(2019-07-11). Democrats Are Failing the Country by Letting Trump Off the Hook. commondreams.org Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for Acosta to resign, but also immediately ruled out impeaching him. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_schumer_0_0.jpeg …
(2019-07-11). 'We will overcome their greed': Bernie Sanders releases anti-endorsement list. nationofchange.org Bernie Sanders is going on the offensive against the Wall Street Bankers and various members of the 1% that have viciously opposed his candidacy by releasing an anti-endorsement list. | "We can propose all the ideas and plans we want, but nothing will fundamentally change until we have the guts to take on the most powerful corporate interests in America," says Sanders in an introduction to the list. "That is why I am proud to announce the modern-day oligarchs who oppose our movement." | Sanders' list includes the following: | Billionaire Haim Saban, who called for the bombing of Iran in 2014 and criticizes any…
(2019-07-11). The U.S. Women's Soccer World Cup Win Was a Victory for Title IX & the Fight for Equal Pay. democracynow.org 
Thousands gathered in Manhattan Wednesday to celebrate the U.S. women's national soccer team's fourth World Cup championship at a ticker tape parade that stretched up Broadway and past Wall Street. Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle and their teammates rode floats through New York City's Canyon of Heroes, ending their celebrations at a ceremony at City Hall. Supporters chanted "U.S.A.!" and "Equal pay!" The U.S women's World Cup victory came just months after members of the 2015 women's team sued the U.S. Soccer Federation over gender discrimination. Their high-profile fight for pay equity is focusing the s…
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'the Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, has endorsed four progressive champions for the House of Representatives in the 2020 election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York's 14th district, Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota's 5th district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib …
(2019-07-11). Bernie Sanders Unveils 'Anti-Endorsement' List of Billionaires. truthdig.com Asking the American public to judge his 2020 Democratic presidential campaign by both its supporters and its powerful enemies, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday unveiled an " anti-endorsement" list consisting of prominent billionaires, Wall Street bankers, and corporate CEOs who have attacked his candidacy and policies. | "You can tell who is truly fighting for working families by the enemies they make, and we've made a lot of enemies," Sanders said in a statement. "We understand that nothing will fundamentally change for working Americans unless we have t…
(2019-07-11). The Difference Between Liberals and Leftists. counterpunch.org 
Living as they do in a bipolar political world where politics consists of Democrats and Republicans and no other ideology is real, media corporations in the United States use left, liberal and Democrat as synonyms. This is obviously wrong and clearly untrue—Democrats are a party, leftism and liberalism are ideologies, and Democratic politics are frequently More
(2019-07-11). "Unconscionable & Unacceptable": Rep. Barragán Decries Detention of Migrant Children in Prison Cells. democracynow.org 
Yazmin Juárez, the Guatemalan mother whose child died from a lung infection after being held in an ICE detention center, testified before members of a congressional panel Wednesday. She shared the story of her daughter, 19-month-old Mariee, who died last year shortly after being released from the South Texas Family Detention Center in Dilley, Texas. Juárez filed a $60 million lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Health and Human Services. The House subcommittee convened to examine the treatment of refugees in U.S.
(2019-07-11). Republicans Scold Elizabeth Warren for Echoing Ariel Sharon on Israeli Occupation. theintercept.com Right-wing Israelis, and their supporters in the United States, have spent the last 48 hours venting their fury at Sen. Elizabeth Warren, since the Massachusetts Democrat told a young Jewish activist that she would press Israel to end its military rule over millions of disenfranchised Palestinians in territories it seized by force in 1967. | To be more precise, Warren's critics, led by the Republican Jewish Coalition, have expressed outrage that she said, "yes — so, I'm there," when asked, as she campaigned for the presidency in New Hampshire…
(2019-07-11). Amy McGrath Is Challenging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. She's Everything Wrong With the Democratic Party. theintercept.com Amy McGrath is everything wrong with the Democratic Party. She launched her high-profile campaign Tuesday with a multimillion-dollar burst of fundraising, with Democrats across the country eager to see her upend Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. By Wednesday, she was apologizing for a bizarre flip-flop-flip on a question — Brett Kavanaugh's fitness for the Supreme Court — that seemed like a layup. In between, she told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that she was running on the mind-bending rationale that McConnell needs to go because he has been obstructing the agenda of Donald Trump. | Perhaps the strang…
(2019-07-11). How to pay for it all: An option the candidates missed. nationofchange.org The Democratic Party has clearly swung to the progressive left, with candidates in the first round of presidential debates coming up with one program after another to help the poor, the disadvantaged and the struggling middle class. Proposals ranged from a Universal Basic Income to Medicare for All to a Green New Deal to student …
(2019-07-11). Mass measles vaccination campaign begins in Ebola-hit DR Congo province. un.org Health workers have started a massive measles vaccination campaign in north-east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a region that's in the grip of the second deadliest Ebola virus outbreak on record.
