(2019-11-25). The End of the Rule of Law. truthdig.com 
Bruce Fein, a former senior official in the Department of Justice and a constitutional scholar, has identified 12 impeachable offenses committed by Donald Trump. But, as he notes, many of these constitutional violations are not unique to the Trump administration. They have been normalized by Democratic and Republican administrations. These long-standing violations are, for this reason, ignored by Democratic Party leaders seeking to impeach the president. They have chosen to focus exclusively on Trump's attempt to get the Ukrainian president to o…
(2019-11-25). Why many unions haven't come out for impeachment. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Following explosive testimony which definitely exposes GOP President Donald Trump's plan to literally bribe the Ukrainian government — using $391 million in taxpayer dollars — for his own political advantage in next year's campaign, the Democratic-run House is on the verge of drafting and voting on impeachment articles against him. A string of credible witnesses, …
(2019-11-25). Are Democrats Impeaching Trump For the Wrong Crimes? truthdig.com 
What follows is a conversation between author and activist David Samson and Marc Steiner of The Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…
(2019-11-25). The Left Simply Can't Trust House Democrats. truthdig.com 
Last week, the Democratic leadership put an extension of the Patriot Act into a "continuing resolution" that averted a government shutdown. More than 95 percent of the Democrats in the House went along with it by voting for the resolution. Both co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Pramila Jayapal and Mark Pocan, voted yes. So did all 11 of the CPC's vice chairs. | It didn't have to be that way. House progressives could have thrown a monkey wrench into the Orwellian machinery. Instead, the cave-in was another bow to normalizing the U.S. government's mass surveillance powers. | "There's no other way t…
(2019-11-25). Trump's firing of Navy Secretary yet another threat to democracy. peoplesworld.org 
President Trump has been recognized as a leader of the authoritarian mindset that has been operating in this country to win Senate and House seats, to control state legislatures, and to take over the federal courts. His recent pardoning of war criminals in the military, capped by his firing of Secretary of the Navy Richard …
(2019-11-25). Landslide win for opposition in Hong Kong local elections 'a revolution'. thecanary.co 
Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition won a stunning landslide victory in weekend local elections in a clear rebuke to city leader Carrie Lam over her handling of violent protests that have divided the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.Wu Chi-wai, leader of the city's biggest pro-democracy party, said that the bloc swept nearly 90% of 452 district council seats, which will help it take unprecedented control of 17 out of 18 district councils.The results were based on official tallies announced by election officials. | Almost 3 million people voted. The opposition is winning 388 seats vs. 59 for the gov't (w/ a few…
(2019-11-25). Robert Reich: Republicans Have a Dangerous New Scare Tactic. truthdig.com 
The GOP claims millions of voters are casting their ballots illegally to rig our elections. It's an odious myth that demands debunking.
(2019-11-25). "Prison Gerrymandering" Could Inflate Population Counts During 2020 Census. truthout.org The South is home to several states with high rates of incarceration and criminal justice systems rooted in slavery and Jim Crow. People of color are disproportionately incarcerated across the region, as they are across the United States, and harsh sentencing laws have inflated the prison population exponentially over the past several decades. Though efforts to address mass incarceration have help…
(2019-11-25). The Realism of Bernie Sanders' Climate Policy. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introduce public housing legislation as part of the Green New Deal outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, November 14, 2019. (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_33.jpg …
(2019-11-25). Sanders' Green New Deal: A Realistic Response to the Emergency That Will Define Our Lifetimes. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) attends a news conference to introduce legislation to transform public housing as part of the Green New Deal outside the U.S. Capitol November 14, 2019 in Washington, DC. The liberal legislators invited affordable housing advocates and climate change activists to join them for the announcement. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_green_new_deal.jpg …
(2019-11-25). Beware of the Medicare Disadvantage Corporate Trap — Wake Up AARP. counterpunch.org While the Democratic presidential candidates are debating full Medicare for All, giant insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare are advertising to the elderly in an attempt to lure them from Traditional Medicare (TM) to the so-called Medicare Advantage (MA) — a corporate plan that UnitedHealthcare promotes to turn a profit at the expense of enrollees. Almost one More
(2019-11-25). Senate VAWA bill 'undercuts tribal sovereignty'. nationofchange.org "Placing paternalistic restrictions on tribal courts in the name of 'due process' is nothing more than a disguise for prejudice."
(2019-11-25). Iran Social Unrest: Protests and Carefully Planned Provocations. globalresearch.ca When protests in Hong Kong, Iraq, and Lebanon erupted, I was fully anticipating protests in Iran to follow. In 2018 alone, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) had spent millions of dollars in these countries (and elsewhere) to promote America's …
(2019-11-25). An Open Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Bolivia From Canadian Writers and Scholars. counterpunch.org The democratically elected president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, the very first indigenous president of the Americas, has been forced, at gunpoint, to flee the country. There have been on a 5-day stretch since October 20th, 23 deaths, 715 injured, total arrests of 1112 and the number of wounded are unknown (data from the Defensoría del More
(2019-11-25). UN mission in DR Congo appeals for calm as violent protests continue. news.un.org The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has met with national authorities in the wake of an attack against its headquarters in Beni on Monday, which left the building badly damaged.
