China COVID vaccination plans: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3215528/how-chinas-covid-19-self-reliance-medical-goal-could-lose-momentum-cases-dwindle . While I search each day for information on the pandemic in China, since they declared the first wave to be declining, there has been literally no news. This experience is at odds with the US and the rest of the world with COVID. As such, I remain highly skeptical that China will not suffer another wave. I’m more concerned that they won’t report it, and indeed that additional waves have already occurred, at least in certain regions.
WSJ: Medicaid eligibility reviews begin: https://www.wsj.com/articles/medicaid-eligibility-changes-set-to-hit-hospitals-insurers-states-5d0a6070 .
Put Narcan in your medicine cabinet: https://news.yahoo.com/what-parents-need-to-know-about-narcan-183104296.html . Certainly any parent who sees any possibility that their child might take an illicit drug should buy this cheap insurance. And since many parents are unaware of how their child spends their time, they too should have Narcan on hand. Bottom line, just about every parent should have Narcan in the medicine cabinet.
CRFB analyzes Social Security finances: https://www.crfb.org/papers/analysis-2023-social-security-trustees-report . This is carefully crafted, and informative about the modeling assumptions and their effects in current financial projections. Also note that CRFB, a nonpartisan group, offers a modeling tool, The Reformer, for those who wish to try their hand at reforming the system. While CRFB is correct that the “hands off Social Security” approach does nothing to fix its financing problems, this ignores the reality that the GOP is still actively advocating a variety of cuts to the program. Sadly, “hands off” is the best we can do with a broken House GOP in the majority.
Deadly spring tornadoes continue: https://apnews.com/article/tornado-arkansas-storm-concert-79fe2da8a6b8bd92970032530b760d20 . Again, note the apparent movement of Tornado Alley. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/storm-system-kills-at-least-10-people-across-central-u-s-3dfa90e1 .
WSJ: Russia’s Ukraine campaign remains stalled: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-says-it-is-boosting-military-production-as-campaign-in-ukraine-stalls-a4b19dcd .
“Victim” Orange Julius raises $4 million the day after indictment: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-raised-4-million-day-indictment-rcna77699 . No, really, this is not April Fools’. Obviously the campaign has been planning for this. This represents a major drawback of having the weakest indictment come first. However, special prosecutor Jack Smith has been moving rapidly, and the Fulton County DA has in hand special grand jury recommendations for indictment. See yesterday’s summary of the legal actions against Orange Julius.
Meanwhile, OJ, DeMentis and others press their attacks on George Soros: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-desantis-and-other-republicans-push-antisemitic-soros-smear-after-bragg-indictment-191729026.html . As the article notes, Soros was born abroad and is now a wealthy Jewish billionaire. He is also a Holocaust survivor who is politically influential through his substantial contributions. How does the GOP attack Soros but not Putin? It’s what Murdoch said – “it’s not red or blue, it’s green”. We will never be free of the evil of the current GOP until they are crushed in an election. Let’s hope it’s 2024.
A (poor) history of presidential scandals: https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-past-presidential-scandals-6fe9d423c42ea7fd945befcb4dd83704 . Let’s try to fill in (some of) the blanks on the missing scholarship in this article. First, let’s accept that the review starts post-Civil War. There were scandals prior to that, but nothing that rose to personal legal problems for the president. Johnson was a Southerner and a drunk, and only became president on Lincoln’s assassination. It’s no surprise he was the first impeached, in the tumult following the Civil War.
Grant was an American hero. His worst scandal occurred after his presidency, a financial scandal that bankrupted many, including Grant. The (pre-Ponzi) Ponzi scheme included his name but not his knowledge. At the end of his life, Grant battled terminal throat cancer while racing to complete his memoirs. Those memoirs, written in longhand, were completed 5 days before his death. They were a huge best-seller, provided substantial funds for his widow and family, and solidified his reputation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant . You can read the memoirs here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4367 .
Warren Harding was a scandal machine, including the famous Teapot Dome scandal. However, he served only from 1921 until his death in 1923, and many of the scandals came to light only after his death: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G._Harding .
Admittedly, presidents have faced more scandals and legal problems in recent years, starting with Richard Nixon and Watergate. Ronald Reagan’s most famous scandal was Iran-Contra, although he personally did not suffer much in the way of legal consequences. We then have Bill Clinton’s impeachment, and the unprecedented criminal activities of Orange Julius.
OJ’s unique combination of ignorance, lack of both ability and shame, and disregard of the law and government institutions has numbed all of us to the pervasive corruption defining his life and “administration”. It will be many years before we escape his damage to the Supreme Court and the GOP, as just two examples. Never has such a detestable pig been placed in a position of responsibility akin to OJ’s reign of appalling behavior. Not that I have strong feelings on this, of course. But those who don’t know history lack context for the ongoing insurrection that is the current GOP.
Please do note that the scandals mentioned above fall heavily on the GOP; it has long been the party of white big money, and therefore corruption. Also, it is wrong to attribute our current problems to “division”. The GOP under OJ actively promotes division, and that is perhaps the worst offense of all.
OJ surges over DeMentis in post-indictment poll: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-surges-26-point-lead-194740736.html . The 2024 election is more than 18 months away. More indictments are coming. OJ will be taking plenty of body blows during the remainder of 2023. The more interesting question is when Biden and DeMentis will declare. Biden does not need to be in a hurry, but Ron is in something of a pickle. His supporters want him to take on OJ directly (I do too, actually). But if Ron waits too long, and Biden declares, Ron’s hand will be forced. And I don’t see DeMentis as a viable candidate in 2028 – 2024 is his moment. We will see.
New Mexico prosecutors line up witnesses against Alec Baldwin: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/david-halls-rust-first-assistant-director-pleads-misdemeanor-gun-charg-rcna77665 .
WSJ: AI helps us learn about the human mind: https://www.wsj.com/articles/artificial-intelligence-is-teaching-us-new-surprising-things-about-the-human-mind-ba7cdceb . The perception groups are an interesting and credible concept. I’d like to know which groups the OJ voters fall into.
WSJ: Pope Francis leaves hospital: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pope-francis-leaves-hospital-after-treatment-for-bronchitis-180c4b10 . So he expects to appear in St. Peter’s for Palm Sunday …
NBA, players ink new 7-year collective bargaining agreement: https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-nbpa-reach-7-collective-161500838.html . I rarely watch regular season games now. Yes, the owners will do anything to make more money, but this mid-season tournament seems pretty lame. Is this meaningless tournament added just to stimulate more betting? WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nba-and-players-union-agree-to-new-7-year-contract-as-focus-turns-to-tv-deals-32e372e4 .
WSJ: Tennessee drag show ban blocked: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tennessee-law-targeting-drag-shows-is-blocked-by-judge-87445d5d .
San Diego State and UConn meet Monday in March Madness championship: https://www.aol.com/sports/final-four-sdsus-lamont-butler-003130851.html . Yes, it’s April, not March … Florida Atlantic led SDSU for the entire second half and as time expired. But the SDSU shot in the air went in, and SDSU advanced: https://www.aol.com/sports/final-four-sdsus-lamont-butler-003130851.html . UConn won by 13. It has won its prior 4 tournament games by 15 or more points, and is the heavy favorite Monday night. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/final-four-san-diego-state-florida-atlantic-uconn-miami-41024be7 .