Daily Archives: July 20, 2019

2019-07-20: News Headlines

Staff (2019-07-20). Our Last Shot at Democracy. truthdig.com "The House of the Pain of Others: Chronicle of a Small Genocide" | Purchase in the Truthdig Bazaar | "Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone" | A book by Astra Taylor | In Anna Burns's Man Booker Prize-winning novel, "Milkman," the main character—"middle sister"—learns about two-thirds of the way through the book that she has been defined as a "beyond-the-pale" in her co…

Marjorie Cohn (2019-07-20). Kamala Harris has a distinguished career of serving injustice. mronline.org Harris favored criminalizing truancy, raising cash bail fees and keeping prisoners locked up for cheap labor. | Source

Public Relations and Michael Harris (2019-07-20). Houston African Forum Pre-Event to Sister Cities International Conference. indybay.org Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University, Houston…

Staff (2019-07-20). Trump's Racist Lies About Ilhan Omar Define the Republican Party. therealnews.com The Ilhan Omar quote Trump bastardized came from her conversation with John Nichols, who joins us to look at US history for inspiration and understanding…

James L Cowan (2019-07-20). The Immigrant Crisis and the Democratic Party. indybay.org Redstone Building (room TBA) 2940 16th St., San Francisco…

WSWS Repost (2019-07-20). Kamala Harris: Law-and-order with a dose of identity politics. indybay.org The World Socialist Web Site takes a close look at the political career of California Senator Kamala Harris.

Dave Lindorff (2019-07-19). The bs about Medicare-for-all has to stop! nationofchange.org It is increasingly clear that the wagons have circled both in the Democratic National Committee and in the news media to shut down any possibility of a national health plan as proposed by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) or Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The media for their part, keep touting — almost a year …

Nozomi Hayase (2019-07-19). In a Crisis of Democracy, We Must All Become Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org The US government's indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange marked the worst attack on press freedom in modern history. Assange has been charged with 18 counts, including 17 violations of the Espionage Act. James Goodale, former general counsel of the New York Times, who urged the paper to publish the Pentagon Papers during the Nixon …

Mike Arney (2019-07-19). Republican Senate + Republican president = Extreme right-wing federal courts. peoplesworld.org I sometimes hear activists say building and sustaining "the movement" is more important than achieving political and legislative victories. But what is the desired outcome of the movement if it isn't, at least in the short-term, to improve the lives of working people through better legislation? The extreme right never pledges to build a movement …

Staff (2019-07-19). Bernie Sanders Challenges Joe Biden to Stop Taking Money From Big Pharma. truthout.org | | This article was produced by Sludge, an independent, ad-free investigative news site covering money in politics. Click here to support Sludge. Two frontrunners in the Democratic presidential primary have been duking it out over their health plans in recent days, with former Vice President Joe Bid…

Ryan Grim (2019-07-19). Democrat-Backed Centrist PAC Is Supporting a Republican Against a Vulnerable Swing-District Incumbent. theintercept.com While the left gets slammed for launching challenges to incumbents, centrist Democrats backing a Republican in a swing district gets no attention at all.

Staff (2019-07-19). In 2003, This U.K. Whistleblower Almost Stopped the Iraq Invasion. A New Film Tells Her Story. democracynow.org In 2003, Katharine Gun, a young specialist working for Britain's Government Communications Headquarters, exposed a highly confidential memo that revealed the United States' collaboration with Britain in collecting sensitive information on United Nations Security Council members in order to pressure them into supporting the Iraq invasion. Gun leaked the memo to the press, setting off a chain of events that jeopardized her freedom and safety, but also opened the door to putting the entire legality of the Iraq invasion on trial. ‚Ä®‚Ä®Acclaimed Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsb…

Michael Sainato (2019-07-19). The Billionaires v. Bernie. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks to the crowd during the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_6.jpg

Paul Street (2019-07-19). Trump May Be a White Nationalist, but American Racism Is Bipartisan. truthdig.com Despite its rhetoric and appearance of diversity, the Democratic Party is deeply complicit in the nation's structural and institutional racism.

Staff (2019-07-19). Ralph Nader: The GOP Is a Profile in Cowardice. truthdig.com The president has proven himself entirely unfit for office. If Republicans had an ounce of moral courage, they would be primarying him.

Sarah Jaffe (2019-07-19). The Real Trouble with Ilhan Omar. progressive.org While others on the left waffle on questions of imperial power and foreign relations, the freshman Democrat takes on American hegemony.

Kim Petersen (2019-07-19). Is Trump a Racist? dissidentvoice.org President Donald Trump has once again stepped into the doggy-doo of comments that point to being a racist. Tweeted Trump: So interesting to see "Progressive" Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a …

Mark Gruenberg (2019-07-19). $15 by 2025: House OK of minimum wage hike cheers women's groups, unions. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Women's groups and union leaders cheered as the Democratic-run U.S. House voted to raise the U.S. minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The 231-199 vote, virtually along party lines, presages a tougher struggle in the GOP-run Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is completely hostile to raising the wage—or any other progressive …

Staff (2019-07-19). Headlines for July 19, 2019. democracynow.org 70 Catholics Arrested in Capitol Hill Protest of Trump's Immigration Policies, Asylum Seekers in Texas ICE Jail Launch Hunger Strike, House Democrats Grill Acting DHS Chief over Migrant Deaths and Squalid Jails, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Confronts DHS Chief over Racist & Sexist Border Patrol Posts, Trump Disavows "Send Her Home" Chant After Racist Attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Ilhan Omar Greeted in Minnesota with Chants of "Welcome Home", House Approves Minimum Wage Hike to $15 an Hour, Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Would Bring Overtime Pay, Union Rights, Trump to Nominate Anti-Union Lawyer Eugene Scalia as Labor S…

Jake Johnson (2019-07-19). Just hours before Trump unleashed more racist attacks at rally, 137 house Democrats joined GOP to kill articles of impeachment. nationofchange.org Just hours before President Donald Trump took to the stage in Greenville, North Carolina and unleashed more racist vitriol against Rep. Ilhan Omar and other progressive members of Congress, 137 House Democrats joined a united Republican caucus on Wednesday to kill articles of impeachment that sought to hold the president accountable for sparking "fear and hatred of new Americans …

Staff (2019-07-19). Anti-Racist Historian: Attacks on Rep. Omar Rooted in Belief "America Is for White People" democracynow.org On Thursday, President Trump attempted to distance himself from the racist chant of "send her back" about Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a Trump campaign rally Wednesday in North Carolina. The chants rang across the rally in response to Trump's own verbal attack against the congresswoman. He did nothing to intervene. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution condemning Trump's racist remarks against Congressmembers Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. We speak with Ibram X. Kendi, founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at A…

Alex Kane (2019-07-19). A Pro-Israel Democrat Withdrew Her Support for a Bill Supporting Palestinian Rights. She Now Claims Her Name Was Added by Accident. theintercept.com Rep. Rosa DeLauro's reversal on the legislation is only the latest illustration of how charged the debate over Israel has become in Washington.

Anthony DiMaggio (2019-07-19). System Capture 2020: The Role of the Upper-Class in Shaping Democratic Primary Politics. counterpunch.org The Democratic primary season is upon us, and the party's candidate list is a useful starting point for assessing the impact of affluence on American politics. Classic works by sociologists of decades past, including C. Wright Mills and G. William Domhoff, posited that U.S. political institutions were captured by elite economic actors, who seek to enhance their own material positions at the expense of the many. More

Michael Sainato (2019-07-19). The Billionaires v. Bernie. progressive.org The democratic socialist candidate is under attack from the super rich, their corporations, lobbyists, and think tanks. Some are even backing his 2020 Democratic primary rivals.

Staff (2019-07-19). Why Can't the Media Admit the Democratic Party Has a Right Wing? truthdig.com Politicians like Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar have a conservative agenda, yet our political press continues to label them "center-left."