(2019-11-25). Billionaire Bloomberg enters race for Democratic presidential nomination. wsws.org Bloomberg has made a $37 million down-payment on what could well be a billion-dollar campaign.
(2019-11-25). This week in history: November 25—December 1. wsws.org 25 years ago: US House passes General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeOn November 30, 1994, the US House of Representatives passed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) by a 288 to 146 vote. The lame-duck meeting of the Democratic-controlled House sent President Bill Clinton's legislation to implement an expanded GATT to the Senate for a final vote. Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans supported the trade pact.
(2019-11-25). Washington's Right-Wing Consensus on Israel Faces a Reckoning in Three New York Congressional Races. theintercept.com Eliot Engel and Jerry Nadler, among the most pro-Israel Democrats, are facing primaries from the left. Nita Lowey, another pro-Israel hawk, is retiring.
(2019-11-25). Canada's New Democrats and the Coup in Bolivia—A reply to a reader. wsws.org With phony rhetoric about Canada's role in promoting "democracy" and "human rights," the NDP aids and abets Canadian imperialist intrigue, aggression and war.
(2019-11-25). Obama is Wrong to Push Democratic Party Centrism. progressive.org Obama's recent comments highlight an important division in the Democratic Party, one that's prompted the recent emergence of two new candidates: Deval Patrick, the former governor of Massachusetts and personal friend of Obama, and Michael Bloomberg.
(2019-11-25). An Impeachment Hearings Libretto. counterpunch.org I have no doubt that House Democrats will vote articles of impeachment against Trump, just as I have no trouble imagining that Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell will stage his own Netflix original and exonerate the president. So why plunge ahead to certain defeat in the Senate and give Trump an I-got-out-of-jail card in time for the election in 2020? | More
(2019-11-25). Madrid steps up repression in Catalonia after PSOE-Podemos government accord. wsws.org The Podemos-backed social-democratic government threatens to impeach the Catalan regional premier and reduce the use of the Catalan language in Catalonia's public schools.
(2019-11-25). New York Democrats Just Passed a Measure That Could Take the Working Families Party Off the Ballot. theintercept.com At a meeting on Monday, a commission created to implement New York's public campaign finance system voted to pass a proposal that would make it significantly more difficult for alternative political parties to operate in the state. The proposal would change party qualification rules and, combined with an earlier measure to end fusion voting, is seen as part of a larger set of attacks by state Democrats, led by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on Cuomo's nemesi…
(2019-11-25). Most People Pay a Higher Wealth Tax Than the Wealthy. counterpunch.org A long overdue tax on the wealth of the wealthy is finally being put forward as a means to fund government services and reduce economic inequality.[1] At this point, among Democrats, the Sander's proposal goes the furthest and is estimated to raise $4.35 trillion over the next 10 years. As of the second quarter of More
(2019-11-25). USF students rally for more Black enrollment before meeting with administration. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On November 20, students at the University of South Florida (USF) gathered in front of Cooper Hall to demand that administration increases Black enrollment on campus. Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized and led the demonstration. | This event occurred in anticipation of an upcoming December 4 meeting with administration. SDS will be meeting with the Vice President of Student Success Paul Dosa, VP of Diversity and Inclusion Haywood Brown, Assistant VP of Admissions Glen Besterfield, and Dean of Students Danielle McDonald. The meeting will determine the future of how USF will add…
(2019-11-25). Netanyahu's Likud Party Agrees to Hold Leadership Primaries. telesurenglish.net The Likud Party, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced Sunday that it will hold primary elections within six weeks while PM Netanyahu currently faces trial on three charges of corruption. | RELATED: | Israel 1st Western Democracy to Expel HRW Worker: HRW Director | According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has agreed with the head of Likud's central com…
(2019-11-25). More Students Are Voting — But Republicans Are Trying to Get in Their Way. truthout.org Students at the historically Black Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas, lost their on-campus polling place this semester after the Republican-dominated state legislature outlawed polling places that do not stay open for the entire 12-day, early-voting period — commonly referred to as "pop-up" polls. The new law took effect in September, and Huston-Tillotson students who voted on November 5 had to trek over to the Austin Public Library's Carver Branch a half-mile away. | "The way I s…
(2019-11-25). Warren's New Proposal for Prescription Drugs Is Flying Under the Radar. truthout.org Earlier this month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren put out a set of steps that she would put forward as president as part of a transition to Medicare for All. The items that got the most attention were including everyone over age 50 and under age 18 in Medicare, and providing people of all ages with the option to buy into the program. This buy-in would include large subsidies, and people with incomes of less than 200 percent of the poverty level would be able to enter the Medicare program at no cost. | These…
