2019-10-02: News Headlines

RT (2019-10-02). Bernie Sanders cancels campaign events after emergency heart stent surgery. rt.com Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has undergone emergency surgery for a blocked artery after experiencing "chest discomfort" during a campaign event, forcing him to cancel upcoming events, his campaign reported. | The Vermont senator had two stents inserted to relieve a blocked artery after feeling unwell during a campaign event on Tuesday, his campaign reported later that night, adding that Sanders "is conversing and in good spirits." Campaign events and appearances have been cancelled "until further notice" while he recovers. | NEWS: "During a campaign event yesterday evening, Sen. Sanders exper…

Rafael Pizarro (2019-10-02). Henry Winston's Laugh. peoplesworld.org The following poem pays tribute to the memory of Henry Winston, a long-time national chair of the Communist Party. It was written by Rafael Pizarro, a national co-chair of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS), and was presented by Paul Krehbiel, another CCDS co-chair, as part of that organization's greetings to the …

Binoy Kampmark (2019-10-02). Leaking, Whistleblowing and the Democrats. counterpunch.org The entire Trump presidency has been a sequence of "watch this space" moments. Dismissals and political executions; attacks and distractions; gestures of deal making and promises of apocalypse. Perhaps it was high time for another bit of material to be added to this sprawling tapestry of mayhem. The elements seemed to form the basis of More

RT (2019-10-02). 'This isn't impeachment, it's a COUP!' Trump warns followers Dems are out for their God-given freedoms & rights. rt.com US President Donald Trump tore into Democratic impeachment efforts, slamming the drive to have him removed from office as a "coup" plot seeking to deprive Americans of their rights and freedoms. | Taking to Twitter on Tuesday night, the president told his followers their very identity as Americans was threatened by impeachment proceedings initiated by House Democrats last week. | As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People. | He added the Democrats were looking to take away his supp…

Mark Gruenberg (2019-10-02). EPI: Trump's Labor Department overtime pay cap 'abandoned' millions. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (PAI)—The GOP Trump Labor Department's increase in the annual pay cap beyond which workers could be ineligible for overtime "abandoned" millions of workers, a top labor economist says. Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute, DOL's chief economist for former Democratic Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, called the hike, to $35,308 yearly "a ruse." That's …

Staff (2019-10-02). Democrats: Trump Incites Violence Against Whistleblower. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Accusing President Donald Trump of "an incitement to violence," House Democratic leaders bluntly warned Trump and his administration Wednesday not to intimidate potential witnesses in their impeachment inquiry. They said they were readying a subpoena demanding documents related to the president's dealings with Ukraine | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump may not "recognize how dangerous his statements are" against a whistleblower who exposed a July phone call that Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. On the call, Trump pressed for an investigation of Democratic political r…

John Wojcik (2019-10-02). Trump calls impeachment inquiry a "coup" that will trigger civil war. peoplesworld.org President Trump, after predicting his impeachment would trigger civil war, stepped up his vitriol yesterday by characterizing the impeachment inquiry as a "coup" and by warning his die-hard right-wing followers in one of almost 50 tweets that Democrats were "coming for" their liberty, their homes, and their guns. The escalating rhetoric from the White House …

Tim Libretti (2019-10-02). Rich and want to escape Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax? CNBC says get divorced. peoplesworld.org Readers of People's World certainly read the news with a consciousness of the fact that the media is one key site of class struggle among many in U.S. capitalist class society. But it is nonetheless worth decoding the language of the corporate media as we seek talking points that help us communicate and unmask the …

teleSUR (2019-10-02). Bernie Sanders Hospitalized after Experiencing Chest Pains. telesurenglish.net U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders was hospitalized on Tuesday with chest pains that required doctors to insert two stents after finding a blockage in one artery, and he will cancel his campaign events until further notice, his campaign said. | RELATED: | 'Lies, Distortion, Nonsense': Bernie Sanders Slams Trump Speech | Sanders, 78, was in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of the 2020 campaign when he experienced discomfort and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. | "F…

That's enough, oh yeah! (2019-10-02). 78 Year Old Sheepdog Sanders Hospitalized with Heart Problems. indybay.org So that no one misses the news on one of the Democrat's sheepdogs, 78 year old Bernie Sanders has been hospitalized with heart problems. That hoarse voice we have been hearing since 2016 was the signal that this old man has no intention of becoming president and is just a sheepdog. Here is the description from www.huffpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-hospitalized-heart-procedure-emergency_n_5d94b6bde4b0019647b1e1b4

Staff (2019-10-02). Bernie Sanders Has Heart Procedure, Scraps Campaign Events. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders' campaign said Wednesday that the Democratic presidential candidate had a heart procedure for a blocked artery and was canceling events and appearances "until further notice." | The 78-year-old Sanders was in Las Vegas when, according to a campaign statement, he experienced chest discomfort during a campaign event Tuesday and sought medical evaluation. Two stents were "successfully inserted" and that Sanders "is conversing and in good spirits," according to the campaign. | Sanders' wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, was en route to Las Vegas on Wednesday and said in an email to The Asso…

