In the next five years, <keyword id="22794253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medical-seats" source="keywords">medical seats</keyword> in the country will be increased by 75,000, announced PM <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> on Thursday from the ramparts of the Red Fort during his address on the 78th Independence Day. PM Modi also highlighted that the government, in the past decade, has increased medical seats to nearly one lakh, but still around 25,000 students each year go abroad for medical studies. The decision to further increase medical seats will help these students. "In the past decade, we have increased medical seats to nearly one lakh. Today, around 25,000 youths go abroad every year for medical education. Therefore, we have decided that in the next five years, 75,000 new seats will be created in the medical field," said PM Modi. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there has been an increase of 88 per cent in medical colleges in the country, from 387 before 2014 to 731 in 2024. Additionally, there has been an increase of 118 per cent in <keyword id="20585495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MBBS-seats" source="keywords">MBBS seats</keyword>, from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,12,112 in July 2024. The ministry also added that there has been an increase of 133 per cent in <keyword id="22645227" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PG-seats" source="keywords">PG seats</keyword>, from 31,185 before 2014 to 72,627 as of now. Highlighting the need for a nutritious diet for the youth and infants in the country, PM Modi added that the developed India of 2047 should also be a healthy India. To achieve that, the country will have to focus on the nutrition of children. "<keyword id="20812979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viksit-Bharat-2047" source="keywords">Viksit Bharat 2047</keyword> should also be a healthy Bharat. And for a healthy Bharat, we need to focus on the nutrition of today's children starting now. Therefore, we have launched a <keyword id="21619474" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nutrition-campaign" source="keywords">nutrition campaign</keyword> as the first phase of Viksit Bharat." Referring to the Budget 2024, PM Modi also highlighted landmark initiatives announced by the government to train India's youth and become the skill capital of the world. "Today, we see changes in the world, and the importance of skills has greatly increased. We want to give skills a new power, keeping Industry 4.0 in mind, and focus on skill development. We have implemented the <keyword id="22795407" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Skill-India-program" source="keywords">Skill India program</keyword> on a very large scale, and the budget has also been increased to promote skill development," said PM Modi.

PM focuses on health, announces 75,000 new medical seats and nutrition campaign

In his 78th Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a series of futuristic goals aimed at shaping India's growth in its Amrit Kaal. Among his thrust points for the next two decades, <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> said that India must leverage its rich ancient legacy and literature to come up with <keyword id="20054650" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Made-in-India" source="keywords">Made in India</keyword> <keyword id="8168132" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gaming-products" source="Orion">gaming products</keyword>. He added that Indian professionals must lead the global <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">gaming</keyword> market, not just in playing but also in producing games, stating that <keyword id="1663711" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-games" source="Orion">Indian games</keyword> should make their mark worldwide. The gaming industry in India is booming with various games emerging based on Indian mythology, and the government has been recognizing the creativity. While the country's Esports landscape is mobile-dominated, it is the PC title League of Legends that is making the country proud. Despite the game having no official server in India, the determination and passion of the game's talented athletes saw them utilize their skills to impressively qualify for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. Gaming is a sunrise sector in India. As per estimates, the number of online gamers in India soared to 442 million, establishing it as the second-largest gaming user base globally, surpassed only by China. PM Modi put special emphasis on India's commitment to becoming a <keyword id="20137017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-leader" source="keywords">global leader</keyword> in <keyword id="20130071" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="semiconductor-production" source="keywords">semiconductor production</keyword>, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and enhance technological self-sufficiency. The semiconductor industry in India is still in a nascent stage, with various local and multinational companies intending to tap its vast potential. Today works for four semiconductor plants, three in Gujarat and one in Assam, are underway. Semiconductors are fundamental to modern electronic devices, including smartphones, cloud servers, and industrial automation systems. In his speech today, PM Modi also envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its vast resources and skilled workforce. The Prime Minister called for state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation. The Prime Minister has pitched a new idea, "<keyword id="22794631" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="design-in-India" source="keywords">Design in India</keyword>, Design for the World". Coining this new phrase, he particularly called for indigenous design capabilities and urged the citizens to create products that cater to both domestic and international markets. PM Modi spoke on India's aspiration to be recognized for its commitment to quality, stating that Indian standards should aspire to become international benchmarks. PM Modi envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its vast resources and skilled workforce. The Prime Minister called for state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation. Further, PM Modi emphasized the importance of <keyword id="20013516" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-jobs" source="keywords">green jobs</keyword> in India's efforts to combat climate change. He stated that the focus of the country is now on <keyword id="20137018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-growth" source="keywords">green growth</keyword> and green jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection. The Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production and creating sustainable employment opportunities in environmental conservation and renewable energy sectors. At COP26 held in 2021, India committed to an ambitious five-part "Panchamrit" pledge. They included reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, to reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030. India as a whole also aims to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent. Finally, India commits to net-zero emissions by 2070. About 44 per cent of India's energy requirements at present come from non-fossil sources and are likely to touch as high as 65 per cent by 2030, much higher than what the country pledged at the COP summit in 2021. New job positions are emerging in the green industry because of climate change. As the clean energy sector is expanding, so is the demand for renewable energy professionals. As part of medical education expansion, PM Modi announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years, aiming to enhance the country's medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals. He also called for inducting fresh blood in politics: PM Modi gave a call to bring one lakh youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families. The Prime Minister said this initiative was aimed at fighting the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into India's polity. The Prime Minister sought to revive the ancient Nalanda University spirit, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. This builds on the inauguration of Nalanda University in 2024.

