The Show Notes: Inflation Woes, Railroad Strikes, Abortion Bans, & Russian Oligarchs

Welcome! Emmy ratings hit a record low.

NEW: Biden May Buy Oil Just Below $80; Democrats Stymied Trump at $24 - Bloomberg (paywall)

The Biden administration is considering replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve when oil dips below $80 a barrel, just two years after Democrats blocked former President Donald Trump from filling the reserve at a fraction of that price.

Headline: Ken Starr Was a Good Man - National Review

Must read: The Grand Old Party of Crybabies

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Clip of the day:

Scott Sloofman @ScottSloofman

CNN cuts away from Biden to highlight the "Dow taking a total beating." "Feels like it's hard to be celebratory"

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InteractivePolls @IAPolls2022

🚨JUST IN: The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumps to 6.28%. 30 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates: Jan 2021 — 2.65% Sep 2022 — 6.28%

Inflation and the Senate

Inflation is set to have a disproportionate impact on the race to control the Senate as Atlanta and Phoenix have the highest inflation numbers of any metro area in the nation. Georgia and Arizona are home to two vulnerable Democratic Senators up for reelection who are must-wins for Democrats to control the Senate next year. Go deeper with Axios.

Railroad Strike?

Ammonium and other hazardous materials are no longer being shipped by railroad as the chances of a labor strike continue to increase. Friday’s deadline for two major railroad unions poses a significant threat to supply chains across the country. In addition to a third of all US exports being moved by trains, Amtrak runs on railroads operated by unions and “has begun to make initial service adjustments.”

How much would a strike cost? $2 billion PER DAY. Go deeper with National Review.

Russian Oligarchs

Yesterday we covered the strange circumstances surrounding the deaths of multiple Russian oligarchs. Check out the comprehensive list.

ian bremmer @ianbremmer

for those keeping track at home, 12 “threw himself from window/shot himself 7 times in the head” russian oligarch deaths this year so far

“Out of my swim lane”

RNC Research @RNCResearch

Reporter: China is buying up land near U.S. military bases. Is this on the administration’s radar? Co-Press Secretary John Kirby: That’s “a little out of my swim lane.” Reporter: “This is a national security issue.” Kirby: “I’m not the right person to ask about this.”

Abortion Ban

South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would implement a nationwide abortion ban after 15 weeks. Go deeper with Politico.

The rest of the news:

• It's a race for House GOP No. 3 next year — but a lopsided one - Politico

• Mike Pompeo talks 2024 in Chicago - Politico

• Locust Grove man pleads guilty to assaulting police in Jan. 6 Capitol riot - AJC

• Hedge Funds Are Betting Elon Musk Will Be Forced to Buy Twitter - Yahoo

• Zelensky vows 'victory' on frontline visit to liberated Kharkiv region - Yahoo

• As war began, Putin rejected a Ukraine peace deal recommended by aide - Reuters

• Biden to nominate new ambassador to Russia - CNN

• Why Buttigieg is sparking 2024 chatter - The Hill

• Watch Mandela Barnes Say World Must ‘Stymie Capitalism’ To Combat Climate Change - Washington Free Beacon

• Violence hits ‘epidemic proportions’ in pandemic-era California, study shows - Study Finds

• Maps show where extreme heat shattered 7,000 records this summer - WAPO (paywall)

• Putin Will Make People Choose Between Heating or Eating This Winter - NYT (paywall)

Tweets that caught my eye: