Daily Archives: September 25, 2019

2019-09-25: News Headlines

C.J. Atkins (2019-09-25). Impeaching Trump: Finally convinced, Pelosi opens formal inquiry. peoplesworld.org With the explosive whistleblower revelation that Trump allegedly threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine to get dirt on the family of Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced the launching of a formal impeachment inquiry against the President of the United States. Speaking at the Capitol Tuesday evening, Pelosi said that Trump's "enlistment …

RT (2019-09-25). 'If impeachment trump card doesn't work, it will guarantee Trump re-election,' civil rights lawyer tells RT. rt.com With the announcement of an official impeachment inquiry, Democrats have put all their eggs in one basket, risking losing the next election if they fail to enlist enough support, civil rights attorney Robert Patillo told RT. | Read more | | Tulsi says impeachment would be 'terribly divisive' as Trump's Republican challengers back the move | Accusing US President Donald Trump of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "take actions which would benefit him politically" — that is, to investigate 2020 candidate Joe Biden's son Hunt…

RT (2019-09-25). Tulsi says impeachment would be 'terribly divisive' as Trump's Republican challengers back the move. rt.com Swimming against the current in her own Democratic Party, 2020 candidate Tulsi Gabbard said she does not support impeachment proceedings against President Trump, amid louder calls within the party to remove him from office. | Moments before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry into the president on Tuesday evening, Gabbard warned the move would only deepen existing divides in the country. | "I think impeachment would be terribly divisive for our already very divided country," she told CNN's Brooke Baldwin, adding, "It's important Donald Trump is voted out of office by the American people…

RT (2019-09-25). As Democrats begin Trump impeachment, key 'Russiagate' case may be imploding. rt.com President Donald Trump's security adviser Michael Flynn was the first casualty of 'Russiagate' impeachment push, but the case against him seems weaker than ever, after a federal judge voided the conviction of his business partner. | Flynn, a retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was forced to resign in February 2017, after less than two weeks of serving as national security adviser. He was snared in an FBI perjury trap as part of surveillance of the Trump campaign — which was predicated on claims it was "colluding" with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. | Though t…

Mark Gruenberg (2019-09-25). Impeachment inquiry follows rising popular demands for action. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Whatever you may think of Ukraine's government—mired in corruption, red-baiting, xenophobia, and pro-Nazi anti-Semitism—Donald Trump's ultimatum to that nation's new president to dig up dirt on U.S. political foe Joe Biden, in return for foreign aid, was the trigger that pushed Democratic leaders to yield to the rising demand for the GOP incumbent's impeachment. The …

RT (2019-09-25). 'Nothing call': Trump lashes out at Dems & media after Zelensky chat memo released. rt.com President Donald Trump has slammed his Democratic rivals for launching an impeachment probe based on a "nothing call" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, on the back of allegations that Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine, in a bid to pressure Zelensky into investigating Joe Biden's son Hunter's business dealings in the country. The Department of Justice released a transcript of the call on Wednesday, which detaile…

Juan Cole (2019-09-25). Impeachment Isn't the High-Stakes Gamble Pelosi Thought. truthdig.com This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | Nancy Pelosi finally caved to pressure to open an impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, after he admitted to having pressured the Ukraine government to investigate his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. | Biden is clearly furious over the whole thing, and as a pillar of the Democratic establishment and former president of the Senate (as vice president), he was in a position to pressure Pelosi to do something. I don't have any proof that he did; it is just obvious that Pelosi ch…

Staff (2019-09-25). Trump Pushed Ukraine Leader on Biden Probe, Memo Shows. truthdig.com The White House releases a five-page summary of the call that led House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi to announce an impeachment inquiry.

Jud Lounsbury (2019-09-25). It's Time to Impeach Members of Congress for Not Impeaching Trump. progressive.org The question is no longer whether it's a good idea. It's about whether the members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, will follow their oath of office to defend the Constitution.

Staff (2019-09-25). Rep. Al Green: "We've Reached Critical Mass" to Impeach Trump. truthout.org | | Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following allegations from an intelligence community whistleblower that Trump sought help from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the Trump administration to release the whistleblower complaint to the H…

WSWS (2019-09-25). House Democrats launch formal impeachment inquiry against Trump. wsws.org The action is a major escalation in the factional warfare within the US ruling elite, which revolves largely around differences over foreign policy.

Juan Cole (2019-09-25). Impeachment Isn't the High-Stakes Gamble Pelosi Thought. truthdig.com This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | Nancy Pelosi finally caved to pressure to open an impeachment inquiry into Trump, after he admitted to having pressured the Ukraine government to investigate his Democratic rival Joe Biden. | Biden is clearly furious over the whole thing, and as a pillar of the Democratic establishment and former president of the Senate (as vice president), he was in a position to pressure Pelosi to do something. I don't have any proof that he did, it is just obvious that Pelosi changed he…

Staff (2019-09-25). Memo Reveals Trump Pushed Ukraine Leader on Biden Claims. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the House impeachment inquiry (all times local): | 10: 10 a.m. | The memo summarizing President Donald Trump's call with the Ukraine leader shows the president's lingering fixation on special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. | Trump flippantly refers to the ex-FBI director as a "man named Robert Mueller" and says he turned in "a very poor performance." | The memo also shows that the president made reference to the private cybersecurity firm that investigated Russia's hack of t…

Staff (2019-09-25). "We've Reached Critical Mass": Rep. Al Green on Pelosi Vow to Impeach Trump for "Dastardly Deeds" democracynow.org Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following allegations from an intelligence community whistleblower that Trump sought help from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the Trump administration to release the whistleblower complaint to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. We get response and look at next steps with Congressmember Al Gree…

Staff (2019-09-25). Headlines for September 25, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Launches Impeachment Inquiry Against President Trump, IPCC: World Must Cut Greenhouse Emissions or Face Catastrophic Sea Level Rise, Bolsonaro Faces Condemnation For Defending Deforestation of Amazon in U.N. Speech, Trump Denounces Iran, Venezuela & Calls for Countries to Embrace Nationalism at U.N., Pakistani PM Demands World to Address Crisis in Kashmir, U.K. Parliament Reconvenes After Court Declares Boris Johnson's Parliament Suspension Illegal, Egyptian Authorities Arrest At Least 900 Following Anti-Government Protests, Spain to Exhume Body of Former Dictator Francisco Franco from State Mausoleum, Nig…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-09-25). 'Impeach Barr, Too': Critics Demand Attorney General's Ouster for Refusing to Investigate Trump-Ukraine Call. commondreams.org "Terrible implications for our democracy if DOJ is saying that the solicitation of opposition research by a candidate from foreign governments is totally legal and totally cool." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/william_barr_6.jpg

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-09-25). 'Talk Is Cheap': Progressives Demand Pelosi Cancel Recess and Vote on Trump Impeachment as Soon as Possible. commondreams.org "We need to see her words backed up with action. Every day that Trump is president is another day our democracy is broken." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/impeach_trump_0.jpg

Victor Grossman (2019-09-25). The Bidens, Trump, Kiev and Impeachment. counterpunch.org The impeachment drive is quickly gathering steam, and who can have any sympathy for that man in the Oval Office? But I wonder if some enthusiasts may not be digging deeply enough. Has anyone noticed how often the media, in condemning Trump's treachery, swiftly and inconspicuously brush off the "unsubstantiated" and "vague" accusations against Hunter More

Jeffrey C. Isaac (2019-09-25). Two Cheers—Not Three—for Pelosi's Speech on Impeachment. commondreams.org US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, announces a formal impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump on September 24, 2019, in Washington, DC. – Amid mounting allegations of abuse of power by the US president, Pelosi announced the start of the inquiry in the House of Representatives, the first step in a process that could ultimately lead to Trump's removal from office. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/nancy_pelosi_democrats_impeach.png

Staff (2019-09-25). Daniel Ellsberg: Whistleblowers Preserve American Democracy. truthdig.com What follows is a conversation between famed whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and Marc Steiner of The Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…

Saad Hafiz (2019-09-25). The Boys in the Boots. counterpunch.org Pakistan's generals should be happy men. They are the self-appointed guardians of the state with an iron grip on the country. Instead of a social welfare democracy seen by the founding fathers, Pakistan has become a national security state. Sixty years after the coup d'état that brought General Ayub Khan to power in 1958, the civilian leadership More

RT (2019-09-25). US Justice Dept releases much-anticipated summary of Trump's call with Ukrainian president. rt.com US President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to look into whether ex-Vice President Joe Biden blocked an investigation into his son's company, according to a summary of the call between the two leaders. | The memo was released Wednesday morning. | | "There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great," Trump told Zelensky in a summary of the call transcript provided by the Justice Department on Wednesday. | | Democratic frontrunner Biden allegedl…

James Risen (2019-09-25). I Wrote About the Bidens and Ukraine Years Ago. Then the Right-Wing Spin Machine Turned the Story Upside Down. theintercept.com Many observers now seem to think this suddenly hot story came out of nowhere this year, but that is not true.

Alexandra Jacobo (2019-09-25). Bernie Sanders becomes the first presidential candidate to visit the Comanche Nation in over 100 years. nationofchange.org Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders traveled to Oklahoma over the weekend to address the 28th annual Comanche Nation Fair Powwow, making him the first presidential candidate to visit the Comanche Nation since Theodore Roosevelt. | "Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this beautiful, beautiful celebration. I have been, needless to say, to many events in my political career, but I do not believe that I've been to anything as beautiful and as moving as this event," said Sanders. "So thank you so much for allowing me to be with you." | Senator Sanders discussed several important topics dur…

Julie Hollar (2019-09-25). What media like best about Elizabeth Warren: She's not Bernie Sanders. nationofchange.org When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman (9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters on the ground. A rise in her poll standing …

Nancy J. Altman, Sean McElwee (2019-09-25). You Might Be Surprised at How Far Americans Are Willing to Go to Overthrow the Power of Big Pharma. commondreams.org New polling from Data for Progress shows that Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are united in their support for policies that would radically restructure the current system. (Photo: Floris Van Cauwelaert/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/notsale.jpeg

Andrew Korybko (2019-09-25). Ukrainegate Is Just The Democrats' Latest Gambit To Unseat Trump. globalresearch.ca A manufactured scandal is rapidly growing to epic proportions in the US surrounding one of Trump's recent conversations with new Ukrainian President Zelensky after a whistleblower alleged what the Mainstream Media is reporting to be the American leader's supposedly unethical …

WSWS (2019-09-25). The fascist network behind the murder of Walter Làºbcke. wsws.org Three months after the murder of Kassel's regional president, there is mounting evidence that the Christian Democratic politician was the victim of an extreme right-wing network reaching deep into the state security apparatus.