(2019-07-11). The Perils of Pelosi vs. The Squad. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., center, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, pose for a group photo of House Democrats in the Capitol Visitor Center, who plan to wear "suffragette white" to the State of the Union address to show solidarity for women's agendas on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_squad.jpg …
(2019-07-11). Oregon's Republican 'Walkout' Was a Serious Defeat For the Left. counterpunch.org Oregon's political crisis made national news after eleven Republican Senators fled the state, shutting down the legislature dominated by a supermajority of Democrats. Even with the governorship and legislature firmly in hand, the Democrats were soundly defeated by a tiny group that exploited the quorum rule in the state's constitution, achieving their main goal of More
(2019-07-11). Can Amy McGrath Take Down Mitch McConnell? Maybe Not — But Democrats Still Could. truthout.org Former fighter pilot Amy McGrath's Tuesday announcement that she would run against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his Kentucky seat R-Ky., was welcomed by more than $2.5 million in donations in the first 24 hours — and near-universal dismissal from election forecasters and political pundits. | As New York Times statistician Dave Wasserman tweeted: "Folks, there is just no amount of $$$ that is going to elect a Dem to federal office next…
(2019-07-11). How to Pay for It All: Central Banking Asia Style. globalresearch.ca The Democratic Party has clearly swung to the progressive left, with candidates in the first round of presidential debates coming up with one program after another to help the poor, the disadvantaged and the struggling middle class. Proposals ranged from …
(2019-07-11). As 2020 Primary Nears, Candidates Struggle with Positions on Charter Schools. progressive.org After years of avoidance, Democrats are being forced to take a stand charter schools—and most are straddling both sides.
(2019-07-11). How U.S. Tech Giants Are Helping to Build China's Surveillance State. theintercept.com A nonprofit led by Google and IBM executives is working with Semptian, whose technology is monitoring the internet activity of 200 million people in China.
(2019-07-11). Representative Barragán Decries Detention of Migrant Children in Jail Cells. truthout.org Yazmin Juárez, the Guatemalan mother whose child died after being held in an ICE detention center from a lung infection, testified before members of a congressional panel Wednesday. She shared the story of her daughter, 19-month-old Mariee, who died last year shortly after being released from the South Texas Family Detention Center in Dilley, Texas. Juárez filed a $60 million lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Health and Human Services. The House subcommittee convened to examine the treatment of…
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'The Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-07-11). House Judiciary Committee approves subpoenas for 12 witnesses in Trump probe. rt.com 
The Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas for 12 witnesses in the ongoing probe into whether President Trump obstructed special counsel Robert Mueller's 'Russian collusion' investigation.
(2019-07-11). Corporate Team of Rivals: Harris Now in Top Tier with Biden to Prevent a Progressive Nominee. indybay.org They will not fight for you…
(2019-07-11). The phony war between Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez. wsws.org The policy of the House Democrats is being set, not by the "lefts," but by the most right-wing faction with close ties to the military-intelligence apparatus.
