| Biden unveils $1.9 trillion relief plan; Uganda's early election results tainted by allegations of rigging. Tonight's Sentences was written by Gabby Birenbaum. Sentences will be off on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. | | | | | | | Biden urges Congress to pass large recovery package | | | | | Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images | | - Joe Biden revealed his opening offer for a stimulus bill Thursday in an ambitious, $1.9 trillion proposal that targets the three main planks of his recovery strategy: Covid-19 response aid, direct relief for families, and funding for communities and businesses. [Vox / Emily Stewart]
- The rescue plan, which Biden is pitching as half of a "rescue and recovery" program, is expected to be matched in price by its follow-up, which has yet to be announced. [Yahoo! News / Brittany Shepard]
- Noting the high cost, Biden said in his speech that "the health of the nation is at stake," mandating a significant response. Both progressive organizations and the US Chamber of Commerce expressed initial support for the plan. [The New York Times / Jim Tankersly and Michael Crowley]
- Biden is asking for $20 billion to create a free national vaccination program, $50 billion for testing and the creation of a 100,000 worker-strong public health care force, focusing on overwhelmed areas including tribal lands, prisons, and nursing homes. [CNN / Tami Luhby and Katie Lobosco]
- For direct relief, he is proposing $1,400 direct stimulus payments to bring the total to $2,000 after the $600 payments authorized by Congress last month, fulfilling a Georgia campaign promise. [The Guardian / Maanvi Singh]
- The plan also include $400 weekly unemployment supplements, food and housing assistance, and some bones for progressives, including a $15 federal minimum wage, expanded child tax care credits, and emergency child care funds. [The New York Times / Jeanne Smialek]
- Biden wants $350 billion in funding for localities and states, as well as $50 billion in loans and grants to small businesses. [Vox]
- The final proposal will look different, but don't expect Democrats to wait long for bipartisan approval. While they will give Republicans an opportunity to negotiate, Democrats want a quick deal and have slim majorities in both chambers to pass it without the GOP. [Politico / Alice Miranda Ollstein and Adam Cancryn]
- In 2008, President Obama kept his stimulus under $1 trillion to try and earn Republican votes and avoid cost criticism. Another recession and a pandemic later, Biden clearly has no such qualms, and faces pressure on his left to go even bigger. [The Washington Post / James Hohmann]
- The urgency around a new relief package is compounded by the worsening state of the pandemic. Thursday saw a new daily record for coronavirus deaths as well as the highest unemployment figures since August. [The Washington Post / Erica Werner and Jeff Stein]
| | | Ugandans vote in tense, contested election | | - Ugandans went to the polls Thursday to cast their vote for 35-year incumbent Yoweri Museveni or a slate of challengers, including the popular main opposition candidate, former pop star Bobi Wine. [Reuters]
- The days before the election have been marred by a government-ordered internet blackout and political violence against Wine supporters, leading to fears that Museveni will rig the election. [CNN / David McKenzie and Stephanie Busari]
- Seventy-five percent of the population has known only Museveni as president, but Wine is immensely popular among young voters and in urban areas. Museveni's government has cracked down on Wine's supporters, leading many to wonder if casting a vote is tantamount to risking one's life. [The Associated Press / Rodney Muhumuza]
- Wine has already claimed victory, calling the election rigged after the electoral commission reported Museveni leading him by 33 points. He also said the military has seized his home. [The Associated Press]
- While the African Union sent election observers to Uganda, neither the European Union nor the US did so. [The East African]
- The situation could become more deadly if the election does not go to a runoff. Wine could call his supporters into the streets, and Museveni's government could meet them with brutal force. [Axios / Dave Lawler]
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | "Out of all the peril of this moment, I want you to know I see the promise. I'm as optimistic as I've ever been." | | | | | | | | | | | A very big tech company now has a very small union. Recode's Shirin Ghaffary explains why highly paid workers in an anti-union industry still organized and made history. [Spotify / Sean Rameswaram] | | | | | | | | |  | This email was sent to edwardlorilla1986.paxforex@blogger.com. Manage your email preferences, or unsubscribe to stop receiving all emails from Vox. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036.
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