CDC annual conference COVID superspreader: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s0526-eis.html . Wow. The official name of the conference is the CDC 2023 Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference. As of May 26, of the 1800 attendees, more than 10% (181) reported contracting COVID. And between 20% non-responses to the survey, embarrassment and asymptomatic cases, we can assume the number of those infected is even higher. This happened because the CDC conference attendees did not abide by the standard precautions – social distancing, mask wearing, etc. Epidemic intelligence? Not so much.
Senior Chinese scientist revives lab leak theory: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-05-30/former-china-cdc-head-dont-rule-out-covid-19-lab-leak-theory .
WSJ: Fungal menningitis outbreak traced to cosmetic surgery in Mexico: https://www.wsj.com/articles/deadly-fungal-meningitis-outbreak-linked-to-cosmetic-surgeries-in-mexico-76dd0526 .
Chinese recovery recedes: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-fading-recovery-reveals-deeper-economic-struggles-31f4097b . This article seems to be a repackaging of well-known recent economic data with common perceptions of China’s economic situation. I agree that the Chinese are naturally savers. However, I believe the current reduction in consumer spending reflects a loss of trust by the Chinese people in their government. China has been an export economy for quite some time. China’s international politics have called into question the continuance of that portion of the economy.
WSJ: Russians get their money out of Russia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russians-relearn-black-market-tricks-to-get-their-money-out-f60e616e . Bottom line: This is a smart move.
Meanwhile, Americans keep their money in annuities: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/there-were-runs-on-banks-not-on-insurers-heres-why-c9eea5f0 . How many ways can you say that surrender charges discourage the surrender of annuities? This article apparently won the WSJ staff contest on that very question.
Debt ceiling deal clears House committee: https://news.yahoo.com/debt-ceiling-deal-whats-in-it-and-why-some-lawmakers-are-unhappy-191124966.html . Blah, blah, blah. These clowns are pretty much our way or the highway. So far Congress is choosing the highway. WSJ: More on the deal’s details: https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-in-the-debt-ceiling-deal-461b9822 .
WSJ: Trouble in New York City real estate market: https://www.wsj.com/articles/office-owners-dump-lesser-buildings-for-whatever-they-can-get-4f3d2948 . In a nutshell, remote work means you don’t have to commute in a subway that smells like pee. The occupancy problem will be with New York for some time.
WSJ: Russian decoy missile flies halfway across Poland: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-cruise-missile-that-struck-poland-exposes-natos-air-defenses-3312d456 . This clearly indicates that someone was asleep at the switch. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones strike Moscow residential areas: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drones-strike-residential-areas-in-moscow-9984942 .
The danger and lunacy of a third party candidate: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/stark-numbers-driving-democratic-panic-third-party-2024-bid-rcna85155 . These No Label folks are liars, pure and simple. First and foremost, “No Labels’ leaders stress that if they don’t have a path to victory, they ultimately won’t put forward a candidate in 2024.” Then shut your damn doors right now, and let them slam you in the butt hard on your way out. A third-party candidate cannot possibly win the 2024 presidential election because there are too many voters loyal to each party.
However, it is likely that a third party candidate will act as a spoiler, denying the election of the Democratic candidate. That happened in 2016, as the article states, giving us Orange Julius. It also happened in 2000, giving us George W. Bush. As the article points out, No Labels’ own analysis shows it will happen again in 2024 with a third party candidate, giving us the GOP candidate, presently looking like Orange Julius or Ron DeMentis.
In our 59 presidential elections, third parties have gained more than 5% of the vote only 12 times, which shows you what liars the No Labels folks are. Here is a brief history of those performances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_third_party_performances_in_United_States_presidential_elections .
Since 1924 there have been only two significant third-party performances – George Wallace (1968, 13.5%) and Ross Perot (1992, 18.9%). Wallace won 46 racist Southern electoral votes, while Perot won no electoral votes. It is nearly impossible to see any “moderate” candidate No Labels could propose that would win the electoral votes of even one state.
So what do the No Labels folks think they are doing? Assuming they are thinking (admittedly an evidence-contrary assumption), they are trying to drive the country away from a two-party system. This is utterly the wrong time for that idea in the US. Meaningful third parties here were most common before the Civil War, much of that due to our new democracy and slavery. The Civil War changed that (naturally), and we settled into an uneasy relationship with a two-party system. By its nature, a two-party system is more stable, because the voters decide between two choices.
In 2024, it is abundantly clear that voters have one job to save American democracy – defeat the authoritarian candidates likely to be offered by the GOP – “January 6” Orange Julius or “Mickey Mouse warrior” Ron DeMentis. Additionally, we need a steady hand to guide Ukraine to victory over Russia. Biden has done an outstanding job of holding the free world together while carefully contributing armaments but not troops. OJ is deferential to Putin (the pee-pee tapes?) while DeMentis described the war as a territorial dispute. As Biden says, don’t measure him by the Almighty but by the alternatives.
We can rethink the country after November 2024 – but not now.
Ken Paxton impeachment leads AP to fail geography: https://www.aol.com/news/fight-still-ahead-texas-ken-073433781.html . Good grief! Apparently not everyone knows Texas is not the biggest red state – that would be Alaska. Texas, of course, is the most populous red state. Texas is also the home of an extraordinarily crooked batch of politicians. They have locked themselves into a tight circle to prevent any of them being held accountable. However, Paxton has been so crooked for so long that even the run-of-the-mill crooks in Texas are disgusted.
Rosalynn Carter has dementia: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-first-lady-rosalynn-carter-dementia-rcna86867 . My family met Mrs. Carter at The Carter Center in Atlanta about 25 years ago. She was as gracious in person as she seems on TV. The Carters have certainly lived full lives. This article reports the surprising fact that Jimmy Carter was the first president born in a hospital.