(2019-07-11). Fed Up With Constant Attacks and Insults, Ocasio-Cortez Slams Pelosi as 'Outright Disrespectful' for Singling Out Progressives. commondreams.org "I think that it would be hypocritical for me to remain silent on injustices just because those injustices may come from our side of the aisle." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ocasio_cortez_8.jpg …
(2019-07-11). Sanders Joins Union Leaders and Healthcare Workers In Protesting 'Corporate Greed'-Fueled Private Equity Sale of Philadelphia Hospital. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders joined hundreds of union workers and Philadelphia community members on Thursday in decrying the planned closure of Hahnemann University Hospital, whose assets were recently put up for sale by Joel Freedman, the private equity executive who bought it last year. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-07-11_at_4.28.29_pm.jpg …
(2019-07-11). Some Notes On How RCV Has Made Australia A Paradise. indybay.org With a few changes in our voting system, we can enjoy the benefits of Australian freedom and democracy right here in the US.
(2019-07-11). Elizabeth Warren espouses economic nationalist policies aligned with Donald Trump. wsws.org Despite her public image as a representative of the "left" wing of the Democratic Party, Warren is a highly conscious and self-declared advocate of capitalism.
(2019-07-11). Why the Fight Over the 2016 Democratic Primaries Hasn't Gone Away. thenation.com Why the Fight Over the 2016 Democratic Primaries Hasn't Gone Away…
(2019-07-11). Boycott Businesses that Support the Santa Cruz Recall. indybay.org 'Undemocratic', 'Xenophobic' and 'Racist' are a few of the terms that have have been used to describe the recall effort launched in Santa Cruz against Progressive City Councilmembers Chris Krohn and Drew Glover. A group calling themselves 'Santa Cruz United' has initiated a petition drive to get the recall on the ballot. The membership of Santa Cruz United draws primarily from two preexisting groups: public safety group Take Back Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz Together, the anti-rent control group formed during the 2018 election. Multiple businesses are publicly supporting Santa Cruz United and the recall effort, inc…
(2019-07-11). Judge Emma Arbuthnot refuses to recuse herself in show trial of Julian Assange. wsws.org Assange's scalp must be taken at all costs to further imperialism's colonial-style wars of conquest and global war on the social and democratic rights of the working class…
(2019-07-11). Because 'Americans Need Relief Now' From 'Insane' Drug Costs, Sanders to Join Diabetics on Trip to Canada for Affordable Insulin. commondreams.org "When we win," said the 2020 Democratic candidate, "we won't wait for drug companies to end their greed. We will end it for them." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-07-11_at_2.35.48_pm.png …
(2019-07-10). John Carlos Frey: America's Deadly Stealth War on the Mexico Border Is Approaching Genocide. democracynow.org 
John Carlos Frey's new book, "Sand and Blood: America's Stealth War on the Mexico Border," chronicles how the U.S.-Mexico border became a war zone through decades of deadly bipartisan immigration policy. But it also examines the border through the personal history of his family. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Frey moved to the U.S. with his family when he was a toddler in 1965. He grew up in southern San Diego, California, where he witnessed the effects of American immigration policy on the borderlands every day. His father was an American citizen. His mother was a Mexican immigrant. Frey's book is dedicated "To my mot…
(2019-07-10). Philosopher Cornel West has a CNN host praising Bernie Sanders in this establishment-busting masterclass. thecanary.co Academic Cornel West had CNN host Ana Cabrera praising Bernie Sanders on 6 July, in what can only be described as an establishment-busting masterclass. | This is not "a circus for progressive gestures": | Skewering US pro-establishment presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, West said: You can't come along late… and sound progressive. You got to be consistently progressi…
(2019-07-10). The Inhumane Treatment of Migrants Is Not New. It's a Key Part of a Decades-Old Bipartisan Policy. democracynow.org 
More than a week after lawmakers flocked to the U.S.-Mexico border to observe the horrible treatment of refugee children and families in immigration jails, reports of unsafe and unsanitary conditions for asylum seekers are continuing. In Clint, Texas, the Border Patrol station that garnered international attention for jailing hundreds of migrant children without access to sufficient food, water, beds or medical care now has a spreading outbreak of scabies, shingles and chickenpox, according to border agents. In Yuma, Arizona, NBC reports that jailed migrant children have been subjected to mistreatment and sexual…
(2019-07-10). How the Climate Crisis Is Pushing Central Americans Out of Their Homes Toward the U.S. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. continues to crack down on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, we look at one of the underreported driving factors leading people to flee their home countries: the climate crisis. John Carlos Frey, author of "Sand and Blood: America's Stealth War on the Mexico Border," spent time with Central American climate refugees traveling in a caravan toward the United States. He says, "If this drought continues, we're looking at all-out famine from Central America. …That's one of the major reasons why they're coming. … The government doesn't even acknowledge the fact that there is a climate c…
(2019-07-10). New Jersey Political Boss Warns "Certain Elements of the Working Class" Are Turned Off by Embrace of Immigrants. theintercept.com George Norcross, a Cory Booker ally, said "the Democratic Party has not been attractive to certain elements of the working class," echoing Trump's rhetoric.
