At the podium: Republican state Rep. Rick Edmonds, co-chairman of the Joint Budget Committee’s subcommittee on dedicated funds, is the guest speaker at today’s Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon. Edmonds, of Baton Rouge, will address legislative issues like dedicated state funds and how the Legislature may deal with them. Sponsored by the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish, the luncheon takes place at noon at Cafe Americain. The cost to attend is $19.
Dipping: President Donald Trump’s job approval ratings have dipped in every state since he took office fewer than nine months ago, according to a new Morning Consult poll. Negative swings in the president’s net approval rating ranged from as high as 30 percentage points in blue states like Illinois and New York to as low as 11 points in red Louisiana—where he still enjoys a 57% approval rating. The survey is based on interviews with 472,032 registered voters across each state and Washington, D.C., from the beginning of Trump’s term through Sept. 26. Trump’s popularity is the highest in Wyoming, where his approval rating is 60%. See the full report.
Red ink: Working-class Americans devoted a growing percentage of their income toward paying their debts last year, the first increase since 2010 and a shift that is likely contributing to rising default rates, according to Moody’s Investors Service. Bloomberg reports the families’ debt burdens are still relatively low compared with earnings—less than they’ve been for most of the past three decades. But borrowers are accumulating more debt even as the economy continues its recovery, which could create problems for lenders if U.S. growth slows, says Jody Shenn, a senior analyst with Moody’s. Read more.
