NEWS AND OPINION:
It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. And that job is to name the “hottest celebrities” on the planet according to StyleSeat.com, an online news organization dedicated to this search — along with fashion-minded tips. It also has just named the 500 “hottest people in America,” a list that also ranks the city of Washington, D.C., as third in the nation for all this hotness.
But wait, there’s more.
The wide-ranging findings also includes a global list of the “hottest politicians” from around the planet. Curious?
Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is in first place, followed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, and former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand.
How did the judges determine the winners? They started with a list of 1,500 famous people from film, broadcast, sports, politics, business and fashion, then measured the online search volume for each person over a four-year period. They winnowed the list to the top 500.
THE 401(k) TAKES A HIT
Are you nervous, perhaps drumming your fingers over the financial future at the moment? You are not alone.
“Inflation and market volatility are impacting workers’ ability to save for retirement to a greater extent than last year. The annual nationwide survey of 401(k) plan participants finds that 62% of workers see inflation as an obstacle to saving for a comfortable retirement, up from 45% last year, and 42% say stock market volatility is an obstacle, up from 33% last year. Nearly eight in ten (78%) say these conditions are impacting their spending and saving habits, and 36% plan to delay retirement as a result,” investment and financial management company Charles Schwab said in a new report released Wednesday.
“Workers now believe they’ll need to save an average of $1.8 million for retirement, compared to $1.7 million last year. While this amount hasn’t shifted drastically, only 37% of workers think it’s very likely they’ll achieve this target, down by 10% from last year,” the report said.
But it’s not all hopeless.
“Confidence may have taken a hit, but savers are still hopeful: nearly half still feel somewhat likely to reach their goals and only 14% feel they are not at all likely to reach their goals,” the report noted.
“The 401(k) is becoming a non-negotiable for job seekers. When considering a new employer, 88% of workers say it is a must-have benefit and three in four would refuse a new job if it did not offer a 401(k) plan,” the report said.
Only health insurance is deemed more important as a benefit, cited by 90% of the respondents.
The report is based on a survey of 1,000 current U.S. 401(k) plan participants ages 21-70 was conducted for Charles Schwab by Logica Research from April 19-May 2 and released Wednesday. See more numbers in the Poll du Jour at column’s end.
DeSANTIS SPELLS IT OUT
So why is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seeking the White House? Here’s what he said Wednesday to Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner.
“One of the reasons I’m running for president, Harris, is to reconstitutionalize the federal government and these agencies that have become weaponized — the FBI, the Department of Justice — against political opponents.
“That’s a result of them not being held constitutionally accountable for many, many years. And so, when I’m president, we will bring accountability, we will end weaponization. And that regards to new leadership at the FBI, DOJ. We’re going to take power out of Washington, D.C. We’re going to return it to the American people,” Mr. DeSantis said
“But one of the things I think is important to point out: the reality is, for a Republican — that a D.C. jury would indict a ham sandwich and convict a ham sandwich if it was a Republican ham sandwich,” he noted.
AN EYE ON BIDENOMICS
On Monday, Fitch Ratings — which provides financial information services in 30 countries — downgraded the U.S. credit rating. The organization cited the skyrocketing national debt and a “deterioration” in governance as the primary drivers.
Without going into myriad details, what does it all mean? The GOP has an answer.
“This is shocking — and it debunks President Biden’s lies about being ‘fiscally responsible” once and for all,” declares Tommy Pigott, director of strategic communications for the Republican National Committee, in a detailed report released Wednesday.
“Biden bizarrely insisted, ‘We, the Democrats, are the ones that are fiscally responsible.’ Biden forced through a $1.9 trillion boondoggle, which even liberal economists warned against, fueling inflation and wildly spending on far-left projects,” he said.
“Reminder, only 9% of this bloated progressive payoff went directly towards fighting the pandemic while it included over $1 trillion in wasteful spending. Now, prices are up 16.6%, interest rates are at their highest levels in 22 years, and real wages are down 3% since Biden took office,” Mr. Pigott noted.
He also faulted the White House for saying that Mr. Biden’s policies have lowered the national debt, and pointed out that Mr. Biden also pledged to “take responsibility” for fiscal challenges, while avoiding any negotiations with Republicans for over 100 days.
“Here’s the point: This downgrade reaffirmed that ‘Bidenomics’ means fiscal ruin, and now everybody, including the taxpayer-funded federal government, is paying more to get less,” Mr. Pigott declared.
POLL DU JOUR
• 32% of U.S. adults expect their retirement income to come primarily from a 401(k) plan.
• 20% expect that income will come from Social Security.
• 15% cite their savings and investments.
• 11% cite a “pension or defined benefit plan.”
• 8% cite their “partner’s 401(k) plan.”
• 4% cite part-time work.
• 3% cite annuities or insurance.
• 3% cite real estate income.
• 3% cite an inheritance.
• 1% cite some “other” source.
SOURCE: A Charles Schwab poll of 1,000 U.S. adults who participate in a 401(k) plan.
• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.