Indian gaming products should make mark worldwide: PM Modi's call from Red Fort

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tom Suozzi retired from Congress — and more than tripled his income in just a year.</li><li>He's now running in the February 13 special election to replace George Santos.</li></ul>When members of Congress leave their jobs, many of them become even wealthier than they were before.After all, they're <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/members-congress-100000-pay-raise-salaries-174000-2024-1">only paid $174,000</a>, and generally can't have other sources of outside income other than things like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-senators-more-money-books-salaries-2022-2023-8">book sales</a> or the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-conflicts-congress-members-rated-2021-12">returns on their portfolio investments.</a>Whether that means <a target="_blank" href="https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/free-of-lobbying-ban-ex-house-members-return-to-familiar-turf">becoming a lobbyist</a>, taking on ceremonial board positions and consulting gigs, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-all-the-six-figure-speaking-fees-that-hillary-clinton-received-after-leaving-the-state-dept-2015-5">giving paid speeches</a>, former lawmakers are often courted by those looking to leverage their fame, knowledge of Capitol Hill, or relationships with their former colleagues."Members of Congress, like most people at that level, have lots and lots of options," said Daniel Schuman, the director of governance at the POPVOX Foundation, in a recent interview.But while the revolving door is a well-publicized phenomenon, it's rare that the public gets a detailed look at what that looks like in the immediate wake of a retirement.Enter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-tom-suozzi-george-santos-democrats-special-election-2023-12">former Rep. Tom Suozzi.</a>The Long Island Democrat, who represented New York's 3rd congressional district from 2017 to 2023, is now running for his old seat again in the February 13 special election to replace his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-santos-expelled-congress-what-happens-next-2023-11">scandal-plagued and recently expelled</a> Republican successor, George Santos.Under federal law, both Suozzi and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/santos-replacement-mazi-pilip-muslims-wont-like-idf-service-2023-12">his Republican opponent</a>, Mazi Pilip, are required to file documents detailing their assets, income, and other information covering the previous year.The bottom line: Suozzi more than tripled his income after leaving Capitol Hill.<h2>Consulting fees, a board position, and $35,000 from a pharmaceutical company</h2>Altogether, Suozzi <a target="_blank" href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2023/10056100.pdf">disclosed</a> earning $652,500 in regular income in the last year — roughly 3.75 times the amount he was paid as a lawmaker.$535,000 of that sum came in the form of fees paid to Suozzi Consulting, a limited liability company that the former congressman established the same month he left Congress.As required by law, Suozzi listed 7 clients that paid him more than $5,000, including several construction and development corporations in New York, a local community bank, and Actum LLC, a global consulting firm which he <a target="_blank" href="https://actumllc.com/2023/02/28/former-congressman-tom-suozzi-joins-actum-as-co-chair/">joined as co-chair</a> in February 2023.<div type="image" title="Suozzi's clients, as disclosed on his most recent Personal Financial Disclosure." height="744" width="1886" msid="106907691" hostid="261" sizebytes="74062"></div>Suozzi was also paid $82,500 by Global Industrial, an industrial equipment distributor, after joining the company's board in January 2023."Tom brings a wealth of public sector expertise to the Board which we value both from an industry and governance perspective," said Richard Leeds, the executive chairman of the company, in a <a target="_blank" href="https://investors.globalindustrial.com/news/news-details/2023/Global-Industrial-Announces-Appointment-of-Tom-Suozzi-to-Board-of-Directors/default.aspx">statement at the time</a>. "We look forward to benefiting from his contributions."The former congressman was also paid a $35,000 salary by Hercules Pharmaceuticals, a drug distributor based in the district.While still a member of Congress, he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chaindrugreview.com/rep-tom-suozzi-visits-n-y-specialty-pharmacy/">called for</a> a more "considered, deliberative process" for tackling skyrocketing drug costs after meeting with that company's president in 2017, dismissive efforts to "find someone to blame all the time."Beyond his new streams of income, Suozzi continued to generate thousands of dollars in income from other investments, including stocks and day camps owned by owned by New York Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs.As a member of Congress, Suozzi <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-tom-suozzi-george-santos-democrats-special-election-2023-12">faced scrutiny</a> from congressional investigators for failing to disclose stock transactions on time.<h2>Mazi Pilip's disclosures: irregularities and up to $75,000 in Bitcoin</h2>Pilip, currently a Nassau County legislator, did not disclose the same level of income — but an initial version of her financial disclosure contained irregularities, as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/nyregion/pilip-santos-special-election.html">first reported by The New York Times.</a>That included <a target="_blank" href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2023/10056565.pdf">initially reporting</a> $100,000 from her husband's medical practice in the last two years, only to <a target="_blank" href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2023/10056571.pdf">revise that figure down</a> to roughly $13,500 after being contacted by the Times.Additionally, Pilip reported owing between $100,000 and $250,000 to the IRS, which her amended disclosure says has now been fully paid off.Pilip also disclosed owning between $16,000 and $75,000 in Bitcoin and at least $50,000 in stock in Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, a company that specializes in robotics and AI.Neither candidate appears to have committed any wrongdoing, and both have displayed more transparency than Santos, who <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-santos-violatation-federal-ethics-laws-financial-disclosure-2023-8">failed to even file a financial disclosure</a> for 2023 and has been indicted by federal prosecutors in part for lying on previous disclosures.Furthermore, Suozzi arguably wasn't looking to have a retirement in the private sector in the first place, at least this soon: He vacated his seat to run for governor in 2022, only to lose to Gov. Kathy Hochul.But the income Suozzi has disclosed since last year underscores arguments that ethics experts and congress reform advocates alike have long made about the revolving door, and the need for lawmakers to be paid greater salaries while in office in order to reduce the incentive to cash in after leaving."When you pay [lawmakers] enough, their incentives to go and be looking to get paid elsewhere diminish, and they become better public servants," Schuman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/members-congress-100000-pay-raise-salaries-174000-2024-1">told BI last week</a>. "That's just human nature."