(2019-11-25). No Billionaires, No Fascists, No Warmongers To the Socialist Future. counterpunch.org There's probably no bigger sin in American politics than to imagine a world without war, inequality, and capitalism. Actually, imagining just a kinder, more equitable version of capitalism, one in which the existence of elite wealth is tempered by the peoples' right to health care, a college education, affordable housing, strong workplace unions, full reproductive More
(2019-11-25). Noam Chomsky: Centrism Will Only Get Us Four More Years of Trump. truthdig.com 
Noam Chomsky is not here to reassure you. As Arctic ice melts, centrists in the Democratic Party actively hinder progress on "Medicare for All" and Republicans work equally hard on voter suppression, the activist, linguist and professor is sounding the alarm. | In an interview after last week's Democrat…
(2019-11-25). Democrats Don't Need Mike Bloomberg's Kinder, Gentler Plutocracy. thenation.com Democrats Don't Need Mike Bloomberg's Kinder, Gentler Plutocracy…
(2019-11-25). The President is a Domestic Enemy of the Constitution: Ellsberg Slams Trump For Pardoning War Crimes. democracynow.org 
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper demanded the resignation of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, one week after President Trump overruled military leaders and cleared three U.S. servicemembers accused or convicted of war crimes. The men included Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, who has been accused of multiple war crimes, including shooting two Iraqi civilians and fatally stabbing a captive teenager in the neck. Gallagher was convicted of posing with the teenage corpse but was acquitted of premeditated murder. Trump criticized the Navy on Thursday for moving toward holding a review hearing to decide if Gallagher should be…
(2019-11-25). Police Raid Egypt's Last Independent News Outlet Mada Masr Amid "Increasingly Hostile" Media Climate. democracynow.org 
Egyptian security forces raided the office of Mada Masr, the country's last independent media outlet, and arrested three of its journalists this weekend. The raid began Sunday afternoon, when nine plainclothes security officers entered the Mada Masr office in Cairo, seizing phones and laptops and holding the staff in the building for more than three hours. They then arrested editor-in-chief Lina Attalah, managing editor Mohamed Hamama and reporter Rana Mamdouh. It came just a day after security forces arrested senior editor Shady Zalat at his home. All four journalists were released from detention Sunday night. T…
(2019-11-25). Pope Francis Calls Nuclear Weapons Immoral as Catholic Activists Face Jail For U.S. Nuke Base Action. democracynow.org 
Over the weekend, Pope Francis visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where the United States dropped the first atomic bombs in 1945, killing more than 200,000 people. Pope Francis said, "A world without nuclear weapons is possible and necessary." The leader of the Cathoilc Church met with survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and declared the possession of nuclear weapons to be immoral. The Pope's visit comes as a group of seven Catholic peace activists are awaiting sentencing for breaking into the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia on April 4, 2018. The activists, known as the Kings Bay Plowshares 7,…
(2019-11-25). Headlines for November 25, 2019. democracynow.org Navy Secretary Ousted amid Dispute over Accused War Criminal Eddie Gallagher, Released State Dept. Emails Implicate Pompeo in Giuliani Ukraine Plot, Bloomberg Jumps into 2020 Race by Buying Millions in Campaign Ads, Sen. Graham Blocked Armenian Genocide Resolution at White House Request, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Released from Hospital in Good Health, Hong Kong: Pro-Democracy Candidates Win Nearly 90% Seats in Local Elections, Security Forces Raid Offices of Egypt's Last Independent Media Outlet, Iraqi Security Forces Kill 13 Protesters amid Anti-Government Demonstrations, Israel Deporting Head of Human Rights Watch's…
(2019-11-25). 'No other democracy': Human Rights Watch slams Israel's expulsion of director over BDS activism. rt.com 
Human Rights Watch has condemned the decision by Israel to deport Omar Shakir, HRW's director for Israel and Palestinian territories. Israel revoked his visa over activism on behalf of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS). | Shakir, a US citizen, was placed on a flight out of Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday, after the Israeli Supreme Court upheld the government's decision to expel him from Tel Aviv. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Shakir has been an outspoken advocate of the BDS movement prior to his work at HRW, and that they have every right to expel him under a 20…
(2019-11-25). Israel Expels Human Rights Watch Official Over BDS Support. telesurenglish.net A Human Rights Watch (HRW) official complied with an Israeli expulsion order on Monday imposed over accusations he backs an international pro-Palestinian boycott, but said the edict would only encourage rights abuses. | RELATED: | Israel 1st Western Democracy to Expel HRW Worker: HRW Director | HRW and Omar Shakir, a U.S. citizen representing the New York-based organization in Israel and the Palestinian territories, have denied the allegations. | Three weeks ago, Israel's Supreme Court upheld…
(2019-11-25). Bernie Sanders Goes to Bat for Baseball Players as MLB Proposes Terminating Minor League Teams. commondreams.org White House hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday implored Major League Baseball commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. to reconsider a recently announced proposal to eliminate 42 minor league teams. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_28_0.jpg …
(2019-11-25). Not 'Free Stuff,' But Public Goods: Ocasio-Cortez Denounces Neoliberal Talking Points on Publicly-Funded Education and Housing. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won applause and cheers from her constituents on Sunday at a town hall in The Bronx, where she expressed deep frustration with the routine dismissal of investment in public goods as "free stuff." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ocasio_cortez_trump_racism_0_0.jpg …
