Coronavirus divides the nation

Your guide to how Washington shapes business and the economy

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE WED, MAY 20, 2020 CNBC POLITICS EDITOR'S NOTE Hello,   This week the CNBC Politics team is looking at how the nation is divided along sharp partisan lines over the pandemic. The new CNBC/Change Research States of Play poll has some intriguing results about the mood of the nation, particularly in election battleground states.   Here are some other stories we are following: The Senate is on the verge of approving President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe, months after the GOP lawmaker faced opposition even among members of his own party. The federal government does indeed have an appetite for losses on coronavirus business bailouts, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Earlier, he had signaled that he was reticent to have his department take the brunt of any losses. This is part of the reason he coaxed Fed Chair Jerome Powell to take on much of the risk. Republicans instantly dismissed the $3 trillion relief bill House Democrats passed last week, which sets aside a big chunk of cash for states and cities whose revenue has been hammered by the pandemic. Instead, the GOP wants to focus more on lawsuit liability protections for businesses and doctors.  You can find more coverage linked below. Thanks for reading, and be sure to follow CNBC.com's comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus response.   Thoughts? Email me at CNBCPolitics@nbcuni.com.     Have friends or colleagues who might like this newsletter? They can sign up here.  Mike Calia @Michael_Calia KEY STORIES  Swing state voters are sharply divided over coronavirus, CNBC/Change Research poll finds Voters in swing states are sharply divided along partisan lines over the coronavirus pandemic with just six months to go before Election Day, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll. US is 'fully prepared to take losses' on coronavirus bailouts, Mnuchin says Mnuchin defended the administration's track record on disbursement of money from the $2 trillion CARES Act passed by Congress to aid struggling businesses, industries and individuals. Warren urges Senate to pass relief to support mail-in voting as pandemic threatens elections Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday urged the Senate to pass $4 billion in the next coronavirus relief package to allow states to expand their vote-by-mail services for the general election. Trump 'considering' travel ban after Brazil suffers deadliest coronavirus day on record Trump's comments came shortly after Brazil's daily death toll from the coronavirus jumped to a record of 1,179 on Tuesday. Senate panel backs Trump's pick to lead U.S. spy agencies If confirmed, Rep. John Ratcliffe will lead the nation's 17 intelligence agencies as the director of national intelligence. Where's Brexit at? The UK left the EU months ago but both sides are still at loggerheads The U.K. and the EU have many differences yet to overcome as they try to get a new trade deal by the end of the year — a political hot potato that could bring additional economic uncertainty, for both. Former Trump advisor Flynn asks appeals court to remove judge, dismiss criminal case Former national security advisor Michael Flynn is asking a federal appeals court to grant the Justice Department's request to dismiss the criminal case, and take the case away from the lower court judge. U.S. Navy warns mariners to stay clear of its warships in the Persian Gulf The notice to mariners was issued to "enhance safety, minimize ambiguity and reduce opportunities for miscalculation," according to a statement by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. Liability protections are top GOP priority in next coronavirus bill, McCarthy says "Liability protections would be the No. 1 thing I would look at," McCarthy told CNBC. "No bill will pass without it." Texas man charged with seeking more than $5 million in coronavirus loans by submitting fake employee names The man allegedly claimed to have 400 employees and used a random name generator on the internet to come up with a list of purported employees.       Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy   © 2020 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS