"There is no good economics without good politics"--one of the principles of "The London Consensus," an interesting new book that is the subject of my latest column. 1/n

newyorker.com/news/the-finan… 2. “As societies cope with the fallout from globalisation, technological change and climate change, and deal with the reality of populism and polarisation, there is a growing risk that politics will be the source of economic shocks.”

1. What went wrong in Afghanistan? Pretty much everything, according to the Special Inspector General, who has been studying it for 13 years at the order of Congress. His report says: 2. First, there was no coherent reconstruction strategy after the initial military victory, and no clear division of labor between various U.S. agencies. State Department is supposed to lead reconstruction but didn't have the resources.

Trump acknowledges the game is up in his preamble. Refers to "this administration"--i.e. the Biden administration--doing things like renaming the Washington Monument. "Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us. And if he doesn't that will be sad day for this country."

Cuomo: "We are taking more tests per capita than China or South Korea" # in NY state is 45,437. Real progress but more to be done. Test, test, test. Distance, distance, distance. 2. Cuomo now praising healthcare workers, grocers, pharmacists, police, firefighters, public transit workers, childcare workers. Calls them: "everyday heroes." He's right.

1. Meat of Mueller's sentencing memorandum in Cohen case:
"The fact that Cohen continued to work on the"--Moscow--"project and discuss it with Individual 1 well into the campaign was material to the ongoing congressional and SCO investigations, particularly because it occurred... 2.
"at a time of sustained efforts by the Russian government to interfere with the U.S. election. Similarly, it was material that Cohen, during the campaign, had a substantive telephone call about the project with an assistant to the press secretary for the president of Russia."

1. Looking more & more like DT torched himself when he fired @Comey. Made inevitable the appointment of a special counsel, which is bad news for any president let alone one w/his background & vulnerabilities. 2. Mueller has gone after his associates remorselessly one by one. Tossed Cohen to SDNY because Stormy and taxicab medallions aren't tied to Russia probe. Smart move politically.