Gary Leupp (2019-10-02). Impeachment Proceedings and the Democrats' Enduring Russophobia. counterpunch.org The president pressured the leader of Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden's business activities in the country in exchange for the release of $390 million in U.S. aid including $ 250 in military aid. OK, this is now old news. Most people are disturbed by Trump's obvious intention to collude with foreigners to influence the next More

John Scales Avery (2019-10-02). Trump's major crimes. nationofchange.org Impeachment finally underway The long-delayed impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump are finally starting, but at present, the focus is on a relatively minor crime — the Ukrane-Biden scandal. However, Trump has committed (and is still committing) major crimes, and these ought to be in the spotlight. Let us look at a few of them. Let's …

Bryant Brown (2019-10-02). Nobel Prizes: Why is there One in Economics? Rewarding Neoliberal Flawed Theories. globalresearch.ca The Nobel Prize Committee will announce the winners of this years Nobel prizes from October 8 to the 11th, and then on October 14 they will announce one more. | The prizes originated from a bequest in the will of Alfred …

Aída Chávez (2019-10-02). A Third of Voters Who Oppose Impeachment Are Worried About Backlash for Democrats, New Poll Suggests. theintercept.com Last week, after the revelation of a phone call with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. But many of the details are yet to be sorted out: Which of the six investigations into Trump currently being conducted by House committees should impeachment include? And will impeachment proceedings, which are likely to pass the House but fail in the Republican-held Senate, end up backfiring on the Democrats? | A new YouGov Blue poll for the Progressive Change Institute, the nonprofit polling arm of the Progressive Chang…

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts (2019-10-02). Where Are the Indictments of those Implicated in the Coup Attempt Against Trump? globalresearch.ca In the 1970s Irving Kristol declared Republicans to be the "stupid party." How correct he has proven to be. Russiagate and now this latest coup attempt to overthrow the elected president of the United States are acts of sedition. There …

Prof. Joseph H. Chung (2019-10-02). The Second Candle-Light Revolution in Korea: The People's Fight for the Survival of Clean Democracy. globalresearch.ca The world still remembers the 2017 Candle-Light Revolution in which 17,000,000 Korean people fought peacefully and culturally on the streets, for several months, against the deep-rooted corruption culture developed and enforced under the 60- year conservative government's rule. | In the …

WSWS (2019-10-02). Indian Trotskyists hold public meetings in defence of Assange and Manning. wsws.org Speakers explained the persecution of Assange and Manning is part of an escalating attack on democratic rights by governments everywhere.

William Hughes (2019-10-02). The Impeachment Inquiry: Will It Be Good for America? counterpunch.org Nancy Pelosi is a 79-year-old Democrat from San Francisco, CA. In January, 2019, she began serving her second term as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Her first term as Speaker was from 2007 to 2011. To date, she is the only woman in American history to have held that high office. Pelosi is More

David Korten (2019-10-02). 'No Winners on a Dead Earth': Why We Need a Climate Leader in 2020. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidates participate in the third Democratic Presidential Debate in Houston, Texas on September 12. Each candidate has put forth a plan for addressing the climate crisis, but success will require the interplay of skilled and principled politicians and an active citizenry working together. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/image_7.jpeg

Barry Grey (2019-10-02). Trump, Democrats Dig in as Impeachment Drive Escalates. globalresearch.ca Having suggested that his impeachment could provoke "civil war" and threatened to arrest the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on treason charges, President Donald Trump on Tuesday tweeted a map of the 2016 election results with the words …

Staff (2019-10-02). Will Trump Refuse to Leave? We Should Be Worried About This Tweet. truthout.org | | Days after amplifying a right-wing pastor's warning of a "Civil War-like fracture" if he is removed from office, President Donald Trump late Tuesday said the impeachment inquiry launched by House Democrats is a "coup," heightening fears that Trump could refuse to allow a peaceful transition of power if he is ousted by Congress or defeated in 2020. | "As I lea…

Thom Hartmann (2019-10-02). If We Want US Democracy Back, We Must Undo Attack on Middle Classs Launched by Reagn. commondreams.org Democracies will only begin to revive when we reverse the Reagan Revolution and return to the classical economic and political systems that existed in the Western world before the neoliberal 1980s. (Photo: Marion Ross/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/regan.jpeg

WSWS (2019-10-02). Trump, Democrats dig in as impeachment drive escalates. wsws.org Many within the ruling class are taking Trump's talk of civil war as a serious threat.

Staff (2019-10-02). Warren v. Zuckerberg. truthdig.com

Michael Harris (2019-10-02). Media Event ~ 9th Annual Pan African Global Trade and Investment Conference. indybay.org California State Capitol Park | Camillia Grove ~ near 12th and L St | Downtown Sacramento…

Michael Harris (2019-10-02). 2019 World Food Day – 9th Annual, Pan African Global Trade and Investment Conference. indybay.org World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945…

Staff (2019-10-02). Hong Kong Youth Face Military Crackdown While Fighting "One of the Most Unequal Societies Anywhere" democracynow.org China held its largest military parades ever in Beijing this week to mark 70 years of Communist rule. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, police escalated violence Tuesday by firing live ammunition at demonstrators for the first time in the months-long protests. In a widely viewed video posted online, a riot police officer is seen firing his gun into the chest of 18-year-old protester Tsang Chi-kin. The teenager is reportedly in stable condition. Police also fired tear gas and water cannons, while protesters were seen throwing Molotov cocktails. Ninety-six protesters were arrested on Tuesday on rioting charges.‚&Auml…

