US onAir Curators
How Elon could disrupt Washington
Derek Roberson, Politico
Musk has nevertheless jumped straight into the fray: He spent today escorted by Trump on Capitol Hill, attending the House Republican conference meeting and otherwise familiarizing himself with the government that his $200 million helped elect.
It’s unclear yet whether even the most hawkish appropriators have the stomach for Musk’s proposed buzzcut. With promises to use his PAC to pick winners in upcoming Republican primaries, he potentially could have a lot of pull in Congress as a donor, but (very) early returns aren’t yet promising for his influence: The Senate GOP conference elected Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as majority leader over Musk’s pet candidate, Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
Still, Musk will at least forcefully suggest the same ruthless management for the federal government that he’s deployed at X and Tesla (all while reassuring Tesla investors the appointment is only temporary). Given his extensive track record of public statements about his business empire and policy preferences, environmental, labor, and diversity, equity and inclusion spending could be on the chopping block.
Breaking down Donald Trump’s deportation agenda
Carlos Trujillo, a top Trump adviser on Latinos, discusses immigration under the second administration.
Brakkton Booker, Politico
The son of immigrants who defected from Fidel Castro’s communist Cuba, Trujillo applauds Trump’s recent decision to name immigration hard-liners Stephen Miller and Tom Homan as deputy chief of staff for policy and border czar, respectively. And he believes they’ll bring back two of Trump’s previous migration-deterrent policies: the so-called “safe third country” agreements and the “Remain in Mexico” program.
“Those hires are excellent ones and are going to help carry out the vision more than 74 million Americans — including Hispanics — voted for,” Trujillo told POLITICO.
What America’s deadliest roads have in common
David Zipper, Vox
The beginnings of a paradigm shift in transportation policy
With deaths among US pedestrians and cyclists hitting a 40-year high in 2022, a growing number of state DOTs are starting to acknowledge that maximizing vehicle speed is not the only goal that matters on urban roadways. The Pennsylvania DOT, for example, is now working with Philadelphia to at last bring lane redesigns, bus lane improvements, and speed cameras to Roosevelt Boulevard. On the other side of the country, the head of the Washington state DOT has requested $150 million from the state legislature to address the shortcomings of legacy highways.
Trump’s mass deportation plan.
Isaac Saul, Tangle
Trump’s mass deportation plan. In the week after the election, President-elect Donald Trump reaffirmed his campaign promise to deport millions of immigrants living in the United States illegally. He has also started identifying high-ranking immigration officials to carry out the policy.
Trump has brought on Stephen Miller, a longtime immigration hardliner, as his deputy chief of staff. He chose Tom Homan, a former ICE director and the face of some of Trump’s most restrictive policies from his first term, as “border czar.” He has also chosen Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD), who supported his first term’s travel ban on select Muslim-majority countries, to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Critical Nonprofit Policy Issues the Next President and Congress Will Face
Chief among them are the expansion of the charitable tax deduction and the 1969 law governing foundations.
Ben Gose, Chronicle of Philanthropy
