Judd Legum Profile picture
Jul 31, 2019 9 tweets 4 min read Read on X
1. You might know that the United States is the only developed country that does not have guaranteed paid maternity leave

But did you know that the average length of paid leave that new moms get in other developed countries is now 52 WEEKS!

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
2. The Trump campaign is touting its support for paid leave as a way to win back female voters.

But Ivanka and her dad endorsed an actual proposal yesterday and (surprise!) the entire thing is a scam

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
3. The proposal Ivanka endorsed yesterday allows new parents to take a $5,000 LOAN and then pay it back through increased taxes over the next 10 years.

This isn't paid leave.

This is paying for your own leave.

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
4. Why is this plan so terrible?

Republicans insist any paid leave plan be REVENUE NEUTRAL

So you are left with rearranging the deck chairs

(Keep in mind these same Republicans just voted for $1 TRILLION in corporate tax cuts that had no offsets)

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
5. The 5K loan endorsed by Ivanka would finance about 7 wks of leave for someone making a 35K salary

The average paid leave offered by developed countries was 17 weeks IN 1970

This is a worse plan than what other developed countries offered 50 YEARS AGO

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
6. BTW, if you are interested in ACTUAL ISSUES like paid leave and not just horse race politics about polls (that don't mean anything at this point anyway) you might want to check out my newsletter, Popular Information

You can subscribe (free!) at popular.info
7. There was a detailed poll taken last year about paid leave. 80% of Americans support it.

Most voters want employers to at least share the cost of paid leave

The Ivanka plan, where employees pay for the entire cost, is supported by ONLY 2% of voters

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
8. The idea, I think, is just to say that Trump supports paid leave and hope no one pays attention to the details.

But it's also astounding how modest even PROGRESSIVE paid leave proposals are in the United States

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…
9. The FAMILY Act would provide 12 weeks of leave for new parents. It would be paid for by a 0.2% payroll tax on employers and employees.

So it's much better than the Ivanka plan but still worse than other developed countries had it 50 years ago

popular.info/p/paying-for-y…

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More from @JuddLegum

May 4
1. ICE has not paid for detainee medical care for 7 MONTHS

The termination of payments to providers has coincided with a MASSIVE SPIKE in detainee deaths.

This is a health crisis and a moral crisis.

Follow along for details.

🧵
2. On October 3, 2025, the Trump admin stopped paying 3rd parties for medical care for ICE detainees.

In November 2025, ICE said the situation was an “absolute emergency” that needed to be fixed “immediately” to “prevent any further... loss of life.”

popular.info/p/ice-has-not-…
3. According to the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), payments to third parties were supposed to resume on April 30. ICE has contracted with a private firm, Acentra Health, to process reimbursements.

But April 30 came and went, and still, nothing is being processed. Image
Image
Read 6 tweets
Apr 27
1. A member of the U.S. Special Forces was just arrested for using classified info to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.

The company is CELEBRATING this scandal as evidence that "the system works."

But Polymarket's story doesn't add up.

Let's dig in.

🧵
2. Gannon Van Dyke, part of the Special Forces unit that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was indicted for misappropriating classified information to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.

popular.info/p/polymarket-c…
3. Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan posted: “We flagged this, referred it, and cooperated throughout the process.”

But indictment credits “reports of unusual trading" in "the press and on social media” with bringing scrutiny to Van Dyke's accounts.

Polymarket’s internal systems are not mentioned.
Read 9 tweets
Apr 23
1. A tiny California tribe, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, just donated $2 MILLION to MAGA Inc, Trump's Super PAC.

I decided to find out why.

It's an illustration of exactly how business is done in Trump’s Washington.

Follow along for details.

🧵 Image
2. The Yocha Dehe operates the Cache Creek Casino Resort. For a decade, the Yocha Dehe has been in a legal dispute with the Scotts Valley tribe, which is trying to build a casino about 60 miles away.

popular.info/p/a-tiny-calif…
3. For Scotts Valley to build their casion, they need a technical determination by the Interior Department that “restored lands” — property with both a historical and modern connection to the tribe.

That enables them to get the green light for gaming.
Read 11 tweets
Apr 20
1. As Jared Kushner heads to Pakistan to represent the United States in critical talks with Iran, the media is ignoring a historic corruption scandal.

Kushner is serving in this role while on the payroll of the Saudi government.

Let's look at the data.

🧵 Image
2. Since 2021, Kushner has collected more than $110 million in management fees from the Saudi government.

Now, Kushner has seeking billions more from the Saudis.

popular.info/p/the-media-bl…
3. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the de facto ruler of the country, reportedly lobbied Trump both to initiate and continue the war.
Read 7 tweets
Apr 16
1. For $500,000, you can have a one-on-one meeting with Trump tomorrow, according to an email solicitation obtained by Popular Information.

Follow this thread for details.

🧵 Image
2. The email from Sinan Kanatsiz offers a “one-on-one meeting and private photo with President Donald Trump” in exchange for a “contribution of $500,000 to TPUSA PAC.”

Kanatsiz confirmed the authenticity of the offer.

popular.info/p/500000-buys-…
3. Kanatsiz describes his invitation as “strictly confidential and non-transferable.” The bottom of the message warns, “NOT FOR SHARING — CONFIDENTIAL.” A source shared the email on the condition of anonymity, fearing professional consequences for providing information to a journalist.
Read 8 tweets
Mar 25
1. Yesterday, the NYT dropped a bombshell: Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been aggressively lobbying Trump not to end the fighting and pushing him to launch a ground operation.

Why would Trump listen?

Follow the money. Image
2. Oddly, the NYT does not mention that earlier this year the Saudi government financed a $7 billion development with the Trump Organization.

These licensing deals are essentially all profit for Trump. It's putting money right in his pocket.

popular.info/p/update-after…
3. The NYT story also does not mention that Trump’s chief negotiator, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, is being paid tens of millions annually by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is controlled by MBS.

And Kushner is actively soliciting MBS for billions more right now. Image
Read 7 tweets

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