Labor Video Project (2019-09-25). ILWU Local 10 West Oakland Community Meeting Speak Out On Fisher A's Stadium Scheme. indybay.org At a community labor meeting in West Oakland Speakers and community and labor people spoke out against A's billionaire owner John Fisher's scheme to build a new stadium on port property and with a hotel and 4,000 $1 million condos. | Also Democratic politicians Nancy Skinner and Ron Bonta have pushed state legislation to help the billionaire Fisher to raise taxes to pay for his development project…

Charles Davis (2019-09-25). Mass killings in Afghanistan are acts of white supremacy. nationofchange.org An American white nationalist killed over 30 people recently. The victims, all brown, had full lives; children, loved ones, and years, full of plans, ahead of them. But then they were incinerated. Worst of all, they were murdered while Afghan. The deaths were noted in the press, and one Democrat running for president even acknowledged …

J.B. Gerald (2019-09-25). Genocide Warnings for Three African States. dissidentvoice.org These genocide warnings concern current threats to the peoples of Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. Beyond the primary concern for all the people in national groups, a pattern is emerging globally which should remind North Americans of past genocides against native American peoples: the masses of people forced from their homelands, the refugee …

Jeff Cohen (2019-09-25). Will Biden Be a Rerun of 2016 Tragedy? counterpunch.org You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you've seen it before — Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"— when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one More

Anna Massoglia and Karl Evers-Hillstrom (2019-09-25). Trump's Ukraine call raises questions about campaign finance rules on foreign interference. nationofchange.org President Donald Trump acknowledged this weekend that he discussed former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a July phone call with Ukraine's president, leading critics to question whether Trump is courting foreign interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his potential 2020 opponent over an unsubstantiated claim that …

Spencer Green (2019-09-25). The 2020 Campaign Event Where 'Everyday Iowans' Asked the Questions. thenation.com The 2020 Campaign Event Where 'Everyday Iowans' Asked the Questions…

Staff (2019-09-25). Trump Lashes Out at Iran, China & Venezuela in Nationalist Address to U.N. General Assembly. democracynow.org On Tuesday, President Trump made his third address to the United Nations General Assembly amid simmering tensions in the Middle East over recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, which the United States blames on Iran. Tehran denies the allegations. Trump also lashed out at China and Venezuela. We speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and chief editor of LeftWord Books. His latest article for Salon is headlined "World leaders gather at the UN in the face of war, climate catastrophe & global worker exploitation."

Staff (2019-09-25). Billy Bragg: What the U.K. Supreme Court's Historic Ruling Against Boris Johnson Means for Brexit. democracynow.org The U.K. Parliament has reconvened after the country's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had unlawfully suspended Parliament in order to push through Brexit with or without a deal. Johnson made the unprecedented move late last month, asking the queen to prorogue Parliament in order to limit debate on leaving the European Union, which the U.K. is scheduled to do by October 31. Calls for Johnson's resignation are mounting since the news broke, with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calling for a general election and demanding Johnson apologize to the queen and to the country. For mo…

RT (2019-09-24). Trump authorizes release of 'complete' transcript of call with Ukraine's Zelensky, Dems still not happy. rt.com US President Donald Trump said a full transcript of his recent call with the Ukrainian president is to be released, but Democrats continue with calls for impeachment and plan to interview the whistleblower on the incident. | Trump tweeted on Tuesday that he had authorized the release of the "complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript" of his conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky. In a separate tweet, he said it was a "very friendly and totally appropriate call" and he applied "no pressure" on the Ukrainian leader. | Democrats had been up in arms after a whistleblower complained that Trump had allege…

Victor Grossman (2019-09-24). The Bidens, Trump, Kiev and impeachment. mronline.org The impeachment drive is quickly gathering steam, and who can have any sympathy for that man in the Oval Office? But I wonder if some enthusiasts may not be digging deeply enough. | Source

Staff (2019-09-24). The Impeachment Dam May Finally Be Bursting. truthdig.com As the Washington Post reported late Monday that President Donald Trump ordered a hold on U.S. military aid to Ukraine just days before he pressured that country's leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden—a move critics described as a serious abuse of power and "extortion"—a slew of Democrats previously unsupportive of impeachment began speaking out in favor of removing the preside…

teleSUR (2019-09-24). US: House Democrats Begin Official Trump Impeachment Inquiry. telesurenglish.net United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. | RELATED: | Impeachment Talks Get Louder Over Trump's Ukraine Call | "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the President's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said in a brief speech on Capitol Hill. | The Ho…

Staff (2019-09-24). Pelosi Announces Impeachment Inquiry Into Trump. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election year clash between Congress and the commander in chief. | The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government to undermine Democratic foe Joe Biden and help his own reelection. Pelosi said such actions would mark a "betrayal of his oath of office" and declared: "No one is above the law." | Pelosi's brief statement, historic ye…

Juan Cole (2019-09-24). Ukraine scandal shows the squad was right about impeaching Trump, & they're telling the Dems so. nationofchange.org "At this point, the bigger national scandal isn't the president's lawbreaking behavior – it is the Democratic Party's refusal to impeach him for it."

John Nichols (2019-09-24). Impeachment Is the Cure for a Constitutional Crisis. thenation.com Impeachment Is the Cure for a Constitutional Crisis…

Staff (2019-09-24). Nate Silver and the Pitfalls of the Corporate Pundit Class. therealnews.com Political statistician and editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight Nate Silver found himself in hot water recently when he seemed to refer to the diverse supporters of Bernie Sanders' campaign as "residue." Jacqueline Luqman talks to Anoa Changa about why that language, and the bias of the corporate pundit class, is an issue.

RT (2019-09-24). 'Billionaires should not exist': Is Bernie Sanders' wealth tax too extreme for America? rt.com Democrat 2020 contender Bernie Sanders has unveiled an ambitious wealth tax proposal, promising to slash the fortunes of America's uber-rich. Is his plan an existential threat to the wealthy or mere election bluster? | The Vermont senator unveiled his plan on Tuesday, declaring on Twitter afterwards that "billionaires should not exist." If implemented, his 'Tax on Extreme Wealth' would see a progressive tax applied to couples with a net worth of $32 million, or singles with a worth of at least $16 million. These groups would give the government a one-percent cut of their fortune annually, while those with asse…

Aboulfotouh Kandil (2019-09-24). Egyptians caught between hopes for freedom and military government treachery. peoplesworld.org

Deborah (2019-09-24). Support FAIR: Corporate Media Sidetracking Real Election Issues—Again — copy. fair.org Dear FAIR Friends, While corporate media focus on who's up/who's down in the horserace for the Democratic nomination, more substantive concerns—What are the candidates' policy proposals? Are they adequate to the scale of the problems we face? Will our votes be suppressed, or even miscounted?—go unaddressed. With so much at stake, we've got to …

Staff (2019-09-24). Whistleblowers Save our Democracy, Says Daniel Ellsberg. therealnews.com Trump has been exposed by leakers and might face consequences, and Edward Snowden has published a book. Daniel Ellsberg reflects on the bravery of exposing the truth.

Melvin Goodman (2019-09-24). The Central Role of the Whistleblower. counterpunch.org The fortuitous emergence of a courageous whistleblower in the Trump White House and Harvard Professor Jill Lepore's pathetically ill-informed review of Edward Snowden's recent book, "Permanent Record," are important reminders of the central and difficult role of whistleblowers in any successful effort to restore our democracy. The information provided by whistleblowers is key to the work of congressional oversight; investigative journalism; and informed political debate. Whistleblowers contributed to the knowledge of the crimes of the intelligence community during the Vietnam War and the exposure of Iran-contra,…

Ben Sears (2019-09-24). Philly labor hosts first ever "Workers' Presidential Summit" peoplesworld.org PHILADELPHIA —Last spring Pat Eiding, President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council, urged his members to start getting ready for the 2020 Presidential campaign; he also expressed some concern about the apparent early surge of support for former Vice President Joe Biden saying "this whole thing is happening too fast." Several union leaders and activists responded …

commondreams (2019-09-24). Patriotic Millionaires Welcome Bernie Sanders's Wealth Tax Proposal to National Tax Debate. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Ilana Novick (2019-09-24). Bernie Sanders: There Should Be No Billionaires. truthdig.com Even as Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive platform polls well among Democratic voters, consistently ranking second after Joe Biden, and even as he draws large crowds at rallies and lands 1 million donors (according to the Sanders campaign), his opponents respond with the same refrain: H0.ow is he going to pay for his plans like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal? | On Tuesday, Sanders answered, with "a tax on extre…

teleSUR (2019-09-24). 32 People Arrested At Climate Change Protest in Washington DC. telesurenglish.net At least 32 Extinction Rebellion activists were arrested in Washington D.C. on Monday as they were performing the "Tell the Truth" rally, an action aimed at pressuring U.S. politicians to tackle global climate change. | RELATED: | Poorest Countries Pay Financial, Human Cost of Climate Crisis: Oxfam | The Democratic Socialists of America, Extinction Rebellion,…

Staff (2019-09-24). The Mainstream Media's Warren Favoritism Is Showing. truthdig.com When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman ( 9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters on the ground. A rise in her poll standing inevitably produces stories a…

Leonardo Flores (2019-09-24). Dialogue in Venezuela is a Missed Opportunity for Democrats. globalresearch.ca President Nicolás Maduro signed an important agreement with four opposition parties. These events offer insight …

Staff (2019-09-24). Will 2020 Presidential Candidates Take On Corporate Tribunals? truthout.org | | When the Democratic presidential candidates take the debate stage this October, they will almost surely face a question on trade. The question will be a routine one about cutting tariffs or the trade war with China. There is one question that will almost certainly not be asked — though it is a question that demands answers: Why have only three current candidates taken a stand against a trade policy that allows corporations to sue foreign governments for regulating them? | A Brief History of…

Mohamed Elmaazi (2019-09-24). EXCLUSIVE: Palestinian member of Israeli Knesset puts antisemitism smears against Corbyn into context. thecanary.co A Palestinian former member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) has blasted the antisemitism smears against Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Haneen Zoabi said the claims against Corbyn and his supporters are a product of long-standing policies of the Israeli state. Zoabi left the Knesset in 2019 after serving 10 years with the progressive National Democratic Assembly (aka the Balad party). While i…

Jeff Cohen (2019-09-24). Will Biden be a rerun of 2016 tragedy? nationofchange.org You might ask what it takes to remember | When you know that you've seen it before | — Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" | Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"— when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one high-dollar fundraising event after another. A time when they served up (consultant-approved) language about "feeling the pain" of "working families" . . . without identifying any corporate villains or transformative policies to fix the rigged system. | Donald Trump's victory seemed to put…

Jeff Cohen (2019-09-24). Are Democrats Blowing It All Over Again? truthdig.com You might ask what it takes to remember | When you know that you've seen it before | —Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" | Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"— when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one high-dollar fundraising event after another. A time when they served up (consultant-approved) language about "feeling the pain" of "working families" . . . without identifying any corporate villains or transformative policies to fix the rigged system. | Donald Trump's victory seemed to put a c…

Renee Parsons (2019-09-24). US Election Candidates: As Joe Biden Falters, Will Elizabeth Warren Survive the Scrutiny. globalresearch.ca Despite early polls which showed some of the 'top tier' Democrat candidates beating Trump in a general election, the last DNC debate left considerable question as to whether there was enough substance on that stage to win the White House….

