(2019-09-18). Cuban reform: Overcoming the separation of economics and politics. peoplesworld.org 
July 26 is Cuba's National Day of Rebellion. Speaking in Bayamo on that day this year, President Miguel Díaz—Canel honored rebels led by Fidel Castro who on that day in 1953 attacked military installations of the Batista dictatorship. He outlined current economic challenges and political tasks that lie ahead. Economic problems weigh heavily. Cuba's people …
(2019-09-18). The incredible belief that corporate ownership does not influence media content. nationofchange.org As Sen. Bernie Sanders (CJR, 8/26/19) has recently noted, corporate ownership of media interferes with the core societal function of the press: reporting and investigating key issues at the intersection of public need and governance. And nowhere is that more critical than when it comes to climate. Due to their corporate conflicts of interest, trusted news …
(2019-09-18). The 'official secrets' movie vs. Joe Biden's lies about the Iraq war. nationofchange.org Joe Biden's recent efforts to deny his record of support for invading Iraq are marvels of evasion, with falsehoods that have been refuted by one well-documented appraisal after another after another. This month, Biden claimed that his vote for war on the Senate floor was somehow not a vote for war. Ironically, while he was spinning anew to deny the undeniable, theaters …
(2019-09-18). The 'Official Secrets' Movie vs. Joe Biden's Lies About the Iraq War. indybay.org Taking and Evading Responsibility…
(2019-09-18). 2020: Democratic Establishment vs. Democratic Socialists. progressive.org Meet three new challengers to the entrenched old guard.
(2019-09-18). Historian calls out media for failing to question UK's 'ever-growing' links with repressive regime. thecanary.co On 17 September, historian Mark Curtis slammed the media for failing to hold the British government to account over its increasing links with Egypt's repressive elitist regime. Tweeting a screenshot of a recent government announcement, he said: | UK has an "ever growing economic partnership"
(2019-09-18). Trump's Electoral College Win Could Easily Happen Again If System Doesn't Change. truthout.org | | Republicans are expected to win 65 percent of close presidential races in which they lose the popular vote as a result of the Electoral College and the blue-state concentration of Democrats, according to a new working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research. | Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin looked at the probability of "inversions" in presidential elections, where the popular-vote…
(2019-09-18). Centrist Democratic Bills Lack Leadership and Action on Climate Crisis. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-09-18). The secret GOP plan to keep power. nationofchange.org In 2020, we need to pay attention to state elections as well as elections for president and Congress. State elections could decide whether the Republican Party further corrupts American democracy. As demographics change — and America becomes more diverse and more liberal — the GOP has responded by implementing policies that will take away power from the American people. …
(2019-09-18). Koch-Backed Republicans Want to Tax Your Electric Car. truthout.org | | This article was produced by Sludge, an independent, ad-free investigative news site covering money in politics. Click here to support Sludge.Libertarian billionaire Charles Koch has spent his entire adult life proclaiming the virtues of individual liberty and personal property rights. But when Americans decide they want to drive emissions-free electric vehicle…
(2019-09-18). Trump Picks Robert O'Brien for National Security Advisor Post. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday named U.S. hostage negotiator Robert O'Brien as his choice to replace John Bolton as his White House national security adviser. | RELATED: | Charles Kupperman: A Bolton-Style Hawk Is Trump's Acting National Security Advisor | O'Brien, currently a presidential envoy for hostage affairs at the U.S. Department of State, has a long history in Republican foreign policy circles. | "I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will…
(2019-09-18). UAW Strike Enters Day 3 as 50,000 Workers Demand GM to Share Its Billions in Profits. democracynow.org 
As members of the United Auto Workers head into their third day of a nationwide strike, General Motors has cut off health insurance for the nearly 50,000 people on picket lines across the country demanding better working conditions and fair pay. The workers say GM continues to deny employees' demands for better conditions and compensation despite leading the company to record profits following bankruptcy and a federal bailout. It's the first company-wide strike against GM in 12 years. UAW had sought to have GM cover striking workers' health insurance through the end of the month. In New York City, we speak with S…
(2019-09-18). Israel's Election Outcome Remains Unclear, But the "Ultimate Loser" Will Be Palestinians. democracynow.org 
Israel is facing political turmoil as Tuesday's election remains too close to call. With 92% of the vote counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and ex-military chief Benny Gantz's Blue and White party appear to be nearly tied. Both leading candidates aiming to be prime minister had run on platforms vowing to take harsh measures targeting Palestinians. Netanyahu promised to annex nearly a third of the occupied West Bank, in violation of international law, if he won re-election. Earlier this year, Gantz bragged about bombing Gaza back to the "Stone Ages." On Tuesday night, Gantz said he had fulfil…
(2019-09-18). "Beaten Down, Worked Up": Steven Greenhouse on the Past, Present and Future of American Labor. democracynow.org 
As UAW workers stand on picket lines across the country, teachers prepare to strike in Chicago, and thousands of healthcare workers with Kaiser Permanente plan to strike in October, we speak with longtime labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, author of the new book "Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor." Among other issues, Greenhouse discusses how labor and climate activists are teaming up to push for a Green New Deal.
