5 Leadership Traits of Founding Fathers

With the COVID-19 pandemic worsening, the economy faltering, and protests against racial injustice continuing, millions of Americans face difficult times and worry about the nation’s future.

And with a presidential election around the corner, it’s a critical time for the country to take stock of what political leadership should mean by going back to the principles embodied by the framers of the Constitution, says Dr. Jim White (www.opportunityinvesting.com), author of THE BROKEN AMERICA: Ten Guiding Principles to Restore America.

“Mending the nation requires a return to the values of the Constitution and the civility and wisdom of our Founding Fathers,” says Dr. White, founder and president of JL White International. “Citizens must hold leadership accountable at the national, state and local levels.

“There is stupefying dishonesty and an alarming lack of accountability by politicians on both sides of the aisle. The global pandemic served not to unite us against a deadly common foe, the coronavirus, but instead further divided the public along party lines. Regardless of which party voters belong to, there are political criteria all patriotic Americans should be requiring, and these can easily be found in the texts and teachings of our Founding Fathers.”

Referencing the leadership of the Founding Fathers as a framework, Dr. White cites leadership attributes he believes today’s political leaders must have to guide the nation back on course:

A clear, unifying vision. Dr. White says a political leader’s vision must be inclusive. “Political candidates usually have a vision in tandem with their campaigns that appeal to their bases and convince others to hop on the bandwagon,” Dr. White says. “Once in office, however, the vision needs to be amended to include all Americans –not just one party or sector. The elected official must repeatedly convey the vision in a way that’s clear. People should understand why the vision is important, what it means to the average citizen, and

kinnearinsurance@outlook.com

how it will be rolled out.”

Recognizes potential in others. Just as in business, it’s crucial for political leaders to hire the best possible job candidates. The problem, Dr. White says, is the freedom these leaders have in hiring cronies, donors and family can lead to less effective governing and even scandal. “Political leaders should be able to identify stars and empower them,” Dr. White says. “The leader is only as good as the team, and at the same time, ‘yes’ men and women is not what any true leader should want.”

Develops trust. “To some people, the words ‘trust’ and ‘politics’ don’t belong in the same sentence,” Dr. White says. “The truth is, politicians often lie. We must always hold them accountable for telling the truth. Leaders must have a level of transparency or else public trust in government gets lost.”

Shows empathy. “Political leaders must wear many hats, but the most important one is serving the people,” Dr. White says. “That means being present and empathetic when unforeseen tragedy strikes. Leaders are looked upon to help provide immediate help in all facets, including emotional support and encouragement. Our leaders must represent all of the people and show that they care.”

Conveys passion. “The nation’s leaders need to have unbridled, unconditional love for our nation,” Dr. White says, “which translates to optimism and a bright future for everyone – not just the wealthy and privileged few. People want to follow a passionate leader who puts the country’s interest above themselves, their political party, and winning.”

“Do today’s political leaders have what it takes to drive our nation?” Dr. White asks. “Tragically, the answer is as plain as day: no. But at a minimum, we must expect that our leaders will excel at the attributes the Founding Fathers exemplified.”

Colorado Unemployment Trust Fund set to Become Insolvent Next Week; State will Borrow from Feds

Officials say people receiving benefits should see no difference

By: Blair Miller

DENVER – Colorado’s unemployment trust fund is expected to become insolvent early next week, but the state will borrow money from the Federal Unemployment Account and people who are on unemployment should not see any interruption in their benefit pay ments, state Department of Labor and Employment officials said Thursday.

The state’s fund currently has less than $50 million in it, the CDLE’s Senior Economist Ryan Gedney said Thursday, adding that he expects it to become insolvent early next week. When that happens, the state will borrow from the FUA account at zero interest for the rest of the year – as 10 other states and the U.S. Virgin Islands are already doing. Last week, Gedney said that Colorado was among eight other states that had made loan re quests under the expectation they would also have to borrow from the federal government. It won’t be the first time Colorado has had to bor row federal dollars to pay regular unemployment benefits; it did so during the Great Recession, as did around two-thirds of all states, and during the eco nomic crash during the early 1980s.

