It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy.

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THE STATE OF THE UNION, IN 3 CHARTS

By Jenna Cohen, @JennaRCohen ([link removed])
Roy W. Howard Fellow

Hannah Grabenstein
General Assignment Reporter, Digital

Before President Joe Biden gives his 2023 State of the Union speech ([link removed]) tonight, what does data show about the past year and where the country stands?

Biden used his 2022 address to lay out his top concerns and priorities, including responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, revitalizing American infrastructure and combating COVID-19. This year, Biden is expected to tout accomplishments ([link removed]) like the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the improving economic indicators (inflation rate down, jobs numbers up) as he prepares to run for reelection. He may also call for greater bipartisanship as he confronts a combative GOP-led House.

When we look back at many of these key data points, the overall picture may offer more of a national portrait than a presidential report card. Though Biden and his administration can craft policy and executive actions to address many issues, there are many others that neither the president nor Congress can do much about, such as controlling gas prices.

Here are three ways America has changed — or stayed the same — over the last year.

Inflation

For many families, inflation was one of the most pressing challenges in 2022, as they watched the prices of everyday items spike compared to the year before. The cost of eggs at the grocery store increased 60 percent in 2022 ([link removed]) .

COVID-19

The number of people dying in the U.S. from COVID-19 every week dropped substantially over the course of 2022. However, the year had a weekly average of more than 4,500 deaths during the period of late January 2022 to late January 2023.

Despite the updated bivalent COVID vaccines available for eligible patients aged 6 months and older, only 15.7 ([link removed]) percent of the U.S. population has received the latest booster.

Police killings

At least 88 people were killed by police in January 2023, according to Mapping Police Violence ([link removed]) , including Tyre Nichols ([link removed]) , a 29-year-old Black man who was beaten by five Black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 1,100 people were killed by police officers in 2021 and again in 2022.

HOW TO WATCH
Joshua Barajas, @Josh_Barrage ([link removed])
Senior Editor, Digital

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President Joe Biden’s speech to a joint session of Congress will begin Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. EST.

PBS NewsHour co-anchors Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett will host our special coverage, while congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins will be inside the House chamber and White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López will be on Capitol Hill.

Ahead of the address, digital anchor Nicole Ellis hosted series of conversations around issues that may be covered in the State of the Union. Watch those below:
* Ukraine, China and how Biden will address foreign policy ([link removed])
* How will Biden address climate change in the 2023 State of the Union? ([link removed])
* Economic policy and Biden's presidency ([link removed])

Check your local listings to find the PBS station near you, or watch online here ([link removed]) or in the player above.

You can also follow the PBS NewsHour’s live coverage on YouTube ([link removed]) , Twitter ([link removed]) , Facebook ([link removed]) and TikTok ([link removed]) , and see highlights on our Instagram ([link removed]) .

More on politics from our coverage:
* Watch: Calls for paid leave grow louder ([link removed]) 30 years after passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act.
* One Big Question: U.S. fighter jets shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, an incident unlikely to ease the two nations’ already-strained ([link removed]) relationship. What is China trying to accomplish with repeated incursions into U.S. airspace ([link removed]) ?
* A Closer Look: As the 2024 election campaign draws nearer, the Republican presidential field is likely to be split between former President Donald Trump and several possible challengers. New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart assess the current state ([link removed]) of the upcoming presidential race.
* Perspectives: Police special units like the one in Memphis that killed Tyre Nichols are common. They’ve also drawn quite a lot of scrutiny and criticism. We look at some of the factors that make them so controversial ([link removed]) .

#POLITICSTRIVIA

By Dan Cooney, @IAmDanCooney ([link removed])
Social Media Producer/Coordinator

As technology evolves, so has the delivery method for the president's State of the Union (or “Annual Message,” as it was known before 1947).

Our question: One hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge was the first president to have his Annual Message broadcast to major U.S. cities via radio. Who was the first president whose Annual Message was broadcast to any audience on the radio, and what year did that take place?

Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: One of President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union addresses was the first to be postponed, according to congressional records. What event led to the postponement?

The answer: The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster ([link removed]) . Reagan delayed the speech, originally scheduled for Jan. 28, 1986, to Feb. 4.

Congratulations to our winners: Steven Greek and Harriet Friedman!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.
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