Minnesota GOP Newsletter: Jobs Up, Wages Up, Unemployment Down, Tax Reform Working

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This Week in Pictures

Mere 'Crumbs' Could Cost Dems Big in 2018  "Based on recent polling and misguided Democratic messaging, Republicans have seen an uptick in their political fortunes ahead of the 2018 midterm. Are the Democrats squandering what should be a banner year for the party out of power?"   READ FULL STORY HERE >>>  Unemployment Filings Continue to Fall "The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, dropping to its lowest level in nearly 45 years as the labor market tightened further, bolstering expectations of faster wage growth this year." READ FULL STORY HERE >>>    A Good Year? Republicans Think So! "Democrats have a "crumbs" problem. More specifically: The GOP-passed tax plan that led companies to announce bonuses that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi dismissed as "crumbs" compared with "the bonus that corporate America received" may be popular enough that it can lessen the danger of Republicans being wiped out by a blue wave in this year's midterm elections." READ FULL STORY HERE >>>    Tax Cuts = Surplus?  "The Congressional Budget Office says that federal revenues in January added up to $362 billion. That's an increase of $18 billion— or 5.2% — from the year before. As a result, the government ran a surplus of $51 billion that month, which is equal to the previous January." READ FULL STORY HERE >>>    Dems Won't Repeal Tax Bill "Democrats have harshly criticized the Republican tax cut, but so far, they're not demanding a repeal. Several high-ranking Democrats passed up the opportunity Wednesday to say the party will campaign on repealing the law or undoing parts of it."   READ FULL STORY HERE >>>    America's Bipartisan Spirit "This is what State of the Union speeches used to be. On a bright January morning in 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off from its Cape Canaveral launch pad and broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean. The nation was shocked, and deeply shaken. President Reagan postponed his scheduled State of the Union address by several days. When he did address Congress and the country, his words were comforting."   READ FULL STORY HERE >>>    Pelosi Chooses Politics Over 'Good' Bill "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spent more than eight hours on the House floor Wednesday protesting the spending bill for not including an immigration package -- but then called the bill "good" during a news conference Thursday.”   READ FULL STORY HERE >>>

President Trump: Rebuilding Rural America

Rebuilding rural America 
Today, President Donald J. Trump travels to Nashville, Tennessee, to deliver a major address at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting. It will mark the first time since 1992 an American president has spoken at the event.

That symbolism is important. From his earliest days on the campaign trail, President Trump has highlighted the difference in prosperity between rural America and the country’s wealthiest coastal enclaves.

One sentence explains why this message resonated across America’s interior. It comes from the opening lines of a report from President Trump’s Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force, which the President will share during his speech today: “While other sectors of the American economy have largely recovered from the Great Recession, rural America has lagged in almost every indicator.”

Watch the President’s speech live at 4:10 p.m. ET.

Bonus read: President Trump stands with local communities against government overreach on land management.

Council of Economic Advisers: 2017 was a ‘banner year’ 
This week, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers weighed in on why “2017 was a banner year for the United States labor market.”

In the Council’s own words:

• “The economy added 2.1 million jobs and reversed job losses in critical sectors, most notably in manufacturing.”
• “Unemployment rates for America’s veterans, African-Americans, and Hispanics . . . reached historic lows in 2017.”
• “The first wave of tax reform job and wage gains should produce continued tightness in the labor market and thus bigger take-home checks for workers.”

Read the CEA’s blog post about what happened to the American economy in 2017.

Behind the scenes at Camp David
President Trump spent the weekend at Camp David, hosting bicameral Congressional Leadership for a small-group discussion of 2018 legislative priorities that will build on the success of tax reform. The President specifically mentioned national security, infrastructure, the federal budget, and opioids as major topics of conversation.

“We have a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to accomplish,” the President said before boarding Marine One on Friday.

Behind the scenes: See photos and remarks from the President’s weekend with Congressional leaders at Camp David.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

President Donald J. Trump listens to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, during a dinner with legislative leadership at Camp David | January 5, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

POTUS TODAY

After President Trump delivers remarks at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, he will attend the NCAA National Championship football game in Atlanta.

COMING UP

On Wednesday morning, President Trump will hold a meeting with his Cabinet.

Later, the President will welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the White House. The two will discuss the bilateral ties between the United States and Norway, and how to jointly advance regional and global security, and economic prosperity.