What We Read Today 08 October 2014

Econintersect: Every day our editors collect the most interesting things they find from around the internet and present a summary “reading list” which will include very brief summaries (and sometimes longer ones) of why each item has gotten our attention. Suggestions from readers for “reading list” items are gratefully reviewed, although sometimes space limits the number included.

• SCOTUS to review ACA subsidies; experts predict little change (Melisa A. Winn, Employee Benefit Advisor) Three U.S. District courts have rendered decisions on the ACA (Affordable Care Act) validity of subsidies for within states (36 in total) that have not set up their own state exchanges but have, instead, used the federal exchange Health.gov. Two of the three decisions upheld the implementation of the law providing federal subsidies with 3-0 decisions. One ruled subsidies for the 36 states violated the law by a 2-1 margin. A Republican backed appeal of one of the 3-0 decisions upholding the subsidies implementation for all 50 states has been accepted for hearings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

• China, Japan announce four-part agreement to resume talks (JC Finley, UPI) China and Japan have reached a four-part agreement to resume diplomatic and security talks. Due to territorial disputes over Islands in the East China Sea relations have been strained for the last two years. One of the four parts of the agreement is that they “agree to disagree”:

“Third, the two sides have acknowledged that different positions exist between them regarding the tensions which have emerged in recent years over the Diaoyu Islands and some waters in the East China Sea, and agreed to prevent the situation from aggravating through dialogue and consultation and establish crisis management mechanisms to avoid contingencies.”

• Judge approves Detroit bankruptcy exit plan (CNBC) The exit from the largest ever municipal bankruptcy has been approved. Detroit reduced its $18 billion debt by $7 billion, a revitalization plan was established (which includes $1.7 billion of demolition) and relatively modest losses were assigned to pensioners and creditors. For example, pensions have been reduced by 4.5%.

• Nate Silver on pollster for the Des Moines Register: ‘She trusts her data’ (Erik Wemple, The Washington Post) One pollster called the Iowa Senate race correctly. Nate Silver explains why he has ranked that pollster number two in the nation even before the Iowa call.

In a piece on the FiveThirtyEight site, Silver addressed this year’s stunning polling bias in favor of Democrats, even as the Democrats were complaining of a bias against them. As the story demonstrates, polling bias is a bipartisan affair, skipping back and forth between Republicans and Democrats over the years. In 2010, for instance, there was a small bias in favor of the Republicans and a much larger pro-Republican tilt in 2012.

• Make Election Day a National Holiday (Bernie Sanders) The Vermont Senator is sponsoring a petition to support his bill to make a new national holiday, “Democracy Day”. Click link for petition and the read the short bill he has introduced.

• Recent articles about Scotland Independence and Similar Movements

It’s unofficial, but Catalonia’s independence vote has the power to prompt change (The Conversation)

• Articles about conflicts and disease around the world

Ebola

Map: How the Ebola Outbreak Spread Through Africa (Frontline)

Iraq

Obama doubles number of troops authorized for Iraq (The Washington Post)

Ukraine

Ukraine crisis: Tanks ‘cross border’ from Russia (BBC News)

Russia

Ailing ruble gets boost as market looks to central bank lifeline (Reuters)

Hungary Is Helping Putin Keep His Chokehold on Europe’s Energy (Foreign Policy)

Putin Is Losing Out to China in Central Asia’s Latest ‘Great Game’ (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Mexico

Bodies believed to be those of some of the 43 missing Mexican students (The Washington Post)

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