Nov 24, 2018

Remember free college? Here's why you're hearing less about it

Sanders speaks at a rally for then-Senate candidate Jacky Rosen in October. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty

The Wall Street Journal has a good catch on Democrats' promises during the 2018 midterms: they've quietly backed away from proposing free college, an idea that caught fire with progressive voters when Sen. Bernie Sanders ran on it in his 2016 presidential campaign.

Between the lines: The idea has faded away because Democratic strategists concluded it wouldn't help them win back white blue-collar voters, per the WSJ. As Democratic pollster Celinda Lake said, "“People don’t think it should just be free. People think there should be some responsibility." (Sanders says he's sticking with his plan.)

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Netanyahu says July 1 deadline for West Bank annexation won't change

Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday at a Likud Party faction meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, that his July 1 deadline for starting the process of annexation in the West Bank will not change, according to people in attendance.

Why it matters: The White House and the State Department have stressed over the last few weeks that the deadline set by Netanyahu is "not sacred" to the Trump administration — and that any discussion of annexation needs to be in the context of renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow2 hours ago - World

Trump threatens to move Republican convention from North Carolina if capacity reduced

President Trump on stage during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Ohio. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

President Trump threatened in a series of Monday tweets to move this summer's Republican National Convention from Charlotte if North Carolina's Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, doesn't allow the event to be held at full capacity.

The state of play: Mandy Cohen, the state's health and human services secretary, said last week that the GOP should "plan for the worst" as mass gatherings will be a "very big challenge" if the number of coronavirus cases in the state continues to increase, per NPR.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

The wreckage of summer

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

We usually think of Memorial Day as the start of the summer, with all of the fun and relaxation that goes with it — but this one is just going to remind us of all of the plans that have been ruined by the coronavirus.

Why it matters: If you thought it was stressful to be locked down during the spring, just wait until everyone realizes that all the traditional summer activities we've been looking forward to are largely off-limits this year.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow5 hours ago - Economy & Business