Ajamu Baraka (2019-07-19). The "Squad" Will Need to Realize that You Can't Defeat White Supremacy with White Supremacy. globalresearch.ca The "squad" condemns Trump for his white nationalism, not understanding that as a white supremacist settler-colonial state, white nationalism is "American" nationalism. | "Biden as a neoliberal white supremacist imperialist was always clear where he stood." | The story of Trump's white …

Alan MacLeod (2019-07-19). To media, no Democrat can possibly be right-wing. nationofchange.org The 2020 presidential candidacy race is in full (absurdly early) swing, and there is a clear and obvious internal battle currently raging for the soul of the Democratic Party. One faction is attempting to pull the party in a more populist, social-democratic direction, while another favors maintaining a neoliberal, pro-business course. We all know the …

John Atcheson (2019-07-19). Trump's a Racist—But We Knew That. Now What? commondreams.org Trump's racist rant about four freshman congresswomen of color is getting a lot of play in the press and from Democrats. They're doing everything they can to get the fact that Trump is a racist into the headlines and on the news. But really, didn't we already know this? Trump threw the dog whistle away a long time ago, and he's been making explicit what had been for 40 years the implicit racism of the Republican Party.

United Nations (2019-07-19). Don't panic, support DR Congo in fight against deadly Ebola virus, UN health agency urges. un.org Ebola virus is just one challenge among many facing communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, reiterating an appeal for the international community to show support and solidarity for its people.

Paul Craig Roberts (2019-07-19). CNN: Propaganda and Disinformation. dissidentvoice.org CNN abandoned journalism and became a propaganda ministry for the Democratic National Committee and the corrupt upper echelons of the CIA and FBI. After three years of telling the most outrageous lies ever associated with an alleged news organization in an alleged democracy, CNN's viewership collapsed. CNN turned propaganda ministry saw its prime time viewers …

Fight Back (2019-07-19). NDFP condemns Duterte for giving Israel's IDF Nahal Brigade a role in his war against the people. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Luis G. Jalandoni, Chief International Representative, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). | The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) strongly condemns the Duterte regime's having the notorious Israel Defense Forces (IDF) give a specialized training by the Nahal Brigade of the IDF to 175 elite troops of the Philippine Army. This is despicable collaboration with Israeli Zionism, longtime partner of US imperialism, in horrendous acts of aggression against the Palestinian and Arab peoples. | Col. Dan Goldfus, commande…

Elie Mystal (2019-07-19). Every Pundit Urging Moderation Was Wrong in 2016, and They're Wrong Now. thenation.com Every Pundit Urging Moderation Was Wrong in 2016, and They're Wrong Now…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2019-07-19). Roaming Charges: Big Man, Pig Man. counterpunch.org + After the scenes of mass psychosis in North Carolina on Wednesday night, you'd think the Democrats would finally extinguish their happy trope about "bringing the country together", concentrate on protecting their most valuable assets (the 4 Horsewomen of the Political Apocalypse), and throw themselves into taking POWER. As Hobbes, the English Machiavelli understood perhaps More

RT (2019-07-19). Groupthink or bust: House Democrats want to look united, delete tweets attacking each other. rt.com US House Democrats' progressive and establishment wings have pledged not to let their political convictions get in the way of attacking President Donald Trump, uniting in a "collective de-escalation" to squelch intraparty drama.

pip.hinman (2019-07-19). Dutton's war on democracy. greenleft.org.au With the re-election of the Coalition government, conservatives have become emboldened to intensify their agenda of transferring even more wealth and power to the already dominant at the expense of the rest of us. | One sign of this is the rise in prominence of one the most hard-right figures in the Coalition: home affairs minister Peter Dutton. | Dutton has been at the centre of the Coalition government's efforts to whip up racist scapegoating and strengthen the state's repressive powers, a task for which he was well-prepared by his time in the Queensland police. | In 2014, he was appointed immigration minister…

RT (2019-07-19). Republicans introduce resolution to designate Antifa 'domestic terrorist organization'. rt.com Two Republican senators have introduced a resolution to "properly identify" Antifa as "domestic terrorists" who use violence against their opponents while being protected by "liberal privilege."

Staff (2019-07-19). Kamala Harris Goes After the Black Vote With a Homeownership Plan. therealnews.com Will Kamala Harris' home ownership proposal address the persistent issue of the racial homeownership and wealth gap, or will her plan create more problems for the very people she aims to help?

susan_p (2019-07-19). Sudan: 'The only way to ensure justice for our martyrs is in the streets.'. greenleft.org.au Sudanese took to the streets in their tens of thousands across the country on July 13, while negotiations for a transitional civilian-led government hung in the balance. | Two days later, protests broke out again in response to the killing of a civilian, shot dead in the town of El Souk, southeast of Khartoum. Witnesses reported that members of the feared Rapid Support Forces fired on protesters, who were demanding that the paramilitaries leave their town. | Negotiations between the democratic Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which seized control following the toppl…

Andrew Levine (2019-07-19). South Carolina Speaks for Whom? counterpunch.org Because the African American vote is crucial, the conventional wisdom nowadays is that for Democrats to end up with a nominee who can defeat Donald Trump, Democratic candidates must win over African Americans' hearts and minds. This is a rare case in which the conventional wisdom is spot on. Because South Carolina will be the More

Reid Champlin and Jessica Piper (2019-07-19). Top tier of 2020 Democrats forms after Q2 fundraising. nationofchange.org The five Democratic candidates who top the polls in recent months are also pulling away from the rest of the pack when it comes to fundraising. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg led all candidates with nearly $25 million raised, while former Vice President Joe Biden raked in nearly $22 million. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) respectively raised $19.1 million and $18 million. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) came in fifth …

PAI (2019-07-18). Head of NEA, country's biggest union, says Trump is a danger to democracy. peoplesworld.org HOUSTON (PAI)—Republican President Donald Trump is a danger to democracy and that automatically disqualified him from even being considered for an endorsement from the nation's largest union. That explanation came from Lily Eskelsen-Garcia, president of the 3.2-million-member National Education Association (NEA), in her keynote address to the union's recent convention in Houston, held over the …

Ralph Nader (2019-07-18). Will Any Disgusted Republicans Challenge Trump in the Primaries? dissidentvoice.org In 1956, then Senator John F. Kennedy authored a best-selling book titled Profiles in Courage, in which he told the stories of Senators in American history who, on principle, bucked the tides of power. Today, some Republican writer or conservative syndicated columnist — George Will or Max Boot — should write a book called Profiles in Cowardliness. It …

Staff (2019-07-18). Headlines for July 18, 2019. democracynow.org House Lawmakers Vote to Table Trump Impeachment Resolution, Trump Renews Racist Attacks on Four Progressive Congresswomen, Rep. Ilhan Omar Introduces Bill Affirming the Right to Boycott, House Votes to Bar Trump's Planned Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE, U.S. to Deploy 500 Troops to Saudi Air Base, Sudan's Military Rulers Agree to Share Power with Civilian Protesters, United Nations Declares Global Health Emergency as Ebola Spreads, Puerto Ricans Demand Resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló over Hateful Messages, AG Barr & Commerce Secretary Ross Held in Contempt of Congress, Sen. Rand Paul Blocks Vote on S…

G. Dunkel (2019-07-18). Elections in Greece: What happened and what's next. workers.org New Democracy, which the big business press calls a center-right party, won the July 7 election in Greece with 39.8 percent of the vote. It has 158 seats in parliament — a comfortable majority that let it form a majority government. The leader of ND, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, took over as . . . | Continue reading Elections in Greece: What happened and what's next at Workers.org

Staff (2019-07-18). Nearly 100,000 in Puerto Rico Protest Demanding Gov. Rosselló Resign over Lewd Texts & Corruption. democracynow.org Close to 100,000 Puerto Ricans took to the streets Wednesday chanting "Ricky Renuncia!" as they called for the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló, following the leak by Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism of hundreds of misogynistic, homophobic and violent text messages between Rosselló and members of his Cabinet. On Monday, Denis Márquez of the Puerto Rican Independence Party introduced formal complaints against the governor and called for his impeachment. All of this comes as former Education Secretary Julia Keleher and five others have been arrested on charges of steering federal money to u…

Dave Lindorff (2019-07-18). The BS about Medicare-for-All Has to Stop! dissidentvoice.org It is increasingly clear that the wagons have circled both in the Democratic National Committee and in the news media to shut down any possibility of a national health plan as proposed by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) or Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The media for their part, keep touting — almost …

Staff (2019-07-18). "It Is Not Just War. It Is Life": Acclaimed Doc "For Sama" Offers Rare Glimpse into War-Torn Syria. democracynow.org We look at the award-winning documentary feature titled "For Sama," a devastating account of war-torn Syria told through the eyes of director Waad al-Kateab. She filmed hundreds of hours of footage in her native Aleppo to create a stunning depiction of life during wartime. Amid airstrikes and attacks on hospitals, Waad falls in love with one of the last remaining doctors in Aleppo, gets married and has a baby girl, Sama, to whom the film is dedicated. When protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad first began in 2011, Waad al-Kateab was a young economics student who began filming on a cellphone. Fo…

Ryan Grim (2019-07-18). Chuck Schumer, in Meeting With Progressive Caucus, Said He Was Surprised House Democrats Waved Through the Senate Border Bill. theintercept.com The Senate minority leader said he had expected the House to pass a stronger bill, after which the two chambers would negotiate a compromise.

