(2019-12-15). Voting Rights Advocates Vow to 'Organize Harder Than GOP Can Suppress' After Judge Orders 200,000 Voters Purged From Rolls. commondreams.org Pro-democracy advocates on Saturday vowed to ensure all Wisconsin voters are permitted to vote in the 2020 election after a state judge ordered more than 200,000 voters to be purged from the rolls. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/flag_4_0.jpeg …
(2019-12-15). Sanders and Omar Lead Largest Rally in New Hampshire for 2020 Vote. truthdig.com Sen. Bernie Sanders held his largest rally yet in the key state of New Hampshire on Friday night, joined by Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has faced racist attacks since taking office earlier this year but who received a warm welcome from the crowd of more than 1,300 people. | The rally was reportedly the largest of any Democratic primary candidate in the state so far, according to the campaign; last month, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg reported that he drew "about 1,300" to a rally in Lebanon, New Hampshire. | "The political revolution is strong in New Hampshire," said Sanders campaign New Hampshire state direc…
(2019-12-15). The Humane Obligation of Conscience. Capitalist Orchestrated Horror. Desperate Protests Across the Globe. globalresearch.ca The world war of Democracy against its people is now official. | On Oct 20, 2019, Chilean president Sebastian Pinera publicly admitted the singular capitalist threat implicitly and silently embraced by virtually all politicians across our embattled Earth: Pinera formally declared …
(2019-12-15). Intentionally or Not, Progressives Are Coaxing Us Back Into a Corporate Party. truthout.org There's a fundamental problem with the Democratic presidential debates. It's not the number of candidates, the little talk of climate change or the debates' "divisiveness." It goes deeper than that. These debates operate on a flawed premise that runs right through the whole primary process: that what…
(2019-12-15). Boris Johnson and the Long Shadow of Stalinism. indybay.org The capitalist bourgeosie needs and defends democracy as a form of social freedom only as long as it is useful to its own class rule. Their understanding of democracy and freedom is structurally limited-only he is a full-fledged human being who is also a citizen of property. Learning from O Canada and imitating the 26 community centers in Vancouver could revive democracy &freedom.
(2019-12-15). De-Facto Bolivian President to Issue Arrest Warrant for Morales. telesurenglish.net The self-proclaimed president of Bolivia, Jeanine àÅñez, said on Saturday that an arrest warrant could be issued for the democratically elected President, Evo Morales, in the coming days. | RELATED: | Evo Expresses Gratitude to Mexico and Argentina Governments | "If he has to come to Bolivia, he knows that he has pending accounts with the courts and that will have to be kept. Surely, in the next few days that arrest warrant will be issued because we have already made the per…
(2019-12-15). Impeach & Remove: Rally and March in San Francisco. indybay.org San Francisco Federal Building @ 90 7th Street, on the corner of Mission and 7th streets, San Francisco, CA 94103…
(2019-12-15). Judge Orders More Than 200,000 Wisconsin Voters Purged From Rolls. truthout.org Pro-democracy advocates on Saturday vowed to ensure all Wisconsin voters are permitted to vote in the 2020 election after a state judge ordered more than 200,000 voters to be purged from the rolls. | The state had sent letters to 234,000 people who were believed to have moved, who were told they would be removed from voting lists if they did not respond within 30 days—but that the purge would not take place until 2…
(2019-12-15). White Helmets, James Lemesurier, and the Humanitarian Regime Change Network. globalresearch.ca THE conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of …
(2019-12-15). Impeach & Remove Events in East Bay Area Cities. indybay.org Events in East Bay cities: El Cerrtio, Walnut Creek, Emeryville, San Ramon, Castro Valley…
(2019-12-15). Impeachment Inquiry Offers Chance to Derail Trump's Political Heirs. truthout.org Republicans have made it clear throughout the impeachment investigation that they've decided to circle the wagons around Trump. This united opposition combined with the defensive posturing of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shows it's almost certain the Senate will not vote to remove Trump. But despite warnings by Republicans to the contrary, impeachment has already hurt Trump. And impeachment will continue to hurt Republicans, from pausing McConnell's stuffing of the courts, to providing yet mo…
(2019-12-15). "Ag-Gag" Laws Expose Whistleblowers to Prosecution for Reporting Animal Abuse. truthout.org The U.S. has a long history of claiming (and often failing) to protect those who report injustice, corruption and unethical behavior in government and industry. The first law to protect whistleblowers was approved in 1778 — shortly after the Declaration of Independence was signed. In the intervening centuries, additional state and federal laws have been enacted to shield whistle…
(2019-12-15). 'To Protect Our Democracy,' Tuesday Night Rallies Planned In All 50 States to Demand Congress Votes to Impeach Trump. commondreams.org At more than 500 rallies planned for Tuesday evening, hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to call on the U.S. House to vote to impeach President Donald Trump. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/impeach_trump_1.jpg …
(2019-12-14). Don't Let the Smears That Sank Corbyn Tank Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced Thursday night he would not lead the party through another election after Conservatives won control of the British government. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/corbyn-broadband-free-nationalize-plan.jpg …
(2019-12-14). US tests INF-banned missile after Democrats rubber-stamp Trump's nuclear build-up. wsws.org The test comes just days after congressional Democrats voted for a massive military spending bill that stripped out language limiting the development of dangerous new nuclear weapons.
