Putin takes action while distracting in the United States

During the period when the United States is concentrating on internal politics, Russian President Vladimir Putin may be trying to push for the efforts of the Transatlantic Sanctions Alliance.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will hold a summit with Russian, Ukrainian and German leaders on December 9. This is the first time in more than three years about the Ukrainian war. As we welcome discussions around this important and bloody conflict, European leaders should bear in mind that Ukraine is not the only stage in which the Russian government continues to undermine Western democracies.

The US Congress took action in 2017 to link any future sanctions relief to the suspension of Russian elections. In contrast, Europe is not following closely, still saying that if Russia and Ukraine achieve peace, the sanctions will be lifted. Another important difference is the default setting, which means that US sanctions can only be lifted through future Congressional bills, while EU member states need to agree to renew sanctions every six months.

The risk is that Mark Long and German Chancellor Angela Merkel may relax the possibility of sanctions. If not implemented immediately, then after some small reversible improvements on the ground in Ukraine. For Putin, this will be a huge victory, leaving the United States alone in the sanctions coalition, and will not impose costs on Russia as it continues to interfere in Western elections.

As a background, Europe's participation in US-led sanctions against Russia is Putin's most unpopular surprise in 2014. Transatlantic solidarity is more ubiquitous than the dollar, and proprietary energy technologies or any other technological element is stronger, so it is the secret weapon of peace. Russia sanctions teeth. Diplomatic reunification is not just a political tool. It reduces and diversifies the burden of maintaining sanctions between US and European companies, while increasing the cost of Moscow. Therefore, professionals from the US Treasury and the State Department issued a new US sanctions every six months, and went to European capitals to urge them to update their positions to express their solidarity with Europe, because European participation is right. The blow of economic sanctions.

Putin also knows this. He may estimate that it is now an opportunity for him to break the international sanctions coalition by divesting Europeans, while the United States and Britain are influenced by internal politics and are led by Russian friendly leaders who are unwilling to support Europe's determination.

President Donald Trump is looking for a foreign policy that will be sold to voters next year and says he wants to invite Putin to return to the G-7. Mark Long has also been proposing to Russia, and Russia has recently rejoined the European Commission. According to the way political development (especially in the United States), the current distraction and softening of the West in Russia may be closed within a year, which is Putin's moment.

If Russia completely withdraws its troops from Ukraine and returns to the sovereign control of Kiev on the international border, it will be a huge breakthrough. However, Europe should follow the leadership of the US Congress and clearly declare that the reduction of the system depends on two other ways in which Russia violates national sovereignty. Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula is one of them. Putin said that in the negotiations, this issue is not discussed. The second is the continuous attack on Western democracies through cyber attacks, information operations, malicious finance and other positive measures.

This is not to say that all sanctions should continue to be implemented before all these issues are resolved. It is best to impose certain sanctions on each of these three types of Russian acts (Eastern Ukraine, Crimea and electoral intervention) and to lift certain sanctions when any given hostile area is completely over. The severity of the sanctions in each barrel should be commensurate with the importance of the issue, which means that the main sectoral sanctions in Europe cannot only continue to be related to the whole of Ukraine (this may be reinterpreted as eastern Ukraine, selling the Crimean River Drop, and do not leave any election interference costs).

If Russia’s aggression ceases, the United States and Europe will have to work together to resolve the contradictions and begin to unify and relax the sanctions. However, given the importance of elections to democratic sovereignty, detailed diplomatic work should not begin until we determine whether Russia will intervene in the Anglo-American elections in the next 12 months.

US lawmakers and presidential candidates should urge Europe not to lift economic sanctions against Russia at this time, and should also signal to Moscow that if it continues to intervene in democracy, it will be expected to get stronger financial sanctions.

Due to the progress of Ukraine, unilateral disarmament in the coming months will continue to make Russia feel timid and strike directly in the capitals of Western countries.

Josh Rudolph is a vicious financing researcher for the bipartisan transatlantic “Forward for Democracy”, whose goal is to combat the efforts to undermine US and European democratic institutions. He has worked for the International Monetary Fund, the National Security Council, the US Treasury and JPMorgan Chase. 