Ever wondered how members of Congress cash in after they retire? Look no further than Tom Suozzi's financial disclosures 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A woman sued Delta Air Lines, alleging an off-duty employee got too drunk and kissed her.</li><li>The lawsuit claims flight attendants served the employee five cans of wine.</li></ul>A woman is suing Delta Air Lines, alleging that an off-duty employee kissed and groped her after being overserved alcohol by flight attendants.The lawsuit, filed on Friday in the US District Court of Minnesota and viewed by Business Insider, states that the woman, Alison Petri, was on a flight from Las Vegas to Minneapolis on November 17, 2022, when the alleged incident occurred.In a statement to BI on Tuesday, a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said, "The alleged assailant at the time was an employee of a Delta subsidiary but not directly employed by Delta." The spokesperson did not respond when asked what subsidiary the employee, identified in the lawsuit as Abigail Louise Trebnick-Emerson, worked for."While we don't have any specific comment on this pending litigation, Delta does not tolerate inappropriate or unlawful behavior," the airline's statement continued. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our people."<div type="image" title="Delta Air Lines" height="1410" width="2000" msid="105397725" hostid="261" sizebytes="100266"></div>According to the suit, Trebnick-Emerson boarded the flight with a "'crew' bag, indicating that she was a flight crew member," the lawsuit states. She was seated in the middle of a three-seat row, with the plaintiff in the aisle and an unnamed man in the window seat, per the suit.The lawsuit alleges that after she was served three cans of wine, Trebnick-Emerson kissed Petri on the mouth, to which Petri did not consent. After two more cans of wine, the defendant kissed Petri on the cheek "multiple times," the lawsuit states. Once the plane landed and Petri stood to gather her luggage, the employee "rubbed [Petri]'s buttocks," the suit continues."The concept of being touched inappropriately on an airplane is really scary because it's not like other locations where you might be able to leave," Jeffrey Storms, Petri's lawyer, told Business Insider on Tuesday. "You're stuck there."According to the lawsuit, Petri walked to the back of the plane after being kissed to inform a flight attendant — but the flight attendant continued serving the employee.The lawsuit claims Petri also reported the incident to gate agents and Delta Airport Customer Service and asked them to inform law enforcement. Trebnick-Emerson was initially charged with criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree and disorderly conduct, per the suit.A prosecutor dismissed the criminal sexual conduct charge, but Trebnick-Emerson was convicted of disorderly conduct over the summer, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox9.com/news/delta-air-lines-lawsuit-groped-passenger">local Minnesota news outlet KMSP reported,</a> and sentenced to one year of unsupervised monitoring. It's unclear what month Trebnick-Emerson was convicted and sentenced.<div type="image" title="delta air lines terminal gate passenger waits" height="683" width="1024" msid="105397726" hostid="261" sizebytes="39396"></div>The lawsuit also claimed flight attendants repeatedly contacted Trebnick-Emerson to warn her about the report and included screenshots of what appear to be Facebook messages between Trebnick-Emerson and the flight attendants.BI was unable to corroborate the validity of the messages independently or how they were acquired, but Storms, the attorney for Petri, told BI the flight attendants "conspired with one another" to provide what he says was misleading information to Delta investigators and law enforcement."[The employees were] effectively trying to cover up for the passenger who was overserved and inappropriately touched my client," Storms told BI. "The attempted coverup by those employees is all well-documented in Facebook messages.""When you find out that the people who are supposed to protect you there, in fact, are willing to very quickly mobilize to cover up the acts of their colleagues, it creates an even greater sense of powerlessness," Storms continued.According to the lawsuit, when Trebnick-Emerson was leaving the airport, she fell down the escalator twice, at which point law enforcement officers were dispatched to evaluate her. Photos included in the suit appear to show her falling down the stairs."The responding officer concluded that Trebnick-Emerson was so intoxicated that she could not care for herself, so he placed her on a medical hold and Trebnick-Emerson was transported by ambulance to Southdale Hospital," the lawsuit states.The lawsuit claims that Petri "incurred and will incur medical bills, emotional distress, embarrassment, and pain and suffering." As such, she's seeking a jury trial and $75,000, but her lawyer told BI it isn't about the money."I'm not sure what the outcome will be monetary-wise, but that's really secondary to making Delta take this seriously and bringing awareness to the issue," Storms said.

A woman is suing Delta Air Lines, claiming an off-duty employee kissed and groped her after being overserved alcohol by flight attendants

