and agriculture groups – including the Illinois Corn Growers Association – are taking their challenge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions mandate to the nation’s highest court.

The group filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the EPA’s decision to grant a waiver to California for its 2021-2025 electric vehicle mandate. Illinois lawmakers have considered adopting California’s strict EV policies.

Administrations Lay Plans to One-Up America’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm

July 9, 2024 The Center Square

Installation of the country’s largest offshore wind farm began in earnest just two months ago off the coast of Virginia, and the Biden administration announced Friday it will be auctioninganother even bigger wind energy lease sale off the coast of the commonwealth.

Dominion Energy leased the approximately 113,000 acres that would become the site of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project in 2013. After installing two pilot turbines in 2020, the utility began the installation of the rest of its 176 turbines in May.

Biden’s White House Spending Dwarfs Trump, Obama

July 8, 2024 The Center Square

President Joe Biden’s White House staff has grown to historic highs, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, according to a new report.

An analysis from OpenTheBooks of the recently released White House payroll found the Biden White House staff spending has hit new highs.

California Joins 26 States in Requiring Students Take Personal Finance Class

July 8, 2024 The Center Square

Over half of U.S. states now require high school students to receive a financial literacy course before they graduate after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill passed by the California Legislature.

With the passage of California’s law requiring schools to offer a course in personal finance by the 2027-28 school year and requiring the class of 2031 to receive at least one class, a total of 26 states now require students to take a course on how to manage money, according to a nonprofit spearheading efforts to pass such laws.

Unemployment Insurance Claims Continue to Rise

July 8, 2024 The Center Square

The number of insured unemployed individuals increased by 26,000 to 1,858,000, in the week ending June 29, the highest level since November 2021.

Seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims reached 238,000, marking an increase of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 234,000.

Michigan Budget Includes Tuition-Free Pre-K and Community College

July 6, 2024July 5, 2024 The Center Square

The recently passed Michigan budget would guarantee tuition-free community college for all residents, and expands access to tuition-free preschool.

The tuition-free community college program is paid for by $330 million in taxpayer dollars, an increase of $30 million from last year. The new program gets rid of income caps, so any student can receive free tuition at an in-district community college.

Federal Judge Pauses Biden’s Partial Liquefied Natural Gas Export Ban

July 6, 2024 The Center Square

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s ban on new exports of liquified natural gas exports to non-free trade agreement countries.

Judge James Cain Jr. of the Western District of Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Energy’s partial LNG export ban after more than a dozen states sued, arguing the ban was illegal.

Amtrak’s Staffing Jumps 22 Percent Since Pandemic, Salaries by More than $500 Million

July 6, 2024 The Center Square

Amtrak has seen a 22% increase in its employee count while salaries and benefits have increased by more than $500 million in the past four years – to $2.69 billion in 2023.

Amtrak, known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, serves more than 500 destinations in 46 separate states covering more than 21,400 miles nationwide.

Michigan Bills Aim to Counter Election Discrimination and Fund Voter Lawsuits

July 3, 2024July 2, 2024 The Center Square

The Michigan Senate is expected to soon vote on legislation meant individual voting protections in state elections.

A four-bill package would create a state fund to reimburse voter discrimination lawsuit costs, set up an election and voting database and provide help to disabled or non-English speaking voters, among other changes.

Biden: Supreme Court Ruling on Presidential Immunity ‘Dangerous Precedent’

July 2, 2024 The Center Square

President Joe Biden Monday night said the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the president has “absolute immunity” when acting in his core constitutional duties is “a dangerous precedent” that “undermines the rule of law of this nation.”

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision ruled that the “president’s exercise of his core constitutional powers, this immunity must be absolute. As for his remaining official actions, he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity.”

Study: ‘Vast DEI Bureaucracy’ Negatively Impacting U.S. Armed Forces

July 1, 2024 The Center Square

A new Arizona State University study suggests that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in the United States military are ineffective.

The study done by the university’s Center for American Institutions argued that there is a emphasis on training new soldiers about social issues like “unconscious bias” and “intersectionality” in a way the center says runs contrary to typical American ideals. The study examined DEI plan’s in different sector of the military, including DEI office staffing and education at academies like West Point.

Pending Home Sales Fell 2.1 Percent in May and Median Price to Hit $405,300

July 1, 2024 The Center Square

Pending home sales fell 2.1 percent in May, according to the National Association of Realtors.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said home prices could dip in the coming months.

Overpayments Account for Nearly 75 Percent of Federal Improper Payments

July 1, 2024 The Center Square

The federal government reported $236 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2023, with the vast majority coming from overpayments, according to a new watchdog report.

A U.S. Government Accountability Office report found 74% of improper payments – payments that shouldn’t have been made or were made in the wrong amount – were overpayments. Overpayments accounted for $175.1 billion of the total amount of improper payments in 2023. Overpayments are payments “in excess of what is due, and for which the excess amount, in theory, should or could be recovered,” according to the report.

Report Shows 61 Percent of Renters Can’t Afford Median Apartment Rate in U.S.

June 30, 2024 The Center Square

Due to inflation eating away at earnings and less supply of affordable housing, the majority of Americans today cannot afford median rent prices, according to a new report by the real estate company Redfin.

The analysis comes as other reports indicate that both homeowners and renters are struggling with high housing costs due to inflationary pressures, an inflated housing market, low supply and demand for affordable housing.

Technology Continues to be a Double-Edged Sword in Combating Human Trafficking

June 30, 2024 The Center Square

Human trafficking brings in $236 billion dollars a year, according to the International Labor Organization.

Microsoft’s 2023 revenue totaled $212 billion.

China a Potential Issue in Michigan U.S. Senate Race

June 29, 2024June 28, 2024 The Center Square

Foreign policy is an infrequent subject in U.S. Senate campaigns. In Michigan’s Senate election, however, tough talk on the Chinese Communist Party is growing on the campaign trail.

Michigan, a key swing state in 2024’s general elections, will vote this year to elect a successor to retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Though the primary election is Aug. 6, the race has crystallized around Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers – the leading candidates for their parties’ nominations – who have both attacked the CCP with a frequency unusual among this year’s Senate campaigns.