(2019-08-10). Biden & AOC lead Democrats to land where facts don't matter and truth is make-believe. rt.com 
From Joe Biden announcing he chooses "truth over facts" and Congresswoman AOC more concerned about being "morally right," their frustration with President Donald Trump is making Democratic Party luminaries run afoul of reality.
(2019-08-10). Manifestantes en Bradenton defienden los derechos de los inmigrantes y los refugiados. liberationnews.org 
Los esfuerzos locales para fortalecer la comunidad y empoderar a los inmigrantes y refugiados continúan en Sarasota y Bradenton.
(2019-08-10). The Unraveling of the Conspiracy Case Against No More Deaths Volunteer Scott Warren. theintercept.com 
The federal courthouse in Tucson, Arizona, has always been a place where the borderlands and the American justice system collide. Described by its engineers as "a gateway to the desert and the mountains beyond," it was completed in 2000, the year that the Pima County medical examiner's office began tracking an explosion of deaths in that same desert. | Each afternoon, Monday through Thursday, dozens of chained migrants who survived the journey across the border but found themselves in Border Patrol custody are marched up from the building's bowels for mass hearings. They come in groups of up to 70 at a time. You…
(2019-08-10). Bernie leads nearly 140 lawmakers against Trump's plan to cut nutrition aid to millions of Americans. nationofchange.org In response to the Trump administration announcing plans to tighten eligibility for millions of Americans who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Sen. Bernie Sanders is leading a coalition of 19 senators and 120 U.S. representatives demanding that the Department of Agriculture withdraw its "disastrous rule" which intends to kick over 3 million people off of food assistance. | In a letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday, Sen. Sanders an…
(2019-08-10). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Wall Street financial vultures: Please be nice to Puerto Rico. wsws.org Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has intervened to attempt to contain growing social unrest and anger.
(2019-08-10). The Democratic Socialists of America shows its hostility to socialism. wsws.org Part II of the review of a new book by Eric Blanc of the DSA. See Part I…
(2019-08-10). "Time to Go Puerto Rico on this Fool" and More Projected on SF Federal Bldg. indybay.org On August 9, a special evening event featured art projections on the Federal Building…the art was large, colorful, creative… and pretty caustic too. | Photos courtesy Regina S. Islas…
(2019-08-10). Emergency Meeting – planning mass protest to DRIVE Trump OUT. indybay.org 1590 Bryant Street, San Francisco…
(2019-08-10). 400 Year of Return Presentation. indybay.org California State Capitol | Room 126…
(2019-08-10). Republican Central Committee Member Paige Concannon Claims She Started the Recall Campaign. indybay.org Santa Cruz Republican Party Central Committee member Paige Concannon recently claimed on social media that she "started" the campaign to recall Progressive Santa Cruz City Councilmembers Chris Krohn and Drew Glover with "some friends". Concannon was a Santa Cruz City Council candidate in 2018 who lost the race to Councilmember Glover by a significant margin: Glover received 10,972 votes, with Concannon receiving only 3,276. Paige Concannon is also among those who created the false narrative that Councilmember Glover was suing the City of Santa Cruz as a plaintiff in Quintero et al v. the City of Santa Cruz, the l…
(2019-08-09). Supersizing Climate Change: U.N. Says Meat Production Destroys Land & Diminishes Key Water Sources. democracynow.org 
The United Nations' top panel of climate scientists warns that humans are consuming land and water resources at an unprecedented rate, with the destructive effects of the climate crisis increasingly threatening the planet's biodiversity and the food security of hundreds of millions of people. In its latest climate change and land special report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that without dramatic action, extreme weather and rising temperatures will turn even more fertile land into desert, shrinking the global food supply, even as the world's population rises to more than 7.5 billion people.