(2019-11-24). "We Are Still Here": Native Activists in Arizona Resist Trump's Border Wall. theintercept.com 
Nellie Jo David was holding forth in the shadow of the border wall. Tucked under her arm was a sign listing the dozens of federal laws that were waived during the building of the structure. With a megaphone gripped tight in her left hand, the 36-year-old read them off one by one. A crowd of protesters listened in. The sun, pouring through the steel slats of the towering 30-foot-tall partition, cast long shadows in the Arizona desert. David explained how the wall's expansion would drain the lands of precious water and its floodlights would blot out the stars. | "We need to stop this desecration," she said, before…
(2019-11-24). US: House Democrats Extend Patriot Act in Concealed Bill. telesurenglish.net The United States House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill in an effort to avert a government shutdown Tuesday, which included an extension, buried in the legislation, to the Bush-era Patriot Act. | RELATED: | Trump Accuses Impeachment Witness Of Lying, Defends Giuliani | The funding bill was approved by the Senate earlier on Thursday, hours before President Donald Trump signed the document. With a vote of 231-192, the Democrat-led House passed the bill effectively…
(2019-11-24). Center-Right Klaus Iohannis Re-Elected President of Romania. telesurenglish.net Romania's center-right incumbent President Klaus Iohannis was elected Sunday for a second term after he heavily defeated his socialist opponent Viorica Dancila in a runoff vote. | RELATED: | Romania Announces Israel Embassy Will Move to Jerusalem | According to the eastern European country's electoral body, the center-right former physics professor obtained 62.8 percent of the votes, while Social Democrats' (PSD) Dancila received the other 37.1 percent. | "The winner today is modern…
(2019-11-24). The Secular Democratic Revolution in Rojava. dissidentvoice.org 
Building solidarity for social emancipation from the state, capitalism, patriarchy, and theological intolerance across the geographic and ethnic divisions of the MIddle East. Here in the US, Rojava is known for decentralization of state and patriarchal power. The adoption of community direct democracy, regional confederation, and the organized women's movement actively dismantling systems of male …
(2019-11-24). Giuliani says his 'dead man's switch' not about Trump, but Biden's alleged corruption spanning a decade. rt.com 
President Donald Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, has claimed he keeps compromising files on the Bidens in a safe, which would be made public if he vanishes. He brushed off reports that his 'insurance policy' relates to Trump. | Giuliani has dismissed the notion that he has "an insurance policy" in case he falls out with his most famous client. The report stems from Trump's personal lawyer's heated interview with Fox News' Ed Henry on Saturday. | Asked if he has spoken to Trump recently, Guiliani refused to answer, citing attorney-client privilege, but stressed that his relationship with Trump could not be bet…
(2019-11-24). Police storm Hong Kong Polytechnic University. greenleft.org.au 
Hong Kong democracy movement Wlam*Issue 1248 Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong KongNovember 25, 2019On November 17, protesters set up roadblocks around the Hong…
(2019-11-23). Humanitarian Volunteer Scott Warren Reflects on the Borderlands and Two Years of Government Persecution. theintercept.com 
A jury found Scott Warren not guilty in the government's second attempt to lock him up for providing humanitarian aid on the border in Arizona.
(2019-11-23). In Three Touchstone Speeches, Elizabeth Warren Grounds Her Campaign in a History of American Protest and Movement Building. theintercept.com 
Linking with women-led labor struggles is her way of answering those who want to push her away from economic policy and into a "women's issues" box.
(2019-11-23). CIA ayudó a convertir a serie 'Jack Ryan' en fantasía sobre cambio de régimen en Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Un análisis del investigador Tom Secker revela cómo la serie de Amazon sobre un cambio de régimen en Venezuela, "Jack…
(2019-11-23). Democratic Lawmakers Criticize US Stance Towards Bolivia's Coup. telesurenglish.net James McGovern, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other Democratic lawmakers on Friday criticized President Donald Trump administration for its stance regarding what is happening in Bolivia. | RELATED: | Bolivia: Ilegitimate Government Attempts to Sue Evo Morales | "We are troubled by statements from administration officials, including President Trump,…
(2019-11-23). Ukrainegate 13,000 Times Worse Than You Think. dissidentvoice.org Did you know that Donald Trump had the State Department, USAID, NED, and the CIA fund and train Neo-Nazi, fascist militias to overthrow the government of Ukraine? These riot mobs, primarily Svoboda and Right Sector, stormed the capital, firebombed and shot the police, and destroyed democracy inside Ukraine. When the legitimately elected president was forced …
(2019-11-23). United Nations Presents a Peace-Building Agreement for Bolivia. telesurenglish.net The United Nations, the European Union (EU) and the Bolivian Episcopal Conference (CEB) on Saturday announced an agreement between the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) and the Jeanine Añez administration whereby they pledge to pacify Bolivia and ensure credible elections. | RELATED: | Democratic Lawmakers Criticize US Stance Towards Bolivia's Coup | The agreement was presented at a press conference by the UN special envoy Jean Arnault, the EU ambassador to Bolivia Leon de la To…
