2019-12-13: News Headlines

Donald Donato (2019-12-13). Winning the Green New Deal on the road toward socialism. peoplesworld.org This is the second part of a 2-article series. Read Part 1 here. In this second of two articles on the Green New Deal and the problem of profit, we will explore the remaining major policy areas targeted by the Green New Deal resolution put forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and …

Mark Gruenberg, John Wojcik (2019-12-13). Judiciary Committee sends 2 articles of impeachment to the full House. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — A massive coalition of progressive groups, led by MoveOn.org, and including sponsors such as the Service Employees, United We Dream, Indivisible and its Chicago affiliate, the Women's March, NOW, Democracy 21 and Credo, plan mass rallies in more than 440 cities nationwide on the eve of the upcoming U.S. House vote to impeach …

Staff (2019-12-13). Judiciary Committee Sends 2 Articles of Impeachment to Full House. truthdig.com The vote on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress splits along party lines, with 23 Democrats in favor and 17 Republicans opposed.

Marcie Wells (2019-12-13). I Have 'Some of the Best' Health Insurance a Union Member Can Get, But I Would Trade It Today for Medicare for All. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks while introducing the Medicare for All Act of 2019 with Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) during a news conference on Capitol Hill, on April 9, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_medicare_for_all.jpg

Paul Street (2019-12-13). Midnight Ramble: A Fascist Rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania. counterpunch.org At one of his permanent fascist-style campaign rallies on December 10, 2019, the day the U.S. House of Representatives rolled out Articles of Impeachment, United States President Donald J. Trump told an adoring Pennsylvania crowd that U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren "has a fresh mouth." The meaning of this insult was understood by his audience. It More

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-13). UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/12/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Joyce Nelson (2019-12-13). Buttigieg and McKinsey. counterpunch.org Major questions have been raised about presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's work for global consulting firm McKinsey, with even the New York Times editorial board demanding that he release the information. After Buttigieg issued a sparse and vague overview on December 7, questions remain unanswered about his work for McKinsey from 2007 to 2010. My recent More

Andrew Levine (2019-12-13). A Plague on Both Their Houses, Plus a Dozen Poxes on Trump's. counterpunch.org Nancy Pelosi should thank Donald Trump for helping her get over a bad case of IAS, Impeachment Aversion Syndrome. We all should. Had she not come down with that malady years ago, after the 2006 midterm election made her Speaker of the House the first time, she could now be looking forward, when the time More

Stephen Leas (2019-12-13). Hungry for a Livable Planet: Why I Occupied Pelosi's Office for 13 Days. counterpunch.org I occupied Nancy Pelosi's office and went on hunger strike for 13 days. Still she wouldn't meet us. Instead she flew off to attend the UN Climate Conference in Spain. That's not enough. I went 13 days without food. I lost 22.8 pounds, 10.6% of my weight. I had to stand up slowly because otherwise More

Fight Back (2019-12-13). Anakbayan-USA holds 3rd congress. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – On November 30, Anakbayan-USA had their Third Congress, with more than 200 members from 12 chapters across the country in attendance. They learned lessons on solidarity, talked about the economic situation in the United States and reported back on the progress being made on a national and local level. | Anakbayan-USA had three national organizations they invited to speak on their "International Solidarity" panel: the Palestinian Youth Movement, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, and National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). | CISPES and PYM spoke on bridging the gap…

news.un (2019-12-13). 'Air bridge' vaccination operation begins for Ebola-hit communities in DR Congo. news.un.org The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen an increase in the number of reported cases of the deadly haemorrhagic virus Ebola linked to ongoing violence by armed groups targeting remote communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

WSWS (2019-12-13). House Judiciary Committee nears vote to approve articles of impeachment against Trump. wsws.org The debate has underscored the right-wing basis of the Democrats' impeachment drive.

Donald Monaco (2019-12-13). The Politics of Impeachment. globalresearch.ca The decision by Democrats sitting on the House Judiciary Committee to approve Articles of Impeachment that will be affirmed in a full vote of the House of Representatives just handed Donald Trump a probable victory in the 2020 election barring …

commondreams (2019-12-13). Shareholders Call for #RebootFacebook to Put Company on Path to Democracy, Decency, and Disclosure. commondreams.org ______________________________…

RT (2019-12-13). Race baiting for fun and profit? Mere reality won't stop #Resistance from blaming 'white supremacy' for Jersey City shooting. rt.com Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib may have been slapped down when she tried to pin responsibility for a mass shooting by a black couple on white supremacy, but while she disavowed her words, others doubled down. | "This is heartbreaking. White supremacy kills," Tlaib had tweeted on Thursday morning in response to a post memorializing Moshe Deutsch, one of the young Jewish victims of Tuesday's shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City. | Rashida Tlaib is a garbage human being, who just tried to tell a bold faced lie to the public that the hate crime that took place in New Jersey yesterday was an act…