(2019-07-10). How to Pay for It All: An Option the Candidates Missed. dissidentvoice.org The Democratic Party has clearly swung to the progressive left, with candidates in the first round of presidential debates coming up with one program after another to help the poor, the disadvantaged and the struggling middle class. Proposals ranged from a Universal Basic Income to Medicare for All to a Green New Deal to student …
(2019-07-10). Headlines for July 10, 2019. democracynow.org Children Recount Mistreatment, Sexual Abuse at Yuma, AZ Migrant Jail, Scabies, Shingles & Chickenpox Spreading Among Children at Clint, TX Migrant Jail, Jewish Activists Arrested After Protesting Migrant Detention on Capitol Hill, Judge Rejects DOJ Move to Replace Legal Team Charged with Census Citizenship Battle, Court Says Trump Cannot Block Critics on Twitter, U.K. Ambassador Resigns After Leaked Cables Scandal, Afghan Peace Talks Close as Deadly Attacks Continue, Appeals Court Hears Arguments on Constitutionality of Affordable Care Act, Megan Rapinoe to Trump: "Your Message Is Excluding People", Calls Grow fo…
(2019-07-10). As Border Crisis Deepens, Nancy Pelosi Asks for Prayer to Heal Democratic Rifts. theintercept.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued her criticism of the progressives in her party at a private House Democratic caucus meeting on Wednesday. "Every time I'm attacked, I raise more money," Pelosi said, looking directly at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and drawing huge applause from the caucus. | Pelosi claimed that party infighting was putting the House majority at risk by jeopardizing seats flipped from red to blue in 2018. Ocasio-Cortez has been openly critical on Twitter of Blue Dogs and New Democrats, who represent conservatives in the caucus. "Think twice about it," Pelosi advised about staffers who tweet,…
(2019-07-10). Elections in the Era of Charismatic Politics. counterpunch.org Elections are often regarded as the quintessential expression of democracy. Yet elections can have undemocratic outcomes. The carefully choreographed election designed to give a fig leaf to an authoritarian regime is something everyone is familiar with. But there is also the paradoxical case where a relatively free and fair election ends up bringing the winner More
(2019-07-10). Speaking Truth to Power. counterpunch.org Last week Rep. Justin Amash, formerly a very conservative Republican member of Congress and the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, declared he's no longer a member of either the party or the caucus. He is also the only Republican member of Congress to call for the impeachment of president Trump after he actually read the entire More
(2019-07-10). Joe Biden: Protector of the Deep State. counterpunch.org 
Kamala Harris surged in the polls after attacking frontrunner Joe Biden during the first Democratic Party debate for opposing federal busing programs in the 1970s that were designed to desegregate public schools. Bernie Sanders in the debate also criticized Biden's support for the Iraq War. Left overlooked, however, were some other skeleton's in "lunch bucket" More
(2019-07-10). Kids in cages: House Dems scrub tweet with photo of Obama-era detention center used to attack Trump. rt.com 
House Democrats have erased a tweet promoting a hearing on the effects of President Trump's border policies on children after finding out they used a photo depicting a migrant detention center under President Obama's watch.