(2019-08-09). Democracy activists begin three-day protest at Hong Kong airport. thecanary.co 
Pro-democracy activists are demonstrating at Hong Kong airport even as the city sought to reassure visitors of their welcome despite increasing levels of violence surrounding the two-month-old protest movement.The government concedes road blockages and confrontations between police and protesters have caused inconvenience, but says they were limited to specific areas.The protests, however, are not abating and more are planned for this weekend, including at the airport, where protesters holding signs staged a sit-in at the arrival and departure halls.Police said they had not received a formal application for the a…
(2019-08-09). Democrats and the Politics of Change. counterpunch.org 
With the political season underway, the question of an effective politics is the subtext of the debates and speeches intended to motivate constituencies and movements. This should read as odd: in the U.S., it is the act of getting elected that defines effective politics. But as neoliberalism has crept into every aspect of modern life, elections have become an anti-politics, a way of working against the democratic will. More
(2019-08-09). Mass ICE Raids in Mississippi After Workers Fought for Better Conditions Leave Kids Without Parents. democracynow.org 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swept through seven poultry processing plants in Mississippi this week and arrested 680 people. It was the largest single-state raid in U.S. history.The mass arrests also came on the first day of the school year, and some children walked home from school only to find their doors locked and their family members missing. Wednesday's raids targeted chicken processing plants operated by Koch Foods, one of the largest poultry producers in the U.S. Last year, the company paid out $3.75 million to settle an Equal Employment Opportunities Commission class-action suit charging th…
(2019-08-09). Documents Reveal Monsanto Surveilled Journalists, Activists & Even Musician Neil Young. democracynow.org 
Explosive new documents reveal the U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto ran a "fusion center" to surveil and discredit journalists and activists who criticized or wrote damning reports about Monsanto, as well as legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, who released an album in 2015 called "The Monsanto Years." Monsanto monitored Young's Twitter activity and even analyzed the lyrics of his album. The fusion center also surveilled journalist Carey Gillam, who has done extensive research and writing about Monsanto and its popular pesticide Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. The corporation also targeted the nonpro…
(2019-08-09). Nothing Less Than a Revolution Can Save Us. counterpunch.org 
Is there no limit to the lethal and authoritarian absurdity of America, land of mass gun massacres like Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Aurora, Orlando, Las Vegas, Parkland, and now El Paso and Dayton among other pockmarked sites? Here is a society that claims to be the beacon to the world of civilized decency and democracy More
(2019-08-09). 'Poor kids just as smart as white kids': Biden makes another high-profile patronizing gaffe. rt.com 
2020 Democratic Party frontrunner Joe Biden is reeling from yet another high-profile gaffe as he bids to take the White House, this time for declaring that "poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids."
(2019-08-09). Unions, workers, EPI back Warren bill to crack down on 'private equity' funds. peoplesworld.org 
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla.—So-called "private equity" investment funds, one of the worst manifestations of anti-worker corrupt corporate capitalism, left Madelyn Garcia and her co-workers without jobs. And she came to Washington in August to help launch legislation to curb their robberies. Garcia, you see, spent 30 years at a Toys "R" Us store in Boynton Beach, …
(2019-08-09). Court Upholds North Dakota Law Stripping Voting Rights From Native Americans. truthout.org | | The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a law that strips nearly 10 percent of all voting-age Native Americans living in North Dakota of their right to vote. | The case is as much about local infrastructure and lack of regard for North Dakota's indigenous population as it is about voter suppression and a state forcing voters to comply with a requirement that the state itself has made impossible to follow. | Thousands of Native Americans who do not have residential addresse…
(2019-08-09). Maxine Waters Puts Corporate Democrats to Shame. truthdig.com Rep. Maxine Waters won praise Friday from critics of the cash-for-access U.S. political system amid reports that some Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee are frustrated at her refusal to raise money from the industry she regulates. | Politico reported that Democrats on the committee have been disappointed with Waters's decision to focus on consumer protection legislation and Wall Street oversight—the stated purpose of the panel—rather than r…
(2019-08-09). The Mississippi raid: Trump's attack on immigrants and his Democratic enablers. wsws.org Hundreds of children have been traumatized by having their parents ripped away from them and, in many cases, shipped to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement prison 150 miles away.
