U.S. SUPREME COURT building in Washington, D.C.

Can former president Donald Trump be kept off the ballot in the presidential primary elections this spring? The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to settle the matter. 

Two states – Maine and Colorado – have already decided that Trump can be banned based on a constitutional prohibition on holding public office by anyone committing “insurrection.” While he is facing insurrection charges, he has not been convicted.

Trump is accused of acting to attempt to block the inauguration of Joe Biden as president by falsely claiming widespread voter fraud and by urging supporters to “fight like hell” as Congress met on Jan. 6, 2021 to certify the results of the 2020 election.

The resulting attack by his supporters on the Capitol building led to six deaths and hundreds of arrests and convictions.

Six of the nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican presidents; three were chosen by Trump.

U.S. labor market stays strong

HIRING remained strong in December across the U.S. (Shutterstock).

Employees across the United States added 216,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate remained at an historically low 3.7 percent.

Friday’s report from the Labor Department showed that new jobs came in higher than the 173,000 jobs added in November.

Four percent unemployment has long been considered “full employment,” and the jobless rate has been below that for 23 months in a row.

However, rising prices – fueled in part by rising wages – appear to be influencing the public’s opinion on the economy A recent poll showed that roughly two-thirds of those surveyed described the economy as “poor.”

Court will consider Idaho abortion ban

ABORTION laws in question (Shutterstock).

Idaho’s strict ban on abortion will be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court, it was announced on Friday. As part of that decision, the court agreed to reinstate the law, which allowed for virtually no exceptions.

The decision overrules a federal trial judge’s decision.

The law in question has an exception for abortions needed to save a women’s life, but not just threats to her health. The trial judge ruled that the Idaho law conflicts with federal law requiring that hospitals that received Medicare funding provide emergency room treatment to stabilize patients’ conditions.

NRA chief resigns as trial begins

Faced with accusations of using the National Rifle Association’s funds as a “personal piggy bank,” NRA Chief Executive Officer Wayne LaPierre announced his retirement on Friday.

“I will never stop supporting the NBA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom,” he said in a statement.

In the lawsuit originally filed in 2020 by the New York Attorney General’s office, LaPierre and three other NRA leaders allegedly used the non-profit organization’s funds to pay for expensive trips and other luxuries. LaPierre has been leader of the NRA for other 30 years and it has grown in membership and political influence as it battles gun control laws at the local, state and federal levels.

Weather:  Sunny days ahead, mostly

Winters are pretty mild in our West Orange County area. There’s proof in the weather forecast for the next few days. Saturday should have mostly sunny skies with a daytime high of 65 and an overnight low of 48, Sunday will be slightly cooler with partly cloudy skies and a high of 63 (40). Sunny skies return on Monday with a high of 63 with a low of 41. Tuesday should be mostly sunny with a high of 66 and a low of 49.