Germany to Raise Defense Spending Above 2% of GDP in Response to Ukraine War - WSJ

The measures, all of which had long been resisted by successive governments and will now be reflected in this year’s budget, underline how profoundly Russia’s attack on Ukraine is upending European politics after almost eight decades of nearly uninterrupted peace on the continent.

Good morning, Germany! How was your long nap?

Glory to Ukraine!

🇺🇦

Lies U.S. Military Recruiters Are Legally Allowed To Tell Recruits - The Onion

“The movie ticket discounts you’ll get are so worth it.”
Recruits know that discounted movie tickets aren’t worth it where today’s streaming services offer premium entertainment at home.

Oil Prices Are Another Headache for Biden—Who Can’t Do Much About It - WSJ

“I know this is hard and that Americans are already hurting,” Mr. Biden said Thursday. “I will do everything in my power to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump.”

Everything except approving new pipelines, encouraging gas exploration, stopping the vilification of oil companies, nominating regulators that aren’t hostile to fossil fuel producers, auctioning new leases on federal lands, or changing energy policy to bolster our allies and counter Russia.

White House: U.S. to Sanction Putin, Lavrov - WSJ

Ms. Psaki said the sanctions would include restrictions on Mr. Putin’s ability to travel to the U.S., and that the administration would release further details soon.

I guess Putin is going to have to cancel his Spring Break in Florida.

Has the Biden team considered sanctions that are relevant, or likely to have any kind of effect in the real world?

CDC Eases Mask Guidelines, Reflecting Covid-19’s Retreat - WSJ

The CDC said people who are symptomatic, test positive for Covid-19 or are exposed to infected people should still don face coverings no matter where they are.

Still unclear why this isn’t the only guidance at this point.

Instead, the CDC bizarrely prefers the current multi-factorial matrix for every one of the over 3,000 counties in the United States, cross-referenced with blocks of the population, updated multiple times per week.

John Kerry’s Ukraine Emissions - WSJ Opinion

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned in an interview this week about “massive emissions consequences” from a Russian war against Ukraine, which he also said would be a distraction from work on climate change. Nevertheless, he added, “I hope President Putin will help us to stay on track with respect to what we need to do for the climate.”

This must be from The Onion.

How can a anti-war activist, former Senator, and Secretary of State could be so obtuse in a moment like this?

Ketanji Brown Jackson Announced as Biden’s Pick for Supreme Court Nominee - WSJ

President Biden on Friday selected Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court

That moment when your foreign policy is foundering, your economic policy is driving up pain for every single voter, and you desperately need to change the subject.