The Jewish Home | JUNE 2, 2022
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Lessons from the Primaries
After three months of primaries so far, both of the U.S. parties are facing uncertainty, CNN notes. In the Republican Party, it is still not clear how much power former U.S. President Donald Trump holds over the midterms. Democrats, on the other hand, are concerned that the midterms will wipe them off the political map. Among the key lessons are that Trump has hit his limits with Republican voters: multiple Trump-endorsed candidates lost their races, although in West
Virginia and Ohio, his preferred candidates did win. Among Democrats, leaders preferred to stick with their most conservative member, with Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar holding a 177-vote lead after a May runoff. Meanwhile, both dark money and redistricting are prominent in the early Democratic House primaries. And though Democratic Senate hopefuls seem to be doing well in the primaries, they still face the November election – and lately, voters are only deciding on their candidate weeks before the polls, potentially stripping the Democrats of their early advantage. This is even more significant since the Senate is equally divided between the two parties. Inside the Democratic Party, the criteria for electability are changing, with racially diverse and first-time candidates redefining what a good candidate might mean – a trend that is likely to continue. But the focus is now on governors, after a leaked Supreme Court document showed that it planned to overturn Roe v. Wade, the nation’s only across-the board abortion rights law. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion would be left entirely in the hands of the individual states.
Water in San Diego – for a Price
says it is no longer searching for more water, the county still has fixed costs to cover – costs which account for 90% of the water agency’s annual expenses. “You’re [messed up] if suddenly you deliver fewer gallons of water since your costs don’t go down,” Hanemann noted.
Harvard Grads Lean Left A worsening drought has forced millions of Californians to face mandatory water restrictions. Despite the water shortages, San Diego County has largely shielded itself from water supply issues by diversifying its water supply over the course of three decades. During that time, the county increased conservation and invested in big-ticket water infrastructure – including the largest desalination plant in the Western hemisphere. As a result, the county believes it is now able to avoid restricting residents’ water supply, at least until 2045. All that upgrading comes at a price. San Diego County’s water is among the most expensive in the country, costing about 26% more last year than the water serving Los Angeles and its environs. And now, two irrigation districts in the county want to break away, claiming they can purchase cheaper water elsewhere. If they do break away, the county’s water may become even more expensive. Michael Hanemann, an environmental economist at Arizona State University who recently was commissioned to study the region’s water costs for a California agency, opined, “San Diego’s situation is very surprising, very striking. I think this is a harbinger of something that’s going to happen elsewhere in California and elsewhere in the U.S.” He added, “In round terms, it’s twice as expensive as imported surface water. On the other hand, it’s a very reliable supply because it’s not affected by drought and low flows in rivers in Northern California or the Colorado.” Sandy Kerl, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, explained that after the previous drought, “Our community came together and said, ‘We’re not going to be in this situation again. We need to plan for our own reliability.’” “There’s no more cheap water available,” she added. Although San Diego County today
A Harvard University student newspaper survey found that just 6.4% of respondents lean conservative after attending the institution. The email survey, conducted by The Crimson and including 1,269 graduating seniors, saw a response rate of nearly 40%. Among the findings: 4% of 2022 graduates lean conservative, along with 2.4% who lean “very conservative.” Prior to attending Harvard, 7.1% of the graduating class had identified as conservative. The survey also showed that 40.7% of students identified as “progressive” after attending Harvard, compared to 44.7% who had identified that way prior to attending the institution. Another 27.9% of graduating students identified as “very progressive” – a significant increase from the 20.9% who said they had identified that way prior to attending Harvard. The Crimson added that 1.4% of graduating students identify as “apolitical.” Politically, 93% of graduating students view former U.S. President Donald Trump unfavorably, while 51.8% view U.S. President Joe Biden favorably; just 30.1% view Biden unfavorably. Questioned on the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, 33.8% of the graduating respondents said they support the movement, while 21.1% said they oppose it.
Who Leaked SCOTUS Draft? Weeks after a draft opinion on Roe v. Wade leaked from the Supreme Court,