(2019-08-09). Resolving the Democrats' Dilemma. counterpunch.org When it comes to thinking about the 2020 presidential election, a dominant theme among both commentators and candidates is the "Democrats' Dilemma": an alleged contradiction between the party's ideological interests and its electoral ambitions. Energized by a new crop of progressive lawmakers, the Dems are leaning left on issues ranging from "tax the rich" and More
(2019-08-09). Headlines for August 9, 2019. democracynow.org Mitch McConnell Says Senate Will Take Up Gun Bills, But Not Until September, President and First Lady Pose with Infant Orphaned in El Paso Massacre, Man with Guns and Body Armor Sparks Panic at Missouri Walmart, Home of Interracial Couple in Ohio Torched in Apparent Hate Crime, Over 100 Immigrant Hunger Strikers Tear-Gassed Inside ICE Jail, ICE Releases Some of the 680 Immigrants Swept Up in Massive Mississippi Raid, Mentally Ill Michigan Man with Diabetes Dies After Deportation to Iraq, ICE Agents, Lacking Warrant, Denied Entry to Brooklyn Homeless Shelter, Hundreds of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protesters Occupy A…
(2019-08-09). Conversations with Fidel Castro: The Dangers of a Nuclear War. globalresearch.ca "In a nuclear war the collateral damage would be the life of humankind. Let us have the courage to proclaim that all nuclear or conventional weapons, everything that is used to make war, must disappear!" "It is about demanding that the world is not led into a nuclear catastrophe, it is to preserve life." (Fidel Castro, 15 October 2010)…
(2019-08-09). Tweeting Publicly Available Information isn't "Shameful and Dangerous" counterpunch.org On August 5, US Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) posted an infographic to Twitter naming and shaming his city's most generous supporters of President Donald Trump's re-election campaign: "Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump …. Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as More
(2019-08-09). Irish Ryanair pilots vote for strike action in pay dispute. thecanary.co Ryanair's Irish pilots have voted in favour of industrial action in a row over pay. | Pilots' union Forsa said 94% of its members who took part in the vote chose to back a strike. | Only pilots directly employed by Ryanair took part in the ballot, those on agency contracts were not eligible to vote. | If strike action does go ahead, only those with Ryanair contracts will take part and pilots on different contracts will continue to work as normal. | But it is predicted that any industrial action will cause huge disruption during the busy summer holiday period. | No dates have been set for a strike and Forsa must g…
(2019-08-09). Joe Biden's Latest Gaffes Raise New Questions About His Mental Fitness. truthdig.com Speaking to a diverse crowd in Iowa, the former vice president claims "poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids."
(2019-08-09). Does Paul Ryan Think White Supremacist Hate Is a 'Hoax'? thenation.com Does Paul Ryan Think White Supremacist Hate Is a 'Hoax'?
(2019-08-09). Roaming Charges: Small Stains on the Pavement. counterpunch.org 
Many of the liberals talking the loudest about "white supremacy" on MSDNC have only known its privileges, thus they would have us believe white supremacy resides only in the vile minds of the KKK and Aryan Nations, instead of the racist forces operating inside the banks, the school boards, the police, the FBI, the Pentagon that degrade, impoverish and kill people every single day. More
(2019-08-09). House Finance Chair Maxine Waters Wins Praise for Prioritizing Public Policy Over Raising Wall Street Cash—and Corporate Dems Are Miffed. commondreams.org Rep. Maxine Waters won praise Friday from critics of the political system in which powerful congressional committee leaders are expected to prioritize doling out campaign cash to other lawmakers, amid reports that some Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee are frustrated at her refusal to do so. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/48010610548_34b1013b5d_o1.jpg …
(2019-08-09). Jeremy Corbyn urges civil servants to block no-deal Brexit if poll is called. thecanary.co 
Jeremy Corbyn has called on the cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to rule that Boris Johnson cannot go ahead with a no-deal Brexit if there is a general election, saying it would be an "unprecedented, unconstitutional and anti-democratic abuse of power".There are reports Johnson could seek to hang on long enough to ensure Britain is out of the EU before going to the polls if he is defeated in a vote of confidence when MPs return in September.As it stands, under the latest extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process by the EU, Britain is due to leave on October 31.If Johnson is defeated in a no-confidence moti…
(2019-08-09). Timorese hail Witness K and Bernard Collaery as 'heroes'. greenleft.org.au 
The Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea (MKOTT), a Timorese activist group based in Dili, condemned the Australian government on August 9 for its ongoing prosecution of Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery, over the exposure of Australian secret service bugging of Timorese government offices, labelling it as an "attack on freedom of expression and democracy". | Timor-Leste is preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the referendum in 1999, when the Timorese people voted overwhelmingly to be independent of Indonesian occupation. On the same day (August 30), the governments of Timor-Leste an…
(2019-08-09). Nicaraguans grow divided under Ortega but reject US meddling. greenleft.org.au 
Nicaraguans commemorated the 40th anniversary of their country's revolution on July 19 in a variety of ways, reflecting counterposed views on the present government. | While President Daniel Ortega and his partner, Vice President Rosario Murillo addressed thousands of Sandinista party faithful at Lake Managua, others, including many former Sandinistas, quietly commemorated this historic day without Ortega. | Nicaragua's revolution on July 19, 1979, overthrew US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza after 44 years of the Somoza family dynasty. The Sandinista-led revolution ushered in radical social and political change…