(2019-11-23). Bolivian Congress Approves Law to Call For New Elections. telesurenglish.net The Bolivian Congress Saturday approved the law of "Exceptional and Transitory Regime for the holding of General Elections," which calls for new general elections in the country. | RELATED: | Democratic Lawmakers Criticize US Stance Towards Bolivia's Coup | The sessions, both in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, were set up with a regulatory quorum and the debate focused on the electoral exercise in order to pacify the country. It is expected that the general elections will t…
(2019-11-23). Uruguay: Far-Right Calls Armed Forces to Vote Against Leftists. telesurenglish.net Uruguay's Minister of Defense Jose Bayardi denounced Saturday former army general and far-right presidential candidate Guido Manini for inciting confrontations and rebellion of the military against democratic institutions, through a video on social media. | RELATED: | Uruguay: Martinez, Lacalle Pou Close Campaigns Prior to Ballot | The far-right politician who belongs to the Cabildo Abierto party published a video addressed to members of the armed forces, calling for them…
(2019-11-23). Iran False Flag Prep, US Government's Staggering Bolivia Hypocrisy, Netanyahu Indicted & Patriot Act. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/22/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-11-23). 'OK boomer': Biden attempt to roast Trump on Twitter unites left and right in mockery. rt.com 
Conservatives and liberals found rare common ground in mocking the Twitter game of former Vice-President and current Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden, after he tried to accuse President Donald Trump of corruption. | "Corruption is Donald Trump's middle name," Biden tweeted out on Friday, following that up with a plea for $5 donations to oust the "most corrupt president in modern American history." | This prompted Ken Klippenstein, a journalist with the progressive outlet The Young Turks, to post a screensho…
(2019-11-22). Is Bernie Sanders Electable? dissidentvoice.org 
In his 2007 classic Deer Hunting With Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War—a book that, in the age of Donald Trump, is more relevant than ever—Joe Bageant makes an observation that cuts to the nub of the matter. America, he says, isn't composed of some great middle class; it is an overwhelmingly working-class country. "If …
(2019-11-22). CIA helped shape 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' series into bigoted Venezuela regime change fantasy. thegrayzone.com Analysis by researcher Tom Secker reveals how Amazon's regime change fantasy "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" was shaped by CIA and…
(2019-11-22). Beware of the Medicare Disadvantage Corporate Trap. dissidentvoice.org While the Democratic presidential candidates are debating full Medicare for All, giant insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare are advertising to the elderly in an attempt to lure them from Traditional Medicare (TM) to the so-called Medicare Advantage (MA) — a corporate plan that UnitedHealthcare promotes to turn a profit at the expense of enrollees. Almost one …
(2019-11-22). Washington's Consensus on Neofascist Coups in Latin America. counterpunch.org The Obama-backed right-wing coup in Honduras helped fuel Central American migrant streams that the demented fascist oligarch Donald Trump railed against during his successful and Nativist presidential campaign. "Donito Assolini" has been mired in partisan turmoil since the beginning of his cancerous, white-nationalist presidency. The two major parties and their constituents disagree sharply over whether the tiny-fingered, tangerine-tinted, Twitter-tantruming tyrant Trump should be impeached and removed for trying to trade arms to Ukraine in exchange for political dirt on the ludicrous right-wing Democratic-presid…
(2019-11-22). What's Up With Trump and "The Deep State"? counterpunch.org Our Commander-in-Chief has attitudes that seldom rise to the level of ideas. For the most part, they are noxious and stupid, though the ones that descend from old fashioned "isolationism" are at least less lethal than the Cold War and empire-friendly attitudes that nearly all Democrats evince. Or rather they would be if anything ever More
(2019-11-22). Congress Quietly Unites To Extend "Temporary" Patriot Act Under Cover Of The Impeachment Distraction. thelastamericanvagabond.com The only time Republicans and Democrats can agree is when they are discussing the expansion of the permanent war and surveillance state. The Last American Vagabond takes a closer look at the many layers of deception about how legislation gets pushed through which contains buried provisions that further erode the U.S. Constitution and liberty. This is …
(2019-11-22). Ebola in DR Congo: New transmission chain risks reversing major gains. news.un.org Amid multiple deadly attacks on civilians by armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an Ebola death "unlinked to any chain of transmission" risks reversing major gains against the epidemic, which is now down to just a handful of cases, a top UN medic said on Friday.
(2019-11-22). Talking to Rudy, Trumpist Hand Grenade: Impeachment Days Four and Five. counterpunch.org The impeachment process is about power. Who has it and who gets to keep it? The trumpists, having taken over the Republican Party, the Senate and the White House, are determined to keep their hold on these points of power. Naturally, they hope to regain control of the House of Representatives and are most likely More
(2019-11-22). The CIA's Jack Ryan Series Is 'Regime-Change' Propaganda Aimed At Venezuela. mintpressnews.com Dr. Matthew Alford of the University of Bath told MintPress that the new Amazon product is a "disgrace of a series," unfairly demonizing a nation at a time when the United States has its boot on the throat of Venezuelan society.