RT (2019-12-13). Dems summon image of Zelensky's 15yo daughter 'DUCT-TAPED in Trump's basement' during increasingly surreal impeachment hearing. rt.com In one of the strangest moments of the ongoing impeachment row in Washington, Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson asked fellow lawmakers to imagine the teenage daughter of Ukraine's president tied up in Trump's basement. | As the long hours of debate wore on during Thursday's impeachment hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, argued there existed an "imbalance of power" between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, offering a bizarre metaphor. | "They're standing there, President Trump is holding court. And he says, 'Oh, by the way, no pressure.' And you saw President Z…

Staff (2019-12-13). Climate Refugees: Climate-Fueled Drought, Sea Level Rise, Storms & Fires Displace Millions Worldwide. democracynow.org A new report reveals how long-term disasters, including sea level rise and desertification, and short-term disasters, such as storms and fires, are especially threatening to people living in the Global South and island nations. We speak with the co-author of a new study that finds the climate crisis is already leading to a massive increase in the number of refugees being displaced around the world. Hossein Ayazi is a policy analyst with the Global Justice Program at the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. We're also joined at the U.N. Climate Summit in Madrid by Saleemul Huq,…

Staff (2019-12-13). "Dark Day for Everyone Who Believes in Justice": U.K. Tories Defeat Labour in Landslide Election. democracynow.org The British Conservative Party has won a decisive majority in Thursday's general election, winning seats in Labour Party strongholds and paving the way for Britain's exit from the European Union by January 31. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is projected to have 364 seats in the House of Commons compared to Labour's 203 seats. That would give the Conservatives about a 75-seat majority, the largest since Margaret Thatcher's landslide in the 1987 election. Johnson's message throughout the campaign was focused on "getting Brexit done," reflecting public exhaustion with the issue that has paralyzed British politics ever…

Staff (2019-12-13). COP25: Developing Countries Charge Ahead with Bold Climate Plans as Rich Countries Drag Their Feet. democracynow.org As this year's United Nations climate summit wraps up in Madrid, Spain, many activists, scientists, indigenous and grassroots climate leaders say that rich countries most responsible for the climate emergency have spent the talks dialing back ambition and blocking progress. This comes as deadly droughts, flooding, cyclones and wildfires rage around the world. This week, more than 70 developing countries have announced they will accelerate their climate plans, and 72 countries have signed onto goals to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But major emitters Australia, China, India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia have…

Staff (2019-12-13). Headlines for December 13, 2019. democracynow.org Conservative Party Wins Landslide Victory in U.K. Elections, House Judiciary Committee to Vote on 2 Articles of Impeachment Today, Algeria: Thousands Protest Thursday's Presidential Election, Aung San Suu Kyi Asks ICJ to Drop Genocide Case Against Burma, India: Police Kill 2 People in Assam Amid Protests over Citizenship Bill, Thousands of Iraqis Gather in Tahrir Sq. to Demand Protest Movement Remain Peaceful, France: Unions Remain on Strike and Vow to Continue During Holiday Season, Thousands Take to Streets in Hong Kong, DHS Memo Reveals How ICE's Inadequate Medical Care Contributed to 4 Deaths, Trump Attacks 1…

Staff (2019-12-13). Pete Buttigieg's Progressive Early Backers Demand a Refund. truthdig.com Though they initially viewed South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as an intriguing and progressive newcomer when he began his presidential campaign early this year, the #RefundPete hashtag began trending Thursday morning on social media as a growing number of former donors started requesting their donations back in the wake of recent revelations about the 2020 Democratic candidate. | Kristen Hill, a volunteer community leader for the presidential primary campaign of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in North Carolina, was one of the first voters to kick off the viral hashtag #RefundPete. | "If Pete Buttigieg fo…

Joshua Cho (2019-12-13). For Corporate Media, Voters Are Obstacle to Buttigieg's Centrist Rise. commondreams.org Such outlets, after all, don't care as much about winning elections as they do about blocking the threat of a progressive political movement. (Photo: FAIR) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-12-13_at_9.30.16_am.png

C.J. Atkins (2019-12-12). Is the Democrats' impeachment effort too narrowly focused? peoplesworld.org Among liberals, many centrists, and almost everyone on the left, there is agreement that Donald Trump has committed acts that merit impeachment and removal from the presidency. Given his conduct in life as a corrupt businessman, crooked real estate tycoon, serial womanizer, and outspoken racist, it was almost pre-ordained that as president he would abuse …

Rachel M. Cohen (2019-12-12). Environmental Activists Target Exxon's Lead Attorney in Climate Liability Case, a Prominent Democratic Donor. theintercept.com Ted Wells Jr., who defended Exxon against a lawsuit by New York's attorney general, has given half a million dollars to Democrats in recent decades.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-12). Trump Signs EO Saying Judaism Is Now A Nationality, New Toothless NDAA Allows Yemen & Iran Wars. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/11/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Jeff Bryant (2019-12-12). A New Report Finds Massive Waste and Abuse in Federally Funded Charter Schools. progressive.org During the eight years that these federal grants were available, $504,517,391—28 percent of the total amount given out—went to charter schools that never opened or that have already closed.