(2019-07-10). Ilhan Omar is a cautionary tale about US immigration — and so was I. rt.com 
After a TV host called the congresswoman Ilhan Omar a poster child for US immigration troubles, her response — calling him a racist — proved his point. Yet she is only the latest such case. I should know, having been one myself.
(2019-07-10). Trump's threat to override Supreme Court on census: The march toward rule by decree. wsws.org Trump's greatest asset is the fecklessness of the Democratic Party, whose record is one of complete acquiescence to Trump's escalating attack on basic democratic principles.
(2019-07-10). Corporate Team of Rivals: Biden and Harris. counterpunch.org 
The odds are now very strong that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders will be the Democratic presidential nominee. New polling averages say they account for almost 70 percent of support nationwide, while no other candidate is anywhere near. For progressives who want to affect the news instead of just consume it, active engagement More
(2019-07-10). Ilhan Omar brands Tucker Carlson a 'racist fool' in scathing tweet. rt.com 
Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar called Fox News host Tucker Carlson a "racist fool" for saying she is "living proof" that US immigration policy is a danger to the country. |
(2019-07-09). "This Is Not a Surprise": U.S. Sanctions and Saber Rattling Led to Iran's Renewed Uranium Enrichment. democracynow.org 
In ongoing fallout from the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on Monday that Iran has begun enriching uranium above the level agreed to by the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran has threatened to continue to increase their production of enriched uranium if European signatories of the nuclear deal do not help ease the impact of the U.S. sanctions. We speak with Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the new think tank, the Quincy Institute, and author of "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy."
(2019-07-09). Warning to progressive Dems: you're leaving corporate media's comfort zone. mronline.org 
After the first round of Democratic primary debates, the line from corporate media and their overwhelmingly centrist sources was clear: The Democrats are moving dangerously to the left, at their own peril. | Source
(2019-07-09). The Book of Palestine: National Liberation vs Endless Negotiations. mintpressnews.com 
What will it take for the Palestinian government to abandon the American option and, instead, to develop a rounded strategy that is founded on national unity, democratic representation and international solidarity? asks Ramzy Baroud.
(2019-07-09). Despite Death Threats, Glenn Greenwald Speaks Out About Exposing Large Corruption Scandal in Brazil. democracynow.org 
A political crisis in Brazil is growing in the wake of The Intercept's investigation into a judge who likely aided federal prosecutors in their corruption case against former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Bolsonaro administration announced Monday that Brazilian Justice Minister Sérgio Moro has been granted a leave of absence from July 15-19 to "deal with personal matters." Leaked cellphone messages among Brazilian law enforcement officials and other data obtained by The Intercept point to an ongoing collaboration between then-Judge Sérgio Moro and the prosecutors investigating a sweeping corr…
(2019-07-09). Tuesday's Daily Brief: #GlobalGoals progress, essential meds, updates from Cox's Bazar, Sudan and DR Congo. un.org This Tuesday's UN top stories are: high-level discussions on the progress made towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals; falling behind on universal education dream; the UN list of essential medicines updated; life-threatening floods in Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh; and human rights in Sudan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(2019-07-09). Justin Trudeau Strengthens Canada's Ties with the Repressive United Arab Emirates. dissidentvoice.org Given his personal history perhaps it is no surprise that Justin Trudeau is fond of monarchies. The United Arab Emirates is a repressive monarchy that pursues violent, anti-democratic, policies in its region. Despite this — or maybe because of it —Trudeau's Liberal government has strengthened ties to the federation of seven Emirates. And unlike Canada's …
(2019-07-09). From donor to Democrat candidate: Tom 'Need to impeach' Steyer declares his 2020 run. rt.com 
Tom Steyer, a wealthy liberal activist and fundraiser, has announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential race, shifting gears from his failed campaign to impeach President Donald Trump.
(2019-07-09). Aiming for the White House. thenation.com 
In a crowded field, which Democrats can avoid sand traps?