(2019-09-18). Headlines for September 18, 2019. democracynow.org Israeli PM Netanyahu Fails to Win Majority in Deadlocked Election, Climate Researchers Warn of Potential 7 Degree Temperature Rise by 2100, Greta Thunberg Tells U.S. Senators to Work Harder on Climate Crisis, Tropical Depression to Dump 18 Inches of Rain on Parts of Texas Gulf Coast, Trump Admin Seeks to Revoke California's Auto Emissions Standards, "I Have No Obligation to Be Honest to the Media," Testifies Trump's Ex-Campaign Manager, Trump Tells Campaign Rally in New Mexico, "We Love Our Hispanics", U.S. Senate Votes to Sanction China over Violations of Uyghurs' Human Rights , 75 Countries Using Artificial Int…
(2019-09-18). 'Heartless and Unconscionable': Outrage as General Motors Cuts Off Healthcare for 50,000 Striking Workers. commondreams.org "It is cruel and outrageous that GM has cut off the healthcare benefits from their employees in a blatant attempt to force the union into submission," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/uaw_strike_healthcare.jpg …
(2019-09-18). Marx's favourite writer Diderot: A subversive Enlightenment philosopher who opened new ideological fronts. greenleft.org.au 
books philosophy democracy history Phil ShannonIssue 1239 AustraliaSeptember 18, 2019Diderot And the Art of Thinking Freely
| Andrew S Cur…
(2019-09-18). Warren rolls out plan she calls 'most sweeping set of anti-corruption reforms since watergate'. nationofchange.org 
Democratic presidential primary candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday unveiled a wide-ranging plan to combat corruption in U.S. politics with "big, structural change to fundamentally transform our government." The End Washington Corruption plan builds on legislation that the Massachusetts Democrat introduced last August, months before she announced her presidential campaign. Warren released the plan ahead of her …
(2019-09-18). The Secret GOP Plan to Keep Power. commondreams.org The Supreme Court recently ruled it has no power to intervene when states use partisan gerrymandering to draw these maps, saying it is an issue for state legislatures and state courts. (Photo: Screenshot) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-09-18_at_2.10.20_pm.png …
(2019-09-17). The Untold Story: Joe Biden Pushed Ronald Reagan to Ramp Up Incarceration — Not the Other Way Around. theintercept.com 
Biden has argued that the focus on his 1994 crime bill as a driver of mass incarceration is misplaced. He's right — it was his earlier push that was responsible.
(2019-09-17). 'Not a House party': Ex-Trump aide Lewandowski hearing turns into impeachment circus. rt.com 
Seeking to impeach President Donald Trump, the House Judiciary Committee summoned his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski for a hearing that devolved into a trolling and shouting match. Here are some of the craziest moments. | Appearing before the committee on Tuesday, Lewandowski accused the Democrats of "petty and personal politics," described the hearing as "going down a rabbit hole" and vowed to be "as sincere in my answers as this committee is in its questions." The video of his opening statement was approvingly tweeted by Trump. | pic.twitter.com/wrEmfGFRHm …
(2019-09-17). 'We are not your prostitutes!' Tulsi Gabbard slams Trump for 'pimping out' US soldiers to Saudi Arabia. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard has doubled down on her attacks on President Donald Trump's 'disgraceful' allegiance to Saudi Arabia, eviscerating his 'betrayal' of her fellow soldiers and the US Constitution. | Singling out Trump's statement that the US was "locked and loaded" but "waiting to hear from the Kingdom … under what terms we would proceed," Gabbard slammed the US president for "offering to place our military assets under the command of a foreign country." | . @realDonaldTrump Despicable. Offering to place our mili…
(2019-09-17). Trump is 'corruption in the flesh', presidential contender Warren says. thecanary.co 
Democratic presidential contender Elizabeth Warren on Monday decried US President Donald Trump as "corruption in the flesh" and outlined her plans to root out corruption in the White House, Congress and courts."Corruption has put our planet at risk. Corruption has broken our economy. And corruption is breaking our democracy," said Warren, a Massachusetts senator who has emerged as a leading presidential contender.While aggressive, the message was a familiar one.Warren has embraced corruption as a central campaign theme from the beginning of her 2020 presidential bid. | But rarely has she addressed such a crowd wi…
(2019-09-17). Elizabeth Warren wins Working Families Party endorsement in Democratic primary. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—By a 61%-36% count, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., beat Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., for the Working Families Party endorsement for next year's Democratic presidential nomination. The nod to Warren is notable for two reasons: One is the WFP includes some of the nation's most-committed progressive activists, who can now be expected to hit the …
(2019-09-17). The Southern Strategy and Donald Trump. counterpunch.org 
Contemporary Republican politicians like to invoke the legacy of Ronald Reagan to bolster their policies. However, the type of White nationalism being espoused by Donald Trump and his supporters more accurately traces back to two less appealing Republican personalities: Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon, and to the backlash created by the Civil Rights Movement of the nineteen sixties. More
