Michigan Raises The Minimum Wage
Under pressure, GOP governor of Michigan signs minimum wage hike. AP: "Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Tuesday to raise the state’s minimum wage by 25 percent gradually over the next four years to $9.25 an hour, as Republicans controlling the state government moved to head off a November ballot measure that could have raised pay even more."
"Concentrated Markets Take Big Toll on Economy" says NYT's Eduardo Porter: "The excess profits companies can extract from their customers when they face little or no competition — known to economists as 'rents' — may be deepening income inequality, Professor Stiglitz and others have argued. The evidence shows up in fatter corporate bottom lines and a rising share of national income that goes to profits."
Climate Regs To Give States Flexibility
Upcoming climate regs will complement regional cap-and-trade networks still in place. Politico: "Nine Northeastern states already take part in a regional trading network that puts an economic price on their power plants’ carbon output, while California has a carbon trading system that is linked with Quebec. The Northeastern states saw their power plants’ carbon emissions drop more than 40 percent from 2005 to 2012 ... Those ranks could grow because of EPA’s upcoming climate regulation, which is expected to give states wide latitude..."
Fossil fuel industry gears up attack. Reuters: "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will release a report Wednesday analyzing the effect the yet-to-be-announced regulations will have on the economy. Coal industry lobbyists say the new rules will probably raise household electricity costs, prompt power brown-outs during heat waves and cold snaps, and destroy jobs at coal mines and manufacturing plants ... The National Mining Association ... has spent $1 million on a radio and digital campaign in five states depicting shocked consumers opening expensive electricity bills."
Coal company's dire predictions of the impact from Obama's regulations proved wrong. AP: "Faced with cutting sulfur dioxide pollution blowing into downwind states by 80 percent in less than a year, lawyers for EME Homer City Generation L.P. sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block the rule, saying it would cause it grave harm and bring a painful spike in electricity bills. None of those dire predictions came to pass. Instead, the massive western Pennsylvania power plant is expected in a few years to turn from one of the worst polluters in the country to a model for how coal-fired power plants can slash pollution."
Obama Gives GOP The Summer To Pass Immigration
Obama delays deportation review to give GOP time to pass immigration reform. W. Post: "Obama instructed Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to continue his review, but the results will not be announced before lawmakers take their summer recess in August, officials said. The White House is concerned that Republicans would balk if the administration takes unilateral action to stem the deportation of undocumented immigrants, ending any slim remaining hopes of a legislative compromise."
Advocate community divided. NYT: "'During this interim, we strongly urge President Obama and his administration to allow for this process to take place before issuing administrative action,' several advocacy groups said in a statement on Tuesday. 'We believe the president should move cautiously and give the House leadership all of the space they may need to bring legislation to the floor for a vote.' But leaders of immigrant youth groups said they were outraged ... 'Now they want us to cater to the Republicans’ strategy of death-by-delay for immigration reform and continue to put our families at risk,' said Lorella Praeli, a leader of United We Dream ..."
"Is John Boehner Putting on a Show for Pro-Immigration Reform Donors?" asks TNR's Brian Beutler: "...the GOP's big business supporters wanted Republican leaders to pass an immigration reform bill after the 2012 elections, and Republican leaders needed to keep GOP donors satisfied with their losing near-term investment ... like an executive projecting optimism ahead of a disappointing earnings report, Boehner can't just admit that he's given up completely and grown complacent."