Binoy Kampmark (2019-07-18). Donald Trump, the Democrat Squad and Failed Impeachment. dissidentvoice.org Twitter has become policy. It is platform, direction and determination. It has served one particular person well, a hazy mechanism to fog up the lenses of law makers. When President Donald Trump needs an air-wave filling distraction, a bilious splurge of interest in the blogosphere, he is always happy to lob a grenade of 280 …

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-07-18). With Support of Just 3 Republicans, House Democrats Pass 'Historic' Raise the Wage Act to Guarantee Workers $15 Minimum Wage. commondreams.org Progressives in Congress were joined by workers, business owners, and labor rights advocates in celebrating the "historic" passage on Thursday of the Raise the Wage Act, aimed at guaranteeing all American workers a minimum wage of $15. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fight-for-15_2_1.jpg

RT (2019-07-18). Rand Paul stalls 9/11 victim compensation bill, angering Democrats. rt.com Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has blocked the passage of a measure extending compensation for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, citing cost concerns. The measure had broad bipartisan support.

RT (2019-07-18). 'Crisis in Queens': Immigrant from Jamaica announces Republican challenge to AOC in 2020. rt.com A new contender has entered the ring for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's House seat in New York, vowing to take the young congresswoman's spot in 2020 and condemning her for seeking self-promotion over public service.

RT (2019-07-18). Schumer, DNC up in arms over face manipulation app created by 'the Russians'. rt.com Accusations about FaceApp, a service for manipulating portraits, have graduated from racism and transphobia to a bona fide national security threat, with Chuck Schumer calling for a formal FBI probe. Because Russia is behind it!

RT (2019-07-18). Ilhan Omar brands Trump 'FASCIST' after 'send her back' chants at his rally. rt.com Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused the US president of being "racist" and of "spewing fascist ideology" after Donald Trump's supporters were heard chanting "send her back" during a rally as he was lambasting the Democratic congresswoman.

RT (2019-07-18). '4 horsewomen' of Dem 'squad' poll low amid Trump tweetfest, but their party is doing even worse. rt.com The four Democratic congresswomen feuding with US President Donald Trump are not polling well nationwide, suggesting the president is right that "a lot of people love" his criticism of the women as anti-American "whack jobs."

Staff (2019-07-17). Happiest Place on Earth? Meet the Disney Heiress Speaking Out Against Disneyland's Abuse of Workers. democracynow.org Abigail Disney, the heiress of the Disney fortune, is once again speaking out against the company's unfair labor and wage practices. She recently spoke to Disneyland employees in California, where they shared their experiences with the theme park's work environment. In the past, Abigail Disney has criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger's obscene salary and the drastic pay gap between Iger and other Disney employees. Abigail Disney also testified in May at the House Committee on Financial Services during a hearing on strengthening the rights and protections of workers. We speak with Abigail Disney, filmmaker and granddaug…

Staff (2019-07-17). "They Didn't Do Their Job": Eric Garner Family Outraged DOJ Won't Prosecute His Death by Police. democracynow.org It's been five years since Eric Garner, an African-American father of six, was killed when a white New York City police officer wrestled him to the ground and applied a fatal chokehold, while Garner, who was unarmed, said "I can't breathe" 11 times. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced they will not bring civil rights charges against Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer implicated in Garner's death. The move reportedly came after Attorney General William Barr ordered that the case be dropped. Earlier this year, a medical examiner testified that it was a chokehold that triggered an asthma attack that led to Ga…

Alan MacLeod (2019-07-17). To Media, No Democrat Can Possibly Be Right-Wing. fair.org by Alan MacLeod The 2020 presidential candidacy race is in full (absurdly early) swing, and there is a clear and obvious internal battle currently raging for the soul of the Democratic Party. One faction is attempting to pull the party in a more populist, social-democratic direction, while another favors maintaining a neoliberal, pro-business course. | We all know the most prominent members of the first group: The likes of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and freshmen representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley are constantly referred to (accurately) as represen…

David Swanson (2019-07-17). Is Tulsi Gabbard Qualified? dissidentvoice.org I want Tulsi Gabbard in the Democratic Presidential debates because she speaks out against wars. She raises the topic unasked. She wants various wars ended or not launched. She wants impeachment made automatic for presidents who launch wars. What's not to love? I also want Mike Gravel included for the same reason. If anything, he's …

Ryan Grim (2019-07-17). Maureen Dowd Asked Rahm Emanuel to Weigh In on an Immigration Debate. His Record Is Abysmal. theintercept.com When it comes to immigration, both the politics and the policy, perhaps no Democrat has been more destructive over the past 25 years than Rahm Emanuel.

Staff (2019-07-17). Amazon Workers Demand Fair Pay & Conditions as Company Continues Undercutting Rivals. democracynow.org While online shoppers around the world flocked to Amazon's mega-sale "Prime Day" this week, the retail giant faced growing outrage from protesters, workers and lawmakers for its unsafe working conditions and collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demonstrators in Seattle delivered a petition with over 270,000 signatures to Amazon headquarters demanding it stop exploiting workers and cooperating with ICE. Lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ilhan Omar, co-signed a letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration demanding a full investigation into Amazon's wor…

United Nations (2019-07-17). 'Emulate his example' urges UN chief as world celebrates Nelson Mandela: a 'global advocate for dignity and equality'. un.org Nelson Mandela was an "extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality" who anyone in public service should seek to emulate, Secretary-General António‚ÄØGuterres said in his message marking the International Day that honours the iconic anti-apartheid campaigner, and South Africa's first democratically-elected President.

United Nations (2019-07-17). DR Congo Ebola outbreak now an international Public Health Emergency, UN health agency declares. un.org The second worst Ebola outbreak of all time, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was officially declared an international Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Wednesday, with the head of the World Health Organization calling for countries to 'take notice and redouble our efforts".

Staff (2019-07-17). Headlines for July 17, 2019. democracynow.org House Votes to Condemn Trump's Racist Tweets, Rep. Al Green Introduces Impeachment Articles, Kellyanne Conway to Reporter Asking About Trump's Racism: "What's Your Ethnicity?", Rights Groups File Lawsuits to Stop Trump's Draconian New Asylum Rule, White Police Officer Who Killed Eric Garner Will Not Face Federal Charges, Ex-Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo Arrested in California over Corruption Scandal, Press Freedom Advocates Call for Release of Yemeni Journalist Yahya al-Sawari, Planned Parenthood Removes President Dr. Leana Wen over Disagreements on Direction of Org., Organizations Say They Will Not Comply…

Dan Simon (2019-07-17). Reading Buttigieg Told Me Everything I Need to Know About the 2020 Presidential Race. thenation.com Reading Buttigieg Told Me Everything I Need to Know About the 2020 Presidential Race…

John Nichols (2019-07-17). The Republican Party Is Aggressively Repositioning Itself as the Party of Trump's Racism. thenation.com The Republican Party Is Aggressively Repositioning Itself as the Party of Trump's Racism…

Staff (2019-07-16). "Our Squad Is Big": Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib and Pressley Condemn Trump's Racist Attack. democracynow.org Congressmembers Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar condemned President Trump's spate of racist attacks against them in a news conference Monday. Their public rebuke followed Trump tweeting Sunday telling them to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." The comments have been widely condemned as racist and xenophobic. We hear from the progressive congresswomen in their own words.

Julie Hollar (2019-07-16). ACTION ALERT: CNN Should Treat Left and Right Alike in Presidential Debates. fair.org CNN is hosting the next Democratic primary debates on July 30 and 31. Three people have been selected to ask questions: CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Don Lemon, and CNN correspondent Dana Bash. | In the last presidential elections, the first Republican primary debate CNN hos…

Staff (2019-07-16). 2020 Hopeful Julián Castro Vows to Break Up ICE & Calls Trump's New Asylum Rule Unconstitutional. democracynow.org As Trump faced national rebuke for his racist comments against four progressive congresswomen, his administration announced a new rule essentially banning most immigrants from seeking refuge in the United States. The rule, which the ACLU has already vowed to challenge in court, would deny asylum to any migrant who failed to apply for protection in another country they passed through on the way to the U.S. border—including children traveling alone. If enacted, the law would effectively block people from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, as well as Haitians, Cubans and many people from African countries, who…

Staff (2019-07-16). Julián Castro Is Running for President & Supporting Striking Amazon & McDonald's Workers. democracynow.org Amid labor strikes against poor working conditions and low wages for Amazon and McDonald's workers, we speak with 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro about workers' rights, fair pay and where he stands on foreign policy, from China to Israel.