(2019-12-14). Postal Pay Cuts Provoked a General Strike in Finland. US Postal Workers Deserve the Same Solidarity. commondreams.org Finland now has the youngest prime minister in the world, 34-year-old Sanna Marin. The Social Democrat was catapulted into power when her predecessor, Antti Rinne, was forced to resign after a postal worker dispute escalated into a nationwide general strike.
(2019-12-14). US Seeks Thai Opposition for Anti-China Alliance at ASEAN Summit. globalresearch.ca Why is the US talking "democracy, human rights and justice" with an opposition who lost recent elections, abuses human rights and works daily to undermine and evade justice? | Time was precious at the 35th ASEAN Summit. Leaders from across Southeast …
(2019-12-14). SEP/IYSSE public meeting in Colombo: Free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning! wsws.org We urge all workers, youth and all those who cherish democratic rights to come forward and defeat the attack on Assange and Manning.
(2019-12-14). Bernie Sanders endorses & un-endorses Young Turks' Cenk Uygur for Congress in under 24hrs. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has retracted his endorsement of Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur for a California House seat, less than 24 hours after making it following a torrential backlash over Uygur's "sexism." | Sanders quietly withdrew his endorsement on Friday, referencing what appeared to be a face-saving move by the creator of the progressive news outlet on Friday. | . @cenkuygur has been a longtime fighter against corruption. However, our movement is bigger than any one person. I hear my supporters who were frustrated and…
(2019-12-14). Jumping sinking ship or saving seat in Congress? Anti-impeachment Democrat Van Drew may go GOP. rt.com 
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ), vocally opposed to President Donald Trump's impeachment, is reportedly planning to switch parties. While many rejoiced at his 'brave' move, others called him a 'traitor' desperate to save his seat. | While the House is preparing to vote for impeachment next week, Van Drew, one of two Democrats who opposed the process, met with Trump on Friday, several news outlets reported. | Van Drew had explained in earlier interviews that he went against the party because he believes it is up to Americans to decide Trump's fate next November and said he would not vote for impeachment unless someth…
(2019-12-14). Ilhan Omar Joins Sanders in Drawing 1,300 People to Largest New Hampshire Rally of 2020 Primary So Far. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders held his largest rally yet in the key state of New Hampshire on Friday night, joined by Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has faced racist attacks since taking office earlier this year but who received a warm welcome from the crowd of more than 1,300 people. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1188347261.jpg …
(2019-12-13). For WaPo's Centrist Sources, Progressive Politics Are 'Purity Tests'. fair.org 
The Washington Post's function as a bullhorn for centrist Democrats continues full force this week, with an article ( 12/11/19) headlined, "As Democrats Trade Barbs on Business Ties, Some Worry Purity Tests Are Going Too Far" (or, in the print edition, "Democrats' Purity Tests Over…
(2019-12-13). Judiciary Committee sends 2 articles of impeachment to the full House. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON — A massive coalition of progressive groups, led by MoveOn.org, and including sponsors such as the Service Employees, United We Dream, Indivisible and its Chicago affiliate, the Women's March, NOW, Democracy 21 and Credo, plan mass rallies in more than 440 cities nationwide on the eve of the upcoming U.S. House vote to impeach …
(2019-12-13). Winning the Green New Deal on the road toward socialism. peoplesworld.org 
This is the second part of a 2-article series. Read Part 1 here. In this second of two articles on the Green New Deal and the problem of profit, we will explore the remaining major policy areas targeted by the Green New Deal resolution put forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and …
(2019-12-13). 'It's Not Just About Sanders and Warren, It's About the Issues They Represent' – CounterSpin interview with Julie Hollar about Election 2020. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed FAIR's Julie Hollar about the 2020 election for the December 6, 2020, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2019-12-13). Midnight Ramble: A Fascist Rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania. counterpunch.org At one of his permanent fascist-style campaign rallies on December 10, 2019, the day the U.S. House of Representatives rolled out Articles of Impeachment, United States President Donald J. Trump told an adoring Pennsylvania crowd that U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren "has a fresh mouth." The meaning of this insult was understood by his audience. It More
(2019-12-13). House Judiciary Committee votes to approve articles of impeachment against Trump. wsws.org The debate has underscored the right-wing basis of the Democrats' impeachment drive.
