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| Welcome to Wonkbook, Wonkblog's morning policy news primer byMax Ehrenfreund (@MaxEhrenfreud). Send comments, criticism or ideas to Wonkbook at Washpost dot com. To read more by the Wonkblog team, click here. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. |
| Two officers shot in Ferguson outside police station after chief resigns |
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Following Wednesday's
What's in Wonkbook: 1) Ferguson 2) Opinions, including Kristof on the family 3) How the sugar industry influenced federal research, and more
Chart of the day: Federal spending on welfare programs has increased mainly because spending on health care has increased. Spending on Social Security and financial support has not shown any noticeable increase over the last thirty years or so, except for a blip following the financial crisis. Paul Krugman in The New York Times.
Two officers were shot Thursday morning. "The shots were fired just after midnight as police were confronting protesters who had gathered outside the police station. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said one officer was with his department and the other was with the Webster Groves department. Both were being treated at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where Belmar spoke, and were in serious condition. ... He said he believes the officers were targeted. They had been standing in a group when the shots were fired. The gunfire was 'parallel to the ground,' he said." Susan Weich in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"STL county police say that as of this AM the 2 officers shot in Ferguson have serious, but not life threatening, injuries" -- @WesleyLowery
Jackson's resignation will be effective next week. "Questions, however, remain over the future of the city’s police department. Some residents and political leaders have said that it should be dissolved and that the St. Louis County Police Department should take over, as it has with other surrounding municipalities. Four of Ferguson’s 54 police officers are black. Ferguson officials must still decide whether they will reach a settlement with the Justice Department or go to court to challenge some of the reforms that federal officials have requested be made to the police department and municipal court." John Eligon in The New York Times.
KRISTOF: For decades, politicians have ignored Daniel Patrick Moynihan's warning about broken families. "Liberals brutally denounced Moynihan as a racist. ... The scathing commentary led President Lyndon Johnson to distance himself from the Moynihan report. Scholars, fearful of being accused of racism, mostly avoided studying family structure and poverty. ... The taboo on careful research on family structure and poverty was broken by William Julius Wilson, an eminent black sociologist. He has praised Moynihan’s report as 'a prophetic document,' for evidence is now overwhelming that family structure matters a great deal for low-income children of any color. ... Conservatives shouldn’t chortle at the evidence that liberals blew it, for they did as well. Conservatives say all the right things about honoring families, but they led the disastrous American experiment in mass incarceration; incarceration rates have quintupled since the 1970s. That devastated families, leading countless boys to grow up without dads." The New York Times.
ELIZABETH STOKER BRUENIG: The problems of poor families are due to bad public policies, not immoral behavior. "The baseline moral values of poor people do not, in fact, differ that much from those of the rich. Poor people feel ashamed of the incarceration of relatives. The poor, too, want to get married at roughly the same rates as the rich, though the rich have an easier time pulling it off. Matrimonial aspirations, then, are decaying no faster among the poor than the well-off; it’s only the ability to maintain a marriage under the stressors of poverty that seems to put poor families on unsteady ground. ... The stigma and shame of poverty and welfare are alive and well, meaning that welfare recipients tend to internalize society’s narratives about work and accountability. Poor people, whatever their material circumstances might compel them to do, don’t seem to lack a moral compass." The New Republic.
BALZ: Democrats need a primary. "Clinton has been such a dominant front-runner that she has smothered most potential competition. Who rightly thinks they can seriously compete with her for money or institutional support? ... A presidential nomination is too important to be handed to someone on a platter, especially at a time like this. The end of a two-term presidency is a time when a political party needs to refresh itself. Whether the incumbent president is popular or unpopular isn’t the issue. It’s whether a party is looking for genuine debate and disagreement about its future direction — and finds a way to showcase its future leaders." The Washington Post.
WINKLER: California is actually the best state to do business in. "The Tax Foundation says the state's tax structure is the third worst for business in the U.S. Forbes ranks California's business costs fifth highest among the 50 states and its regulatory environment the eighth most burdensome. Why then does the market, where buyers and sellers determine relative value, show otherwise? California-based companies surpass their competitors in the U.S. by most measures of performance favored by investors." Bloomberg View.
LEVINE: Senators introduce a questionable bill on insider trading. Under the proposed legislation, "if you consult experts or talk to other investors or do research outside of Google, you will always need to worry that your information is not public enough, and that you will go to prison. Maybe you won't actually end up with criminal liability, but you can't do anything without fear of liability. Everything is vague; every trade is a possible crime." Bloomberg View.