Paul Seamus Ryan (2019-09-24). The "Quid" Is a Crime: No Need to Prove "Pro Quo" in Ukrainegate. commondreams.org Through the Mueller investigation, President Trump should have learned the legal risks of seeking foreign support for his election efforts. Instead, he seems only to have learned that he can get away with it. (Photo: Donald Trump/cc/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/rudyg.jpeg

Steven Schwinn (2019-09-24). Trump Seeks to Kneecap Consumer Protection Agency Advocated for by Elizabeth Warren. progressive.org We've grown accustomed to Donald Trump's relentless political attacks. but, in the end, his constitutional attacks on the administrative state could cause the most damage.

Katrina vanden Heuvel (2019-09-24). Biden Might Not Be the One to Beat Trump. thenation.com Biden Might Not Be the One to Beat Trump…

Staff (2019-09-24). Meet Brazil's Indigenous Leader Attacked by Bolsonaro at U.N. over Efforts to Preserve the Amazon. democracynow.org A number of indigenous leaders from Brazil traveled to New York to protest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's push to open the Amazon rainforest for agribusiness, logging and mining. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh spoke to Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó tribe on Monday outside the U.N. Climate Action Summit about the situation in the Amazon, including the recent outbreak of devastating fires. After the interview, Chief Raoni attempted to enter the U.N. summit, but despite support from dozens of activists, he was barred from entering. He is a nominee for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Staff (2019-09-24). Brazil's Indigenous Leader Attacked by Bolsonaro Over Efforts to Preserve Amazon. truthout.org | | A number of indigenous leaders from Brazil traveled to New York to protest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's push to open the Amazon rainforest for agribusiness, logging and mining. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh spoke to Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó tribe on Monday outside the U.N. Climate Action Summit about the situation in the Amazon, including the recent outbreak of devastating fires. After the interview, Chief Raoni attempted to enter the U.N. summit, but despit…

Staff (2019-09-24). How Dare You! Greta Thunberg Slams World's Focus on Economic "Fairy Tales" While Ecosystems Collapse. democracynow.org Scores of world leaders gathered in New York on Monday for the U.N. Climate Action Summit, but the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters announced few new measures to address the climate crisis. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence briefly attended the summit but left after just 14 minutes. At the beginning of the summit, 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg delivered an impassioned address to world leaders, explicitly naming their inaction on the climate crisis. "People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing," Greta said. "We are in the beginning of a mass ext…

Staff (2019-09-24). In Landmark UN Complaint, 16 Children Accuse Nations of Failing to Protect Them from Climate Change. democracynow.org Youth climate activists from around the world also attended the U.N. Climate Action Summit Monday, where they spoke at UNICEF about a landmark new climate complaint they filed with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. Hailing from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Germany, the Marshall Islands and Tunisia, the young representatives spoke about why they feel compelled to act on the climate crisis. Among the youth climate activists were Alexandria Villaseñor of New York and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Staff (2019-09-24). Ta-Nehisi Coates on His Debut Novel "The Water Dancer," Slavery & Reparations. democracynow.org Celebrated writer Ta-Nehisi Coates's first novel, "The Water Dancer," was released today. Centering on a man named Hiram Walker, who was born into slavery in 19th century Virginia, the novel is a "crowd-pleasing exercise in breakneck and often occult storytelling," a review in The New York Times stated. Over the past decade Ta-Nehisi Coates has become one of the nation's most celebrated writers. In 2014, he wrote a piece titled "The Case for Reparations," which rejuvenated the push for the government to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves. His 2015 book, "Between the World and Me," a National Book Award…

Staff (2019-09-24). Headlines for September 24, 2019. democracynow.org Greta Thunberg and Youth Activists Take On World Leaders at U.N. Climate Action Summit, Trump Admin Tells U.N. to Drop Term "Reproductive Health and Rights", Trump Ordered Hold on Ukrainian Aid Before Call with President Zelensky About Bidens, U.K. Supreme Court: Boris Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Is Unlawful, U.K., France & Germany Say Iran Responsible for Saudi Oil Attacks as Trump Addresses UNGA, Afghanistan: At Least 40 Civilians Killed by U.S.-Afghan Attack, Haiti: Senator Shoots AP Photographer in Face During Anti-Gov't Protests, Video of Blindfolded Prisoners in Xinjiang Adds to Fears of Mass Human R…

unitedEditor (2019-09-24). BREXIT: Europe in Miniature. uwidata.com The most important question for the European Union today is whether BREXIT signals the beginning of the end for the entire bloc, or will ultimately serve to discourage other countries from attempting to cut ties. BREXIT: a denial of democracy No one was more surprised by the result of the 2016 Referendum on BREXIT than …

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-09-24). After Climate-Focused 2020 Bid, Inslee Faces Indigenous Campaigners' Demand to End All Fossil Fuel Projects in Washington. commondreams.org Washington Gov. Jay Inslee won praise during his five-month presidential campaign for setting the tone of the climate debate in the 2020 Democratic primary and forcing other candidates to propose bold climate action—but in his own state on Tuesday, indigenous residents demanding the governor make his commitment clear at home. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-09-24_at_4.04.45_pm1.jpg

Staff (2019-09-23). Headlines for September 23, 2019. democracynow.org 4 Million Take to the Streets for Global Climate Strike, Trump Admin Ignored CBP Report Linking Climate Change and Increased Migration, Honduran Woman and 21-Month-Old Son Die While Attempting to Reach U.S., New Deal Would Force Asylum Seekers to Return to El Salvador Despite Obvious Dangers, Calls for Impeachment Grow as Trump Acknowledges Ukraine Phone Call About Bidens, U.S. to Send Troops to Saudi Arabia, Impose Iran Sanctions, as Rouhani Heads to UNGA with Peace Plan, Arab Parties in Israel Back Benny Gantz in Bid to End Netanyahu's Rule, Egyptians Take to Street in Rare Protest Against President Sisi, Gov't…

Julie Hollar (2019-09-23). What Media Like Best About Elizabeth Warren: She's Not Bernie Sanders. fair.org by Julie Hollar | When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman ( 9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters o…

David Daley (2019-09-23). GOP Racial Gerrymandering Mastermind Participated in Redistricting in More States Than Previously Known, Files Reveal. theintercept.com Thomas Hofeller and GOP strategists experimented with using race as the primary factor in drawing districts in Alabama, Florida, and West Virginia.

Ruth Milka (2019-09-23). "Duh, of course I would": Bernie Sanders vows to take legal action against fossil fuel companies for destroying the planet. nationofchange.org "How do you hold fossil fuel executives who knew that they were destroying the planet but kept on doing it?"

Robert Mackey (2019-09-23). Reporters Should Stop Helping Donald Trump Spread Lies About Joe Biden and Ukraine. theintercept.com By reporting on a conspiracy theory promoted by the president as a political story, with two sides, journalists are helping to weaponize disinformation.

John Nichols (2019-09-23). 2020's Most In-Depth, People-Powered Forum Just Happened in Iowa. thenation.com 2020's Most In-Depth, People-Powered Forum Just Happened in Iowa…

Jeet Heer (2019-09-23). Trump's Biggest Scandal Might Tear the Democrats Apart. thenation.com Trump's Biggest Scandal Might Tear the Democrats Apart…

Staff (2019-09-23). Millions Took Part in the Youth-Led Global Climate Strike Friday. Here's Why People Marched. democracynow.org As many as a quarter-million people marched on the streets of New York City Friday for a youth-led climate strike inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Globally, as many as 4 million people took to the streets in hundreds of countries. Democracy Now! was in the streets of New York on Friday speaking with climate strikers from the United States and around the world.

Staff (2019-09-23). 19-Year-Old Indigenous Climate Activist Artemisa Xakriabá: "We Fight for Mother Earth" democracynow.org Friday's climate strike in New York City concluded with remarks from indigenous leaders, activists and organizers. Artemisa Xakriabá, a 19-year-old indigenous climate activist of the Xakriabá people, spoke about the increasing intensity of environmental destruction across Brazil and the interconnectedness of the fight for climate justice. "We fight for our Mother Earth because the fight for Mother Earth is the mother of all other fights," Xakriabá said. "We are fighting for your lives. We are fighting for our lives. We are fighting for our sacred territory. But we are being persecuted, threatened, murdered, only…

Staff (2019-09-23). "This Is Our Time. This Is Our Future." Voices from the Historic Youth Climate Strike in NYC. democracynow.org As many as 4 million people around the world took to the streets Friday in the largest day of action focused on the climate crisis. Students across the globe led climate strikes in hundreds of countries, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The demonstration kicked off in Foley Square, where tens of thousands of people gathered before the march. Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, and climate activist Vic Barrett were among the handful of activists who addressed the climate strikers in Foley Square.

Staff (2019-09-23). "Our House Is on Fire": Greta Thunberg Addresses Hundreds of Thousands at NYC Climate Strike. democracynow.org Sixteen-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg spoke at Friday's climate strike in New York, where an estimated 300,000 people took to the streets. Thunberg inspired the global spread of weekly climate strikes when she started skipping school to protest outside of the Swedish parliament last year. "We will not just stand aside and watch," Thunberg told a crowd of thousands in her speech at Manhattan's Battery Park. "We are united behind the science, and we will do everything in our power to stop this crisis from getting worse."

