The Pour Over Today - Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Episode Date: March 30, 2022

Today we’re talking about Biden’s budget proposal, peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, COVID’s comeback in Europe and China, and other top news for Wednesday, March 30th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over.Sponsored by Eagle Lake Camps:http://eaglelakestaff.com/

Today, we're talking about Biden's budget proposal, peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, COVID's comeback in Europe and China, and other top news for Wednesday, March 30th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage. William Bradford. Let's get started with some espresso shots.

President Biden hopes to raise taxes on the ultra-wealthy. This is defined as households worth $100 million or more, and corporations, and he has big plans for the extra cash. The White House's 2023 budget proposal includes increases to defense spending, police spending, green initiatives, and support for families impacted by inflation. All that and it promises to reduce the federal deficit by $1 trillion over the next 10 years. The proposal serves as a starting point for Congress, and it's being battered by both sides. Republicans say the increase in defense spending is too small, while Democrats say it's too big. And Joe Manchin, the Democrat from West Virginia, always a key vote in the Senate,

doesn't like the method the White House suggests for raising taxes on the yacht-owning class. Here's a verse to consider when you catch yourself imagining billions and billions of dollars. Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6, 19-21 Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia resumed yesterday, this time in Turkey. Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich attended the talks after reports that he and two Ukrainian delegates were possibly poisoned at negotiations earlier this month. The suspected poisoning was blamed on anti-peace deal Russians. This is an allegation Russia denies. Abramovich's role in the mediation is uncertain. Following the meeting, Russia claimed it would, quote, drastically reduce its military operations

around Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. The repositioning comes amid a stalled invasion that has allowed Ukraine to recapture territory in recent days. Meanwhile, President Biden doubled down on his statement that Putin shouldn't remain in power, saying, quote, I was expressing the moral outrage that I feel, and I make no apologies for it, but clarified he's not advocating for a policy of regime change in Russia. It's easy to feel helpless in a situation like this, but the Bible promises that prayer is powerful and effective, that it causes things to happen that would not have happened otherwise. Pray for miraculous peace. James 5.16 says,

the prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Yesterday, the FDA and CDC authorized some Americans to get their boosters boosted. The health regulators signed off on a fourth dose of both Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines for everyone ages 50 and older, and a fifth dose for some younger Americans with compromised immune systems. The decisions were made without consulting either agency's Committee of Independent Vaccine Experts. The stamps of approval come as the world watches uncomfortably as Omicron BA.2 finds its footing. Cases are surging across much of Europe, and Shanghai, China's largest city and financial capital,

is entering a five-day lockdown that is expected to cause some not insignificant economic disruption. Cases and deaths continue to decline stateside. The U.S. is averaging 29,300 cases per day, down 96% from early January, and 764 deaths per day, down 96% from early January, and 764 deaths per day, down 70% from early February. Our hope is never contingent on a public health outcome. It's much more secure than that. Regardless of whether things get worse or better, everything eventually ends well for followers of Christ. Philippians 4.4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice. This podcast is brought to you by Eagle Lake

Camps. Lifelong friends, Jesus the blob. That's right, we're approaching summer camp season. Eagle Lake Camps is the camping ministry of The Navigators, and they're looking for college-aged Christians who want to impact kids, grow spiritually, and maybe relive their own glory years at summer camp. Last summer, Eagle Lake served over 10,000 campers at day camps in nine different states and at their classic overnight programming in the mountains above Colorado Springs. While the focus is on the kids, it's the summer staff that say they will, quote, never be the same. And importantly, all positions are paid. If you or someone you know are interested, you can learn more and submit an application at EagleLakeStaff.com.

You can also find a link in our show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. A federal judge said it is, quote, more likely than not that former President Trump committed felony obstruction of the 2020 election results, which a Trump spokesperson called, quote, absurd and baseless. Separately, the committee says there is an eight-hour gap in Trump's phone records that have been produced from January 6th. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the Don't Say Gay bill by critics, which prohibits classroom instruction on sexuality and gender from kindergarten to third grade. Advocates say these topics should be broached by parents, while critics say the law will marginalize LGBTQ kids. these topics should be broached by parents, while critics say the law will marginize LGBTQ kids.

The Taliban is bringing back the 1990s in a bad way. Over the past two days, Taliban leaders have issued a flurry of repressive laws, including banning girls from going to school beyond sixth grade and forbidding women to board an airplane without a male chaperone. A snow squall created whiteout conditions north of Philadelphia that led to a 60-car pileup along I-81 on Monday. Three people were killed and 20 were injured in the massive crash that included multiple semi-trucks and a fuel tanker that caught on fire. Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock and the Academy has opened an investigation as Sunday night's slap dominates social media. in investigation as Sunday night's slap dominates social media. Chatter includes the criticisms that Will Smith wasn't immediately removed from the theater and efforts to not let Chris Rock off free for his joke and theories that it was all staged for ratings. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. Here's a breakdown on how you can best support us. If you're listening

on the Apple Podcast app, you can give us a five-star rating and drop us a review. We do actually read these and take them to heart. Like this review from Splice User T. Straight updates on what's going on in the world, nothing more or less. It's exactly what's needed. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to submit a review. We're so grateful for feedback. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss an episode. And finally, the simplest way to help us grow is to send this episode to a friend. We hope you have a great rest of your day and we'll see you back here on Friday, April 1st.