(2019-09-17). Trump Gives California Grief—but Also Likes Its Money. truthdig.com 
RIO RANCHO, New Mexico — President Donald Trump rarely passes up the chance to throw a sharp elbow at left-leaning California but he's more than happy to cash in there with a lunch-dinner-breakfast-lunch fundraising blitz expected to scoop up $15 million from wealthy Republicans in two days. | "There's not been a president in living history that is as unpopular in the state of California as Trump," said Mike Madrid, a GOP political consultant who is an outspoken Trump critic. "But our money spends the same as everyone else's." | With protesters already circling, Trump kicks off his money-making Tuesday with…
(2019-09-17). 70 arrested in NYC demanding 'close the camps!'. workers.org 
Hundreds of people demanding the closing of detention camps on the U.S.-Mexico border joined in an energetic protest that began at the New York Public Library in Manhattan on Sept. 14. Protesters marched to Microsoft's 5th Avenue store where they sat in the entrance demanding that the company stop doing . . . | Continue reading 70 arrested in NYC demanding 'close the camps!' at Workers.org
(2019-09-17). Health Care: Premiums and Taxes. counterpunch.org 
Our pundit class have to decided to make a crusade out of forcing Senators Warren and Sanders into saying that their proposals for universal Medicare will require a tax increase. Both have repeatedly responded by saying that total costs for the vast majority of people will fall, since Medicare for All will lead to a large reduction in costs by all accounts, because it reduces waste in the health care system. | More
(2019-09-17). Sanders Warns Trump Against Illegal Iran Strike. globalresearch.ca The attack on the Saudi Aramco oil facility over the weekend and President Donald Trump's subsequent tweet that the United States is "locked and loaded" immediately prompted presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to fire back. | Sanders and …
(2019-09-17). Progressives Slam Trump, 'Howdy Modi' Meeting in Texas. telesurenglish.net Progressives slammed the United States President Donlad trump's decision to join Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bipartisan event in Houston on Sept. 22. | RELATED: | Bernie Sanders Condemns India's Action in Occupied Kashmir | "I don't know what's more embarasssing—that Modi will appear beside Trump or that Trump will appear beside Modi," tweeted Rutgers professor Audrey Truschke. "Both countries have my condolences." | The "Howdy, Modi!" event is sponsored by the T…
(2019-09-17). Trump: Saudi Arabia's Bitch. globalresearch.ca "Saudi Arabia's Bitch". That's what Democrat candidate Tulsi Gabbard calls President Trump for his slavish reliance on Saudi Arabia to declare Iran responsible for last weekend's attack on Saudi oil resources. | Gabbard's comments are in response to Trump's tweet on …
(2019-09-17). New York Students Miss School to Protest Climate Change. telesurenglish.net Over a million students from public schools in New York can participate in Friday ¥s demonstrations against climate change without worries after the Education Department of the city granted them permission to miss classes. | RELATED: | Report Presents 10 Changes to Fight Climate Crisis | Parents and teachers were initially concerned about the consequences of participating in those activities. However, not everybody is happy with the idea. | New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ¥s op…
(2019-09-17). Election 2020: Time to Stop Pretending and Start Over. counterpunch.org "Imagine what would be possible right now with ideas that are bold enough to meet the challenges of our time, but big enough, as well, that they could unify the American people [like the 9/11 attacks did]," said South Bend, Indian mayor Pete Buttigieg in his opening statement at the September 12 Democratic presidential nomination More
(2019-09-17). 'House Democrats must not delay': Progressives, 2020 contenders demand Kavanaugh impeachment amid new sexual misconduct accusations. nationofchange.org Progressive advocacy groups and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates led the chorus of voices demanding that House Democrats launch impeachment proceedings against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after the New York Times over the weekend published fresh details about sexual misconduct allegations against the judge and FBI failures to investigate complaints made against him prior to his confirmation. | "The evidence that Kavanaugh committed perjury in his Senate testimony is mounting," Demand Justic…
(2019-09-17). Are We the People Unfit for Democracy? commondreams.org Here's what we know from modern U.S. history, writes Lofgren: "The elites failed at every level." (Photo: David Eulitt/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1038618602.jpg …
(2019-09-17). Warren Unveils "Most Sweeping Set of Anti-Corruption Reforms Since Watergate" truthout.org | | Democratic presidential primary candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday unveiled a wide-ranging plan to combat corruption in U.S. politics with "big, structural change to fundamentally transform our government." | The End Washington Corruption plan builds on legislation that the Massachusetts Democrat introduced last August, months before she announce…
(2019-09-17). Tennessee Republicans in Fisticuffs Over School Vouchers. progressive.org Hot chicken, sex, and cocaine are part of the story of how Tennessee became the latest state to succumb to the Betsy DeVos-backed voucher craze. The result could determine how the GOP addresses the issue across the country.