Staff (2019-07-16). Headlines for July 16, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Announces Radical Plan to Bar Almost All Migrants from Seeking Asylum at U.S. Border, Squad Rejects Trump's Racist Attacks & Calls for Impeachment as House Plans Resolution to Condemn, Protesters Call for Exit of Puerto Rican Gov. Rosselló After Leaked Text Messages, El Salvador Rape Survivor Being Retried for Homicide for Having Stillbirth, U.N. Report Accuses Venezuela's Special Forces of 1000s of Extrajudicial Killings, Workers and Activists Protest Amazon, Calling for an End to Labor Abuses, Collaboration with ICE, Washington Activist Protesting Immigrant Detention Shot Dead, Historian and Civil Rights…

Staff (2019-07-15). "We Are in Fear": Undocumented Immigrant in Sanctuary Responds to Raids from Colorado Church. democracynow.org As immigrant communities face ongoing raids across the country, we speak with Rosa Sabido, one of dozens of undocumented immigrants living in churches across the United States. She entered sanctuary in May 2017 in the fellowship hall at United Methodist Church in Mancos, Colorado, after being told that her latest request of stay of deportation had been denied by ICE. She first came to the U.S. on a visitor visa in 1987 to see her mother and stepfather, who are both naturalized U.S. citizens. "We are in fear. We are on guard," says Sabido. "We are on constant panic, and we don't know what's going to happen in our…

Staff (2019-07-15). "Fossil Fuel Stooges" Pence & Trump Deny Climate Crisis as Deadly Rains Slam Louisiana & South Asia. democracynow.org Ongoing heavy rain has killed at least 67 people in Nepal, 25 in India and 14 in Bangladesh as flooding from monsoons has displaced 1 million people in South Asia. This year's flooding in the region has been worse than ever before and is likely fueled by rising global temperatures, which have led to more extreme weather. Scientists warn that the risk of deadly floods is not over. In the United States, New Orleans residents managed to avoid the worst of Tropical Storm Barry, but 11 million people continued to be on flash flood warning as the storm slowly made its way through Louisiana over the weekend. President T…

Maryam Saleh (2019-07-15). How Some Florida Prosecutors Are Pushing Back Against GOP Voter Suppression Efforts. theintercept.com The GOP legislature is trying to take the vote away from people with past legal woes — and some prosecutors are looking for ways around a new restriction.

Staff (2019-07-15). Cruelty Is the Point: Communities Fight Back as Threat of ICE Raids Terrorize Immigrant Families. democracynow.org This weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched a handful of raids across the country as part of President Trump's push to detain and deport thousands of undocumented migrants in 10 major cities. Agents in Chicago reportedly arrested a mother and her children only to quickly release them. Arrests were also attempted in New York City, in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and Harlem, where immigrants reportedly refused to open their doors to ICE agents because they did not have warrants. Authorities say more raids are planned this week, prompting fear but also generating mass protests on the ground. We speak…

Fight Back (2019-07-14). Activists in Oshkosh, WI call for closure of Trump's concentration camps. fightbacknews.org Oshkosh, WI – On the evening of July 12, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Students for a Democratic Society (UWO SDS) hosted a Lights for Liberty rally, demanding an end to the Trump administration's detention policy and the closure of the concentration camps, where tens of thousands of immigrants are being held in clear breach of international law. The call to action drew roughly 30 people from Oshkosh and the surrounding Fox Valley area. | The event started with a silent candlelight vigil to help bring awareness to the disastrous conditions in the camps. The action featured 12 different people speaking…

Julie Hollar (2019-07-13). Why Does WaPo See Black as an 'Identity'—but Not Multi-Millionaire? fair.org The Washington Post's "identity politics" writer put out a piece this week ( 7/9/19) devoted to what Robert Johnson, the ultra-rich founder of Black Entertainment Television, thinks about the Democratic primary race. The piece leads off: Few demographic groups are more faithful to the Democratic Party than black Am…

Janine Jackson (2019-07-12). 'This Is Designed to Shape the Electorate to Retain Political Power' – CounterSpin interview with Steven Rosenfeld on gerrymandering. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed Steven Rosenfeld on the Supreme Court's gerrymandering decision for the July 5, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…

Roger D. Harris (2019-07-12). The Glaring Holes in Michelle Bachelet's Venezuela Human Rights Report. mintpressnews.com UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's report on Venezuela echoes the US government's talking points, which are designed to terminate the two-decade-old Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. The report fails to acknowledge Venezuela's manifest accomplishments or even recognize victims of US-backed right-wing violence in Venezuela. The US economic war against Venezuela, US threats of a "military option," and opposition violence are treated in the Bachelet report as figments of the imagination, "alleged internal and external threats." | Mean…

Staff (2019-07-12). Know Your Rights: How Immigrant Rights Activists Are Preparing for Looming ICE Deportation Raids. democracynow.org Immigrant communities across the country and their allies are preparing for nationwide raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement planned to begin Sunday that will target undocumented members of immigrant families in at least nine major cities. The cities where raids will take place are said to be Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. New Orleans had been on the list, but the city announced this weekend that ICE was temporarily postponing the raids due to Tropical Storm Barry. We speak with a roundtable of immigrants' rights activists: Adelina Nicholls, th…

Staff (2019-07-12). Ousted Honduran President Zelaya: The 2009 U.S.-Backed Coup Helped Cause Today's Migrant Crisis. democracynow.org Since the 2009 U.S.-backed military coup in Honduras, extreme poverty and violence has skyrocketed in the country, forcing tens of thousands of Hondurans to flee to the U.S. with the hope of receiving political asylum. We speak with ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in the capital of Tegucigalpa about the 10th anniversary of the coup in Honduras, U.S. intervention in Central America and its link to today's migration crisis.

splcenter (2019-07-12). Weekend Read: Jim Crow's fingerprints are on Florida's new voting law. splcenter.org Voting is not a privilege but a right that is essential for a healthy, well-functioning democracy.

Staff (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.

Staff (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…

Jake Jacobs (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.

Violet Jane Evans (2019-07-08). As prosecutors vow retrial of Scott Warren, community vows to continue aiding migrants. liberationnews.org The further persecution of Warren is not having the cooling effect on border-activism that U.S. authorities intended it to have.

ACLU (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…

2019-07-20: Social Media Postees

Kamala Harris has a distinguished career of serving injustice
Marjorie Cohn | mronline.org | 2019-07-20
Harris favored criminalizing truancy, raising cash bail fees and keeping prisoners locked up for cheap labor. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/07/20/kamala-harris-has-a-distinguished-career-of-serving-injustice/

Our Last Shot at Democracy
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-07-20
"The House of the Pain of Others: Chronicle of a Small Genocide" | Purchase in the Truthdig Bazaar | "Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone" | A book by Astra Taylor | In Anna Burns's Man Booker Prize-winning novel, "Milkman," the main character–"middle sister"–learns about two-thirds of the way through the book that she has been defined as a "beyond-the-pale" in her co…
truthdig.com/articles/our-last-shot-at-democracy/

Houston African Forum Pre-Event to Sister Cities International Conference
Public Relations and Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2019-07-20
Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University, Houston…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/07/16/18824805.php

Trump's Racist Lies About Ilhan Omar Define the Republican Party
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-07-20
The Ilhan Omar quote Trump bastardized came from her conversation with John Nichols, who joins us to look at US history for inspiration and understanding…
therealnews.com/stories/trumps-racist-lies-about-ilhan-omar-define-the-republican-party

Kamala Harris: Law-and-order with a dose of identity politics
WSWS Repost | indybay.org | 2019-07-20
The World Socialist Web Site takes a close look at the political career of California Senator Kamala Harris.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/07/19/18824845.php

The Immigrant Crisis and the Democratic Party
James L Cowan | indybay.org | 2019-07-20
Redstone Building (room TBA) 2940 16th St., San Francisco…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/07/18/18824838.php