Staff (2019-10-02). Botham Jean Family's Lawyer Hails White Cop's Murder Conviction as "Precedent-Setting Case" democracynow.org A white off-duty police officer who shot and killed a 26-year-old black man in his own home in Dallas in 2018 was convicted of murder on Tuesday. The officer, Amber Guyger, entered Botham Jean's apartment, mistaking it for her own, and shot and killed him. Jean's apartment was located one floor below Guyger's in the building. She claimed during trial to have believed Jean was an intruder. Guyger is the first Dallas police officer to be convicted of murder since the 1970s, according to The Dallas Morning News. For more on the case, we speak with Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the family of Botham Jean. He says th…

Staff (2019-10-02). "Impunity & Corruption": Haiti Protesters Demand President MoàØse's Resignation Amid Failing Economy. democracynow.org In Haiti, massive anti-government protests calling for the resignation of U.S.-backed President Jovenel MoàØse continue to escalate. The worsening economic crisis, a shortage of fuel and food, and corruption allegations against MoàØse have sent protesters to the streets on and off for over a year. Hundreds demonstrated in the capital Port-au-Prince Monday, and another protest is scheduled for today. Much of Port-au-Prince has been on lockdown for the past two weeks, and at least four people have been killed in recent days after Haitian police opened fire on protesters, using live ammunition and tear…

Staff (2019-10-02). Headlines for October 2, 2019. democracynow.org Report: Trump Pushed for Shooting Migrants and Placing Alligators & Snakes Along Border, Trump Claims Impeachment Inquiry Is "Coup" as Pompeo Blocks Officials from Testifying, Sen. Grassley Breaks from Trump to Support Protection of Whistleblower, In "Victory for Black People in America," Dallas Officer Convicted of Murdering Black Man Inside His Own Home, Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Georgia Abortion Law, U.S.-N. Korea Talks to Resume as Pyongyang Carries Out New Missile Test, Hong Kong Protesters Stage Sit-in Outside School of Student Shot by Police, Pretrial Hearings Begin in Netanyahu Corruption Case, Per…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-10-02). Bernie Sanders 'In Good Spirits' After Successful Heart Procedure to Treat Artery Blockage. commondreams.org "We are canceling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates," said Sanders senior adviser Jeff Weaver. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_24.jpg

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-10-02). Calls for Trump-Supporting Billionaire Schwarzman to Apologize for Saying "Maybe Bernie Sanders Shouldn't Exist" commondreams.org "Maybe Steve Schwarzman should apologize for making such a disgusting comment," said Sanders speechwriter David Sirota. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/steve_schwarzman.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-10-02). Voters 'Overwhelmingly Support' Robust Paid Family Leave Proposal While Rejecting 'Half-Measures,' New Study Finds. commondreams.org New polling from the progressive think tank Data for Progress finds that most Americans support the most far-reaching paid family leave plan currently being proposed in Congress, and reject half-measures that have been proposed by conservative Democrats and Republicans. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11292522741.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2019-10-02). "We're Looking at Near Raw Bribery": House Dems Investigating Whether Groups Tried to Curry Favor With Trump Through Hotel Bookings. commondreams.org As part of the Democrats' broad impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform is reportedly investigating whether groups booked reservations for rooms that were then left empty at Trump hotels in attempts to curry favor with the president. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump-bribes_0_1.jpg

Ron Jacobs (2019-10-02). Is the US Political System Beyond Repair? counterpunch.org Moving ahead with the impeachment of Donald Trump is a good idea. Indeed, the fact that it is moving forward is a sign of the deep fissures in the ruling class. They are very divided. Even if it is done within the limited parameters hoped for by Pelosi and other mainstream Democrats, the process should expose the criminality of one party of the ruling class and the venality of both. More

Doug Johnson Hatlem (2019-10-01). Ten Recent Democratic Primary Polls Good for Bernie Sanders Ignored by the Conventional Wisdom. counterpunch.org The conventional wisdom for the Democratic Primary right now is that Senator Bernie Sanders is fading while Senator Elizabeth Warren is rising into a two-way race with former Vice-President Joe Biden. Nate Silver made the case after Debate 3 (September 12) in article form and has continued, via Twitter, to cherry-pick polls to fit this beatified narrative. | I am a bit loathe to engage in the exercise that follows — that is to highlight the evidence that runs counter to this narrative. While it feels a bit like cherry-picking in the opposite direction, it also just is a necessary counter-weight to a herding…

John Catalinotto (2019-10-01). Biden's time in Ukraine. workers.org That Joe Biden's interaction with Ukrainian leaders has become a central question in the attempt to impeach the well-hated Donald Trump should mislead no one about the former vice president's virtues. Biden is a faithful servant of U.S. imperialism, and nowhere was that more clear than with his role intervening . . . | Continue reading Biden's time in Ukraine at Workers.org