(2019-12-13). Anakbayan-USA holds 3rd congress. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – On November 30, Anakbayan-USA had their Third Congress, with more than 200 members from 12 chapters across the country in attendance. They learned lessons on solidarity, talked about the economic situation in the United States and reported back on the progress being made on a national and local level. | Anakbayan-USA had three national organizations they invited to speak on their "International Solidarity" panel: the Palestinian Youth Movement, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, and National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). | CISPES and PYM spoke on bridging the gap…
(2019-12-13). Chile's Communists Lawmakers Warn About Dangers for Democracy. telesurenglish.net Chile's Communist lawmakers criticized the rejection by the Chamber of Deputies of a constitutional accusation against President Sebastian Piñera, as a mean of supporting continued impunity in Chile. | RELATED: , Chile Denounces Over 350 Eye Injuries On Human Rights Day | Communist legislator Boris Barrera said that the government and the right wing fail to r…
(2019-12-13). 'Air bridge' vaccination operation begins for Ebola-hit communities in DR Congo. news.un.org The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen an increase in the number of reported cases of the deadly haemorrhagic virus Ebola linked to ongoing violence by armed groups targeting remote communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
(2019-12-13). U.S. House Committee Approves Charges For Trump Impeachment. telesurenglish.net Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives took Republican President Donald Trump to the brink of impeachment by approving two charges against him over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden. | RELATED: | "Chill Greta!" Trump Attacks Teen Swedish Climate Activist | The result was 23-17 votes in a divided House Judiciary Committee along party lines to approve articles of impeachment charging Trump with both abusing the power of his of…
(2019-12-13). Hungry for a Livable Planet: Why I Went On Hunger Strike and Occupied Pelosi's Office. counterpunch.org I occupied Nancy Pelosi's office and went on hunger strike for 13 days. Still she wouldn't meet us. Instead she flew off to attend the UN Climate Conference in Spain. That's not enough. I went 13 days without food. I lost 22.8 pounds, 10.6% of my weight. I had to stand up slowly because otherwise More
(2019-12-13). A Plague on Both Their Houses, Plus a Dozen Poxes on Trump's. counterpunch.org Nancy Pelosi should thank Donald Trump for helping her get over a bad case of IAS, Impeachment Aversion Syndrome. We all should. Had she not come down with that malady years ago, after the 2006 midterm election made her Speaker of the House the first time, she could now be looking forward, when the time More
(2019-12-13). Buttigieg and McKinsey. counterpunch.org Major questions have been raised about presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's work for global consulting firm McKinsey, with even the New York Times editorial board demanding that he release the information. After Buttigieg issued a sparse and vague overview on December 7, questions remain unanswered about his work for McKinsey from 2007 to 2010. My recent More
(2019-12-13). "Dark Day for Everyone Who Believes in Justice": U.K. Tories Defeat Labour in Landslide Election. democracynow.org 
The British Conservative Party has won a decisive majority in Thursday's general election, winning seats in Labour Party strongholds and paving the way for Britain's exit from the European Union by January 31. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is projected to have 364 seats in the House of Commons compared to Labour's 203 seats. That would give the Conservatives about a 75-seat majority, the largest since Margaret Thatcher's landslide in the 1987 election. Johnson's message throughout the campaign was focused on "getting Brexit done," reflecting public exhaustion with the issue that has paralyzed British politics ever…
(2019-12-13). Race baiting for fun and profit? Mere reality won't stop #Resistance from blaming 'white supremacy' for Jersey City shooting. rt.com 
Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib may have been slapped down when she tried to pin responsibility for a mass shooting by a black couple on white supremacy, but while she disavowed her words, others doubled down. | "This is heartbreaking. White supremacy kills," Tlaib had tweeted on Thursday morning in response to a post memorializing Moshe Deutsch, one of the young Jewish victims of Tuesday's shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City. | Rashida Tlaib is a garbage human being, who just tried to tell a bold faced lie to the public that the hate crime that took place in New Jersey yesterday was an act…
(2019-12-13). Dems summon image of Zelensky's 15yo daughter 'DUCT-TAPED in Trump's basement' during increasingly surreal impeachment hearing. rt.com 
In one of the strangest moments of the ongoing impeachment row in Washington, Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson asked fellow lawmakers to imagine the teenage daughter of Ukraine's president tied up in Trump's basement. | As the long hours of debate wore on during Thursday's impeachment hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, argued there existed an "imbalance of power" between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, offering a bizarre metaphor. | "They're standing there, President Trump is holding court. And he says, 'Oh, by the way, no pressure.' And you saw President Z…
(2019-12-13). Climate Refugees: Climate-Fueled Drought, Sea Level Rise, Storms & Fires Displace Millions Worldwide. democracynow.org 
