States fight for healthcare transparency: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/these-employers-took-on-healthcare-costs-and-the-fight-got-nasty-54674114 . Note that the average cost for family coverage was $22,463 for 2022. For a 2,080-hour year (40 hours a week), that’s $10.80 per hour, of which employers pay an average of $7.86. This is a hugely expensive benefit relative to salary for lower-paid workers.
WSJ: UPS grows healthcare delivery capabilities by acquiring MNX: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ups-to-acquire-mnx-in-bid-to-bolster-healthcare-business-8168baf7 .
The liberal wish list for a funding deal: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4227372-will-a-discharge-petition-end-the-gop-majority/ . As readers know, I have suggested a discharge petition is the best way out of the coming shutdown. This writer suggests “moderate” Republicans will make a deal with House Democrats to include power sharing going forward. There are two obstacles to this result. First, the GOP is tribal, and GOP House members who switch sides face losing their seats, even in purple districts. They may well lose in the primary. Second, GOP funding of these candidates will be cut off, hurting their chances in the general election. I hope the writer is right, but power-sharing seems beyond the pale.
Meanwhile, all-nonsense Kevin McCarthy vows to move forward with a stop-gap funding measure: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-kevin-mccarthy-house-stopgap-bill/ . There are (at least) two fatal problems with Kevin’s bill. First, he currently doesn’t have enough votes to pass it. Second, if it does pass, it stands no chance in the Senate. Does Kevin think this will somehow get him off the hook for not bringing up the bipartisan Senate bill, which will pass the House? Did you ever think you would see “Kevin” and “think” in the same sentence?
WSJ: UPDATE: House GOP passes 3 of 4 spending bills in late-night session: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/border-security-in-spotlight-as-congress-seeks-to-avert-shutdown-30a319c7 . The problems are, you need 12 bills to complete this package and the Senate does not agree with the House’s bills. We are heading toward shutdown Sunday.
WSJ: PCAOB tightens US audit rules: https://www.wsj.com/articles/audit-firms-face-stiffer-mandate-to-verify-client-details-under-new-rule-679e30cd . This change is of course too late. One hopes it is not too little.
Current and upcoming US strikes: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/labor-strikes-multiply-as-workers-score-wins-9c08060e . Anyone who thinks inflation has been tamed is not paying attention.
WSJ: Chinese arrest Evergrande founder: https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-evergrande-shares-suspended-after-reports-of-founders-disappearance-3e5f4f8 . Things continue to worsen for the Chinese economy. More bad news: https://www.wsj.com/articles/evergrandes-stalled-turnaround-plan-casts-doubt-on-corporate-restructuring-in-china-c5f0f7f3 .
WSJ: Biden administration setting up Xi visit to US: https://www.wsj.com/world/china/u-s-china-talks-gather-momentum-paving-way-for-xi-biden-summit-8db7d00a . This will be a huge win for both Biden and Xi.
A post-op on Nagorno-Karabakh: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-nagorno-karabakh-f1b0d1ce . Russia’s influence wanes everywhere.
WSJ: Ukraine war advances drone technology and tactics: https://www.wsj.com/world/drones-everywhere-how-the-technological-revolution-on-ukraine-battlefields-is-reshaping-modern-warfare-bf5d531b . Yes, smart weapons are changing the tactics in the war. But even in the battles discussed in the article, boots on the ground remain an indispensable part of retaking territory.
Reviews of second GOP debate: irrelevant dud: https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/2023/9/27/23893654/republican-debate-second-winners-losers-vivek-ramaswamy-fox-news . The reviews are consistent across the media outlets, and they are not good. That’s no surprise. We expected a bunch of also-rans attacking each other instead of the heavily indicted frontrunner, and that’s what they delivered. Fox had every opportunity to make this interesting, and they failed. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/takeaways-from-the-second-gop-presidential-debate-45fcc7cd . Of course this group failed to “outshine” OJ, who wasn’t even there. That’s because they’re dim bulbs. Still more: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/second-gop-debate-leaves-anti-trump-republicans-scrambling-for-a-strategy-dac1f462 . Come on, what crap! Suppose the GOP also-rans all coalesced around one candidate, and the support of all of them went to this one candidate. Then it’s OJ 59%, “the one” 41%. The Journal just cannot analyze facts.