(2019-09-17). Democrats, Don't Be Afraid to Go Big in 2020. thenation.com Democrats, Don't Be Afraid to Go Big in 2020…
(2019-09-17). Elizabeth Warren's Rally Drew More Than 20,000. thenation.com Elizabeth Warren's Rally Drew More Than 20,000…
(2019-09-17). WFP's Nod to Warren Reminds Progressives of the Inevitable Need to Choose. thenation.com WFP's Nod to Warren Reminds Progressives of the Inevitable Need to Choose…
(2019-09-17). Naomi Klein: Greta Thunberg Is a "Prophetic Voice" in Fight for Climate Justice. democracynow.org 
Renowned activist, author and professor Naomi Klein discusses the importance of youth voices, including 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, in communicating the urgency of the climate justice movement. Klein's new book, "On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal," addresses the necessity of structural change to combat rising global temperatures and climate injustices. Klein praises Greta for her "moral clarity" as one of many youth voices that "burst through the bureaucratic language with which we shield ourselves from the reality of the stakes, the extraordinary stakes, of our moment in h…
(2019-09-17). Ecofascism: Naomi Klein Warns the Far Right's Embrace of White Supremacy Is Tied to Climate Crisis. democracynow.org 
Renowned climate activist and author Naomi Klein addresses the rise of ecofascism, the marrying of environmentalism and white power, which she says manifested in the Christchurch, New Zealand, white supremacist terrorist attack, where the shooter identified himself as an ecofascist. In her latest book, "On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal," Klein writes, "My fear is that, unless something significant changes in how our societies rise to the ecological crisis, we are going to see this kind of white power eco-fascism emerge with much greater frequency, as a ferocious rationalization for refusing to liv…
(2019-09-17). Naomi Klein: The Climate Crisis Demands Radical Change. Paper Straws Are a Distraction, Not Solution. democracynow.org 
Renowned climate activist and author Naomi Klein says responses to the climate crisis have for too long focused on individual consumer choices rather than the collective action needed to save the planet. In a new video for The Intercept, Klein argues, "So many environmental responses have just been minor tweaks to an economy based on endless consumption — take your electric car to the drive-thru for an Impossible Burger and a Coke with a paper straw. Look, of course it's better than the alternative. But it's nowhere close to the depth of change required if we hope to actually pull our planet back from the b…
(2019-09-17). "On Fire": In New Book, Naomi Klein Makes the Case for a Green New Deal to Save the Planet. democracynow.org 
Amid mounting climate disasters across the planet, from the fires ravaging the Amazon to Hurricane Dorian's destructive path through the Bahamas, we speak with renowned journalist, author and activist Naomi Klein. In her new book, "On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal," Klein looks unsparingly at the rise of ecofascism, as Western countries fortify their borders and white supremacy surges around the world in response to the climate crisis. But she also lays out another path forward in which mankind meets the challenge of global warming with radical and systemic transformation. "We do know that if we a…
(2019-09-17). Headlines for September 17, 2019. democracynow.org Iran Rejects Talks with U.S. Following Disputed Drone Attacks in Saudi Arabia, Israelis Head to Polls to Decide Netanyahu's Fate, Afghanistan: Blast Near Presidential Rally Kills Dozens Amid Mounting Violence, Massive Blackout Hits Four Central American Nations, 2 Italian Officials Indicted over Migrant Deaths from 2013 Shipwreck, 2019 Was Northern Hemisphere's Hottest Summer on Record, Auto Workers Continue Strike with Support from Dems, Environmental Activists, Manhattan DA Subpoenas Trump Tax Returns, Acting Intelligence Dir. Refused to Turn Over Whistleblower Complaint That Could Involve Trump, House Dems Inv…
(2019-09-17). Headlines for September 17, 2019. democracynow.org Iran Rejects Talks with U.S. Following Disputed Drone Attacks in Saudi Arabia, Israelis Head to Polls to Decide Netanyahu's Fate, Afghanistan: Blast Near Presidential Rally Kills Dozens Amid Mounting Violence, Massive Blackout Hits Four Central American Nations, 2 Italian Officials Indicted over Migrant Deaths from 2013 Shipwreck, 2019 Was Northern Hemisphere's Hottest Summer on Record, Autoworkers Continue Strike with Support from Dems, Environmental Activists, Manhattan DA Subpoenas Trump Tax Returns, Acting Intelligence Dir. Refused to Turn Over Whistleblower Complaint That Could Involve Trump, House Dems Inve…
(2019-09-17). Warren Draws Record Crowd of 20,000 in New York as She Vows to Combat Corporate Power. commondreams.org An estimated 20,000 people packed New York City's Washington Square Park Monday night to hear Sen. Elizabeth Warren speak about her campaign for president, particularly her sweeping anti-corruption proposal. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11687190881.jpg …
(2019-09-16). #ObamaNetflix: Trump sends phrase trending while calling for inquiry into Barack's deals. rt.com 
Donald Trump inspired near-covfefe levels of confusion online after posting tweets that cryptically ended with: "Obama Netflix?" – a phrase which provided instant meme fodder. | The question closed a series of tweets from the US president in which he criticized the House Judiciary Committee for scrambling to find another avenue to attack him on following the Mueller investigation, after Democrats pushed for an inquiry into the use of Trump hotels for state and military visits. Perplexingly for some, his tweets closed with a nod to Barack Obama that sounded like a new brand: ….for the privilege of being you…
(2019-09-16). The Incredible Belief That Corporate Ownership Does Not Influence Media Content. fair.org 
As Sen. Bernie Sanders (CJR, 8/26/19) has recently noted, corporate ownership of media interferes with the core societal function of the press: reporting and investigating key issues at the intersection of public need and governance. And nowhere is that more critical than when it comes to climate. Due to their corporate conflicts of interest, trusted news authorities have diverted us from our primary responsibility—assuring a viable habitat for our children and grandchildren. | As a journalist who has worked both inside and…
(2019-09-16). Tulsi Gabbard Slams Trump: Being "Saudi Arabia's Bitch is Not America First" theantimedia.com "Trump awaits instructions from his Saudi masters. Having our country act as Saudi Arabia's bitch is not 'America First'."
