Cozen Oconnor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

The twin health and economic crises have reached a tragic new milestone, as the pandemic death toll has surpassed 100,000 and the American economy has shed more than 30 million jobs. Meanwhile, a police killing of a black American has once again sparked outrage and violent protests across the country, laying bare the country’s political dysfunction and racial inequalities. As a grim tableau of a union in crisis has emerged, leaving some to believe that a fundamental change is at hand, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz discuss what to expect next.

House Democrats on Friday passed a $3 trillion relief package, named HEROES Act in honor of the front-line workers and designed to assuage the health and economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The mammoth bill, approved largely along the party lines, seeks to add pressure on Senate Republicans to start negotiations on a new round of emergency aid and avoid making the process yet another partisan flashpoint. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz break it all down and discuss what’s next, as the patchwork approach to reopening the economy continues to reveal divides between states and the federal government, on the one hand, and between blue and red states, on the other, that are likely to widen as the pandemic continues and the election nears.

After weeks of stay-at-home orders, millions of lost jobs, and trillions in emergency government spending, President Trump is calling for state and local governments to reopen their economies. Governors, for their part, are moving ahead with their own plans for how to safely resume normal activity, as they face the same competing pressures between keeping people safe in a pandemic and reviving some elements of a more functioning society. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz assess the leadership of both the President and the governors and look ahead to the November election, which will be not just about who can better return the country to normalcy but also about who can better stem the damage from what is likely to be the worst economic contraction in 90 years.

After more than a month under pandemic-related shutdown, and a resulting economic nosedive, the reopening of America is happening with little consensus on how it should proceed. Is testing really the deus ex machina that many claim? Several governors have issued a joint call for Congress to approve extra money in direct aid to states, depicting an increasingly dire financial strain on states struggling with the coronavirus crisis. It is also clear that the crisis will have a profound effect on this year’s presidential campaign and on American politics in the long term. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz discuss these and related issues and ponder what lies ahead as the country enters the next phase of an unprecedented national experiment resulting from the pandemic.

President Trump last week signed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, freeing up almost half-a-trillion dollars in additional relief funds to deal with the pandemic and its blow to the American economy. Less than three months since the first known COVID-19 death in the U.S., the country's reported fatalities make up a quarter of the world's known coronavirus death toll. Meanwhile, as many states still struggle to secure critical test kits, governors across the political spectrum continue to lack persuasive arguments to safely reopen the country and have asked that the federal government step up its support for state efforts. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz discuss how the crisis continues to reshape the American economy and life as we know it.

Less than seven months before the November election, the issue of reopening the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is a high-wire act for the president. The politics of the situation is hanging over the health data, as a swift economic restart could backfire politically for Trump if it causes a flare up. Meanwhile, governors across the political spectrum are also facing growing pressure to revive economies decimated by the coronavirus. But if they drew praise for taking quick action to protect public health, taking responsibility for when and how to reopen the country could prove far more politically perilous. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz discuss what lies ahead, as the ongoing public health crisis continues to test both the economy and the public’s patience.

In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our society and changed our entire way of life. As hospitals across the country have become overwhelmed, and industries, transport networks and businesses have closed down, the macroeconomic consequences seem dire. The public health and economic crises caused by pandemic will test our political institutions and our willingness to sacrifice for the common good, too. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz discuss the roots of these crises and what it will take to overcome the daunting challenges that lie ahead.

The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly evolved from a health crisis to a financial and economic one, shuttering businesses, upending entire industries, and resulting in staggering unemployment filings. The Democratic Party announced on Thursday that it will postpone the Democratic National Convention because of the coronavirus. As the scope and scale of the pandemic and its impact remains unknown, Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jim Schultz, break it all down and discuss how the crisis may impact politics and the November election.

Exactly one week after The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, “phase three” legislative response to the COVID-19 crisis, was passed, members of Cozen O'Connor's Coronavirus Task Force – including Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Steven Dickinson, Robert Magovern, Michael Schmidt, Christopher Raphaely, and Jeff Vogel, analyze the impact of the CARES Act on specific industries and provide practical and legal guidance to businesses in those industries for maximizing the financing options available to them under the Act. Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (CPS), who served as the COO of the US Treasury’s TARP program during the 2008 financial crisis, and Mark Alderman, CPS Chairman, moderate the discussion.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate voted on Wednesday to adopt a massive economic-stimulus package. The bipartisan bill would offer some $2 trillion to help many sectors weather the expected physical and economic toll from the coronavirus. House passed the bill today. Howard Schweitzer, the CEO of Public Strategies who served as COO of the Treasury’s TARP program during the 2008 financial crisis, Jim Schultz, who worked in the Office of White House Counsel, and Mark Alderman, CPS Chairman, dig into the COVID-19 relief bill and what it might mean for a large swath of the economy.

The coronavirus crisis has challenged all levels of government. Understandably, government action has so far centered on the public health crisis and protecting workers and lower income Americans. At the same time, the government is beginning to focus on the vast financial and economic implications of this pandemic. Work has already begun on a stimulus package to address such implications. Howard Schweitzer, the CEO of Public Strategies who served as chief operating officer of the U.S. Treasury’s TARP program during the 2008-09 financial crisis, and Mark Alderman, CPS Chairman, break it all down and discuss what to expect next during these unprecedented times.