WSJ: Our “analysis” of the Arizona Senate race: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/kari-lake-to-announce-senate-run-setting-up-high-stakes-arizona-race-30ff1594 . The subhead to this article says a three-way race is likely. That’s questionable. Sinema is posturing as running as an independent, but as the article notes, she is unlikely to win. I don’t think she’s assured of victory even if she runs as a Democrat – lots of Arizonans in both parties dislike her. My guess is that she is posturing in order to maintain her power in the Senate, but ultimately she won’t run.
If the race is a two-person race between Lake and Gallegos, I think Gallegos wins. Lake is tying herself to Orange Julius, which is likely not a winning strategy in Arizona. So if Sinema runs as an independent, she will be blamed for throwing the race to Lake. This also suggests she won’t run.
UAW VP steps up criticism of Orange Julius visit: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2023/09/27/mike-booth-gm-trump-uaw-strike/70981329007/ . The GOP is not yet panicking about 2024. But they should be.
OJ’s “crowd” at Drake Enterprises was handpicked by the OJ campaign, and many were not union autoworkers: https://www.thedailybeast.com/questions-arise-over-trumps-michigan-crowd-after-sign-holder-admissions . Nothing surprises anymore about this crook.
OJ drops bid to move Georgia case to federal court: https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-filing-seek-remove-georgia-election-case-federal/story?id=103580385 . Once the federal judge ruled against removal for Mark Meadows, OJ’s chances of removal disappeared. At that point, the risk was that the federal judge would make findings that not help OJ in the state case. So, better to drop the case. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-says-he-wont-seek-to-move-georgia-case-to-federal-court-56f13e14 . And hey, OJ will get more TV coverage, too.
WSJ: OJ NY fraud trial starts Monday: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-bid-to-delay-civil-fraud-trial-is-rejected-ac02e6d5 . Note that OJ again called the judge “deranged”. The courts so far have not determined an effective way to stop this dangerous behavior.
Sycamore Gap tree felled; 16-year-old under arrest: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-66952980 . You will likely recognize the tree from the second picture in the article. This was truly a heartless act of vandalism.
USFL and XFL to merge: https://sports.yahoo.com/xfl-usfl-merger-spring-football-leagues-how-will-nfl-react-192620227.html . The economics of spring football are apparently not that good.
Swiss glaciers lose 10% of ice volume in 2 years: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/28/europe/switzerland-glaciers-ice-loss-climate-intl/index.html . So as the glaciers lose volume, more rock is exposed. This heats the ground and speeds the melt. Again, we are breaking equilibriums which then create runaway warming.
WSJ: US strengthens power grid: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/climate-environment/u-s-races-to-fortify-power-grid-against-extreme-weather-7a162dfb .
WSJ: Valuable minerals below an environmental gem: https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/minerals-nickel-batteries-canada-climate-carbon-376f11fd . Mining is another sector generating inflation: https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/another-worrisome-inflation-indicator-surging-mining-costs-3ea7bfbf .
Jazz guitarist Al Di Meola in stable condition after major heart attack on stage in Romania: https://people.com/guitarist-al-di-meola-suffers-heart-attack-onstage-7975935 . Di Meola has played a wide variety of guitar styles in his long career, but may be best known for his collaborations with John McLaughlin.
Michael Gambon, Harry Potter’s Dumbledore, passes at 82: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/michael-gambon-actor-played-dumbledore-harry-potter-films-dies-82-rcna117801 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/michael-gambon-dumbledore-harry-potter-dead-6118b752 .