(2019-08-09). If You Think Bernie Shouldn't Have Gone on Joe Rogan, or Fox News, You're Leaving Fellow Americans for Dead. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) participates in a Fox News town hall on April 15, 2019, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_fox_news_medicare_for_all.png …
(2019-08-08). Emergency Doctor to Trump: You Are Wrong, Mental Illness Is Not to Blame for Gun Violence Epidemic. democracynow.org 
President Trump went to Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, where he was met by hundreds of protesters condemning his presence after the mass shootings over the weekend, which killed at least 32 people. Prior to his visits, Trump hinted at the need to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, and doubled down on what some healthcare professionals say is dangerous rhetoric linking illness to mass shootings. Numerous other political figures have pointed to mental illness as a contributing factor in mass shootings. From Montreal, we speak with Dr. Megan Ranney, an associate professor of emergency medi…
(2019-08-08). Kashmir Under Siege: India Moves to Annex Territory, Heightening Tensions with Nuclear Rival Pakistan. democracynow.org 
Tensions are escalating over the disputed region of Kashmir following India's revocation earlier this week of its special status, which granted the area some autonomy. Kashmir remains on lockdown, with internet and other communications blocked and leaders placed under house arrest. The Modi government has also deployed tens of thousands of additional troops in Kashmir. Pakistan announced Wednesday it would expel India's ambassador and stop its newly appointed envoy from assuming his position in New Delhi. It also announced it was cutting off all bilateral trade with India. We speak with three guests: Sanjay Kak,…
(2019-08-08). That'll show them! Republicans BOYCOTT Twitter ads over McConnell censorship. rt.com 
The Republican Party has halted advertising on Twitter after the campaign account of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was locked for quoting death threats made against him. It is unclear if this will change Twitter's mind.
(2019-08-08). Obama, Biden, Mattis and Clapper Expressed Skepticism on Syria, so Why Is Gabbard Singled Out? mintpressnews.com Why must Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard be smeared and attacked for questioning the mainstream narrative on Syria when even Barack Obama has done the same?
(2019-08-08). Denver's City Council, Led by Democratic Socialist, Stuns For-Profit Prison Operators by Nuking Contracts. theintercept.com It wasn't about pulling money from the halfway houses but from "organizations that put kids in cages, run concentration camps," said one council member.
(2019-08-08). Foreign Correspondent: The U.S. Trade War with China is Not Going So Well. progressive.org For the past year, the U.S. has escalated economic warfare with grudging acceptance by high-level Democrats and Republicans.
(2019-08-08). Headlines for August 8, 2019. democracynow.org U.N. Scientists Warn Rapid Global Warming Threatens Food Supply, 680 Mississippi Poultry Workers Arrested in Massive Immigration Raid, ICE Raids Targeted Company Whose Workers Won Discrimination Lawsuit, Trump Visits Dayton and El Paso, Sites of Weekend Mass Shootings, El Paso Protesters Link Trump's Racist Rhetoric to Gunman's Manifesto, Trump Supporter with Loaded Pistol, Knife Arrested Outside El Paso Immigrant Center, Trump Suggests Antifa Shares Equal Blame for Deadly Violence, Democratic Presidential Candidates Say Trump Enables White Supremacists, SPLC: State Department Employee Secretly Worked as White Na…
(2019-08-08). A New App Allows Readers in China to Bypass Censorship of The Intercept. theintercept.com Since June, people in China have been unable to read The Intercept, after the country's government apparently banned our website, along with those of several other media organizations. Today, we are happy to announce a workaround that will allow people in China to circumvent the restrictions, access our full site, and continue to read our award-winning journalism. | In partnership with Psiphon, an anti-censorship organization based in Canada, we are launching…
(2019-08-08). The Democratic Debates Don't Need to Be This Awful. thenation.com The Democratic Debates Don't Need to Be This Awful…
(2019-08-07). "Toni Morrison Will Always Be with Us": Angela Davis, Nikki Giovanni & Sonia Sanchez Pay Tribute. democracynow.org 
Toni Morrison, one of the nation's most influential writers, died this week at the age of 88 from complications of pneumonia. In 1993, Morrison became the first African-American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. She also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her classic work "Beloved." Much of Morrison's writing focused on the Black female experience in America, and her writing style honored the rhythms of Black oral tradition. Her work was deeply concerned with race and history, especially the sin of transatlantic slavery and the potentially restorative power of community. In 2012, President Obama awar…
(2019-08-07). From El Paso to the War on Terror, the Dangers of Historical Amnesia. theintercept.com 
When Monica Muñoz Martínez thinks about El Paso, Texas, she also thinks about Ciudad Juárez. It's the same process that happens when she thinks about Brownsville and Matamoros, or Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras. They are clusters of human civilization that spill into one another, sharing space across a border drawn not that long ago, which has come to mean a lot in recent years. A historian, professor, and a native Texan, Muñoz Martínez knows the story well. She is the co-founder of Refusing to Forget, a collective project aimed at educating the public on a largely lost…
(2019-08-07). These 7 Prominent Conservatives Have Nothing in Common With White Supremacists, Nothing at All. theintercept.com 
A man wears a MAGA hat during the Western Conservative Summit in Denver on July 12, 2019. | cool kid's philosopher" — took to Twitter to berate those who dare draw any kind of line between President Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and U.S. conservatives on the one hand and white nationalist terrorists on the other. | So, we now have two separate NYT columnists arguing that all conservatives are basically violent white supremacists, but slightly more subtle. Let me put this gently: f*** yourselves.
