(2019-08-13). Indian left condemns dismantling of Jammu and Kashmir. greenleft.org.au 
The following joint statement was issued by Indian left parties on August 5, condemning the dismantling of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the assault on India's Constitution, democracy and federalism. | *** | The Modi government has dealt a severe blow to our constitutional order by unilaterally scrapping Article 370 and other provisions of the Constitution and dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir. | The special provisions guaranteed by the Indian Constitution to the state of Jammu and Kashmir were the result of the princely state signing the instrument of accession to the Indian union in the face of Pakis…
(2019-08-13). Media Defend Biden by Attacking Dems for 'Attacking' Obama. fair.org 
by Julie Hollar Coming out of the second round of Democratic debates, a curious storyline crystallized in the media: The candidates are attacking Obama, and that's a sure-fire way to hand the election to Trump. It's the latest flavor of "the Democrats are moving too far left" (FAIR.org, 7/2/19)—this time echoing both Trump himself and the right-wing Democratic candidates, including former Obama Vice President Joe Biden. | During the first debate, Rep. John Delaney pitched the story, claiming, "Most o…
(2019-08-13). John Roberts' Dark Legacy of Voter Suppression. truthdig.com 
This piece originally appeared on The Progressive. | When Chief Justice John Roberts steps down from the Supreme Court years from now, how will he be remembered? | Many of his current admirers think (or at least hope) that it will be for defending judicial independence against the Tru…
(2019-08-13). The Kochs Funded Third Way to Push Free Trade to Democrats, New Book Says. theintercept.com 
Koch Industries secretly financed a 2007 report by Third Way titled "Why Lou Dobbs is Winning" — to promote the free trade agenda to liberals.
(2019-08-13). Danny Glover Opposes Painting Over Slavery Mural. telesurenglish.net Actor Danny Glover opposed painting over a mural at the San Francisco Washington High school Monday. | RELATED: | US: Danny Glover Endorses Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders | The mural, namely, "The Life of Washington" was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the famous muralists in San Fransisco during the Depression i.e., the 1920s United States. | The 1…
(2019-08-13). Unequal Justice: John Roberts' Dark Legacy of Voter Suppression. progressive.org Plaintiffs are litigating voting rights cases in Alabama, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, and several other states. Some will succeed, some will fail, but all will be more uncertain and expensive thanks to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
(2019-08-13). 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.
(2019-08-13). Third Way Democrats Are Bought and Sold by The Kochs. truthdig.com When George Soros and Charles Koch announced in July that they are partnering to create a think tank dedicated to ending the United States' forever wars, Steven Kinzer of The Boston Globe called the idea "one of the most remarkable partnerships in modern American political history." | Despite the jarring image of the liberal billionaire joining forces with the radical conservative, the forthcoming Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft is not such an anomaly in the history of the Koch family. As Ryan Grim and An…
(2019-08-13). Trump Keeps Cracking Down on Legal Immigration Because His Base Loves Cruelty. truthout.org | | When Democrats dismissed the Fox News-led fear-mongering about "hordes" of undocumented immigrants "invading" the United States from the south as a manufactured crisis, they were pilloried by Republicans and the mainstream media alike for not taking the issue seriously. Hardly anyone demonstrated an understanding of Democrats' nuanced argument. | Illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border appeared much more substantial precisely because the Trump administration had choked off acces…
(2019-08-13). World Commemorates Fidel Castro's Birthday. telesurenglish.net Governments and social movements around the world have come together to commemorate the birthday of revolutionary icon Fidel Castro, on what would have been his 93rd birthday. | RELATED: | 60 Years of Defending Cuba Against a Barbarous Empire | On Tuesday morning, members of China's Communist Youth attended an event at the Cuban embassy in Beijing to commemorate the Cuban revolutionary hero. Other Cuban embassies also hosted events. In Russia, there was a talk on Fidel along with an…
(2019-08-13). Protest Against Hate & For Sensible Gun Legislation in Mtn. View. indybay.org Intersection of El Camino Real & Castro Street, Mountain View, California…
(2019-08-13). The German media and Julian Assange: Silence and slander. wsws.org Over a week after a US federal court threw out a civil case brought by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) against Julian Assange, the German media has been dominated by an embarrassed silence.
