Jan 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Michael Bennet releases $6 trillion "Real Deal" plan

Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) has released his "Real Deal" — a $6 trillion plan that addresses universal pre-K, housing and Medicare, AP reports.

The big picture: Other 2020 candidates, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have released sweeping plans and continue to poll at the top while Bennet has failed to qualify for a primary debate since July.

Bennet has argued large proposals about free college or single-payer health care would never pass Congress.

How it works: Bennet said he would pay for his plan by repealing many of President Trump's tax cuts and by increasing taxes with his "smart wealth tax."

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect the fact that Bennet's plan focuses on Medicare (not Medicaid) and that he has previously criticized single-payer health care (not universal).

Go deeper: Michael Bennet on the issues, in under 500 words

Go deeper

Updated 12 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 12,009,301 — Total deaths: 548,799 — Total recoveries — 6,561,969 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 3,053,328 — Total deaths: 132,256 — Total recoveries: 953,420 — Total tested: 37,532,612 — Map.
Public health: Houston mayor cancels Republican convention over coronavirus concerns — Deaths are rising in hotspots — Déjà vu sets in as testing issues rise and PPE dwindles.
Travel: United warns employees it may furlough 45% of U.S. workforce — How the pandemic changed mobility habits, by state.
Education: New York City schools will not fully reopen in fall — Harvard and MIT sue Trump administration over rule barring foreign students from online classes.
🎧 Podcast: A misinformation "infodemic" is here.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

Photo: Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

Go deeper (1 min. read)

5 hours ago - Health

Fighting the coronavirus infodemic

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

An "infodemic" of misinformation and disinformation has helped cripple the response to the novel coronavirus.

Why it matters: High-powered social media accelerates the spread of lies and political polarization that motivates people to believe them. Unless the public health sphere can effectively counter misinformation, not even an effective vaccine may be enough to end the pandemic.

Go deeper (3 min. read)