(2019-11-22). Impeachment Non-Bombshells Endanger Democrats in 2020. thenation.com Impeachment Non-Bombshells Endanger Democrats in 2020…
(2019-11-22). Democrats Won Virginia by Investing in People of Color. thenation.com Democrats Won Virginia by Investing in People of Color…
(2019-11-22). Hundreds of Thousands Join National Strike in Colombia in Rebuke to Right-Wing President Iván Duque. democracynow.org 
In Colombia, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets Thursday in the largest national strike the country has seen in years. Labor unions, students, teachers, Indigenous and Afro-Colombian activists joined in peaceful marches across urban and rural Colombia as anger mounts against right-wing President Iván Duque and his cabinet. The protests were triggered by Duque's proposed labor reforms and cuts to the pension system, as well as a recent military airstrike against a camp of alleged dissident rebel drug traffickers, which killed eight children. Police responded to the movements with repressive tactic…
(2019-11-22). "In Defense of Julian Assange": Why WikiLeaks Founder's Case Threatens Press Freedom. democracynow.org 
This week Swedish prosecutors dropped an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, stemming from 2010. Assange, who has always denied the allegations, took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden on the charges. British authorities dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April and he has since been jailed in London's Belmarsh prison on charges related to skipping of bail in 2012, when he first entered the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over the now-dropped sexual assault charges. The United States…
(2019-11-22). U.N. Rapporteur: Julian Assange Has Faced Psychological Torture; He Should Not Be Extradited to U.S. democracynow.org 
This week Swedish prosecutors dropped an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, stemming from 2010. Assange, who has always denied the allegations, took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden on the charges. British authorities dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April and he has since been jailed in London's Belmarsh prison on charges related to skipping of bail in 2012, when he first entered the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over the now-dropped sexual assault charges. The United States…
(2019-11-22). Headlines for November 22, 2019. democracynow.org Ex-White House Adviser Warns Impeachment Probe of GOP's "Fictional Narrative" on Ukraine, Senate Republicans May Limit Trump's Impeachment Trial to Two Weeks, Mass Protests in Colombia Oppose Right-Wing Government, Bolivian Soldiers Tear Gas Funeral Procession for Slain Protesters, Iran Continues Internet Blackout After Violently Repressing Protests, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Indicted on Corruption Charges, Protesters Confront Joe Biden Over Obama-Era Deportations, Over 100 Lawmakers Call on President Trump to Fire Stephen Miller, Seven Arrested at UC Berkeley Protest of Ann Coulter Speech, Syracu…
(2019-11-22). Roaming Charges: High Nunes on Capitol Hill. counterpunch.org + As the House holds hearings to impeach Trump for "abuse of power," Pelosi just rushed through an extension of the Patriot Act, giving that very same president vast, unchecked powers to spy on American citizens. This makes sense only in Washington… + It's deflating to see "the Squad" (and every other Democrat) voting for More
(2019-11-22). 'I want a Senate impeachment trial', Trump says in live TV phone call. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has said that he wants to be tried by the Senate if the House votes to impeach him. Trump told Fox & Friends that he would like to see impeachment democrats like "nut job" Adam Schiff testify. | While the Republican-controlled Senate could shoot down any articles of impeachment presented by the House, Trump told the Fox show by phone on Friday that he would like to see the inquiry against him go to a Senate trial. | "I want a trial," the president said. "I want to see Adam Schiff testify about the whistleblower — who's a fake whistleblower," he continued, referring to the intelligen…
(2019-11-22). Friends with everyone? Trump says US must stand with Hong Kong AND President Xi. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump is hedging his bets on supporting the Hong Kong 'pro-democracy' rioters, making clear he is not willing to alienate China in the process. Beijing has slammed a US 'pro-rioters' bill as massive overreach. | "We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi. He's my friend," Trump declared on Friday morning, in response to questions about whether he would sign the bills that both chambers of Congress approved unanimously. The move would satisfy both parties in Washington, but Beijing has warned it will halt all trade talks if the bill becomes law. | Also on rt.co…
(2019-11-22). Hillary's white pantsuit says 'empowerment' but Tulsi's says 'fringe cult leader': NYT pilloried for two-faced style commentary. rt.com 
The New York Times has been accused of peddling ridiculous and shamelessly biased punditry, after the Gray Lady took aim at presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard's white pantsuit but ended up red-faced. | Style writer Vanessa Friedman argued that the Hawaii congresswoman's wardrobe made her look like a "cult leader" full of "combative righteousness." The terrifying white fabric has "connotations of the fringe, rather than the center" and even undermines "community building," the Times' writer expertly deduced. | Unfortunately, her completely reasonable fashion analysis came under fire from fringe-loving social…
(2019-11-21). Trump's Recognition of Israeli Settlements Is Rooted in Bipartisan Support. progressive.org Three previous U.S. administrations all ignored the gross power asymmetry between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
(2019-11-21). Elizabeth Warren endorses Trump's economic war on Venezuela, then soft-pedals far-right Bolivia coup. mronline.org In a nauseating interview on Pod Save America, Elizabeth Warren endorsed suffocating US sanctions on Venezuela, backing Trump's strategy to stop its "ability to have an economy" while parroting neocon regime-change myths. She then whitewashed the far-right military coup in Bolivia. | Source
(2019-11-21). Joe Biden, in Departure From Obama Policy, Says He Would Make Saudi Arabia a "Pariah" theintercept.com Foreign policy took center stage in Wednesday night's Democratic debate, with former Vice President Joe Biden saying he would not sell weapons to Saudi Arabia — marking a sharp contrast with the Obama administration — and stressing he would make the Saudis "pay the price" for their killing of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. | "I would make it very clear we were not going to in fact sell more weapons to them," Biden said. "We were going to in fact make them pay the price, and make them in fact the pariah that they are." Biden also said there is "very little social redeeming value in the pr…
(2019-11-21). Klobuchar, Booker, Harris Turn Up the Temp in Democratic Debate Number Five. progressive.org In the most watchable of the five Democratic candidate debates so far, three candidates who have been running toward the back of the pack put in the best performances.
