March 20—Major chip manufacturer Intel has announced plans to invest $100 billion in new plants in the U.S., including a facility near Columbus, Ohio, that Intel CEO says will be the "largest chip manufacturing site in the world." The investments follow on a $19.5 billion commitment from the U.S. government under the Biden-sponsored CHIPS Act, a law designed to spur domestic manufacture of these components vital to both the national economy and national security but now being produced largely in Asia. Other major sites will be in New Mexico, Oregon and Arizona.

March 18—Using new authority stemming from the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act of 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency has enacted a comprehensive ban on asbestos, extending a 1989 ban that was substantially overruled by a U.S. Court of Appeals in 1991. The new ban covers chrysotile asbestos, the only form of the chemical still widely used in the United States in brake linings, gaskets and in the manufacture of chlorine bleach and caustic soda.

March 11—President Biden's recently announced budget plan seeks to reduce the worrisome federal debt the social democratic way—by raising taxes on the wealthy—as opposed to the Republican way: slash the social safety net. The Biden plan, not likely to be adopted by the current Congress, would add nearly $5 billion in new revenues over the next 10 years.

March 8—President Biden laid out several social democratic policy proposals in last night's State of the Union Address. These include a $400 per month tax credit to help qualifying Americans purchase a home and a solid plan to counter federal debt with substantive new taxes on the super rich and corporations. Get analysis from Reuters, ABC or the Washington Post, or read the full transcript of the speech at AP News.

March 5—An AP News-NORC Center poll brings disturbing news for Democrats: 63% of respondents "lack confidence" in Biden's "mental capability to serve effectively as president."

March 4—The Supreme Court has issued a ruling on Colorado's effort to disqualify Donald Trump from the presidential ballot in their state on the grounds that he participated in an insurrection against the government of the United States. The Court ruled that the relevant clause in the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment can only be invoked by Congress, not states.

March 4—Social media trolls in the service of the Russian state are producing bogus posts designed to exagerate the U.S. border crisis and produce anger at President Biden. The goal: to increase the odds that Donald Trump, a Putin admirer and a weak supporter of our European allies and the beleaguered Ukraine, is elected in November.

March 4—Following a ballot measure in 2020, Oregon embarked on a novel and, in TSD's view, noble experiment in decriminalizing the simple possession of psychoative substances. Unfortunately, the state did not construct the treatment infrastructure capable of providing an alternative, and a steep upsurge in addiction, overdose deaths and public using have forced even Democrats in Oregon's legislature to sign on to a Republican bill to again criminalize possession. On the bright side, the goal is still to force addicts into treatment: the bill provides for jail sentences, but these can be voided if the user agrees to treatment. The bill still awaits the signature of Oregon governor Tina Kotek. The TSD hopes this is a bump in the road toward treating substance abuse and addiction as a health, and not a criminal, problem.

February 29—Mitch McConnell, senator from Kentucky and acting senate minority leader, has announced that he will not seek reelection in November. Though no friend of social democracy, McConnell has been seen as a bulwark against the furthest right wing of Trump loyalists in Congress. This Reuters article considers the implications.

February 29—The Supreme Court has announced that it will hear Donald Trump's argument that actions he took to overturn the 2020 election are protected by presidential immunity. Arguments have been set for April 22 (Reuters article). A Guardian analysis piece (second link) calls the Court's move a victory for Trump, as he attempts to delay standing trial until after the November elections.

February 28—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced a new round of funding to solve an old problem: hazardous waste sites identified in the 1980 Superfund program. The commitment represents the third tranche of funds from the Biden administration's 2021 infrastructure bill. TSD applauds social democracy in action!

February 26—An analysis from the National Association for Business Economics finds the U.S. economy in surprisingly robust shape, with experts surveyed for the study predicting growth of 2.2% for 2024, up from the group's November prediction of 1.3%. A key question for America's future is whether such evidence of the Biden administration's excellent economic management can break through the barrage of misinformation being fed to voters through right-wing news channels.

February 26—American consumers are expressing their dissatisfaction with price-gouging by switching to off-label brands, foregoing other items and buying used cars. Goods producers are getting the message and moderating price increases.

February 19—Both the United States and the European Union have imposed a sweeping new round of sanctions on the Russian regime of Vladim Putin, raising the cost of the dictator's ruthless and unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine (first article). Meanwhile direct U.S. military aid to the beleaguered nation is being held hostage to the far-right minority in the House of Representatives and speaker Mike Johnson (second article).

February 19—President Biden has announced a new round of student debt relief for the subset of borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education repayment plan.