A new report reveals how long-term disasters, including sea level rise and desertification, and short-term disasters, such as storms and fires, are especially threatening to people living in the Global South and island nations. We speak with the co-author of a new study that finds the climate crisis is already leading to a massive increase in the number of refugees being displaced around the world. Hossein Ayazi is a policy analyst with the Global Justice Program at the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. We're also joined at the U.N. Climate Summit in Madrid by Saleemul Huq,…
(2019-12-13). COP25: Developing Countries Charge Ahead with Bold Climate Plans as Rich Countries Drag Their Feet. democracynow.org 
As this year's United Nations climate summit wraps up in Madrid, Spain, many activists, scientists, indigenous and grassroots climate leaders say that rich countries most responsible for the climate emergency have spent the talks dialing back ambition and blocking progress. This comes as deadly droughts, flooding, cyclones and wildfires rage around the world. This week, more than 70 developing countries have announced they will accelerate their climate plans, and 72 countries have signed onto goals to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But major emitters Australia, China, India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia have…
(2019-12-13). Headlines for December 13, 2019. democracynow.org Conservative Party Wins Landslide Victory in U.K. Elections, House Judiciary Committee to Vote on 2 Articles of Impeachment Today, Algeria: Thousands Protest Thursday's Presidential Election, Aung San Suu Kyi Asks ICJ to Drop Genocide Case Against Burma, India: Police Kill 2 People in Assam Amid Protests over Citizenship Bill, Thousands of Iraqis Gather in Tahrir Sq. to Demand Protest Movement Remain Peaceful, France: Unions Remain on Strike and Vow to Continue During Holiday Season, Thousands Take to Streets in Hong Kong, DHS Memo Reveals How ICE's Inadequate Medical Care Contributed to 4 Deaths, Trump Attacks 1…
(2019-12-13). Warren and Sanders Lead 2020 Candidates in Backing Workers Demanding Fair Wages, Vowing Not to Cross Picket Line for Debate. commondreams.org After the progressive senators announced they would not be crossing the picket line, the rest of the Democratic field followed. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/picmonkey20image4.jpg …
(2019-12-13). Progressives Blast New NLRB Union Elections Rule That 'Betrays the Workers It Is Meant to Protect'. commondreams.org The Republican-dominated National Labor Relations Board on Friday unveiled a new rule amending its procedures for union elections that, according to at least one progressive think tank, "betrays the workers it is meant to protect." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fight_for_0.jpg …
(2019-12-13). Labour activist warns against blaming left-wing policies for electoral loss. thecanary.co 
Labour Party activist Umaar Kazmi put out a tweet warning against blaming Labour's electoral defeat on its "common sense socialist policies". He says the Labour right will predictably blame "the shift to the left under Jeremy Corbyn". But in reality, he stresses, it was Labour's failure to stand up to right-wing attacks within the party, and its perceived 'disregard for democracy' regarding the Brexit vote. | What went wrong?: | Kazmi is a law student at Nottingham University and was a delegate for Rushc…
(2019-12-12). Is the Democrats' impeachment effort too narrowly focused? peoplesworld.org 
Among liberals, many centrists, and almost everyone on the left, there is agreement that Donald Trump has committed acts that merit impeachment and removal from the presidency. Given his conduct in life as a corrupt businessman, crooked real estate tycoon, serial womanizer, and outspoken racist, it was almost pre-ordained that as president he would abuse …
(2019-12-12). MN withstands -10 windchill to demand human rights at home and abroad. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator's office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump's record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. | Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. "On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights…
(2019-12-12). "We Want People Power Solutions": Activists Ousted from COP25 for Protesting Corporations at Summit. democracynow.org 
Inside the halls of the U.N. climate summit, hundreds of activists gathered Wednesday to demand rich countries step up their efforts to finance climate action. The protest began just as Democracy Now! was finishing our live broadcast, and we spoke to some of the people there from around the world, including Rita Iyke-Uwaka of Friends of the Earth Nigeria; Angela Valenzuela of Fridays for Future in Santiago, Chile; Sandra Tukup of CONFENIAE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon); Amalen Sathananthar of Artivist Network; Brandon Wu of ActionAid USA; and Nina Gualinga, an indigenous lea…
(2019-12-12). Marshall Islands Climate Activist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner Shares a Poem for Survival as Sea Levels Rise. democracynow.org 
Located in the central Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, the Marshall Islands are one of the world's lowest-lying island nations and declared a national climate crisis emergency in October. "We're looking at changing the entire physical landscape of our island so we can stay above water," says Marshall Islands poet and climate activist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner. She joins us to describe the impact on her country and read her newest poem.