Eoin Higgins (2019-12-12). After house progressives make move to 'flex our muscles,' Pelosi backs down on drug pricing bill. nationofchange.org "Our movement is STRONG."

Fight Back (2019-12-12). MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…

WSWS (2019-12-12). US House approves bill for record military spending. wsws.org The National Defense Authorization Act passed by a huge bipartisan majority, with 188 Democrats and 189 Republicans supporting it.

Staff (2019-12-12). Indian Government Strips Naturalization Rights From Muslims, Sparking Protests. truthout.org Critics condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government Tuesday after the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of the country's parliament, passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, stripping naturalization rights granted to other groups from the nation's 200 million Muslims living in the world's largest democracy. | "We are now moving closer to Modi's dream of an India where a Muslim will have to walk the streets of his country with his gaze lowered, where democracy will be a privilege some…

teleSUR (2019-12-12). US Senate Committee Approves Sanctions Against Turkey. telesurenglish.net A U.S. Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, the latest move in the chamber to push Republican President Donald Trump to take a harder line against Ankara. | RELATED: | US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria | The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted by 18-4 to send the "Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019" for a vote in the full Senate. | "Now's the time for the Senate to come together and take this opportunit…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2019-12-12). The Bloomberg Factor: Authoritarianism, Money and US Presidential Politics. globalresearch.ca Political rottenness may be bottomless. Consider the following description of a political aspirant for the White House, this person being from the Democratic Party. His "liabilities as a political candidate are so glaringly obvious that it's easy to dismiss his …

Staff (2019-12-12). Marshall Islands Climate Activist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner Shares a Poem for Survival as Sea Levels Rise. democracynow.org Located in the central Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, the Marshall Islands are one of the world's lowest-lying island nations and declared a national climate crisis emergency in October. "We're looking at changing the entire physical landscape of our island so we can stay above water," says Marshall Islands poet and climate activist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner. She joins us to describe the impact on her country and read her newest poem.

Staff (2019-12-12). Uganda's First Fridays for Future Climate Striker, Vanessa Nakate, Joins COP25 Protests in Madrid. democracynow.org As we broadcast from the U.N. climate summit in Madrid, Spain, we speak with climate activist Vanessa Nakate, who was Uganda's first Fridays for Future climate striker. "I wanted to do something that would cause change to the lives of the people in my community and my country," she says. "My country heavily depends on agriculture, therefore most of the people depend on agriculture. If our farms are destroyed by floods, if the farms are destroyed by droughts and crop production is less, that means that the price of food is going to go high. So it will only be the most privileged who will be able to buy food."

Staff (2019-12-12). Greta Thunberg Slams COP25, Says Response to Climate Crisis Is "Clever Accounting and Creative PR" democracynow.org At the U.N. climate summit in Madrid, 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressed world leaders Wednesday, hours after she was named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thunberg came to the talks after a trip to meet with climate leaders across North America in anticipation of the scheduled climate conference in Santiago, Chile, before the talks were abruptly moved to the Spanish capital. In her address, Thunberg warned that the planet's carbon budget is down to just eight years, and urged bold action. "I still believe that the biggest danger is not inaction. The real danger is when politicians…

Staff (2019-12-12). "We Want People Power Solutions": Activists Ousted from COP25 for Protesting Corporations at Summit. democracynow.org Inside the halls of the U.N. climate summit, hundreds of activists gathered Wednesday to demand rich countries step up their efforts to finance climate action. The protest began just as Democracy Now! was finishing our live broadcast, and we spoke to some of the people there from around the world, including Rita Iyke-Uwaka of Friends of the Earth Nigeria; Angela Valenzuela of Fridays for Future in Santiago, Chile; Sandra Tukup of CONFENIAE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon); Amalen Sathananthar of Artivist Network; Brandon Wu of ActionAid USA; and Nina Gualinga, an indigenous lea…