Ralph Nader: The GOP Is a Profile in Cowardice
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-07-19
The president has proven himself entirely unfit for office. If Republicans had an ounce of moral courage, they would be primarying him.
truthdig.com/articles/ralph-nader-the-gop-is-a-profile-in-cowardice/

Trump May Be a White Nationalist, but American Racism Is Bipartisan
Paul Street | truthdig.com | 2019-07-19
Despite its rhetoric and appearance of diversity, the Democratic Party is deeply complicit in the nation's structural and institutional racism.
truthdig.com/articles/trump-may-be-a-white-nationalist-but-american-racism-is-bipartisan/

Anti-Racist Historian: Attacks on Rep. Omar Rooted in Belief "America Is for White People"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-19
On Thursday, President Trump attempted to distance himself from the racist chant of "send her back" about Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a Trump campaign rally Wednesday in North Carolina. The chants rang across the rally in response to Trump's own verbal attack against the congresswoman. He did nothing to intervene. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution condemning Trump's racist remarks against Congressmembers Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. We speak with Ibram X. Kendi, founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at A…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/19/donald_trump_ilhan_omar_racist_attacks

The Billionaires v. Bernie
Michael Sainato | progressive.org | 2019-07-19
The democratic socialist candidate is under attack from the super rich, their corporations, lobbyists, and think tanks. Some are even backing his 2020 Democratic primary rivals.
progressive.org/dispatches/billionaires-v-bernie-sainato-190719/

Bernie Sanders Challenges Joe Biden to Stop Taking Money From Big Pharma
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-07-19
| This article was produced by Sludge, an independent, ad-free investigative news site covering money in politics. Click here to support Sludge. Two frontrunners in the Democratic presidential primary have been duking it out over their health plans in recent days, with former Vice President Joe Bid…
truthout.org/articles/bernie-sanders-challenges-joe-biden-to-stop-taking-money-from-big-pharma/

Just hours before Trump unleashed more racist attacks at rally, 137 house Democrats joined GOP to kill articles of impeachment
Jake Johnson | nationofchange.org | 2019-07-19
Just hours before President Donald Trump took to the stage in Greenville, North Carolina and unleashed more racist vitriol against Rep. Ilhan Omar and other progressive members of Congress, 137 House Democrats joined a united Republican caucus on Wednesday to kill articles of impeachment that sought to hold the president accountable for sparking "fear and hatred of new Americans …
nationofchange.org/2019/07/19/just-hours-before-trump-unleashed-more-racist-attacks-at-rally-137-house-democrats-joined-gop-to-kill-articles-of-impeachment/

The bs about Medicare-for-all has to stop!
Dave Lindorff | nationofchange.org | 2019-07-19
It is increasingly clear that the wagons have circled both in the Democratic National Committee and in the news media to shut down any possibility of a national health plan as proposed by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) or Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The media for their part, keep touting — almost a year …
nationofchange.org/2019/07/19/the-bs-about-medicare-for-all-has-to-stop/

Top tier of 2020 Democrats forms after Q2 fundraising
Reid Champlin and Jessica Piper | nationofchange.org | 2019-07-19
The five Democratic candidates who top the polls in recent months are also pulling away from the rest of the pack when it comes to fundraising. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg led all candidates with nearly $25 million raised, while former Vice President Joe Biden raked in nearly $22 million. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) respectively raised $19.1 million and $18 million. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) came in fifth …
nationofchange.org/2019/07/19/top-tier-of-2020-democrats-forms-after-q2-fundraising/

The Real Trouble with Ilhan Omar
Sarah Jaffe | progressive.org | 2019-07-19
While others on the left waffle on questions of imperial power and foreign relations, the freshman Democrat takes on American hegemony.
progressive.org/dispatches/the-real-trouble-with-ilhan-omar-jaffe-190719/

The Billionaires v. Bernie
Michael Sainato | commondreams.org | 2019-07-19
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks to the crowd during the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_6.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/07/19/billionaires-v-bernie?cd-origin=rss

The "Squad" Will Need to Realize that You Can't Defeat White Supremacy with White Supremacy
Ajamu Baraka | globalresearch.ca | 2019-07-19
The "squad" condemns Trump for his white nationalism, not understanding that as a white supremacist settler-colonial state, white nationalism is "American" nationalism. | "Biden as a neoliberal white supremacist imperialist was always clear where he stood." | The story of Trump's white …
globalresearch.ca/squad-will-need-realize-you-cant-defeat-white-supremacy-white-supremacy/5684053

Why Can't the Media Admit the Democratic Party Has a Right Wing?
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-07-19
Politicians like Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar have a conservative agenda, yet our political press continues to label them "center-left."
truthdig.com/articles/why-cant-the-media-admit-the-democratic-party-has-a-right-wing/

Democrat-Backed Centrist PAC Is Supporting a Republican Against a Vulnerable Swing-District Incumbent
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-07-19
While the left gets slammed for launching challenges to incumbents, centrist Democrats backing a Republican in a swing district gets no attention at all.
theintercept.com/2019/07/19/centrist-democrats-target-freshman-representative/

In 2003, This U.K. Whistleblower Almost Stopped the Iraq Invasion. A New Film Tells Her Story
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-19
In 2003, Katharine Gun, a young specialist working for Britain's Government Communications Headquarters, exposed a highly confidential memo that revealed the United States' collaboration with Britain in collecting sensitive information on United Nations Security Council members in order to pressure them into supporting the Iraq invasion. Gun leaked the memo to the press, setting off a chain of events that jeopardized her freedom and safety, but also opened the door to putting the entire legality of the Iraq invasion on trial. ‚Ä®‚Ä®Acclaimed Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsb…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/19/katharine_gun_whistleblower_official_secrets_movie

Trump's a Racist—But We Knew That. Now What?
John Atcheson | commondreams.org | 2019-07-19
Trump's racist rant about four freshman congresswomen of color is getting a lot of play in the press and from Democrats. They're doing everything they can to get the fact that Trump is a racist into the headlines and on the news. But really, didn't we already know this? Trump threw the dog whistle away a long time ago, and he's been making explicit what had been for 40 years the implicit racism of the Republican Party.
commondreams.org/views/2019/07/19/trumps-racist-we-knew-now-what?cd-origin=rss

NDFP condemns Duterte for giving Israel's IDF Nahal Brigade a role in his war against the people
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-07-19
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Luis G. Jalandoni, Chief International Representative, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). | The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) strongly condemns the Duterte regime's having the notorious Israel Defense Forces (IDF) give a specialized training by the Nahal Brigade of the IDF to 175 elite troops of the Philippine Army. This is despicable collaboration with Israeli Zionism, longtime partner of US imperialism, in horrendous acts of aggression against the Palestinian and Arab peoples. | Col. Dan Goldfus, commande…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/7/19/ndfp-condemns-duterte-giving-israel-s-idf-nahal-brigade-role-his-war-against-people

Is Trump a Racist?
Kim Petersen | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-19
President Donald Trump has once again stepped into the doggy-doo of comments that point to being a racist. Tweeted Trump: So interesting to see "Progressive" Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/is-trump-a-racist/

A Pro-Israel Democrat Withdrew Her Support for a Bill Supporting Palestinian Rights. She Now Claims Her Name Was Added by Accident
Alex Kane | theintercept.com | 2019-07-19
Rep. Rosa DeLauro's reversal on the legislation is only the latest illustration of how charged the debate over Israel has become in Washington.
theintercept.com/2019/07/19/rosa-delauro-betty-mccollum-israel-palestine-bill-democrats/

Don't panic, support DR Congo in fight against deadly Ebola virus, UN health agency urges
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-19
Ebola virus is just one challenge among many facing communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, reiterating an appeal for the international community to show support and solidarity for its people.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1042851

$15 by 2025: House OK of minimum wage hike cheers women's groups, unions
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2019-07-19
WASHINGTON–Women's groups and union leaders cheered as the Democratic-run U.S. House voted to raise the U.S. minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The 231-199 vote, virtually along party lines, presages a tougher struggle in the GOP-run Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is completely hostile to raising the wage–or any other progressive …
peoplesworld.org/article/15-by-2025-house-ok-of-minimum-wage-hike-cheers-womens-groups-unions/