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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Millions of Americans could see big hikes in next year's insurance premiums right before the November midterms.</li><li>That's if <keyword id="11896865" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="democrats" source="Orion">Democrats</keyword> fail to extend subsidies in a new economic spending bill.</li></ul>Democrats may be stumbling into a chaotic situation before the November midterms that few are talking about. Millions of Americans are set to see their healthcare bills surge in 2023 with more pandemic aid fading away.That's due to the growing possibility Democrats never manage to resurrect parts of their social spending and climate package, which stalled out in the evenly-divided Senate because of resistance from Sen. <keyword id="11930702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="joe-manchin" source="Orion">Joe Manchin</keyword> of West Virginia.The Biden stimulus law beefed up subsidies to cut monthly premium costs and make private individual health insurance plans more affordable under the <keyword id="12109871" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="affordable-care-act" source="Orion">Affordable Care Act</keyword> (ACA). Democrats <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/19/health-care-biden-spending-bill/">intended to extend</a> the program in their defunct Build Back Better bill, setting aside generous new funding to help those without employer-based insurance get coverage in the health insurance marketplace. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-aid-expires-biden-congress-allowing-as-delta-surges-2021-8">Federal unemployment aid</a> expired last year and enhanced ACA subsidies may experience the same fate on December 31. The next open <keyword id="12109870" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="obamacare" source="Orion">Obamacare</keyword> enrollment window <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-stimulus-obamacare-how-to-save-on-health-insurance">kicks off</a> November 1, meaning voters would learn about soaring insurance bills only a week before the midterms as they start browsing available plans for 2023 or get notified by insurers. "It would just be a huge premium shock," Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, told Insider, adding people buying individual insurance on the exchanges would pay an average of <a href="https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/how-marketplace-costs-premiums-will-change-if-rescue-plan-subsidies-expire/#:~:text=The%20ARPA%20premium%20subsidy%20enhancements,held%20on%20November%208%2C%202022.">$800 more per year</a> for coverage."Democrats face a potential political headache if they don't extend the extra premium subsidies," Levitt said. "People will be finding out about premium increases right before the midterm elections. It will certainly reflect poorly on Democrats. The ACA is their premier domestic achievement of the last decade."Three million people will lose health coverage without the bulked-up federal aid, <a href="https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2022/04/what-if-the-american-rescue-plan-act-premium-tax-credits-expire.html">according to an analysis released</a> last month from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Others will be forced onto cheaper plans carrying deductibles that are <a href="https://www.kff.org/slideshow/cost-sharing-for-plans-offered-in-the-federal-marketplace/">sometimes</a> 30x higher — a jump from $200 to $7,000 in those cases. That's the amount enrollees owe before the insurer starts paying for medical care. The scale of premium increases will vary due to factors like age, income, and state. But the voters facing eye-popping bills next year tend to be older — the very group that turns out in larger numbers during midterm elections."It's those people who are relatively middle-income, and who are also elderly that are going to face the biggest hit if the subsidies expire," Emily Gee, the vice president and healthcare policy coordinator at the liberal-leaning Center of American Progress, told Insider.In Manchin's home state of West Virginia, some could experience a calamitous increase in their healthcare bills. A 60-year old married West Virginian couple earning $75,000 will see their monthly premium skyrocket by $2,700 if Obamacare subsidies end, according to <a href="https://acasignups.net/22/04/25/new-state-state-how-much-more-will-you-pay-if-amrescueplan-subsidies-arent-extended">estimates</a> from healthcare policy expert Charles Gaba.A similar couple in Arizona would experience a $942 monthly premium hike, per Gaba's projections. An identical Georgia couple would see their monthly premiums soar by $1,200. Those states are up for grabs in November with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/midterms-primary-election-dates-who-is-running-swing-states-trump-2022-1">very competitive</a> Senate races underway.Gee added lawmakers must act by midsummer to ensure states and insurers have enough time to set up their enrollment periods, a complex process stretching months. "It's not like there's a switch that you can flick in late August or late in the fall to turn on the subsidies," she said.<h2>A swerving Manchin</h2><div type="image" title="Ron Wyden Joe Manchin" height="3000" width="6000" msid="91400901" hostid="261"></div>Manchin <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/manchin-says-build-back-better-dead-here-s-what-he-n1288492">told NBC News in early February</a> that he's "always been supportive" of ensuring people have access to affordable insurance by keeping the subsidies. But he seems to be backtracking, throwing a wrench in any effort to lock in a key component of Democrats' health agenda designed to fix the law's affordability problems.Insider approached Manchin twice this week. Both times he struck a noncommittal tone on whether the Obamacare subsidies should form part of a slimmer Democrat-only package. "My main thing is fighting inflation," he said on Monday, along with securing "tax reforms."On Thursday, he said: "There's just too much going on. We're talking about everything."Spokespeople for Manchin declined to comment further. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manchin-sinema-bidens-economic-agenda-congress-2022-4">Without his vote</a>, Senate Democrats are blocked from reviving a skinnier version of the legislation in the face of unified GOP opposition in the 50-50 Senate.He has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manchin-build-back-better-biden-democrats-climate-childcare-2022-1">sketched out</a> a package <a href="https://twitter.com/ppavnr/status/1521133214252732422?s=20&amp;t=dYdalySkRPngD24plB1lzQ">evenly split</a> between new spending and deficit-reduction, along with green energy and short-term fossil fuel measures in the wake of the war in Ukraine. Manchin has also said a chief priority of his is reining in prescription drug costs. It's not clear what other initiatives fit his narrow demands, but other Democrats say they're <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ron-wyden-billionaire-profile-biography-tax-biden-economic-agenda-2022-3">working behind the scenes</a> to get him onboard."Holding down premiums will be and has been a major priority for me," Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, told Insider.A Senate Democratic aide drew a comparison to the 2014 midterm elections when rising premiums became <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/obamacare-insurance-rates-2014-elections-111813">a last-minute issue</a> in some races. In Louisiana and Iowa, premium hikes handed Republican Senate candidates another hammer to use against Democrats at the time."You're looking at somewhat a repeat of that," the aide told Insider, granted anonymity to speak candidly. "It certainly wouldn't be helpful."The GOP Senate candidates won in both states that year: Sen. Joni Ernst clinched the seat in Iowa. So did Sen. Bill Cassidy in Louisiana.Democrats lost control of the Senate in 2014, only to recapture it last year. They face significant headwinds going into the fall, and spiking premiums could be another popping up in the final stretch. With the Senate and House majorities in play, <keyword id="11899267" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="republicans" source="Orion">Republicans</keyword> will probably not be inclined to cut a deal."I don't see any prospect of Republicans helping Democrats get out of this box," Levitt said.

How Democrats could accidentally hit Americans with big health insurance bills right before the midterms

