Pfizer disputes drug price “negotiation”: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2023-05-11/pfizer-pouring-covid-profits-into-cancer-battle-ceo-bourla-says . If we all thought companies set drug prices fairly, we would not have reached the “negotiation” phase.
CDC investigates mpox resurgence: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mpox-resurgence-dozens-new-cases-nationwide-cdc-investigating/ . Here is an example of a transmissible disease resurging less than a month after officials announced transmission was near zero. Further, many of the cases were in those already vaccinated, and vaccination protection was expected to last for years. COVID is still killing 1000 Americans a week and is much more transmissible and vaccine-evasive than mpox. The declaration of the end of the pandemic was political rather than medical. We will just have to wait to see the outcome, but we remain at risk.
Debt ceiling meeting delayed: https://apnews.com/article/trump-debt-limit-mccarthy-biden-default-e4df3f35a47415419e19a7723e337627 . Tick, tick, tick … This should not even be an issue … WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-debt-ceiling-meeting-postponed-1ba93d28 .
WSJ: Another US bank stocks weakens after losing deposits: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pacwest-stock-sinks-25-after-disclosing-fresh-deposit-outflow-d5249168 .
Pakistani Supreme Court declares arrest of opposition leader Imran Khan unconstitutional: https://www.npr.org/2023/05/11/1175451726/pakistan-supreme-court-imran-khan-release . However, Khan remains in the custody of the Supreme Court. It is unclear how this political crisis will play out. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pakistans-supreme-court-criticizes-manner-of-imran-khans-arrest-396a060b . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/imran-khan-the-army-and-pakistans-perennial-crisis-tehreek-e-insaaf-imran-khan-shehbaz-sharif-fa368a18 .
WSJ: China’s consumer inflation drops: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-consumer-inflation-slows-to-lowest-level-in-two-years-f7220aad . As the article notes, this does not look like a consumer-led recovery.
WSJ: Ukraine counteroffensive not yet ready: https://www.wsj.com/articles/zelensky-says-ukraine-needs-more-time-before-launching-counteroffensive-55b36d6d . The Abrams tanks are difficult to learn to operate and support – this American support for Ukraine may not work out well.
Water in the West: A temporary reprieve: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/29/lake-powell-lake-mead-water-levels-going-up-how-high-they-go/11736349002/ . While other sources suggest the rise in Lake Powell will be 70 to 71 feet this year, the 50 foot figure is (properly) based on a full year measurement (October 1 to October 1). The system is still desperately short of water. Why is this important?
First, hydroelectric dams power the West. Their construction in the 1930’s is why massive amounts of shipbuilding and aircraft manufacture were located in the West during World War II. Those dams won the war for the US, and were instrumental in the development of every urban area west of the Rockies. They remain a cheap, clean, reliable and massive source of electric power. Second, water from the Colorado is the critical resource for farming in California, which in turn is the primary source for a wide variety of American food crops.
Global warming and climate change are of course existential risks to the survival of human civilization. But they are also immediate risks to America’s wealth and way of life. California by itself is the fourth largest economy in the world, as it overtakes Germany: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/10/24/icymi-california-poised-to-become-worlds-4th-biggest-economy/ . California is of course also the most populous state by a wide margin.
California’s Central Valley produces 25% of America’s food, according to this evening’s broadcast news. The Central Valley is currently experiencing severe flooding, expected to get worse with the coming snowmelt. If California stumbles, we all fall with it.
The Journal keeps up the pressure to release Evan Gershkovich: https://www.wsj.com/articles/congress-writes-to-jailed-wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-in-show-of-support-b86acd9e .
More on the North Carolina 12-week abortion bill: https://news.yahoo.com/north-carolinas-12-week-abortion-ban-bill-whats-at-stake-192833849.html . The governor is not only vetoing the law, he is trying to flip one GOP vote and thereby avoid the veto override.
Alabama senator proudly declares himself in favor of nuts in the military: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/tommy-tuberville-appears-defend-white-nationalists-military-rcna83874 . His spokesman came out to “clarify” his remarks by saying the exact opposite of what Tuberville has said more than once. Tuberville is also holding up senior military appointments (now more than 150) over the military’s provision of abortion services. That’s a greater risk to military readiness than excluding extremists, don’t you think?
George Santos draws four challengers for his seat: https://news.yahoo.com/george-santos-challenger-anna-kaplan-democrat-iranian-american-jewish-ny-congress-194621465.html . There is no way Santos is getting re-elected. He may well lose the Republican primary, or be serving time at that time.
AOC criticizes CNN for “profoundly irresponsible” Orange Julius town hall: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3998953-ocasio-cortez-on-trump-town-hall-cnn-should-be-ashamed-of-themselves/ . Besides the failed moderator, it was a horrible mistake to allow the audience to be stacked with OJ supporters. CNN is presumably warned to exercise some other than a total lack of judgment going forward. However, OJ now has a pile of videotape to fuel his campaign. Nice going, dimwits. WSJ: The Journal apparently saw a different show: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-cnn-townhall-election-republicans-f7572f4f . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kaitlan-collins-cnn-trump-town-hall-849977eb .
However, some commentators see a possible silver lining in this disaster. OJ apparently repeated all his standard campaign lies, including condemning E. Jean Carroll as a whacko, celebrating the January 6 insurrectionists, saying his taking of documents to Mar-a-Lago was purposeful and his right, and explaining away his behavior in seeking votes from Georgia officials. Each of those statements is evidence usable in the existing prosecutions and whatever is coming from the special counsel. Jean Carroll is also considering suing him for defamation again, and she certainly has a valid case. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/e-jean-carroll-may-sue-trump-a-third-time-after-vile-comments-on-cnn/ar-AA1b42Ip?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=fe38e0475ca34a85ace1b188f2da9024&ei=13 .
Maybe the GOP audience wasn’t all for OJ, although it appeared that way on TV: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/republican-at-trump-town-hall-says-many-in-audience-were-disgusted-or-bewildered-by-ex-president/ . Maybe …
More January 6 insurrectionists sentenced: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-prison-sentence-senate-floor-bf165eb86518f422022fdc1d83fbcefe . I guess their families will be voting for OJ on the hope that he will fulfill his promise to pardon most of them.