Washington says goodbye to the beloved giant panda babes

Washington on Tuesday offered to bid for its favorite furry friend, adieu, who officially left the country on a trip to China.

All panda cubs born at the Smithsonian National Zoo must go to China at the age of 4, while Bai Bei celebrates his fourth birthday in August. The rule is part of an agreement between the zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

The zoo said in a statement that Babe left the zoo at about 9:30 am to Dulles International Airport, where he boarded a FedEx dedicated flight to Chengdu, China.

Known as the "FedEx Panda Express" (FedEx Panda Express), this aircraft is custom-made for North-North travel with a special photo:

The zoo’s statement said that Beibei received his last “American breakfast” made with bamboo and leaf biscuits on Tuesday morning. Before the zoo staff put him in a crates for transport, he had spent the morning in the outer habitat, and the crates had been trained by him to prepare for travel.

“Today is bittersweet,” said zoo head Steve Monfort. “We have been caring for Babe and watching thousands of people with him as true ambassadors for his species. We thank all those who attended our farewell party. I am proud of our team, They are ready for North Bei to enter the Chinese breeding program. We look forward to continuing our 47-year giant panda conservation program and working with Chinese colleagues to study and help protect and protect the giant panda and its native habitat."

Giant panda assistant curator Laurie Thompson has been taking care of Babe since birth. He will travel to China with the giant panda, along with the zoo's chief veterinarian Don Neiffer.

“They will constantly monitor Babe on the go and offer his favorite food, including 66 pounds of bamboo, 2 pounds of apples and pears, two bags of leaf biscuits, 2 pounds of cooked sweet potatoes and water,” the zoo’s statement said. .

Babe fans can also track his journey online.

Babe’s new breeder will meet the giant panda when he arrives in China, where he will be isolated for about 30 days. He will participate in the giant panda breeding program between the ages of six and seven.

He was born at the National Zoo on August 22, 2015, and his parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were born. The zoo said that his name was translated as "precious" or "treasure."

According to the Washington Post, the deputy director of the zoo, Brandy Smith, said he would be the last cub in the zoo for a long time.

Smith said: "Unfortunately, because this is the departure of Babe, but it is also very sad, because this is the end of the era of the National Zoo Panda Project."

She added:We will have cubs in the future.But there is no such family of pandas. It will be the next generation.

Houses are expediently spent before the closing deadline

The House of Representatives passed a one-month continuous resolution (CR) with a vote of 231-219 on Tuesday, delaying the government's lockout to December 20, despite a deadlock in more comprehensive spending negotiations.

Nita Lowey (DN.Y.), chairman of the House of Appropriations, said: “The CR will have more time to negotiate and develop responsible long-term funding for priorities. These priorities can make us The country has become safer and stronger, and provides better life opportunities for working families.” Said.

The expedient is that two days before the deadline for the suspension of production, members of Congress continue to clash with the key provisions of the new spending bill and maintain differences on the financing of the boundary wall proposed by President Trump.

It is expected that the Senate will quickly adopt and pass this measure. Senate Majority Leader Mickey McConnell (R-Ky.) said the White House has shown Trump's support.

McConnell also urged an agreement on the full funding bill for the fiscal year 2020, which began on October 1.

He said on Tuesday morning: "You can't get federal funds before the end of the year. This is an option."

But negotiations on how to allocate funds are deadlocked, and donors are expected to miss their Wednesday deadline because they have agreed on how to allocate $1.37 trillion in annual spending on 12 bills.

Senate funded chairman Richard Shelby said on Monday: "We are just looking for a solution to the problem. It seems that we have taken a positive step and then tilted to the side and slipped back. This sometimes makes Everyone is frustrated."

Shelby said that despite the strategy of postponing negotiations on the border wall to address the issue of funding first, the border wall remains an obstacle. Democrats don't want to add Trump's $5 billion in barriers to the Homeland Security Act and remove the money from other bills such as the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Act.