Staff (2019-12-12). Headlines for December 12, 2019. democracynow.org European Commission Proposes Sweeping European Green Deal, DOJ Inspector General Testifies to Senate Judiciary Committee, More Than 70 Troops Killed in Attack on Niger Military Camp, Demonstrations Sweep Algeria as Protesters Demand Boycott of Today's Election, Britain: Voters Head to Polls for Defining National Election Today, Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Genocide Against Muslim Rohingya at ICJ, India's Upper House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Israel Dissolves Knesset as Country Heads Toward 3rd Election This Year, French Workers Continue Strike After PM Unveils Details of Pension Overhaul, Hundreds of Acti…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-12-12). Interpreted by Young Progressives as 'Abject Contempt,' Buttigieg Says He Was Also 'Big Fan of Bernie Sanders' at 18. commondreams.org South Bend, Indiana Mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Thursday attempted to deflect a journalist's critique about his lack of support among people of his own generation by suggesting enthusiasm for Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign among young voters is representative only of 18-year-olds' feelings. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11927118661.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-12-12). #RefundPete Trends as Early Backers Request Donations Back After Learning Buttigieg Not So Progressive After All. commondreams.org After initially viewing South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as an intriguing, bold outsider when he began his 2020 Democratic presidential campaign early this year, some donors on Wednesday alerted others on social media to the fact that contributors can get refunds from the campaign if they no longer support Buttigieg. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11923976111.jpg

Chris Kromm (2019-12-12). Southern States Take Up Fight For Bold Democracy Reforms. commondreams.org Activists with New Virginia Majority are among those working in states across the South for wide-reaching pro-democracy reforms. (Photo courtesy of New Virginia Majority.) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/new_virginia_majority.png

Joshua Cho (2019-12-11). Papers Owned by Oligarchs Unsurprisingly Oppose a Wealth Tax. fair.org When wealth-tax advocates like senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are two of the top three contenders for winning the 2020 Democratic primaries, you can bet that the US ruling class is terrified by the possibility of being slightly less rich (FAIR.org, 4/16/19). Notably, US oligarch Jeff Bezos (who ow…

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-11). US Accuses Iran Of "Increasingly Sophisticated" ROCKET Attacks, Clinton Meddling & Afghan Implosion. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/10/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

RT (2019-12-11). Congress must investigate why America was lied to about Afghanistan for all these years — Gabbard. rt.com Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard pledged to seek a congressional inquiry into the Afghanistan war after a damning report said US officials have been lying about what has been happening there since the US occupation began. | Gabbard, a military veteran who runs for the Democratic nomination on an anti-war platform, said there has to be "accountability for the lying" and the lives and taxpayer money lost in the longest military operation in the US history. | "The cost of this war and regime change wars and the nation-building that follows is immeasurable in many ways but it's measurable in the ways that have…

RT (2019-12-11). 'May the (Space) Force be with you,' Congress tells Trump in new Pentagon budget bill. rt.com US Space Force is about to become a sixth branch of the military, courtesy of Congress going along with President Donald Trump's popular campaign promise even as Democrats try to impeach him from office. | Included in the 3,500-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2020 is the provision recognizing space as a warfighting domain and establishing the Space Force as a separate service branch. While it is a step up from the current Space Command, the USSF will still be embedded under the US Air Force, in an arrangement mirroring the relationship of the Marines and the Navy. | "Congress…

Staff (2019-12-11). Rep. Ro Khanna Urges "Universal Condemnation" of Trump as Democrats File Impeachment Charges. democracynow.org House Democrats have unveiled two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump that formally charge him with high crimes and misdemeanors after more than two months of investigation. On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined chairs of the impeachment inquiry committees to announce the charges of "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." Democrats allege Trump withheld congressionally directed taxpayer funding for Ukraine's military until the Ukrainian president agreed to do what Trump called a "favor" by announcing Ukraine was investigating his potential 2020 political rival Joe Biden. Democra…

Staff (2019-12-11). Billionaire Presidential Hopeful Mike Bloomberg Addresses Press at COP25 But Won't Take Questions. democracynow.org Former New York mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg spoke at the U.N. climate summit Tuesday, saying he came to the climate talks because "no one from the White House" was there. The event was billed as a media opportunity, but Bloomberg refused to answer questions from the press. Bloomberg entered the presidential race in November and has since spent tens of millions of dollars of his own money on the race. Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman followed Bloomberg through the conference venue, asking how he would address issues of inequality and whether his strategy to win the presidency was to outs…

Staff (2019-12-11). "Shame!" Indigenous Leaders & Delegates from Global South Stage Dramatic Protest at COP25 in Madrid. democracynow.org Democracy Now! was broadcasting live from the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain, when hundreds of climate advocates and people's movements at the U.N. climate action summit staged a protest inside the conference venue. As the demonstration unfolds, we speak with Tom Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; Karin Nansen, chair of Friends of the Earth International; Nigerian climate activist Nnimmo Bassey with Health of Mother Earth Foundation; and indigenous climate activist Daiara Tukano from Brazil.

