Nicholas Kristof: What we've learned from the Trump-Russia saga

Why would there be contacts? View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Saturday, February 16, 2019 [NYTimes.com/Kristof »]( [Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as his campaign manager Paul Manafort looks on.]( Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as his campaign manager Paul Manafort looks on. Rick Wilking/Reuters When Mike Pence was asked in January 2017 if there had been any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, he vigorously denied it. “Of course not,” he said. “Why would there be?” Yet we now know that there were more than 100 such contacts, and Robert Mueller has shown that four aides lied about those links to Russia. Prosecutors seem particularly interested in an Aug. 2, 2016 dinner between Paul Manafort and a Russian linked to military intelligence, at which Manafort also provided secret polling information. [My column today]( looks at how the Trump-Russia saga has evolved, what’s been learned, and where we may be headed. You want to know what a real national emergency is? It’s the deaths from overdoses of 70,000 Americans a year. That’s more by far than those who die from guns or cars. It is infuriating that only 10 percent of Americans with addiction can get specialized treatment and that the Trump administration blocks evidence-based steps that could save lives, such as safe injection sites. I wrote a glowing column a week ago about Canadians, “[Thank God for Canada]( and Canadians have been busy writing earnest letters insisting that they’re not so nice or noble after all. You can read some of their [Letters to the Editor]( here. But drug policy is a good example of enlightened Canadian policy: It has done particularly well with safe injection sites, and the U.S. could learn a lot from Canada’s handling of drugs and alcohol. Last week I had an interesting [Facebook Live conversation with Bill Gates]( talking partly about global health — such as his effort to build a better toilet. More people globally have mobile phones than access to a toilet, so this is a pressing need. But someone asked Bill about why there should be billionaires anyway. He said he strongly supports raising inheritance taxes, raising capital gains rates to earned income levels, an end to the step-up basis for capital gains, and higher rates to a point. He said he’s also open to a wealth tax but noted that it’s complicated to administer annually and that for this reason several European countries have dropped it. One of the few things that Bill and I disagree on is early childhood education: I’m much more of a believer, and he’s more skeptical. I’ve written about the incredible Dr. Tom Catena and his brave work in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, and my readers have sent him more than $1 million to support his work. [In this podcast]( he explains what he does and why. And [here’s my piece]( about what we’ve learned about Trump and Russia — I also think we’ll learn a lot more as House Democrats investigate his financial side — and why it doesn’t add up. [Read!]( Good News Congratulations to a group of U.S. members of Congress who have [jointly calledÂ]( Saudi Arabia to free imprisoned women’s rights activists. I’ve written about [Loujain al-Hathloul]( who has been brutally tortured for advocating for women and who I’ve suggested for a Nobel Peace Prize (she has now been formally nominated). Pressure from Congress at least raises the cost to the crown prince for persecuting these women. How to Make the World Better I wrote a guide for Times readers a year ago about “how to make the world a better place,” and we had great feedback on it, but it was only available for Times subscribers. Now The Times has lifted the paywall and it’s open to all. [Check it out!]( ADVERTISEMENT You can connect with me on [Facebook](. If you have friends who might enjoy this newsletter, forward this email or tell them they can [sign up here](. Send feedback or tech questions to kristof-newsletter@nytimes.com. Recent Columns [Navigating the Male-Female Work Relationship]( There’s plenty of safe middle ground between a man’s leering at women and his simply avoiding them. [Thank God for Canada!]( Our boring neighbor is a moral leader of the free world. What I’m Reading in The Times [Southern Baptists Face Their #MeToo Moment]( By RUSSELL MOORE A report on sexual abuse has rocked the denomination. How will it respond? [The House Finally Acts on Yemen]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD The Senate should quickly follow suit and end United States complicity in the humanitarian horrors there. ADVERTISEMENT NEED HELP? Review our newsletter [help page]( or contact us [for assistance](. 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