| | | | | | | Presented By Facebook | | | | Axios Sneak Peek | | By the Axios Politics team ·Dec 16, 2021 | | Welcome back to Sneak. President Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to three U.S. soldiers — including the first Black recipient since 9/11. Smart Brevity™ count: 1,117 words ... 4 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson and Margaret Talev. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Behind the scenes on Air Force One |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | As he travels the country, President Biden is tapping an unofficial group of advisers to help hone his message: the lawmakers flying with him aboard Air Force One, Axios' Hans Nichols and Sarah Mucha write. Why it matters: Previewing his remarks to mostly Democratic lawmakers in the conference room of the iconic aircraft, Biden's found a way to catch up on the kinds of in-person interactions and instant feedback that COVID-era precautions have greatly curtailed on the ground in Washington. - In the process, he's made some lawmakers feel a part of his team, building goodwill for battles down the line.
- He's also gained last-minute, hometown intel to help him avoid potential political blunders on the ground.
- And for the lawmakers, it's a rare opportunity to share unfiltered thoughts with a president with a notoriously protective staff.
What they are saying: "He listened," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) who flew to Kansas City with Biden earlier this month, said of their conversation on the plane. "The reason I know he listened is because he changed some of his speech." - "We went together knee-to-knee for like 20 minutes," recalled Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who traveled with Biden this summer to South Florida after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium. "I had a chance to look him in the eye to talk him through the detail that would really best prepare him when he landed on the ground."
- Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) described the New Hampshire delegation snacking on presidential M&Ms in the plane's conference room in November as they helped Biden craft a speech to "make it feel very connected to the district."
Keep reading. |     | | | | | | 2. Swing voters: Prison time for defying Jan. 6 committee |  | | | The Jan. 6 Select Committee meets on Dec. 1. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images | | | | Some Trump-to-Biden swing voters say they strongly support the work of the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attacks — and that witnesses who refuse to cooperate should face consequences including prison. Driving the news: That's the key takeaway this week from Axios' latest Engagious/Schlesinger focus groups, which were monitored by Axios' Sarah Mucha. Why it matters: The committee is accelerating its investigation, and the House referred former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to the Justice Department for criminal contempt charges. - The feedback from Tuesday night's panels suggests many swing voters still want accountability for the insurrection.
How it works: The two online focus groups comprised 13 men and women who switched from voting for Donald Trump in 2016 to Joe Biden in 2020, and who live in the most competitive 2020 swing states. - Twelve of the 13 said the congressional investigation is a worthwhile use of time and taxpayer funds — and prison is an appropriate consequence for those flatly refusing to testify or turn over documents.
- Notably, though, none of the voters was able to name a single member of the committee.
- While a focus group is not a statistically significant sample like a poll, the responses show how some voters in crucial states are thinking and talking about current events.
What they're saying: "It's important to know why this really happened in order to keep it from happening again," said Alisa R., 41, of Phoenix. - Michael D., 29, from Doral, Florida, said that "without an investigation, it's difficult to assign blame."
- "There needs to be transparency and accountability," said Anna F., 35, from Onalaska, Wisconsin.
- "While swing voters don't get mired in details and personalities, they take the January 6 committee's investigation quite seriously," said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the focus groups.
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 3. Charted: Trump's government makeover |  Data: Partnership for Public Service; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios The federal workforce shifted in ways that aligned with Donald Trump's policy priorities during his four years as president, new data shared exclusively with Axios' Lachlan Markay show. Why it matters: Control over the 2.1 million-strong federal civilian workforce — the largest in the country — is a potent but often overlooked tool for presidents to shift policy. By the numbers: The biggest shift, by far, took place at the Office of Personnel Management: the workforce was slashed by more than half in 2019. - That was largely the result of a Trump executive order transferring the federal employee background check process from OPM to the Defense Department.
- It occurred as Trump critics accused him of attempting to illegally "dismantle" the federal personnel agency.
- The Labor Department, National Labor Relations Board and the Federal Labor Relations Authority also saw sizable workforce dips during Trump's tenure.
On the other side of the ledger, agencies aligned with his priorities — such as immigration and trade — saw employment bumps. Keep reading. | | | | | | | | A message from Facebook | | Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230 | | |  | | | | Aaron is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook. Hear more from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet's most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies. | | | | | | 4. Democrats fail to deliver for Biden |  | | | Sen. Joe Manchin walking through the Capitol basement yesterday. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images | | | | Senate Democrats will conclude the year without delivering on President Biden's top priority: his $1.75 trillion Build Back Better agenda. Why it matters: As predictable as that outcome may have been, it still has consequences for the party, Axios' Alayna Treene writes. Beyond the political ramifications of failing to meet a promised deadline, the chief concern is that dragging out negotiations will result in a smaller package during a midterm year — or no package at all. - In Congress, and particularly a 50-50 split Senate, taking advantage of urgency is vital.
- Pushing action off to 2022 is a buzz-kill.
What we're hearing: Democratic leaders are already looking at setting new deadlines in early 2022 to renew that sense of urgency. - But the problems they face now — including pushback from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on the child tax credit and the overall price tag, as well as disagreements over the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) — will likely follow them into the new year.
What they're saying: "My team and I are having ongoing discussions with Senator Manchin; that work will continue next week," Biden said in a statement on Thursday. "We will advance this work together over the days and weeks ahead." What's next: The Senate is now attempting to make the push to change Senate rules — thus making it easier to pass voting rights legislation — front and center. A breakthrough on a potential deal remains far off. - Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with a series of Senate Democrats via Zoom on Tuesday.
- The group included Manchin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), according to a person familiar with the call.
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 5. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images | | | | Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the administration's plan to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes and remediate lead paint. - All are part of the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better agenda.
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