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2019-10-01). "Ukrainegate" Teaches Us More about Ourselves Than Trump or Biden. dissidentvoice.org Anti-Imperialism protest in the Phillippines. Photo: Carlo Manalansan by Bulatlat 'Ukrainegate' has opened the floodgates of impeachment in Washington, DC. President Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky provided such an opportunity that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who resisted pressure for impeachment, is now on board along with a majority of the party. Democrats are …

RT (2019-10-01). 'Don't shoot messenger,' Giuliani tells media as Biden team pressures channels to ban him from airwaves. rt.com Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden's campaign has called for Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to be banned from TV networks for "knowingly and willingly lying" – but Giuliani says it's the networks lying to protect Biden. | Giuliani has accused the mainstream media of "covering up the message, Dem[ocratic Party] corruption" and "going after me because I'm the messenger" in a tweet posted on Tuesday in response to the Biden campaign's efforts to have him banned from television news. The media won't hold Biden to account, the former New York mayor said, "because he is protected and immune like the Clintons…

Binoy Kampmark (2019-10-01). Dangerous Detentions: Julian Assange and Remaining in Belmarsh. dissidentvoice.org Much ink has been spilled in textbooks describing situations where autocratic states can behave badly. They abuse rights; they ignore international law and they ride roughshod over conventions. Liberal democracies may boast that they follow matters to the letter of the law, and make sure that citizens are given their fair and just cause in …

Natasha Lennard (2019-10-01). Trump Attacked the Women of Color Who Led the Push for Impeachment. Then CNN Erased Them. theintercept.com From left, Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib, conduct a news conference in Washington, D.C. responding to negative comments by President Trump that were directed the freshmen House Democrats on July 15, 2019. | Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP | There is a growing double narrative about who deserves credit for the effort to impeach President Donald Trump. One side of the narrative, coming primarily from the media, lauds late-coming figures to impeachment as saviors, and the other, coming from Trump, tears down impeachment's early adopters as malicious traito…

John Wojcik (2019-10-01). Deepening impeachment scandal underlines need for radical democratic reforms. peoplesworld.org At the White House yesterday, a President Trump under siege fumed about "treason" as, hour after hour, the news broke that yet another top member of his administration was a liar in a major cover-up. At the Capitol, a mile up the street, the Congress moved forward with its impeachment investigation. The close cooperation exposed …

WSWS (2019-10-01). Hunter Biden made $850,000 on board of Ukraine gas company. wsws.org Joe Biden's son cashed in on his father's position in the Obama-Biden administration.

Max Moran (2019-10-01). Why are Key House Democrats Giving Betsy DeVos a Free Ride? counterpunch.org Education Secretary Betsy DeVos testified before the House Education and Labor Committee five months ago. She sat down, cleared her throat, and proceded to dodge basic yes-or-no questions about everything from transgender rights to literacy programs to arming teachers for several hours. Through her evasiveness, and the many issues Democrats wanted to bring up, there More

WSWS (2019-10-01). Trump threatens "civil war" as Democrats escalate impeachment campaign. wsws.org President Donald Trump, in an implicit threat of violence against his political opponents, suggested late Sunday that the Democrats' efforts to remove him from office could precipitate a "civil war."

WSWS (2019-10-01). Greek workers strike to oppose New Democracy government's anti-union legislation. wsws.org In the first major strike called since New Democracy came to power in July, transport was brought to a standstill in Athens as bus, trolley and light railway drivers joined the strike, while passenger ferries also remained docked.

Calvin Trillin (2019-10-01). Trump Says Ukraine Call Was 'Perfectly Fine and Routine'. thenation.com Trump Says Ukraine Call Was 'Perfectly Fine and Routine'

Staff (2019-10-01). Newark Water Crisis: Mayor Ras Baraka Responds to Critics & Promises City Is Working on Solution. democracynow.org Newark, New Jersey, city officials recently announced thousands of water filters handed out to residents have significantly reduced lead in drinking water to safe levels. Lead contamination has plagued the city for years, spiking even higher in 2019. Over the summer, the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit against Newark, accusing it of violating federal safe drinking water laws. The crisis came to a head last month following revelations that water filters distributed to residents may not have been effective. Meanwhile, New Jersey officials have signed off on a $120 million bond with Essex County to…

Staff (2019-10-01). To Impeach or Not to Impeach? Chris Hedges & John Bonifaz Debate What Congress Should Do Next. democracynow.org House Democrats subpoenaed President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani Monday, seeking documents related to his work in Ukraine. Last week, Guliani admitted on television that he had urged the Ukrainian government to investigate Trump's political rival and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. This comes as House Democrats continue to build their case for impeaching the president, following a whistleblower complaint focused on a phone call in which Trump asked the Ukranian president to do him a "favor" investigating the actions of Democrats, including Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Meanwhile, Trump…

Staff (2019-10-01). Headlines for October 1, 2019. democracynow.org House Democrats Subpoena Giuliani over Ukraine Work, Report: Trump Pressured Australia, Italy & U.K. to Help with Political Probes, Trump Renews Threats Against Schiff and Intelligence Whistleblower, Hong Kong Protests Escalate as Beijing Marks 70th Anniversary of People's Republic of China, Four Die in Ongoing Anti-Government Protests in Haiti, Somali Militants Attack U.S. Drone Base & Italian Military Convoy, Nigerian Journalist Omoyele Sowore Pleads Not Guilty, Remains Locked Up, U.S. Blocks Cuban Health Minister from Attending Regional WHO Meeting in D.C., GOP Congressmember Chris Collins Resigns over Insider…

