The News
March 1, 2018
It’s March! We’re back to recap the news from the month of February, a month that comprised Black History Month as well as the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
In top news, the month kicked off with a large market selloff, where stocks fell precipitously in response to unsustainably high expectations on the major stock indexes. By the middle of the month, a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida killed 17 students and teachers, leading to a renewed push for gun control measures that has so far included a heated debate over whether to arm teachers or ban assault rifles. Meanwhile in the Russian meddling investigation, Special Counsel Robert Mueller issued indictments to 13 Russian individuals and three companies for their part in meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, leading to a guilty plea by former Trump campaign advisor Richard Gates and the resignation of White House communications director Hope Hicks.
In other news, Congress reached a federal budget deal that included billions of aid funding for disaster relief and the opioid crisis but excluded a provision for extending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), leading to an eight-hour speech on the House floor by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and a failed debate over separate bills legalizing dreamers; the NBA trade deadline proved more season changing than previously expected, revamping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference; the White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter resigned after news broke that he received security clearances in spite of his history of domestic violence; a report by the United Nations disclosed that North Korea sold chemical weapons to the government of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria; the Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s challenge of a lower court’s ruling on DACA, allowing the program to continue past its March 5th expiration; and “Black Panther” opened to major acclaim with both critics and audiences.
As always, enjoy Wonks This Way and thanks for reading the newsletter.
Cheers,
The Wonks Team
Politics and Public Policy
- The New York Times analyzes the policy shift on nuclear arms control under President Trump, contrasting the president’s vow to “modernize” the country’s nuclear arsenal to former President Obama’s implementation of the New Start Treaty.
- FiveThirtyEight assesses the poor timing of the Trump administration’s infrastructure plan, explaining how government spending on construction serves as a stimulus during times of recession rather than during an economic expansion.
- The Washington Post reports on President Trump’s desire for holding military parade in the nation’s capital, noting the potential costs, logical hurdles, and the historical contexts for countries to make such military demonstrations.
- The Upshot compares the immigration systems of European and Asian nations to the U.S. program, contrasting how the U.S. prioritizes family connections other systems and whether or not a “merit-based” lottery produces any real economic benefits.
- FiveThirtyEight graphs out the passage of continuing resolutions to keep the federal government funded over the last two decades in lieu of passing an annual budget, as well as the historical precedents for shutting down the government.
- The Washington Post explains the appeal of the AR-15 assault rifle, noting the history of its usage by the military in World War II and the Vietnam War, and its resurgent popularity among gun enthusiasts in the mid-2000s.
- Shadi Hamid of The Atlantic reflects on manufactured outrage on social media, characterizing offenses taken as unproductive purity tests by left-leaning Twitter users performed in response to conservative pundits and op-ed writers.
Business, Science, and Health
- Quartz Obsession explains Super Bowl ads, including the history of companies purchasing airtime during the big game, the recurring themes from ads, the average price for an ad, and whether or not airing a Super Bowl commercial improves sales.
- The Washington Post reports on the sale of the Los Angeles Times and the turbulent relationship between the newspaper’s staff and editors appointed by its parent company Tronc over the past few years.
- Japlopnik covers the launch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the first successful launch of a private rocket that also featured a Tesla roadster in the spaceship.
- NPR writes about the environmental hazards of Mardi Gras beads, which clog storm drains in addition to litter the streets, and what the city of New Orleans has done to reduce the damage they cause.
- NPR evaluates how sexual misconduct thrives in international aid work due to the hierarchies and structure of power between humanitarian workers and the people that they’re supposed to serve.
- NPR assesses the effectiveness of the Trump administration’s proposal to replace the food stamp program with a “harvest box,” comparing the plan to existing federal nutritional programs used on Native American reservations.
- The New York Times writes about why dogs frequently serve as the subject of scientific research at the expense of cats.
Sports and Culture
- ESPN Magazine profiles the fracturing of the NFL players’ coalition promoting social justice that formed following the national anthem demonstrations that originated under former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016.
- Bill Barnwell of ESPN recaps Super Bowl LII, describing how the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots through creative play-calling, following through on fourth-down plays, and more.
- The Atlantic diagnoses how injuries to star players and the absence of popular teams in the NFL postseason decreased viewership of playoff games rather than the national anthem demonstrations by the players.
- Rembert Browne writes this obituary for Dennis Edwards, the lead singer of The Temptations during the group’s psychedelic soul era of the late ’60s through early ’70s, who died earlier in the month at age 74.
- Christopher Orr of The Atlantic reflects on the themes and tone of superhero movies, remarking on the self-seriousness brought to the genre by The Dark Knight trilogy and the revival of light-hearted and comedic superhero movies of today.
- Quartz Obsession explains ice curling, including its history and reputation as a Winter Olympic sport, as well as the physics behind what spins the curling stone.
- Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer assesses the revenue-sharing arrangement between baseball teams and players, determining if teams truly distribute half their profits to players as promised under the collective bargaining agreement.