(2019-08-07). Climate Change Is a Key Issue for a Growing Number of Young Republicans. therealnews.com 
Republican strategists know the party will need to shift its climate platform to retain young voters, but federal Republican officials haven't caught up to the new trend, says The New York Times' Lisa Friedman…
(2019-08-07). What a Protest in Hong Kong Looks Like When Pro-Democracy Marchers Lose Their Fear of the Police. theintercept.com A video report from Hong Kong, where protests are planned for every weekend in August and calls to "liberate Hong Kong" have appeared on the city's walls.
(2019-08-07). Democrats Are Resurfacing a Gun Control Bill That Contains an Anti-Immigrant Amendment. theintercept.com This weekend, there were back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. The accused shooter in El Paso, who appears to have published an anti-immigrant manifesto on 8chan declaring the attack a response to a "Hispanic invasion," killed at least 22 people and injured dozens more at a Walmart in what seems to be the worst anti-Latino attack in the country's history. On Monday, in light of these massacres, House Democrats called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up their gun control bill. Tucked into the bill, however, is an anti-immigrant amendment promoting deportation that Republ…
(2019-08-07). Headlines for August 7, 2019. democracynow.org Dems and Grieving Communities Voice Resistance to Trump Visits to El Paso and Dayton, FBI Investigating Gilroy Mass Shooting as Domestic Terror, Dems Call on Congressional Leaders to Pass Bills Addressing White Supremacy, Civil Rights Groups Rally Against Gun Violence and White Supremacy at White House, Walmart Workers Plan Walkout to Protest Gun Sales, Toni Morrison, Visionary Author and Nobel Laureate, Dies at 88, Nigerian Journalist and Political Activist Omoyele Sowore Arrested After Calling for Revolution, U.S Warns Turkey Against Syria Attacking Kurdish Forces in Syria, 25% of World's Population Under "Extr…
(2019-08-07). Russia Needs Its Own Bernie Sanders. thenation.com Russia Needs Its Own Bernie Sanders…
(2019-08-07). Democratic Socialists of America Seize the Day. thenation.com Democratic Socialists of America Seize the Day…
(2019-08-06). Linda Sarsour Explains How "Fire Pantaleo!" Spontaneously Erupted at the Dem Debate. therealnews.com 
While activists say they will work to stop Trump, as organizers they must continue the fight for justice & keep Democratic candidates honest…
(2019-08-06). "Fascism Will Not Go Away by Itself": George Ciccariello-Maher on Confronting White Supremacy. democracynow.org 
Just before the mass shooting at a crowded El Paso Walmart this weekend, the gunman wrote in a lengthy manifesto saying that the massacre was in response to what he described as a "Hispanic invasion of Texas." He also prompted a white supremacist conspiracy theory known as "great replacement" that has been cited by other mass shooters. From Mexico City, we speak with George Ciccariello-Maher, visiting scholar at NYU's Hemispheric Institute. In December 2017, Ciccariello-Maher resigned from Drexel University after a year of harassment and death threats from right-wing white supremacists. The threats stemmed from a…
(2019-08-06). Parents of Parkland Victim Planned to Unveil a Mural in El Paso. Then Another Mass Shooting Happened. democracynow.org 
During this weekend's deadly gun violence in El Paso, Texas, Manuel and Patricia Oliver were in the vicinity because they were planning on commemorating what would have been the 19th birthday of their son, Joaquin Oliver. Joaquin was one of the 17 people gunned down during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine's Day last year. Manuel and Patricia had traveled to Ciudad Juárez, across the U.S. border into Mexico, to visit an immigrant shelter in honor of their deceased son, saying no child should ever be separated from their parents by either gunfire or immigration ag…
(2019-08-06). Hong Kong Democracy Protestors Launch General Strike. therealnews.com 
Thousands took part in protests that shut down roads, public transportation and cancelled hundreds of flights…
