7 Things: The economy retracted last quarter but Biden isn’t so sure, no debates in Alabama’s U.S. Senate or contested congressional race and more …

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April 29, 2022

7. Accused cop killer pleads not guilty

Brian Lansing Martin is the accused murderer of Sheffield police Sargent Nick Risner, and he’s currently facing three charges of capital murder, two charges of attempted murder, two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one charge of a felon in possession of a firearm.
It’s now been reported that Martin has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to all of the charges that he faces. Martin had been imprisoned for the murder of his father, to which he pleaded guilty, but was released after serving only three years of his 10-year sentence.

6. Coronavirus was still a leading cause of death in 2021

It’s been announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the third leading cause of death in the country for 2021 was the coronavirus. The only other leading causes of death ranked higher were heart disease and cancer.
In 2021, there was a higher rate of deaths from the coronavirus than in 2020, according to the data. In 2021, about one in eight deaths were from the coronavirus, while it was about one in 10 in 2020. As expected, the death rate was the highest among those 85 years and older, while it was the lowest among those 1-14-years-old.

5. Parents are not going to vaccinate their kids

As much as the pharmaceutical companies may want to have a vaccine for children 5 and under, the demand doesn’t really seem to be there. Last October only 37% of parents were willing to say yes to vaccines for 5 to 11-year-olds. In February, the Kaiser Family Foundation poll was worse for the vaccine with only 21% of parents of children under age 5 saying they will “get them vaccinated right away”
Not only is the demand lacking, but the results are also less than enthralling. According to Moderna themselves, the two-dose vaccine was about 51% effective against infection from the Omicron variant in children under 2 years old and about 37% effective among 2 to 5-year-old kids. That doesn’t seem very effective.

4. Biden wants $33 billion for Ukraine

In an effort to help Ukraine and ensure security in Europe, President Joe Biden has asked Congress to provide $33 billion to the country currently fighting an invasion from Russia. Biden said the funds were “for critical security, economic humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine continue to counter Putin’s aggression.”
Biden went on to say, “We either back Ukrainian people as they defend their country, or we stand by as the Russians continue their atrocities and aggression in Ukraine. Every day, every day, the Ukrainians pay the price and the price they pay with their lives for this fight, so we need to contribute arms funding, ammunition and the economic support to make their courage and sacrifice have purpose so they can continue this fight and do what they are doing.”

3. Of course Ivey’s opponents don’t like her poll numbers

Gubernatorial candidate Lew Burdette recently said that the latest polling data released by Governor Kay Ivey’s reelection campaign and conducted by the Tarrance Group is “100% bogus.”
The results of the poll showed Ivey in the lead with 57%. Burdette recently said, “There’s no way she’s at 57%. That’s a 100% bogus internal poll, and the question that I hear across the state is, ‘How far can she fall? How low can she go in the polls?’ The only one that matters is on May 24, and I think there’s going to be a big surprise.”

2. No debates, but voters probably don’t care

There will apparently be no debates when it comes to the U.S. Senate race and North Alabama’s fifth congressional district. Both races have frontrunners who have calculated that the debate is an unnecessary risk.
In the congressional race, Madison County Commission chairman Dale Strong said he has debated all of his opponents already and turned down a televised debate with WHNT-TV in Huntsville. In the Senate race, Mike Durant finally rejected a debate after falsely alleging Katie Britt wouldn’t do the debate. That isn’t true because Britt did say she would debate but only if Durant is there. Brooks agreed to debate Britt and/or Durant. The organizers said that they would host a debate with any variation of candidates.

1. Economy falters while President Biden touts “enormous growth”

The American economy took a step backward in the first quarter of 2022, and the Gross Domestic Product retracted 1.4%. Consumer and business spending was actually pretty strong, but the cracks are starting to show with imports up 17.7% and exports down 5.9%.
With inflation and higher energy costs taking a toll, this has accelerated since the quarter ended, and increases to interest rates are coming to fight a self-inflicted inflationary wound. When asked about the GDP slippage, President Joe Biden inexplicably declared, “I think we’re—what you’re seeing is enormous growth in the country that was affected by everything from COVID and the COVID blockages that occurred along the way.” He followed this with, “Now, you always have to be, take a look and, no one is predicting a recession now. They’re predicting there—some are predicting there may be a recession in 2023. I’m concerned about it.” Totally clear.