<ul class="summary-list"><li>About 25,000 fans will attend the <keyword id="101238" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Super-Bowl">Super Bowl</keyword>, far fewer than the stadium can normally hold.</li><li>The <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword> will pass out gift bags with N95 face masks and will require cashless payments. </li><li>Masks will be required at all times, unless eating or drinking.</li></ul>The Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, is going to look different than it has in previous years when it hosts the Super Bowl matchup between the <keyword id="242377" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</keyword> and the <keyword id="864200" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kansas-City-Chiefs">Kansas City Chiefs</keyword> on Sunday. Fewer fans, free face masks, and cashless payments are just some of the things making the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-super-bowl-became-the-championship-of-advertising-2020-1">NFL's 55th Super Bowl</a> a little different this year amid the ongoing <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword>."We're definitely going to make the best of it and put on the best Super Bowl that has ever occurred even if it's under some of the most difficult circumstances," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told Insider. Stadiums are usually filled to capacity for the Super Bowl, but this year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/super-bowl-ticket-prices-on-ticketmaster-2021-2">only about a third</a> of the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa will be used, with about 25,000 fans total <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/super-bowl-lv-stadium-22000-fans-allowed-healthcare-workers-nfl-2021-1">spread out over 75,000 seats</a>, Erik Finkelstein, the senior director of NFL events, said in a video. The stadium won't appear mostly empty, though, as the NFL made 30,000 cutouts of people to put in the seats. Of those in attendance, 7,500 will be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-vaccine-what-its-like-healthcare-workers-nashville-2020-12">fully vaccinated medical workers</a>, mostly from the Tampa and central Florida area. The NFL gave them free tickets to "thank and honor them for their continued extraordinary service during the pandemic," according to a <a href="https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/NFL-TO-HONOR-HEALTH-CARE-HEROES-AT-SUPER-BOWL-LV-.aspx">press release</a>. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pepsico-using-super-bowl-to-relaunch-rockstar-energy-drinks-2021-1?r=nd-sub">A PepsiCo CMO lays out why the Super Bowl is the right time to relaunch Rockstar energy drinks</a>Super Bowl attendees will present their tickets on a mobile device. Once inside, they'll receive a complimentary gift bag with COVID-19 essentials, including an N95 face mask, antibacterial wipes, and hand sanitizer, the Tampa Bay Times reported.Past the entrance, are signs asking people to keep their face masks on at all times (except to eat or drink at their assigned seat), wash their hands, and maintain distance from others. Finkelstein said painted paths with arrows will direct the flow of crowds around the stadium concourse, and painted circles outside concession stands will indicate how far apart people should stand. Concession stands will be open, but cashless payments are required. Reverse ATMs that take cash in exchange for a card are available, just in case. And fans won't be getting a close look at the players, like normal. They'll be seated at least 20 feet away from either team's sideline to maintain distance between the fans and players. "It's a unique year that we're all working through with all of the protocols related to COVID," Finkelstein said. "We're really excited to be part of such a historic event on so many levels."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-futures-sports-betting-cftc-erisx-hedging-football-crypto-derivatives-2020-12?r=nd-sub">A crypto exchange wants to list futures contracts tied to the outcome of NFL games to help sportsbooks hedge their risks</a>The outside of the stadium won't look much different, except some empty parking spots and no tailgating, according to the mayor. The Super Bowl Experience, which is generally held in a convention center in the days leading up to the big game, has been ongoing along the 3-mile riverwalk in Tampa this week and last. Tickets to the experience, which include games, concessions and events, are free this year, "so fans that don't have a ticket can still experience the Super Bowl," said Rob Higgins of the Tampa Bay <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">Sports</keyword> Commission.The mayor said an outdoor face mask requirement has been put in place in Tampa specifically for the Super Bowl. "The simple step of wearing a face mask can make all the difference," she said.The city is planning to have an influx of visitors for the event, though not as many as it had planned on a year ago. "We were expecting a large economic boom from the Super Bowl, and we're not going to realize that," the mayor said. Still, Higgins said the community has taken a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tampa-bay-makes-best-of-super-bowl-week-amid-sour-economy-2021-2">hit from the lack of tourism</a> in the last year. "This is a shot in the arm when our community needs it the most," he said.

A COVID-19 Super Bowl is going to look different. From face masks to fewer fans, here are the NFL's changes to the game.

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e4fe356fee23d06f47f6d16-2400/gettyimages-1197229377.jpg" alt="Marco Polo Wuhan Hotel - Coronavirus - COVID-19" /><ul class="summary-list"><li>A 5-star hotel has remained open to stranded guests, public health officials, and emergency workers in Wuhan, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-what-life-like-inside-quarantined-city-china-2020-2">quarantined city of 11 million people</a> where the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak originated.</li><li><a href="https://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/hotels/china/hankou/marco_polo_wuhan/index.html">Marco Polo Wuhan</a> is one of only a handful of Wuhan hotels that have remained open, international news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) <a href="https://www.tnp.sg/news/world/welcome-wuhans-marco-polo-hotel-you-cant-check-out-or-leave">reported</a>.</li><li>Around 50 staff, including chefs, security guards, and managers, provide room service and packed meals to guests.</li><li>To do so, they follow strict health and sanitation guidelines including checking guests' temperatures and wearing face masks while exercising, AFP reported.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, has become a veritable <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-what-life-like-inside-quarantined-city-china-2020-2">ghost town</a>. Streets are empty, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/transit-wuhan-china-shut-down-coronavirus-2020-1">trains and flights out of the city have been suspended</a>, and major hotel brands such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hilton-temporarily-closes-150-hotels-china-coronavirus-2020-2">Hilton</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wyndham-hotels-temporarily-close-in-china-due-to-coronavirus-2020-2">Wyndham</a> have closed branches in area.<a href="https://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/hotels/china/hankou/marco_polo_wuhan/index.html">Marco Polo Wuhan</a>, a 5-star hotel on the banks of the Yangtze River, is one of the few hotels still open.Normally bustling with business and leisure travelers, its modern, marble-floored lobby now pulses with a different energy. For one, no one mans the front desk, AFP <a href="https://www.tnp.sg/news/world/welcome-wuhans-marco-polo-hotel-you-cant-check-out-or-leave">reported</a> at the end of January. Instead, a team of 50 core staff quietly focus on taking care of guests stranded by the Wuhan quarantine as well as 20 officials from the Beijing Central Government's Inspection Unit and over 200 emergency medical workers from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Beijing Hospital, according to a February 11 <a href="https://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/corporate/news/marco_polo_wuhan_helping_to_fight_the_good_fight.html">press release</a> by Marco Polo Hotels. To date, COVID-19 has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-02-20-20-intl-hnk/index.html">infected more than 75,000 people worldwide and killed over 2,100</a>. <h2>Chefs, security guards, and managers remain on-site</h2>Lee Weng Wai, General Manager of Marco Polo Wuhan, gave up his evacuation seats back to his native Malaysia in order to usher the hotel through the coronavirus outbreak, according to the release.Remaining staff on-site include chefs, security guards, and managers. Their duties include delivering room service and packed meals throughout the day to officials and guests. The staff maintain "vigorous hygiene and sanitation standards," the release said. These measures include wearing face masks, observing "mandatory periods of rest," checking the temperature of guests who enter and exit the hotel, and requiring guests to fill out forms documenting their time, <a href="https://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/corporate/news/marco_polo_wuhan_helping_to_fight_the_good_fight.html">according to</a> AFP.To combat boredom and boost mental health, the staff are also required to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN9v6aP-Mcw&amp;t=14s">exercise at 10 a.m. each morning</a>. <img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e4fe485fee23d07cb3a7432-2400/gettyimages-1196884919.jpg" alt="Marco Polo Wuhan Staff Exercise - Coronavirus - Wuhan - COVID-19 - China" />"Daily exercises to balance our health and immunity, team briefings and updates allow us to maintain good morale and team spirit; we are in this together and through our commitment we will come out the other side stronger and more resilient than ever,'" Lee said.Marco Polo Hotels, a brand of Wharf Hotels, has <a href="https://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/about-us/our-brands.html">13 locations</a> across China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.Business Insider has reached out to the staff of Marco Polo Wuhan and will update this story as more information becomes available.Are you currently staying or working at a hotel in Wuhan? Email this reporter at mwiley@businessinsider.com.