In addition to expanding current funding to temporarily avoid government closures, CR also includes provisions to fund US census work and increase military spending by 3.1%.

Senate Republicans slammed Democrats for refusing to accept a package of spending bills, including defense, saying they refused to raise their troops. The Democrats prevented the legislation from considering issues related to the border wall.

The measures passed by the House of Representatives have also expanded some controversial government surveillance programs, which are scheduled to end 90 days in mid-December to further discuss how to address security and privacy issues around them.

Several progressives voted against the opposing legislation.

Yes, Rep. Alexander Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) posted tweets on program extensions on Twitter.

However, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Core Group and most of the core groups support the bill.

CR also funded the response to the Ebola epidemic in Africa, expanded many government health programs, and provided traditional remuneration to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) after his death in October.

Although the measure will keep the government open for the next four weeks, some people worry that if the negotiators do not reach an agreement as soon as possible, the government may close.

Disagreements over the wall led to the government closing for 35 days, which began before Christmas 2018.

Washington, DC Democrats push to stop funds for land administration relocation

A coalition of representatives from Washington, DC, asked the House granters to ensure that funds were not used to move the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) out of the capital.

Prior to this, BLM sent 159 letters to employees informing them that they would move to their offices in the west as the Public Land Office decentralized their DC office and opened a new headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado.

The controversial plan will leave only 61 of BLM's 10,000 Washington, DC employees.

The legislators in Washington, DC, all Democrats wrote to the House of Representatives, Betty McCollum (Ministry of the Interior), which is responsible for handling the budget of the Ministry of the Interior, including BLM.

In a letter led by Del, Congressmen wrote: "There are only a small number of employees who have been transferred to choose to move. We are very worried that the relocation will be more and more unfavorable to supervision, not to mention protecting public land from oil. And the infringement of natural gas interests." Eleanor Holmes Norton (DD.C.).

Since August, the Ministry of the Interior and appropriators have been arguing whether to fund this initiative.

The Ministry of the Interior said it had been allowed to redeploy $5 million from last year’s bill for this action, which was proposed by legislators.

Since then, the House and Senate funders have banned the use of funds in next year's bill to promote BLM action, a feature that Washington DC legislators hope does not exist in this spending plan.

They wrote: "We urge you to ban the use of funds under any authority to relocate the Land Authority." He added that the move "is designed to damage public land and limit Congressional supervision."

McCollum did not immediately respond to the request for comment.

The appropriation party is still negotiating the final spending plan.

The House Democrat’s assistant told Hill: “We are continuing negotiations on the subcommittee’s appropriations, which is a necessary prerequisite for the commencement of a personal appropriation bill.” “Unfortunately, the Senate Republican Party asked for funding for the waste wall that President Trump was wasting. The requirements make distribution negotiations more difficult."

Drugs prevent death from alcohol abuse

In the shadow of the opioid crisis, we often forget that alcohol abuse is so widespread and destructive until we get a reminder of the story of three judges in the Indiana Supreme Court, who were drunk outside the White Castle restaurant last week. The battle led to their suspension.

We know that alcohol can cause death - 88,000 Americans die each year from alcohol-related causes. But we must face the fact that it also undermines life and career. If we adopt the right treatment plan, then this will not happen.

The incidence of alcoholism has risen sharply in most American sociodemographic subgroups (women, the elderly, racial/ethnic minorities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations). One in five people who died of opioid overdose was drinking alcohol in the system at the time of death.

Complicating the situation is the lack of information between providers and patients. Not all providers are aware of the potential consequences of not providing treatment to those in need; patients may not have all the information about their risks or available treatment options.

As more alcohol-related casualties are reported, universities are increasingly subject to scrutiny. Recent alcohol-related deaths include cranberry singer Dolores-O'Riordan, rapper Mac Miller, singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse and adult film actor Jessica Jaymes, to name a few.

Alcohol is the most common problem for primary care providers, but they are the least able to do anything. What is often lacking in treatment is to discuss drug treatment. People who are still struggling to drink are still seeing little evidence of drug treatment.