CNN: Propaganda and Disinformation
Paul Craig Roberts | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-19
CNN abandoned journalism and became a propaganda ministry for the Democratic National Committee and the corrupt upper echelons of the CIA and FBI. After three years of telling the most outrageous lies ever associated with an alleged news organization in an alleged democracy, CNN's viewership collapsed. CNN turned propaganda ministry saw its prime time viewers …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/cnn-propaganda-and-disinformation/

In a Crisis of Democracy, We Must All Become Julian Assange
Nozomi Hayase | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-19
The US government's indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange marked the worst attack on press freedom in modern history. Assange has been charged with 18 counts, including 17 violations of the Espionage Act. James Goodale, former general counsel of the New York Times, who urged the paper to publish the Pentagon Papers during the Nixon …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/in-a-crisis-of-democracy-we-must-all-become-julian-assange/

To media, no Democrat can possibly be right-wing
Alan MacLeod | nationofchange.org | 2019-07-19
The 2020 presidential candidacy race is in full (absurdly early) swing, and there is a clear and obvious internal battle currently raging for the soul of the Democratic Party. One faction is attempting to pull the party in a more populist, social-democratic direction, while another favors maintaining a neoliberal, pro-business course. We all know the …
nationofchange.org/2019/07/19/to-media-no-democrat-can-possibly-be-right-wing/

South Carolina Speaks for Whom?
Andrew Levine | counterpunch.org | 2019-07-19
Because the African American vote is crucial, the conventional wisdom nowadays is that for Democrats to end up with a nominee who can defeat Donald Trump, Democratic candidates must win over African Americans' hearts and minds. This is a rare case in which the conventional wisdom is spot on. Because South Carolina will be the…
counterpunch.org/2019/07/19/south-carolina-speaks-for-whom/

System Capture 2020: The Role of the Upper-Class in Shaping Democratic Primary Politics
Anthony DiMaggio | counterpunch.org | 2019-07-19
The Democratic primary season is upon us, and the party's candidate list is a useful starting point for assessing the impact of affluence on American politics. Classic works by sociologists of decades past, including C. Wright Mills and G. William Domhoff, posited that U.S. political institutions were captured by elite economic actors, who seek to enhance their own material positions at the expense of the many.
counterpunch.org/2019/07/19/system-capture-2020-the-role-of-the-upper-class-in-shaping-democratic-primary-politics/

Republican Senate + Republican president = Extreme right-wing federal courts
Mike Arney | peoplesworld.org | 2019-07-19
I sometimes hear activists say building and sustaining "the movement" is more important than achieving political and legislative victories. But what is the desired outcome of the movement if it isn't, at least in the short-term, to improve the lives of working people through better legislation? The extreme right never pledges to build a movement …
peoplesworld.org/article/republican-senate-republican-president-extreme-right-wing-federal-courts/

Roaming Charges: Big Man, Pig Man
Jeffrey St. Clair | counterpunch.org | 2019-07-19
+ After the scenes of mass psychosis in North Carolina on Wednesday night, you'd think the Democrats would finally extinguish their happy trope about "bringing the country together", concentrate on protecting their most valuable assets (the 4 Horsewomen of the Political Apocalypse), and throw themselves into taking POWER. As Hobbes, the English Machiavelli understood perhaps…
counterpunch.org/2019/07/19/roaming-charges-big-man-pig-man/

Kamala Harris Goes After the Black Vote With a Homeownership Plan
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-07-19
Will Kamala Harris' home ownership proposal address the persistent issue of the racial homeownership and wealth gap, or will her plan create more problems for the very people she aims to help?
therealnews.com/stories/kamala-harris-goes-after-the-black-vote-with-a-homeownership-plan

Republicans introduce resolution to designate Antifa 'domestic terrorist organization'
rt.com | 2019-07-19
Two Republican senators have introduced a resolution to "properly identify" Antifa as "domestic terrorists" who use violence against their opponents while being protected by "liberal privilege." | …
rt.com/usa/464520-antifa-terrorst-organization-resolution/

Every Pundit Urging Moderation Was Wrong in 2016, and They're Wrong Now
Elie Mystal | thenation.com | 2019-07-19
Every Pundit Urging Moderation Was Wrong in 2016, and They're Wrong Now…
thenation.com/article/tom-friedman-moderate-democrats-versus-progressives/

Sudan: 'The only way to ensure justice for our martyrs is in the streets.'
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-07-19
Sudanese took to the streets in their tens of thousands across the country on July 13, while negotiations for a transitional civilian-led government hung in the balance. | Two days later, protests broke out again in response to the killing of a civilian, shot dead in the town of El Souk, southeast of Khartoum. Witnesses reported that members of the feared Rapid Support Forces fired on protesters, who were demanding that the paramilitaries leave their town. | Negotiations between the democratic Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which seized control following the toppl…
greenleft.org.au/content/sudan-only-way-ensure-justice-our-martyrs-streets

Dutton's war on democracy
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-07-19
With the re-election of the Coalition government, conservatives have become emboldened to intensify their agenda of transferring even more wealth and power to the already dominant at the expense of the rest of us. | One sign of this is the rise in prominence of one the most hard-right figures in the Coalition: home affairs minister Peter Dutton. | Dutton has been at the centre of the Coalition government's efforts to whip up racist scapegoating and strengthen the state's repressive powers, a task for which he was well-prepared by his time in the Queensland police. | In 2014, he was appointed immigration minister…
greenleft.org.au/content/resist-duttons-war-democracy

Groupthink or bust: House Democrats want to look united, delete tweets attacking each other
rt.com | 2019-07-19
US House Democrats' progressive and establishment wings have pledged not to let their political convictions get in the way of attacking President Donald Trump, uniting in a "collective de-escalation" to squelch intraparty drama. | …
rt.com/usa/464522-house-democrats-ideological-lockstep-pledge/

Will Any Disgusted Republicans Challenge Trump in the Primaries?
Ralph Nader | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-18
In 1956, then Senator John F. Kennedy authored a best-selling book titled Profiles in Courage, in which he told the stories of Senators in American history who, on principle, bucked the tides of power. Today, some Republican writer or conservative syndicated columnist — George Will or Max Boot — should write a book called Profiles in Cowardliness. It …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/will-any-disgusted-republicans-challenge-trump-in-the-primaries/

The BS about Medicare-for-All Has to Stop!
Dave Lindorff | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-18
It is increasingly clear that the wagons have circled both in the Democratic National Committee and in the news media to shut down any possibility of a national health plan as proposed by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) or Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The media for their part, keep touting — almost …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/the-bs-about-medicare-for-all-has-to-stop/

Chuck Schumer, in Meeting With Progressive Caucus, Said He Was Surprised House Democrats Waved Through the Senate Border Bill
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-07-18
The Senate minority leader said he had expected the House to pass a stronger bill, after which the two chambers would negotiate a compromise.
theintercept.com/2019/07/18/border-bill-chuck-schumer-congressional-progressive-caucus/

Elections in Greece: What happened and what's next
G. Dunkel | workers.org | 2019-07-18
New Democracy, which the big business press calls a center-right party, won the July 7 election in Greece with 39.8 percent of the vote. It has 158 seats in parliament — a comfortable majority that let it form a majority government. The leader of ND, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, took over as . . . | Continue reading Elections in Greece: What happened and what's next at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/07/18/elections-in-greece-what-happened-and-whats-next/

Nearly 100,000 in Puerto Rico Protest Demanding Gov. Rosselló Resign over Lewd Texts & Corruption
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-18
Close to 100,000 Puerto Ricans took to the streets Wednesday chanting "Ricky Renuncia!" as they called for the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló, following the leak by Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism of hundreds of misogynistic, homophobic and violent text messages between Rosselló and members of his Cabinet. On Monday, Denis Márquez of the Puerto Rican Independence Party introduced formal complaints against the governor and called for his impeachment. All of this comes as former Education Secretary Julia Keleher and five others have been arrested on charges of steering federal money to u…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/18/seg_1_puerto_rico

Head of NEA, country's biggest union, says Trump is a danger to democracy
PAI | peoplesworld.org | 2019-07-18
HOUSTON (PAI)–Republican President Donald Trump is a danger to democracy and that automatically disqualified him from even being considered for an endorsement from the nation's largest union. That explanation came from Lily Eskelsen-Garcia, president of the 3.2-million-member National Education Association (NEA), in her keynote address to the union's recent convention in Houston, held over the …
peoplesworld.org/article/head-of-nea-countrys-biggest-union-says-trump-is-a-danger-to-democracy/