(2019-09-16). La hipocresía de Hausmann: Ganando dinero de dictaduras mientras promueve 'democracia' en Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Ricardo Hausmann arremetió contra bancos por hacer negocios con el negocio electo de Venezuela. Pero sus declaraciones financieras a Harvard…
(2019-09-16). A Top Joe Biden Staffer Is a Supporter of India's Authoritarian Leader Narendra Modi. theintercept.com A new adviser to Joe Biden's presidential campaign, the director of outreach to the Asian-American Pacific Islander community, is a strong backer of extreme right-wing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. | Amit Jani took to Facebook in May to celebrate the authoritarian leader's reelection. | Jani, whose hiring as AAPI national vote director was announced last week, comes to Biden's campaign from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's office. He worked on AAPI outreach on Murphy's 2017 campaign and…
(2019-09-16). "We in the Media Have Not Been Doing Our Job": 250+ News Outlets Pledge to Focus on Climate Crisis. democracynow.org 
A major new project from The Nation and the Columbia Journalism Review hopes to improve global coverage of the climate crisis, with more than 250 media outlets around the world — including Democracy Now! — signing on to the effort to publish or broadcast stories on climate. Organizers say this is one of the most ambitious efforts ever to organize the world's media around a single topic. The week of coverage, which leads up to next week's U.N. Climate Action Summit, kicked off on Sunday. As part of the effort, CBS News released a new poll of over 2,000 U.S. residents that measured attitudes around clim…
(2019-09-16). "Biological Annihilation": The Danger of Opening Alaska's ANWR to Oil & Gas Drilling. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration is finalizing plans to open one of the world's last pristine wilderness regions, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to oil and fracked gas drilling. Trump is pushing the drilling at a time when climate change is permanently altering the Arctic and devastating local communities. The plan calls for the creation of landing strips, drill pads, pipeline supports, a seawater treatment plant, 175 miles of roads, and other infrastructure in Alaska's north coast. On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to block the Trump administration from opening up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Re…
(2019-09-16). Saudi Oil Refinery Attack Raises Fears of "Wider Regional War" Involving U.S. & Iran. democracynow.org 
President Trump is threatening to take military action after several large Saudi Arabian oil facilities were attacked Saturday by drones and cruise missiles. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, but numerous reports indicate the attack may have come from Iraq or Iran rather than Yemen. Crude oil prices soared more than 15% after the Aramco-run plants suffered heavy damage. One of the plants struck is the world's biggest petroleum-processing facility. According to one estimate, the attacks decreased Saudi's daily oil output by nearly 6 million barrels. While the United States has been quic…
(2019-09-16). Headlines for September 16, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Iran After Oil Attacks in Saudi Arabia, United Auto Workers Strike to Demand Fair Wages, Healthcare & Job Security from GM, Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy, Calls Mount to Impeach Justice Kavanaugh After NYT Report on Sexual Misconduct, Hong Kong Protesters Appeal to U.S., U.K. as Uprising Shows No Sign of Slowing Down, Outsiders Lead Tunisia's Presidential Exit Polls, Algeria Announces Elections Amid Ongoing Protests Against Ruling Elite, U.K. Judge Says Julian Assange a Flight Risk, Must Remain in Prison, Appeals Court Revives Emoluments Case Against Trump, Felicity Huf…
(2019-09-16). Here's more proof why it's hard to trust Jo Swinson on anything. thecanary.co 
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has pledged "to stop Brexit altogether". But here's more evidence showing why it's hard to trust her on anything. | "What?!?: | At party conference, the Liberal Democrats agreed to cancel Brexit if they get into power. Swinson said: We will do all…
(2019-09-15). Yang says SNL novice should not be fired over Chinese racial slur, drowned out by PC crowd. rt.com 
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has said that Saturday Night Live's new hire Shane Gillis should not be sacked for making a tasteless joke after a clip of him mocking Chinatowns resurfaced, setting Twitter alight. | Yang, a son of immigrants from Taiwan, struck a distinctly different tone from most online warriors when he said he would be "happy to sit down and talk" with Gillis about the ill-fated clip that resurfaced on Friday. The video shows the comedian tearing into Chinatowns and their inhabitants. | "Damn, Chinatown is f**king nuts," Gillis says in the clip, referring to the ability of Chi…
(2019-09-15). USF students demand no immigration authorities on campus. fightbacknews.org Tampa, Fl – On September 10, students at the University of South Florida (USF) participated in a national day of action that was called by National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) to speak out against the Trump administration's attacks on undocumented immigrants. The event was hosted by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Over 30 students and staff attended. | During President Donald Trump's tenure, his administration has engaged in escalating attacks against undocumented immigrants. Some of these attacks include Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining undocumented children in h…