Gedney said that about 85% of the federal money borrowed so far during the latest re cession has been done by California, New York and Texas.

The state will be able to borrow at zero interest for the rest of the year under measures passed by Congress, which could also extend the zero-interest borrowing if it chooses to do so.

Colorado had about $1.1 billion in the trust fund at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The state paid out just more than $70 million in regular unemployment benefits last week. In total, the state has paid out $4.5 billion in regular and various federal unemployment benefits since the end of March.

CDLE Deputy Executive Director Cher Haavind said that the Colorado business com munity agreed during the Great Recession to use bonds to get out of the debt owed to the federal government and said the department would be exploring different options to return the fund to solvency in the months ahead.

Another 6,187 regular initial unemployment claims were filed by Coloradans last week – the lowest number since the week ending March 14. And there were 9,048 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance initial claims filed last week by self-e mployed or gig workers.

Accommodation and food services continued to account for the highest share of regular initial claims for the week ending July 25.

CDLE officials also discussed the FEMA Supplemental Payments for Lost Wages program – what the Trump administration ordered after the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program was allowed to expire at the end of July.

The executive order from President Trump authorized FEMA to use up to $44 billion in disaster relief funds to provide extra payments of $300 per week if a state agrees to match with up to $100 and a person is receiving at least $100 a week in some type of unemploy ment benefit.

Haavind said the department received guidance on the program Wednesday night from the federal government but that Gov. Jared Polis’ administration was still decid ing whether or not it would apply for the funds and agree to the ma tch.

But she said that if the state moves forward with the program, it will likely take several weeks to reprogram the state’s systems and get the added benefits flowing to people.

The CDLE’s Jeff Fitzgerald said his reading of the guidance was that there would only be about $19 billion from the disaster relief fund available since it can only be used down to $25 billion – and the $19 billion could have money moved for upcoming disasters before it could potentially all be used by December 26.

Fitzgerald said the state match would have to come from either state funds or state CARES Act money and that the trust fund could also be leveraged to make the match if the state decides to move forward with the program. But he said estimates showed that moving ahead with the program could generate between $60 million and $100 million into Colorado’s economy.

September 2, 2020 Lost Creek Guide Page 5 Trump’s Order to Extend Unemployment Benefits Could Cost Colorado $31.1 Million a Week — Money it Doesn’t Have Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment trust fund will run out of money this month while there are still nearly 311,000 workers receiving jobless benefits

Tamara Chuang, The Colorado Sun tions, we need to negotiate in good faith and get a bill passed,” Sen. Michael Bennet, a

For Coloradans on unemployment, don’t expect the extra $400 to show up in weekly Democrat, said in a statement. payments just yet. The state is seeking more guidance on how to move forward with PresiSen. Cory Gardner’s office shared a statement of his support to extend unemployment dent Donald Trump’s weekend executive order to tap federal and state funds after a federal assistance and that Gardner “will continue to fight for three priorities in a bipartisan, unemployment supplement ran out July 25. bicameral deal: Making sure that we’re stopping the spread and flattening the curve, help

Trump’s order, which critics say he has no authority to do because it breaches ing Coloradans with the immediate relief that they need to get through this crisis, and congressional spending authority, wants states to pay $100 of each weekly claim, which getting businesses up and running again.” means Colorado must figure out where that money will come from. Based on nearly 311,000 Coloradans still receiving unemployment benefits at the end of July, that’s an extra $31.1 million the state must find each week to fund Trump’s order. “We don’t have the money, obviously,” said state Sen. Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat and It would be difficult for Colorado to find the extra funds, said Gov. Jared Polis. “Really the state would not be able to do that for more than two to three weeks. Even that is really stretching our resources to the max,” Polis said, speaking to reporters at a new coronavirus testing site at Water World in Federal Heights. state budget writer. Polis said he hopes the short span will give Congress enough time to act. And to move “There needs ahead with any to be congressiochange in the paynal deal between ment, the state’s Republicans and unemployment ofDemocrat,” he fice must readjust said. its computer sysThe state’s tem to handle the own unemployalterations. ment trust fund, “Until we get which had $1.1 more guidance billion before from (U.S. Departthe pandemic, President Donald J. Trump signs a Presidential memorandum for continued student loan payment relief during the COVID-19 pandemic Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, at a news conference in Bedminster, N.J. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) ment of Labor) we are not able to provide additional information on implementation timelines or retroactive Gov. Jared Polis speaks to reporters at a coronavirus testing site set up is almost out of money. Last week, the state’s economist Ryan Gedney payments,” said Cher Haavind, deputy director of the Colorado Department of Labor and at Water World in Federal Heights on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. said the trust Employment. “We hear that guidance may come in the next couple of days.” (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun) fund, which is

