Welcome to The WonkLine, a daily 10 a.m. roundup of the latest news about health care, the economy, national security, immigration and climate policy. This is what we’re reading. Tell us what you found in the comments section below, and subscribe to the RSS feed. Also, you can now follow The Wonk Room on Twitter.
Immigration
The Supreme Court has decided not to look at the legality of a 700-mile wall along the Mexican border despite the large number of lawsuits that have arisen due to Homeland Security’s hotly debated authority to “bypass any environmental and state regulations” and “waive all legal requirements” necessary to swiftly construct the U.S.-Mexico divider.
Despite serious budget cuts for ESL classes, MSNBC reports a recent upsurge in efforts to make English the “official” language of the U.S. government.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the new chairman of the immigration subcommittee, has expressed support for a “forgery proof” worker ID card to ensure all workers are documented, while the American Civil Liberties Union fears it will violate civil rights and immigrant advocates are concerned the card may create a wedge in the immigration debate.
National Security
Supporters of Iranian presidential challenger Mir Hussein Moussavi have rejected the Guardian Council’s call for a recount of votes and demanded that a new election be held. “I believe annulling the election results would be the least harmful measure,” Moussavi said. “Otherwise people will no longer have confidence in the system and the government.”
Two reviews of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s non-concession speech from Michelle Goldberg and Daniel Levy and Amjad Atallah.
Reuters reports that an upcoming “meeting between the leaders of India and Pakistan, their first since last year’s attacks on Mumbai, could offer a start in allowing both countries to repair relations, but the process is likely to be long and hard.”
Climate
“Ancient Australian forests are key to fighting climate change and contain the world’s most dense carbon store, eclipsing tropical rainforests as efficient greenhouse gas absorbers,” scientists said on Tuesday.
“Climate change is happening now, and it’s actually beginning to affect our lives,” said Thomas R. Karl , director of the National Climatic Data Center, a principal author of a report being released today on increasing economic, environmental and health damage global warming is causing the United States.
A coal port being constructed in Newcastle, Australia, “the largest coal exporter in the world,” is being raised “two to three meters above sea level” ” apparently in preparation for the rising sea levels brought about by climate change.”
Economy
According to the Treasury Department, “lending at the nation’s top banks slowed in April,” and the amount of new loans issued by the 21 biggest TARP recipients “fell 7% to $273 billion from nearly $295 billion during the month of March.”
The Obama administration has reportedly “turned back pleas for emergency aid from one of the biggest remaining threats to the economy — the state of California.” But is the door to federal aid really closed?
Edward Hugh at A Fistful of Euros explains how banking problems in Europe will send the whole world running for cover: “Basically the whole EU system seems to be in denial on what is happening at the moment.”
Health Care
The Congressional Budget Office has released a very preliminary estimate of the HELP Committee draft bill. The estimate, which did not include the expansion of Medicaid, SCHIP or a strong employer or individual mandate concluded that reform would cost “$1 trillion over the next decade and reduce the ranks of the uninsured by about one-third, or 16 million individuals.”
POLITICO reports on the GOP’s health care offensive: “They warned of rationed medical care, lack of patient control and government bureaucracy.” Today, the RNC also released a new ad attacking the public option.
The WSJ Health Blog examines how medical education fits into broader health care reform.
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