(2019-08-06). "We Can't Wait for McConnell": Advocates Call for Bold Action to Curb Gun Violence Epidemic. democracynow.org 
The death toll in Saturday's anti-immigrant shooting rampage at a Walmart in El Paso has risen to 22, after two more injured victims died Monday. Just before the shooting, the gunman published a manifesto claiming his actions were being done in response to what he described as a "Hispanic invasion of Texas." Most of the dead in El Paso were Latino, including eight Mexican nationals. Thirteen hours after the massacre in El Paso, a gunman in Dayton, Ohio, killed nine people, including his own sister, after opening fire outside a bar. We speak with Kris Brown, president of Brady, formerly the Brady Campaign to Preve…
(2019-08-06). Democrats "Are Not Speaking to the Needs of Immigrants and Communities of Color" therealnews.com 
Immigrant communities and people of color in the US are highly suspicious of the Democratic Party. However, there is a group of young democratic politicians from members of these communities who are giving hope…
(2019-08-06). Puerto Rico in Political Crisis: Senate Sues over Appointment of New Governor Pierluisi. democracynow.org 
The political crisis in Puerto Rico continues as its Senate has sued against the appointment of Pedro Pierluisi as the new governor following Ricardo Rosselló's resignation last week. Pierluisi was sworn in despite not having been confirmed by the Puerto Rican Senate. But he argues that he is in the line of succession for governor after being nominated as secretary of state by Rosselló last week. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz also sued after his swearing-in. We speak with Democracy Now! co-host Juan González for his analysis of the current political climate.
(2019-08-06). Headlines for August 6, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Condemns White Supremacy After El Paso Massacre Despite His Own Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric, Trump Supporter Who Sent Pipe Bombs to CNN and Democrats Sentenced to 20 Years, Tensions Mount over Kashmir as Pakistan Reacts to Revocation of Special Status, Puerto Rican Senate, San Juan Mayor Sue over Pierluisi's Appointment as Governor, China Weakens Currency, Halts U.S. Crop Imports as Trade War Ratchets Up, U.S. Imposes Economic Embargo Against Venezuela, Drone Attack Kills 42 People in Libya, R. Kelly Charged with Prostitution and Solicitation of a Minor, Galveston Police Apologize for Shocking Photo Showing Mou…
(2019-08-05). Texas Democratic Senate Candidate M.J. Hegar in 2017 on Gun Control: "You'll Have to Take Mine First" theintercept.com 
While critics wondered if Beto O'Rourke was too progressive for Texas, Hegar remained ambiguous on most policy, including gun violence, in her 2018 House campaign.
(2019-08-05). After Dayton Shooting, Gun Violence Reporter Says Misogyny "Clear Link" Between Many Mass Shootings. democracynow.org 
Over the span of 13 hours, the country was shaken by two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, where a total of 29 people were killed. Shortly before the attack, the El Paso gunman posted an anti-immigrant manifesto on the far-right message board 8chan, while there is still no clear motive for the Dayton shooting. Senator Bernie Sanders and other Democratic leaders are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a special session of the Senate to vote on two gun safety bills recently passed in the House. This all comes as the National Rifle Association is imploding. We speak with Alex…
(2019-08-05). Amid Conservative Assault on Organized Labor, Democratic Lawmakers Are Advancing Laws to Expand Workers' Rights. theintercept.com 
Nevada and Delaware passed laws this summer giving public-sector workers the right to collectively bargain. Colorado is expected to follow suit next year.
(2019-08-05). We Desperately Need Marianne Williamson's Message. It's Ominous That We're Only Getting It From Marianne Williamson. theintercept.com 
It's alarming that only someone given to wild flights of irrationality believes that America can hear the truth about itself and respond rationally.
