Bryce Covert
LightNews LightNews
brycecovert.bsky.social
Bryce Covert
@brycecovert.bsky.social
15K followers 290 following 1.4K posts
Journalist writing about the economy. Contributing writer at @thenation.com and member of @fspnwu.bsky.social. Send tips to [email protected] or on Signal: brycecovert.25 she/her
Posts Replies Media Videos
brycecovert.bsky.social
91,000 women age 20 and older left the labor force in December, while 10,000 men joined it, per @nwlc.org
December Jobs Report: Women Account for All Monthly Labor Force Losses WASHINGTON, D.C. — In its analysis of monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) jobs report, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) found that 81,000 people aged 20 and over left the labor force in December meaning they are now neither working nor looking for work. These losses were all among women: 91,000 women aged 20 and over left the labor force last month while 10,000 men aged 20 and over joined the labor force last month. Over 2025, among those 20 and over, women's labor force size increased by just 184,000 while men’s increased by 572,000. This means men joined the labor force at three times the rate of women last year, and women’s gains in 2025 are but a fraction of the gains women have made in previous years.
January 9, 2026 at 4:01 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Trump’s decision to cut off all TANF money to New York will close domestic violence shelters
Press statement from Safe Horizon, the nation’s largest agency serving domestic violence survivors, saying: “The White House’s decision to freeze critically important federal funding—including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)—to New York and several other states will result in untold numbers of families, children, victims, and survivors being left without access to safety and care. In New York, TANF not only provides a crucial lifeline to victims and survivors on public assistance but is also the primary funding source for the network of emergency domestic violence shelters across the state. Without this funding, many, if not all, of these shelters will be forced to close their doors, leaving survivors and their families at heightened risk of continued violence and homelessness.
January 7, 2026 at 10:51 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
The agenda could not be more blatant
Instead of Frederick Douglass, a women’s suffrage marcher and Ruby Bridges desegregating an elementary school, the Mint’s special quarters for 2026 will feature Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and James Madison, along with pilgrims glimpsing America’s shores.
December 11, 2025 at 5:38 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
I'm sorry, a third of Republicans support universal childcare, even when they're told that it would mean increasing the federal deficit? That's a lot more than I would have guessed! brightspotcdn.byu.edu/ea/ce/3e5b7e...
Graphs of support for policy interventions broken down by party, showing that 81% of Democrats, 49% of Independents, and 34% of Republicans support universal day care. The top text says: Partisan differences are again pronounced. Majorities of Democrats support all three policy options, with more than eight in 10 favoring universal day care. By contrast, only around one-third of Republicans support universal day care or direct payments to parents to help them care for children at home. Some of this low level of support among Republicans may come from the fact that the question asked respondents to consider these programs, “even if they would mean an increase in the federal deficit.” The only program that generated majority support across the political spectrum is an increased child tax credit to be used however parents would prefer. This is one area of potential bipartisan agreement.
December 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Elon Musk and Donald Trump's cuts to foreign aid have fueled the first increase in child deaths in decades www.wsj.com/health/for-f...
Khadra Hussein Ibrahim said she lost her 2-year-old son, Abdi Bari, to malnutrition a few months ago, after Mercy Corps had to cut the nutrition and other services it was providing her family because of an 80% reduction in funding the organization received from USAID for programs in Somalia.
December 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Also this is nuts: the Nevada Supreme Court has blocked judges from ordering child welfare agencies to help families pay for housing
There were times when housing resources became an issue for families, and the family court judges would order welfare services to allocate those resources. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled last year that district courts can’t order governmental social service agencies to pay for housing assistance.
December 3, 2025 at 6:49 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Among the more than 40,000 people bailed out by The Bail Project since 2018, 92% returned to court. A third had their cases outright dismissed.