Staff (2019-12-11). "The Most Extreme Fires We've Ever Seen": Record Climate-Fueled Wildfires Engulf Australia in Smoke. democracynow.org As world leaders gather to address the climate crisis in Madrid, massive wildfires have engulfed Australia in flames and smoke. More than 100 climate-fueled blazes have killed at least six people and pushed air quality levels in Sydney to 12 times hazardous levels. Thousands braved extreme air pollution Wednesday to protest the government's climate inaction outside Sydney Town Hall. As Democracy Now! broadcasts live from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, we speak with Australian environmental scientist Bill Hare, director of Climate Analytics and a coordinator of the Climate Ac…

Staff (2019-12-11). Headlines for December 11, 2019. democracynow.org Democrats Charge Trump with Two Articles of Impeachment, Trump Meets with Russian Foreign Minister, Who Denies Russia Meddled in 2016 Election, Democrats Agree with Trump on New NAFTA, Federal Judge Blocks Trump from Diverting Funds to Border Wall, Mass Protests Continue in France Against Macron's Pensions Plan, British Voters Head to the Polls Thursday, Protesters at COP25 Continue Demands for Urgent Action: "You Can't Drink Oil, Keep It in the Soil!", Thousands Protest Australian Government's Inaction as Smoke from Wildfires Blankets Sydney, At Least 6 Dead, 3 Missing, After Volcano Erupts in New Zealand, Ethio…

Aída Chávez (2019-12-10). Pete Buttigieg, in First Campaign for State Treasurer, Swore Off Bank Money, Citing "Conflict of Interest" theintercept.com But a review of his campaign disclosure records finds that Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign is awash in cash from bank executives.

Micah Uetricht (2019-12-10). In 2000, Pete Buttigieg Wrote an Essay Praising Bernie Sanders. What, Exactly, Did He Admire? theintercept.com Buttigieg's politics are the inverse of Sanders's ironclad democratic socialism, but spoken with the same resoluteness of tone and courage of conviction.

Alex Emmons (2019-12-10). Congress to Vote on $22 Billion Defense Increase One Week After Trump Slashed Food Stamps. theintercept.com Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna called the defense bill an example of "astonishing moral cowardice."

RT (2019-12-10). 'What's next, accuse Russian diplomats of doping?' Lavrov mocks absurd media storm over his 'secret' meeting with Trump. rt.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took a moment to poke fun at US media and members of Congress obsessing about his 'secret' meeting with US President Donald Trump, while throwing shade on WADA for the Russian sports ban. | On a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC on Tuesday, Lavrov met with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo as well as Trump, behind closed doors at the White House. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-California), House Democrats' point man for Trump impeachment, called it a "success of Russian propaganda." | Just had a very good meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of Russia.

Staff (2019-12-10). Asad Rehman on the U.K.'s "Climate Election" & Explosive Afghanistan Papers Revelations. democracynow.org We get response from London-based Asad Rehman, executive director of War on Want, on two major news developments: The United Kingdom — which will head the COP next year — is set to vote Thursday in what some are calling "the climate election," and the Washington Post has published a confidential trove of documents that reveal how senior U.S. officials have lied throughout the 18-year war in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history, while hiding evidence the war had become unwinnable.

Staff (2019-12-10). Amazonian Forest Protectors Rally Outside COP25 Amid Death of Two Indigenous Chiefs. democracynow.org On Monday, indigenous activists from the Brazilian, Colombian and Ecuadorian Amazon rallied outside the COP25 venue to protest the targeting of indigenous forest protectors and the destruction of their lands, known as the "lungs of the Earth." Their protest came just days after two indigenous chiefs, Firmino Prexede Guajajara and Raimundo Guajajara, were gunned down in a drive-by shooting Saturday in Brazil.

Staff (2019-12-10). The U.S. Has Almost No Official Presence at COP25 But Is Still "Obstructing Any Progress" democracynow.org This week, Democracy Now! is broadcasting from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, where representatives from almost 200 countries have gathered to negotiate solutions to the climate crisis. Known as COP25 for "conference of parties," the summit offers a rare opportunity for all countries, especially those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, to have an equal say in negotiations. It comes four years after the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But as the summit heads into its final days, represen…

Staff (2019-12-10). "Listen to Mother Earth": Indigenous Youth Leaders at COP25 in Madrid Protest Fossil Fuel Extraction. democracynow.org "Our movements must be bigger than recycling and braver than holding signs," said Rose Whipple, a member of the Santee Dakota and Ho-Chunk, and youth delegate with SustainUS, who joined a panel of youth climate activists at the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain. Indigenous peoples from Canada and the United States are at the summit, speaking out against extraction, new pipeline projects and the environmental devastation of their territories, and calling for movements to center the rights of indigenous peoples.

