The Pour Over Today - Friday, November 19, 2021

Episode Date: November 18, 2021

The House of Representatives censures one of its own, the opioid epidemic hits a grim new milestone, FDA panel fields more requests, and other top news for Friday, November 19th. Stay informed, while remaining focused on Christ, with The Pour Over.If you want to lower your health care costs, take some time to see if Medi-Share is right for you using the link below:http://join.medishare.com/tpo

The House of Representatives censures one of its own, the opioid epidemic hits a grim new milestone, FDA panel fields more requests, and other top news for Friday, November 19th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Thanks for joining us. Here's the quote of the day. You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. C.S. Lewis.

Let's jump in with some espresso shots. The House voted largely along party lines to censure Representative Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, for tweeting an animated video of him killing fellow Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, with a sword. A censure has happened only 24 times in House history and includes one part public shaming, standing in the center of the House floor while a condemning statement is read, and one part practical punishment, removal from all committee assignments. Democrats say the tweet and Gosauchar's decision to downplay

its significance instead of apologize are at best highly inappropriate and at worst dangerous. Republicans are more split. Two voted dissenture. Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican from California, said it was a, quote, abuse of power by Democrats. And still, others condemn the tweet but called removing committee assignments a slippery slope. This vote again highlights the deep divide in our country today. Remember, we represent Christ well when we are kind to people we believe are wrong, going out of our way to serve and care for them. This is what it means to love your enemies. Luke 6.35 says, But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. The United States passed another grim milestone, and this time it's not

related to COVID. For the first time ever, drug-related deaths topped 100,000 over a 12-month period. Once again, fentanyl is the drug most to blame. The extremely potent synthetic opioid accounted for 75% of the deaths. Public health experts say the pandemic intensified the opioid epidemic by isolating people, working to stay sober, and making treatment more difficult. The 29% rise in deaths due to opioids and methamphetamines wasn't evenly distributed. Vermont and West Virginia saw by far the largest rise in overdoses at 70% and 62% respectively. Only four states saw overall decreases in overdose-related deaths.

South Dakota led that pack with a 19.8% drop. News like this reminds us that we live in a world broken by sin. As Christians, we have the privilege of knowing this isn't our home, and we can take comfort that all things will ultimately be made right by Jesus. Matthew 5.4 says, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Two new options for fighting COVID are headed to the FDA for approval. Tuesday, Pfizer submitted an emergency authorization application for its COVID-19 pill, Paxlacid. The FDA's thumbs-up is one of the last hurdles for a new drug.

Pfizer has potential manufacturers on standby, and the Biden administration plans to drop a cool $5 billion on 10 million doses. Also in the FDA's inbox, Moderna's submission for emergency authorization of their COVID vaccine booster. Authorization of the booster for all individuals over the age of 18 is expected by the end of the week. Speaking of vaccines, following a statement from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court, OSHA is pumping the brakes on enforcing the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for large companies. The White House has until Monday to respond. Today's episode is sponsored by MediShare. Have you ever stared at your $2,000 per night Airbnb listing thinking to yourself, you know, if I got 14 other people

to come with me, this would be doable? Well, that's essentially what MediShare is, with a few tweaks. Instead of an Airbnb, it's your healthcare costs. Instead of 14 friends, it's 400,000 fellow Christians. And instead of you having to make things happen, it's MediShare taking care of everything. No, seriously, their concierge-style approach is part of why they have a 98% satisfaction rate. Their concierge-style approach is part of why they have a 98% satisfaction rate. If you want to lower your healthcare costs, take some time to see if MediShare is right for you. Editor's note, healthcare sharing is not the best option for everyone,

but it is an excellent option for many. Take the time to research if it's right for you and your family. In other brews, it's time for a rapid round of updates. Jacob Chansley, the self-proclaimed QAnon shaman, that shirtless guy with the Viking horns, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for his actions during the January 6th Capitol riot. Chansley pleaded guilty to one felony count of obstructing a proceeding of Congress and has called his behavior wrong and indefensible. Staples Center, the iconic Los Angeles sports arena that is home to the Lakers, Clippers, Sparks, and Kings, is being renamed Crypto.com Arena. At $700 million over 20 years, it's one

of the most expensive naming rights deals of all time. But what's that these days? Like, 6 Bitcoin? 7 Bitcoin? Who killed Malcolm X? Two of the three men convicted of killing the civil rights leader have been exonerated after a Netflix documentary sparked renewed interest in the case. The men, 83-year-old Muhammad Aziz and the late Khalil Islam, had insisted on their innocence ever since the 1965 killing. Apple is launching a DIY repair program early next year that will sell parts and instruct iCustomers on how to fix their devices without voiding warranties. Apple has historically been

very against repairs happening outside their stores, but is facing growing regulatory pressure on consumers' right to repair. In a major blow to the makers of receipt paper, CVS will close 900 stores over the next three years, about 10% of its U.S. locations. The pharmacy wants to make its remaining locations healthcare destinations and focus more on its online business. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. And a special thank you to our TPO baristas who make this podcast and our newsletter possible. TPO baristas are those who choose to pay for what they could get for free. If you'd like to become a barista and support this podcast at a deeper level, go to thepullover.org slash barista.

And if you've made it this far into the episode, our hope is that you've enjoyed it at least a little. And we would really appreciate it if you would leave us a five-star rating. If you're on Apple Podcasts, just scroll down and hit the star furthest to the right next to tap to rate. Otherwise, we will see you on Monday. Have a great weekend.