A 5-star hotel in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, has opened its doors to emergency workers and stranded guests. Here's what it's like inside.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"><html><body><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5515ab366bb3f7536a8e52ee-1200-924/499869399-2.jpg" border="0" alt="499869399">GettyThese Arizona startups are transforming the medicine, space, and education industries.</img></div></div></div>Have you ever wanted to see Earth from space? Or ask a question at a conference without having to climb over people to get to the mic? Or maybe tip someone when you've run out of cash?Fortunately, some of the brightest entrepreneurs in the tech industry have made those things possible. Startups like World View Enterprises, Crowd Mics, and Tip.ly have worked diligently to find solutions to problems many of us face on a regular basis. Because of World View, astronauts will no longer be the only ones who can enjoy the mind-blowing views of Earth from space. The creators of Crowd Mics are boosting audience participation at conferences and meetings by allowing audience members to turn their phones into microphones. And the brains behind Tip.ly are working to make our reliance on cash become obsolete. At first glance, these startups sound like ventures we'd expect from tech hotbed cities like Silicon Alley or New York. But in reality, these exciting enterprises are located in a part of the country currently experiencing a radical tech transformation: Arizona. Here's a look at the tech startups that are working to disrupt industries such as medicine, education, space, and payments. <h3 class="p1">A round-trip ticket to space. </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5515821becad04da15fe0c0b-821-615/space-4.png" border="0" alt="space">worldviewenterprise.com</img></div></div></div>Company: <a href="http://worldviewexperience.com/" target="_blank">World View Enterprises</a>Located: Tucson, ArizonaAstronauts that have been to space often attest to the awe and beauty of seeing Earth from the stratosphere. Fortunately, the founders of World View Enterprises have developed a way to bring that life-altering experience to those outside of NASA. Using high-altitude balloons, passengers (which World View refers to as Voyagers) are transported up to space within a comfortable, technology-equipped space capsule. The capsule takes roughly two hours to ascend into space, and once it reaches maximum altitude, Voyagers can enjoy breathtaking views of Mother Earth for two hours before descending. Throughout the trip passengers have access to refreshments and even WiFi (because nothing beats taking a selfie from space). Tickets aren't cheap, priced at $75,000 for early birds, with a $7,500 non-refundable handling fee (included in the $75,000 ticket). World View recently <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/world-view-balloon-lofts-nasa-experiments-near-space-heights-n320216" target="_blank">rented out its helium balloons</a> to NASA to carry out experiments for Montana State and the University of North Florida. <h3 class="p1">Making sure everyone's voice is heard.</h3>Company: <a href="http://crowdmics.com/" target="_blank">Crowd Mics</a> Located: Mesa, ArizonaHow many times have you been to a conference and wanted to ask a question but were just too shy to walk up to the microphone? With Crowd Mics, you can now ask questions and engage with large audiences without leaving your seat. Crowd Mics transforms any smartphone into a wireless microphone during live events with no additional hardware. The moderator plugs a mobile device into the sound system and connects to the WiFi. Audience members simply download the Crowd Mics app for free and connect to the same WiFi. Once their phones are connected, their voices can be projected throughout the room. If people are too shy to speak, they can text their questions to the moderator directly from their seat. Organizations like Arizona State University, Salesforce, and Univision have already embraced the audience interaction technology. <h3 class="p1">Say good-bye to cash tips. </h3>Company: <a href="https://tip.ly/" target="_blank">Tip.ly</a>Located: Phoenix, ArizonaEver wanted to tip a delivery guy more but found you didn't have enough? Or worse, didn't have anything at all? Well, there's an app for that. With Tip.ly, users can send tips to service employees through a click of a button. First, register to give tips through the app with your PayPal or banking information, take a photo of the person you want to tip (the app uses "Face Tip Technology" to recognize faces), then select the amount you want to send - and voila, you're done.The person receiving the tip can claim his money within 14 days by creating a Tip.ly account of his own. Entrepreneurs Stephen Campbell and Tim Baldwin developed the peer-to-peer mobile payment application to help tippers gain freedom from cash and tippees acquire more tips. As a bonus, business owners in the service industry can save money on processing credit card tips when patrons tip employees through Tip.ly. <h3 class="p1">Revolutionizing how students and professionals learn medicine. </h3>Company: <a href="http://picmonic.com/" target="_blank">Picmonic</a>Located: Tempe, ArizonaIt's no secret that everyone learns differently, but scientific evidence has shown that audio and visuals are extremely useful with memorization. Enter Picmonic. The software company, founded in 2011, helps medical professionals and students retain life-saving knowledge using interactive audiovisual mnemonics. Users are able to craft individualized study cards using fun and engaging audiovisuals, helping them retain information longer and score higher on exams. The breakthrough software is already being used in 74 countries with users boasting a 331% improvement in memory. <h3 class="p1">A dress rehearsal for surgery.</h3>Company: <a href="http://endovantage.com/" target="_blank">EndoVantage</a>Located: Scottsdale, ArizonaEndoVantage's technology is helping surgeons prep for major surgeries like never before. Within the EndoVantage Interventional Suite (EVIS), doctors can utilize real patient data to plan specific endovascular treatments and then review those outcomes before they even step into the operating room. A doctor uploads a patient's medical images, selects a treatment device, watches simulations of these devices being deployed, and then receives 3D results to determine which treatments work best for his patient. EVIS is also being used to design and test endovascular devices without endangering any patients.This post is sponsored by <a href="http://www.azcommerce.com/" target="_blank">Arizona Commerce Authority</a>.Find out <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sponsor-posts">more about Sponsored Content</a>.</body></html>Follow BI Studios on <a href="https://twitter.com/bi_studios_" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsiderStudios" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.

