The Morning Dispatch: U.S. Economy Back to Sea Level

Plus: The latest on the prospects for another Iran Deal, and Biden moves to pressure federal workers to get vaccinated.

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Happy Friday! Declan wandered off silently into the woods after the Cubs traded away his favorite player, Anthony Rizzo, last night. We’re hoping he’s back by Monday, but we have no idea.

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

  • The United States’ gross domestic product grew at a 6.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter of 2021 per a Bureau of Economic Analysis report released yesterday, coming in well below the 8.4 percent Dow Jones estimate. GDP has, however, now rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, adjusted for inflation.

  • President Biden on Thursday announced a series of new requirements and incentives designed to boost vaccine uptake among federal employees and the public at large. 

  • Congress voted overwhelmingly on Thursday (98-0 in the Senate, 416-11 in the House) to advance a $2.1 billion emergency spending package that will fund improvements to the U.S. Capitol’s security apparatus and the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans who aided the U.S. military during the War in Afghanistan.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Beth

    Favorite athlete is Christian Pulisic. I admire his willingness to take chances (move to Dortmund at 15 yrs old), his talent, and his demeanor on and off the pitch. He represents the USMNT and USA soccer with class. Close second is Jordan Spieth. On Simone Biles….anyone who understands her lack of spatial orientation right now….certainly supports her not risking serious injury to compete. I feel as though the initial reports from the US team (after her first vault and subsequent withdrawal) didn’t explain what was going on too well…and resulted in many unnecessary negative comments.

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    Citizen60

    Billie Jean King is my all-time favorite athlete. How many barriers and firsts for that remarkable woman! Public courts, Brave superbly talented, feminist and pragmatic in getting what she wanted for all professional women tennis players. Tennis was my personal favorite sport to play, when I was able; but that’s not why Billie Jean beat Willie Mayes. Billie was willing to use her abilities to fight to make the sport equitable for all women—no small achievement.

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  3. Avatar photo
    Kevin Johnson

    Hey kids, why isn’t Chris Stirewalt’s new podcast with eliana johnson on The Dispatch? It’s great, btw.

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    Jack

    Hey Dispatch can you do a story on #pbsignwars2021? It’s really funny

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  5. Richard Fulmer

    Government expenditures are included in GDP. Presumably, that includes COVID payments and stimulus spending. If so, there’s no “product” at all in that bit of Gross Domestic Product.

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    Mark Wm L

    Being a Louisvillian I must pick Muhammad Ali as my favorite athlete of all time. But I think the universe agrees with my choice. Why else, during the labor of my first child, would the only watchable thing on the hospital's limited feed be the Thrilla in Manila and, then, when my second child was born, I would spend the time of labor watching the Rumble in the Jungle. Go watch "When we were kings" and then you'll know why my favorite athlete deserved the title "The Greatest."

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    Robb Redman

    Favorite athlete is Steve Prefontaine. I saw him at the 1972 Olympic Trials in Eugene. "Somebody may beat me, but they are going have to bleed to do it."

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  8. Avatar photo
    Show Jay Janney the 🚪!

    𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆? 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓?

    My son is my favorite athlete. But I won't mention his name since I have two sons, and I don't which one will actually pick my nursing home someday. It's a joy to watch them play.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Seth B

    Rollie Fingers: His relief pitching was eclipsed only by his masterful moustache.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Cornelius O’Brien

      Dennis Eckersley was better and had a good stache. Duncan rode one pitch farther than anyone

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  10. Lisa Sowry

    I've never been big on sports, though I always watch some olympic events. Bob Schul, won the mens 5000m in Tokyo 1964, and gave our tiny hometown a reason to be proud. Years later as a teenager; I was friends with his niece and got to see that medal. It was impressive. But what really impressed his niece and I was the good looking Malaysian mens team he coached and would run down our road in the mornings. Thanks Bob. (cue aooga eyes)
    I like to see athletes that once they retire from the spotlight, come back and invest in their communities and give others a chance to go after their dreams. I think that's the ultimate in sportsmanlike behavior. No one gets their alone.

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