Wednesday, August 4, 2021

@14:30, , 8/2/21

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1

Cryptocurrency Industry Wins Concessions in Infrastructure Bill
Cryptocurrency lobbyists had expressed alarm at the prospect of far-reaching scrutiny from the I.R.S. read more
 
The I.R.S. funding was not increased.

2
Infrastructure Bill Gives Amtrak $66 Billion
The new funding would be the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was created in 1971, according to the administration. read more
 
Passenger rail is better than air travel for shorter distances.
 
3
State Dept. Offers Potential Refugee Status to More Afghans Who Worked With U.S.
As the Taliban make territorial gains, more Afghans, including those who helped U.S. news outlets, will become eligible for visas. read more
 
The U.S. must take them in.
There is a death  penalty in the Coran for conversion away from Islam.

4
2 House Races in Ohio Will Test Democratic Divisions and Trump’s Sway
In the Cleveland area, a bitter primary election is pitting the left against the Democratic establishment. Near Columbus, a Trump-endorsed candidate faces a crowded Republican field. read more
 
These are reasons primary elections exist.
 
5
Infrastructure Deal Puts Cryptocurrencies in Washington’s Cross Hairs
A provision in the Senate legislation would give the I.R.S. more power to scrutinize a largely unregulated corner of finance. read more
 
Just ship cash.
 
6
To Fight Vaccine Lies, Authorities Recruit an ‘Influencer Army’
The White House has teamed up with TikTok stars, while some states are paying “local micro influencers” for pro-vaccine campaigns. read more
 
Vaccine suspicions are unfounded and deadly.
 
7
Ian Welsh23 hours ago
Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – August 1, 2021
[image: Story 460731405] Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – August 1, 2021 by Tony Wikrent *Strategic Political Economy* U.S. Population Growth, an Economic Driver, Grinds to a Halt [Wall Street Journal, via Naked Capitalism 7-26-2021] America’s weak population growth, already held back by a decadelong fertility slump, is dropping closer to zero because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In half of all states last year, more people died than were born, up from five states in 2019. Early estimates show the total U.S. population grew 0.35% for the year ended July 1, 2020, the lowest ever ... read more
 
A rather dark view of politics as usual.
 
8
Trump Has Built War Chest of More Than $100 Million
In the first half of 2021, the former president raised far more money online than any other Republican, federal records show. But his team claimed he had raised more than he actually did. read more
 
Scary.   
Money does not vote.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Rockefeller
 
9
Eviction Moratorium Set to Lapse as Biden Aid Effort Falters
The administration made a last-ditch, failed appeal to extend the moratorium to buy more time for states to distribute rental aid. read more
 
The Republicans are merciless.
 
10
Biden, Republicans and the Pandemic Blame Game
G.O.P. resistance to public health measures has helped fuel Covid’s resurgence. But the president will be left to clean up the mess. read more
 
The Republicans are fighting democratic government.
 
11
Biden Promised to Restore the Iran Nuclear Deal. Now It Risks Derailment.
Both sides have much to lose if a delicate negotiation over limiting Iran’s activities in return for a lifting of sanctions falls short. read more
 
The Iranians are bargaining. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bargaining

12
Already Distorting Jan. 6, G.O.P. Now Concocts Entire Counternarrative
In the Republicans’ disinformation campaign, the arrested Capitol rioters are political prisoners and Speaker Nancy Pelosi is to blame for the attack. read more
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie
 
13
Short of the Mandate They Crave, Military Leaders Race to Vaccinate Troops
The military is trying to navigate how to get more service members to take the shot without issuing an order. read more
 
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie.
 
One can't force people to think.
 
14
Ian Welsh2 days ago
Open Thread
[image: Story 460283530] Use comments to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn read more
 
Negotiation first.
Sooner is better.     As soon as you can is best. 

15
An Unlikely Pair, Portman and Sinema Steer Infrastructure Deal
An Ohio Republican who is retiring after decades in Washington has teamed with an Arizona Democrat in her first term to try to secure an agreement on one of President Biden’s top priorities. read more
 
The infrastructure deal will be reconstructed in Reconciliation.
 
16
Trump Tax Returns Must Be Given to Congress, Justice Dept. Says
The Trump administration had stymied the request, and the committee sued to obtain the documents. The former president could still seek an injunction to stop their release to Congress. read more
 
Donald Trump can go to prison just as Al Capone went to prison.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone#Tax_evasion
 
17
Bezos' Blue Origin Loses Challenge to NASA SpaceX Lunar Lander Contract
The Government Accountability Office said a $2.9 billion award to SpaceX to build the next lunar lander for astronauts would stand. read more
 
Space X has a better project and plan.
 
18
Justice Dept. sues Texas governor over an executive order on migrants.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s order bars private transportation suppliers from providing ground transit to many migrants, and the federal government says it is unconstitutional. read more
 
Texas is crazy.
 
19
U.S. Authorities Seek Documents From Troubled Vaccine Manufacturer
Emergent BioSolutions, which ruined 75 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses at its Baltimore plant, disclosed record requests from Congress and federal and state law enforcement agencies. read more
 
Emergent BioSolutions seems unusually incompetent.
 
20
Ian Welsh3 days ago
A Brief Note On Afghanistan And The Taliban
[image: Story 460107129] I can’t find it now, but in the brief period between 9/11 and the American invasion of Afghanistan, I read an interview with the Afghan (Taliban) ambassador to Pakistan. He said, paraphrasing: The Americans will invade. They will capture the cities. We will retreat to the country and fight a guerilla war, and in the end they will leave, and we will reconquer the cities. At the time I knew he was right, and the last phases of his prediction are now bearing fruit. I don’t like the Taliban, ideologically they’re my enemies, as are all fundamentalists, but th... read more
 
The general staff in the Pentagon may be incredibly stupid or Trump was listening to the wrong
people.  Both is most probable.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Afghan_War
The dates don't make sense.


 
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