The CDC says COVID-19 was the largest factor, along with drug overdoses, homicides, diabetes and chronic liver disease. The decline was even greater for Hispanic men.

Thursday on Political Rewind: Speaker of the House David Ralston has unveiled a sweeping $75 million proposal to confront escalating crime, especially in metro Atlanta. The plan includes bonuses for local law enforcement officers and an increase in funding for law enforcement agencies — as well as for an expansion of mental health services. Democratic House members said they’ll work with Ralston on his plan even as they recognize it’s part of a GOP effort to use crime-fighting as a wedge issue in the 2022 election cycle.

Meanwhile, the guessing game over the possibility of a big-name Republican emerging to challenge U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock continues this week, and the effect of COVID on U.S. life expectancy is discussed.

The group that suffered the largest drop in life expectancy was Black males — a decline of three years. Hispanic males also saw a large decrease, with a decline of 2.4 years.

The deaths caused by the pandemic appear to be shortening overall life expectancy in the U.S. by 1.13 years, which would be the largest single decline in at least 40 years.

The life expectancy of Americans is shorter for the second consecutive year, dropping from 78.7 to 78.6 years, according to the latest report by the...