The Cozen Lens-
• Amidst a narrowly divided electorate and election of an aging president, the VP may buck history and actually matter on this year’s ballot.
• Congress’ effort to pass a bipartisan tax bill this year is a...more
In today's special 7th anniversary episode, Michael Schmidt brings back his inaugural and annual guest, Howard Schweitzer, to discuss the current state of politics in this election year and the impact on employers....more
The Cozen Lens -
• Michigan was a reliably blue state in national elections for much of the last 30 years until former President Trump broke through the “blue wall” in 2016. Although President Biden won the state in 2020, he...more
The Cozen Lens-
• A second term for former President Trump would mean the return of his “America First” foreign policy, including its resulting geopolitical uncertainty.
• President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping...more
1/24/2024
/ China ,
Donald Trump ,
Geopolitical Risks ,
International Trade ,
Israel ,
Joe Biden ,
NATO ,
Political Candidates ,
Presidential Elections ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Deficit ,
Ukraine
The Cozen Lens-
• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is out to prove that his ungovernable caucus is capable of governing.
• Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan and Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan...more
The Cozen Lens-
• On the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, both Democrats and Republicans argue that democracy is under threat, but from distinctly different perspectives.
• Both parties...more
The Cozen Lens-
• As James Carville quipped in 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid.” This likely still holds true for 2024.
• Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s (R-SC) campaign for the GOP presidential nomination...more
12/13/2023
/ Big Tech ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Credit Cards ,
Data Protection ,
Digital Wallets ,
Donald Trump ,
Federal Budget ,
FinTech ,
Government Shutdown ,
Joe Biden ,
Late Fees ,
Payment Processors ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Presidential Elections ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Recessions
The Cozen Lens-
•Republicans have been talking a big game about repealing the Inflation Reduction Act in its entirety but actually going through with it will be more difficult.
•Non-defense spending is poised to be hit...more
12/6/2023
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Appropriations Bill ,
Border Security ,
Budget Cuts ,
Congressional Budget Office ,
Federal Budget ,
Governor DeSantis ,
Governor Newsom ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Pentagon ,
Political Candidates ,
Political Parties
The Cozen Lens-
•President Biden and the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee, former President Trump, both have high unfavorability ratings, setting up next year’s election as a choice between the lesser of two...more
The Cozen Lens -
• More focus has been on former President Trump’s chances of winning in 2024 than on what a second Trump term would look like.
• While Democrats did very well in last week’s elections, it remains to be...more
The Cozen Lens-
• The election of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has set off a fight within the House Republican conference as members from different factions jockey to become the affable new speaker’s influential...more
The Cozen Lens-
The MAGA movement is more than just former President Trump, though he still holds great sway. MAGA faces its first major governing test beyond the Trump administration after the election of Speaker Mike...more
11/1/2023
/ China ,
Donald Trump ,
Export Controls ,
FOMC ,
Joe Biden ,
Presidential Elections ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Price Inflation ,
Speaker of the House ,
Supply Chain ,
U.S. Commerce Department
The Cozen Lens-
• The fight over the House speakership reveals how the combination of House Republicans’ narrow majority and fractious conference prevents them from accomplishing much for the remainder of 2023.
• The...more
10/25/2023
/ Electric Vehicles ,
Hamas ,
Highway Trust Fund ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Israel ,
Joe Biden ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Political Parties ,
Registration Fees ,
Speaker of the House ,
Tax Credits ,
Terrorist Acts
The Cozen Lens-
What role the United States should play in today’s unstable world is a legitimate debate to have, but to be able to provide any form of leadership abroad, the US needs to be able to demonstrate a certain...more
10/18/2023
/ China ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
Donald Trump ,
Geopolitical Risks ,
Government Shutdown ,
Iran ,
Israel ,
Joe Biden ,
NAACP ,
Political Parties ,
SCOTUS ,
Speaker of the House ,
State Attorneys General ,
Ukraine ,
Voting Rights Act
The Cozen Lens-
• The disarray in the House GOP conference has political benefits for Democrats, at least in the short term, but it could also have a significant impact on FY24 discretionary spending, which could result in...more
10/12/2023
/ Donald Trump ,
Gas Prices ,
Joe Biden ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mortgages ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Parties ,
Presidential Elections ,
Price Inflation ,
Speaker of the House ,
Strike ,
UAW
The Cozen Lens-
• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made it through the shutdown showdown but has perpetually been at risk of losing his gavel. The best thing he has going for him though is that any successor might have...more
The Cozen Lens-
• Every presidential election is hyped as being the “most consequential.” But given the contrasts between what a Biden and Trump second term would look like, this description very well could prove to be...more
The Cozen Lens-
• President Biden’s and former President Trump’s reactions to the United Auto Workers strike against the Big Three automakers underscores that neither political party can take the support of blue-collar...more
9/19/2023
/ America First Trade Policy ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Automotive Industry ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Donald Trump ,
Federal Reserve ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Foreign Policy ,
Governor DeSantis ,
Joe Biden ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRB ,
Political Candidates ,
Presidential Elections ,
Price Inflation ,
Strike ,
UAW ,
Ukraine ,
Unions
The Cozen Lens-
• Members of Congress have returned to Washington with a lengthy to-do list. Most pressing is appropriations given the potential for a government shutdown at the end of this month. Lawmakers will address...more
9/13/2023
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Dear Colleague Letter ,
Debt Ceiling ,
Government Agencies ,
Government Shutdown ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Medicare ,
NDAA ,
Political Candidates ,
Political Parties ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Presidential Elections ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Cozen Lens-
• The 2024 presidential race is taking shape with the first GOP presidential debate next month and primaries just over six months away. But many voters aren’t interested in the race yet, probably due to the...more
The Cozen Lens-
•After feeling like they lost out in House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) debt limit deal with President Biden, the House GOP’s right flank aims for major cuts in FY24 government funding. This stance raises...more
The Cozen Lens-
•There remains high bipartisan interest in creating a regulatory framework for digital assets in the US as both the House Financial Services Committee and House Agriculture Committee intend to mark up a...more
7/13/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data Privacy ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Services Committee ,
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Proxy Voting ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins
The Cozen Lens-
•Former President Trump and the eponymous Trumpism may still be front-and-center, but no less consequential for voters, the economy is the fate of a new eponym in the DC zeitgeist: Bidenomics.
•Interest in...more
The second indictment against former President Trump this year may be the talk of the town, but has done little to change the political or governing dynamics in DC.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) successfully kept...more
The culture wars continue to present a challenge for corporate America, resulting in diminished influence of the “Chamber of Commerce” business perspective in Washington. But the bipartisan legislative successes of the past...more