Kavanaugh is already damaged goods

[Bloomberg]( New to Bloomberg Opinion Today? [Sign up here](. Today’s Agenda - Senators [don’t have to decide Brett Kavanaugh is guilty]( to reject his Supreme Court bid. - We don’t have to [kill the planet]( to grow the economy. - The rest of the world understands [trade is good](. - Immigration [isn’t so bad either](. - A “blue wave” in the midterm elections [could boost wages](. Kavanaugh Is Already Hopelessly Tainted Brett Kavanaugh’s chances of joining the Supreme Court rose today as Republicans rallied around him and [trashed the woman]( who accused him of sexually assaulting her 36 years ago – a charge he unequivocally denies. But senators voting on his nomination should make sure they’re asking the right questions before deciding whether to put him on the highest court in the land. Must they believe Kavanaugh is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt before they vote against him? [That’s not the right standard](, writes Cass Sunstein. Instead, if they think there’s any chance he assaulted this woman (back when she was 15 and he was 17), then they have to ask themselves: Is a man who is, say, 30 percent likely to have tried to rape a girl a suitable choice for this lifetime appointment? And aren’t there, like, 20 other people on the list endorsed by the Federalist Society who could do the job just as well and who aren’t under such a cloud? Read the [whole thing](. Of course, almost anybody President Donald Trump picks to replace Kavanaugh will automatically be tainted, merely by dint of their [association with a thuggish president](, writes Frank Wilkinson. Interestingly, Trump has been on his best behavior in this case, saying today he [wanted to hear]( from Kavanaugh’s accuser before making up his mind. But increasingly everything and everyone Trump touches turns the opposite of gold – even if they’re not accused of sexual assault. The Climate-Economy Trade-Off Fallacy There’s an episode in Bob Woodward’s new book “Fear” when Gary Cohn is trying to talk President Donald Trump into staying in the Paris climate accord, and his National Economic Council offers an option entitled: “Remain in the Paris Agreement, but Adopt a Pledge that Does Not Harm the Economy and Puts a Hold on Further Future Financial Commitments and Contributions.” That is a terrible title because it has SO MANY WORDS, but also because it assumes a trade-off between carbon emissions and economic growth. Trump and other leaders, policy makers and academics preach this conflict as gospel. [But it’s a fallacy](, writes Noah Smith. The world’s developed economies have actually been cutting carbon emissions, thanks to the efficiencies provided by new technologies – and that sort of stuff only comes with economic growth. Emerging countries, meanwhile, are less efficient in all sorts of ways, putting more pressure on the environment. Growth could help lessen their environmental impact. Read the [whole thing](. Trade Is Not Bad At another point in “Fear,” Woodward writes Trump marked up a speech with the declaration “TRADE IS BAD”. And to be sure, some trade is bad. [Aaron Judge]( for a bag of baseballs? Bad trade. My money for some Popeye’s chicken? Not bad. But the blanket statement “TRADE IS BAD” is the driving force behind Trump’s actual trade policy, and it seems to be catching in the developed world. Fortunately for the developing world, it realizes trade is good, and the [center of global trading gravity is shifting]( in its direction, writes Daniel Moss . It will keep moving that way no matter what Trump does. Corporate America, too, generally believes TRADE IS GOOD but also that China is often competing unfairly. But there is a way to make China treat them more fairly that [doesn’t involve the Trumpian blunderbuss of tariffs](, writes Michael Schuman. If Trump won’t take more nuanced steps, then companies can. Immigration Is Not Bad Either IMMIGRATION IS BAD could easily be another mantra of Trump and the European populists like him, including those who drove Britain to leave the European Union. Therese Raphael points out, though, that [immigration is actually good for the UK](, which needs both high-skilled and low-skilled workers to keep its economy going. Prime Minister Theresa May should make sure her new immigration policy reflects this. The prospect of Brexit, meanwhile, is already hurting the British economy in many ways. One of those is the [investment cash leaking from London to elsewhere]( in Europe, writes Mark Gilbert. Even if that trickle never becomes a flood, it’s still a problem. “It’s the jobs that aren’t created and the investments that aren’t made that pose the biggest risk to London’s future status as the financial capital of Europe. And that risk is high – and rising.” Blue Wave = Higher Wages? One reason the recovery from the Great Recession was lousy for so long is that Republicans in Congress and in various statehouses have [clamped down on government employment](, notes Conor Sen. This austerity craze started dying in 2016, when Trump took the White House and Congress suddenly got generous. A “blue wave” that gives Democrats control of government finances in the U.S. and at the state level could lead to more government hiring, which could push all wages higher: “When governments start to hire and give more raises, that lifts wage growth not only in the public sector but also in the private sector.” Read the [whole thing](. Chart Attack AMC Networks Inc. apparently wants “The Walking Dead” to last another decade, even as viewers lose interest, points out Tara Lachapelle. This makes it increasingly likely some media giant will [scoop up AMC]( soon. Citigroup Inc. shares [never really recovered from the financial crisis](, points out Stephen Gandel – and it’s possible they never will. Quick Hits Uh-oh: European antitrust regulators seem to have [zeroed in on Amazon.com Inc.’s business model](. – Shira Ovide Poland’s promise of a Fort Trump [sets a bad precedent]( for other NATO allies. – Leonid Bershidsky Not that you needed them, but here are [three more reasons to worry about Italy](. – Ferdinando Giugliano Investors in Brazil have [never worried about its crazy politics](, and they’re not going to start now. – Matthew Winkler Not content to pollute the air, land and sea, humans have also filled Earth’s orbit with increasingly [dangerous amounts of space junk](. – Mark Buchanan ICYMI Venezuelans are [upset with Salt Bae](. Pot stocks turned [these guys into billionaires]( – and made [Peter Thiel even richer](. Turns out Jack Ma is [not going to create]( 1 million U.S. jobs. Kickers A woman just [rode a bicycle to 183.9 mph](. A new wrinkle on the Schrödinger’s Cat experiment has raised [doubts about quantum theory](. I guess we should [check in on Chevy Chase](. The dwarf planet Ceres has an [ice volcano](. Why do [great white sharks congregate]( in this seemingly empty spot in the Pacific every spring and winter? Local man learns how much sushi you have to eat to get [banned from the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet](. (h/t Alex Teytelboym) Mosquitos could [carry plastic particles]( into the food chain. Artificial intelligence [could make us immortal]( sooner than we think. Note: Please send Popeye’s chicken, suggestions and kicker ideas to Mark Gongloff at mgongloff1@bloomberg.net. *** New subscribers can [sign up here](. [FOLLOW US [Facebook Share]]( [Twitter Share]( SEND TO A FRIEND [Share with a friend] You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Bloomberg Opinion Today newsletter. [Bloomberg.com]( | [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely [unsubscribe](.