Manlio Dinucci (2019-10-01). O 70 ∫ Aniversário da República Popular da China: A Anulaàßà£o da História. globalresearch.ca Há setenta anos, em 1 ∫ de Outubro de 1949, Mao Tsé Tung proclamava,na porta de Tien An Men, o nascimento da República Popular da China. O aniversário é comemorado hoje, com um desfile militar, em frente à porta histórica de …

RT (2019-09-30). Democrats say they will ban fracking nationwide. An empty campaign promise or are they serious? rt.com Several contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination have promised a nationwide ban on fracking. How viable is that proposal and do they really want to do it — or is it just a campaign promise they can never fulfil? | Banning 'fracking' — the process of extracting oil and natural gas via hydraulic fracturing — is popular among environmentalists and activists who are increasingly concerned about climate change. Among the candidates who have backed a ban are the current frontrunner Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), as well as her colleagues Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and K…

FAIR (2019-09-30). What media like best about Elizabeth Warren: She's not Bernie Sanders. mronline.org If Warren ever finds herself without media's bête noire to draft off of—assuming her policy stances remain the same—the media headwinds can be expected to get much more intense for her. | Source

Victor Grossman (2019-09-30). Playing the Trump card. mronline.org Clearly, the ingredients of anti-Trump cooking create a very mixed batter. Some spoonfuls may even contain a "Save Biden as candidate" flavor, outweighing the truly weighty reasons for baking a completely new kind of cake. | Source

Ryan Gebhardt (2019-09-30). Lancaster, PA march demands right to healthcare in the face of hospital closure, corporate profiteering. liberationnews.org Community members in Lancaster, Pennsylvania came into the streets on September 21 to march in the heat for the right to quality healthcare.

RT (2019-09-30). Democratic establishment belatedly embraces 'whistleblowers'…but only the 'safe' kind. rt.com MoveOn, a major advocacy group fine-tuned to the needs of Democratic Party, has finally found a whistleblower it can support — the CIA agent whose complaint triggered an impeachment inquiry against US President Donald Trump. | MoveOn, which describes itself as the largest independent progressive advocacy group in the US, hailed the still-anonymous whistleblower for taking on "great personal risk to defend our democracy" by revealing Trump's call with Ukraine that this person only knew of second-hand. | The organization, sponsored by many Democratic donors including billionaire George Soros, implored its…

RT (2019-09-30). Trump tweets quote warning that impeachment will cause 'Civil War-like fracture' in US. rt.com US President Donald Trump responded to the Democrats-led impeachment inquiry by posting an ominous quote from a church leader who warned that removing him from office would inflict "Civil War-like" wounds on the nation. | Known for regularly watching shows on Fox News, Trump apparently liked how the Southern Baptist minister and televangelist Robert Jeffress appeared on the channel on Sunday and blasted the Democrats for wanting to impeach him. | "And I do want to make this prediction this morning: If the Democrats are successful in removing the president from office, I'm afraid it will cause a Civil War-like…

Rachel M. Cohen (2019-09-30). Nina Turner, Bernie Sanders's Campaign Chair, Led Charge for Education Reform as Ohio Legislator. theintercept.com Nina Turner said she's "definitely evolved" since her time in the Ohio state Senate, but she remains proud of pro-charter policies she helped pass.

Ryan McCarthy (2019-09-30). Reports on China 'organ harvesting' derive from front groups of far-right cult Falun Gong. thegrayzone.com A wave of corporate media reports on Chinese organ harvesting rely without acknowledgement on front groups connected to the far-right…

United Nations (2019-09-30). DPRK reports 'little progress' since historic June 2018 summit with US. un.org Lack of progress in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula is "entirely attributable" to the United States, a senior official from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) told the UN General Assembly on Monday.

Staff (2019-09-30). Edward Snowden: Private Contractors Play Key Role in U.S. Intelligence's "Creeping Authoritarianism" democracynow.org As a whistleblower complaint against President Trump rocks Washington, Democrats begin an impeachment inquiry and Trump threatens "big consequences" for the person who came forward, we continue our conversation with one of the world's most famous whistleblowers: Edward Snowden, now in exile in Russia. Six years ago, he shocked the world when he leaked a trove of secret documents about how the United States had built a massive surveillance apparatus to collect every single phone call, text message and email, and pry into the private lives of every person on Earth. He has just published a memoir titled "Permanent R…

Staff (2019-09-30). Snowden Reveals How He Secretly Exposed NSA Criminal Wrongdoing Without Getting Arrested. democracynow.org Edward Snowden talks about his decision to leak documents to journalists Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras rather than WikiLeaks, and the issues with the U.S. government's response to whistleblower disclosures. His recently published memoir, "Permanent Record," tells the story of his decision to expose the system of mass surveillance. "I think it's so obvious that no harm to national security has resulted from this process of disclosure. And yet, the same criticisms, the same allegations are made to me as have been every other whistleblower," Snowden says. "What we need to understand here is not my model of publi…

Staff (2019-09-30). Whistleblower Edward Snowden on Trump, Obama & How He Ended Up in Russia to Avoid U.S. Extradition. democracynow.org We conclude our interview with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has just published his memoir titled "Permanent Record." In 2013, after quitting his job at the NSA, Snowden attempted to fly from Hong Kong to Latin America in order to avoid being extradited to the United States. But the U.S. revoked his passport when he stopped through Russia, effectively stranding him there. Snowden has lived as an exile in Moscow ever since. He tells us his story.