(2019-12-12). Greta Thunberg Slams COP25, Says Response to Climate Crisis Is "Clever Accounting and Creative PR" democracynow.org 
At the U.N. climate summit in Madrid, 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressed world leaders Wednesday, hours after she was named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thunberg came to the talks after a trip to meet with climate leaders across North America in anticipation of the scheduled climate conference in Santiago, Chile, before the talks were abruptly moved to the Spanish capital. In her address, Thunberg warned that the planet's carbon budget is down to just eight years, and urged bold action. "I still believe that the biggest danger is not inaction. The real danger is when politicians…
(2019-12-12). Uganda's First Fridays for Future Climate Striker, Vanessa Nakate, Joins COP25 Protests in Madrid. democracynow.org 
As we broadcast from the U.N. climate summit in Madrid, Spain, we speak with climate activist Vanessa Nakate, who was Uganda's first Fridays for Future climate striker. "I wanted to do something that would cause change to the lives of the people in my community and my country," she says. "My country heavily depends on agriculture, therefore most of the people depend on agriculture. If our farms are destroyed by floods, if the farms are destroyed by droughts and crop production is less, that means that the price of food is going to go high. So it will only be the most privileged who will be able to buy food."
(2019-12-12). Headlines for December 12, 2019. democracynow.org European Commission Proposes Sweeping European Green Deal, DOJ Inspector General Testifies to Senate Judiciary Committee, More Than 70 Troops Killed in Attack on Niger Military Camp, Demonstrations Sweep Algeria as Protesters Demand Boycott of Today's Election, Britain: Voters Head to Polls for Defining National Election Today, Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Genocide Against Muslim Rohingya at ICJ, India's Upper House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Israel Dissolves Knesset as Country Heads Toward 3rd Election This Year, French Workers Continue Strike After PM Unveils Details of Pension Overhaul, Hundreds of Acti…
(2019-12-11). Papers Owned by Oligarchs Unsurprisingly Oppose a Wealth Tax. fair.org When wealth-tax advocates like senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are two of the top three contenders for winning the 2020 Democratic primaries, you can bet that the US ruling class is terrified by the possibility of being slightly less rich (FAIR.org, 4/16/19). Notably, US oligarch Jeff Bezos (who ow…
(2019-12-11). "The Most Extreme Fires We've Ever Seen": Record Climate-Fueled Wildfires Engulf Australia in Smoke. democracynow.org 
As world leaders gather to address the climate crisis in Madrid, massive wildfires have engulfed Australia in flames and smoke. More than 100 climate-fueled blazes have killed at least six people and pushed air quality levels in Sydney to 12 times hazardous levels. Thousands braved extreme air pollution Wednesday to protest the government's climate inaction outside Sydney Town Hall. As Democracy Now! broadcasts live from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, we speak with Australian environmental scientist Bill Hare, director of Climate Analytics and a coordinator of the Climate Ac…
(2019-12-11). "Shame!" Indigenous Leaders & Delegates from Global South Stage Dramatic Protest at COP25 in Madrid. democracynow.org 
Democracy Now! was broadcasting live from the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain, when hundreds of climate advocates and people's movements at the U.N. climate action summit staged a protest inside the conference venue. As the demonstration unfolds, we speak with Tom Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; Karin Nansen, chair of Friends of the Earth International; Nigerian climate activist Nnimmo Bassey with Health of Mother Earth Foundation; and indigenous climate activist Daiara Tukano from Brazil.
