NEW THINGS: @10:30, , 12/19/20

Pompeo Says Russia Was Behind Cyberattack on U.S.

Steve Kenny, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 1 hour ago

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the first member of the Trump administration to publicly link the Kremlin to the hacking of dozens of government and private systems.

An unsupported acusation.

What Biden’s Team Tells Us

Lisa Lerer, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 3 hours ago

In our last newsletter of 2020, let’s look at what Joe Biden’s emerging administration might mean for the political battles of 2021.

Biden is doing what South Carolina expected him to do.

Itis far from the worst things he could do.

Who Will Replace Kamala Harris? It’s About More Than a Senate Seat

Jennifer Medina, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

The question of who should be chosen as California’s next senator is a battle between Black and Latino representation.

The replacement is Gavin Newsome's choice.

He will do a good job.

F.D.A. Clears Moderna's Covid Vaccine

Denise Grady, Abby Goodnough and Noah Weiland, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 5 hours ago

The Food and Drug Administration authorized a second coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, clearing the way for millions more Americans to be immunized next week.

More is better. Sooner is better.

Homeland Security’s Latest Target: Vaccine Scams

Zolan Kanno-Youngs, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 9 hours ago

A division of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, working with the Justice Department, is hunting down websites offering fraudulent deals to buy coronavirus vaccines.

This is probably a problem for the Interstate Commerce Commission and the F.B.I.,and the various sovereign states.

Congress Clears Two-Day Spending Extension to Finalize Stimulus Deal

Emily Cochrane, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 11 hours ago

The short time frame signaled optimism that Congress could come to agreement on the $900 billion economic recovery plan, but a last-minute dispute over the Fed’s lending powers emerged as a stubborn final sticking point.

McConnell and Trump Will allow no effective relief. They are sadists.

Trump Claims Credit for Vaccines. Some of His Backers Don’t Want to Take Them.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 12 hours ago

A deep distrust of the government is fueling vaccine hesitancy among Republicans, who are more likely than Democrats to resist being inoculated against Covid-19.

Trump deserves no credit for the handeling of Covid-19.

He did his best to ignore Covid-19.

To attribute it to hostile political actions.

To blame the infected.

To trivialize the pandemic.

He is now claiming credit for vaccines he tried to delay and politicize.

Can a Televised Vaccination Undo Months of Skepticism?

Jeremy W. Peters, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 12 hours ago

A few minutes of morning television distilled the various ways that President Trump and his political allies have undermined confidence in the science about the virus.

I seriously doubt it.

Viral campaigns are near impossible to supress.

What Is 13-3? Why a Debate Over the Fed Is Holding Up Stimulus Talks

Jeanna Smialek, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

The Fed’s emergency lending authorities are a key part of its job. Republicans want to curb them. Democrats are pushing back.

The Republican party does not do deficit finance.

It has sabotaged the federal reserve bank.

It wants hard currency andarepeat of the Great Depression.

Barr Says C.I.A. ‘Stayed in Its Lane’ in Examining Russian Election Interference

Adam Goldman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 14 hours ago

In an interview with a Wall Street Journal columnist, the attorney general defended his legacy and criticized the special counsel’s investigation.

Barr will not say that the Mueller Investigation was dead on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Counsel_investigation_(2017%E2%80%932019)

Trump’s Future: Tons of Cash and Plenty of Options for Spending It

Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 15 hours ago

When President Trump departs the White House, he will have a huge pile of cash to fuel his future ambitions. He can hold rallies, hire staff and even lay groundwork for a potential 2024 run.

Trump will not hold national elective office again.

Henry Haller, Chef for Five Presidents, Dies at 97

Glenn Thrush, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 16 hours ago

He had the high-level skills necessary for the job but also a welcome flexibility, allowing him to thrive in the, well, pressure-cooker that is the White House.

There is an apprentice who will do the job.

Last Day of Fundraiser and the Role of Opinion and News

Ian Welsh, Ian Welsh - 16 hours ago

Fundraising Update: As of this writing we’re at approximately $10,430, leaving is $570 from the final goal and tier of $11,000. $11,000: two more articles, these on the conditions that create good and bad societies to live in; an introduction and conclusion and some commentary and connecting text as seems necessary. Again, I want to […]

My news is minor.

I have moved:

my address is 277 Camden Valley Road, Shushan, New York, 12865

My phone is AT&T cell, 518-636-9390

email: mrhcharrison@aol.com

I have no Trakphone signal here.

I will be away from 12/21/20 until after Christmas.

My mail is not yet forwarded.

Sooner is better. As soon as you can is best.

My phone will travel with me.

Pandemic Delays 9/11 Trial Past 20th Anniversary of Attacks

Carol Rosenberg, NYT > U.S. > Politics - 17 hours ago