Newsletter Apr 15, 2021

The fight over voting rights forced corporate America to choose sides after some of the nation's top companies took a stand while others took a knee.

3 Things

Voting for dollars: The debate over new laws restricting voting rights has moved from back-room wheeling-and-dealing in state legislatures to boardroom meetings throughout corporate America..
Major U.S. companies joined forces to run full-page ads in some of the nation's largest newspapers calling for a rollback of the more than 250 voting restrictions that have been passed in 43 states since the 2020 election, fueled by unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
Releasing a statement entitled "We Stand For Democracy" that ran in the New York Times, Washington Post and other outlets, tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google and other top companies pushed for laws making it easier -- not harder -- for Americans to vote.
â€œThroughout our history, corporations have spoken up on different issues,â€ former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault explained. â€œItâ€™s absolutely the responsibility of companies to speak up, particularly on something as fundamental as the right to vote.â€
But the idea was far from unanimous. Opting out of signing the statement were other heavy hitters like JP Morgan Chase, Walmart and Home Depot. Also noticeably absent were Coca-Cola and Delta, which are headquartered in Atlanta -- ground zero for voting laws.
On this issue, corporate America is just as divided as the real thing.
FIND OUT HOW CORPORATE AMERICA IS TAKING ACTION

Financial Band-Aid: The third and seemingly final stimulus check from the federal government will have to last struggling Americans for a while, but the majority of recipients say they still face hardships.
According to a survey conducted by Bankrate, 61% of respondents said they will be low on funds within three months of receiving their checks. Dwindling unemployment benefits, past-due bills and the rising cost of essential items are conspiring to keep them broke.
Following last month's passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, $1,400 stimulus payments were sent to qualifying Americans to help them through the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic. But lawmakers have already moved on to debating President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal so more relief is unlikely.
While some Democrats are calling for recurring stimulus payments for Americans most in need, many lawmakers say the money is better spent investing in projects to stimulate job creation and growth instead of temporary bailouts: â€œWe have to be real with ourselves that ultimately, the strength of the consumer depends on the strength of employment over long enough periods of time,â€ said one analyst.
FIND OUT HOW AMERICANS ARE SPENDING THEIR CHECKS

Grand Ol' Sex Party: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has all denied accusations of sexual misconduct, claiming it's all is part of a politically motivated blackmail scheme against his family.
However, after two of his female party guests have broken their silence, it's quickly become a case of he-said, she-said, she-said.
Gaetz has been accused of sex trafficking and having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl, but he has gone on the counter-attack by declaring himself a victim of political retribution. It's an increasingly difficult position to defend after bank records show he was involved in hiring women to perform at drug-fueled sex parties.
Two women came forward to reveal a behind-the-scenes look at the shindigs and shenanigans involving Gaetz and other politically connected party-goers. The damning accusations threaten to end or damage the rising political career of the pro-Trump Republican.
READ ALL THE SALACIOUS DETAILS OF GAETZ'S SEX PARTIES

Markets

DJIA	33,730.89	0.16%
S&P 500	4,124.66	-0.41%
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Japan: Nikkei 225	29,627.59	0.02%
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Yen	108.89	-0.05%
Euro	1.20	-0.05%
* As of market close

Grow-cery bills

Before you make your next grocery shopping run, you might want to clip a few coupons. The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the prices of everyday items are going up -- with little end in sight.

The report says the consumer price index saw a 0.6% increase in March â€“ the largest monthly increase in nearly a decade. Among the items hardest hit by spike are fruit and vegetables, which increased nearly 2% in March.

Beef, pork, poultry, fish, and eggs rose by 0.4%, and those basic items may be the next to see a spike. Shortages in pork products like American staples bacon and hot dogs are in the pipeline, as well as coffee and paper products. The ensuing supply-demand ratio is sure to hike prices.

While pandemic-related shortages and price increases have become the norm over the past year, but the latest surge in costs seems to be largely attributable to rising gas prices. Not only are consumers paying extra at the pump, they're also feeling the pinch at the grocery store to cover the additional transportation costs after gas prices surged 9.1% in March.

The Federal Reserve responded to the inflationary indicators by saying it would take whatever steps were necessary to control the economy.

SEE HOW MUCH MORE ECONOMISTS SAY PRICES WILL GO UP

Work like a dog

True, this job is literally for the dogs. But as far as dog employment opportunities go, this one is pretty sweet. What canine in their right mind would prefer to sniff bombs or fight crime when they could be bellying up to the boardroom table and gulping down unlimited bone-broth beer?

Busch Beer is looking for one lucky pooch with a superior palate (you know, one that doesn't eat scraps from the trash can) to serve as the chief taste-tester for the company's new line of Busch Dog Brew. The chosen pup will earn a $20,000 annual salary, full medical benefits, and all the non-alcoholic doggie beer it can consume (which explains the insurance).

Busch launched its brand of beer for dogs last year so pet owners could â€œcrack a cold one with their favorite canine companion.â€ Busch looks to take the concept to the next level by introducing new flavors and hiring its own four-legged Gordon Ramsay. The winning candidate will help with product research and development, as well as working with quality control and serving as a brand ambassador across social media platforms.

Not a bad gig for a dog? We're thinking it sounds pretty good for a person.

HERE'S HOW YOUR PUP CAN APPLY FOR A DOGGIE DREAM JOB

Tiger dings

OK, we're not saying Tiger Woods won't win the 2022 Masters. We're saying he definitely won't win the 2022 Masters. The man just had a major car accident, for goodness sake, and suffered compound leg fractures. He's lucky to be alive, much less play 72 holes at Augusta National.

But that hasn't stopped legions of Tiger fans from putting their money on him to don another green jacket just 13 months after his tragic cash. Sports books couldn't wait until the final putt dropped on Sunday before they started posting odds on Tiger's chance to win next year's tournament.

Woods opened at 40/1 to win the 2022 Masters, with only 17 golfers having better odds. Unless half the money list has car accidents between now and next year, that's hard to fathom Those are the same early odds assigned to two-day leader and seventh-place finisher Justin Rose.

They say never count Tiger out, but.in this case the counting is in the books. Given the months of rehabilitation ahead of the 45-year-old legend, it's unrealistic to expect much more than Woods to be able to walk pain-free, much less make a magical run through today's best players. But at least the books have a heart -- all bets are off if Woods doesn't play.

GET THE LATEST ON TIGER'S RECOVERY FROM HIS INJURIES