(2019-07-09). Unfairly singled-out? Biden isn't the only Democrat with ties to segregationists. rt.com 
Joe Biden has apologized after reminiscing about his relationship with segregationist lawmakers — comments which sparked outrage within his party. But he's far from the only Democrat with ties to openly racist politicians.
(2019-07-08). U.S. Women's Soccer Team Wins World Cup, Condemning Pay Discrimination and President Trump. democracynow.org 
The U.S. national women's soccer team made history by winning its record fourth World Cup after defeating the Netherlands 2 to 0 on Sunday in Lyon, France. The U.S. women's World Cup victory came just months after members of the 2015 women's team sued the U.S. Soccer Federation over gender discrimination. Following the victory, audience members began to chant "equal pay" in solidarity with the team's demands for an equal salary to their male counterparts. Prize money for this year's Women's World Cup is just $30 million compared to $400 million for the 2018 men's World Cup. Co-captain Megan Rapinoe was awarded th…
(2019-07-08). Socialists on Chicago City Council Fight for Affordable Housing, Immigrant Rights. theintercept.com Democratic socialists now make up 12 percent of the City Council, the highest number that any major American city has seen in more than a century.
(2019-07-08). Charges Dropped Against Pregnant Shooting Victim Amid Outcry over the Criminalization of Pregnancy. democracynow.org 
Following immense public pressure, prosecutors in Alabama have dropped manslaughter changers against Marshae Jones, a 28-year-old African-American woman whose pregnancy ended after she was shot in the stomach by a coworker. Local police accused Jones of starting the fight that led to the shooting in the parking lot of a Dollar General store outside of Birmingham. A grand jury then indicted Jones on manslaughter but dismissed any charges against the shooter. The case drew national outcry from women's rights advocates concerned about the criminalization of pregnant women and the legal implications of so-called feta…
(2019-07-08). Headlines for July 8, 2019. democracynow.org Trump & DOJ Reverse Stance, Will Keep Pushing for Citizenship Question in 2020 Census, Trump Admin Threatens It's Ready to Start Deporting Up to 1 Million People, ICE and FBI Have Used Facial Recognition Technology to Mine DMV Databases, Trump: Migrants "Very Happy" with Situation in U.S. Migrant Jails, Iran Breaches Nuclear Deal Limits, Condemns U.K.'s Seizure of Oil Tanker, Sudanese Military Leaders and Opposition Agree to 3-Year Power-Sharing Deal, Greek Snap Elections Hand Victory to Conservative Party, U.S. Women's Team Wins Soccer World Cup, Shining a Spotlight on Gender Pay Disparity, State of Emergency De…
(2019-07-08). 'Beyond reasonable doubt', international court convicts notorious DR Congo rebel leader of war crimes. un.org The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, found former Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda guilty "beyond reasonable doubt", of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the volatile Ituri district of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between 2002 and 2003.
(2019-07-08). David Harvey: The Limits of Social Democracy and of the Welfare State (2/2). therealnews.com 
The main alternative to neoliberalism is the proposed renewal of social democracy, such as in the form of Bernie Sanders' proposals. But to move forward we need to discuss the limits of a welfare state that ultimately does not change class relations, says David Harvey…
(2019-07-07). Nancy Pelosi Has Chosen Her War, and It's With Her Own Party's Future. theintercept.com 
It is time for liberals and leftists who lambast Mitch McConnell to admit to themselves that the hippie-punching Pelosi has become a Trump enabler too.
(2019-07-07). As Activists Push Democratic Climate Debate, DNC Donors Profit from Oil, Gas. therealnews.com 
For Democrats, the presidential primaries will end in Milwaukee at its convention in July 2020. It will be heavily funded by fossil fuel investors, Wes Edens and Marc Lasry, who also own the Milwaukee Bucks.
(2019-07-05). An Hour with Noam Chomsky on Fascism, Nuclear Weapons, Climate Change, Julian Assange & More. democracynow.org 
In April, hundreds of people packed into the Old South Church in Boston to hear the world-renowned dissident and linguist Noam Chomsky speak. In this hour-long special, we air an excerpt of Chomsky's speech and his on-stage interview with Amy Goodman.
