The Pour Over Today - Monday, May 22, 2023

Episode Date: May 22, 2023

Today, we’re talking about more debt ceiling negotiations, the G-7 Summit in Japan, doubt over FBI surveillance, and other top news for Monday, May 22nd. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by Naqi

Today, we're talking about more debt-ceiling negotiations, the G7 summit in Japan, doubt over FBI surveillance, and other top news for Monday, May 22nd. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour-Over. Here's the quote of the day. If you're falling off a cliff, strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch. Salvation is not finally based on the strength of your faith, but on the object of your faith. Tim Keller, 1950 to 2023. Pastor Keller passed away in New York City on Friday morning.

Let's get started with some espresso shots. Let's get started with some espresso shots. Debt ceiling negotiations have been bumpy. Discussions between the White House and House Republicans stopped, restarted, then restopped. And that was just Friday. President Biden says Republicans need to move from their extreme position, while Speaker McCarthy says the White House has moved backwards. The two have agreed to meet today. Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Yellen reminded them of some hard deadlines. On June 1st, Uncle Sam owes $101 billion to Medicare, veterans' benefits, military pay, and more. Then, on June 2nd, $40 billion is due to Social Security, Medicaid, and more. The Feds are expecting $79 billion to roll in from quarterly taxes on June 15th,

but the odds of avoiding default before that influx is quite low. For what it's worth, investors seem confident it'll get worked out. While the cost of insuring against a default has skyrocketed, the markets overall have remained relatively stable. If our hope is based on physical or economic security, then we are right to live in fear, because at any moment we could lose everything. If our hope is rooted in the eternal security provided by Christ, then we can weather any storm. Philippians chapter 1 verse 21 says, For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The G7, a group of wealthy democracies, not another Fast and Furious movie, met in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend. The presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States spent a lot of time discussing China and made a public agreement to combat its growing use of economic coercion. Beijing said it was strongly dissatisfied with the statement. All of that was upstaged by the surprise last-minute arrival of Ukraine's President Zelensky. by the surprise last-minute arrival of Ukraine's President Zelensky. The G7 issued more sanctions on Russia, and Zelensky met one-on-one with multiple leaders, including President Biden.

The meeting came just hours after the U.S. agreed to allow Ukrainian troops to train with U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, something the U.S. has previously refused for fear it would unnecessarily escalate the war. Give thanks to God that he is in control of everything in the world and pray for his peace and his justice to be done in the parts of the world where there is no peace and no justice. Psalm chapter 9 verse 8 says, he rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. According to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the FBI is not good at following its own rules.

Newly released and heftily redacted court documents show that the FBI used a database meant for gathering intel on non-U.S. citizens abroad to search for U.S. citizens in the U.S. over 278,000 times. Some queries related to 2020 racial protests, January 6th riots, and congressional campaign donors. The searches go against Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. In response, the FBI says it's enacted internal reforms since 2021. Section 702 is set to expire this year unless Congress votes to re-up, which the Biden administration has pushed for. However, the docs are fuel to the fire for critics who want reform, not renewal. Here's a verse to consider when contemplating your own actions.

I have the right to do anything, you say, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, you say, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10, verses 23-24 This episode is sponsored by Naki. Disabled veterans struggle daily to interact with the world around them. Now, thanks to a revolutionary new earbud, they'll be regaining their independence. Disabled veterans struggle daily to interact with the world around them. Now, thanks to a revolutionary new earbud, they'll be regaining their independence. The Naki earbud allows our heroes to control any digital device,

from steering a wheelchair, to sending emails, to using appliances, without lifting a finger or saying a word. Naki's already working with one of the leading electric wheelchair brands to bring this breakthrough to market. With the smart earbud market projected to grow 764% by 2030, the future of Naki, and the veterans who served us, is bright. For a limited time, the Pour Over listeners can invest in Naki. Check out the link in the show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. The 2024 Republican presidential primary is getting more crowded. Senator Tim Scott,

the only Black Republican in the Senate, filed paperwork to run for president on Friday and is leading with a message of optimism and unity. Meanwhile, it's expected that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will announce his long-rumored candidacy this week. At least 12 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a stampede at a soccer stadium in El Salvador yesterday. Fans reportedly pushed through an access point 16 minutes into a Salvadorian League quarterfinal match, causing the crushing swell. El Salvador's president said the country was mourning and promised an exhaustive investigation. Disney has frozen plans for a $1 billion office complex in Florida that was expected to bring

over 2,000 jobs to the state. Disney cited changing business conditions for the decision, though reports say the House of Mouse's ongoing feud with Governor Ron DeSantis figured prominently as well. A spokesperson for DeSantis called the move unsurprising. Oregon's Republican state senators have been boycotting the legislature, effectively blocking a sweeping measure that would expand protection for abortion and transgender medical treatment for children. Last year, the people of Oregon overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment preventing state lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences from re-election. So far, 10 of the state's 13 conservative senators will be barred from running again.

Amazon Prime might soon include two-day delivery to the moon. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' rocket company, Blue Origin, won a $3.4 billion NASA contract to build a second lunar lander for their Artemis mission, which aims to put boots back on the moon by 2025. SpaceX is already creating its version, but NASA says it wants backups and competition. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Wednesday.