LANE: America must confront its epidemic of legal drugs."Painkiller-related deaths quadrupled between 1999 and 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... This epidemic was brought to you not by Colombian drug cartels or some other nefarious outlaw force but by the American establishment — corporate, governmental and medical — which blessed the wider use of modern opioids in the belief that pain was vastly undertreated and that new, extended-release opioid formulations would not be addictive. To question that judgment — to suggest that pain is inherently subjective and that encouraging doctors to pass out these powerful pills not just to patients with cancer but also to those with routine lower back problems, was a huge, deadly mistake, driven in significant part by the profit motive — is to risk being accused of insensitivity to suffering people. ... The United States accounts for almost 100 percent of world consumption of hydrocodone and 81 percent of oxycodone, NIDA reports. Does this mean doctors in Europe and Asia are indifferent to their patients’ suffering?" The Washington Post.
Our network of freight rail can't transport crude oil safely, worries journalist Marcus Stern. "Questions surrounding the safety and regulation of the nation’s aging network of 140,000 miles of freight rails, which carry their explosive cargo through urban corridors, sensitive ecological zones and populous suburbs. ... In July 2013, an oil train carrying North Dakota oil burst into flames in the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic, about 10 miles from the Maine border, killing 47 people. After that accident, federal officials promised to develop sweeping new regulations to make sure nothing like it happens in the United States. ... But more than a year and a half after Lac-Mégantic, new regulations have yet to be finalized as the railroad and oil industries argue about various proposed provisions." The New York Times.
Soul interlude: A jury has ordered Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to pay $7.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye, finding that the two singers infringed on his copyright in composing "Blurred Lines." "Since the 'Blurred Lines' suit was filed in August 2013, while the song was still No. 1, the case has prompted debate in music and copyright circles about the difference between plagiarism and homage, as well as what impact the verdict would have on how musicians create work in the future." Ben Sisario and Noah Smith in The New York Times.
Listen for yourself here and here.
Clinton isn't ready to run for president, some Democrats fear. "Few Democrats believe that the revelations about her unorthodox e-mail practices as secretary of state are a substantive issue that would damage Clinton with voters, and many said she performed adequately in a Tuesday news conference defending herself. ... But in interviews Wednesday with The Washington Post, current and former Democratic officeholders and operatives from across the country raised serious questions about her and her political team’s strength and readiness for a 2016 presidential campaign." Philip Rucker and Paul Kane in The Washington Post.
The rising price of the dollar puts the U.S. economy at risk."The dollar ended Wednesday at its highest value — $1.05 — against the euro in 12 years, and many analysts expect it to become more valuable than the common European currency in coming days. Other currencies have also taken a slide, making overseas travel cheaper for Americans, but goods and services priced in dollars more expensive for foreigners. ... A wide variety of companies have reported sales declines as a result of the trend." Jim Tankersley and Sarah Halzack in The Washington Post.
Major banks clear stress tests -- but only narrowly. "Four of the biggest names on Wall Street struggled to pass the Federal Reserve's 2015 'stress tests,' and the U.S. units of two foreign banks fell short... Bank regulators have steadily raised capital requirements for the largest banks since the crisis in an effort to make banks—and the financial system—more resilient and better able to absorb losses. The changes have forced banks to fund themselves with less borrowed money and more investor cash, such as common equity that can’t flee when market turmoil strikes." Victoria McGrane and Ryan Tracy inThe Wall Street Journal.
The United States isn't preparing for the opening of the Arctic. "As ice vanishes due to rapidly rising temperatures, the Arctic has seen an influx of activity. Major energy companies have plans to scour polar seas for oil and gas while commercial and passenger ships rush to transit newly-accessible routes. All that commotion ups the odds of spills and accidents, paving the way for a high-seas North Pole disaster. ... America's Arctic strategy has long been plagued by a lack of funding. Vast stretches of polar waters have not been charted or mapped to modern-day standards, and the U.S. Coast Guard has been forced to make do with a shrinking fleet of icebreakers, powerful ships that play a key role in search and rescue operations as well as Arctic exploration."Clare Foran in National Journal.
The sugar industry influenced government research and policy on tooth decay. "In the 1960s, amid a national effort to boost cavity prevention, the U.S. government spearheaded a research program, known as the National Caries Program (NCP), which aimed to eradicate tooth decay by the end of the 1970s. But instead of turning to an obvious solution—having people eat less sugar—the government was deeply influenced by industry interests that pushed alternative methods, such as ways to break up dental plaque and vaccines for fighting tooth decay, according to more than 300 internal industry documents, including old letters and meeting minutes."Roberto A. Ferdman in The Washington Post.
