China’s COVID data questioned – again: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/17/china/china-covid-decisive-victory-xi-jinping-death-rate-intl-hnk/index.html . I continue to believe that China’s COVID death toll is more in the 2.5 to 4 million range, which would be even more difficult for the Chinese to admit.
WSJ: China’s angry pensioners: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-angry-pensioners-are-symptomatic-of-deeper-problems-7ba0bae8 . Again, keep in mind that large numbers of deaths among the elderly from COVID reduce the expense of the elderly population. This could be planned government action.
Abbott’s baby formula business draws scrutiny: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/abbott-baby-formula-business-is-under-investigation-by-sec-ftc-9aa8484e .
WSJ: Teen mental health issues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/teens-mental-health-distress-could-be-worse-than-cdc-data-suggest-eb09091f .
Banks raise Fed rate hike predictions: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11764091/Goldman-Sachs-Bank-America-predict-three-rate-hikes-year.html . As a result, inversion in the bond market has increased.
Turkey Syria earthquake updates: News reports are that the official death toll has exceeded 46,000, although I am not seeing print reports of this number: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/2/18/turkey-syria-updates-death-toll-from-earthquakes-passes-45000 . Elsewhere, the Syria death toll is now reported at 6,300. Together with Turkey’s report of 39,672, that would raise the total death toll above 46,000. Meanwhile, the lack of clean drinking water has led to concerns about a cholera outbreak among the quake victims: https://apnews.com/article/2023-turkey-syria-earthquake-red-cross-and-crescent-aleppo-earthquakes-32fa6974adc0a49be31c8d742b08a270 .
US estimates Russia’s Wagner Group has suffered 30,000 casualties in Ukraine: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/18/russias-wagner-forces-suffered-30000-casualties-in-ukraine-us . This includes about 9,000 deaths. The US also estimates that 90% of the most recent deaths are convicts. So Putin is cleaning out the prison population, but he’s not winning the war. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-death-toll-from-ukraine-war-is-as-high-as-60-000-u-k-says-14305ba5 .
Russia’s clumsy disinformation campaign against Ukraine: https://www.yahoo.com/news/inside-the-kremlins-disinformation-war-against-ukraine-183128480.html . As the article notes, the US and UK decisions to declassify intelligence in the weeks leading up to the war completely outmaneuvered the Russians, and they have yet to recover.
General agreement that Pence’s rejection of Congressional subpoena lacks merit: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-judge-adviser-critiques-mike-pence-response-special-counsel-subpoena/ . As we noted three days ago, this is a bad look for Pence and appears to be a run-out-the-clock strategy.
US military helicopter raid in Syria kills ISIS commander: https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-iraq-syria-e329069fe3b25d3d60386c7a672689b9 . Four US servicemen were injured in the raid.
Chinese balloon incident has embarrassed the Chinese military with Xi: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/balloon-crisis-highlighted-a-split-in-china-s-leadership-pentagon-official-says/ar-AA17COHk?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=94a0ed49abb744b2bb32c6f23c5b8d99 .
Paul Krugman documents the GOP’s decades-long attempts to cut Social Security and Medicare: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/02/14/paul-krugman-gops-long-war-against/ . As we pointed out after the State of the Union, the GOP is telling bald-faced lies about its position on these social programs. Krugman adds the important point that one of the loudest voices in this regard was none other than the Dishonorable Governor of Florida, Ron DeMentis.
As Orange Julius has now pressed Republicans to protect these social programs, an interesting battle is forming for the GOP presidential primary. Presumably OJ will hammer DeMentis on this point, but even if he does not, we should expect debate questioners to push DeMentis on his prior statements. As Krugman points out, DeMentis, as a third-rate congressman from Florida, not only endorsed Speaker Paul Ryan’s plans to convert Medicare to a voucher system, DeMentis said that allowing people to retire in their 60’s was “unsustainable”.
How this did not sink DeMentis with Florida voters is puzzling. No matter, either OJ or the Democrats will hold Ron’s feet to the fire over his true beliefs.
Dominion Voting Systems’ latest filing against Fox News documents that they did not believe the election lies they promoted: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tucker-carlson-sean-hannity-discussed-020459503.html . Unquestionably this damaged DVS’ reputation and business, not to mention American democracy. One wonders whether Fox will challenge DVS’ factual rendition in any meaningful way.
A third new House GOP member faces questions about his fabricated resume: https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/yet-another-republican-faces-difficult-questions-tall-tales-rcna71147 . To recap, voters cannot recall their Congressperson. The only way to get rid of these people is to have the House (GOP) majority expel them. And as discussed previously, if they expel all the liars, McCarthy’s majority vanishes. Great job, Kevin.
DeMentis support slips in latest poll: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3863645-desantis-approval-drops-in-gop-primary-poll/ . Ron was doing better when he was the only OJ alternative. Right now the “shiny object” attention span of the GOP electorate is moving away from him.
WSJ: The debate over AP classes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-increase-equity-school-districts-eliminate-honors-classes-d5985dee . Absolutely, AP classes should be provided. The best students deserve customized programs just as other students do. If minorities are underrepresented, coach the most promising minority students so they can join these classes. However, failing to provide the best education to the best students is absolutely a failure, not just to the students, but to society as a whole.
WSJ: Nuclear plant problems in France spike energy prices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/frances-edf-lost-19-billion-after-nuclear-outages-7c83f45c .
In the recycling bin today, old news on the West’s drought: https://www.yahoo.com/news/water-crisis-west-massive-reservoir-100009040.html . It is only in the last paragraph that the author bothers to mention that this year is a “decent” water year. Snowpacks throughout the West are deep this year. The question is how much of that water will be captured by dams and reservoirs, and to what extent this will alleviate the ongoing drought.
Tiger Woods misses the cut at Genesis by one stroke: https://theathletic.com/4219620/2023/02/17/tiger-woods-genesis-invitational-second-round/ .