Staff (2019-09-23). Bill McKibben: Youth Who Led Global Climate Strike Are Bringing a New "Spirit" to Climate Fight. democracynow.org Following Friday's youth-led climate strike — the largest-ever global protest focused on climate — we speak with Bill McKibben, longtime journalist and co-founder of 350.org. McKibben's latest piece for The New Yorker is titled "Money Is the Oxygen on Which the Fire of Global Warming Burns," and his cover piece for Time magazine is headlined "Hello from the Year 2050. We Avoided the Worst of Climate Change — But Everything Is Different." McKibben's 1989 book, "The End of Nature," was the first book for a general audience about climate change.

susan_p (2019-09-23). History will judge Mugabe's legacy. greenleft.org.au Alan BroughtonIssue 1239 Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change MDC ZANU-PFSeptember 23, 2019Zimbabwe's independence leader and former president Robert Mugabe is remembered for his leadership of the succ…

The Canary (2019-09-23). Corbyn's 'democratic' and 'healing' Brexit stance backed at Labour conference. thecanary.co The Labour Party conference has backed leader Jeremy Corbyn's policy of remaining neutral on Brexit until after a general election. Supporters have insisted that his stance is 'democratic' and 'healing'. | Corbyn has promised that a government he leads will negotiate a new Brexit deal and put it to a referendum, but he has so far resisted calls to say how the party should campaign in that public vote. | Delegates at the conference in Brighton backed a statement setting out his position and broke out into a chorus of "oh, Jeremy Corbyn" after the result of the vote was announced. | The conference then rejected a m…

Peter Maass (2019-09-22). Why Is Bill De Blasio Trying to Kill Me? New York's Mayor Claims to Be Progressive but Favors Drivers Over Bicyclists. theintercept.com I never expected that my skills as a war reporter would be relevant to my life as a dad in a Brooklyn, but that was before I started biking to work.

Staff (2019-09-22). Joe Biden's 'Gaffes' Are Much Bigger Problem for Democrats Than Embarrassment. therealnews.com Joe Biden's off-the-cuff comments aren't playing well to audiences any more. Is this an indication of a too-long political career finally declining, or is this a sign of a much bigger problem for the Democratic Party in 2020? Jacqueline Luqman talks with The Week contributor Ryan Cooper…

Fight Back (2019-09-22). Philippines: Resist and end Duterte's fascist regime. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Sept. 20 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines. | Almost five decades ago, Ferdinand Marcos placed the entire country under martial law which launched his brutal dictatorial rule. For 14 years, the Filipino people resisted valiantly and fought on all arenas of struggle. Serving as the strongest bulwark of anti-fascist resistance, the Party and the New People's Army waged underground and armed struggle, inspiring and militating the Filipino people to unite and struggle for democracy. Culminating long years of anti-fascist resistance, the Filipino…

Roger D. Harris (2019-09-21). On the Road to Damascus: International Conference in Syria on Sanctions and Its Blowback. mintpressnews.com Syrians say it's even harder now to make ends meet than it was during the height of their country's war because of intensified U.S and European sanctions.

RT (2019-09-21). 'Ask the right question!' Biden says there's 'nothing' to Ukraine scheme involving son as he brands Trump 'SERIAL ABUSER' of power. rt.com Former US Vice President and presidential hopeful Joe Biden has launched a broadside attack on Trump, calling for a probe into his scandalous phone call with Ukraine's leader and accusing him of systematic "abuse of power." | Biden produced the angry rant on Saturday when asked by a reporter if he'd spoken with his son Hunter about his business dealings in Ukraine, referring to the allegations that, while serving as VP, Biden Senior had shielded his son from a corruption inquest there. The 2020 presidential hopeful denied this, pointing fingers at Donald Trump instead. | "You should be asking him the question:…

susan_p (2019-09-21). Italy: new government to stop the far-right. greenleft.org.au Italian politics Daniele FulviIssue 1238 Spain anti-racism anti-fascismSeptember 21, 2019Following weeks of negotiations, Italy's 5 Star Movement (M5S) and the Democratic Party (PD) have agreed to form a…

Jimmysllama (2019-09-20). Through the Eyes of Jesselyn Radack: A Look at the Vital Role of Whistleblowers and Their Attorneys. mintpressnews.com "By protecting whistleblowers, sources, and online activists, we facilitate robust investigative journalism, hold government to account, protect the freedoms of speech, privacy and the press, and foster the most critical component of democratic society: an informed citizenry." — Whistleblower and Source Protection Program…

Ryan Grim (2019-09-20). Documents Shed New Light on Critical Moment in Pete Buttigieg's South Bend Political Career. theintercept.com An investigation by the Young Turks sheds new light on a moment Buttigieg has highlighted as defining his relationship with South Bend's black community.

Staff (2019-09-20). "Young People Have Had Enough": Global Climate Strike Youth Activists on Why They Are Marching Today. democracynow.org Today is the Global Climate Strike, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. As people took to the streets in Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, we host a roundtable discussion with youth activists organizing marches in the United States — in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis — ahead of next week's U.N. Climate Action Summit. We are joined by Xiye Bastida, a 17-year-old climate justice activist originally from Mexico who is an organizer with Fridays for Future New York and a student at Beacon High School in New York; Katie Eder, a 19-year-old climate justice activist wh…

Staff (2019-09-20). Kelsey Juliana v. U.S.: Meet the Young Woman Suing the Federal Government over the Climate Crisis. democracynow.org Among those joining today's Global Climate Strike will be Kelsey Juliana, lead plaintiff in Juliana v. United States, the landmark youth climate lawsuit against the U.S. government. She joins us for a roundtable discussion, along with Jerome Foster II, White House Climate Strike organizer, founder and executive director of OneMillionOfUs.

Staff (2019-09-20). This Afghan Teen Was Set to Join First-Ever U.N. Youth Climate Summit, But U.S. Denied His Visa. democracynow.org Climate youth activist Nasratullah Elham of Afghanistan was invited to participate in the first-ever U.N. Youth Climate Summit, but the United States rejected his visa. He breaks the sound barrier to join us from Phuket, Thailand, where he is a 12th grade student, and says his activism is based on the crisis's impact on his home country. "The poor people there are very badly affected in a situation [where] they do not really have much carbon emissions," he says.

Staff (2019-09-20). Headlines for September 20, 2019. democracynow.org Students Across the World Walk Out of Classes in Global Climate Strike, Two Die in Texas as Storm Dumps 40 Inches of Rain on Houston Area, Red Cross: 2 Million Need Humanitarian Aid Every Week Due to Climate Crisis, Bird Population in U.S. & Canada Dropped by Nearly 3 Billion Since 1970, Benny Gantz Declares Victory, Rejects Overture from Netanyahu, Trudeau Apologizes Again as New Blackface Photos Emerge, Funeral Held in Afghanistan After U.S. Drone Strike Killed 30 Civilians, Mostly Farmers, Kashmiris Sue Modi in U.S. Court as Trump Prepares to Appear with Indian PM at Texas Rally, Report: Whistleblower Complain…

Editor (2019-09-20). The crime against Afghanistan. workers.org It's the longest U.S. war ever. And no one in the ruling U.S. imperialist establishment can explain why it continues. Before Trump recently claimed he was for withdrawing at least some of the thousands of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, similar promises were made by previous U.S. presidents, Democrats and Republicans. . . . | Continue reading The crime against Afghanistan at Workers.org

FAIR (2019-09-19). Support FAIR: Corporate Media Sidetracking Real Election Issues—Again. fair.org Dear FAIR Friends, While corporate media focus on who's up/who's down in the horserace for the Democratic nomination, more substantive concerns—What are the candidates' policy proposals? Are they adequate to the scale of the problems we face? Will our votes be suppressed, or even miscounted?—go unaddressed. With so much at stake, we've got to …

Staff (2019-09-19). Meet the Beauty Queen Who Inspired Gambia's Me Too Movement After Accusing Ex-Dictator of Rape. democracynow.org In Gambia, an ongoing public truth and reconciliation commission is investigating the atrocities of former President Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the West African country of 2 million people for 22 years before his regime ended in 2016. In widely shared public testimony that has been live-streamed to tens of thousands of people, survivors and members of Jammeh's death squad who killed migrants, journalists and civilians during the president's reign are telling their stories for the world to hear. One such survivor is Fatou "Toufah" Jallow, who says the former president raped her in 2015. We speak with Jallow, a Gambia…

2019-09-25: Social Media Postees

Tulsi says impeachment would be 'terribly divisive' as Trump's Republican challengers back the move
rt.com | 2019-09-25
Swimming against the current in her own Democratic Party, 2020 candidate Tulsi Gabbard said she does not support impeachment proceedings against President Trump, amid louder calls within the party to remove him from office. | Moments before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry into the president on Tuesday evening, Gabbard warned the move would only deepen existing divides in the country. | "I think impeachment would be terribly divisive for our already very divided country," she told CNN's Brooke Baldwin, adding, "It's important Donald Trump is voted out of office by the American people…
rt.com/usa/469548-tulsi-trump-challengers-impeachment/

It's Time to Impeach Members of Congress for Not Impeaching Trump
Jud Lounsbury | progressive.org | 2019-09-25
The question is no longer whether it's a good idea. It's about whether the members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, will follow their oath of office to defend the Constitution.
progressive.org/dispatches/impeach-congress-for-not-impeaching-trump-fiore-190925/

'If impeachment trump card doesn't work, it will guarantee Trump re-election,' civil rights lawyer tells RT
rt.com | 2019-09-25
With the announcement of an official impeachment inquiry, Democrats have put all their eggs in one basket, risking losing the next election if they fail to enlist enough support, civil rights attorney Robert Patillo told RT. | Read more | | Tulsi says impeachment would be 'terribly divisive' as Trump's Republican challengers back the move | Accusing US President Donald Trump of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "take actions which would benefit him politically" — that is, to investigate 2020 candidate Joe Biden's son Hunt…
rt.com/usa/469549-impeachement-pelosi-trump-elections/

Rep. Al Green: "We've Reached Critical Mass" to Impeach Trump
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-09-25
| Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following allegations from an intelligence community whistleblower that Trump sought help from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the Trump administration to release the whistleblower complaint to the H…
truthout.org/video/rep-al-green-weve-reached-critical-mass-to-impeach-trump/

Impeachment inquiry follows rising popular demands for action
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-25
WASHINGTON–Whatever you may think of Ukraine's government–mired in corruption, red-baiting, xenophobia, and pro-Nazi anti-Semitism–Donald Trump's ultimatum to that nation's new president to dig up dirt on U.S. political foe Joe Biden, in return for foreign aid, was the trigger that pushed Democratic leaders to yield to the rising demand for the GOP incumbent's impeachment. The …
peoplesworld.org/article/impeachment-inquiry-follows-rising-popular-demands-for-action/