(2019-09-15). Presumption of innocence? Dems call for Kavanaugh's impeachment amid new sex assault allegations. rt.com 
A number of 2020 Democratic nomination hopefuls didn't waste time before taking a shot at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh just as new harassment allegations surfaced. And they hardly see a place for the benefit of the doubt. | The new storm around Kavanaugh, who was accused of past sexual misconduct last year, started with a New York Times feature on one of the accusers. | Deborah Ramirez, who went to Yale University with the future Justice, insists that he thrust his penis at her at a drunken party in 1980s. The paper wrote that it uncovered a similar incident of penis pushing into a female's hand based…
(2019-09-14). Which Way Out of Neoliberalism: Fascism or Socialism? mronline.org 
All eyes are on the ongoing struggle between forces of fascism (whether Democratic Party or Republican in character) and the social democratic forces of the Western world with the hopes that a decisive break from imperialism is on the horizon. | Source
(2019-09-14). How the FBI Increased Its Power After 9/11 and Helped Put Trump in Office. theintercept.com 
Former FBI agent Mike German recounts the transformation of the FBI from a law enforcement agency into a dangerously powerful domestic intelligence force.
(2019-09-14). UN chief urges 'active, substantive and meaningful participation' on International Day of Democracy. un.org On the International Day of Democracy, the United Nations chief urged each Government to respect its citizens' right to "meaningful participation" in the political process.
(2019-09-13). Joe Biden's Stunningly Racist Answer on the Legacy of Slavery Has Been Overlooked. theintercept.com 
For the Washington Post, former Vice President Joe Biden delivered "the kind of performance his supporters have been waiting for — combative when needed and in the thick of the action throughout" during Thursday's presidential debate. Cable news commenters largely agreed. The New York Times was slightly less kind, subtitling its analysis "St…
(2019-09-13). Democratic Debate #3: Mr. Rogers, Re-runs, and Real Talk. progressive.org A side-stepped apology from Biden, two gimmick-meisters, and seven remaining candidates who gave solid performances.
(2019-09-13). Creepy Republican Ad During Democratic Debate Attacks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. theintercept.com The strange Republican obsession with attacking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reached a new low in a commercial break during the Democratic presidential debate in Houston on Thursday night. | The widely reviled commercial, which aired on ABC and was paid for by donors to the GOP New Faces PAC, opened with a photograph of the young Latinx congresswoman's face being set on fire to reveal images of the 1970s genocide in Cambodia underneath. | The attack ad…
(2019-09-13). Medicare for All: Sanders & Warren Defend Plan to Expand Healthcare Coverage to Everyone. democracynow.org 
At Thursday's debate, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren defended their Medicare for All plan. They faced criticism from several rivals, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, who described it as a "bad idea," and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who claimed the bill shows Sanders and Warren do not "trust the American people."
(2019-09-13). "Racism in America Is Endemic": Democratic Candidates Vow to Confront White Supremacy & Legacy of Slavery. democracynow.org 
During the third Democratic debate Thursday night, the discussion of race and racism got personal for former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, who brought up last month's El Paso massacre. He said the white gunman who killed 22 people, mostly Latinos, had driven to the border city "to kill people who look like me." Former Texas Congressmember Beto O'Rourke, who is from El Paso, said racism is endemic and foundational of the United States. He mentioned that this year will mark the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved African being brought to America, and promised he would create a slavery reparations commission.
(2019-09-13). Joe Biden Faces Criticism over His Healthcare Plan & His Support for Iraq Invasion at Third Debate. democracynow.org 
The 10 leading Democratic presidential candidates appeared for the first time on the same stage Thursday night at a debate at Texas Southern University in Houston. It was the third debate of the primary season, but it marked the first time former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren took part in the same debate. Biden repeatedly faced criticism for his healthcare plans and for his vote to support the war in Iraq.
(2019-09-13). Should Latinos Trust Biden? Former VP Refuses to Criticize Obama's Deportation of 3 Million People. democracynow.org 
Debate moderator Jorge Ramos of Univision grilled former Vice President Joe Biden over the Obama administration's deportation record. Biden refused to answer whether he did anything to prevent Obama from deporting a record 3 million people.
(2019-09-13). Elizabeth Warren Calls for Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Afghanistan. democracynow.org 
At the third presidential primary debate in Houston, Texas, senator and 2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Warren also spoke about her stance on U.S. trade policy and how "our trade policy in America has been broken for decades."
