Current Events 21 Jan 23
1. In the last week, World COVID case/death rates dropped 36% and 22%, respectively.
In the last week, USA COVID case/death rates dropped 49% and 42%, respectively.
Further Reading: COVID-19 Weekly Trends by Country - Worldometer
2. In the last two weeks, USA COVID case, hospitalization, ICU admission, and death rates dropped 28%, 19%, 13%, and 3% respectively,
In the last two weeks, 4 of 50 states had rising case rates.
Further Reading: Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count
3. ISW reported that Russian forces attempted to attack Ukrainian forces north of Svatove (in northeastern Ukraine) but the attack was repelled and Ukrainian forces counterattacked disrupting Russian frontlines. A Russian milblogger stated if Ukraine penetrates this line, that will be bad news for Russia since it has no other settlements to fall back to in the immediate area. Ukraine made small tactical gains south of Kreminna.
Wagner forces continues it assault on Bakhmut in central eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are apparently losing a significant number (three-digits) Soldiers per day in this battle. The battle for Bakhmut is highly attritional on Russian/Wagner forces too. However, frontlines have not significantly changed in this area.
Russian forces may have captured some territory in southern Ukraine, but this remains to be confirmed.
There is increasing strife between Wagner forces and regular Russian forces, both on the battlefield and politically within Russia.
Further Reading: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 20, 2023
4. For the first time, US intelligence is saying Russia has suffered 188,000 casualties in Ukraine and lost more than 2000 tanks.
Further Reading: US intelligence claims Russia suffered 188,000 casualties in Ukraine
5. The Ukrainian General staff, whose numbers many consider too high, reported on 20 Jan 23, in addition to losing 119,300 Soldiers, the following:
Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Jan. 20 that Russia had also lost 3,139 tanks, 6,241 armored fighting vehicles, 4,903 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,129 artillery systems, 442 multiple launch rocket systems, 220 air defense systems, 287 airplanes, 277 helicopters, 1,886 drones, and 17 boats.
Further Reading: General Staff: Russia has lost 119,300 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24
6. Oryx, who only reports on equipment states losses as:
Russia - 8785, of which: destroyed: 5538, damaged: 225, abandoned: 292, captured: 2730
Tanks (1630, of which destroyed: 958, damaged: 75, abandoned: 59, captured: 538)
Further Reading: Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine
7. If one uses the factor that Oryx numbers only represent 70% of destroyed/damaged/abandoned/captured equipment, we have 2,329 tanks.
The reason I am bringing this up is this is the first time publicly US intelligence has commented on Russian casualties and tank loses. Tank loses seem to be close to what Oryx reports with the 70% factor. If Russia has indeed lost over 2000 tanks, that represents two-thirds of its tank forces available/operational before the war which was reported to be around 3,300.
Further Reading: How many tanks does Russia really have?
Russia is less than one year into this war. If they have, in fact, lost 2/3 of their tanks, that is devastating especially now since NATO is giving western tanks (UK and France, at least) and the US and Sweden are giving Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) in rather large quantities. Whether one supports or does not support Ukraine, they apparently are fighting WWIII in Ukraine and devastating Russian forces.
8. While triple digits of Ukrainian forces may be lost daily in Bakhmut, Ukrainian General staff reported Russia lost 120,160 troops as of today (21 Jan 23). That is up 860 Russian Soldiers from yesterday.
Further Reading: General Staff: Russia has lost 120,160 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24
Both sides are losing triple digits of Soldiers. The difference is Russia is invading a foreign land and Ukrainians are defending on their own soil. Losses of this order of magnitude are more easily supported by a defending force defending its home vice an invading force which must bring forces into another country to fight.
Taken together with tank loses, and western support, Ukraine is winning the war of attrition.
9. Bulgaria has been going around EU sanctions to secure Russian oil. The EU is changing their sanctions to prevent Bulgaria from continuing to skirt sanctions.
Further Reading: Russia Gets Its Oil Into The EU Through Bulgaria. Perhaps Not For Long.
It is suspected that Bulgaria will nationalized the Russian owned oil wells/wind farms in its country.
10. Defense Chiefs in Europe were unable to resolve a dispute, at this time, to deliver German Leopard tanks to Ukraine, but progress was apparently made.
Further Reading: Defense chiefs fail to resolve dispute on tanks for Ukraine
Germany is pinning release of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine on US releasing M1s.
11. Google announced it is laying off12,000 people. These layoff are on top of Amazon and Microsoft laying off 18,000 and 10,000, respectively and Twitter slashing half of its workforce.
Further Reading: Google to lay off 12,000 people
Big Tech is getting slaughtered in layoffs.
12. An Illinois judge issued an order blocking Illinois semi-automatic weapons ban.
Further Reading: Judge issues order blocking Illinois semiautomatic gun ban
13. SCOTUS ruled 8-1 that illegal immigrants do not have the same rights as citizens and they do not have rights to bond hearings before being deported back to their countries.