Staff (2019-09-30). Headlines for September 30, 2019. democracynow.org Facing Threats from Trump, Anonymous Whistleblower to Testify on Capitol Hill, Trump Warns Impeachment Could Lead to Civil War, Calls Critics "Savages", Pompeo Subpoenaed over Ukraine; Trump Envoy for Ukraine Resigns, More Than 2 Million Take Part in Global Climate Strike, Nearly 70 Arrested at New Hampshire Coal Plant Protest, Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration Effort to Indefinitely Detain Migrant Children, Low Turnout Reported on Election Day in Afghanistan, Egyptian Dissident Alaa Abd El-Fattah Arrested Amid Growing Crackdown, Houthis Claim to Have Killed 500 Saudi Soldiers in August Attack, El País: S…

United Nations (2019-09-30). Millions of Afghans have 'voted not just for a president, but also for democracy', UN Assembly told. un.org Just two days ago, some three million Afghans faced the threat of terrorism and headed to the polls, to "vote not just for a president, but also for democracy," Hamdulla Mohib, Afghanistan's National Security Adviser told the UN General Assembly on Monday, adding that no matter the outcome of the elections, "peace is and will remain the Government's priority."

Joshua Cho (2019-09-30). In Media Newspeak, a 'Peace Plan' for Israel/Palestine Is Anything US Proposes. fair.org Prior to the elections in Israel/Palestine in September—marred by blatant racism posturing as the "democratic process," with millions of Palestinians living under varying degrees of Israeli rule unable to vote due to their ethnicity—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu generated headlines for repeatedly pledging to annex nearly a third of the illegally occupied West Ba…

Ryan Grim (2019-09-29). Democratic Senators Orchestrated Infamous Caning of Slavery Opponent, According to New Book. theintercept.com Sidney Blumenthal's "All the Powers of Earth: 1856-1860," dives deep into the greatest act of physical violence ever perpetrated on the U.S. Senate floor.

RT (2019-09-29). 'I deserve to meet my accuser!' Trump wants both Ukrainegate 'whistleblower' and his SOURCE to face him. rt.com US President Donald Trump has demanded to meet with the whistleblower who accused him of pressuring Kiev for political gain, as well as with the actual alleged source that passed the information presented in the Ukraine complaint. | With the Ukrainegate scandal gathering pace, Trump has launched another scathing attack at one of its main peddlers, House Intel Committee chair Adam Schiff, saying that he wants to see the Democratic senator tried for treason for his parody interpretation of Trump's call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. | Like every American, I deserve to meet my accuser, especially wh…

Christian Sorensen (2019-09-29). The Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex Defeats Tulsi Gabbard. dissidentvoice.org The military-industrial-congressional complex (MIC) is the noxious alliance comprised of the Pentagon, the war industry, and Capitol Hill. U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard has spoken out against U.S. military interventions in such sovereign nations as Iraq, Syria, and Libya. While Gabbard's public discussion of the costs of war rankles some within the MIC, she does not …

Fight Back (2019-09-29). SDS strengthens at 14th annual national convention. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL — On September 20, New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters from across the United States convened at the University of North Florida to reaffirm their commitment to student organizing and to discuss ways to, "Stop Trump, Stop Racism, Stop U.S. Military and Police Terror." The conference peaked at over 80 students with a dozen chapters represented. | Speeches and applause rang through the halls all weekend. Students opened the conference chanting, "Dare to struggle, dare to win!" The conference ended with, "It is our duty to fight for each other, it is our duty to win!" | On Sat…

United Nations (2019-09-29). Guterres welcomes conduct of Afghan elections, commends 'all who braved security concerns'. un.org UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the conduct of presidential elections in Afghanistan on 28 September and commended all Afghans "who exercised their democratic voice and upheld their right to vote, braving security concerns".

Jon Schwarz (2019-09-28). Nixon's Revenge: This Time, Republicans Are Ready to Fight Impeachment. theintercept.com The right has patiently spent decades creating a system to make sure no Republican president is ever forced from office again, no matter what he does.

Vern Loomis (2019-09-28). Hell Yes, Take Them Away! dissidentvoice.org "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47!" With that unequivocal statement, Beto O'Rourke ignited right wing gun pundits who've kept some powder dry for just such a remark: "Who is this "we" he speaks of? Democrats? Liberals? Bring it, fools. Come and try to take my legally purchased guns. I double-dog dare …

Staff (2019-09-27). The Impeachment: Will This Be Trump's Unraveling? therealnews.com Ryan Cooper, National Correspondent for The Week, joins us to look at today's testimony, the president's petulance, and what all this means for the presidential campaign.