(2019-08-13). Colombia's Electoral Court Opens Probe on Santos' 2014 Campaign. telesurenglish.net Colombia's electoral authorities have opened an investigation into whether former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos accepted illegal campaign contributions from Brazilian construction Odebrecht in 2014. | RELATED: | Colombia Gov't Bails out Banks for Dissolved Odebrecht Project | Renato Rafael Contreras from the Democratic Center, Doris Méndez C…
(2019-08-13). The Once Common Republican Environmentalist Is Virtually Extinct. thenation.com The Once Common Republican Environmentalist Is Virtually Extinct…
(2019-08-13). It's Safe to Impeach Donald Trump. thenation.com It's Safe to Impeach Donald Trump…
(2019-08-13). Ibram X. Kendi: IQ Tests, SAT Scores and Other "Intelligence" Tests Propagate Racism. democracynow.org 
Author and professor Ibram X. Kendi joins us to discuss his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist." He talks about the racist development of intelligence tests that blatantly discriminate against people of color under a veneer of scientific objectivity. "Even when we talk about antiracism, when most people think of who needs to be an antiracist, they think of Southerners. They think of people who voted for Trump," says Kendi. "They don't think of people who are advocating for the maintenance of these tests, which are denying access to some of the best schools in New York City to black and Latino kids."
(2019-08-13). "Today the Lynch Mob Only Needs an Assault Rifle": Ibram X. Kendi on White Supremacist Violence. democracynow.org 
This week marks two years since white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, where a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of antiracist protesters, killing 32-year-old activist Heather Heyer. Days later, President Trump claimed there were "very fine people on both sides." Since Charlottesville, white supremacists have committed at least 73 murders, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Just last week, a white supremacist in El Paso, Texas, opened fire in a crowded Walmart and killed 22 people. It's been described as the deadliest attack to target Latinos in modern American history. We speak with D…
(2019-08-13). How to Be an Antiracist: Ibram X. Kendi on Why We Need to Fight Racism the Way We Fight Cancer. democracynow.org 
In his new book, "How to Be an Antiracist," professor Ibram X. Kendi urges readers to break out of the false framework of "racist" and "not racist," instead laying out what it means to be antiracist: viewing racial groups as equals and pushing for policies that create racial equity. Kendi says, "We can't just talk about racism as an original sin. We have to talk about racism as the original cancer, as this original disease that has been killing America."
(2019-08-13). Headlines for August 13, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Announces New Rule to Limit and Penalize Low-Income Immigrants, Trump Slashes Endangered Species Act, Hong Kong Protesters Shut Down Airport for Second Day, Flooding, Landslides Kill Hundreds Across South and Southeast Asia, Ebola No Longer "Incurable" After Success of Experimental Treatments, Reports: Director of Mexican Migrant Shelter Kidnapped, Racist Border Patrol Agent Who Intentionally Ran Over Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty, Friend of Dayton Shooter Says He Bought and Stored Gun Parts and Ammunition Used in Massacre, WaPo Editor Responds to Sanders Claim That Paper Writes Negative Stories Because of A…
(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). Jews Join Forces to Denounce Trump's Deportation Machine. truthdig.com 
Despite his support for Israel—which some see as a shield Donald Trump uses against accusations of anti-Semitism—progressive Jews are horrified by the president's immigration policies, particularly those targeting undocumented immigrants. In the last month, thousands have taken to the streets, to detention centers, even to businesses they see as siding with the a…
(2019-08-12). Former O'Rourke Organizers Rally Behind New Texas Senate Candidate. theintercept.com In April, Becky Bond and Zack Malitz left Beto O'Rourke's staff, less than a month after they'd helped the former Senate candidate rake in $6 million in the first day of his presidential campaign. It was seen, at the time, as a strategic shift for O'Rourke — away from the "big organizing" vision that drove his unexpectedly impactful 2018 Senate run. Now, Social Practice, the firm created by Bond and Malitz, who also worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders's 2016 campaign for president, is turning its "big organizing" vis…
(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). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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). 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). "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). 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.
(2019-08-12). 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…
(2019-08-11). 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?
(2019-08-10). 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). 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…
(2019-08-08). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). "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). "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). "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). 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). 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…
(2019-08-05). 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). 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…
(2019-08-03). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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…
(2019-08-01). 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). 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). 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.