Only 20% of drinking problems receive any form of treatment, ranging from seeing a doctor to entering a treatment program. Like the three judges, many people are forced to do so by courts, family members or employers because they are caught in hot water.

Therefore, people who receive alcohol treatment often encounter the most serious problems. However, less than 10% of prescription drugs are very effective.

Mutual aid groups such as the 12-step program are still the most frequently sought-after sources of help for alcohol use disorders in the United States. Many people believe that the only other option is rehabilitation based on abstinence, but these plans also have their limitations. Drinkers detoxify, lose tolerance, stay eager, and drink more after discharge.

Naltrexone and acamprosate are two drugs on the market for patients who are eager to drink, and they are effective. Both are easily tolerated and have few side effects. There is enough evidence to show that they can work.

Only about 15% of people with alcohol abuse are in an extreme state, which means that 85% of them have hopes to get rid of this extreme. Medication can really help them.

Lack of training for medical professionals can lead to underuse of drugs. In a recent national study, 67% of psychiatrists and 88% of family doctors said they would be more likely to prescribe alcohol-alcoholic drugs if they received the necessary education.

However, the situation may be changing. Some medical institutions have begun to expand the range of medications and behavioral therapies related to patients and providers. Early learners often ask for a campaign to start training in medical school and continue to advance throughout the medical career.

The drug is important because there are many alcohol problems. Most drinkers are in the mild to moderate range or may not be eligible for the disease, but they may be “high risk drinkers” according to acceptable daily standards. Both groups are hardcore users and milder over-drinkers, all benefiting from FDA-approved drugs and proven behavioral therapies.

Another obstacle to the use of drugs to treat alcohol use disorders is attitude. Both patients and clinicians agree that "the general predicament of alcoholics" is a fact. Because of our commitment to this desperate narrative, people have long been resistant to the idea that alcoholism can be treated medically. The idea of ​​this alcohol-related person is that Americans are addicted to the problem of filth and drug abuse, even if they are medically ill.

Contrary to popular belief, refusal is not the main reason why people do not seek treatment. Public health and medical problems in the United States that are unable to accept excessive drinking have been humiliated among patients and caused confusion among practitioners. A typical response to drinking problems is to worry about drinking until the disaster causes someone or an institution to intervene.

Indeed, some alcoholics can recover on their own without regular treatment, but some can be partially relieved, while others are abstaining from alcohol throughout their lives.

It is irresponsible to advise us not to use all treatment options (including medication) to help everyone struggle with alcohol when the stakes are so high.

Gail Basch, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She is also a public voice researcher at the OpEd project.

Vote: Biden and Warren are on the same page in California

According to a new poll released by the California Public Policy Institute on Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are on a par with junior high schools in California.

Polls show that Biden is currently supported by 24% of the major Democrats, and Warren is supported by 23% of the same respondents. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ranked third with 17%, while other candidates did not break double digits.

Nine percent of people are still not sure who they will support in the March game.

Both Biden and Warren have consolidated their position in opinion polls by leading the demographics that traditionally support demographics. Biden's male advantage is 30% to 18%, 45-year-old and above voters have an advantage of 31% to 18%, Warren's female advantage is 26% to 19%, and 18-year-old voters have an advantage of 30% to 10%. 44.

Probably the main voters have said to a large extent that they put the candidate's ability to defeat President Trump in the general election above the ideological agreement. 55% of potential voters said that the nomination seems to be the most likely to beat Trump's candidate, and 36% said the nominee is important to have a position on the issue closest to its issue.

California is one of several states that held primary and pre-trials on March 3. It was called "Super Tuesday" due to the large number of nomination contests held that day. The Golden State will allocate up to 495 delegates based on the results of the main constituencies, making the competition a leader in consolidating its position or middle-level candidate's primary position.

The poll was a warning sign for California Senator Kamala Harris (D), who conducted a poll in 8% of the state.

The California Public Policy Institute's poll conducted a survey of 682 potential voters from November 3 to 12 with a margin of error of 5.1%.

Syracuse University strengthens security after the racist declaration appears in the forum

After the racist declaration appeared on the campus forum in the early hours of Tuesday, Syracuse University stepped up security measures.

