Morning Headlines - Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

Start your day informed with today’s must-read headlines from around Wisconsin and the world. And don’t forget to check out our Meme of the Day and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Judge Declares Biden Immigration Program For Spouses Of U.S. Citizens Illegal

A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration program that would allow unauthorized immigrants married to American citizens to get legal status and a streamlined path to U.S. citizenship, declaring the policy illegal.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker, an appointee of President-elect Donald Trump, found the program violates U.S. immigration law, agreeing with a lawsuit filed by Texas and more than a dozen other Republican-led states.

Trump Will Name More Conservative Judges. He May Even Pick A Majority Of The Supreme Court

Republicans are gearing up to lock in their remake of the judiciary under President-elect Donald Trump and a new Senate majority, including potentially installing several more conservative Supreme Court justices.

Having already picked three Supreme Court justices in his first term — who were critical in overturning abortion rights — Trump will have appointed a majority of the court if he lands two more.

Traders See Good Chance The Fed Cuts Again In December Then Skips In January

Expectations for a December interest rate cut remained strong after the Federal Reserve trimmed rates by a quarter percentage point in November, but market pricing is suggesting the likelihood of a “skip” in January.

On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. central bank lowered the federal funds rate, which determines what banks charge each other for overnight lending, to a target range of 4.5% to 4.75%.

What Is The The 4B Movement? Trump's Win Has Some Women Swearing Off Men

For many women, the 2024 presidential election was rooted in reproductive rights -- with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris' campaigns offering two very different visions for abortion access in America.

From "childless cat lady" comments to "my body, my choice" chants, the divide on women's reproductive rights became a cornerstone of the election.

In the wake of Trump's victory on Tuesday, and with anti-abortion initiatives passing in several states, a South Korean feminist movement that advocates for women to swear off men and childbirth entirely has become abuzz on social media.

Ultra-Rich Using Jets Like Taxis, Climate Scientists Warn

The mega-rich are using private jets like taxis, warn climate scientists who tracked flights to calculate the planet-warming gases they release.

The scientists worked out that the carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to climate change, rose by 46% between 2019 and 2023.

Researchers traced all private flights globally, including summer weekend trips to Ibiza, Spain and travel to the Fifa World Cup and the UN climate conference in Dubai.

Flying in a private jet for a single hour can release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than the average person produces in a year, according to the research team.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin Pledges To Work With Trump And Calls For Less Division

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin pledged during her reelection victory speech Thursday to work with President-elect Donald Trump when possible, but she also vowed to fight him to protect the national health care law and abortion rights.

Baldwin narrowly won reelection to a third term over Republican businessman Eric Hovde, who was endorsed by Trump. Hovde has yet to concede in a race where the margin is so close he could seek a recount.

Democrats Flip 14 Seats In The Wisconsin Legislature In 2024 After Redistricting

Wisconsin Republicans held on to the state Legislature in the Nov. 5 election, but the flipping of 14 Senate and Assembly seats from red to blue provided the clearest evidence yet that the 2011 partisan gerrymander was real and is now dead.

Republicans will maintain majorities in both the Assembly and Senate — though at much slimmer margins than during the most recent legislative session. The math sets up a chance for the Democrats to retake at least one chamber in 2026, especially if Republicans face the usual midterm headwinds that check a new president.

With Republican Holding Assembly Majority, Vos Vows To Return $3.5B Surplus To Taxpayers

After Republicans held onto their majority in the Assembly, Speaker Robin Vos vowed the state’s projected $3.5 billion surplus would either go back to taxpayers as relief or stay in the state’s coffers.

“Because I am not going to support a plan which says that if (Gov. Tony) Evers vetoes tax cuts, we’re going to spend it on growing the side of the government,” Vos said yesterday. “It’s going to be a big priority for us to figure out how the money goes back as opposed to how it gets spent.”

Report: One-Third Of Wisconsin Hospitals Operated In The Red Last Year

A new report shows a third of Wisconsin hospitals operated at a loss last year.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association surveyed 167 hospitals across the state about their finances, patient use and staffing for their annual Guide to Wisconsin Hospitals report.

This year’s data shows that 54 hospitals, or about 33 percent of all facilities, had negative operating margins. That’s slightly less than the same report from 2022, when 60 hospitals in the state lost money, but still much higher than previous numbers. In 2021, only 21 hospitals had negative margins.

Republican Lawmakers Return LeMahieu To Leadership Role In Wisconsin Senate

Devin LeMahieu will return as the Republican majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate.

The GOP caucus elected LeMahieu to the position during a meeting on Nov. 7. LeMehieu said in a news release that the top issue for Republicans in the 2025-26 legislative session will be returning the state’s funding surplus to families.