5 Arizona-based tech startups that are disrupting industries like medicine and space

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2f02400b0f2720008b46a9-801/screen shot 2017-12-11 at 50849 pm.png" alt="Hitler at the Tag von Potsdam (Day of Potsdam) ceremony for the opening of the new Reichstag after the German federal election, March 1933." data-mce-source="Wikimedia Commons" data-mce-caption="Hitler at the Tag von Potsdam (Day of Potsdam) ceremony for the opening of the new Reichstag after the German federal election, March 1933." data-link="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-S38324,_Tag_von_Potsdam,_Adolf_Hitler,_Paul_v._Hindenburg.jpg" /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-S38324,_Tag_von_Potsdam,_Adolf_Hitler,_Paul_v._Hindenburg.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>Hitler at the Tag von Potsdam (Day of Potsdam) ceremony for the opening of the new Reichstag after the German federal election, March 1933.</div></div></div><ul><li>New economic research shows that bad tax policy was instrumental in bringing about the rise of the Nazi Party in 1933.</li><li>Austerity measures implemented by an incompetent Weimar government had the unintended consequence of radicalizing German voters.</li><li>The U.S. is not Weimar Germany, but GOP policies - starting with the Tax Cut and Jobs Act and continuing on with cuts to social programs that may follow - in an already polarized environment could have the same unintended consequences.</li><li>Doing away with tax deductions that are relied upon by poorer, sicker, or younger Americans to fund tax cuts for the rich is akin to an austerity measure and will push already struggling Americans further into political extremes.</li></ul><hr />The intended consequences of the GOP tax plan are bad enough. Unanimously, economists across ideological spectrums have said the GOP's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will increase the deficit, hurt lower and middle-income Americans, <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/republican-tax-reform-plan-will-boost-inequality-benefit-the-rich-2017-11-1010087979">exacerbate inequality</a>, and fail to provide the economic growth the Trump administration keeps touting without evidence.The unintended consequences could be much worse.In a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, economists Gregori Galofré-VilÀ, Christopher M. Meissner, Martin McKee, and David Stuckler show the dramatic impact poor tax policy had on Weimar Germany from 1930-1932.That policy - even more so than other economic factors like unemployment - radicalized the population and made Germans feel the government was out of touch with their struggles. In short, it created the perfect environment for the Nazi party. Let me be clear about something: the US is not Weimar Germany. Our situation obviously isn't as desperate. But an already polarized country can learn some things from Germany's example, including just how quickly bad policies pushed German voters to extremes.The policies this paper examines were implemented for two years and then cast aside when a new Chancellor was appointed in 1933. Support for the Nazi Party fell almost immediately. However, by then it was too late. Even after losing seats in Germany's legislature, the Reichstag, from July to November of 1933, the Nazis had gained control of 44% of seats - enough to form a coalition.Enough to come close to destroying the world.<h2>Austerity </h2>Desperate after Germany's economy collapsed in 1928, the country's president Paul von Hindenburg appointed a bunch of technocrats to run the government in 1930. At the helm was Chancellor Heinrich Bruning. He was an austerity guy who liked to issue "notverordunungn" - emergency decrees. He quickly implemented a mix of tax increases and spending cuts in an effort to get the country back to good.From the paper:These measures involved drastic cuts to government expenditure, increased rates of taxation, new taxes, and cuts to unemployment benefits, payments to pensioners, and welfare recipients. In addition, the central government acted to centralize important fiscal decisions that were traditionally decentralized in the Weimar Republic.According to Brüning, the suffering they would cause would help elicit international sympathy for the Germans and help put an end to the unpopular reparations imposed at Versailles.The political ramifications of these measures were almost immediate, according to researchers, and they went beyond the Nazi Party. This austere fiscal policy combined with a public sector slow down due to the depression only worsened the economic situation for Germans, and it radicalized people across the social spectrum. As they lost faith in their government's ability to manage the situation, unemployed and low-income Germans became more likely to turn to the Communist Party. Middle and upper-income Germans were more likely to turn to the Nazis. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2f042f0b0f271e008b46c3-398/screen shot 2017-12-11 at 51728 pm.png" alt="German Chancellor Heinrich Bruning" data-mce-source="Wikimedia Commons" data-mce-caption="German Chancellor Heinrich Bruning" data-link="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Br%C3%BCning#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-1989-0630-504,_Heinrich_Br%C3%BCning.jpg" /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Br%C3%BCning#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-1989-0630-504,_Heinrich_Br%C3%BCning.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>German Chancellor Heinrich Bruning</div></div></div>Over the period Bruning, who was dubbed "The Hunger Chancellor," was slashing and burning, the Nazis gained ground in Germany's legislature, the Reichstag. Hitler knew Bruning's policies were helping him too. In 1932 he wrote a widely circulated pamphlet decrying the measures called that he ended by saying, "although that was not the intention, this emergency decree will help my party to victory, and therefore put an end to the illusions of the present System."In 1933 a new Chancellor implemented fiscal stimulus, and again the political ramifications were almost immediate. That year the Nazis lost dozens of seats in the Reichstag from July to November.Still, it was too late. Hindenburg named Adolf Hitler Chancellor in January of 1933. By March the Nazi party controlled 44.6% of the Reichstag and managed to pass the infamous Enabling Act, which allowed the the German cabinet to pass laws without the legislature or president."The coalition that allowed a majority to form government in March 1933 might not have been able to form had fiscal policy been more expansionary," the researchers wrote.And so began one of the darkest periods in the history of the world.