Further Reading: Supreme Court Delivers a Critical 8-1 Ruling
14. The Department of Energy (DOE) quietly released on Friday that the Biden Administration made a mistake banning the Keystone XL pipeline. It costs thousands of jobs, reduced economic benefits to the US economy, and caused oil prices to rise.
Further Reading: DOE Admits Its Mistake in Canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline
15. T-Mobile was hacked again, the eighth time in four years. Personal data on 37 million customers were hacked.
Further Reading: T-Mobile says hacker accessed personal data of 37 million customers
Oops. Again...
16. Fox News reports Senate Democrats support a full investigation into the Biden document scandal. They fully support an "independent" Special Counsel to investigate.
Further Reading: Senate Democrats support a full investigation into the Biden document scandal
17. DOJ AG, Merrick Garland, denied the House Committee's request for information on the Biden document scandal since it is being investigated by an "independent" Special Counsel.
Further Reading: DOJ declines House GOP requests to hand over investigation materials
Congress' power is in the power of the purse. The House's power is all budgetary laws must start in the House. Defund the Special Counsel set up by DOJ to prevent the release of material related to the Biden document scandal.
This is most easily done with the FY 24 budget since the FY 23 budget is already law.
18. Most Americans want Congress to reverse hiring of 87,000 IRS agents.
Further Reading: Most Americans want Congress to reverse hiring of 87,000 IRS agents in Dems' spending bill, poll
While the GOP-led House voted to repeal funding for the new agents, this vote will go nowhere in the Senate this year.
Next budget year; however, the GOP-led House should refuse to fund the 87,000 new IRS agents, flat out, along with the Special Counsel.
Do not compromise. Do not discuss. Agree to other things, but not these two, along with any agency which does not give data to the House examining the Weaponization of the Government over this year.
Do not fund them in the House. And write specifically into law the Executive Branch cannot move money around to fund these uncooperative agencies.
19. The same goes for Section 702 spying programs. Flat out do not fund.
Further Reading: NSA leader pushes lawmakers to keep key surveillance power
And then the House will truly realize the power it has, and The Swamp will know their days of reckoning are upon them.
That is the power the House has.
20. The Minnesota House passed bill to enshrine abortion rights in state law.
Further Reading: House passes bill to enshrine abortion rights in state law - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives
As it should be. The word abortion is not in the US Constitution. It was ruled by SCOTUS to be a State's Right. It is a State's Right. Minnesota House chose to enshrine it into law. If the Minnesota Senate also approves and the Governor signs into law, cool. This is where it should be decided.
If Minnesotans like the new law, re-elect your Representatives and Senators. If they don't, elect somebody else to change the law.
21. While I do not necessarily agree with the Minnesota House's view, I am not in charge in Minnesota. Those Representatives and Senators are. They were duly elected for their terms by the people to implement the will of the people, for the people.
This situation is exactly as it was intended by the Founding Fathers. Laws are passed by State Representatives/Senators and signed into law by Governors. Some states will ban. Some states will enshrine the right.
States have State Rights. The Federal Government has their rights listed in the US Constitution. If not listed, according to the tenth amendments to the US Constitution, it is a State's Right. According to the ninth amendment, even if not listed, it shall not be construed to deny a right which may, in the future, be considered a right.
Amendment IX (9th Amendment – Unenumerated Rights)
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X (10th Amendment – Reserved Powers)
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Further Reading: US Constitution
All I want is the Federal, State, and Local governments to obey the US Constitution to the letter of what is written.
If Minnesotans what abortion enshrined as a right, cool. Good on them for electing Representatives, Senators, and a Governor to enshrine it as such according to the US and State Constitution.
If; however, Georgia, for example, choses to ban abortion, also respect the rights of Georgian people who also duly elected their Representatives, Senators, and Governor to ban abortion in their state.
Just follow the US and State Constitutions when enshrining or banning rights into laws. And if specifically listed as a right like the first and second amendment, respect those rights too.
Amendment I (First Amendment – Freedom of expression and religion)
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II (2nd Amendment – Bearing Arms)
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
If enough people want to ban semi-automatic guns for example, there is a process to change the US Constitution. Get 2/3rd of both Federal Houses of Government to vote for it and 3/4th of states to ratify it.
Last time I looked, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press" or "the right of people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed", are pretty much universal statements to not pass any law abridging or infringing upon these rights.
Along with the ninth amendment, neither should States or Local Government.
Why? Because of this point written in Article VI of the US Constitution.
Article VI (Article 6 – Prior Debts, National Supremacy, Oaths of Office)
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
Again if Local, State, or Federal Representatives/Senators want to change the US Constitution, there is a way to do it legally. It is not easy, purposefully, but it has happened 27 times when enough folks agreed.