(2019-07-04). Ta-Nehisi Coates: "Joe Biden Shouldn't Be President" democracynow.org 
Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden is under fire for fondly reminiscing about his "civil" relationship with segregationist senators in the 1970s and 1980s. Speaking at a fundraiser at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City on Tuesday night, Biden expressed nostalgia for his relationship with the late Democratic pro- segregation Senators James Eastland of Mississippi and Herman Talmadge of Georgia. Biden reportedly said, "I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland. … He never called me 'boy'; he called me 'son.'" Biden went on to say, "A guy like Herman Talmadge, one of the meanest guys I ever knew, you go do…
(2019-07-04). "What to the Slave Is 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech. democracynow.org 
In a Fourth of July holiday special, we hear the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies Antislavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn's acclaimed book, "Voices of a People's History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.
(2019-07-04). Danny Glover & Ta-Nehisi Coates Make the Case for Reparations at Historic Congressional Hearing. democracynow.org 
On June 19, a subcommittee of the House Judiciary held a historic hearing on reparations for slavery—the first of its kind in over a decade. The hearing coincided with Juneteenth, a day that commemorates June 19, 1865, when slaves in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had abolished slavery. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade. Lawmakers are considering a bill titled the "Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act." It was introduced by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, after former Congressm…
(2019-07-04). Ta-Nehisi Coates: Reparations Are Not Just About Slavery But Also Centuries of Theft & Racial Terror. democracynow.org 
We speak with renowned writer Ta-Nehisi Coates on the lasting legacy of American slavery, how the national dialogue about reparations has progressed in the past five years and his testimony in favor of reparations at a historic hearing last month, in which he took direct aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Coates says, "It is absolutely impossible to imagine America without enslavement."
(2019-07-04). US Congressman Justin Amash Quits the Republican Party. theantimedia.com (ZH Op-Ed) — Update: That was quick. President Trump has apparently taken a quick break from preparing for today's festivities to take one last swing at Amash on his way out the door. In a tweet, Trump called him "the dumbest & most disloyal [man] in Congress". Trump insisted Amash "knew he couldn't get the nomination to run again …
(2019-07-04). Reading Reuters between the Lines: Why the US Puppet President of Venezuela Is Toast. mintpressnews.com A critical reading between the lines of a Reuters article confirms that Washington has failed to cobble together a united opposition in Venezuela that is popular enough to win in the polls, likely signaling the end for Juan Guaido.
(2019-07-03). Border Agents Caught Posting Racist, Sexist Messages About Migrants & AOC in Secret Facebook Group. democracynow.org 
Customs and Border Protection has opened an investigation into…
(2019-07-03). Scott Warren of No More Deaths Faces Retrial for Providing Humanitarian Aid to Migrants in Arizona. democracynow.org 
Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday they will retry humanitarian aid volunteer and immigration rights activist Scott Warren on two charges related to aiding migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. This comes just a few weeks after a jury refused to convict Warren for providing water, food, clean clothes and beds to two undocumented migrants crossing the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. Eight jurors found Warren not guilty; four said he was. Federal prosecutors will make their case against Warren again in an 8-day jury trial in November. They have dropped a conspiracy charge against him. If convicted on the tw…
(2019-07-03). Buttigieg Goes for Big Bucks as NYT Oversells His Small-Donor Support. fair.org 
by Jim Naureckas On June 25, the day before the first Democratic presidential debates, Pete Buttigieg's average in polls of the race stood at 7.0 percent. Today, after the attention and considerable positive media reaction that he got after the debates, he's surged—to 5.2 percent. | Despite the fact that more people seeing him seems to have resulted in less people liking him, the media narrative about Buttigieg is that his is a campaign on the move—based almost entirely on his fun…