<h2>Obviously, the US is not Weimar Germany</h2>We are not Weimar Germany. We do not have painful war reparations from the Treaty of Versailles to deal with. We do not have a global financial crisis on our hands. We do not have austerity measures being implemented across the board in the midst of the economic downturn.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Pew Research Center" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2efce00b0f2747008b4658-960/screen shot 2017-12-11 at 125957 pm.png"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2efce00b0f2747008b4658-674/screen shot 2017-12-11 at 125957 pm.png" alt="republicans tired of the party" data-mce-source="Pew Research Center" data-link="http://www.people-press.org/2016/06/22/6-how-do-the-political-parties-make-you-feel/" /></a><a href="http://www.people-press.org/2016/06/22/6-how-do-the-political-parties-make-you-feel/">Pew Research Center</a></div></div></div>What we do have, though, is intense political polarization. We also have a populace increasingly tired of its leadership.Plus, we have a government taking steps that are isolationist, economically disruptive with no beneficial outcome, and going to add to the struggles of lower-income Americans who are already moving further away from the mainstream."The Depression-era was associated as much with a major decline in world trade as financial and monetary disturbances; it was a time of tariff increases, quotas, competitive devaluations, exchange controls, and the promotion of bilateral at the expense of multilateral trade (Crafts and Fearon 2013)," researchers wrote.The Trump administration has returned to that when it comes to trade policy, adding another layer of economic risk to an already fragile political situation. NAFTA, for example, is now in jeopardy,<a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/363405-mexican-ambassador-says-nafta-has-50-50-chance-of-being-terminated"> as the Mexican ambassador</a> mused there was a 50/50 chance the deal would be terminated. The US is angering friends and enemies alike, pushing for nonsensical bilateral trade deals.That antagonism extends to Trump's tax plan. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-gop-tax-reform-bill-resistance-from-china-leaders-europe-2017-12">European and Chinese officials</a> have both said that could be detrimental to global trade. Chinese officials are calling it a "gray rhino" - an obvious problem that no one is doing anything to stop.Again, The Weimar government engaged in this same behavior."As a result, Germany's GDP fell by one third from peak to trough and exports declined by 50% (Crafts and Fearon 2010; Grossman and Meissner 2010)," said the paper.<h2>Austerity by any other name</h2>Above all that, what we have is a tax policy that will hit some Americans harder than others. While the rich and corporations will enjoy a nice long tax cut, by 2019 Americans making $30,000 and under will see their taxes go up. By 2021, everyone making $75,000 or less will see a tax increase. The median household income in this country was $59,039 in 2016 - so that's most people.And then there are the increases here and there that Republicans hate talking about. The House plan does away with the medical expense deduction, a tax increase on those with high medical bills especially the elderly. Young people with students loans and grad students get hit in the Senate bill. Everyone in high taxed states like California and New York will get hit if their ability to deduct state and local taxes is eliminated. Over at the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-taxman-cometh-senate-bills-marginal-rates-could-top-100-for-some-1512942118?mg=prod/accounts-wsj">Wall Street Journal, Richard Rubin</a> figured out that some high-income businesses face a 100% tax increase.Healthcare, which is the only sector that has experience price inflation since the financial crisis, will become even more of a burden on Americans. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/16/gop-tax-bill-would-spike-obamacare-premiums-nearly-2000-for-families.html">Analysts estimate</a> that the Senate bill would leave 13 million people uninsured, increase Obamacare premiums on unsubsidized families by $2,000, and force automatic cuts to Medicare.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2efe8d8229f21d008b469b-675/screen shot 2017-12-11 at 45324 pm.png" alt="democrats, republicans say the other party makes them angry" data-mce-source="Pew Research Center" />Pew Research Center</div></div></div>Meanwhile, members of the GOP are already talking about cutting welfare and other social programs next, and there are signs that they'll be doing so at a bad time. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/credit-card-delinquencies-a-red-flag-on-consumer-spending-2017-11">Americans are starting to have difficulty paying off their credit cards</a>. Though unemployment is low, wage growth is still stagnant. Inflation is also anemic, still hovering below the Federal Reserve's 2% target despite the fact that it is tightening economic conditions by ending financial crisis easy money policies.This is austerity in a country that has plenty. It's a heinous act of cruelty fueled by ideology, the desire for power, and the very toxic partisanship that it will likely exacerbate. To wit, as in Germany, this incompetently written tax policy will produce the unintended consequence of radicalizing Americans further."Germany today is in the grips of the most powerful deflation that any nation has experienced … many people in Germany have nothing to look forward to - nothing except a 'change', something wholly vague and wholly undefined, but a change," Chancellor Bruning once said.Those who suffer in this twisted new form of American austerity will feel the same desire. It's what pushed many young people into the arms of Bernie Sanders. It's the same phenomena that pushed some to give Donald Trump a chance, despite his incessant lying, racism and tendency toward authoritarianism. It has given us Alabama Republican candidate Roy Moore.If this tax plan passes, expect our faith in government to erode further. Expect our partisan divisions to worsen. Expect this to take our country to destinations unknown. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/over-1500-married-people-reveal-the-most-important-quality-marriage-2017-1">1,500 happily married people say the key to lasting relationships isn't communication - it's respect</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/k72T2T9a-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

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