The coronavirus’ blow to the economy has resulted in 679,255 Coloradans making an funded by emunemployment claim since March, when restaurants, bars and other businesses minimized ployers who pay for unemployment insurance, had about $75 million to $100 million left operations as state-mandated safety measures were enacted. and will run out this month. Colorado has already requested a federal loan to cover future

As of July 25, approximately 310,912 Coloradans were receiving some type of unempayments so jobless Coloradans won’t be left without some income. ployment benefits. Most are paid out of the state’s unemployment trust fund but about a Moreno, the state senator, said Trump’s plan, if Colorado were forced to pay $100 extra quarter are self-employed or gig workers and are paid from federal money. a week per unemployed person, would only serve to drain the trust fund faster.

But for both groups of workers, everyone received an extra $600 a week from the federal “People need help and they need it urgently, which is why (Trump) needs to work with Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, or PUC, until July 25. The money came Congress to get this passed,” Hansen said. “To ask the states to pay for a large portion also from the federal CARES Act to supplement regular unemployment benefits, which typically doesn’t make any sense. The trust fund is (near) a negative balance, meaning that every are 55% of a worker’s regular income. As of Aug. 1, Colorado had paid out $2.3 billion in check we send out (will soon be) a derelict tax on the state of Colorado. People need to PUC payments. understand that.” Congress has been negotiating how to extend the federal benefit with options that include the Democrat-supported HEROES Act, which would extend the $600 weekly payment till Jan. 2021, or the Senate Republicans’ HEALS Act, which would pay just enough to raise jobless workers incomes to 70% of their regular pay. Both proposals have been stuck in partisan limbo. Since no guidance rolled out with Trump’s order, the state is “awaiting technical guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor on options for implementation within the states,” Haavind said. As soon as that’s available, she said the department will let everyone know.

With no breakthrough, Trump signed the order on Aug. 8 to pay an extra $400 of weekly “When we have additional information, we will update claimants on our website, social benefits to people on unemployment as part of the Lost Wages Assistance Program. The media platforms, and directly via claimant communications,” she added. extra weekly pay would be available until Dec. 6 and funded with about $44 billion from This story was updated at 5:50 p.m. on Aug. 10 with comments from both of Colorado’s the Disaster Relief Fund. Trump wants states to pay 25% of the weekly benefit. U.S. Senators.

But Trump’s tapping of state funds puts another burden on the state and the action is not legal, said state Senator Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat, who had pushed to increase the trust fund long before the pandemic.

“President Trump does not have the constitutional authority to make financial decisions. Only Congress is in charge of the budget,” Hansen said. “Signing this ex8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ecutive order that doesn’t have the force of law is not useful and it doesn’t actually help people. We need to start with that.” Trump later told reporters Sunday that states could apply to have the federal government provide all or part of the $400 $15.00 payments, according to an Associated Press report.

Then again, The Wall Street Journal reported late Sunday that a U.S. Labor Department spokesman said states “are encouraged, but not required” to pay the $1.04 per gallon $100. In states that don’t provide the extra will call or route money, people on unemployment would receive only $300 a week from federal funds.

Both of Colorado’s U.S. Senators pushed for bipartisan support in Congress to get something passed to help people on unemployment. “If we want states to be able to support Americans through this crisis, we should be $3,535.00 providing state and local governments with the funding they need to maintain critical services. There is strong bipartisan support for that, so instead of delays and distrac$2,183.00