March 11, 2021
Steve Gordon’s Heard on the Hill covers three big items in Washington – Senator Roy Blunt’s announcement that he will not run for re-election; the passing of the American Rescue Plan, the latest COVID emergency legislation; and the possible return of legislative earmarks. Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. Total Spectrum Partner and Southwest Regional Director Michael DiMaria provides some thoughts on data privacy. Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about why tax hikes are the wrong medicine for a struggling economy in his article originally printed last week by the Washington Examiner and reprinted by Real Clear Politics. Ramona Lessen summarizes a hearing held this week by the Senate Banking, Housing,and Urban Affairs Committee entitled ‘Who Won on Wall Street – GameStop,Robinhood, and the State of Retail Investing.” As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics. Our Total Spectrum Spotlight this week is a replay of the webinar hosted last week by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce featuring Total Spectrum’s Strategic Consultants Erik Paulsen and Patrick Robertson.
Read MoreFebruary 25, 2021
Patrick Robertson reports on the status in Congress of the Biden Administration’s proposal for COVID relief, and well as their plans for infrastructure and immigration reform in “Washington Whispers.” Todd Smith and Congressman Erik Paulsen report on the Administration’s healthcare wish list. Al Jackson provides his monthly defense update, and Ramona Lessen provides an overview of this week’s Senate hearing on the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report.
Read MoreFebruary 11, 2021
In today’s Heard on the Hill, Steve Gordon focuses on the new Democratic majority, pendulum politics, and some off-the-record comments from a member of the Republican Senate Leadership. Steve Ruhlen, our budget and appropriations expert, takes a closer look at budget reconciliation. In the Total Spectrum Spotlight, our colleague, former Congressman Erik Paulsen, sat down for an exclusive and candid interview with Senator Mark Kelly, where he talked about his priorities and first impressions of life in the Senate. Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics.
Read MoreJanuary 22, 2021
This is a special inauguration issue of This Week in Washington. Inaugurals are celebrations for the winners. But for all of us, inaugurals celebrate the continued victory of American democracy. Today’s edition covers Inaugural Week 2021– the environment, the swearing in ceremony, and Day One of the Biden Administration. In upcoming editions, we will take closer looks at the Biden Administration’s legislative directions and new committee assignments in both the House and the Senate.
Read MoreDecember 22, 2020
The legislative year finally wrapped up last night around midnight. Erik Paulsen, Steve Gordon and Todd Smith summarize the three things that had to get completed – the omnibus spending bill, COVID relief, and the National Defense Authorization Act – and take a look forward to the U.S. Senate in 2021 in Heard on the Hill. Patrick Robertson takes a last look back at the November elections, and Steve Ruhlen takes a first look forward at the 2022 midterm elections. Al Jackson gives us a defense update, and Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics. Our Total Spectrum Spotlight features Erik Paulsen and Patrick Robertson discussing the anticipated focus of the Biden Administration in the first 90 to 100 days.
Read MoreDecember 4, 2020
We are in the dog days of this Congressional session. The lame duck session which began this week is important, but just as important is the pandemic and the real prospect of safe and effective vaccines, control of the Senate and the runoff elections next month, and an ultimate decision on last month’s presidential election. We cover these subjects and more in Heard on the Hill. Al Jackson, our expert on defense, brings us up to date on all matters in the defense sector. Erik Paulsen addresses the need for Congress to enforce trade laws, and Steve Gordon takes a look at November’s biggest and most surprising Senate victory. Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics.
Read MoreNovember 13, 2020
In Washington Whispers, Patrick Robertson observes that President Trump has the right to explore all of his legal options, but in the meantime it is important to watch and think about the ideas and agenda of the Biden Team as they address transition of the administration, filling cabinet positions, continuing COVID response, prioritizing infrastructure, and if – or how – to reform the Senate. We cover the upcoming lame duck and how both the Senate and the House look after last week’s elections, as well as an overview of Georgia’s January 5th runoff elections, in Heard on the Hill. Erik Paulsen has written a fascinating – albeit frightening – article about future ‘super-bugs’. Jesse Weathington provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics.
Read MoreOctober 30, 2020
Well, we decided to do one more issue of This Week in Washington as a clean-up-and-button-down issue before next week’s elections. In Heard on the Hill, we summarize ‘No Judge Left Behind’ and the successful confirmation of Justice Barrett. We also look at the reason why the COVID stimulus bill couldn’t happen before the election, what’s behind all the optimism about a COVID vaccine, the Congressional Review Act and how it could be used next year, and the outlook for a continued Republican Senate majority from the perspective of Republican strategists. Al Jackson reports on prospects for defense appropriations over the next four years under a Trump or Biden Administration, and with a Republican or Democratic Majority in the Senate. Total Spectrum Spotlight features part two of our interview with Neil Newhouse, co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. Neil is an outstanding pollster with over 40 years of experience. He is a pro’s pro and a wonderful communicator. We had a wonderful response to part one of the interview, and believe you will find part two just as informative and interesting. Todd Smith provides an update on the latest in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics. We will be back after the election with a look back at what happened and why, and a look forward to the lame duck session and 2021.
Read MoreOctober 15, 2020
Heard on the Hill looks at the last mile of this Congress, with a particular focus on additional stimulus legislation by discussing what happened, what did not happen, and why. We look over the fence at the upcoming lame duck session, cover some odds and ends, preview the “Art of Polling” interview in Total Spectrum Spotlight, and cover the changes in campaign finance over 40 years in a section we call “It’s Raining Money”. Washington Whispers takes a deep dive into the battle for the control of the U.S. Senate. It breaks the races into four tiers, and shows why national interest in which party controls the Senate has never been greater. Ramona Lessen covered three hearings – one before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation about a pathway to a vaccine, another before the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigation and Regulations about preventing fraud and abuse in the Paycheck Protection Program, and finally the opening of this week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Honorable Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Ramona has condensed her reports but provides links for those who want to read and watch further. Jesse Weathington provides an update on two big healthcare and economic announcements in Georgia with his Gold Dome Report. As always, make sure to check out the Infographs for an in-depth look at current hot topics. We urge you to watch Part One of our Total Spectrum Spotlight interview with Neil Newhouse, co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. Neil provides real insights about what does - and what does not – make a reliable poll and how his art changes with the times. You can also check out Part Two of the interview which is very informative.
Read MoreSeptember 18, 2020
The NEW This Week in Washington starts now. We lead off with Patrick Robertson’s first “Washington Whispers” column. Erik Paulsen recently wrote an op/ed in Newsweek about the need for our trade agreements to prioritize American intellectual property, and we are reprinting it here. We write about what happened in August and some of the things to watch as we go forward toward the election in “Heard on the Hill”. Ramona Lessen reports on a Senate Homeland Security hearing in August on the U.S. Postal Service. And finally, Steve Gordon interviews former Congressman Erik Paulsen in our inaugural episode of Total Spectrum Spotlight, our newest feature bringing you short but meaningful video interviews with both news makers and news shapers.
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