(2019-12-11). Billionaire Presidential Hopeful Mike Bloomberg Addresses Press at COP25 But Won't Take Questions. democracynow.org 
Former New York mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg spoke at the U.N. climate summit Tuesday, saying he came to the climate talks because "no one from the White House" was there. The event was billed as a media opportunity, but Bloomberg refused to answer questions from the press. Bloomberg entered the presidential race in November and has since spent tens of millions of dollars of his own money on the race. Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman followed Bloomberg through the conference venue, asking how he would address issues of inequality and whether his strategy to win the presidency was to outs…
(2019-12-11). 'May the (Space) Force be with you,' Congress tells Trump in new Pentagon budget bill. rt.com 
US Space Force is about to become a sixth branch of the military, courtesy of Congress going along with President Donald Trump's popular campaign promise even as Democrats try to impeach him from office. | Included in the 3,500-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2020 is the provision recognizing space as a warfighting domain and establishing the Space Force as a separate service branch. While it is a step up from the current Space Command, the USSF will still be embedded under the US Air Force, in an arrangement mirroring the relationship of the Marines and the Navy. | "Congress…
(2019-12-11). Rep. Ro Khanna Urges "Universal Condemnation" of Trump as Democrats File Impeachment Charges. democracynow.org 
House Democrats have unveiled two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump that formally charge him with high crimes and misdemeanors after more than two months of investigation. On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined chairs of the impeachment inquiry committees to announce the charges of "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." Democrats allege Trump withheld congressionally directed taxpayer funding for Ukraine's military until the Ukrainian president agreed to do what Trump called a "favor" by announcing Ukraine was investigating his potential 2020 political rival Joe Biden. Democra…
(2019-12-11). Headlines for December 11, 2019. democracynow.org Democrats Charge Trump with Two Articles of Impeachment, Trump Meets with Russian Foreign Minister, Who Denies Russia Meddled in 2016 Election, Democrats Agree with Trump on New NAFTA, Federal Judge Blocks Trump from Diverting Funds to Border Wall, Mass Protests Continue in France Against Macron's Pensions Plan, British Voters Head to the Polls Thursday, Protesters at COP25 Continue Demands for Urgent Action: "You Can't Drink Oil, Keep It in the Soil!", Thousands Protest Australian Government's Inaction as Smoke from Wildfires Blankets Sydney, At Least 6 Dead, 3 Missing, After Volcano Erupts in New Zealand, Ethio…
(2019-12-10). The U.S. Has Almost No Official Presence at COP25 But Is Still "Obstructing Any Progress" democracynow.org 
This week, Democracy Now! is broadcasting from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, where representatives from almost 200 countries have gathered to negotiate solutions to the climate crisis. Known as COP25 for "conference of parties," the summit offers a rare opportunity for all countries, especially those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, to have an equal say in negotiations. It comes four years after the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But as the summit heads into its final days, represen…
(2019-12-10). Indigenous Youth & Elders at COP25 Protest Canada's Support of Dirty Tar Sands Projects. democracynow.org 
Indigenous women protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday morning to demand action to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls across North America. Madrid police shut down the protest within minutes. On Monday, indigenous youth and elders gathered outside the Canadian Embassy in Madrid to protest the Canadian government's support of the Alberta tar sands extraction and new fossil fuel infrastructure, including a pipeline that would cut through indigenous lands to carry tar sands oil from Alberta to Wisconsin. We speak with one of those demonstrators: Eriel Dera…
(2019-12-10). Asad Rehman on the U.K.'s "Climate Election" & Explosive Afghanistan Papers Revelations. democracynow.org 
We get response from London-based Asad Rehman, executive director of War on Want, on two major news developments: The United Kingdom — which will head the COP next year — is set to vote Thursday in what some are calling "the climate election," and the Washington Post has published a confidential trove of documents that reveal how senior U.S. officials have lied throughout the 18-year war in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history, while hiding evidence the war had become unwinnable.
(2019-12-10). "Listen to Mother Earth": Indigenous Youth Leaders at COP25 in Madrid Protest Fossil Fuel Extraction. democracynow.org 
"Our movements must be bigger than recycling and braver than holding signs," said Rose Whipple, a member of the Santee Dakota and Ho-Chunk, and youth delegate with SustainUS, who joined a panel of youth climate activists at the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain. Indigenous peoples from Canada and the United States are at the summit, speaking out against extraction, new pipeline projects and the environmental devastation of their territories, and calling for movements to center the rights of indigenous peoples.