Impact By The Numbers Of the more than 40,000 people supported, nearly 35,000 received free bail assistance, along with court reminders, transportation, and community referrals, which promote stability and court compliance. The Bail Project only posts bail for people already deemed eligible for release by a judge, removing money as the barrier to freedom in 29 jurisdictions where the organization has operated. These clients returned to court 92% of the time, proving that cash bail is unnecessary to ensure court appearances. Additionally, more than 6,000 people – most released on their own recognizance – have received support through The Bail Project’s pretrial pilot programs, which address real-life barriers that prevent court return. Services include court reminders, transportation, warrant clearance support, housing assistance, and access to legal and community resources. Pilot sites include Chicago (IL), Washtenaw County (MI), and St. Louis (MO), where community-based hubs like the Tap-In Center help individuals resolve warrants and connect with supportive services without fear of arrest. Since 2018, the Bail Project’s work has: - Prevented more than 1,409,562 days of incarceration - Saved more than $109 million in taxpayer costs - Provided nearly $104 million in free bail assistance - Served people across 29 jurisdictions nationwide - Revolved 89% of bail funds to help others - Seen nearly one-third of clients have all their cases dismissed, demonstrating unnecessary pretrial detention
December 2, 2025 at 4:03 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
What the hell are we doing
WSJ headline saying: Trump Calls for Arrest of Democrats Who Urged Troops to Disobey Illegal Orders Trump said the lawmakers’ actions amounted to seditious behavior and called them traitors. Washington Post headline saying: Trump calls Democrats ‘traitors’ for telling military to refuse unlawful orders
November 21, 2025 at 12:53 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Texas's abortion ban killed this child's mother
That afternoon, when his stepdad was out grocery shopping and his grandmother was just getting back from dialysis, he cracked open the door to Walker’s room. His mom was lying face-down in bed, as if she had fallen over while getting up. JJ ran over and tried to find any sign she was breathing. When he called 911, a dispatcher coached him to slide her to the rug and start CPR. “I need you,” he shouted as he leaned over his mom, pressing down on her chest. “I need you!”
November 19, 2025 at 2:07 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Missouri's child welfare agency won't give families any money to help with housing so they can keep their children. But it does give foster families money to cover housing when kids are removed and placed with them.
Sometimes all that families need to remain stably housed and prevent a child’s removal is some extra money. But while the Children’s Division doesn’t use its funds to help these families with housing, the agency does directly fund the housing needs of foster families, as federal law requires. In Missouri, licensed foster-care families receive between $509 and $712 a month for a child, depending on the child’s age, to cover housing and other basic needs, plus an additional $91 a month for children 3 years and younger to cover things like formula and diapers. They receive between $320 and $700 a year for clothing, as well as monthly payments of as much as $2,034 for children with “elevated needs.”
November 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
The shit that medicine gets away with during pregnancy that it could absolutely not get away with anywhere else
“It’s just easier to keep patients hooked up continuously,” said Dr. Jon K. Hathaway, an obstetrician at Indiana University Health. “It’s an ease-of-manpower issue over the science.”
November 6, 2025 at 2:17 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Here's what I have to say about the idea that Andrew Cuomo is a progressive
You can’t call yourself a progressive champion while cutting school funding and Medicaid. You can’t call yourself a progressive champion while fondling young women and making them feel as if they are only valued for their high heels and short skirts. You can’t call yourself a progressive champion when your quest to assert your dominance leads to needless death. But Mr. Cuomo has tried to pull it off by using his political might to divert our attention.
November 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Gutting testimonials from Walmart and Amazon workers about what the loss of SNAP benefits will mean for them
“I will become homeless trying to feed my family. Because food comes first, before paying other bills. I’ve worked 40+ hours/week for most of my life, and I still rely on food stamps. It's not my work ethic that's a problem, it's the company not paying living wages.” (Tiff B., a retail worker in Oregon) “I’d lose the ability to keep groceries in my house, since my income is not on par with the regular expenses of life. Literally ALL the necessities of life cost TOO MUCH money for the working class to keep up with. Life shouldn’t be too expensive for the general public to afford.” (Kalista C., a retail worker in Tennessee) “I have medical conditions that would prevent me from getting private health insurance. I am also a disabled single parent who has been fighting for disability for 2 years. Without Medicaid, my social security, and SNAP, I will die. I have worked and paid into the system for 34 years. I, as many others, do not deserve to be told we are nothing but parasites and made to feel like we should just die off.” (Paige C., an Amazon associate from Kentucky)
October 31, 2025 at 5:36 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Quite the auto response from the generic USDA press email account
Thank you for contacting our press office. Due to staff furloughs resulting from the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, the typical monitoring of this press inbox may be impacted. We ask for your patience as remaining staff works diligently to field your requests. As you await a response, please remember these delays could have been avoided had Senate Democrats supported the clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government. Thank you for your patience and attention to this matter.
October 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Instead what he's really doing is pulling money from school meals. Which also probably isn't legal?
