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

Mar 12
1. CONSUMERS paid most of Trump's tariffs, which the Supreme Court ruled were illegal.

But CORPORATIONS will receive the refunds.

Will they pass that cash back to consumers? Or pocket the money?

We asked them.

🧵
2. Popular.info contacted 18 companies that: 1. Admitted they raised consumer prices due to tariffs, and 2. Sued for tariff refunds.

We asked whether they would compensate customers via refunds or discounts.

popular.info/p/consumers-pa…
3. These are the companies we contacted:

Abercrombie & Fitch
Columbia Sportswear
GoPro
Uniqlo
Steve Madden
Crocs
EssilorLuxottica (Ray-Ban)
Lululemon
Deckers (UGG, Hoka)
Dollar General
Trek
Yeti
Helly Hansen
Brooks Running
Allbirds
Dyson
Puma
Nintendo
Read 5 tweets
Mar 9
WE STILL DON'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER ON THE MOST BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THE IRAN WAR

WHY did the U.S. go to war?

A Popular Information review of public statements over the last 9 days found 17 DIFFERENT EXPLAINATIONS. Many of which contradict each other.

🧵
Here is a sampling:

1. Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” last June, but the U.S. started the war because Iran refused to abandon its “nuclear ambitions.”

popular.info/p/9-days-in-th…
2. Absent an attack, Iran would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks. Image
Read 10 tweets
Mar 4
1.Internal emails from Liberty University Law School, obtained by Popular Information, reveal how the Trump admin hires interns.

Students were informed about "exciting" legal internships at Labor Department.

“You MUST be aligned politically with President Trump… GPA is not a strong factor.”
2. The email stressed that those accepted into the program “will make incredible connections that will payoff [sic] later.” The internship “could lead to a full-time job offer for after your 2027 graduation.”

popular.info/p/the-meritocr…
3. Green stressed that anyone interested in the DOL legal internship should “ABSOLUTELY apply” because “the person conducting the interviews is Vittoria D’Addesi, a 2025 graduate of Liberty Law, along with a representative of the White House Liaison Office.” Image
Read 6 tweets
Mar 3
1. The Iran War has already claimed the lives of 6 U.S. soldiers, hundreds of Iranians, and dozens of people in neighboring countries.

For others, it's been a money-making opportunity.
2. Six newly-created accounts on the prediction market Polymarket raked in nearly $1 million by betting that the U.S. would strike Iran by February 28.

The White House says no one in "Trump's orbit" placed bets.

popular.info/p/the-casino-f…
3. Overall, “$529 million was traded on contracts tied to the timing of the strikes” on Polymarket.

Moving forward, Polymarket is offering dozens of markets on war-related developments. Image
Read 9 tweets
Mar 2
1. According to multiple reports both Saudi Arabia and the UAE lobbied Trump to attack Iran.

Both countries have increased their influence with Trump by investing billions in projects that personally enrich Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
2. Trump installed Kushner as a top negotiator.

Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff participated in a mediation session with their Iranian counterparts on Thursday, billed as a last-ditch effort to avoid war.

popular.info/p/the-money-be…
3. In 2021, Saudi Arabia invested $2 billion in Kushner's private equity fund and has paid him $125 million+ in management fees.

The Saudis also partnered with Kushner to purchase video game maker EA, the largest leveraged buyout in history.
Read 8 tweets
Feb 24
1.

FACT: Trump’s new tariffs are just as illegal as his old tariffs

But numerous media outlets are spreading false information about the law — and Trump is benefiting.

Let's break it down.

popular.info/p/trumps-new-t…
2. Several prominent outlets falsely reported that the Trade Act of 1974 gives Trump the legal authority to impose temporary tariffs of up to 15% in response to *trade deficits*

THIS IS NOT TRUE Image
Image
3. Section 122 of the Trade Act gives the president the authority to temporarily impose tariffs in response to “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits,” not trade deficits. The United States does not have a balance-of-payments deficit, much less a large and serious one.
Read 9 tweets

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