Upcoming event: Washington Post Live presents “Changing the Menu,” March 26th at Arena Stage. Steve Case, Chairman and Chief Executive, Revolution & Co-founder, America Online, Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director, Let’s Move!, Dan Kish, Head Chef, Panera, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and many other innovators and experts will look at food and wellness -- what we eat, how we move and how to ensure a healthy, well-fed America. Learn more about the event and register to attend.
When people speak of the problems of Ferguson — exposed last week in a Justice Department report that showed the rapacity of its city administration — they could just as easily speak of Calverton Park. It’s poor. Nearly one-fourth of its 1,300 residents live in poverty. Forty-two percent of the population is African American. And then there’s the bottom line. According to a 2014 report by Better Together, Calverton Park draws a staggering 66 percent of its revenue from fines and fees on the local population, which represents the highest percentage of any municipality in St. Louis County.There is some good news, though: A bill in the state house that passed a Senate committee last month would allow Missouri to confiscate money collected through traffic tickets and other fines above a certain percentage of a city's total revenue and use it for public education. In other words, no city in the St. Louis region would be able to collect more than 10 percent of its overall revenue through fines. The editorial board at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explained the logicbehind the bill convincingly:
But Calverton Park is nothing like Ferguson. Ferguson is the midst of what appear to be some fundamental reforms. Calverton Park is not.
If the mayors of St. Ann and Northwoods and Bel-Ridge and Vinita Terrace and Pine Lawn, etc., truly believe that their under-trained and under-diversified police forces that stop a hugely disproportionate number of black drivers are doing so purely to protect public safety, they can keep doing exactly what they were doing. Only one thing changes: They don’t get to keep all the money.We'll be keeping tabs on this bill's progress.
What's in Wonkbook: 1) Ferguson 2) Opinions, including Kristof on the family 3) How the sugar industry influenced federal research, and more
Chart of the day: Federal spending on welfare programs has increased mainly because spending on health care has increased. Spending on Social Security and financial support has not shown any noticeable increase over the last thirty years or so, except for a blip following the financial crisis. Paul Krugman in The New York Times.
1. Top story: 2 officers shot after Ferguson chief resigns
"STL county police say that as of this AM the 2 officers shot in Ferguson have serious, but not life threatening, injuries" -- @WesleyLowery
Jackson's resignation will be effective next week. "Questions, however, remain over the future of the city’s police department. Some residents and political leaders have said that it should be dissolved and that the St. Louis County Police Department should take over, as it has with other surrounding municipalities. Four of Ferguson’s 54 police officers are black. Ferguson officials must still decide whether they will reach a settlement with the Justice Department or go to court to challenge some of the reforms that federal officials have requested be made to the police department and municipal court." John Eligon in The New York Times.
2. Top opinions
ELIZABETH STOKER BRUENIG: The problems of poor families are due to bad public policies, not immoral behavior. "The baseline moral values of poor people do not, in fact, differ that much from those of the rich. Poor people feel ashamed of the incarceration of relatives. The poor, too, want to get married at roughly the same rates as the rich, though the rich have an easier time pulling it off. Matrimonial aspirations, then, are decaying no faster among the poor than the well-off; it’s only the ability to maintain a marriage under the stressors of poverty that seems to put poor families on unsteady ground. ... The stigma and shame of poverty and welfare are alive and well, meaning that welfare recipients tend to internalize society’s narratives about work and accountability. Poor people, whatever their material circumstances might compel them to do, don’t seem to lack a moral compass." The New Republic.
BALZ: Democrats need a primary. "Clinton has been such a dominant front-runner that she has smothered most potential competition. Who rightly thinks they can seriously compete with her for money or institutional support? ... A presidential nomination is too important to be handed to someone on a platter, especially at a time like this. The end of a two-term presidency is a time when a political party needs to refresh itself. Whether the incumbent president is popular or unpopular isn’t the issue. It’s whether a party is looking for genuine debate and disagreement about its future direction — and finds a way to showcase its future leaders." The Washington Post.
WINKLER: California is actually the best state to do business in. "The Tax Foundation says the state's tax structure is the third worst for business in the U.S. Forbes ranks California's business costs fifth highest among the 50 states and its regulatory environment the eighth most burdensome. Why then does the market, where buyers and sellers determine relative value, show otherwise? California-based companies surpass their competitors in the U.S. by most measures of performance favored by investors." Bloomberg View.
LEVINE: Senators introduce a questionable bill on insider trading. Under the proposed legislation, "if you consult experts or talk to other investors or do research outside of Google, you will always need to worry that your information is not public enough, and that you will go to prison. Maybe you won't actually end up with criminal liability, but you can't do anything without fear of liability. Everything is vague; every trade is a possible crime." Bloomberg View.
