(2019-08-12). Dear Progressives for Warren: Your Class Is Showing. counterpunch.org 
Let me begin by making the apparently mandatory and sacrosanct ritual offering to the gods of progressive politics in 2019: "Sure, I like Warren. In fact, I agree with her on many issues. She's not bad." There. I said it. Can we do real politics now? *** We're at that ignominious point where people from More
(2019-08-12). Undemocratic Dems for President. Only Tulsi Gabbard and Mike Gravel are Genuinely Anti-war. globalresearch.ca The crowded field has 25 Dems in it so far, maybe more to come, dropouts along the way for lack of enough support. | Tulsi Gabbard and 89-year-old former senator Mike Gravel are the only worthy candidates. | Both have genuine anti-war, …
(2019-08-12). Cómo los planes de privatización de Joe Biden condenaron a Latinoamérica y desataron la crisis migratoria. thegrayzone.com En su campaña, Joe Biden se ha jactado de su papel en la transformación de Colombia y Centroamérica a través…
(2019-08-12). Fear vs. Fear. truthdig.com The old rules of politics no longer apply. The only language understood by Donald Trump and his coterie of con artists, billionaires, generals, misfits and Christian fascists—and a Democratic Party that has sold us out—is fear. Calling out Trump's lies and racism does not matter. Calling out his nepotism and corruption does not matter. Calling out the criminality of his administration does not matter. Calling out its incompetence and idiocy does not matter. Calling out the abject subservience of the ruling elites to corporate power does not matter. Trump and his Democratic Party opponents are immune t…
(2019-08-12). 'Gold Over Life, Literally': How Trump Forced Reversal on Mining Project EPA Scientists Warn Could Destroy Alaskan Salmon Ecosystem. globalresearch.ca "Gold over life, literally." | That was the succinct and critical reaction of Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein to reporting on Friday that President Donald Trump had personally intervened—after a meeting with Alaska's Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy on Air Force …
(2019-08-12). Trump starves Venezuela, Democrats are silent. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo — and facing…
(2019-08-12). Why Would the Democrats Want to be 'Tough' on Trade, as Opposed to Smart on Trade? commondreams.org In 2011, protesters marched against the trade deal known as NAFTA. (Photo: PeoplesWorld/cc/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/nafta-trump-objectives.jpg …
(2019-08-12). Hong Kong Grounds Flights as Mass Sit-in Shuts Down Airport. truthout.org | | All departing flights were grounded as chaos engulfed the Hong Kong International Airport Monday, after thousands of pro-democracy protesters filled the travel hub to protest police brutality. Many eventually left the airport, fearing threats of more police action, but hundreds of activists remain. The latest escalation follows a weekend of bloody clashes between the police and protesters. Confrontations turned especially violent on Sunday night as riot police fired tear gas inside a subway station and we…
(2019-08-12). From Ayn Rand to Paul Ryan: Capitalism as Morality. indybay.org Society doesn't play any role in Ayn Rand's perspective. Rand reduced persons to the bourgeois who only thinks in economic categories and only needs to respect himself andno one else – unlike the citizen engaged in society and actively championing a democratic process of enlightenment. Ryan defended the minimal state against the totalitarian and welfare state.
(2019-08-12). Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: #MeToo, McCarthyism and machine politics. wsws.org Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign, combining feminism and anti-Russia witch-hunting, has yet to mobilize significant support.
(2019-08-12). How Climate Activists Can Benefit from Solidarity with Kentucky Coal Miners. progressive.org As fossil-fuel workers lose their jobs today, the urgency of what climate activists call the "just transition" becomes all the more apparent.
(2019-08-12). Paid Family Leave Is a Game Changer for New Parents' Health, Not Just Their Economic Security. thenation.com Paid Family Leave Is a Game Changer for New Parents' Health, Not Just Their Economic Security…
(2019-08-12). "The Next Step Is the Kremlin": Why Moscow Protests Have Putin's Government Worried. democracynow.org 
Up to 60,000 protesters gathered Saturday in Moscow in the largest demonstration Russia has witnessed in years. Although the protest was officially authorized, dozens of protesters were arrested in the capital, and dozens more were also arrested in demonstrations across the country. Saturday's protest was organized to denounce the recent barring of opposition candidates from running in an upcoming election for Moscow City Council. We speak with Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School. She is the co-author of "In Putin's Footsteps: Searching for the Soul of an Empire Across Russia's…
(2019-08-12). Hong Kong Grounds Flights as Mass Sit-in Shuts Down Airport After Weekend of Protests. democracynow.org 
All departing flights were grounded as chaos engulfed the Hong Kong International Airport Monday, after thousands of pro-democracy protesters filled the travel hub to protest police brutality. Many eventually left the airport, fearing threats of more police action, but hundreds of activists remain. The latest escalation follows a weekend of bloody clashes between the police and protesters. Confrontations turned especially violent on Sunday night as riot police fired tear gas inside a subway station and were filmed beating protesters with batons. Meanwhile, Beijing has escalated its rhetoric against the protesters…
(2019-08-12). Bernie Sanders 'Acing the Electability Test' as Another Poll Shows Senator Crushing Trump in General. commondreams.org "This is the fifteenth straight poll that shows Bernie defeating Trump." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_13.jpg …
(2019-08-12). Concerns Over Police Brutality Persist as Hong Kong Protesters Shut Down One of World's Busiest Airports. commondreams.org Thousands of pro-democracy protesters effectively shut down Hong Kong International Airport on Monday, the fourth day they have occupied one of the world's busiest airports as part of the mass demonstrations—against police brutality and a controversial extradition bill—that have rattled Hong Kong since June. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11610645151.jpg …
(2019-08-12). 50 years on and the Battle of the Bogside could teach us about the dangers of a Tory no-deal Brexit. thecanary.co On 12 August 1969, a battle between Irish republicans on one side and British police and loyalist gangs on the other raged for two days in Derry city. The battle of the Bogside, as it became known, ensured the conflict in Ireland would continue for anothe…
(2019-08-12). Bernie Sanders Is Acing the Electability Test. truthdig.com 
Bolstered by strong support from independent and young voters, Sen. Bernie Sanders would roundly defeat President Donald Trump in a 2020 general election match-up, according to a SurveyUSA poll. | The poll showed Sanders, a senator from Vermont and 2020 Democratic presidential contender, beating Trump by eight percentage points—50-42—in a hypothetical head-to-head contest. | The survey also showed former Vice Presi…
(2019-08-12). Tom Steyer spends more than $7 million on ads in first month, hammers early primary states. nationofchange.org 
While some candidates might be forced to drop out if they do not qualify for the September debate stage, Tom Steyer has plenty of resources to continue running ads and pick up new donors.
(2019-08-11). Student Debt Reform, or Student Debt Forgiveness? What The Candidates' Plans Mean. therealnews.com 
Students leaving college with their hard-earned degrees also have a significant and growing amount of debt. Which Democratic candidate's plan is the most effective at addressing this growing problem?
(2019-08-11). Warren Wows in Iowa as Candidates' Sprint to Caucuses Begins. truthdig.com 
Warren's reception this weekend is a warning sign to other candidates that hers is a campaign to be reckoned with in the Hawkeye state.
(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). 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). 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.
(2019-08-09). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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
(2019-08-08). 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). 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…
(2019-08-08). 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). 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…
(2019-08-07). 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). 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). 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). "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). 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…
(2019-08-06). 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). 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). "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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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…
(2019-08-05). 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…
(2019-08-04). 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). 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). '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). 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). "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). 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). 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…
(2019-08-01). 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.