Staff (2019-12-10). Indigenous Youth & Elders at COP25 Protest Canada's Support of Dirty Tar Sands Projects. democracynow.org Indigenous women protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday morning to demand action to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls across North America. Madrid police shut down the protest within minutes. On Monday, indigenous youth and elders gathered outside the Canadian Embassy in Madrid to protest the Canadian government's support of the Alberta tar sands extraction and new fossil fuel infrastructure, including a pipeline that would cut through indigenous lands to carry tar sands oil from Alberta to Wisconsin. We speak with one of those demonstrators: Eriel Dera…

Staff (2019-12-10). Headlines for December 10, 2019. democracynow.org House Democrats to Unveil Articles of Impeachment Today, WaPo: Secret Afghanistan Papers Reveal How U.S. Officials Lied About War, Sanders & Khanna Urge Lawmakers to Vote Against National Defense Authorization Act, Russia and Ukraine Agree to Ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, India's Lower House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Protests Continue in Madrid, Spain, Amid COP25, Denmark Passes Climate Act to Reduce Emissions by 70% by 2030, More Than 100 Blazes Rage Across Australia Amid Worst Fire Season in History, Iraq: One Journalist Killed and a Second Disappeared After Covering Protests, Aung San Suu Kyi Arri…

David Dayen (2019-12-09). Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren Team Up With House Progressives to Challenge Nancy Pelosi on Drug-Pricing Bill. theintercept.com The Progressive Caucus is threatening to vote down a drug-pricing bill important to Nancy Pelosi. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have backed them up.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-09). Iran False Flag, Bolivia's Coup Gov Seeks Israel's Help, Israel's Been In Yemen 'Since Day One'. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/8/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Jud Lounsbury (2019-12-09). Trump's New Trade Deal: NAFTA with Lipstick. progressive.org The buzz inside the Beltway is that "centrist" Democrats are desperate to pass the USMCA to signal they are getting things done.

Tyler Durden (2019-12-09). Controversy Erupts After Elizabeth Warren Reveals Millions in Corporate Consulting Income. theantimedia.com Elizabeth Warren revealed on Sunday night that she made nearly $2 million from legal consulting for corporate clients.

Staff (2019-12-09). Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron & BP Could Be Legally & Morally Liable for Climate Crisis in Philippines. democracynow.org The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has just determined that 47 major companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change. The commission found the companies could be held accountable under civil and criminal laws. Climate activists have hailed the decision as a landmark victory for climate justice. According to Greenpeace, this marks the first time big polluting companies have been found responsible for human rights harms resulting from the climate crisis. We speak to Yeb Saño, exe…

Staff (2019-12-09). Spanish Actor Javier Bardem: We Need Urgency, Ambition & Reduction to Confront Climate Crisis. democracynow.org Speakers at Friday's massive climate march in Madrid included the actor Javier Bardem. In 2007, he became the first Spanish actor to win an Academy Award for acting for his supporting role in "No Country for Old Men." He addressed the crowd in Spanish.

Staff (2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg, Rose Whipple & Eriel Deranger on Listening to Indigenous People Amid Climate Crisis. democracynow.org At the end of Friday's major climate rally in Madrid, a group of indigenous activists took the stage to sing and give speeches, but after some speeches their microphone was cut and the lights on stage were shut off as they spoke. Democracy Now! spoke to Eriel Deranger of Indigenous Climate Action and later asked Greta Thunberg and Rose Whipple about the importance of listening to indigenous voices.

Staff (2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg at Madrid March: Hope in the Streets, Not the U.N. Climate Summit. democracynow.org Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also addressed Friday's climate march in Madrid. "The hope is not within the walls of COP25; the hope is out here with you," said Thunberg, who inspired the global youth strike movement.

Staff (2019-12-09). Police Halt Activist-Led "Toxic Tour" of Spain's "Dirtiest" Corporate Polluters Sponsoring COP25. democracynow.org In Spain, the country's biggest fossil fuel polluters are also some of the most generous sponsors for this year's U.N. climate talks. On Saturday, we joined activists on a "toxic tour" of Madrid from the Madrid stock exchange to Santander Bank. Activists explained that when Spanish President Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain would host COP25, he went to IBEX 35 — the 35 biggest listed companies in the Spanish stock exchange — offering them a 90% tax break on a $2 million sponsorship. Advocates say that these same companies "have deep and dirty links to the fossil fuel industry." But midway through, t…