LANE: America must confront its epidemic of legal drugs."Painkiller-related deaths quadrupled between 1999 and 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... This epidemic was brought to you not by Colombian drug cartels or some other nefarious outlaw force but by the American establishment — corporate, governmental and medical — which blessed the wider use of modern opioids in the belief that pain was vastly undertreated and that new, extended-release opioid formulations would not be addictive. To question that judgment — to suggest that pain is inherently subjective and that encouraging doctors to pass out these powerful pills not just to patients with cancer but also to those with routine lower back problems, was a huge, deadly mistake, driven in significant part by the profit motive — is to risk being accused of insensitivity to suffering people. ... The United States accounts for almost 100 percent of world consumption of hydrocodone and 81 percent of oxycodone, NIDA reports. Does this mean doctors in Europe and Asia are indifferent to their patients’ suffering?" The Washington Post.
Our network of freight rail can't transport crude oil safely, worries journalist Marcus Stern. "Questions surrounding the safety and regulation of the nation’s aging network of 140,000 miles of freight rails, which carry their explosive cargo through urban corridors, sensitive ecological zones and populous suburbs. ... In July 2013, an oil train carrying North Dakota oil burst into flames in the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic, about 10 miles from the Maine border, killing 47 people. After that accident, federal officials promised to develop sweeping new regulations to make sure nothing like it happens in the United States. ... But more than a year and a half after Lac-Mégantic, new regulations have yet to be finalized as the railroad and oil industries argue about various proposed provisions." The New York Times.
Soul interlude: A jury has ordered Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to pay $7.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye, finding that the two singers infringed on his copyright in composing "Blurred Lines." "Since the 'Blurred Lines' suit was filed in August 2013, while the song was still No. 1, the case has prompted debate in music and copyright circles about the difference between plagiarism and homage, as well as what impact the verdict would have on how musicians create work in the future." Ben Sisario and Noah Smith in The New York Times.
Listen for yourself here and here.
3. In case you missed it
The rising price of the dollar puts the U.S. economy at risk."The dollar ended Wednesday at its highest value — $1.05 — against the euro in 12 years, and many analysts expect it to become more valuable than the common European currency in coming days. Other currencies have also taken a slide, making overseas travel cheaper for Americans, but goods and services priced in dollars more expensive for foreigners. ... A wide variety of companies have reported sales declines as a result of the trend." Jim Tankersley and Sarah Halzack in The Washington Post.
Major banks clear stress tests -- but only narrowly. "Four of the biggest names on Wall Street struggled to pass the Federal Reserve's 2015 'stress tests,' and the U.S. units of two foreign banks fell short... Bank regulators have steadily raised capital requirements for the largest banks since the crisis in an effort to make banks—and the financial system—more resilient and better able to absorb losses. The changes have forced banks to fund themselves with less borrowed money and more investor cash, such as common equity that can’t flee when market turmoil strikes." Victoria McGrane and Ryan Tracy inThe Wall Street Journal.
The United States isn't preparing for the opening of the Arctic. "As ice vanishes due to rapidly rising temperatures, the Arctic has seen an influx of activity. Major energy companies have plans to scour polar seas for oil and gas while commercial and passenger ships rush to transit newly-accessible routes. All that commotion ups the odds of spills and accidents, paving the way for a high-seas North Pole disaster. ... America's Arctic strategy has long been plagued by a lack of funding. Vast stretches of polar waters have not been charted or mapped to modern-day standards, and the U.S. Coast Guard has been forced to make do with a shrinking fleet of icebreakers, powerful ships that play a key role in search and rescue operations as well as Arctic exploration."Clare Foran in National Journal.
The sugar industry influenced government research and policy on tooth decay. "In the 1960s, amid a national effort to boost cavity prevention, the U.S. government spearheaded a research program, known as the National Caries Program (NCP), which aimed to eradicate tooth decay by the end of the 1970s. But instead of turning to an obvious solution—having people eat less sugar—the government was deeply influenced by industry interests that pushed alternative methods, such as ways to break up dental plaque and vaccines for fighting tooth decay, according to more than 300 internal industry documents, including old letters and meeting minutes."Roberto A. Ferdman in The Washington Post.
Upcoming event: Washington Post Live presents “Changing the Menu,” March 26th at Arena Stage. Steve Case, Chairman and Chief Executive, Revolution & Co-founder, America Online, Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director, Let’s Move!, Dan Kish, Head Chef, Panera, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and many other innovators and experts will look at food and wellness -- what we eat, how we move and how to ensure a healthy, well-fed America. Learn more about the event and register to attend.
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