Impeachment Isn't the High-Stakes Gamble Pelosi Thought
Juan Cole | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | Nancy Pelosi finally caved to pressure to open an impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, after he admitted to having pressured the Ukraine government to investigate his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. | Biden is clearly furious over the whole thing, and as a pillar of the Democratic establishment and former president of the Senate (as vice president), he was in a position to pressure Pelosi to do something. I don't have any proof that he did; it is just obvious that Pelosi ch…
truthdig.com/articles/impeaching-trump-isnt-a-game-changer-but-its-a-start/

'Nothing call': Trump lashes out at Dems & media after Zelensky chat memo released
rt.com | 2019-09-25
President Donald Trump has slammed his Democratic rivals for launching an impeachment probe based on a "nothing call" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, on the back of allegations that Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine, in a bid to pressure Zelensky into investigating Joe Biden's son Hunter's business dealings in the country. The Department of Justice released a transcript of the call on Wednesday, which detaile…
rt.com/usa/469604-trump-transcript-press-response/

Impeachment Isn't the High-Stakes Gamble Pelosi Thought
Juan Cole | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | Nancy Pelosi finally caved to pressure to open an impeachment inquiry into Trump, after he admitted to having pressured the Ukraine government to investigate his Democratic rival Joe Biden. | Biden is clearly furious over the whole thing, and as a pillar of the Democratic establishment and former president of the Senate (as vice president), he was in a position to pressure Pelosi to do something. I don't have any proof that he did, it is just obvious that Pelosi changed he…
truthdig.com/articles/impeaching-trump-isnt-a-game-changer-but-its-a-start/

Two Cheers—Not Three—for Pelosi's Speech on Impeachment
Jeffrey C. Isaac | commondreams.org | 2019-09-25
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, announces a formal impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump on September 24, 2019, in Washington, DC. – Amid mounting allegations of abuse of power by the US president, Pelosi announced the start of the inquiry in the House of Representatives, the first step in a process that could ultimately lead to Trump's removal from office. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/nancy_pelosi_democrats_impeach.png
commondreams.org/views/2019/09/25/two-cheers-not-three-pelosis-speech-impeachment?cd-origin=rss

As Democrats begin Trump impeachment, key 'Russiagate' case may be imploding
rt.com | 2019-09-25
President Donald Trump's security adviser Michael Flynn was the first casualty of 'Russiagate' impeachment push, but the case against him seems weaker than ever, after a federal judge voided the conviction of his business partner. | Flynn, a retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was forced to resign in February 2017, after less than two weeks of serving as national security adviser. He was snared in an FBI perjury trap as part of surveillance of the Trump campaign — which was predicated on claims it was "colluding" with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. | Though t…
rt.com/usa/469544-flynn-russiagate-rafiekian-impeachment/

Impeachment inquiry follows rising popular demands for action
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-25
WASHINGTON–Whatever you may think of Ukraine's government–mired in corruption, red-baiting, xenophobia, and pro-Nazi anti-Semitism–Donald Trump's ultimatum to that nation's new president to dig up dirt on U.S. political foe Joe Biden, in return for foreign aid, was the trigger that pushed Democratic leaders to yield to the rising demand for the GOP incumbent's impeachment. The …
peoplesworld.org/article/impeachment-inquiry-follows-rising-popular-demands-for-action/

House Democrats launch formal impeachment inquiry against Trump
wsws.org | 2019-09-25
The action is a major escalation in the factional warfare within the US ruling elite, which revolves largely around differences over foreign policy.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/09/25/impe-s25.html

The Bidens, Trump, Kiev and Impeachment
Victor Grossman | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
The impeachment drive is quickly gathering steam, and who can have any sympathy for that man in the Oval Office? But I wonder if some enthusiasts may not be digging deeply enough. Has anyone noticed how often the media, in condemning Trump's treachery, swiftly and inconspicuously brush off the "unsubstantiated" and "vague" accusations against Hunter…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/the-bidens-trump-kiev-and-impeachment/

Impeaching Trump: Finally convinced, Pelosi opens formal inquiry
C.J. Atkins | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-25
With the explosive whistleblower revelation that Trump allegedly threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine to get dirt on the family of Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced the launching of a formal impeachment inquiry against the President of the United States. Speaking at the Capitol Tuesday evening, Pelosi said that Trump's "enlistment …
peoplesworld.org/article/impeaching-trump-finally-convinced-pelosi-opens-formal-inquiry/

Trump Pushed Ukraine Leader on Biden Probe, Memo Shows
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
The White House releases a five-page summary of the call that led House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi to announce an impeachment inquiry.
truthdig.com/articles/memo-proves-trump-prodded-ukraine-leader-on-biden-claims/

Impeaching Trump: Finally convinced, Pelosi opens formal inquiry
C.J. Atkins | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-25
With the explosive whistleblower revelation that Trump allegedly threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine to get dirt on the family of Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced the launching of a formal impeachment inquiry against the President of the United States. Speaking at the Capitol Tuesday evening, Pelosi said that Trump's "enlistment …
peoplesworld.org/article/impeaching-trump-finally-convinced-pelosi-opens-formal-inquiry/

Memo Reveals Trump Pushed Ukraine Leader on Biden Claims
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the House impeachment inquiry (all times local): | 10: 10 a.m. | The memo summarizing President Donald Trump's call with the Ukraine leader shows the president's lingering fixation on special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. | Trump flippantly refers to the ex-FBI director as a "man named Robert Mueller" and says he turned in "a very poor performance." | The memo also shows that the president made reference to the private cybersecurity firm that investigated Russia's hack of t…
truthdig.com/articles/memo-proves-trump-prodded-ukraine-leader-on-biden-claims/

Trump Pushed Ukraine Leader on Biden Probe, Memo Shows
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
The White House releases a five-page summary of the call that led House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi to announce an impeachment inquiry.
truthdig.com/articles/memo-proves-trump-prodded-ukraine-leader-on-biden-claims/

The Bidens, Trump, Kiev and Impeachment
Victor Grossman | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
The impeachment drive is quickly gathering steam, and who can have any sympathy for that man in the Oval Office? But I wonder if some enthusiasts may not be digging deeply enough. Has anyone noticed how often the media, in condemning Trump's treachery, swiftly and inconspicuously brush off the "unsubstantiated" and "vague" accusations against Hunter…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/the-bidens-trump-kiev-and-impeachment/

"We've Reached Critical Mass": Rep. Al Green on Pelosi Vow to Impeach Trump for "Dastardly Deeds"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-25
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following allegations from an intelligence community whistleblower that Trump sought help from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the Trump administration to release the whistleblower complaint to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. We get response and look at next steps with Congressmember Al Gree…
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/25/formal_impeachment_inquiry_trump

'Talk Is Cheap': Progressives Demand Pelosi Cancel Recess and Vote on Trump Impeachment as Soon as Possible
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-09-25
"We need to see her words backed up with action. Every day that Trump is president is another day our democracy is broken." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/impeach_trump_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/09/25/talk-cheap-progressives-demand-pelosi-cancel-recess-and-vote-trump-impeachment-soon?cd-origin=rss

'Impeach Barr, Too': Critics Demand Attorney General's Ouster for Refusing to Investigate Trump-Ukraine Call
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-09-25
"Terrible implications for our democracy if DOJ is saying that the solicitation of opposition research by a candidate from foreign governments is totally legal and totally cool." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/william_barr_6.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/09/25/impeach-barr-too-critics-demand-attorney-generals-ouster-refusing-investigate-trump?cd-origin=rss

What media like best about Elizabeth Warren: She's not Bernie Sanders
Julie Hollar | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-25
When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman (9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters on the ground. A rise in her poll standing …
nationofchange.org/2019/09/25/what-media-like-best-about-elizabeth-warren-shes-not-bernie-sanders/

Bernie Sanders becomes the first presidential candidate to visit the Comanche Nation in over 100 years
Alexandra Jacobo | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-25
Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders traveled to Oklahoma over the weekend to address the 28th annual Comanche Nation Fair Powwow, making him the first presidential candidate to visit the Comanche Nation since Theodore Roosevelt. | "Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this beautiful, beautiful celebration. I have been, needless to say, to many events in my political career, but I do not believe that I've been to anything as beautiful and as moving as this event," said Sanders. "So thank you so much for allowing me to be with you." | Senator Sanders discussed several important topics dur…
nationofchange.org/2019/09/25/bernie-sanders-becomes-the-first-presidential-candidate-to-visit-the-comanche-nation-in-over-100-years/

Daniel Ellsberg: Whistleblowers Preserve American Democracy
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-25
What follows is a conversation between famed whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and Marc Steiner of The Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…
truthdig.com/articles/daniel-ellsberg-whistleblowers-preserve-american-democracy/

You Might Be Surprised at How Far Americans Are Willing to Go to Overthrow the Power of Big Pharma
Nancy J. Altman, Sean McElwee | commondreams.org | 2019-09-25
New polling from Data for Progress shows that Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are united in their support for policies that would radically restructure the current system. (Photo: Floris Van Cauwelaert/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/notsale.jpeg
commondreams.org/views/2019/09/25/you-might-be-surprised-how-far-americans-are-willing-go-overthrow-power-big-pharma?cd-origin=rss

You Might Be Surprised at How Far Americans Are Willing to Go to Overthrow the Power of Big Pharma
Nancy J. Altman, Sean McElwee | commondreams.org | 2019-09-25
New polling from Data for Progress shows that Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are united in their support for policies that would radically restructure the current system. (Photo: Floris Van Cauwelaert/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/notsale.jpeg
commondreams.org/views/2019/09/25/you-might-be-surprised-how-far-americans-are-willing-go-overthrow-power-big-pharma?cd-origin=rss

The Boys in the Boots
Saad Hafiz | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
Pakistan's generals should be happy men. They are the self-appointed guardians of the state with an iron grip on the country. Instead of a social welfare democracy seen by the founding fathers, Pakistan has become a national security state. Sixty years after the coup d'état that brought General Ayub Khan to power in 1958, the civilian leadership…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/the-boys-in-the-boots/

Mass killings in Afghanistan are acts of white supremacy
Charles Davis | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-25
An American white nationalist killed over 30 people recently. The victims, all brown, had full lives; children, loved ones, and years, full of plans, ahead of them. But then they were incinerated. Worst of all, they were murdered while Afghan. The deaths were noted in the press, and one Democrat running for president even acknowledged …
nationofchange.org/2019/09/25/mass-killings-in-afghanistan-are-acts-of-white-supremacy/