(2019-08-05). Headlines for August 5, 2019. democracynow.org White Supremacist Kills 20 People After Hate-Fueled Gun Rampage in El Paso, Gunman with Misogynistic Past Kills 9 People in Dayton, OH Shooting Spree, General Strike Grips Hong Kong as Protesters Refuse to Back Down, India Revokes Kashmir's Special Status as Tensions Mount in Disputed Region, Iran Seizes Tanker as Tensions Between Iran and U.S. Remain High, Russian Police Arrest 800+ Protesters as Crackdown on Dissent Continues, Sudan's Military Rulers and Opposition Leaders Sign Transition Agreement, 3 Mexican Journalists Killed in Under a Week, Pierluisi Sworn In as Puerto Rico's New Governor as San Juan Mayor…
(2019-08-05). Take Away My Employer-Based Health Insurance. Please. progressive.org Centrist Democrats like Joe Biden still aim to gin up mass fear over the prospect of leaving behind predatory insurers and the dizzying array of deductibles, co-pays, exclusions, humiliations, and rationing of care that characterizes our current syst…
(2019-08-05). US mass shootings, Democratic debates, America vs China. uwidata.com Mass shootings in the US Three mass shootings took place in the US in three different states — Texas, Ohio and Illinois. 29 people were killed in the attacks, while almost 50 were injured. On Saturday afternoon in El Paso, Texas, 21-year-old Patrick Crusius opened fire at a supermarket. In the wake of the tragedies, …
(2019-08-05). Ex-FBI Agent Speaks Out: Federal Authorities Have Downplayed White Supremacist Violence for Too Long. democracynow.org 
According to The New York Times, white extremist shooters have now killed at least 63 people in the United States over the past 18 months. Late last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that crime driven by racism and white supremacy was on the rise compared to the past nine months. But former FBI agents say there is reluctance within the agency to tackle white nationalist violence in part due to President Trump's rhetoric. We speak with Mike German, fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law. From 1988 to 2004, German served as an FBI agent…
(2019-08-05). El Paso Shooting Probed as Domestic Terrorism After Anti-Immigrant Gunman Kills 22 People. democracynow.org 
Over the span of 13 hours, the United States was shaken by two mass shootings. Saturday morning, a heavily armed gunman opened fire inside a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people, including a number of Mexican nationals. Federal authorities are treating the El Paso attack as an act of domestic terrorism. The suspected gunman has been identified as a 21-year-old white man named Patrick Crusius, who lived 600 miles away in a suburb of Dallas. Shortly before the attack in El Paso, the gunman posted an anti-immigrant manifesto on the far-right message board 8chan. Some of the language in the manifesto…
(2019-08-04). Trump's Five Strengths and Five Weaknesses. uwidata.com 
In 2020, the US will hold presidential elections. Voters will decide if Donald Trump will be re-elected for a second term as president or whether one of his democratic contenders will get an opportunity to occupy the White House. Trump has several strengths and weaknesses which will likely factor in to his chances in the …
(2019-08-03). Weekend Read: The SPLC fights an internal threat to our democracy. splcenter.org In his recent testimony before Congress, Special Counsel Robert Mueller pointedly warned the nation about Russia's ongoing attempts to meddle in our nation's elections.
(2019-08-02). Climate System "Getting Unhinged" as Massive Heat Wave Causes Record Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet. democracynow.org 
The massive heat dome that shattered all-time temperature records across much of Europe last week has settled in over Greenland, driving temperatures across the vast region to as much as 30 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. In July, Greenland's ice sheet lost 197 billion tons of ice, the equivalent of around 80 million Olympic swimming pools. This comes as the World Meteorological Organization said Thursday that July was the warmest month in recorded human history. It followed the hottest June on record, as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels climbed to a record high of 415 parts per million earlier this year. We sp…
(2019-08-02). "You're Gonna Kill Me": Bodycam Video Shows Dallas Officers Mocking Man as He Died Pinned to Ground. democracynow.org 
In August 2016, 32-year-old Tony Timpa called 911 to ask for help. Timpa had schizophrenia and depression, and was off his medication for schizophrenia. Timpa told the Dallas dispatcher that he was scared. The police responded, and within 20 minutes Timpa was dead. For the past three years, the city of Dallas has fought efforts to release police bodycam footage showing what happened, but the video was finally released this week after a prolonged legal battle. The shocking video contains disturbing footage, with officers arriving on the scene where Timpa was already handcuffed by a private security guard. In the v…
(2019-08-02). 'Democracy Has Become a Joke on the Island' – CounterSpin interview with Ed Morales on Puerto Rican protest. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Ed Morales about the Puerto Rican protest movement for the July 26, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2019-08-02). Ex-Health Insurance Exec: Industry Is Using Decades-Old Scare Tactics to Fight Medicare for All. democracynow.org 
The Democratic presidential candidates remain deeply divided on how to expand healthcare to the tens of millions of Americans who are uninsured or underinsured. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both pushed for abolishing private health insurance and establishing a Medicare for All system. Their rivals have pushed a number of different, more incremental approaches. During the first night of the latest debates, Sanders pointed out that the country has taken sweeping action before to expand health coverage to millions of Americans, referring to the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Me…
(2019-08-02). CNN's Industry Spin Shows Need for Independent Debates. fair.org 
CNN painfully demonstrated this week why we need independently run presidential debates. With its ESPN-like introductions to the candidates, and its insistence on questions that pit candidates against each other, CNN took an approach to the debates more befitting a football game than an exercise in democracy. | The CNN hosts moderated as if they weren't even listening to what candidates were saying, inflexibly cutting them off after the inevitably too-short 30-to-60-second time limit—in order to offer another, often seemingly randomly selected, candida…
(2019-08-02). Four Truths About For-Profit Charter Schools. progressive.org 2020 Democratic candidates taking a stand against for-profit charters is like bravely standing up in opposition to yeti attacks.