(2019-12-10). Amazonian Forest Protectors Rally Outside COP25 Amid Death of Two Indigenous Chiefs. democracynow.org 
On Monday, indigenous activists from the Brazilian, Colombian and Ecuadorian Amazon rallied outside the COP25 venue to protest the targeting of indigenous forest protectors and the destruction of their lands, known as the "lungs of the Earth." Their protest came just days after two indigenous chiefs, Firmino Prexede Guajajara and Raimundo Guajajara, were gunned down in a drive-by shooting Saturday in Brazil.
(2019-12-10). Headlines for December 10, 2019. democracynow.org House Democrats to Unveil Articles of Impeachment Today, WaPo: Secret Afghanistan Papers Reveal How U.S. Officials Lied About War, Sanders & Khanna Urge Lawmakers to Vote Against National Defense Authorization Act, Russia and Ukraine Agree to Ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, India's Lower House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Protests Continue in Madrid, Spain, Amid COP25, Denmark Passes Climate Act to Reduce Emissions by 70% by 2030, More Than 100 Blazes Rage Across Australia Amid Worst Fire Season in History, Iraq: One Journalist Killed and a Second Disappeared After Covering Protests, Aung San Suu Kyi Arri…
(2019-12-09). Controversy Erupts After Elizabeth Warren Reveals Millions in Corporate Consulting Income. theantimedia.com Elizabeth Warren revealed on Sunday night that she made nearly $2 million from legal consulting for corporate clients.
(2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg, Rose Whipple & Eriel Deranger on Listening to Indigenous People Amid Climate Crisis. democracynow.org 
At the end of Friday's major climate rally in Madrid, a group of indigenous activists took the stage to sing and give speeches, but after some speeches their microphone was cut and the lights on stage were shut off as they spoke. Democracy Now! spoke to Eriel Deranger of Indigenous Climate Action and later asked Greta Thunberg and Rose Whipple about the importance of listening to indigenous voices.
(2019-12-09). Three Ways the "Fairness for All Act" Doesn't Protect LGBTQ People from Discrimination. aclu.org On Friday, Congressman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) and | several of his Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives introduced | the so-called "Fairness for All Act." The bill is being described by its | supporters as a compromise that protects both LGBTQ people and religious | liberty. | In reality, the bill facilitates the Trump | administration's ongoing efforts to give a greenlight to those who would turn | LGBTQ people away from jobs, health care, housing, even taxpayer-funded | programs, simply because of who they are. The bill also weakens some | longstanding protections in federal and state laws…
(2019-12-09). Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron & BP Could Be Legally & Morally Liable for Climate Crisis in Philippines. democracynow.org 
The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has just determined that 47 major companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change. The commission found the companies could be held accountable under civil and criminal laws. Climate activists have hailed the decision as a landmark victory for climate justice. According to Greenpeace, this marks the first time big polluting companies have been found responsible for human rights harms resulting from the climate crisis. We speak to Yeb Saño, exe…
(2019-12-09). Police Halt Activist-Led "Toxic Tour" of Spain's "Dirtiest" Corporate Polluters Sponsoring COP25. democracynow.org 
In Spain, the country's biggest fossil fuel polluters are also some of the most generous sponsors for this year's U.N. climate talks. On Saturday, we joined activists on a "toxic tour" of Madrid from the Madrid stock exchange to Santander Bank. Activists explained that when Spanish President Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain would host COP25, he went to IBEX 35 — the 35 biggest listed companies in the Spanish stock exchange — offering them a 90% tax break on a $2 million sponsorship. Advocates say that these same companies "have deep and dirty links to the fossil fuel industry." But midway through, t…
(2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg at Madrid March: Hope in the Streets, Not the U.N. Climate Summit. democracynow.org 
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also addressed Friday's climate march in Madrid. "The hope is not within the walls of COP25; the hope is out here with you," said Thunberg, who inspired the global youth strike movement.
(2019-12-09). Spanish Actor Javier Bardem: We Need Urgency, Ambition & Reduction to Confront Climate Crisis. democracynow.org 
Speakers at Friday's massive climate march in Madrid included the actor Javier Bardem. In 2007, he became the first Spanish actor to win an Academy Award for acting for his supporting role in "No Country for Old Men." He addressed the crowd in Spanish.