Will Biden Be a Rerun of 2016 Tragedy?
Jeff Cohen | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you've seen it before — Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"– when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/will-biden-be-a-rerun-of-2016-tragedy/

ILWU Local 10 West Oakland Community Meeting Speak Out On Fisher A's Stadium Scheme
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2019-09-25
At a community labor meeting in West Oakland Speakers and community and labor people spoke out against A's billionaire owner John Fisher's scheme to build a new stadium on port property and with a hotel and 4,000 $1 million condos. | Also Democratic politicians Nancy Skinner and Ron Bonta have pushed state legislation to help the billionaire Fisher to raise taxes to pay for his development project…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/09/25/18826690.php

Genocide Warnings for Three African States
J.B. Gerald | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-09-25
These genocide warnings concern current threats to the peoples of Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. Beyond the primary concern for all the people in national groups, a pattern is emerging globally which should remind North Americans of past genocides against native American peoples: the masses of people forced from their homelands, the refugee …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/09/genocide-warnings-for-three-african-states/

Will Biden Be a Rerun of 2016 Tragedy?
Jeff Cohen | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you've seen it before — Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"– when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/will-biden-be-a-rerun-of-2016-tragedy/

Ukrainegate Is Just The Democrats' Latest Gambit To Unseat Trump
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-09-25
A manufactured scandal is rapidly growing to epic proportions in the US surrounding one of Trump's recent conversations with new Ukrainian President Zelensky after a whistleblower alleged what the Mainstream Media is reporting to be the American leader's supposedly unethical …
globalresearch.ca/ukrainegate-is-just-the-democrats-latest-gambit-to-unseat-trump/5690041

The fascist network behind the murder of Walter Làºbcke
wsws.org | 2019-09-25
Three months after the murder of Kassel's regional president, there is mounting evidence that the Christian Democratic politician was the victim of an extreme right-wing network reaching deep into the state security apparatus.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/09/25/lueb-s25.html

US Justice Dept releases much-anticipated summary of Trump's call with Ukrainian president
rt.com | 2019-09-25
US President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to look into whether ex-Vice President Joe Biden blocked an investigation into his son's company, according to a summary of the call between the two leaders. | The memo was released Wednesday morning. | | "There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great," Trump told Zelensky in a summary of the call transcript provided by the Justice Department on Wednesday. | | Democratic frontrunner Biden allegedl…
rt.com/usa/469593-trump-call-zelensky-release/

The Boys in the Boots
Saad Hafiz | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-25
Pakistan's generals should be happy men. They are the self-appointed guardians of the state with an iron grip on the country. Instead of a social welfare democracy seen by the founding fathers, Pakistan has become a national security state. Sixty years after the coup d'état that brought General Ayub Khan to power in 1958, the civilian leadership…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/25/the-boys-in-the-boots/

I Wrote About the Bidens and Ukraine Years Ago. Then the Right-Wing Spin Machine Turned the Story Upside Down
James Risen | theintercept.com | 2019-09-25
Many observers now seem to think this suddenly hot story came out of nowhere this year, but that is not true.
theintercept.com/2019/09/25/i-wrote-about-the-bidens-and-ukraine-years-ago-then-the-right-wing-spin-machine-turned-the-story-upside-down/

Trump's Ukraine call raises questions about campaign finance rules on foreign interference
Anna Massoglia and Karl Evers-Hillstrom | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-25
President Donald Trump acknowledged this weekend that he discussed former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a July phone call with Ukraine's president, leading critics to question whether Trump is courting foreign interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his potential 2020 opponent over an unsubstantiated claim that …
nationofchange.org/2019/09/25/trumps-ukraine-call-raises-questions-about-campaign-finance-rules-on-foreign-interference/

Trump's Ukraine call raises questions about campaign finance rules on foreign interference
Anna Massoglia and Karl Evers-Hillstrom | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-25
President Donald Trump acknowledged this weekend that he discussed former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a July phone call with Ukraine's president, leading critics to question whether Trump is courting foreign interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his potential 2020 opponent over an unsubstantiated claim that …
nationofchange.org/2019/09/25/trumps-ukraine-call-raises-questions-about-campaign-finance-rules-on-foreign-interference/

The 2020 Campaign Event Where 'Everyday Iowans' Asked the Questions
Spencer Green | thenation.com | 2019-09-25
The 2020 Campaign Event Where 'Everyday Iowans' Asked the Questions…
thenation.com/article/iowa-democrats-election-2020/

Trump Lashes Out at Iran, China & Venezuela in Nationalist Address to U.N. General Assembly
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-25
On Tuesday, President Trump made his third address to the United Nations General Assembly amid simmering tensions in the Middle East over recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, which the United States blames on Iran. Tehran denies the allegations. Trump also lashed out at China and Venezuela. We speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and chief editor of LeftWord Books. His latest article for Salon is headlined "World leaders gather at the UN in the face of war, climate catastrophe & global worker exploitation."
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/25/trump_un_general_assembly_speech_vijay

Billy Bragg: What the U.K. Supreme Court's Historic Ruling Against Boris Johnson Means for Brexit
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-25
The U.K. Parliament has reconvened after the country's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had unlawfully suspended Parliament in order to push through Brexit with or without a deal. Johnson made the unprecedented move late last month, asking the queen to prorogue Parliament in order to limit debate on leaving the European Union, which the U.K. is scheduled to do by October 31. Calls for Johnson's resignation are mounting since the news broke, with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calling for a general election and demanding Johnson apologize to the queen and to the country. For mo…
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/25/brexit_british_parliament_billy_bragg

Pelosi Announces Impeachment Inquiry Into Trump
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election year clash between Congress and the commander in chief. | The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government to undermine Democratic foe Joe Biden and help his own reelection. Pelosi said such actions would mark a "betrayal of his oath of office" and declared: "No one is above the law." | Pelosi's brief statement, historic ye…
truthdig.com/articles/pelosi-announces-impeachment-inquiry-into-trump/

Trump authorizes release of 'complete' transcript of call with Ukraine's Zelensky, Dems still not happy
rt.com | 2019-09-24
US President Donald Trump said a full transcript of his recent call with the Ukrainian president is to be released, but Democrats continue with calls for impeachment and plan to interview the whistleblower on the incident. | Trump tweeted on Tuesday that he had authorized the release of the "complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript" of his conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky. In a separate tweet, he said it was a "very friendly and totally appropriate call" and he applied "no pressure" on the Ukrainian leader. | Democrats had been up in arms after a whistleblower complained that Trump had allege…
rt.com/usa/469532-trump-zelensky-biden-transcript/

US: House Democrats Begin Official Trump Impeachment Inquiry
telesurenglish.net | 2019-09-24
United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. | RELATED: | Impeachment Talks Get Louder Over Trump's Ukraine Call | "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the President's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said in a brief speech on Capitol Hill. | The Ho…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-House-Democrats-Begin-Official-Trump-Impeachment-Inquiry-20190924-0018.html

Pelosi announces IMPEACHMENT inquiry over Ukraine call, Trump says it will help him win elections
rt.com | 2019-09-24
President Donald Trump has called a looming impeachment inquiry against him a "positive," saying it will help him "win the election." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the investigation shortly afterwards. | Speaking to reporters at the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump said that impeachment would be "a positive for me," adding "we will win the election." | Democrats in Congress have threatened to impeach Trump countless times already — sometimes for non-offenses like "being such good friends with Putin," or making up…
rt.com/usa/469537-trump-pelosi-impeach-election/

US: House Democrats Begin Official Trump Impeachment Inquiry
telesurenglish.net | 2019-09-24
United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. | RELATED: | Impeachment Talks Get Louder Over Trump's Ukraine Call | "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the President's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said in a brief speech on Capitol Hill. | The Ho…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-House-Democrats-Begin-Official-Trump-Impeachment-Inquiry-20190924-0018.html

Pelosi Announces Impeachment Inquiry Into Trump
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election year clash between Congress and the commander in chief. | The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government to undermine Democratic foe Joe Biden and help his own reelection. Pelosi said such actions would mark a "betrayal of his oath of office" and declared: "No one is above the law." | Pelosi's brief statement, historic ye…
truthdig.com/articles/pelosi-announces-impeachment-inquiry-into-trump/

Ukraine scandal shows the squad was right about impeaching Trump, & they're telling the Dems so
Juan Cole | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-24
"At this point, the bigger national scandal isn't the president's lawbreaking behavior – it is the Democratic Party's refusal to impeach him for it."
nationofchange.org/2019/09/24/ukraine-scandal-shows-the-squad-was-right-about-impeaching-trump-theyre-telling-the-dems-so/

The Impeachment Dam May Finally Be Bursting
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
As the Washington Post reported late Monday that President Donald Trump ordered a hold on U.S. military aid to Ukraine just days before he pressured that country's leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden–a move critics described as a serious abuse of power and "extortion"–a slew of Democrats previously unsupportive of impeachment began speaking out in favor of removing the preside…
truthdig.com/articles/the-impeachment-dam-may-finally-be-bursting/

The Bidens, Trump, Kiev and impeachment
Victor Grossman | mronline.org | 2019-09-24
The impeachment drive is quickly gathering steam, and who can have any sympathy for that man in the Oval Office? But I wonder if some enthusiasts may not be digging deeply enough. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/09/24/the-bidens-trump-kiev-and-impeachment/

Impeachment Is the Cure for a Constitutional Crisis
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-09-24
Impeachment Is the Cure for a Constitutional Crisis…
thenation.com/article/impeachment-warren/

Nate Silver and the Pitfalls of the Corporate Pundit Class
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-09-24
Political statistician and editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight Nate Silver found himself in hot water recently when he seemed to refer to the diverse supporters of Bernie Sanders' campaign as "residue." Jacqueline Luqman talks to Anoa Changa about why that language, and the bias of the corporate pundit class, is an issue.
therealnews.com/stories/nate-silver-and-the-pitfalls-of-the-corporate-pundit-class

'Billionaires should not exist': Is Bernie Sanders' wealth tax too extreme for America?
rt.com | 2019-09-24
Democrat 2020 contender Bernie Sanders has unveiled an ambitious wealth tax proposal, promising to slash the fortunes of America's uber-rich. Is his plan an existential threat to the wealthy or mere election bluster? | The Vermont senator unveiled his plan on Tuesday, declaring on Twitter afterwards that "billionaires should not exist." If implemented, his 'Tax on Extreme Wealth' would see a progressive tax applied to couples with a net worth of $32 million, or singles with a worth of at least $16 million. These groups would give the government a one-percent cut of their fortune annually, while those with asse…
rt.com/usa/469533-sanders-wealth-tax-billionaires/

