| Time |
Event |
| 4:41p |
Democrats rally to defeat bill canceling tax exemptions
Democrats in Congress rallied to defeat the bill that would have
allowed canceling the tax exemptions of organizations based on
accusations with no specifics.
The injustice of that plan is fundamental. Even with a non-fascist
president, it would be an intolerable attack in freedom and justice,
because it would amount to "guilty of unspecified crimes unless proven
innocent."
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| 4:41p |
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| 4:41p |
Guardian to stop posting on ex-Twitter
The Guardian said it will no longer post on ex-Twitter.
That sets a good example for everyone who ever posted on Twitter.
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| 4:41p |
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| 4:41p |
Wrecker nominated Matt Gaetz as attorney general
The wrecker nominated Matt Gaetz, a fanatical supporter for whom legal
rights count for nothing, to be attorney general. There is talk that
Republicans in the Senate will reject him.
If they do so, it would indicate a degree of loyalty to values other
than obedience to the wrecker himself. That would be a positive
change, if it happens. But I am not confident they can do so,
since the wrecker will attack them for it.
The wrecker has shown a pattern of demanding outrageous things from
his supporters, and mobilizing the more extreme to bully the rest into
endorsing these things. (One of many examples is claiming that the
2020 election was stolen by Democrats.) I think he expects to do the
same thing to them over Matt Gaetz.
Robert Reich says this nomination is a test of how loyal Republican
senators are to the wrecker personally.
"If [the wrecker] can get 51 votes for Gaetz, he can get a Senate
majority for anything [he] wants to do."
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| 4:41p |
Imprisoned human rights lawyer on hunger strike
Human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong, imprisoned since 2020, is now on
hunger strike, protesting mistreatment in prison and isolation from his
family.
If the wrecker achieves his goals, there are likely to be imprisoned
American human rights lawyers on hunger strike too.
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| 4:41p |
Two intelligence agents charged
The US has recently charged two intelligence agents with crimes for
separately leaking secret intelligence information to the public.
One of them, Asif Rahman, leaked information about Israel's plans for
attacking Iran. That attack was to be retaliation for Iran's latest
attack, which was retaliation for Israel's previous attack, which was
retaliation for Iran's previous attack, and so on.
</li> |
| 4:41p |
Productivity losses from mass deportation
*[The wrecker's threatened mass deportation] of migrant workers would
trigger productivity losses and a new round of inflationary pricing
pressure.*
If he admits a comparable number of authorized migrant workers, that
would not have macroeconomic consequences, but he may find it hard to
reconcile that decision with the way he has demonized migrants.
If he tries to replace them with US citizen workers who will demand
better wages, he is likely to cause inflation, which will make his
supporters recognize one of the ways that he duped them.
I am in favor of giving farm workers a better standard of living, but
doing this without causing inflation would require taxing the rich to
subsidize that raise.
Measures to shift Americans' eating habits toward more healthful food
in more healthful quantities could reduce the amount of food we
actually need to grow. But they must not be rushed, or imposed
harshly.
</li> |
| 4:41p |
Cash payment recognized as necessary
Norway and Sweden have recognized that cash payment is necessary
for national security reasons.
Sweden plans to urge all residents to keep cash at home and use
it regularly.
Hooray!
This is a response to the threat of sabotage and war from Putin. That
aggression in waiting is the world's misfortune, and preparing to meet
the threat is necessary. We can rejoice that the preparation will
provide at least one real benefit to society even if war is avoided.
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| 4:41p |
Vaccination decreases risk of long Covid
Vaccination substantially decreases the probability that an acute
Covid infection leads to long Covid that lasts for a year.
A large fraction of people suffering from long Covid are incapable of
working full time, or incapable of working at all. Thus, long Covid
harms the national economy as well as the individuals who have it.
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