Financial analysts are warning that the ongoing federal shutdown could have dire consequences for the national economy. As federal workers go without pay and government contractors are losing revenue, any first-quarter economic growth could be lost. The shutdown could also deal a blow to consumer confidence and business investment, Wall Street analysts worry. Trade battles and slowed international growth had already raised questions about the direction the U.S. economy would head in 2019. And the shutdown is only increasing the sense of pessimism. “It can get exponentially worse in very unpredictable ways, from government workers quitting, to strikes, to companies not going public. It’s no longer just a political sideshow, it’s a real recession risk,” Torsten Slok, chief international economist at Deutsche Bank, said. [Politico]
Happy Thursday.
Topping the news: In Iron County, a committee was appointed to review Cedar High School’s controversial “Redmen” mascot. Ultimately, the committee voted 17-7 to recommend that the school to choose a new mascot. The decision was propelled forward in large part by students speaking out against racism and sharing their discomfort towards the mascot. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> The Utah Transit Authority is rolling back the large retirement perks they’d begun offering to executives within the agency. A three person board assembled by the Legislature to oversee the agency voted to eliminate the perks. Top executives will no longer receive a $7 match for each $3 they put towards retirement funds; instead all UTA employees will receive $2 for every $3 saved. Former North Ogden mayor Brent Taylor who was recently killed in Afghanistan was in favor of the change. [Trib]
-> A Utah representative filed a bill aimed at banning abortions after 15 weeks, rather than the current 20. [Fox13] [ABC4] [KUTV]
Tweets of the day: @davidfrum: “If Trump now reopens Govt, he visibly surrenders to Pelosi. If Trump keeps Govt closed, he bleeds support faster. Workers miss next paycheck, air travel delays, govt services fail, and economy stalls. Trump built the trap and walked into it. Pelosi just locked it behind him.”
-> @michaeljknowles: “Just went through airport security. The TSA agent turned to me, tears in his eyes, and said, ‘Chuck Schumer, Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton, even Barack Obama, among many other Democrats, voted for the Wall in 2006. Why won’t they support it now and end the shutdown?’ I cried.”
-> @RashidaTlaib: “So hard going through the airport today. I looked into the eyes of our workers who deserve better. A TSA officer said: ‘Don’t stop fighting. Keep it up.’ I broke down & felt the weight of the responsibility on me. I will never become numb to the human impact. We must end this.”
-> @Pappiness: “42,000 active-duty Coast Guard members missed their scheduled paycheck today, but at least Trump made sure football players don’t disrespect them by kneeling during the national anthem.”
-> @brianschatz: “(Trying to decide whether or not to retweet the Cardi B video)”
In other news: In wake of police charging the co-owner of the Utah Gun Exchange for intending to distribute marijuana, a member of the Utah Patients Coalition, a pro medical cannabis group, is calling for leniency. [Trib]
-> Opinions varied at a public hearing hosted in Springville Wednesday night about the latest draft of Utah’s public health education standards, particularly regarding the section on sex education. [Trib]
-> The Utah Shooting Sports Council chairman filed a lawsuit challenging the bump stock ban announced last month, claiming that it is unconstitutional. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is administering February food stamps early because of the prolonged federal government shutdown. Impacted Utah families will have to use the stamps sparingly because they won’t receive any more throughout February. [Trib] [DNews]
-> After about two weeks of testimony, former Utah State University football player Torrey Green’s sexual assault trial is expected to have closing arguments Thursday morning. [Trib] [DNews] [KSL]
-> Salt Lake City Council is holding a public hearing on Jan. 22 to consider renaming a section of Hidden Hollow Natural Area in honor of the late Ty Harrison. Harrison was a biology professor at Westminster College and fierce proponent of land conservation. [Trib]
-> During a Pioneer Park Coalition meeting, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said he expects Utah’s Medicaid expansion initiative to continue forward as planned despite talk amongst lawmakers regarding delaying or effectively repealing the program. [Trib]
-> U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams was forced to reschedule two upcoming town hall meetings to accommodate upcoming House votes. [Trib] [DNews] [KSL]
-> A progressive group of podcasters called Pod Save America is coming to speak in Utah on July 18. The date will be their 28th stop in a nationwide tour. [Trib]
-> Columnist Robert Gehrke wrote about the federal government shutdown messing with his daughter’s trip to Washington, D.C., then pivots to its effects on the rest of the country. Additionally, he implores the Utah’s two senators to set aside partisan bickering and find a solution. [Trib]
-> Referencing the Gillette commercial that went viral Sunday, Pat Bagley illustrates a hairy, disheveled man standing by a bed while his wife looks on. The cartoon is called ‘Toxic Masculinity’ and is accompanied with the words “Honey, in your case ‘toxic masculinity’ applies until you shower.” [Trib]
Nationally: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi penned a letter to President Donald Trump advising him to push back the State of the Union address unless the government reopens within the week. As an alternative, Pelosi said Trump could consider giving the Jan. 29 address in writing. [WaPost] [NYTimes] [Politico]
-> A suicide bomber in Syria killed 19 people on Wednesday, four of them Americans. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State and prompted some to question the effectiveness of President Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]
-> During a meeting at the State Department, Vice President Mike Pence claimed that North Korea has yet to take noteworthy steps towards giving up their stockpile of nuclear weapons. Pence cited President Trump’s past actions with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and said the government is still waiting for North Korea to follow through. [NYTimes]
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-- Bethany Rodgers and Sahalie Donaldson
https://twitter.com/bethrodgersslt?lang=en and https://twitter.com/sahalied?lang=en