1
When Big Tobacco Invoked Eric Garner to Fight a Menthol Cigarette Ban
Corporate lobbyists are increasingly highlighting the concerns of black New
Yorkers to support their clients’ causes.
Lobyists are clever.
They will get backing to shield their clients from public censure.
2
Have You Been Told to ‘Go Back’ to Your Country Even Though You Are American? Tell Us About It.
Tell us about it.
The cry has often been heard.
It prevents political thought.
3
Fighting Big Tech Makes for Some Uncomfortable Bedfellows
Conservatives are showing up at largely liberal conferences to call for
breaking up Facebook and Google. Liberals are going on conservative TV
shows to do the same. It’s awkward.
"My enemie's enemie is my ally."
An ally is not a friend.
4
Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – July 14, 2019
by Tony Wikrent Alarming after-effects of Republican budget cutting in
North Carolina Savage tick-clone armies are sucking cows to death; experts
fear for humans [ars technica, via Naked Capitalism 7-13-19] Ravenous
swarms of cloned ticks have killed a fifth cow in North Carolina by
exsanguination—that is, by draining it of blood—the state’s Department of
Agriculture […]
Tony Wikrent states his sources.
I mostly argue with his emphasis.
5
Trump Tells Freshman Congresswomen to ‘Go Back’ to the Countries They Came From
The president’s attack, which Democrats slammed as a racist trope, was
meant for four progressive freshmen who have clashed with Speaker Nancy
Pelosi. Only one was born outside the United States.
Trump does not tollerate opposition.
6
Joe Biden Decides He Doesn’t Need to Stay Above the Fray After All
In New Hampshire, the former vice president went after some of his rivals,
with criticism that Bernie Sanders called “totally absurd.”
Mud is where you find it.
7
30 Year Mortgage Rates increase to 4.0%
From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Highest Mortgage Rates in More
Than 3 Weeks
Mortgage rates moved decisively higher this week as the underlying bond
market finally began shifting gears. After the Fed meeting in June, rates
moved to the lowest levels in more than 2 years and had been holding in a
narrow range since then. [*30YR FIXED - 4.0%*]
emphasis added
[image: Mortgage Rates] *Click on graph for larger image.*
This is a graph from Mortgage News Daily (MND) showing 30 year fixed rates
from three sources (MND, MBA, Freddie Mac). Go to MND and you can adjust
the grap... more »
The trend is asymtotic down.
8
Pete Buttigieg’s Life in the Closet
And why it took him until he was 33 to come out.
He did well in the closet.
He will do better out.
9
Top Ocasio-Cortez Aide Becomes a Symbol of Democratic Division
From his perch as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, Saikat
Chakrabarti has waged war on fellow Democrats. The party leadership has had
enough.
Democratic division is normal.
10
Pence Defends Conditions at Migrant Detention Centers in Texas
Vice President Mike Pence toured two Border Patrol facilities on Friday,
later saying they were “providing care that every American would be proud
of.”
Wilful blindness is a Republican condition.
11
Man Attacking ICE Detention Center Is Fatally Shot by the Police
The man was armed with a rifle and was throwing “incendiary devices” on
Saturday in Tacoma, Wash., officials said.
A "Forlorn Hope" often ends badly.
Attack ICE through the budget.
It is unsatisfying but survivable and effective.
12
Open Thread
As usual, use this thread to discuss topics not related to recent posts.
Sooner is better. As soon as you can is best.
13
Parties Face ‘Crackup’ as Outsiders Wield Social Media Against the Establishment
In the same week that Ross Perot died, the aftershocks of his assault on
the two-party system could be seen in internal quarrels involving President
Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
It is hard to break a coalition.
Seeing things is a hazard of looking.
14
Trump Backs Away From Barriers on Foreign Uranium
The president said he disagreed with a Commerce Department finding that
uranium imports pose a threat to national security.
One of his first rational acts.
15
Schedule for Week of July 14, 2019
The key reports this week are June housing starts and retail sales.
For manufacturing, the Industrial Production report and the July New York
and Philly Fed manufacturing surveys will be released.
*----- Monday, July 15th -----*
8:30 AM: The New York Fed *Empire State manufacturing survey* for July. The
consensus is for a reading of 0.5, up from -8.6.
*----- Tuesday, July 16th -----*
[image: Year-over-year change in Retail Sales]8:30 AM: *Retail sales* for
June is scheduled to be released. The consensus is for 0.1% increase in
retail sales.
This graph shows the year-over-year chang... more »
Ignore the noise.
I will build.
16
One Candidate In, One Candidate Out: This Week in the 2020 Race
Eric Swalwell exits the race as Tom Steyer enters it, the candidates talk
equity at the Essence Festival, and Joe Biden releases his tax returns.
There is no need to rush a decision.
17
House Democrats Postpone Mueller Testimony by One Week
Two high-stakes hearings with Robert S. Mueller III, the former special
counsel, that had been scheduled for next week have been moved to July 24.
Mueller must finish his testimony before August.
18
A White House Correspondent Departs the Jaw-Dropping Trump Beat
Choosing a single day that epitomizes the Trump presidency — with its
tangle of norm-shattering days — is a fool’s errand. But Thursday came
close.
I will let Trump make a fool of himself.
19
New Details on Family Separations Fuel Emotional Hearing
A House committee said Friday that at least 18 infants and toddlers were
separated from their migrant parents, the youngest just 4 months old.
The policy is gratuitously cruel.
20
E.P.A. Plans to Curtail the Ability of Communities to Oppose Pollution Permits
The agency is preparing to weaken rules that, for a quarter-century, have
given communities a voice in deciding how much industrial pollution may
legally be released nearby.
Policies can be reversed.
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