COVID brain damage to fetuses: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-04-06/covid-caused-brain-damage-in-2-infants-infected-during-pregnancy-us-study . This study shows the COVID virus can cross the placenta and infect the fetus, with tragic consequences.
More thoughts on Medicaid expansion: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/06/north-carolina-offers-recipe-holdout-states-expand-medicaid/ . This is a free newsletter from the Washington Post; I believe this link will work for you. Today’s discussion extends the analysis provided here yesterday on a strategy for getting the 10 hold-out states to adopt Medicaid expansion. Here are their 5 lessons learned from North Carolina:
- Secure a political champion in the state (here, Democratic Governor Cooper, whose administration kept the issue on the table);
- Keep grassroots pressure on (here, the rural hospitals, who want funding to better serve their communities – as well as help keep their doors open);
- Talk about broader benefits, such as mental health (here, law enforcement saw the utility of helping these repeat offenders);
- Make the financial case, not just the health case (details on this point were provided yesterday); and
- Find compromises (North Carolina loosened certain certificate of need rules to entice more providers into the state).
WSJ: FDA pulls pre-term birth drug: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-forces-the-only-drug-for-preterm-births-to-leave-market-a0e92b24 . A wind-down period makes no sense for an ineffective drug.
WHO calls out China on COVID origin data: “We need to know”: https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/health/who-china-share-covid/index.html . Again, we also really need to know what is going on with the pandemic in China. But China is stiffing the world on this critical topic.
Uncertainty about RSV seasonality: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-04-06/rsv-cases-in-us-show-signs-of-return-to-pre-pandemic-seasonality-cdc . The belief has been that RSV seasonality was disrupted by COVID prevention measures like wearing masks and reduced interpersonal contact. As those measures have been largely discontinued, the previous seasonal pattern will likely return.
WSJ: Last Fed rate increase down to the wire: https://www.wsj.com/articles/latest-fed-decision-to-raise-rates-came-down-to-the-wire-that-was-a-rough-weekend-b70fa204 . Umm, blah-blah-blah. If you look back at these newsletters leading up the last Fed meeting, you’ll see everyone understood these issues, and they were out in the open in real time. The only point I can see to writing this article now is to try to jawbone the Fed toward no rate increase in May. My view is that this process remains data-driven. Right now, we’re still looking at another 25 basis point increase unless cooler inflation data appears and/or the job market noticeably weakens. However, the jobs market may indeed be cooling: https://www.wsj.com/articles/higher-march-jobless-claims-add-to-signs-of-cooling-labor-market-48a9141d .
WSJ: US Treasury takes aim at regulating crypto: https://www.wsj.com/articles/decentralized-cryptocurrency-markets-threaten-u-s-national-security-treasury-says-d9dd324f . This is way too late, but it needs to happen.
The history of pensions, sort of: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-long-road-to-pensions-for-all-957bfb62 . Having spent many years in pension work, this article seems interesting but mostly irrelevant to her objective, understanding “today’s world”. Social Security came in 1935, as part of the way out of the Great Depression. Private pensions came in after World War II as an employer-based system, but have mostly disappeared in the last 40 years as employers de-risked their balance sheets. Now US pensions are mostly confined to public employers. What the hell is the author talking about?
WSJ: History of the mug shot: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mug-shot-donald-trump-didnt-get-one-but-where-does-the-name-come-from-bb904464 . Once again, this is interesting, amusing and irrelevant.
Is there a lawyer in the House?: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3936523-house-gop-probe-into-trump-indictment-spurs-new-battle/ . This “probe” is a political stunt. It obviously violates separation of powers and undermines the judicial process. Jim Jordan is just taking up space in the US government; he is a major embarrassment as the House Judiciary Committee chairman.
WSJ: Hey, David Pecker is an important witness in the OJ hush money case: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-tabloid-king-poses-threat-to-donald-trump-in-hush-money-case-48da68f . No kidding? Pecker was the first and the last witness the prosecutors called in front of the grand jury. We all knew Pecker was a central witness before this lengthy rehash of stuff that’s already out there. The Journal’s “journalism” is becoming increasingly late and shallow.
WSJ: Hey, the opponents of abortion just won a big election in Wisconsin: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-shows-abortion-continues-to-sway-voters-4e47297c . There is no mention by the Journal that packing the Supreme Court with abortion opponents and overturning Roe was a really stupid move. Majorities in both parties support a woman’s right to an abortion. The Journal’s continues to fall short of anything resembling analysis.
Tennessee GOP takes small-mindedness to a new low: https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-lawmakers-expulsion-d3f40559c56a051eec49e416a7b5dade . The GOP, offended when 3 Democrats push for gun reform after the mass murder in Nashville, vote to expel the 2 young Black men but keep the white woman. My expectation is that the protests at the Capitol (which is IN NASHVILLE) are going to grow much larger and louder.
Biden administration straps on state laws banning trans athletes from competing in sports of their chosen gender: https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a . The administration’s argument is that flat bans violate Title IX. They are trying to impose a compromise on the states. As Joe would say, good luck in your senior year. Litigation will follow, of course. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-proposes-new-rules-for-transgender-athletes-303f9399 .
Disturbing and ethically lacking behavior from Clarence Thomas, again: https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow . The failure to disclose is a clear violation of the intent of federal law and everyone’s sense of appropriate ethics. Thomas certainly knows this. As we all know, the Supreme Court has never adopted a Code of Ethics, in contrast to all other judicial positions in this country. The failure of Thomas to disclose gifts of this size is corrupt behavior which boggles the mind, as the experts in the article make clear.
Note also that Ginni Thomas, insurrectionist, has received $120,000 from a Tea Party group she founded and to which Crow contributed $500,000. This information caused controversy when revealed 12 years ago. Did Thomas clean up his act? Nope.
On top of which, Thomas remains disgracefully outside the basis parameters of legal thought and practice in this country. As one example, Thomas believes the doctrine of stare decisis should be revisited. In other words, the Court should move away from being bound by precedent. You don’t have to know much about the law to realize how political this would make the Supreme Court, and how trust in the Court would completely collapse. How did someone with this lack of ability ever end up on the Supreme Court?
Our broken governmental ethics system strongly indicates this weak link will avoid impeachment. Bottom line, the Court can only start to be repaired on Thomas’ death (or unlikely resignation). Thomas is 74. Therefore, the Court will remain hobbled by Thomas’ presence for perhaps 15 years or more.
Meanwhile, the Journal waffles: https://www.wsj.com/articles/clarence-thomass-vacations-prompt-calls-for-stronger-ethics-rules-for-supreme-court-db33a144 . Do you think luxury travel with a value perhaps in the millions qualifies as “personal hospitality”? Me neither, especially when justices are expected to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Again, the Journal disgraces itself and disgusts us all. In summary, it was a tough day for critical thinking at the Journal.
WSJ: The story of Phil Knight, Nike and Air Jordan: https://www.wsj.com/articles/air-movie-michael-jordan-phil-knight-ben-affleck-4699f239 . The article’s main point is that in this era of mega-ego entrepreneurs, Phil Knight’s approach of trusting his subordinates made Phil a billionaire. As we watch Mark Zuckerberg blow up Meta/Facebook and Elon Musk crash both Twitter and Tesla, maybe listening to those who know will come back into fashion.