Here’s a selection of articles the Federal Relations team is reading this week.
Anti Trump – As the campaign trail gets evermore hostile in rhetoric, House Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to convey a different type of Republican party during the election season. Read more in The Washington Post.
Blame Canada – Presidential candidate and Senator, Ted Cruz (R-TX), was thrown for a loop as leading presidential candidate Donald Trump asserted that Cruz can not be eligible for the presidency because he is not a natural citizen (he was born in Canada to an American mom and Cuban dad). It has derailed the Cruz campaign this week, which was neck and neck with Trump. What’s more it’s possibly true — he can’t be president because what “natural born citizen” means is murky. Read more in The Hill.
Ch-ch-changes – From Obama’s first State of the Union to his last, Congress has drastically changed and here are the five biggest differences. Read more in The Washington Post.
Last Lift – A different take on the last State of the Union address from an Obama alumnus. Read it at The New Yorker.
No Relief – The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by an unemployed Wisconsin man who owes more than $260,000 in student-loan debt from business and law school. The appeal would have opened up a decades-old law that prohibits Americans with taxpayer-backed student loans from canceling that debt in bankruptcy unless they can prove they face an “undue hardship,” a vague phrase that has led to uneven interpretations in the courts. A 2005 law extended the prohibition to nonfederal student loans. Read more in The Wall Street Journal.
Point, Counter Point – In an increasing politically fractioned world, you should take time to understand those who have differing opinions. Read about it at Medium.
Bowie Bonds – David Bowie, the legendary musician and performer, died this week. While his legacy is hugely impacting, what’s little known is his impact on the market. In 1997, he became the first artist to package and securitize the rights to his future royalties dubbed as Bowie Bonds. Read more in Forbes.
Ultimate Gentrification – As Sesame Street moves from PBS to HBO, the series will have some changes. Big Bird will live in a tree. Oscar the Grouch now has a recycling and compost bins. The series will focus more clearly on Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster, Rosita with fewer appearances by the rest of the cast and celebrities as well as fewer parodies. Read more in The New York Times.