(2019-12-07). How Media Turn Support for Public Schools Into Opposition to Children of Color. fair.org Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic presidential candidates are rejecting the Obama administration's embrace of charter schools, and media observers aren't taking kindly to it. "Minority Voters Chafe as Democratic Candidates Abandon Charter Schools," blared a recent New York Times headline ( 11/26/19). "The front-runners for the presidential nomination are moving away from the charter school movement, and black and Latino families ask why their concerns ar…
(2019-12-06). Hillary Casually Drops 'Russian Asset' Smear on Bernie Sanders in New Interview. theantimedia.com Are we just going to ignore that Hillary Clinton, today, just implied that Bernie Sanders is also a Russian asset?>
(2019-12-02). Leonard Cohen: the poet, his muse and his penis. greenleft.org.au 
music Barry HealyIssue 1248 Australia Leonard CohenDecember 3, 2019Maryanne & Leonard, Words of Love
| Documentary film directed by Nick Broomfield
| In cinemas | As I emerged from the media preview for this film, I heard another viewer mutter that it was "the most self…
(2019-12-01). The Usual Incoherence on Student Benefits Is Back. peoplespolicyproject.org 
Of all the welfare state topics, student benefits manages to consistently attract the most incoherent and weird arguments, and the recent spate of arguments on this front are no exception. In the last week, a student benefit dustup has been instigated by Pete Buttigieg ostensibly being against free public college for millionaires and billionaires while Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are ostensibly for it. | This has set off the usual round of commentary about how Buttigieg is arguing for means-testing while Warren and Sanders are arguing f…
(2019-11-17). Warren's Head Tax Is Not More Popular Than A Payroll Tax. peoplespolicyproject.org As we know by now, Elizabeth Warren's Medicare head tax proposal is a regressive mess ( I, II, III, IV). Warren's team knows this. The goal of the proposal i…
(2019-11-17). CAP's Topher Spiro Is Trying to Deceive Journalists By Lying. peoplespolicyproject.org 
It's been fun to see how the Center for American Progress (CAP) navigates this year's presidential election. For insider political reasons, they can't support Biden or Sanders. But for a long time, it was unclear who the alternative candidate they could support would be. | When Kamala Harris was rising, CAP's staff was doing overtime boosting her on Twitter and in the press, including boosting Harris's absurd health care proposal. But Harris's collapse put an end to that strategy. Recently Warren has risen as the alternative and so CAP has been working to promote her campaign, which puts CAP in the comical positi…
(2019-11-16). Weekend Read: The importance of documenting racism in the White House. splcenter.org Earlier this week, the SPLC's Intelligence Project released the first two installments of an explosive four-part series examining more than 900 leaked emails between White House senior adviser Stephen Miller and an editor at the Breitbart News Network, a far-right website that its co-founder once dubbed the "platform for the alt-right."
(2019-11-15). Demands for Stephen Miller's Resignation Grow Following SPLC Report. splcenter.org Leaders of several Democratic caucuses became the latest voices demanding the resignation of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller after an SPLC investigation showed, through leaked emails, his affinity for white nationalism.
(2019-11-05). The Leisure Agenda Will Give Americans Less Work and More Free Time. peoplespolicyproject.org Read the Paper | People's Policy Project, in collaboration with the newly-formed Gravel Institute, has released its latest major paper: "The Leisure Agenda." Ryan Cooper authored the paper. Jon White designed the paper. | The paper begins by documenting how overworked Americans are relative to people in similarly-developed countries. The average American worker puts in 269 more market work hours each year than…
(2019-11-03). Warren's Medicare Head Tax Would Be About $9,500. peoplespolicyproject.org On Friday, I wrote a piece arguing that Elizabeth Warren's use of an employer head tax was not a good way to fund Medicare for All and that instead the more conventional choices of income and payroll taxes would be better. The reason they are better is because income and payroll taxes are based on how much income you receive while a head tax charges the same dollar amount for every worker regardless of their income, making it much more onerous on the lower and middle classes. | This point holds…
(2019-11-01). Warren's Perpetual Medicare Head Tax Is Unworkable and Bad. peoplespolicyproject.org 
Elizabeth Warren released her Medicare for All financing plan today. The main purpose of the proposal appears to be to find a plan that you can message as "not increasing middle class taxes," which is of course a nonsensical goal insofar, as Warren herself has said, what matters is middle class health care costs, not whether you categorize those costs as premiums, taxes, or out-of-pocket expenses. | Nonetheless, bowing to the stupid media discourse on this, Warren put forward a financing pro…
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'the Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, has endorsed four progressive champions for the House of Representatives in the 2020 election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York's 14th district, Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota's 5th district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib …
(2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …
(2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …
(2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …
(2019-06-20). Senate Votes to Block Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting to block arms sales involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "When Trump vetoed legislation earlier this year to end U.S. involvement …
(2019-06-20). Striking Iran Now Could Spark a Major War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "The United States has stumbled into a perilous situation. If, for example, the U.S. …