Staff (2019-09-27). The Democratic Party Remains a Party of War, Not Peace. therealnews.com Green Party candidate Madelyn Hoffman says that even the progressive Democratic presidential candidates remain unwilling to challenge the Pentagon.

David Daley (2019-09-27). "Worth This Investment": Memos Reveal the Scope and Racial Animus of GOP Gerrymandering Ambitions. theintercept.com In court and in public, many top Republicans have denied gerrymandering gives them any advantage at all. They've captured state legislatures and won an edge in Congress, some have suggested, due to superior candidates, better campaigns, and natural geographic sorting that clusters Democrats in urban areas and spreads Republicans more efficiently across the suburbs and rural America. | "The problem is not district lines; the proble…

Staff (2019-09-27). James Risen: I Wrote About the Bidens and Ukraine in 2015. The Right-Wing Media Twisted My Reporting. democracynow.org Democrats are coalescing behind an effort to impeach President Trump over his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he pressed the Ukrainian leader to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Meanwhile, Republicans have latched onto the Biden-Ukraine story as a means of smearing the former vice president as corrupt, in an attempt to damage one of Trump's political rivals. For more on the story, we speak with James Risen, senior national security correspondent for The Intercept, who first wrote about the Bidens and Ukraine in 2015, when he was a reporter for The New York Times. He says the "r…

Staff (2019-09-27). James Risen: Whistleblower Complaint Shows "Trump Is a Habitual Criminal" Abusing His Office. democracynow.org Democrats are ramping up efforts to impeach President Trump for pressing the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Nearly 90% of House Democrats now support impeachment. On Thursday, a declassified version of a complaint by an anonymous whistleblower was released, detailing his concerns about Trump's July phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky. In the complaint, the unnamed whistleblower — who has been identified as a CIA official — accused the president of "using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 202…

Staff (2019-09-27). Over 2,000 Arrested in Egypt in Growing Protests Against Sisi, Trump's "Favorite Dictator" democracynow.org Demonstrations continued in Egypt Friday, with thousands taking to the streets to demand the resignation of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi over accusations of corruption. Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested over the past week amid protests in Cairo and other cities. The demonstrations were triggered by social media posts by a former army contractor accusing Sisi and other officials of misusing public money. Anti-government protests are rare in Egypt as they've been effectively banned since Sisi came to power following the 2013 overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsi and launched a widespread crackdown on d…

Staff (2019-09-27). Headlines for September 27, 2019. democracynow.org Whistleblower Warned White House Tried to "Lock Down" Ukraine Call Details, Acting DNI Maguire Says Whistleblower "Acted in Good Faith", Trump Suggests Whistleblower Should Get Death Sentence for Treason, Global Youth-Led Strikes Demand Action on Climate Crisis, Study Finds Climate Crisis May Threaten 60% of World's Wheat Crop by 2100, States Challenge Trump's Rollback of Endangered Species Act, Senate Advances Confirmation of Ex-Monsanto Executive to Lead Wildlife Agency, EPA Chief Blames California's Homeless Population for Poor Water Quality, Protesters Defy Security Crackdown in Egypt, Demanding Ouster of Pre…

Staff (2019-09-26). Edward Snowden Condemns Trump's Mistreatment of Whistleblower Who Exposed Ukraine Scandal. democracynow.org Responding to news of a whistleblower's complaint at the center of an impeachment inquiry filed against President Trump this week, famed whistleblower Edward Snowden speaks about his own decision to leak classified documents in 2013. The House Intelligence Committee has released the declassified whistleblower complaint, which details a July phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president. The White House is trying "to make the conversation not about the allegations," Snowden told Democracy Now! "They want to talk about the whistleblower rather than the government's own wrongdoing."

Staff (2019-09-26). "Financial Censorship Is Still Censorship": Edward Snowden Slams Justice Dept. Lawsuit Against Him. democracynow.org As a whistleblower complaint filed against President Trump rocks Washington and threatens Trump's presidency, one of the world's most famous whistleblowers, Edward Snowden, joins us from Moscow, Russia. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Snowden alleging that his newly released memoir, "Permanent Record," violates the nondisclosure agreements he signed with the federal government when he was a National Security Agency employee. The Justice Department also argued that they are entitled to all of Snowden's book profits. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Juan González speak with Sno…

Staff (2019-09-26). Permanent Record: Why NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Risked His Life to Expose Surveillance State. democracynow.org Six years ago, Edward Snowden leaked a trove of secret documents about how the United States had built a massive surveillance apparatus to spy on Americans and people across the globe. Snowden was then charged in the U.S. for violating the Espionage Act and other laws. As he attempted to flee to Latin America, Snowden became stranded in Russia after the U.S. revoked his passport. He has lived in Moscow ever since. Snowden just published his memoir, "Permanent Record," in which he writes about what led him to risk his life to expose the U.S. government's system of mass surveillance. From Moscow, he speaks to Democ…

Staff (2019-09-26). Headlines for September 26, 2019. democracynow.org Transcript Shows Trump Pressured Ukrainian Leader to Probe Joe Biden and Son, President Trump on Ukraine Phone Call: "Impeachment for That?", Majority of House Lawmakers Back Impeachment Inquiry Against Trump, Iranian President Rules Out Talks with U.S. While Sanctions Remain, Saudi-Led Coalition Airstrikes Kill 16 Civilians in Yemen, Israel's President Asks Benjamin Netanyahu to Form New Government, 2 Million Wild Animals Perish as Fires Rage in Bolivia, Climate Crisis Drives Mont Blanc Glacier Toward Collapse, 7 Arrested as San Francisco Climate Protesters Block Wells Fargo Entrance, Doctors Glue Themselves to…

Jud Lounsbury (2019-09-25). It's Time to Impeach Members of Congress for Not Impeaching Trump. progressive.org The question is no longer whether it's a good idea. It's about whether the members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, will follow their oath of office to defend the Constitution.