(2019-07-03). Headlines for July 3, 2019. democracynow.org DHS Watchdog: "Dangerous Overcrowding" and Dire Conditions at Texas Migrant Jails, 30-Year-Old Honduran Migrant Dies in U.S. Custody, Federal Judge Blocks Trump Plan to Deny Bail to Asylum Seekers, DHS Fining Immigrants Up to $500,000 for Not Leaving the U.S., Nationwide Protests Demand Lawmakers #CloseTheCamps, Cory Booker Vows to End Immigrant Detention in 2020 Proposal, In Defeat for Trump Admin, 2020 Census Will Not Include Citizenship Question, House Dems Sue Treasury and IRS over Trump's Tax Returns, Airstrike Hits Migrant Detention Center in Libya, Killing At Least 40, Ethiopian-Israeli Community Protests…
(2019-07-03). Thousands of Voices Are Telling the Supreme Court: Don't Roll Back LGBTQ Rights. aclu.org Businesses, women CEOs, civil rights organizations, Republicans tell the Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ employees like Aimee Stephens and Don Zarda. | President Trump has told the Supreme Court it should be legal to fire someone just because they're LGBTQ. The President may be a bully, but he's just one voice. Today, more than 2,000 voices from across the country joined together to tell the Supreme Court: Don't roll back our rights. | The message came in the form of friend-of-the-court briefs—nearly 50 in all—filed in a…
(2019-07-02). Kamala Harris Says She Was a Progressive Prosecutor. Her Record Tells Another Story. democracynow.org 
As Senator Kamala Harris rises in the early presidential polls, she is facing increasing scrutiny over her record as a prosecutor in California. In 2004, Harris became district attorney of San Francisco. She held…
(2019-07-02). Warning to Progressive Dems: You're Leaving Corporate Media's Comfort Zone. fair.org by Julie Hollar After the first round of Democratic primary debates, the line from corporate media and their overwhelmingly centrist sources was clear: The Democrats are moving dangerously to the left, at their own peril. | Washington Post reporter Michael Scherer ( 6/30/19), under the headline "Democratic Candidates Veer Left, Leaving Behind Successful Midterm Strategy," pushed the media conventional wisd…
(2019-07-02). NBC News Whitewashes Colombia's Right-Wing President. fair.org 
Colombian President Iván Duque gave a talk on June 21 at the "Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity" on his book Orange Economy: An Infinite Opportunity. Duque wasn't alone—Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, singer John Legend and former NBA star Dwyane Wade also made appearances at the French Riviera event. | Claire Atkinson, the senior media editor at NBC News ( 6/27/19), i…
(2019-07-01). Billionaires, mercenaries and middle class gangs build secret border wall in NM town. liberationnews.org 
We Build the Wall is a private billionaire-backed rightwing extremist organization.
(2019-07-01). 'Government-Run Healthcare' Is a Product of Health Industry—Run Media. fair.org At the first of two Democratic debates ( 6/26/19), MSNBC host and moderator Lester Holt asked the presidential hopefuls, "Who here would abolish their private health insurance in favor of a government-run plan?" He asked the same question the next night ( 6/27/19), and prefaced another question to Sen. Bernie Sanders: "You basically want to scrap the private health insurance system as we know it and replace it with a government-run plan."— | At a glance, this seems enti…
(2019-07-01). G20, Democratic debates, a pause in the trade war. uwidata.com G20 The two-day G20 summit ended in Osaka, Japan. Leaders of major powers discussed security, climate, trade, etc. The summit was marked by the United States' disagreement with other countries on a number of issues. For example, on the Paris climate agreement, on the China trade-war issue (despite the fact that a small "reconciliation" between …
(2019-06-28). Who Won the Democratic Food Fight? progressive.org From $1,000 monthly payments to socialism to love, presidential candidates lay out their strategies for beating Trump in 2020.
(2019-06-28). The Other Americans: Hondurans Look Back at the Political Coup that Undermined Their Democracy. progressive.org "I want my daughter to have a better life, I want her to walk."
(2019-06-27). SPLC: Supreme Court decision not to stop politicians from rigging voting maps hurts our democracy. splcenter.org The Supreme Court decided today that federal courts have no role in regulating state legislatures' gross abuses of power when drawing political lines.
(2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …