PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

A budget proposal that would offer tax breaks for families as well as lower health costs and potentially cut the federal deficit was proposed by President Joe Biden on Monday.

How would he pay for it? By raising taxes on the wealthy and on big corporations. 

Biden’s proposal – according to the White House – would cut the federal deficit by over $3 trillion over a decade.

In theory it would bring in an additional $4.9 trillion during that time and use nearly $2 billion of that for some programs, with the balance to pay down the deficit.

In Manchester, New Hampshire  he called on Congress to extend a $2000 cap on drug costs and $35 on insulin beyond just Medicare patients.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) issued a statement in which he called Biden’s plan “a glaring reminder of this Administration’s insatiable appetite for reckless spending.”

Republicans move to pressure TikTok

TIKTOK

TikTok, a popular but controversial mobile app, has become the target of a bill from Republicans in the House of Representatives. The legislation would require the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell it or be banned in the United States.

Security officials in the U.S. and other Western countries have suggested that TikTok is used by the Chinese government for intelligence gathering and possibly cyberattacks.

Complicating the politics are statements by President Joe Biden that he would sign such a bill if passed, and opposition to it by former president Donald Trump who said that “a lot of young kids … will go crazy without it” and such a move would help Facebook, which he considers an “enemy of the people.

So far, the app has been downloaded over 2 billion times.

Weather: Things are warming up

A hint of true spring is coming to our West Orange County area this week. The forecast is for a bit of sun and daytime temps in the 70s. Tuesday should be partly cloudy with a daytime high of 67 with an overnight low of 52. Wednesday will be slightly warmer with a high of 72 (52) and sunny skies. Partly cloudy conditions will follow on Thursday with a high of 70 (50).