The Daily Valet. - 10/2/23, Monday
✔️ We're Still Here ...
Monday, October 2nd Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
It’s a new week, and new month … let’s make it happen.
Today’s Big Story
We Still Have a Functioning Government
But the republican party’s far-right is angry over the compromise with Democrats that keeps THE U.S. funded
I'm sure you've heard by now, but over the weekend—with just hours to spare, House Republicans and Democrats struck a surprise deal to fund the government and avert a shutdown that would've inflicted economic pain on millions of American families. It quickly passed through the Senate and President Biden immediately signed the bill. He praised Congress for bipartisan support in both chambers, but also criticized House Republicans for refusing to collaborate with Democrats until the last possible minute.“This is good news for the American people,” he told reporters. “But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place.” Of course, we might be back in the same position later next month. The bill will keep the government open through November 17 and includes natural disaster aid but no additional funding for Ukraine or border security.These short-term funding bills, known as continuing resolutions, are designed to buy more time for the House and Senate to finish fuller funding legislation. But McCarthy's decision to put a bill on the floor that would win support from Democrats could now put his speakership at risk.Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz has been threatening for weeks to start the procedural motions to try to remove McCarthy from the speakership if he brought a continuing resolution to the floor—especially one that relied on Democratic votes to pass. Gaetz told CNN's “State of the Union” on Sunday that he plans to introduce a measure to remove McCarthy sometime this week. Once he does so, the House will have 48 hours to vote on the matter.And while some House Democrats on Sunday also signaled their support to expel McCarthy, Gaetz doesn't exactly have full support and Fox News reports that he could be looking at expulsion himself. Of course, as NPR points out, McCarthy wouldn't be in this position had he not agreed to far-right demands to change House rules to make it easier for a single member to offer a resolution to remove him from office. But without that concession, McCarthy may not have been able to secure the gavel after 15 long rounds of voting at the start of the Congress in January.
FYI:
This would've been the fourth government shutdown in 10 years. That's frequent enough that polls show that Americans are starting to treat them as routine events rather than crises.
Student Loan Payments Resume
After three years, the debt landscape has changed
More than 45 million Americans with federal student loan debt have had a financial reprieve for more than three years as a pandemic-era repayment pause was extended multiple times since March 2020. But that pause has officially ended and billing will resume this month.Experts are now warning of a messy return to debt repayment for the borrowers who collectively owe more than $1.6 trillion in loans—all while struggling with nagging inflation and rising interest rates. According to Axios, the return of another monthly payment will hurt Americans with student loan debt who tend to be younger, have lower incomes and already spend a higher share of their income on day-to-day expenses.But while President Biden's original attempt to cancel student debt for tens of millions of borrowers was killed by the Supreme Court in June, Investopedia says the White House has made smaller changes to the way student loans are repaid in an effort to help financially stretched borrowers: “The administration reduced how fast interest can pile up on loans and gave borrowers a one-year 'on-ramp' period in which late payments won't be reported to credit bureaus and delinquent loans won't be put into default or collections.”
FYI:
To avoid missing billing statements or due dates, borrowers should log into the Education Department's website to make sure their information is up to date.
Going to the Airport, Without a Flight
The phrase “the airport as a mall" will make any frequent flyer shudder
Going to the airport can be a trying experience for a myriad of reasons. So it's surprising that anyone would want to go to one when they're not actually flying anywhere. But apparently, more airports are trying to tempt locals into visiting the shops and restaurants in their terminals without all the hassle of actually flying somewhere.According to the Wall Street Journal, cities now offer up day passes to airports, which they say are “selling the airport as a mall.” And there are, in fact, people who want to slog through security, pay extra for pricey food and then try to sit in crowded seating areas where travelers are always jockeying to charge some device before takeoff.Orlando International Airport is one of the first to get in on the action and so far, over 1,000 people have made their way through the airport with no destination in mind. I mean, as a kid I was obsessed with planes (and kinda still am), so I could see just wanting to sit and watch the planes take off, but I doubt I could've convinced my parents to take me. Then again, the pull of that duty-free shopping can be a nice incentive.
Meanwhile:
There's a new global entry app for U.S. Customs. Here's what to know about the rollout, including where to use it.
Secret WWII Tunnels to Open to the Public
A subterranean space once used by British spies could become a go-to spot for London visitors
In other travel news, plans have been revealed for what promises to be London's most spectacular underground tourist attraction ever: the $268 million transformation of a mile-long series of World War II tunnels into a destination that's part museum, and part glitzy, immersive experience.The tunnels, located deep beneath Chancery Lane tube station, were built in the 1940s to shelter Londoners from the Blitz bombing, then they housed MI6's top-secret operations (which is said to have inspired the underground "Q Branch" in the James Bond series), and later housed the first Transatlantic telephone cable (the 'hotline' between The White House and the Kremlin) during the Cold War.With architects Wilkinson-Eyre on board, the plan is to restore some of the original tunnels while adding in historical exhibits and opening the “deepest licensed bar” in London—a restaurant with mock windows and a recreational room with snooker tables. And no doubt serving some very special martinis.
In Other News
They’re back and taking up some familiar topics—guns and abortion—along with free speech.
Former President Jimmy Carter Turns 99 at Home With Rosalynn and Other Family as Tributes Come From Around the World
Have you heard about ...
The Long Read
Enough with Boomer nostalgia for shiny chrome and mad speed ... Let’s celebrate other old automobiles
As part of the process of septuagenarians and octogenarians yielding room for later generations in the great American McMansion, space in the garage should be made for the fuel-efficient foreign cars (Hondas, Toyotas, etc.) that those who, like me, came of age in ’80s and ’90s can consider classics.”
- By Rich Cohen
Read It:
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
A rugby shirt
We didn't see this one coming. But it makes sense ... Brendon Babenzien (J.Crew's creative director) and Chris Gibbs (owner of Union LA) are longtime friends. And the two teamed up to design a capsule collection that Babenzien says “reflects the overlap of our respective brand DNA.” There's a lot to like, but we're definitely sold on the rugby ($128)—a twisted take on a preppy classic. The pattern on the shirt is “pieced”, with individual pieces of fabric meticulously cut to size and sewn together in colorblocks. You'll notice the craftsmanship in the distinct seams between colors.
Want more?
The five stylish items you should buy this week.
Morning Motto
Let’s make ’em count.
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