Arizona just sent women back to the Dark Ages

It's 1864 all over again. [Bloomberg]( This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, an aging nepo baby and leading peddler of Bloomberg Opinion’s opinions. [Sign up here](. Today’s Agenda - Arizona [rewinds]( the clock. - The [Sicilian mafia]( runs amok. - [Elon Musk]( needs to take a walk. - [Politics]( that Powell can’t block. Oh, Arizona Ugh. You know [something is bad]( when Fox News *isn’t* talking about it: While pundits on the cable channel were busy [complaining]( about how Scrabble is dumbing down its game for lazy woke people, more sensible minds were reeling over the [Arizona Supreme Court decision]( to resurrect a [160-year-old]( abortion ban [that mandates]( a two- to five-year prison sentence for anyone who assists with the procedure. With its [4-2 ruling](, the state’s highest court effectively turned the clock back to 1864, a time “before Arizona was even a state, women didn’t have the right to vote, and some Black people were still enslaved,” Nia-Malika Henderson [writes]( (free read). But within the nightmarish outcome, she sees a silver lining for pro-choice voters. Just a day prior to the decision, former president Donald Trump hem-hawed his way through [the hard question]( of whether he’d support a nationwide ban on abortion. “The states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land,” Trump — who often brags that he “[was able to kill Roe v. Wade](” — said in a video. But most Arizonans [aren’t in support]( of an abortion ban, which is why Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, a Trump acolyte, was forced to awkwardly [flip-flop]( her stance on the issue. “For Democrats who want to paint Republicans as radical roadblocks to progress, the Arizona decision is a political gift,” Nia-Malika argues. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Democrats still have plenty of foes working against them. Namely, No Labels, the “[Fyre Festival of politics](,” and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is, in Patricia Lopez’s [words](, “an aging nepo baby and leading peddler of misinformation on vaccines who apparently thinks it’s his birthright to run for president.” Luckily, No Labels recently [abandoned]( its dark money-fueled efforts to be a power player in the 2024 presidential race. But Kennedy — who’s [sounding]( Trumpier by the minute — still remains. “Throughout history, third-party candidates have — like it or not — played the role of spoiler, a wild card that tilts the election to one of the major party candidates,” Patricia writes. And in RFK Jr.’s case, Biden would be the likely victim. In a recent [CNN interview](, Kennedy said Biden was a “much worse threat to democracy” than Trump. It’s catnip for political [satirists](, but decidedly bad for the rest of the country: Source: The Borowitz Report “It’s hard to discern how someone with one of the most storied names in politics, whose early career was built on environmental issues, clean water, Indigenous rights, and other worthy causes, devolved into a man obsessed with conspiracy theories and spreading disinformation on vaccines,” Patricia notes. But no matter what idiotic balderdash comes out of his mouth, voters must see him for what he really is: a foil for Biden. A vote for RFK is a vote for the same forces that sent Arizona back 160 years. Cosa Nostra If all that talk about politics made you want to take a month-long vacation, you’re not alone. And as luck would have it, Rachel Sanderson has [just the spot]( for you, as long as you’re willing to withstand untold misfortunes caused by an Italian mafia with a penchant for drugs, prostitution, people trafficking and white-collar crime. She’s talking about Sicily, of course, which is in the midst of a tourism renaissance, thanks to HBO’s [The White Lotus](. “ But the ancient island’s infamous underbelly remains untouched by the influx of new wealth. In fact, organized crime has only diversified and become more entwined with the legitimate economy,” she writes. In Palermo, not 10 minutes away from the bustling piazza, the backstreets are crawling with gangs that Rachel says are “reaching more subtly, and pervasively, into the social and economic fabric.” A court case underway is accusing 31 business owners of aiding and abetting mobsters. “Local prosecutors say the trial’s so crucial because – they allege – it’s not fear that’s stopping the business owners from admitting the payment of protection money but complicity,” she writes. Last year, chief prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia brought about the arrest of long-time mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, a killer who boasted a victim list that could “fill a cemetery.” But today’s mafia activity involves far fewer body bags, and many more accomplices in politics and business. Even so, I would steer clear of the [European aristocrats]( who invite you to check out their ancestral palazzo in Taormina. Just to [be safe](. Elon’s Beef With Brazil Speaking of criminal activity: Elon “I Can Do Anything I Want” Musk is choosing to ignore legal orders in Brazil amid a dispute with its Supreme Court, which has been cracking down on social-media accounts spreading misinformation and hate speech. The Tesla CEO went after Justice Alexandre de Moraes on X, calling him a “brutal dictator” and “Brazil’s Darth Vader.” Juan Pablo Spinetto says Musk’s pettiness isn’t doing him any favors. “You don’t need to be an expert on the famously intricate Brazilian legal system to know that bragging publicly about defying court rulings isn’t a great way to advance any cause in any nation where the rule of law prevails,” he [writes]( (free read). Of course, the court isn’t a saint either. Plenty of people “[have warned](about [its] rulings and decisions that tend to [suppress freedom]( of expression.” But context matters, and by positioning himself against Brazil’s Supreme Court, Musk inadvertently aligned himself with Brazil’s former leader Jair Bolsonaro, best known for his abusive and anti-democratic tendencies. “Musk was wrong to pick this fight: speaking lightly about a country he knows only superficially and attacking a judge whose surname he can’t even [pronounce properly]( have all been a disservice to Brazil that will only amplify polarization and political discord,” Juan Pablo argues. “If Brazil is not for beginners, Brazilian politics is only for the truly gifted.” Lord knows Elon Musk is not that. Housing Haikus The reserves from Bloomberg Opinion’s Chart Factory were somewhat depleted today, so I’m taking the opportunity to hit you with some real estate-themed haikus instead, featuring links from Mohamed A. El-Erian, Jonathan Levin, Stephen Mihm and Marcus Ashworth. Poetry won’t put a roof over your head, but it might shelter your soul! Shelter [inflation](?! A [political nightmare]( for Jerome Powell.  Want to sell your house? That’ll be [6%, please](! Brokers always win.  Own a [second home](? Divorce is on the table for UK couples.  Further Reading The Japan-US alliance has [become stronger]( than many could have imagined. — Bloomberg’s editorial board Dimon and Buffett have turned [the shareholder letter]( into its own literary genre. — Beth Kowitt Netflix’s adaptation of the [3-Body Problem]( begs the question: How much modification is acceptable? — Gearoid Reidy The US keeps building [NATO 2.0 in the Indo-Pacific](, even as it prepares to improve NATO 1.0. — Andreas Kluth What could be worse than Israel-Gaza? [A war with Hezbollah]( and strikes on Iran’s nuclear program. — Hal Brands Huh, who knew there’d be [consequences]( from failing to invest in infrastructure? — Matthew Brooker Even after a record [$200 billion M&A frenzy](, US oil producers haven’t consolidated enough. — Javier Blas ICYMI New York’s [RTO revamp]( is fueled by banks. A [hacking lawsuit]( is looming over Truth Social. Track and field Olympians get [prize money](. Married couples are [working as much]( as ever. NASCAR gets its first Black female [tire changer](. Kickers Honeytraps [do not work]( on French spies. Food-grade [glycine]( is Gen Z’s newest obsession. The DTC [casket business]( is alive and well. The Liquid Death [copycats]( have arrived. Uncrustables [are good](. Lunchables [are bad](. Notes: Please send food-grade glycine and feedback to Jessica Karl at jkarl9@bloomberg.net. [Sign up here]( and follow us on [Threads](, [TikTok](, [Twitter](, [Instagram]( and [Facebook](. 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