Ian S. Thompson (2019-12-09). Three Ways the "Fairness for All Act" Doesn't Protect LGBTQ People from Discrimination. aclu.org On Friday, Congressman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) and | several of his Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives introduced | the so-called "Fairness for All Act." The bill is being described by its | supporters as a compromise that protects both LGBTQ people and religious | liberty. | In reality, the bill facilitates the Trump | administration's ongoing efforts to give a greenlight to those who would turn | LGBTQ people away from jobs, health care, housing, even taxpayer-funded | programs, simply because of who they are. The bill also weakens some | longstanding protections in federal and state laws…

Paul Abowd (2019-12-08). The "Bernie Blackout" Is in Effect — and It Could Help Sanders Win. theintercept.com Sen. Bernie Sanders faced a media blackout that helped sink his 2016 run for president. Ahead of 2020, the trend continues: Sanders gets less media coverage and a higher rate of negative coverage than his top rivals for the Democratic nomination. But this time, says The Intercept's D.C. Bureau Chief Ryan Grim, the blackout could actually help Bernie win.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-08). Israel Bombs Gaza, Israeli Bot Group Caught Spreading Hate & US Admits Houthis Not "Iran Proxy" thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/7/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Julie Hollar (2019-12-07). How Media Turn Support for Public Schools Into Opposition to Children of Color. fair.org Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic presidential candidates are rejecting the Obama administration's embrace of charter schools, and media observers aren't taking kindly to it. "Minority Voters Chafe as Democratic Candidates Abandon Charter Schools," blared a recent New York Times headline ( 11/26/19). "The front-runners for the presidential nomination are moving away from the charter school movement, and black and Latino families ask why their concerns ar…

Edward J. Martin (2019-12-07). The Origins of Democratic Socialism: Robert Owen and Worker Cooperatives. dissidentvoice.org Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — and its two predecessor organizations, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM) — emerged in the early 1970s, during a long-term rightist movement in the United States. The DSA's contribution to the American Left was its new founded identity as a radical organization born …

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-07). US Claims "Fresh Intelligence" Of Iran Attacks Yet Provides Zero Evidence — MSM Blindly Regurgitates. thelastamericanvagabond.com Here we go again with "fresh intelligence" to justify the continued sanctions and destabilization of Iran. It's a plan that has been well documented even by their own writings (See Which Path to Persia? — 2009). Of course, complicating U.S. foreign policy is the involvement of Israel. The Last American Vagabond covers the latest political posturing, distortion, and general …

Robert Mackey (2019-12-07). Even Hunter Biden Admits His Work in Ukraine Was a Mistake. Why Can't His Father Say That? theintercept.com Biden's bizarre claim that "no one has said my son did anything wrong" in Ukraine reveals an inability to accept that legal behavior can also be unethical.

Tyler Durden (2019-12-06). Hillary Casually Drops 'Russian Asset' Smear on Bernie Sanders in New Interview. theantimedia.com Are we just going to ignore that Hillary Clinton, today, just implied that Bernie Sanders is also a Russian asset?>

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-06). The US Is Manufacturing A War With Iran Under Cover Of The Impeachment Distraction. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/5/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Alan MacLeod (2019-12-06). With People in the Streets Worldwide, Media Focus Uniquely on Hong Kong. fair.org Unlike protests against US client states, the Hong Kong demonstrations were frequently given the approving "pro-democracy" label (CNN, 8/30/19). | 2019 may be remembered as the year of the protest, as demonstrations are engulfing the world. From the Yellow Vests in France to demonstrations in Lebanon, Gaza, Chile, Ecuador and Haiti, sustained movements all over the planet have taken to the street demanding change. Yet US corporate media have been disproportionately interested in only one: the Hong Kong protests.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-05). CNN Says US Has "Fresh Intelligence" Of Iran Prepping Attack But Can't Show It & More NYT Propaganda. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/4/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Mark Fiore (2019-12-04). The DNC: Finding Your Perfect Match! progressive.org We're in the business of creating the perfect Democratic nominee.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-03). Pompeo Says US Will "Help Prevent" Protests For "Legitimate" Governments & US Bombs Afghan Family. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/2/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Brendan Oswald (2019-12-03). Think You're Tired of the Ukraine Scandal? So Are the Ukrainians! progressive.org Biden, Burisma, and the US impeachment hearings have crowded out media coverage of pressing domestic issues in Ukraine.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-02). Nicaragua Marked Next For US "Liberation", Trump Blames "Vicious World" For Khashoggi Murder & More. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/1/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Barry Healy (2019-12-02). Leonard Cohen: the poet, his muse and his penis. greenleft.org.au music Barry HealyIssue 1248 Australia Leonard CohenDecember 3, 2019Maryanne & Leonard, Words of Love
| Documentary film directed by Nick Broomfield
| In cinemas | As I emerged from the media preview for this film, I heard another viewer mutter that it was "the most self…