According to the school newspaper "Daily Orange", it was reported that the 74-page declaration from the striker of New Zealand Christchurch earlier this year attacked the mosque was "airdrop" to the library students.

In response, the university added double patrols, stationed campus police vehicles around the campus, and patrolled student residences and campus buildings, which was published by the university's public safety department, including the campus police.
The department said in a statement that “there seems to be no direct threat” and it is working with the Syracuse Police Department, the New York State Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to examine the white supremacist declaration.

The latest episode is a series of racist events on the campus of Syracuse, including racist graffiti in the dorms and an African-American woman being verbally harassed by racial slurs. These incidents led to protests and meditation on campus.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) issued a statement on Tuesday calling on the university's board of directors to hire an ombudsman to regulate recent events and condemn the university's principal, Kent Syverud. ).

In his statement, he said: "As we have learned over and over again, these more and more hate and prejudice exhibitions must be dealt with in a strong, swift and fair manner. This must be a reality and a perception. Syracuse University and its The leadership failed to do this. It is your obligation and it must be corrected immediately."

West Africa (Syverud) issued a statement on Sunday stating that the African-American woman was beaten orally, saying the act was carried out by members of the Brotherhood, who have now been suspended for investigation. He added that other incidents are being "actively" investigated.

Extend the solar tax credit, but terminate the expensive Carter era subsidy

The federal solar tax credit has been a huge success story in the United States, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and tens of billions of dollars in clean energy investments each year while avoiding hundreds of millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions. However, despite significant growth, solar energy still provides only 1.5% of US electricity. In order to help the United States reduce carbon dioxide emissions, solar energy must become larger, which is an urgent need for climate protection.

Under current law, 30% of the solar investment tax credit will gradually decrease from next year and then disappear completely in 2022, permanently reducing the resident business user's 10% tax credit for commercial operations.

House of Representatives Fundraising Committee Chairman Richard Neil (D-Mass.) will develop tax legislation in the coming weeks to stimulate greater investment in clean energy and build stronger incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. . If the United States releases large-scale new investments, especially in the case of utility-scale solar energy, the legislation should extend the existing 30% investment tax credit for domestic and commercial solar energy to the future.

The rules of the Public Utilities Management Policy Act (PURPA) of 1978 ultimately required many states to enter into long-term contracts with solar developers at prices well above current levels, locking in expensive electricity, and including a “must take” rule. These countries are required to provide resources for the permanent distribution of electricity.

The excess consumer cost of this anachronistic regulation is considerable. Uck, a utility company, says only North Carolina customers will pay more than $1 billion in market costs over the next decade. Western utility company PacifiCorp found that in the next 10 years, mandatory contracts under PURPA will increase the consumer price of market prices by $1.2 billion. A new analysis by Concentric Energy Advisors found that only solar contracts between 2013 and 2019 exceeded the market cost of PURPA mandatory contracts, totaling $1.87 billion. All of these costs are simply passed on to consumers who pay solar prices for these projects far above market prices, rather than the current low solar prices (according to Lazard, this is more than a decade ago. The scale of PV solar energy is 89% lower). Most countries.

In response to this consumer issue, this fall, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a proposed rulemaking notice to make states more flexible in setting energy rates based on electricity sales contracts for eligible facilities. Proponents say the change is intended to help consumers reduce costs by benefiting from the sharp drop in solar prices in recent years, rather than requiring states to participate and sign long-term contracts at prices well above current lower market prices.

FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee and Republican-appointed Commissioner Bernard McNahm support the change. FERC Commissioner Richard Glick (Democrat) agrees to some extent, but disagrees to some extent, but allows states to be more flexible in setting up for qualified solar developers. The contract price did not indicate an objection. Instead, he said he believes Congress should address these issues, but the prospects seem slim.