(2019-09-13). Bernie Sanders on Democratic Socialism: We Want to Create an Economy That Works for All of Us. democracynow.org 
After being questioned about the crisis in Venezuela, Senator Bernie Sanders defended his vision of democratic socialism. "I agree with what goes on in Canada and in Scandinavia: guaranteeing healthcare to all people as a human right. I believe that the United States should not be the only major country on Earth not to provide paid family and medical leave," Sanders said. "I believe that every worker in this country deserves a living wage and that we expand the trade union movement."
(2019-09-13). Headlines for September 13, 2019. democracynow.org Ten Candidates Square Off in Third Democratic Presidential Debate, Greenpeace Activists Rappel Off Houston Bridge, Halting Oil Shipments, 2.2 Million Somalis At Risk of Starvation Amid Massive Drought, 7 Million People Displaced by Extreme Weather in First Half of 2019, House Votes to Block Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge as Trump Admin Readies Lease Sales, New York Schools Won't Penalize Students Who Join Climate Strike, Trump Admin Repeals Rule Protecting Drinking Water of 100+ Million, Trump Admin Allows Michigan Trophy Hunter to Import Body Parts of Endangered Rhino, House Committee Opens Impeachment Proc…
(2019-09-12). Senate Democrats Draft Pro Athlete Instagram Influencers Into Climate Fight. theintercept.com 
On Thursday, after a summer of extreme heat, the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis convened to hear from a group of people especially affected by climate change. They were not members of low-income communities or communities of color, people who have been hit by hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters. They were current and former professional athletes, appearing to testify on how climate change impacts winter sports and tourism industries. | The 10-member special committee, chaired by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, is tasked with investigating the impacts of climate change to develop the…
(2019-09-12). Will U.S. & Iran Resume Talks After John "Bomb Iran" Bolton Is Ousted as National Security Adviser? democracynow.org 
President Trump has ousted John Bolton, becoming the third national security adviser to be ousted by Trump so far. Bolton has long been a fierce critic of diplomacy. He had strongly pushed for Trump to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. He also opposed negotiations with North Korea, as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan. And he was a key supporter of the attempted U.S.-backed coup in Venezuela and an advocate of regime change in Cuba and Nicaragua. Trump is expected to announce a replacement next week. We speak with Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and a member of the national board of J…
(2019-09-12). Noura Erakat: Netanyahu's Proposed West Bank Annexation Is Logical End to Israel's Apartheid Policy. democracynow.org 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing worldwide condemnation for vowing to annex nearly a third of the occupied West Bank if he wins next week's snap election. The United Nations, the Arab League, the European Union and Russia have all criticized Netanyahu's plan, which he unveiled Tuesday. Netanyahu's pledge comes just a week before Israeli voters return to the polls on Tuesday for new elections after Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government following Israel's April 9 election. Netanyahu's annexation plan would crush hopes of an eventual Palestinian state. We speak with Noura Erakat, Palesti…
(2019-09-12). Another Flint? Newark, NJ, Faces Public Health Crisis over Lead Contamination in City's Water Supply. democracynow.org 
Thousands of residents in Newark, New Jersey, remain unable to drink their tap water in an enduring public health nightmare. Lead contamination has plagued the city for years, but lead levels have spiked even higher in 2019. The crisis recently came to a head following revelations that water filters distributed to residents may not have been effective. New Jersey's political leaders are facing mounting criticism for their handling of the water crisis. Advocates say the city downplayed the severity of the problem for years and has been slow on solutions, comparing Newark's water crisis to Flint, Michigan. We speak…
(2019-09-12). Headlines for September 12, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Denies Protected Status to Bahamians as 2,500 Listed as Missing, Supreme Court Allows Trump's Asylum Ban to Take Effect, "I Don't Want to Die": Honduran Teen with Cystic Fibrosis Says Deportation Would Kill Him, 37-Year-Old Mexican Man Dies in ICE Custody, the 8th Such Death This Fiscal Year, Reporters Barred from Secretive Immigration Tent Courts on Southern Border, Sacklers Would Remain Billionaires & Admit No Wrongdoing Under Tentative Opioid Settlement, Trump Says FDA Will Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes, U.N. Investigators Say U.S.-Led Forces Committed War Crimes in Syria, Skyrocketing Violence Continues Ahea…
(2019-09-11). Pittsburgh Google contract workers start unionization process, bosses prep union-busting campaign. liberationnews.org 
In these crucial coming weeks, solidarity and militancy will keep the workers united as they fight for democracy and the ability to collectively bargain.
