One Night in Congress

The election for the House speaker in January spawned a few arresting images. Here’re two that capture one side’s increasing desperation and the other’s, well, lack thereof.

AP

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First Brexit, now Polexit?

July 15, 2021

Is Polexit a thing?

Poland joined EU in 2004. It is now finding it hard to stick to the membership rules of the club. The country’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has recently decried the “the lawless interference and aggression of the law coming from European bodies.” (AP News)

The brouhaha deals with the Polish government’s decision to set up a new chamber to punish judges and prosecutors for unfavorable rulings. The European Court of Justice has ruled that this mechanism is incompatible with EU law. Poland’s reaction suggests that the government is not inclined to accept the decision of EU’s top court, and in some quarters, is being seen as a prelude to an exit from the EU.

Leaving the EU will hurt. In 2018, Poland received € 16.4 billion (3.4% of GDP) from the EU, while contributing € 4 billion to the EU budget– a net receipt of € 12.4 billion. (Europa)

The government may bluster. But a voluntary Polexit is probably not in the cards.

Op-ed: A Moment in Time—and America Has a New President

President Trump met the coronavirus, and he prevailed. For this the nation is grateful. For a fleeting moment, one might have wondered if, following his brush with the dreaded disease, Trump had chosen to re-evaluate his outlook on life and the presidency. …

October 24, 2020 | Link to Pennlive

Op-ed: Breaking up is hard to do: the U.S. retreat from the international stage

August 17, 2020 | Pennlive

Pennsylvania County Scorecard Covid-19

Pennlive

The PA state govt is using 4 criteria to determine the color status:

1. Are confirmed case counts stable/decreasing/low for past 2 weeks compared to previous 2 weeks? (Any of 3 conditions must be met.)
2. Is contact tracing being done/implemented?
3. Is PCR positivity rate < 10% for last 2 weeks?
4. Is total ICU/Med surge beds <= 90%?

Lebanon County turned yellow on May 29 (did not meet #1). County Republicans call Gov. Wolf a loser and dictator (but not scumbag or lowlife, epithets that tend to show up in tweets from the White House.)
Lancaster will turn green on June 26.
Dauphin, Cumberland have turned green.

Source: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/County-Dashboard.aspx

Auto industry split on whether to pollute more

54.5 mpg

Fuel-economy standard set by Obama. To be achieved by 2025.

37 mpg

Fuel-economy standard planned by Trump. Fighting with California to deny it the ability to set its own, higher than federal, standard. GM, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota are on Trump’s side.

But not all automakers are on board with the lower standard. Honda, Ford, Volkswagen and BMW are sticking with California’s requirement (which is closer to the Obama level). At least they are, for the moment.

Op-ed: US wins WTO case

A win at the WTO, but at what cost?

October 17, 2019 | Pennlive

Op-ed: Democracy in Britain and India

Is democracy in peril in the land of Magna Carta and the land of Gandhi?

Sept. 6, 2019 | Pennlive

Op-ed: International institutions and the US

Withdrawing from international organizations: Is it a good thing?

August 24, 2019 | Pennlive

Op-ed: Brexit Blues

Brexit: slouching toward Gomorrah

August 16, 2019 | Pennlive