The News
December 1, 2017
It’s December! Welcome to the newsletter, where we aggregate the top stories and interesting analyses from the second half of November. Following the Thanksgiving break, news broke that former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn will plead guilty over his involvement with Russian officials during and following the 2016 presidential election. After promising full cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump administration, additional news outlets revealed that Flynn lied about reaching out to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and tried to illegally influence a vote on a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements at the behest of White House Senior Advisor and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and other senior administration officials as part of the Trump transition into the presidency.
In other top news, an attack by the Islamic State on a Sufi mosque in Egypt killed over 300 people while injuring over 100 others, making it the most deadly terrorist attack in the country’s history; the Department of Homeland Security declined to renew the temporary exemption status of Haitian refugees, forcing 60,000 to find new residence outside of the U.S.; the FCC began maneuvers to repeal Net Neutrality rules; North Korea tested a missile reportedly capable of reaching Washington from the Korean peninsula; and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced that his party had the votes to pass the GOP tax plan reducing taxes on high earners and corporations.
As always, enjoy the newsletter and thanks for reading Wonks This Way.
Cheers,
The Wonks Team
Politics and Public Policy
- FiveThirtyEight evaluates the Republican Party’s options for preventing embattled Senate candidate Roy Moore from reaching office and why any decision upends the will of Alabama voters.
- The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the Trump administration’s plans to reduce the number of work visas issued to spouses of U.S. workers employed from H-1B visas for skilled immigrants.
- The Washington Post assesses the legal grounds for the Department of Justice’s decision to block the proposed merger of Time Warner and AT&T, citing the antitrust concerns of the telecommunication provider’s ownership of other entertainment companies like DirecTV.
- The New York Times examines how the Trump administration enabled the little-known Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to roll back regulations on financial institutions and weaken consumer protection policies.
- The Washington Post reports on the expiration of federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the plans for shuttering the program by states when existing funds run out.
- The Los Angeles Times profiles the legal career and leadership style of Special Counsel Robert Mueller during his time as a federal prosecutor from the late 1970s through his time as FBI director in the 2000s.
- The New York Times analyzes a federal tax break offered to teachers and how the provision highlights the Congressional Republicans’ positions on tax breaks in the current debate to reform the tax code.
Business, Science, and Health
- Quartz Obsession on explains “earcons,” the loading or ignition ringtones heard when starting computer programs or turning on a device, along with the history and existing copyright laws on composing the sounds.
- Thomas Lee of the San Francisco Chronicle assesses the blurred lines between private purchases and government investments in companies following the disclosure that Russian businessmen bought shares of Facebook on behalf of the Kremlin in 2016.
- The New York Times explains the psychology behind enthusiasm for Black Friday sales, citing the competitive appeal for consumers of waiting in line for hours as well as the violent impulses for finding discounts.
- The Associated Press covers the growing HIV epidemic in Iran and the cultural taboos of discussing premarital sex, divorce, and reproductive health in a country known for its strict religious laws dictating interactions between genders.
Sports and Culture
- Drew Magary of GQ reflects on the sexual misconduct of Louis C.K. and how the culture of standup comedy enabled him and other comedians to manipulate audiences into thinking of them as truth tellers rather than just covering for their own transgressions.
- Sam Riches of The Atlantic writes an appreciation for Vince Carter, complimenting his dunking prowess and his longevity in the NBA as he rounds out his 20th year in the league.
- Zach Lowe of ESPN profiles the Utah Jazz, evaluating their playing style and roster configuration as they try to rebuild into a contender following the departure of Gordon Hayward in free agency.
- Shea Serrano of The Ringer reflects on the expectations placed on “Coco,” the new Pixar film, from the perspective of being the studio’s first movie revolving around Mexican culture, as well as on the larger diversity issues in animation.
- Buzzfeed writes about the listening habits of podcast super listeners or “podfasters,” known for increasing the playing speed of individual podcasts and consumer over 13 podcasts per week.