The coronavirus crisis has escalated in the U.S. and all levels of government must respond. But how? And can our elected officials mesh crisis management with the divisive political climate? Howard Schweitzer, Jim Schultz, and Mark Alderman break it all down, based on Howard’s experience with managing the 2008-09 financial crisis as Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Treasury’s TARP program and Jim’s experience in the Trump White House Counsel and as General Counsel to the Governor of Pennsylvania during Super-storm Sandy.

Super Tuesday is over and, although the Democratic contest is far from over, former vice president Biden is, for today, the front–runner. Can Bernie Sanders, who benefited from a fractured field in early contests but suffered from the moderate consolidation on Tuesday, still close the gap? Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, is joined by Patrick Martin, CPS Midwest Director, and Kaitlyn Martin, CPS Government Relations Advisor, to discuss how the trajectory of the race may unfold in the coming day

Less than a week before Super Tuesday, the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination remains fluid, yet the 78-year old Senator already looks like the favorite to clinch the nomination. Bernie’s ascendancy is forcing a sudden reckoning among the Democrats, as they wonder if he is equipped to beat Trump in November: are his opponents devoid of any ideas on how to stop him? Is Biden still a player? And is Buttigieg more viable? What about Bloomberg’s role? Is anybody going to drop out after South Carolina? Howard Schweitzer and Mark Alderman, respectively CEO and Chairman of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, are joined by Jim Schultz, former White House Counsel, to discuss what may happen next.

Is it “the economy, stupid” again? Consumer confidence is high and the underlying economic data is relatively sound. So if history is any guide, President Trump’s re-election chances are good, as incumbency is a proven advantage in presidential elections. How does that mesh with reality and what to make of Trump tweeting at the DOJ? Howard Schweitzer and Mark Alderman, respectively CEO and Chairman of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, are joined by Jim Schultz, former White House Counsel, to break it all down for you.

The good news for Democrats is that turnout was up in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary over 2016. But the bad news is that Democrats now find themselves in a challenging place, as they are no closer to agreeing on the right person to beat President Trump in November. No candidate exceeded 30% of the vote. Sen. Sanders and former mayor Buttigieg, the two leading candidates from Iowa's caucuses, remained at the top of the field. But Sen. Klobuchar surged to third, questioning the viability of both Sen. Warren and former VP Biden. Further muddling the outcome is former New York mayor Bloomberg, a moderate candidate who wasn't even on the ballot. So what is next for Democrats, going into more diverse Nevada and South Carolina? Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, and Mark Alderman, the group’s Chairman, discuss how it may all play out.

The New Hampshire primary - the second party contest of the presidential primary season, is less than a week away, yet delayed results from the first major contest have yet to be fully counted. And despite historic enthusiasm among Democrats for defeating President Trump, turnout in Iowa’s presidential caucus was far off the record set in the 2008 contest. The early numbers, following a day of chaos and confusion over a technical failure that complicated the vote count, suggested a possible split decision that could have one candidate winning the popular vote and another securing the most delegates. So what’s next? Though Iowa’s electorate is small, younger, and less racially diverse than usual, Iowa’s caucuses have had a reasonably good record in recent history of picking the eventual winner of the Democratic nomination. Yet there are indications the Democratic Party is unlikely to resolve its debate over candidates and vision soon. Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, and Mark Alder

After months of hearing from the candidates and pundits alike, it is time for voters to finally have their say. But less than a week before the Iowa caucuses usher in the Democratic contest and a cluster of candidates enters the final stretch, the battle for the state is wide open. The first nominating contest in the 2020 Democratic primaries will undoubtedly shape the momentum of the race. While the results can provide a breakout moment for an unlikely candidate, they can also end a campaign. The caucuses are also complicated and controversial. Howard Schweitzer, Public Strategies CEO, and Mark Alderman, the group’s Chairman, break it all down for you.

Just 45 days before the Iowa caucuses, in the smallest debate of the year, seven Democratic candidates onstage engaged in some of the most aggressive exchanges. While the candidates reflected the Democratic party’s unity around defeating President Trump, they also offered sharply divergent visions of how to do that. Can any of them pull the party together and attract the independents necessary to win the purple states? What is going to decide the nomination: any particular issues, candidates’ personalities, California, or something else? In our final podcast of the year, Howard Schweitzer, Public Strategies CEO, and Mark Alderman, the group’s Chairman, are joined by CPS Government Relations Principal Joe Hill and CPS Government Professional Jamie Ansorge to discuss how it may all play out.

Howard Schweitzer, Public Strategies CEO, and Mark Alderman, the group’s Chairman, are joined by Jim Schultz, former Trump Administration official fresh off of his tour around Pennsylvania with Vice President Pence and the Trump rally in Hershey, PA. They argue about impeachment, the USMCA trade agreement, the Democratic primary field, and the 70-something seniors dominating today’s politics.