"It Is Not Just War. It Is Life": Acclaimed Doc "For Sama" Offers Rare Glimpse into War-Torn Syria
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-18
We look at the award-winning documentary feature titled "For Sama," a devastating account of war-torn Syria told through the eyes of director Waad al-Kateab. She filmed hundreds of hours of footage in her native Aleppo to create a stunning depiction of life during wartime. Amid airstrikes and attacks on hospitals, Waad falls in love with one of the last remaining doctors in Aleppo, gets married and has a baby girl, Sama, to whom the film is dedicated. When protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad first began in 2011, Waad al-Kateab was a young economics student who began filming on a cellphone. Fo…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/18/for_sama_award_winning_documentary_syria

Donald Trump, the Democrat Squad and Failed Impeachment
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-18
Twitter has become policy. It is platform, direction and determination. It has served one particular person well, a hazy mechanism to fog up the lenses of law makers. When President Donald Trump needs an air-wave filling distraction, a bilious splurge of interest in the blogosphere, he is always happy to lob a grenade of 280 …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/donald-trump-the-democrat-squad-and-failed-impeachment/

Schumer, DNC up in arms over face manipulation app created by 'the Russians'
rt.com | 2019-07-18
Accusations about FaceApp, a service for manipulating portraits, have graduated from racism and transphobia to a bona fide national security threat, with Chuck Schumer calling for a formal FBI probe. Because Russia is behind it! | …
rt.com/usa/464457-democrats-alarm-russian-app/

Rand Paul stalls 9/11 victim compensation bill, angering Democrats
rt.com | 2019-07-18
Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has blocked the passage of a measure extending compensation for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, citing cost concerns. The measure had broad bipartisan support. | …
rt.com/usa/464445-rand-paul-911-bill/

'Crisis in Queens': Immigrant from Jamaica announces Republican challenge to AOC in 2020
rt.com | 2019-07-18
A new contender has entered the ring for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's House seat in New York, vowing to take the young congresswoman's spot in 2020 and condemning her for seeking self-promotion over public service. | …
rt.com/usa/464428-immigrant-republican-challenge-aoc/

'4 horsewomen' of Dem 'squad' poll low amid Trump tweetfest, but their party is doing even worse
rt.com | 2019-07-18
The four Democratic congresswomen feuding with US President Donald Trump are not polling well nationwide, suggesting the president is right that "a lot of people love" his criticism of the women as anti-American "whack jobs." | …
rt.com/usa/464431-democrats-squad-poll-unfavorable/

With Support of Just 3 Republicans, House Democrats Pass 'Historic' Raise the Wage Act to Guarantee Workers $15 Minimum Wage
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-07-18
Progressives in Congress were joined by workers, business owners, and labor rights advocates in celebrating the "historic" passage on Thursday of the Raise the Wage Act, aimed at guaranteeing all American workers a minimum wage of $15. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fight-for-15_2_1.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/07/18/support-just-3-republicans-house-democrats-pass-historic-raise-wage-act-guarantee?cd-origin=rss

Ilhan Omar brands Trump 'FASCIST' after 'send her back' chants at his rally
rt.com | 2019-07-18
Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused the US president of being "racist" and of "spewing fascist ideology" after Donald Trump's supporters were heard chanting "send her back" during a rally as he was lambasting the Democratic congresswoman. | …
rt.com/usa/464504-omar-trump-racist-fascist/

To Media, No Democrat Can Possibly Be Right-Wing
Alan MacLeod | fair.org | 2019-07-17
by Alan MacLeod The 2020 presidential candidacy race is in full (absurdly early) swing, and there is a clear and obvious internal battle currently raging for the soul of the Democratic Party. One faction is attempting to pull the party in a more populist, social-democratic direction, while another favors maintaining a neoliberal, pro-business course. | We all know the most prominent members of the first group: The likes of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and freshmen representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley are constantly referred to (accurately) as represen…
fair.org/home/to-media-no-democrat-can-possibly-be-right-wing/

Is Tulsi Gabbard Qualified?
David Swanson | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-17
I want Tulsi Gabbard in the Democratic Presidential debates because she speaks out against wars. She raises the topic unasked. She wants various wars ended or not launched. She wants impeachment made automatic for presidents who launch wars. What's not to love? I also want Mike Gravel included for the same reason. If anything, he's …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/is-tulsi-gabbard-qualified/

Amazon Workers Demand Fair Pay & Conditions as Company Continues Undercutting Rivals
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-17
While online shoppers around the world flocked to Amazon's mega-sale "Prime Day" this week, the retail giant faced growing outrage from protesters, workers and lawmakers for its unsafe working conditions and collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demonstrators in Seattle delivered a petition with over 270,000 signatures to Amazon headquarters demanding it stop exploiting workers and cooperating with ICE. Lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ilhan Omar, co-signed a letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration demanding a full investigation into Amazon's wor…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/17/amazon_workers_prime_day_strike

Maureen Dowd Asked Rahm Emanuel to Weigh In on an Immigration Debate. His Record Is Abysmal
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-07-17
When it comes to immigration, both the politics and the policy, perhaps no Democrat has been more destructive over the past 25 years than Rahm Emanuel.
theintercept.com/2019/07/17/rahm-emanuel-immigration/

'Emulate his example' urges UN chief as world celebrates Nelson Mandela: a 'global advocate for dignity and equality'
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-17
Nelson Mandela was an "extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality" who anyone in public service should seek to emulate, Secretary-General António‚ÄØGuterres said in his message marking the International Day that honours the iconic anti-apartheid campaigner, and South Africa's first democratically-elected President.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1042641

DR Congo Ebola outbreak now an international Public Health Emergency, UN health agency declares
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-17
The second worst Ebola outbreak of all time, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was officially declared an international Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Wednesday, with the head of the World Health Organization calling for countries to 'take notice and redouble our efforts".
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1042681

Congresswomen condemn White House racism
Monica Moorehead | workers.org | 2019-07-17
As we go to press, the House of Representatives passed a resolution saying that Trump's tweets were racist. All Democrats and four Republicans voted for the resolution. More to come. The white supremacist and misogynist Trump has opened up another vicious, racist verbal war. This time it is against four . . . | Continue reading Congresswomen condemn White House racism at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/07/17/congresswomen-condemn-white-house-racism/

Happiest Place on Earth? Meet the Disney Heiress Speaking Out Against Disneyland's Abuse of Workers
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-17
Abigail Disney, the heiress of the Disney fortune, is once again speaking out against the company's unfair labor and wage practices. She recently spoke to Disneyland employees in California, where they shared their experiences with the theme park's work environment. In the past, Abigail Disney has criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger's obscene salary and the drastic pay gap between Iger and other Disney employees. Abigail Disney also testified in May at the House Committee on Financial Services during a hearing on strengthening the rights and protections of workers. We speak with Abigail Disney, filmmaker and granddaug…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/17/abigail_disney_criticism_of_disney_company

"They Didn't Do Their Job": Eric Garner Family Outraged DOJ Won't Prosecute His Death by Police
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-17
It's been five years since Eric Garner, an African-American father of six, was killed when a white New York City police officer wrestled him to the ground and applied a fatal chokehold, while Garner, who was unarmed, said "I can't breathe" 11 times. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced they will not bring civil rights charges against Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer implicated in Garner's death. The move reportedly came after Attorney General William Barr ordered that the case be dropped. Earlier this year, a medical examiner testified that it was a chokehold that triggered an asthma attack that led to Ga…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/17/eric_garner_justice_dept_no_charges

The Republican Party Is Aggressively Repositioning Itself as the Party of Trump's Racism
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-07-17
The Republican Party Is Aggressively Repositioning Itself as the Party of Trump's Racism…
thenation.com/article/republican-party-repositioning-trump-racism/

Reading Buttigieg Told Me Everything I Need to Know About the 2020 Presidential Race
Dan Simon | thenation.com | 2019-07-17
Reading Buttigieg Told Me Everything I Need to Know About the 2020 Presidential Race…
thenation.com/article/pete-buttigieg-south-bend-shortest-way-home/

"Our Squad Is Big": Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib and Pressley Condemn Trump's Racist Attack
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-16
Congressmembers Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar condemned President Trump's spate of racist attacks against them in a news conference Monday. Their public rebuke followed Trump tweeting Sunday telling them to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." The comments have been widely condemned as racist and xenophobic. We hear from the progressive congresswomen in their own words.
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/16/trump_racist_attacks_congresswomen_of_color

