Some Reads for a Sunday

“What Tearing Down Housing Projects Did for Kids,” The Atlantic, Idrees Kahloon. “Just giving people cash, just giving people education, doesn’t do as much as if you pair it with connections that then help them,”

“The Four Types of Trump Supporter,” The Atlantic, Daniel Yudkin and Stephen Hawkins. “An administration that promised to look out for the “working man” has handed billions of tax dollars back to America’s wealthiest households while stripping health care from the most vulnerable.”

“US exit from the World Health Organization marks a new era in global health policy – here’s what the US, and world, will lose.” The Conversation, Jordan Miller. The Trump administration says it’s unfair that the U.S. contributes more than other nations and cites this as the main reason for leaving.

“Dow cuts 4500 jobs in AI-driven restructuring,” Plastics Today, David Hutton. “the company reported a challenging fourth quarter. Net sales of $9.5B, down 9% year-over-year and 5% sequentially. Decline was attributed to lower local prices, reduced demand, and seasonal factors across all operating segments.”

The Golden Mean, ‘Chaos, Corruption and Cruelty.’ Michael Golden. To win the midterm elections and put a congressional check on the White House, Democrats would be wise to follow the messaging lead of the man who did it before.

“Switzerland eases arms export rules as its industry is shunned by Europe,” SWI swissinfo.ch, Geraldine Wong Sak Hoi. Switzerland, however, has a ban on exporting and re-exporting Swiss-made weaponry to countries involved in a conflict.

“Education Department firings cost over $28 million, report says,“ NPR, Cory Turner. “The reduction-in-force (RIF) was blocked by the courts and the Education Department was forced to retain and continue paying these staff, the department prohibited them from returning to work.”

Crime pays in the Trump Administration . . . “Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to ‘kill’ cops,” NPR, Tom Dreisbach. “Less than five years after urging rioters to “kill” police at the Capitol, a former Jan. 6 defendant is working as a senior adviser for the Department of Justice, which has been dramatically remade under the second Trump administration.”

Trump is trying to kill EVs . . . In his fervent quest to boost Big Oil, President Trump is doing all he can to kill electric vehicles.  “He abolished $7,500 tax credits, sending a flurry of buyers to showrooms before they expired last fall. He halted billions in funding for vehicle chargers, ditched federal efforts to encourage them, and wiped out penalties for carmakers that exceed fuel economy standards, essentially giving them a go-ahead to build gas guzzlers.” Boston Globe

“Oren Cass Uses Good Economics in Attacking Finance in NYT,” | Patreon Dean Baker. “The financial sector is a massive source of waste and corruption, which has grown like a cancer on the economy over the last half century.”

“GOP Wants To Probe Ketanji Brown Jackson for Attending Grammys Because Bad Bunny Was Also There,” Above the Law, Joe Patrice. “If the GOP thinks sitting in the audience during the Grammys is an ethical breach, wait until they hear what Alito was up to around January 6.”

“Radio Silence from the Transcontinental,” High Speed, Taras Grescoe. “Hotly anticipated in 2026: the planned merger of Class 1 freight giants Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern.”

“Feds ordered to release child care funds to Colorado and four other states,” Colorado Public Radio, New Yok U.S. “District Judge Vernon Broderick in New York granted states’ request for a preliminary injunction and a stay against the administration to bar it from withholding the money while a lawsuit works its way through the courts.”