The risks advocated by solar advocates against consumer reforms in the proposed FERC rules are obvious – they seem to be fighting alongside a few solar developers who make huge profits through contracts above market prices, rather than ordinary solar energy. client. The price paid is higher than the market price. At least for the solar industry, which advocates expanding the more important solar ITC regulations, this seems to be short-sighted. Of course, the PURPA project can hardly provide the economic or climatic advantages of solar ITC, but for many consumers, they can damage the reputation of solar energy.

In addition, states such as New York and Illinois are now rationally allowing nuclear power and other zero-emission sources to meet clean energy standards, so that overcapacity in renewable energy will not ultimately lead to congestion and idleness of other low-carbon sources, increasing consumer costs. The alternate base load power supply.

In the past decade alone, the overall solar price in the United States has fallen by more than 70%, which is a huge benefit for American consumers, work and climate protection. Americans should be proud of these advances and should encourage Congress to expand its strong solar investment tax incentives to ensure more clean solar power.

However, getting rid of outdated solar subsidies is also necessary, because outdated solar subsidies cost consumers in many states billions of dollars more than current prices and damage the reputation of solar energy. In this way, consumers can know that the government has the greatest interest in providing low-cost, zero-emission solar energy.

Paul Bledsoe is a strategic advisor to the Institute for Progress Policy and a lecturer at the Center for Environmental Policy at the American University. He served in the White House Climate Change Working Group under President Clinton.

Vindman called his "leakage information" "absurd"

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Windman resolutely retreated at the hearing of each other on Tuesday, when Rep. R-Ohio questioned his judgment and asked if he was the source of internal government leaks.

“Have you ever leaked information?” Jordan asked the White House National Security Council Ukrainian policy expert Windman.

Vindman replied: "I have never done it. I will never do it. It is ridiculous, I will do that."


Jordan and other Republican presidential allies tried to suggest that Wendmann’s credibility was questioned, suggesting that he undermined the president’s agenda and pointed out his relationship with Ukraine.

Jordan said: "Your boss is worried about your judgment. Your former boss, Dr. Fiona Hill, is worried about your judgment. Your colleagues are worried about your judgment, and your colleagues feel that sometimes you Will leak information." "Do you know why these impressions?"
The Indians seem to be ready to ask questions to question his credibility. He read from Hill's assessment in mid-July that she described him as "the highest 1% officer."

According to a comment read by Vindman, Hill said: "His talent, perseverance, and excellent judgment."

Vindman asserts that another national security official, Tim Morrison, was raised by Jordan about Vindman's ruling that they may have only clashes with Vindman due to differences in work culture and lack of familiarity.

After Walter Reed's visit to China, Trump canceled his guess about his health.

On Tuesday, President Trump strongly criticized speculation that he was dealing with an undisclosed health issue after an unannounced visit to the Walter Reed Medical Center.

Trump raised his health at a cabinet meeting without getting a warning from reporters. He accused the media of spreading inaccurate reports about undisclosed diseases.

Trump told reporters: "These people are ill. They are ill. The press, actually in this country, is very dangerous." "We have no freedom of the press in this country. We are the opposite."
The president said that he quickly visited Walter Reed on the weekend and conducted a routine inspection. The inspection will be completed in January and will be visited with military families and staff there.

Trump said that the first lady, Melania Trump and her assistant, were unprepared to him after returning.

Trump said: "I quickly left there. I went home and heard the news, 'We know you have a heart disease.'"

The White House said that Trump's trip to Walter Reed on Saturday will receive a "part" of his annual physical examination.

But the unannounced nature of the visit led people to talk online about whether Trump was dealing with undisclosed illnesses or other problems. Trump did not make a public appearance on Sunday or Monday, further exacerbating discussions on social media.

On Monday night, the White House issued a description of the Navy Command. The president's physician, Sean Conley, denied speculation that Trump was being treated for "any urgent or urgent problem" on his trip to Walter Reed on Saturday.

Conley said the visit was part of a "routine, planned interim inspection." Conley’s statement said that Trump did not receive any special cardiac or neurological assessment during the three-hour stay at the medical center.

Conley pointed out that the president's cholesterol was 165 mg / dL, which was lower than the 196 mg / dL at the latest physical examination in February. But the doctor's notes did not contain any details of the president's health.