Thursday, June 13, 2019

@20:04, , 6/12/19

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1

Justice Dept. Seeks to Question C.I.A. Officers in Russia Inquiry Review

Julian E. Barnes, Katie Benner, Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt at NYT > Politics - 59 minutes ago
The interview plans suggest a focus in part on the intelligence agencies’ conclusion that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia intervened in 2016 on behalf of the Trump campaign.
The intelligence agencies probably did their duty.

Trump Embraces Nationalist Leader of Poland With Flyover and More Troops

Peter Baker at NYT > Politics - 1 hour ago
President Trump hosted President Andrzej Duda of Poland with an elaborate show of support, including an F-35 that roared over the White House.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO#Member_states
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II
Russians as neighbors is nerveracking. 

Donald Trump Jr. Tells Senate Intelligence Panel He Stands by Previous Statements

Nicholas Fandos and Maggie Haberman at NYT > Politics - 1 hour ago
Mr. Trump told the Senate Intelligence Committee he had been truthful in past testimony, as the House Intelligence Committee started its own Russia investigation.
Why is junior truthful?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGzv4vufN-k

Florida Company Sued Over Sales of Skimpy Health Plans

Reed Abelson at NYT > Politics - 1 hour ago
A lawsuit accuses Health Insurance Innovations of defrauding consumers who were misled into buying plans that left them with thousands of dollars in medical bills.
It is a favored plan.
Take the money and hide.

One Way To Fix Soaring Rent Prices

Ian Welsh at Ian Welsh - 1 hour ago
Just ban all airbnbs in your city and anything similar. If someone wants to rent temporary rooms they can be regulated as a hotel. I guarantee rent prices would crash overnight in most major cities. A lot of condos and so on are now being built FOR people who want to airbnb. (I am fundraising […]
There is a near infinite supply of potential renters.

CoreLogic: 2.2 Million Homes with Negative Equity in Q1 2019

Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 2 hours ago
From CoreLogic: Homeowner Equity Insights, 1st Quarter 2019 In the first quarter 2019, the total number of mortgaged residential properties with negative equity decreased 1% percent from the fourth quarter 2018 to *2.2 million homes, or 4.1% of all mortgaged properties*. On a year-over-year basis, negative equity fell 11% from 2.5 million homes, or 4.7% of all mortgaged properties, in the first quarter of 2018. The national aggregate value of negative equity was approximately $304.4 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2019. This is up quarter over quarter by approximately $2.... more » 
It is not a happy picture.

How Jon Stewart Became a Fierce Advocate for 9/11 Responders

Michael Gold at NYT > Politics - 3 hours ago
“You should be ashamed of yourselves,” the former “Daily Show” host told lawmakers on Capitol Hill for not funding health care for emergency personnel.
They did their duty.   We can bear their cost.

‘You Should Be Ashamed’: How Jon Stewart Became an Advocate for 9/11 Victims

Michael Gold at NYT > Politics - 5 hours ago
The former “Daily Show” host angrily scolded lawmakers on Capitol Hill for not funding the health care of emergency personnel.
The powers did not stop the pointless sacrifice of health and time.
 9

Warren Surpasses Sanders in Nevada Poll, Trailing Only Biden in 2020 Field

Matt Stevens at NYT > Politics - 5 hours ago
A Monmouth University poll of voters in Nevada, a key early-voting state, showed only three candidates polling in the double digits.
It is good to know but not that important as yet.
10 

Houston Real Estate in May: Sales up 3% YoY, Inventory Up 10%

Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 6 hours ago
From the HAR: Houston Home Sales and Prices Gain Momentum in May Encouraged by continued low interest rates and a growing selection of housing options, home buyers kept the greater Houston real estate market in positive territory for a fourth straight month in May. As it did in April, the luxury segment (homes priced at $750,000 and above) led the way in sales volume, and rental properties moved briskly. Housing inventory grew to its largest level since August 2017, meeting consumer demand as the market prepares to segue into summer. *Sales of single-family homes increased 2.8 perce... more » 
I do not want to live with Texans in Texas.

11

Census Fight Grows as House Panel Backs Contempt and Trump Asserts Privilege

Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Charlie Savage at NYT > Politics - 7 hours ago
A committee recommended that the House hold Attorney General William P. Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross Jr. in contempt as the president invoked his secrecy powers.

The fight must go on.
There is no right to profit.

12 

Bernie Sanders Calls His Brand of Socialism a Pathway to Beating Trump

Reid J. Epstein and Sydney Ember at NYT > Politics - 7 hours ago
Mr. Sanders, who is being portrayed as too extreme by President Trump, presented a forceful case for his brand of socialism through a framework of economic rights.

The Republicans fight.

13  

What Is Democratic Socialism? Whose Version Are We Talking About?

Maggie Astor at NYT > Politics - 7 hours ago
Bernie Sanders is giving a speech on democratic socialism. But if you ask five democratic socialists what the term means, you’ll likely get five different answers.

Government is by definition socialist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract

14 

Cleveland Fed: Key Measures Show Inflation Close to 2% YoY in May, Core PCE below 2%

Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 8 hours ago
The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI and the trimmed-mean CPI this morning: According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% (2.3% annualized rate) in May. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index also rose 0.1% (1.3% annualized rate) during the month. The median CPI and 16% trimmed-mean CPI are measures of core inflation calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland based on data released in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) monthly CPI report. Earlier today, the BLS reported that the seasonally adjusted CPI for all urba... more » 

The Fix is in.

15 

Planned Parenthood to Host Women’s Health Forum for 2020 Democrats

Lisa Lerer at NYT > Politics - 9 hours ago
The majority of the candidates have agreed to participate in the forum, the first of the presidential primary season to focus on reproductive rights.

No woman should bear an unwanted child.

16

BLS: CPI increased 0.1% in May, Core CPI increased 0.1%

Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 11 hours ago
From the BLS: *The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in May* on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.3 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.8 percent before seasonal adjustment. ... *The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent for the fourth consecutive month*. ... The all items index increased 1.8 percent for the 12 months ending May. *The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.0 percent over the last 12 months*, a... more » 

These numbers have become political.
I don't know what they measure now.
https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/1138782922545278978

17 

MBA: Mortgage Applications Increased Sharply in Latest Weekly Survey

Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 11 hours ago
From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 26.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 7, 2019. The results for the week ending May 31, 2019 included an adjustment for the Memorial Day holiday. ... The Refinance Index increased 47 percent from the previous week. *The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 10 percent from one week earlier*. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 20 percent compared wi... more » 

Some think the economy is inflating.

18 

23 Democrats Are Running for President. Do Any of Them Know What They’re Doing?

Mark Leibovich at NYT > Politics - 13 hours ago
How do you unite a fractious base and defeat President Trump? No one seems to know, but that isn’t stopping them from giving it a try.

There is a primary election and a convention to decide on a candidate.
Trump has been doing the wrong things.

19 

On Politics: Biden vs. Trump

NYT > Politics - 19 hours ago
In the most ferocious day of attacks so far in the campaign, the two men traded insults as they each campaigned in Iowa.

Trump is attempting to win against divided opposition.

20  

House Approves Court Action to Enforce Democrats’ Subpoenas

Nicholas Fandos at NYT > Politics - 23 hours ago
The House voted on Tuesday to authorize its committees to go directly to court to enforce subpoenas
that the Trump administration is resisting or ignoring.

Contempt of Congress is toothless.
Congress has the right to know.
If Law fails it is a constitutional failure.
Trump will have succeeded in autocracy.

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