2020 Hopeful Julián Castro Vows to Break Up ICE & Calls Trump's New Asylum Rule Unconstitutional
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-16
As Trump faced national rebuke for his racist comments against four progressive congresswomen, his administration announced a new rule essentially banning most immigrants from seeking refuge in the United States. The rule, which the ACLU has already vowed to challenge in court, would deny asylum to any migrant who failed to apply for protection in another country they passed through on the way to the U.S. border–including children traveling alone. If enacted, the law would effectively block people from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, as well as Haitians, Cubans and many people from African countries, who…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/16/julian_castro_trump_racist_attacks

Julián Castro Is Running for President & Supporting Striking Amazon & McDonald's Workers
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-16
Amid labor strikes against poor working conditions and low wages for Amazon and McDonald's workers, we speak with 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro about workers' rights, fair pay and where he stands on foreign policy, from China to Israel.
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/16/julian_castro_immigration

ACTION ALERT: CNN Should Treat Left and Right Alike in Presidential Debates
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-07-16
CNN is hosting the next Democratic primary debates on July 30 and 31. Three people have been selected to ask questions: CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Don Lemon, and CNN correspondent Dana Bash. | In the last presidential elections, the first Republican primary debate CNN hos…
fair.org/home/action-alert-cnn-should-treat-left-and-right-alike-in-presidential-debates/

How Some Florida Prosecutors Are Pushing Back Against GOP Voter Suppression Efforts
Maryam Saleh | theintercept.com | 2019-07-15
The GOP legislature is trying to take the vote away from people with past legal woes — and some prosecutors are looking for ways around a new restriction.
theintercept.com/2019/07/15/florida-voting-rights-amendment-4/

Cruelty Is the Point: Communities Fight Back as Threat of ICE Raids Terrorize Immigrant Families
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-15
This weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched a handful of raids across the country as part of President Trump's push to detain and deport thousands of undocumented migrants in 10 major cities. Agents in Chicago reportedly arrested a mother and her children only to quickly release them. Arrests were also attempted in New York City, in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and Harlem, where immigrants reportedly refused to open their doors to ICE agents because they did not have warrants. Authorities say more raids are planned this week, prompting fear but also generating mass protests on the ground. We speak…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/15/immigration_detention_ice_raids_elora_mukherjee

"Fossil Fuel Stooges" Pence & Trump Deny Climate Crisis as Deadly Rains Slam Louisiana & South Asia
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-15
Ongoing heavy rain has killed at least 67 people in Nepal, 25 in India and 14 in Bangladesh as flooding from monsoons has displaced 1 million people in South Asia. This year's flooding in the region has been worse than ever before and is likely fueled by rising global temperatures, which have led to more extreme weather. Scientists warn that the risk of deadly floods is not over. In the United States, New Orleans residents managed to avoid the worst of Tropical Storm Barry, but 11 million people continued to be on flash flood warning as the storm slowly made its way through Louisiana over the weekend. President T…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/15/nepal_india_bangladesh_flooding_climate_crisis

"We Are in Fear": Undocumented Immigrant in Sanctuary Responds to Raids from Colorado Church
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-15
As immigrant communities face ongoing raids across the country, we speak with Rosa Sabido, one of dozens of undocumented immigrants living in churches across the United States. She entered sanctuary in May 2017 in the fellowship hall at United Methodist Church in Mancos, Colorado, after being told that her latest request of stay of deportation had been denied by ICE. She first came to the U.S. on a visitor visa in 1987 to see her mother and stepfather, who are both naturalized U.S. citizens. "We are in fear. We are on guard," says Sabido. "We are on constant panic, and we don't know what's going to happen in our…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/15/rosa_sabido_immigrants_in_sanctuary_seg2

Activists in Oshkosh, WI call for closure of Trump's concentration camps
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-07-14
Oshkosh, WI – On the evening of July 12, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Students for a Democratic Society (UWO SDS) hosted a Lights for Liberty rally, demanding an end to the Trump administration's detention policy and the closure of the concentration camps, where tens of thousands of immigrants are being held in clear breach of international law. The call to action drew roughly 30 people from Oshkosh and the surrounding Fox Valley area. | The event started with a silent candlelight vigil to help bring awareness to the disastrous conditions in the camps. The action featured 12 different people speaking…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/7/14/activists-oshkosh-wi-call-closure-trumps-concentration-camps

Why Does WaPo See Black as an 'Identity'–but Not Multi-Millionaire?
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-07-13
The Washington Post's "identity politics" writer put out a piece this week ( 7/9/19) devoted to what Robert Johnson, the ultra-rich founder of Black Entertainment Television, thinks about the Democratic primary race. The piece leads off: Few demographic groups are more faithful to the Democratic Party than black Am…
fair.org/home/why-does-wapo-see-black-as-an-identity-but-not-multi-millionaire/

The Glaring Holes in Michelle Bachelet's Venezuela Human Rights Report
Roger D. Harris | mintpressnews.com | 2019-07-12
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's report on Venezuela echoes the US government's talking points, which are designed to terminate the two-decade-old Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. The report fails to acknowledge Venezuela's manifest accomplishments or even recognize victims of US-backed right-wing violence in Venezuela. The US economic war against Venezuela, US threats of a "military option," and opposition violence are treated in the Bachelet report as figments of the imagination, "alleged internal and external threats." | Mean…
mintpressnews.com/glaring-holes-michelle-bachelet-venezuela-human-rights-report/260552/

'This Is Designed to Shape the Electorate to Retain Political Power' – CounterSpin interview with Steven Rosenfeld on gerrymandering
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2019-07-12
Janine Jackson interviewed Steven Rosenfeld on the Supreme Court's gerrymandering decision for the July 5, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
fair.org/home/this-is-designed-to-shape-the-electorate-to-retain-political-power/

Weekend Read: Jim Crow's fingerprints are on Florida's new voting law
splcenter.org | 2019-07-12
Voting is not a privilege but a right that is essential for a healthy, well-functioning democracy.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/12/weekend-read-jim-crows-fingerprints-are-floridas-new-voting-law

Ousted Honduran President Zelaya: The 2009 U.S.-Backed Coup Helped Cause Today's Migrant Crisis
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-12
Since the 2009 U.S.-backed military coup in Honduras, extreme poverty and violence has skyrocketed in the country, forcing tens of thousands of Hondurans to flee to the U.S. with the hope of receiving political asylum. We speak with ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in the capital of Tegucigalpa about the 10th anniversary of the coup in Honduras, U.S. intervention in Central America and its link to today's migration crisis.
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/12/manuel_zelaya_honduras_coup_immigration_crisis

Know Your Rights: How Immigrant Rights Activists Are Preparing for Looming ICE Deportation Raids
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-12
Immigrant communities across the country and their allies are preparing for nationwide raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement planned to begin Sunday that will target undocumented members of immigrant families in at least nine major cities. The cities where raids will take place are said to be Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. New Orleans had been on the list, but the city announced this weekend that ICE was temporarily postponing the raids due to Tropical Storm Barry. We speak with a roundtable of immigrants' rights activists: Adelina Nicholls, th…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/12/trump_ice_raids_know_your_rights

"Unconscionable & Unacceptable": Rep. Barragán Decries Detention of Migrant Children in Prison Cells
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-11
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.
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/11/nanette_barragan_immigration_jails_dismantling_dhs

As 2020 Primary Nears, Candidates Struggle with Positions on Charter Schools
Jake Jacobs | progressive.org | 2019-07-11
After years of avoidance, Democrats are being forced to take a stand charter schools–and most are straddling both sides.
progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/2020-candidates-struggle-charter-schools-jacobs-190711/

The U.S. Women's Soccer World Cup Win Was a Victory for Title IX & the Fight for Equal Pay
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-11
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/11/uswnt_world_cup_win_title_ix

As prosecutors vow retrial of Scott Warren, community vows to continue aiding migrants
Violet Jane Evans | liberationnews.org | 2019-07-08
The further persecution of Warren is not having the cooling effect on border-activism that U.S. authorities intended it to have.
liberationnews.org/jury-refuses-to-convict-scott-warren-for-aiding-migrants-federal-prosecutors-announce-retrial/

Thousands of Voices Are Telling the Supreme Court: Don't Roll Back LGBTQ Rights
aclu.org | 2019-07-03
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…
aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/lgbt-nondiscrimination-protections/thousands-voices-are-telling-supreme-court-dont