Staff (2019-09-25). "We've Reached Critical Mass": Rep. Al Green on Pelosi Vow to Impeach Trump for "Dastardly Deeds" democracynow.org Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following allegations from an intelligence community whistleblower that Trump sought help from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the Trump administration to release the whistleblower complaint to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. We get response and look at next steps with Congressmember Al Gree…

Staff (2019-09-25). Trump Lashes Out at Iran, China & Venezuela in Nationalist Address to U.N. General Assembly. democracynow.org On Tuesday, President Trump made his third address to the United Nations General Assembly amid simmering tensions in the Middle East over recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, which the United States blames on Iran. Tehran denies the allegations. Trump also lashed out at China and Venezuela. We speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and chief editor of LeftWord Books. His latest article for Salon is headlined "World leaders gather at the UN in the face of war, climate catastrophe & global worker exploitation."

Staff (2019-09-25). Billy Bragg: What the U.K. Supreme Court's Historic Ruling Against Boris Johnson Means for Brexit. democracynow.org The U.K. Parliament has reconvened after the country's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had unlawfully suspended Parliament in order to push through Brexit with or without a deal. Johnson made the unprecedented move late last month, asking the queen to prorogue Parliament in order to limit debate on leaving the European Union, which the U.K. is scheduled to do by October 31. Calls for Johnson's resignation are mounting since the news broke, with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calling for a general election and demanding Johnson apologize to the queen and to the country. For mo…

Staff (2019-09-25). Headlines for September 25, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Launches Impeachment Inquiry Against President Trump, IPCC: World Must Cut Greenhouse Emissions or Face Catastrophic Sea Level Rise, Bolsonaro Faces Condemnation For Defending Deforestation of Amazon in U.N. Speech, Trump Denounces Iran, Venezuela & Calls for Countries to Embrace Nationalism at U.N., Pakistani PM Demands World to Address Crisis in Kashmir, U.K. Parliament Reconvenes After Court Declares Boris Johnson's Parliament Suspension Illegal, Egyptian Authorities Arrest At Least 900 Following Anti-Government Protests, Spain to Exhume Body of Former Dictator Francisco Franco from State Mausoleum, Nig…

Steven Schwinn (2019-09-24). Trump Seeks to Kneecap Consumer Protection Agency Advocated for by Elizabeth Warren. progressive.org We've grown accustomed to Donald Trump's relentless political attacks. but, in the end, his constitutional attacks on the administrative state could cause the most damage.

Staff (2019-09-24). Meet Brazil's Indigenous Leader Attacked by Bolsonaro at U.N. over Efforts to Preserve the Amazon. democracynow.org A number of indigenous leaders from Brazil traveled to New York to protest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's push to open the Amazon rainforest for agribusiness, logging and mining. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh spoke to Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó tribe on Monday outside the U.N. Climate Action Summit about the situation in the Amazon, including the recent outbreak of devastating fires. After the interview, Chief Raoni attempted to enter the U.N. summit, but despite support from dozens of activists, he was barred from entering. He is a nominee for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Staff (2019-09-24). Ta-Nehisi Coates on His Debut Novel "The Water Dancer," Slavery & Reparations. democracynow.org Celebrated writer Ta-Nehisi Coates's first novel, "The Water Dancer," was released today. Centering on a man named Hiram Walker, who was born into slavery in 19th century Virginia, the novel is a "crowd-pleasing exercise in breakneck and often occult storytelling," a review in The New York Times stated. Over the past decade Ta-Nehisi Coates has become one of the nation's most celebrated writers. In 2014, he wrote a piece titled "The Case for Reparations," which rejuvenated the push for the government to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves. His 2015 book, "Between the World and Me," a National Book Award…

Michael Sainato (2019-09-18). 2020: Democratic Establishment vs. Democratic Socialists. progressive.org Meet three new challengers to the entrenched old guard.

Andy Spears (2019-09-17). Tennessee Republicans in Fisticuffs Over School Vouchers. progressive.org Hot chicken, sex, and cocaine are part of the story of how Tennessee became the latest state to succumb to the Betsy DeVos-backed voucher craze. The result could determine how the GOP addresses the issue across the country.

Eoin Higgins, Common Dreams (2019-09-08). New Season of Amazon's Jack Ryan Focused on Venezuela Denounced as 'Over-the-Top and Ridiculous' US Propaganda. venezuelanalysis.com The upcoming season of Amazon's Jack Ryan could have been scripted by John Bolton.