(2019-09-11). "We Are Striking to Disrupt the System": An Hour with 16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg. democracynow.org 
In her first extended broadcast interview in the United States, we spend the hour with Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who has inspired millions across the globe. Last year she launched a school strike for the climate, skipping school every Friday to stand in front of the Swedish parliament, demanding action to prevent catastrophic climate change. Her protest spread, quickly going global. Hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren around the globe have participated in their own local school strikes for the climate. Since her strike began in 2018, Greta has become a leading figure in the clim…
(2019-09-11). Headlines for September 11, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Ousts National Security Adviser John Bolton, Palestinians Say Annexation of West Bank Would Be "Paramount to a War Crime", Scottish Court Declares Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Ahead of Brexit "Unlawful", Japan Warns Radioactive Water from Fukushima to Be Dumped into Pacific Ocean, Republicans Win Two Special Congressional Elections in North Carolina, Study: 1,700 Polling Places Have Closed Since Gutting of Voting Rights Act, California Votes to Force Gig Companies to Treat Contract Workers Like Employees, Number of Uninsured Americans Jumps to 27.5 Million, CDC Warns Against Vaping Use as Sixth User D…
(2019-09-10). Kenosha SDS wins demand for gender neutral bathrooms on campus. fightbacknews.org Kenosha, WI – Just in time for the new semester, Students for a Democratic Society at UW Parkside came out victorious in their gender neutral bathrooms campaign from the previous semester. Four bathrooms were converted on campus to support the trans and gender non-conforming community, a demand which some students have been proposing for several years. | Before, there were only two gender neutral bathrooms on campus located on the opposite ends of campus. This was an obstacle for transgender students taking classes in the central area of the university, as the only gender neutral bathrooms were inconveniently far…
(2019-09-10). "They Need Our Help": Bahamian-American Lawmaker Urges U.S. to Let In Storm Survivors Seeking Refuge. democracynow.org 
The death toll in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian hit 50 Monday and is expected to keep rising exponentially. Many survivors of the Category 5 storm are now seeking refuge in the United States. At least 4,000 hurricane survivors have traveled to the U.S. since the hurricane hit, but many more are facing a struggle with paperwork and mounting confusion about what's necessary to gain entry. Over the weekend, more than 100 people seeking aid and refuge in the U.S. were turned away after boarding a ferry bound for Florida. Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan said that the U.S. is consi…
(2019-09-10). From a Lebanese Refugee Camp to Harvard, Ismail Ajjawi Inspires Other Palestinian Students. democracynow.org 
Today marks a week since Ismail Ajjawi, a 17-year-old Palestinian student who was denied entry into the United States, began classes with his fellow Harvard freshmen. Ajjawi was initially turned away at Boston's Logan Airport after immigration officials searched his phone and computer, and interrogated him about his religion and social media posts by friends that were critical of U.S. policy. He was then forced to return home to Lebanon, but his case provoked outrage on the Harvard campus and among some Palestinian rights and academic freedom groups. Ajjawi, who is attending Harvard on a full scholarship, was edu…
(2019-09-10). An Invisible Crisis: Thousands of African Migrants Are Stranded in Mexico Hoping to Head North. democracynow.org 
Hundreds of African migrants in Mexico are protesting the country's refusal to grant them transit visas to travel to the United States or Canada, where they want to apply for asylum. For months, thousands of African migrants have been forced by the Mexican government to stay in the southern state of Chiapas, on the Guatemalan border. Many of them have been sleeping in tent cities, cooking on the streets and bathing their children in buckets, without the promise of shelter, food or work permits. The long waits for African migrants began in June, when it was reported that Mexican immigration authorities were ignori…
(2019-09-09). As Biden Invokes Dead Family Members Against Medicare for All, Media Play Along. fair.org 
by Joshua Cho | Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden last month released a new Iowa TV ad called " Personal," which recounts the former vice president's personal tragedy of losing his wife and daughter to a car crash, and the subsequent loss of his son Beau Biden from brain cancer. | Biden presented his story as a celebration of for-profit health insurance by saying that he "couldn't imagine" what it would've been like if their insurance didn't cover the healthcare required "immediately," and that…
(2019-09-09). Safe zone in Syria, Trump and the Taliban, Maduro vs. Guaido. uwidata.com Safe zone in Syria On Sunday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused the United States of attempting to use the creation of a security zone in northeastern Syria, not for Ankara's sake, but in order to protect the Washington-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDS) operating in the area. Turkey sees the SDS and the Kurdish units of …
(2019-09-08). New Season of Amazon's Jack Ryan Focused on Venezuela Denounced as 'Over-the-Top and Ridiculous' US Propaganda. venezuelanalysis.com The upcoming season of Amazon's Jack Ryan could have been scripted by John Bolton.
(2019-09-06). Embassy insider exposes CNN lies about Julian Assange. thegrayzone.com A "bombshell" CNN report claimed to show how Wikileaks founder Julian Assange published stolen Democratic Party emails in 2016 in…
(2019-08-27). New Resource Tool Sheds Light on Government's Prepublication Review System. aclu.org Millions of current and former government employees are subjected to this far-reaching censorship system. | This piece was originally published in Just Security. | For more than three years, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have been litigating a series of Freedom of Information Act requests relating to "prepublication review." Under this far-reaching censorship system, millions of current and former government employees, con…
(2019-08-21). An Arizona Law Requires Surveillance of People Who Are Presumed Innocent. aclu.org The government cannot take shortcuts around constitutional rights. | A pillar of our democracy is the presumption of innocence: before a person has been convicted of a crime, they are considered completely innocent under the law. Yet across the country, people who have not been convicted are punished—both explicitly and implicitly—based on the mistaken assumption that they are dangerous, purely on the basis of an accusation. We do not live in a society where you can be incarcerated or monitored simply because you have been accused of a crime. Doing so violates constitutional rights, fuels mass incarce…