Patriotic Millionaires Welcome Bernie Sanders's Wealth Tax Proposal to National Tax Debate
commondreams.org | 2019-09-24
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2019/09/24/patriotic-millionaires-welcome-bernie-sanderss-wealth-tax-proposal-national-tax?cd-origin=rss

Bernie Sanders: There Should Be No Billionaires
Ilana Novick | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
Even as Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive platform polls well among Democratic voters, consistently ranking second after Joe Biden, and even as he draws large crowds at rallies and lands 1 million donors (according to the Sanders campaign), his opponents respond with the same refrain: H0.ow is he going to pay for his plans like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal? | On Tuesday, Sanders answered, with "a tax on extre…
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-there-should-be-no-billionaires/

Bernie Sanders: There Should Be No Billionaires
Ilana Novick | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
Even as Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive platform polls well among Democratic voters, consistently ranking second after Joe Biden, and even as he draws large crowds at rallies and lands 1 million donors (according to the Sanders campaign), his opponents respond with the same refrain: H0.ow is he going to pay for his plans like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal? | On Tuesday, Sanders answered, with "a tax on extre…
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-there-should-be-no-billionaires/

32 People Arrested At Climate Change Protest in Washington DC
telesurenglish.net | 2019-09-24
At least 32 Extinction Rebellion activists were arrested in Washington D.C. on Monday as they were performing the "Tell the Truth" rally, an action aimed at pressuring U.S. politicians to tackle global climate change. | RELATED: | Poorest Countries Pay Financial, Human Cost of Climate Crisis: Oxfam | The Democratic Socialists of America, Extinction Rebellion,…
telesurenglish.net/news/32-People-Arrested-At-Climate-Change-Protest-in-Washington-DC-20190924-0004.html

Whistleblowers Save our Democracy, Says Daniel Ellsberg
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-09-24
Trump has been exposed by leakers and might face consequences, and Edward Snowden has published a book. Daniel Ellsberg reflects on the bravery of exposing the truth.
therealnews.com/stories/dly092319_ellsberg_whistleblower

Dialogue in Venezuela is a Missed Opportunity for Democrats
Leonardo Flores | globalresearch.ca | 2019-09-24
President Nicolás Maduro signed an important agreement with four opposition parties. These events offer insight …
globalresearch.ca/dialogue-in-venezuela-is-a-missed-opportunity-for-democrats/5690085

EXCLUSIVE: Palestinian member of Israeli Knesset puts antisemitism smears against Corbyn into context
Mohamed Elmaazi | thecanary.co | 2019-09-24
A Palestinian former member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) has blasted the antisemitism smears against Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Haneen Zoabi said the claims against Corbyn and his supporters are a product of long-standing policies of the Israeli state. Zoabi left the Knesset in 2019 after serving 10 years with the progressive National Democratic Assembly (aka the Balad party). While i…
thecanary.co/exclusive/2019/09/24/exclusive-palestinian-member-of-israeli-knesset-puts-antisemitism-smears-against-corbyn-into-context/

The Central Role of the Whistleblower
Melvin Goodman | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-24
The fortuitous emergence of a courageous whistleblower in the Trump White House and Harvard Professor Jill Lepore's pathetically ill-informed review of Edward Snowden's recent book, "Permanent Record," are important reminders of the central and difficult role of whistleblowers in any successful effort to restore our democracy. The information provided by whistleblowers is key to the work of congressional oversight; investigative journalism; and informed political debate. Whistleblowers contributed to the knowledge of the crimes of the intelligence community during the Vietnam War and the exposure of Iran-contra,…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/24/the-central-role-of-the-whistleblower/

Will 2020 Presidential Candidates Take On Corporate Tribunals?
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-09-24
| When the Democratic presidential candidates take the debate stage this October, they will almost surely face a question on trade. The question will be a routine one about cutting tariffs or the trade war with China. There is one question that will almost certainly not be asked — though it is a question that demands answers: Why have only three current candidates taken a stand against a trade policy that allows corporations to sue foreign governments for regulating them? | A Brief History of…
truthout.org/articles/will-2020-presidential-candidates-take-on-corporate-tribunals/

The Mainstream Media's Warren Favoritism Is Showing
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman ( 9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters on the ground. A rise in her poll standing inevitably produces stories a…
truthdig.com/articles/the-mainstream-medias-warren-favoritism-is-showing/

Support FAIR: Corporate Media Sidetracking Real Election Issues–Again — copy
Deborah | fair.org | 2019-09-24
Dear FAIR Friends, While corporate media focus on who's up/who's down in the horserace for the Democratic nomination, more substantive concerns–What are the candidates' policy proposals? Are they adequate to the scale of the problems we face? Will our votes be suppressed, or even miscounted?–go unaddressed. With so much at stake, we've got to …
fair.org/zmail/support-fair-corporate-media-sidetracking-real-election-issues-again-copy/

Are Democrats Blowing It All Over Again?
Jeff Cohen | truthdig.com | 2019-09-24
You might ask what it takes to remember | When you know that you've seen it before | –Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" | Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"– when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one high-dollar fundraising event after another. A time when they served up (consultant-approved) language about "feeling the pain" of "working families" . . . without identifying any corporate villains or transformative policies to fix the rigged system. | Donald Trump's victory seemed to put a c…
truthdig.com/articles/are-democrats-blowing-it-all-over-again/

Will Biden be a rerun of 2016 tragedy?
Jeff Cohen | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-24
You might ask what it takes to remember | When you know that you've seen it before | — Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance" | Joe Biden is a throwback to an earlier time. Much of it could be called "the Clintonite era"– when Democratic presidential contenders openly cozied up to the wealthy by appearing at one high-dollar fundraising event after another. A time when they served up (consultant-approved) language about "feeling the pain" of "working families" . . . without identifying any corporate villains or transformative policies to fix the rigged system. | Donald Trump's victory seemed to put…
nationofchange.org/2019/09/24/will-biden-be-a-rerun-of-2016-tragedy/

US Election Candidates: As Joe Biden Falters, Will Elizabeth Warren Survive the Scrutiny
Renee Parsons | globalresearch.ca | 2019-09-24
Despite early polls which showed some of the 'top tier' Democrat candidates beating Trump in a general election, the last DNC debate left considerable question as to whether there was enough substance on that stage to win the White House….
globalresearch.ca/us-elections-candidates-as-joe-biden-falters-will-elizabeth-warren-survive-the-scrutiny/5690087

The "Quid" Is a Crime: No Need to Prove "Pro Quo" in Ukrainegate
Paul Seamus Ryan | commondreams.org | 2019-09-24
Through the Mueller investigation, President Trump should have learned the legal risks of seeking foreign support for his election efforts. Instead, he seems only to have learned that he can get away with it. (Photo: Donald Trump/cc/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/rudyg.jpeg
commondreams.org/views/2019/09/24/quid-crime-no-need-prove-pro-quo-ukrainegate?cd-origin=rss

Philly labor hosts first ever "Workers' Presidential Summit"
Ben Sears | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-24
PHILADELPHIA –Last spring Pat Eiding, President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council, urged his members to start getting ready for the 2020 Presidential campaign; he also expressed some concern about the apparent early surge of support for former Vice President Joe Biden saying "this whole thing is happening too fast." Several union leaders and activists responded …
peoplesworld.org/article/philly-labor-hosts-first-ever-workers-presidential-summit/

Philly labor hosts first ever "Workers' Presidential Summit"
Ben Sears | peoplesworld.org | 2019-09-24
PHILADELPHIA –Last spring Pat Eiding, President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council, urged his members to start getting ready for the 2020 Presidential campaign; he also expressed some concern about the apparent early surge of support for former Vice President Joe Biden saying "this whole thing is happening too fast." Several union leaders and activists responded …
peoplesworld.org/article/philly-labor-hosts-first-ever-workers-presidential-summit/

Trump Seeks to Kneecap Consumer Protection Agency Advocated for by Elizabeth Warren
Steven Schwinn | progressive.org | 2019-09-24
We've grown accustomed to Donald Trump's relentless political attacks. but, in the end, his constitutional attacks on the administrative state could cause the most damage.
progressive.org/dispatches/trump-attacks-consumer-agencys-independence-schwinn-190924/

Trump Seeks to Kneecap Consumer Protection Agency Advocated for by Elizabeth Warren
Steven Schwinn | progressive.org | 2019-09-24
We've grown accustomed to Donald Trump's relentless political attacks. but, in the end, his constitutional attacks on the administrative state could cause the most damage.
progressive.org/dispatches/trump-attacks-consumer-agencys-independence-schwinn-190924/

Biden Might Not Be the One to Beat Trump
Katrina vanden Heuvel | thenation.com | 2019-09-24
Biden Might Not Be the One to Beat Trump…
thenation.com/article/biden-might-not-be-the-one-to-beat-trump/

Meet Brazil's Indigenous Leader Attacked by Bolsonaro at U.N. over Efforts to Preserve the Amazon
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-24
A number of indigenous leaders from Brazil traveled to New York to protest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's push to open the Amazon rainforest for agribusiness, logging and mining. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh spoke to Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó tribe on Monday outside the U.N. Climate Action Summit about the situation in the Amazon, including the recent outbreak of devastating fires. After the interview, Chief Raoni attempted to enter the U.N. summit, but despite support from dozens of activists, he was barred from entering. He is a nominee for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/24/un_climate_summit_indigenous_leader_barred

Brazil's Indigenous Leader Attacked by Bolsonaro Over Efforts to Preserve Amazon
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-09-24
| A number of indigenous leaders from Brazil traveled to New York to protest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's push to open the Amazon rainforest for agribusiness, logging and mining. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh spoke to Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó tribe on Monday outside the U.N. Climate Action Summit about the situation in the Amazon, including the recent outbreak of devastating fires. After the interview, Chief Raoni attempted to enter the U.N. summit, but despit…
truthout.org/video/brazils-indigenous-leader-attacked-by-bolsonaro-over-efforts-to-preserve-amazon/