(2019-11-21). What a Debate Run by Women Looks Like. thenation.com What a Debate Run by Women Looks Like…
(2019-11-21). Julián Castro: Gordon Sondland's Testimony Is "Nail in the Coffin" of Trump's Defense. democracynow.org 
During Wednesday's impeachment hearing, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland told lawmakers that he was ordered by Trump to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Sondland also acknowledged there was a quid pro quo tying U.S. military aid to investigations, and said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence were aware of the Ukraine pressure campaign. Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro joins us to discuss these latest developments in the impeachment inquiry, which he describes as "blockbuster testimony" that could serve…
(2019-11-21). 2020 Candidates' Focus on Inequality Shows "Shift in the Conversation" Within Democratic Party. democracynow.org 
Ten Democratic candidates took the stage Wednesday for the party's fifth presidential debate, held in Atlanta, Georgia, and co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. One of the most memorable moments of the night was a disagreement between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker over Warren's proposed tax on the wealthiest Americans. Her proposed wealth tax would kick in on assets of $50 million and higher. Both candidates agreed that inequality is a major issue in the U.S., but Booker said wealth taxes in other countries have not been effective and that there are better ways to raise revenue. The issue of ec…
(2019-11-21). Bernie Sanders Criticizes U.S. Relationships with Saudi Arabia and Israel at Democratic Debate. democracynow.org 
Ten Democratic candidates took the stage in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday for the party's fifth presidential debate, co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. Toward the end of the evening, Senator Bernie Sanders criticized former Vice President Joe Biden's support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and laid out his foreign policy vision, including strong criticism of traditional U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and Israel. "It is no longer good enough for us to be pro-Israel — I am pro-Israel — but we must treat the Palestinians with the dignity they deserve," he said. We speak with Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at th…
(2019-11-21). Joe Biden's and Pete Buttigieg's Records on Race Come Under Scrutiny at 5th Democratic Debate. democracynow.org 
Presidential candidate Joe Biden claimed on the Democratic debate stage Wednesday that he has broad support from black voters and the only black woman elected to the Senate, seemingly forgetting that 2020 candidate Kamala Harris is a California senator. Biden's comment came amid multiple blunders during the debate, hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post in Atlanta. For more on the 2020 candidates' discussion of race in their campaigns, we speak with Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color of Change, and Ryan Grim, D.C. bureau chief for The Intercept.
(2019-11-21). Headlines for November 21, 2019. democracynow.org Gordon Sondland Says Trump Directed Ukraine Quid Pro Quo, Top 10 Democratic Candidates Hold Presidential Debate in Atlanta, Dozens of Guatemalan Migrants Freed from Locked Truck in Mexico, Humanitarian Volunteer Scott Warren Not Guilty of Felonies for Aiding Migrants, Ex-Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to Probation for Running Over Migrant, Syria: 22 Civilians Killed in Idlib; Israel Bombs Iranian Forces Near Damascus, Israel Headed for Another Election After Benny Gantz Fails to Form Government, U.S. Isolated at U.N. Security Council After Declaring Israeli Settlements Legal, U.N. Warns Planned Fossil Fuel Product…
(2019-11-21). Sondland Pressed Ukraine to Smear Biden at Trump's Direction, Diplomat Says. theintercept.com 
Donald Trump's point man on Ukraine, Gordon Sondland, admitted during a conversation in July that the president had directed him to press Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, to open a sham investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, a State Department official testified on Thursday to the House impeachment inquiry. | The official, David Holmes, is a career foreign service officer who said in his opening statement that Sondland, the U.S.
(2019-11-20). Sanders' Plan to Fight Global Climate Disaster Too Ambitious, Says NYT. fair.org 
When Sen. Bernie Sanders announced his $16.3 trillion climate plan, corporate media were quick to throw cold water on it, arguing that the Democratic presidential candidate's plan was too expensive, and logistically and politically impossible (FAIR.org, 9/6/19). As Sanders fleshed out his plan in more detail, the media pushback continued: "Sanders' Climate Ambitions Thrill Supporters, but Experts Aren't Impressed," annou…
(2019-11-20). As President, Pete Buttigieg Wants to Give 25 Percent of Federal Contracts to Minorities. As Mayor, He Gave 3 Percent. theintercept.com 
Even as Buttigieg pushes diversity efforts as mayor, less than 3 percent of South Bend's business in 2018 went to minority- and women-owned firms.