Instead, the administration is providing a lifeline for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known commonly as WIC, by pulling money from an account that funds things like school breakfast and lunch programs. Some of the money in that nutrition account comes from import revenue from prior years, as authorized by a 90-year-old law, along with other funding Congress provides each year.
October 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
The flooding disaster in Alaska ties directly back to the Trump administration. First, Trump's EPA rescinded a $20 million grant to fortify against such storms. www.adn.com/alaska-news/...
Last year, the village of Kipnuk secured $20 million in federal funding to mitigate erosion and fortify its infrastructure against storm surges, only for it to be rescinded. A spokesperson for the federal Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday defended the decision, saying “due to the proactive cancellation of this grant, $20 million of hardworking U.S. tax dollars are currently sitting in the U.S. treasury instead of swept into the Kuskokwim River.”
October 17, 2025 at 4:41 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Also his "affordability plan" is half tax cuts, including something borrowed straight from Trump.
Q: What are two specific policies you would enact in your first year to address the city’s affordability crisis? Cuomo's answer: First, build. With a 1 percent vacancy rate, demand is driving up costs, so the only answer is to increase supply. In my first year, I’ll add 50,000 affordable homes by cutting red tape, rezoning land and bringing 25,000 rent-stabilized apartments back online. Second, tax reform. Cap property taxes at 2 percent for struggling homeowners, eliminate income taxes for residents earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, end taxes on tips and raise the real estate transfer tax threshold to $2.5 million to make it easier to purchase a home.
October 17, 2025 at 3:16 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
This is so insulting. What does Andrew Cuomo even want to achieve if he becomes mayor? This word salad boils down to nothing. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Q: What’s your one big idea — your most important policy proposal that you would prioritize if you could only achieve one campaign promise? Cuomo's answer: The “big idea” is what has been missing from City Hall for over a decade: competent, effective government that delivers for the people it serves. Real change comes from day-in, day-out execution: experienced leadership that can deliver change, managerial skill and knowledge that gets results. My priorities are clear: public safety, affordability and opportunity.
October 17, 2025 at 3:14 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
The article leaves out Charlotte Burrows, who was chair of the EEOC before Trump fired her (something he doesn't have legal authority to do). The acting chair he picked in her place and the new commissioner he just got confirmed are both white.
An official portrait of Charlotte Burrows An official portrait of Andrea Lucas, Trump's pick for acting EEOC chair Brittany Panuccio, who was just confirmed as an EEOC commissioner after Trump selected her
October 9, 2025 at 12:22 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Interesting that the EEOC is keeping the “radical left Democrats” thing off its website
Screenshot of eeoc.gov that says “Due to a lapse in appropriations, the EEOC’s offices are temporarily closed”
October 2, 2025 at 9:30 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Interesting stuff going on on the HUD main page
A pop up screen on hud.gov saying “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands.” A bright red splash at the top of hud.gov with the same message
September 30, 2025 at 4:15 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
This is apparently HUD's landing page now
Screenshot of hud.gov that mainly shows a splash with this text: “God blessed us with this great nation, and together, we can increase self-sufficiency and empower Americans to climb the economic ladder toward a brighter future.” - Secretary Scott Turner
September 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
They can't get mad at you for making millions more Americans hungry after you enact the biggest food stamps cut in history if you don't measure hunger anymore www.wsj.com/economy/trum...
Still of Roll Safe tapping his temple
September 22, 2025 at 12:21 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Republicans just saying out loud that they don't care if more and more Americans are out of work www.politico.com/newsletters/...
House Republicans are renewing a focus on scrapping the so-called dual mandate established by Congress in the 1970s that requires the Fed to target interest rate decisions that aim for both stable prices and full employment. They say the central bank should focus solely on prices. “I believe price stability is the most important issue” for the Fed, House Financial Services Chair French Hill (R-Ark.), who reintroduced legislation Wednesday that would narrow the body’s focus to prices, said at a hearing on the issue. “No matter how many mandates, not only is it first among equals, but it’s the only one they can actually do something about.”
September 18, 2025 at 1:14 PM
brycecovert.bsky.social
Government efficiency www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
Internal State Department and U.S.A.I.D. documents and correspondence obtained by The New York Times show that several international organizations, including the Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, had offered to buy or accept a donation of the contraceptives. The government would have incurred no costs or might have even been able to recoup taxpayer funds under those scenarios. Instead the administration decided to proceed with destroying the products, an operation that was estimated to cost $167,000.
September 12, 2025 at 11:45 AM