In Landmark UN Complaint, 16 Children Accuse Nations of Failing to Protect Them from Climate Change
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-24
Youth climate activists from around the world also attended the U.N. Climate Action Summit Monday, where they spoke at UNICEF about a landmark new climate complaint they filed with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. Hailing from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Germany, the Marshall Islands and Tunisia, the young representatives spoke about why they feel compelled to act on the climate crisis. Among the youth climate activists were Alexandria Villaseñor of New York and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/24/children_vs_climatecrisis

Ta-Nehisi Coates on His Debut Novel "The Water Dancer," Slavery & Reparations
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-24
Celebrated writer Ta-Nehisi Coates's first novel, "The Water Dancer," was released today. Centering on a man named Hiram Walker, who was born into slavery in 19th century Virginia, the novel is a "crowd-pleasing exercise in breakneck and often occult storytelling," a review in The New York Times stated. Over the past decade Ta-Nehisi Coates has become one of the nation's most celebrated writers. In 2014, he wrote a piece titled "The Case for Reparations," which rejuvenated the push for the government to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves. His 2015 book, "Between the World and Me," a National Book Award…
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/24/ta_nehisi_coates_the_water_dancer

How Dare You! Greta Thunberg Slams World's Focus on Economic "Fairy Tales" While Ecosystems Collapse
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-24
Scores of world leaders gathered in New York on Monday for the U.N. Climate Action Summit, but the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters announced few new measures to address the climate crisis. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence briefly attended the summit but left after just 14 minutes. At the beginning of the summit, 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg delivered an impassioned address to world leaders, explicitly naming their inaction on the climate crisis. "People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing," Greta said. "We are in the beginning of a mass ext…
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/24/un_climate_action_summit_greta_thunberg

BREXIT: Europe in Miniature
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-09-24
The most important question for the European Union today is whether BREXIT signals the beginning of the end for the entire bloc, or will ultimately serve to discourage other countries from attempting to cut ties. BREXIT: a denial of democracy No one was more surprised by the result of the 2016 Referendum on BREXIT than …
uwidata.com/5431-brexit-europe-in-miniature/

After Climate-Focused 2020 Bid, Inslee Faces Indigenous Campaigners' Demand to End All Fossil Fuel Projects in Washington
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-09-24
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee won praise during his five-month presidential campaign for setting the tone of the climate debate in the 2020 Democratic primary and forcing other candidates to propose bold climate action—but in his own state on Tuesday, indigenous residents demanding the governor make his commitment clear at home. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-09-24_at_4.04.45_pm1.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/09/24/after-climate-focused-2020-bid-inslee-faces-indigenous-campaigners-demand-end-all?cd-origin=rss

GOP Racial Gerrymandering Mastermind Participated in Redistricting in More States Than Previously Known, Files Reveal
David Daley | theintercept.com | 2019-09-23
Thomas Hofeller and GOP strategists experimented with using race as the primary factor in drawing districts in Alabama, Florida, and West Virginia.
theintercept.com/2019/09/23/gerrymandering-gop-west-virginia-florida-alabama/

"Duh, of course I would": Bernie Sanders vows to take legal action against fossil fuel companies for destroying the planet
Ruth Milka | nationofchange.org | 2019-09-23
"How do you hold fossil fuel executives who knew that they were destroying the planet but kept on doing it?"
nationofchange.org/2019/09/23/duh-of-course-i-would-bernie-sanders-vows-to-take-legal-action-against-fossil-fuel-companies-for-destroying-the-planet/

What Media Like Best About Elizabeth Warren: She's Not Bernie Sanders
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-09-23
by Julie Hollar | When the Washington Post's Paul Waldman ( 9/18/19) recently attempted to explain Elizabeth Warren's rise in the Democratic primary polls, he attributed it in part to media: Reporters on the campaign trail have said for some time that she is the one who generates the most enthusiastic response among voters o…
fair.org/home/what-media-like-best-about-elizabeth-warren-shes-not-bernie-sanders/

Reporters Should Stop Helping Donald Trump Spread Lies About Joe Biden and Ukraine
Robert Mackey | theintercept.com | 2019-09-23
By reporting on a conspiracy theory promoted by the president as a political story, with two sides, journalists are helping to weaponize disinformation.
theintercept.com/2019/09/22/reporters-stop-helping-donald-trump-spread-lies-joe-biden-ukraine/

Trump's Biggest Scandal Might Tear the Democrats Apart
Jeet Heer | thenation.com | 2019-09-23
Trump's Biggest Scandal Might Tear the Democrats Apart…
thenation.com/article/trump-biden-whistleblower/

2020's Most In-Depth, People-Powered Forum Just Happened in Iowa
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-09-23
2020's Most In-Depth, People-Powered Forum Just Happened in Iowa…
thenation.com/article/democrats-iowa-forum/

Millions Took Part in the Youth-Led Global Climate Strike Friday. Here's Why People Marched
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-23
As many as a quarter-million people marched on the streets of New York City Friday for a youth-led climate strike inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Globally, as many as 4 million people took to the streets in hundreds of countries. Democracy Now! was in the streets of New York on Friday speaking with climate strikers from the United States and around the world.
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/23/climate_march_interviews_youth_protesters

19-Year-Old Indigenous Climate Activist Artemisa Xakriabá: "We Fight for Mother Earth"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-23
Friday's climate strike in New York City concluded with remarks from indigenous leaders, activists and organizers. Artemisa Xakriabá, a 19-year-old indigenous climate activist of the Xakriabá people, spoke about the increasing intensity of environmental destruction across Brazil and the interconnectedness of the fight for climate justice. "We fight for our Mother Earth because the fight for Mother Earth is the mother of all other fights," Xakriabá said. "We are fighting for your lives. We are fighting for our lives. We are fighting for our sacred territory. But we are being persecuted, threatened, murdered, only…
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/23/brazil_indigenous_climate_activist_artemisa_xakriaba

"This Is Our Time. This Is Our Future." Voices from the Historic Youth Climate Strike in NYC
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-23
As many as 4 million people around the world took to the streets Friday in the largest day of action focused on the climate crisis. Students across the globe led climate strikes in hundreds of countries, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The demonstration kicked off in Foley Square, where tens of thousands of people gathered before the march. Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, and climate activist Vic Barrett were among the handful of activists who addressed the climate strikers in Foley Square.
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/23/global_climate_strike_foley_square_speeches

"Our House Is on Fire": Greta Thunberg Addresses Hundreds of Thousands at NYC Climate Strike
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-23
Sixteen-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg spoke at Friday's climate strike in New York, where an estimated 300,000 people took to the streets. Thunberg inspired the global spread of weekly climate strikes when she started skipping school to protest outside of the Swedish parliament last year. "We will not just stand aside and watch," Thunberg told a crowd of thousands in her speech at Manhattan's Battery Park. "We are united behind the science, and we will do everything in our power to stop this crisis from getting worse."
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/23/new_york_city_climate_strike_greta

Bill McKibben: Youth Who Led Global Climate Strike Are Bringing a New "Spirit" to Climate Fight
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-09-23
Following Friday's youth-led climate strike — the largest-ever global protest focused on climate — we speak with Bill McKibben, longtime journalist and co-founder of 350.org. McKibben's latest piece for The New Yorker is titled "Money Is the Oxygen on Which the Fire of Global Warming Burns," and his cover piece for Time magazine is headlined "Hello from the Year 2050. We Avoided the Worst of Climate Change — But Everything Is Different." McKibben's 1989 book, "The End of Nature," was the first book for a general audience about climate change.
www.democracynow.org/2019/9/23/bill_mckibben_climate_crisis_global_demonstrations

History will judge Mugabe's legacy
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-09-23
Alan BroughtonIssue 1239 Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change MDC ZANU-PFSeptember 23, 2019Zimbabwe's independence leader and former president Robert Mugabe is remembered for his leadership of the succ…
greenleft.org.au/content/history-will-judge-mugabe-legacy

History will judge Mugabe's legacy
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-09-23
Alan BroughtonIssue 1239 Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change MDC ZANU-PFSeptember 23, 2019Zimbabwe's independence leader and former president Robert Mugabe is remembered for his leadership of the succ…
greenleft.org.au/content/history-will-judge-mugabe-legacy

Corbyn's 'democratic' and 'healing' Brexit stance backed at Labour conference
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-09-23
The Labour Party conference has backed leader Jeremy Corbyn's policy of remaining neutral on Brexit until after a general election. Supporters have insisted that his stance is 'democratic' and 'healing'. | Corbyn has promised that a government he leads will negotiate a new Brexit deal and put it to a referendum, but he has so far resisted calls to say how the party should campaign in that public vote. | Delegates at the conference in Brighton backed a statement setting out his position and broke out into a chorus of "oh, Jeremy Corbyn" after the result of the vote was announced. | The conference then rejected a m…
thecanary.co/uk/2019/09/23/corbyns-democratic-and-healing-brexit-stance-backed-at-labour-conference/

Why Is Bill De Blasio Trying to Kill Me? New York's Mayor Claims to Be Progressive but Favors Drivers Over Bicyclists
Peter Maass | theintercept.com | 2019-09-22
I never expected that my skills as a war reporter would be relevant to my life as a dad in a Brooklyn, but that was before I started biking to work.
theintercept.com/2019/09/22/new-york-city-cars-bicycles-de-blasio/

Joe Biden's 'Gaffes' Are Much Bigger Problem for Democrats Than Embarrassment
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-09-22
Joe Biden's off-the-cuff comments aren't playing well to audiences any more. Is this an indication of a too-long political career finally declining, or is this a sign of a much bigger problem for the Democratic Party in 2020? Jacqueline Luqman talks with The Week contributor Ryan Cooper…
therealnews.com/stories/joe-bidens-gaffes-are-much-bigger-problem-for-democrats-than-embarrassment

Philippines: Resist and end Duterte's fascist regime
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-09-22
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Sept. 20 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines. | Almost five decades ago, Ferdinand Marcos placed the entire country under martial law which launched his brutal dictatorial rule. For 14 years, the Filipino people resisted valiantly and fought on all arenas of struggle. Serving as the strongest bulwark of anti-fascist resistance, the Party and the New People's Army waged underground and armed struggle, inspiring and militating the Filipino people to unite and struggle for democracy. Culminating long years of anti-fascist resistance, the Filipino…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/9/22/philippines-resist-and-end-duterte-s-fascist-regime

On the Road to Damascus: International Conference in Syria on Sanctions and Its Blowback
Roger D. Harris | mintpressnews.com | 2019-09-21
Syrians say it's even harder now to make ends meet than it was during the height of their country's war because of intensified U.S and European sanctions.
mintpressnews.com/international-conference-in-syria-on-sanctions-and-its-blowback/261986/