(2019-08-02). Headlines for August 2, 2019. democracynow.org Pentagon to Receive $1.48 Trillion Under Two-Year Budget Deal, Russia Declares Nuclear Arms Treaty "Formally Dead" as U.S. Withdraws, Trump Threatens to Impose Steeper Tariffs on Chinese Goods, Puerto Rico Faces Succession Crisis as Disgraced Governor Resigns, Video Shows Dallas Police Mocking Man Who Died in Their Custody, Dozens Killed as Two Attacks Rattle Yemen's Port City of Aden, Four Killed as Sudanese Soldiers Fire on Peaceful Pro-Democracy Activists, Third Case of Ebola in Congolese City Sparks Fears in Neighboring Rwanda, U.S. Prepares to Withdraw Thousands of Troops Amid Peace Talks with Taliban, July…
(2019-08-01). Dolores Huerta Accuses Biden of "Speaking Just Like a Republican" on Immigration. democracynow.org 
Immigration rights activists abruptly interrupted Joe Biden during last night's debate, chanting "3 million deportations!"—referring to the Obama administration's deportation of at least 3 million undocumented people. During the debate, Julián Castro repeatedly challenged Biden's record on immigration. "It looks like one of us has learned the lessons of the past and one of us hasn't," Castro said. We speak to Dolores Huerta and Cornel West.
(2019-08-01). Cornel West: Corporate Media's Superficial Coverage Helped Create "Fascist Frankenstein Trump" democracynow.org 
On Tuesday night, Senator Bernie Sanders openly criticized CNN's handling of the debates. He told CNN's Jake Tapper, "Your question is a Republican talking point. And by the way, the healthcare industry will be advertising tonight on this program." We speak with Cornel West and Dolores Huerta about the media coverage and the structure of the debate.
(2019-08-01). "It Wasn't a Golden Age": Cornel West Says Democrats Have to Reckon with Mixed Obama Legacy. democracynow.org 
Harvard professor Cornel West joins us from Detroit, where he attended both nights of the Democratic debate. He talks about the troubling legacy of the Obama administration and why he is supporting Bernie Sanders again for president.
(2019-08-01). Propagandists Are Freaking Out Over Tulsi Gabbard's Destruction of Kamala Harris. theantimedia.com Tulsi Gabbard took on Kamala Harris over her record on criminal justice reform, the death penalty, and the war on drugs.
(2019-08-01). Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard. theantimedia.com The Kamala Harris' campaign jumped to tie Gabbard and her campaign to a nebulously defined and unclear Russian conspiracy.
(2019-08-01). The Triumph of Their Will. progressive.org White nationalists are building political power from within the Republican Party.
(2019-07-31). Militias Capitalizing on GOP Rhetoric Heading Into Election Season. splcenter.org A militia network's enthusiasm to lend paramilitary support to Oregon's Republican senators last month could be a bellwether for the 2020 campaign season.
(2019-07-29). Protesters in Bradenton defend the rights of immigrants and refugees. liberationnews.org On Sunday, seventeen people gathered at the Manatee County Courthouse in downtown Bradenton to demand an end to US concentration camps for refugees and mass deportations of immigrants.
(2019-07-29). Progressive Democrats vote against BDS, Palestinian rights. thegrayzone.com House Democrats, including key progressives, have passed a measure condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS). Why are Reps….
(2019-07-28). How Joe Biden's privatization plans helped doom Latin America and fuel the migration crisis. thegrayzone.com On the campaign trail, Joe Biden has boasted of his role in transforming Colombia and Central America through ambitious economic…