(2019-11-20). Elizabeth Warren endorses Trump's economic war on Venezuela, then soft-pedals far-right Bolivia coup. thegrayzone.com In a nauseating interview on Pod Save America, Elizabeth Warren endorsed suffocating US sanctions on Venezuela, backing Trump's strategy to…
(2019-11-20). At Private California Fundraiser, Pete Buttigieg Explains Limited Black Support. theintercept.com At a private fundraiser in California on Friday, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg suggested that black voters in South Carolina preferred former Vice President Joe Biden because of a perception of "familiarity," even though Biden isn't "the candidate with the best answers on the subject of race." | Asked by a guest in attendance at a meet-and-greet event at Thunderbird Heig…
(2019-11-20). Israel Carries Out 'Wide-Scale Strikes' In Syria, US Gov Withholds Food/Meds From Iran & Patriot Act. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-11-20). Iran: Over 100 Feared Dead in Protest Crackdown as Authorities Impose Internet Blackout. democracynow.org 
In Iran, Amnesty International reports over 100 protesters have been killed in 21 cities by security forces during ongoing nationwide demonstrations sparked by a sudden hike in fuel prices last week. The death count may be much higher, the report warns, with some suggesting as many as 200 have been killed. According to Iranian state media, over 1,000 people have been arrested. On Thursday, Iran announced a rise in the cost of gas ranging from 50% to 300%. Soon after protests broke out on Sunday, Iran imposed an almost complete internet blackout, making it nearly impossible for protesters use social media to share…
(2019-11-20). Unusual. Improper. Inappropriate. Wrong: Officials Decry Trump's Pressure on Ukraine to Probe Bidens. democracynow.org 
"I couldn't believe what I was hearing." Those were the words of Army Lieutenant Colonel Alex Vindman during Tuesday's House impeachment inquiry hearings, describing his reaction to a July phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the call, Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate his political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma. Vindman, who is the director for European affairs at the National Security Council, testified along with Jennifer Williams, a Russia adviser for Vice President Pence, in the fi…
(2019-11-20). Transgender Day of Remembrance: "Celebrate the Living" While Honoring Loved Ones Lost to Hate. democracynow.org 
November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day that honors the thousands of transgender and gender nonconforming people who have been killed around the world. The Day of Remembrance is also a celebration of the community's resistance and a call to action to fight for policies and a shift in culture that protects trans lives. At least 22 transgender and gender nonconforming people have been killed in the United States this year, and over 3,000 transgender and gender nonconforming lives have been taken since 2008 around the world. We speak with LaLa B Zannell, longtime transgender rights advocate and the co-p…
(2019-11-20). Headlines for November 20, 2019. democracynow.org 4 Key Witnesses Testify in Impeachment Hearings, Amnesty Says Iranian Security Forces Killed Over 100 Protesters, Bolivian Military Carries Out Second Massacre Against Morales Supporters, Senate Approves Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, U.N. Affirms It Still Considers Israeli Settlements Violation of International Law, Pentagon Says ISIS Is Rebuilding in Northern Syria, NYT: Navy SEALs Expected to Oust Gallagher, Despite Trump Restoring His Rank, Report: Mike Pompeo Planning to Resign as Secretary of State, Trump Administration Can Now Send Asylum Seekers to Guatemala, Sweden Drops Sexual Assault Investi…
(2019-11-20). Police storm universities in Hong Kong. greenleft.org.au 
protest Wlam*Issue 1246 Hong Kong 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movementNovember 20, 2019Hong Kong riot police stormed the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), one of the prestigious universities in Hong Kong, on November 12, despite making several promises…
(2019-11-19). 'Community Control Over Police Should Be a Democratic Right' – CounterSpin interview with Netfa Freeman on police militarization. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed IPS's Netfa Freeman about Trump's police "surge" for the November 8, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2019-11-19). Noura Erakat: U.S. Recognition of Israeli Settlements Is "Entrenchment of an Apartheid Regime" democracynow.org 
The Trump administration has announced it no longer views Israel settlements in the occupied West Bank to be a violation of international law, in another blow to possible Israel-Palestine peace negotiations. On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a reversal to the U.S. position, putting the U.S. at odds with the international community. A U.N. resolution in 2016 declared the settlements a "flagrant violation" of international law. Israel's embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Pompeo's announcement as a historic day for Israel, but Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the…
(2019-11-19). Bolivian U.N. Ambassador: "Racist Elite" Engineered Coup to Restore Neoliberalism in Bolivia. democracynow.org 
Thousands marched across Bolivia Monday to demand the resignation of Jeanine àÅñez, the right-wing senator who declared herself president of Bolivia last week after longtime socialist President Evo Morales resigned under pressure from the military. The coup d'état has thrown Bolivia into crisis, with violence across the country leaving at least 23 dead. On Friday, the military gunned down nine pro-Morales protesters outside Cochabamba, where indigenous people took to the streets again on Monday. Thousands more marched to the presidential palace in La Paz. The wave of protests are condemning the spike in ant…
(2019-11-19). #PrimariesSoWhite: Why Do Two of the Whitest States Vote First for Presidential Candidates? democracynow.org 
As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, the presidential nomination process remains heavily weighted by two states that are among the whitest in the nation: Iowa and New Hampshire. Candidates, in some cases, spend more than a year making frequent, extended campaign swings through both Iowa and New Hampshire, which, critics say, gives the concerns of the first states a disproportionate impact on the agenda for the entire race. During the first-ever Presidential Forum on Environmental Justice earlier this month in South Carolina, Senator Elizabeth Warren refused to criticize the primary schedule, saying,…
(2019-11-19). Headlines for November 19, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Claims Israeli Settlements Are Not Illegal Under International Law, Four Witnesses Slated to Testify in Public Impeachment Hearings, U.N. Condemns U.S. for World's Highest Rate of Children in Detention, Political Crisis in Bolivia Continues After Military Pressure Ousts Evo Morales, American Professor Freed in Prisoner Swap in Afghanistan, 1,000 Students Arrested in Police Siege of Hong Kong University, Coal Mine Blast in China Kills 15; Pipeline Explosion in Bangladesh Kills 7, Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon Skyrocketed Since Bolsonaro's Election, Syracuse Suspends All Fraternity Activities After String…