WSJ: Stimulus: Free COBRA coverage for some laid-off workers: Free Cobra Health Insurance: Who Qualifies and How to Sign Up – WSJ . This is an important (temporary) benefit that has not received much press.
Pandemic’s surreal statistics: https://apnews.com/article/us-news-pandemics-world-war-ii-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-ca4d27105a7a897a737421eda8464c78 .
WSJ: BioNTech looks beyond Pfizer to boost vaccine production: BioNTech Recruits Rivals to Boost Covid-19 Vaccine Production – WSJ .
NIH director pleads with Texans: Keep masks on: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/13/health/us-coronavirus-saturday/index.html . This really is childish for a so-called technologically advanced society.
Vaccine hesitancy by race, political party, gender: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/12/976172586/little-difference-in-vaccine-hesitancy-among-white-and-black-americans-poll-find .
Medically vulnerable are near the end in vaccine priorities: https://apnews.com/article/philanthropy-united-states-north-carolina-coronavirus-pandemic-663be8fd79b76787609f06017dc5354d . Again, the best solution to the priority problem is what Biden is already doing: amping up vaccine production and distribution. As we have seen, the obese can be considered medically vulnerable, so this category can blow up any priority system. It is almost impossible to draw a defensible line.
The vaccine lottery: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/leftover-extra-covid-vaccine-americans-wait/ .
Some background on Moderna: https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/business/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-moderna/ .
Italy plans 80% vaccinated by end of September: https://www.sacbee.com/news/article249914133.html . Italy has been late to the vaccination “party”, even within the slow EU.
French protest government’s COVID response at awards ceremony: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3125338/actress-strips-cesar-awards-protest-frances-coronavirus-strategy . This is pretty wacky, even for the French.
WSJ: The earmark debate: Democrats Embrace Earmarks Again as Bridge to Skeptical Republicans – WSJ .
US political realignment: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-mankato-minnesota-coronavirus-pandemic-a9b8d4de6dcf0c5c5c46c9b2a3da6324 . As the educated align more closely with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party looks more and more regional, rural, and left behind. Democrats have 8½ months left to build policy accomplishments. The 2022 off-year is shaping up as an incredibly expensive war in the Senate and House elections. To the extent Orange Julius plays a part, he will drive the Republican Party further to the right and unreality, which may set the Democrats up to make significant gains.
What are the policy issues most favorable to the Democrats? (1) Voting rights – Republicans’ open strategy of voter suppression is offensive to the fundamental right of citizens; (2) Climate change – Increasing levels of carbon dioxide create damage which the educated (and anyone who spends time outdoors) understand clearly; (3) Infrastructure projects – Popular with voters of all persuasions. This is why these three issues are front and center in 2021. It’s also why the filibuster is under pressure and why climate change funding will be woven into the infrastructure legislation.
Where does this leave “Black Lives Matter”, LGBTQ+ rights and “Defund the Police”? There is some delivery on these issues in the stimulus/relief package. Beyond that, voting rights are interconnected with ongoing progress in these areas. But these are culture war issues which the Republicans will focus on (in a negative way) as their 2022 strategy. Immigration is also currently framed as a culture war issue. Expect partial solutions from the Democrats (reinstatement of the dreamers program and other executive actions, and narrow legislation passed by the House), but nothing dramatic before 2023.
More on the need to repeal the filibuster, from The Economist’s Friday newsletter: “Our reporting explains that the Senate is the only chamber in the democratic world that requires a supermajority to pass routine legislation. Other countries require them for constitutional change, which is fair enough. But only South Korea’s parliament and the Senate allow a minority to filibuster legislation, and in Seoul the speechifying can only delay legislation rather than kill it off.”
Ron Johnson: Yes, I’m still brain-dead: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-race-and-ethnicity-wisconsin-2c0bc1149d9b6e057c31d56e92d0267b . Where does “Hang Mike Pence” fit into your view of the insurrection? How about the people who died? This dimwit hasn’t announced whether he’s running in 2022.
The Cuomo investigation: https://apnews.com/article/new-york-legislature-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-impeachments-6334301bd32f2040fabb235767c62343 . Impeachment is a near certainty.
Shooting off your mouth: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/13/capitol-rioter-weapons-475744 . Stupid knows no bounds.
J. Lo – A-Rod Not Off: https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/jennifer-lopez-alex-rodriguez-are-sticking-together-after-rough-patch-n1261036 . Ok, I’m sorry I mentioned this “news” yesterday. Staying out of this for a while …
Marvelous Marvin Hagler passes: https://apnews.com/article/sports-las-vegas-boxing-roberto-duran-6072cba88b82681488d28e5757eb3638 . The comments here about the Hagler-Hearns fight are not exaggerated. The number of hard punches landed in that fight was like no other. WSJ: More: Marvin Hagler, Middleweight Boxing Great, Dies at 66 – WSJ .