Matt Bruenig (2019-12-01). The Usual Incoherence on Student Benefits Is Back. peoplespolicyproject.org Of all the welfare state topics, student benefits manages to consistently attract the most incoherent and weird arguments, and the recent spate of arguments on this front are no exception. In the last week, a student benefit dustup has been instigated by Pete Buttigieg ostensibly being against free public college for millionaires and billionaires while Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are ostensibly for it. | This has set off the usual round of commentary about how Buttigieg is arguing for means-testing while Warren and Sanders are arguing f…

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-23). Iran False Flag Prep, US Government's Staggering Bolivia Hypocrisy, Netanyahu Indicted & Patriot Act. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/22/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Activist Post (2019-11-22). Congress Quietly Unites To Extend "Temporary" Patriot Act Under Cover Of The Impeachment Distraction. thelastamericanvagabond.com The only time Republicans and Democrats can agree is when they are discussing the expansion of the permanent war and surveillance state. The Last American Vagabond takes a closer look at the many layers of deception about how legislation gets pushed through which contains buried provisions that further erode the U.S. Constitution and liberty. This is …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-20). Israel Carries Out 'Wide-Scale Strikes' In Syria, US Gov Withholds Food/Meds From Iran & Patriot Act. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-18). US Says Israeli Settlements Are Legal, 23 Killed In Bolivia As Violent Coup Ignored & Venezuela Flop. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/18/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-17). Bolivia's New US-Made Dictatorship, Netanyahu Wins As Gaza Loses & Iran's Protests Are Trump's Fault. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/16/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Matt Bruenig (2019-11-17). Warren's Head Tax Is Not More Popular Than A Payroll Tax. peoplespolicyproject.org As we know by now, Elizabeth Warren's Medicare head tax proposal is a regressive mess ( I, II, III, IV). Warren's team knows this. The goal of the proposal i…

Matt Bruenig (2019-11-17). CAP's Topher Spiro Is Trying to Deceive Journalists By Lying. peoplespolicyproject.org It's been fun to see how the Center for American Progress (CAP) navigates this year's presidential election. For insider political reasons, they can't support Biden or Sanders. But for a long time, it was unclear who the alternative candidate they could support would be. | When Kamala Harris was rising, CAP's staff was doing overtime boosting her on Twitter and in the press, including boosting Harris's absurd health care proposal. But Harris's collapse put an end to that strategy. Recently Warren has risen as the alternative and so CAP has been working to promote her campaign, which puts CAP in the comical positi…

Christine Harrison (2019-11-16). Weekend Read: The importance of documenting racism in the White House. splcenter.org Earlier this week, the SPLC's Intelligence Project released the first two installments of an explosive four-part series examining more than 900 leaked emails between White House senior adviser Stephen Miller and an editor at the Breitbart News Network, a far-right website that its co-founder once dubbed the "platform for the alt-right."

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-15). Israel Kills Over 30 In Gaza, Bolivia Coup About Lithium And More & Israeli Group Taking Syria's Oil. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/14/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Hannah Gais (2019-11-15). Demands for Stephen Miller's Resignation Grow Following SPLC Report. splcenter.org Leaders of several Democratic caucuses became the latest voices demanding the resignation of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller after an SPLC investigation showed, through leaked emails, his affinity for white nationalism.

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-12). Leaked Audio Recordings Implicate Cruz, Menendez And Rubio In Bolivia Coup & Veteran's Day Reality. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/11/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-12). James Corbett Interview — ISIS Was Created, Armed And Funded By US/Israel & It's An Open Secret. thelastamericanvagabond.com The US government armed Osama Bin Laden; it armed Saddam Hussain with chemical weapons to be used against Iran in 1980; it armed the very groups that later became ISIS. Yet we are sold an entirely different yarn by the US government and its lap dog MSM. Today I have invited James Corbett on the …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-11). Turkey's Syria 'Ethnic Cleansing' In US Memo, US Can Shoot 'Any Syrian' Over Oil & A Bolivia Coup. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/6/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2019-11-09). Possible False Flag In Iraq, US Votes Against Anti-Nazi Res. & Pompeo's Iran Nuclear Lies Debunked. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/6/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Matt Bruenig (2019-11-05). The Leisure Agenda Will Give Americans Less Work and More Free Time. peoplespolicyproject.org Read the Paper | People's Policy Project, in collaboration with the newly-formed Gravel Institute, has released its latest major paper: "The Leisure Agenda." Ryan Cooper authored the paper. Jon White designed the paper. | The paper begins by documenting how overworked Americans are relative to people in similarly-developed countries. The average American worker puts in 269 more market work hours each year than…