Daily Archives: December 22, 2019

2019-12-22: News Headlines

Ralph Nader (2019-12-22). Democrats Cave in Secret Budget Deal with Trump. commondreams.org House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) speak about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as the USMCA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on December 10, 2019. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_usmca.jpg

WorkWeek (2019-12-22). Anti-labor USMCA NAFTA 2.0 With IAM Matt Mckinnon & LCLAA Al Rojas. indybay.org WorkWeek interviews IAM Legislative staff member Matt Mckinnon and LCLAA Sacramento Al Rojas about the effect of UMCA NAFTA 2.0 on working people in the US and Mexico. It is being supported by Trump, National Chamber of Commerce, Pelosi and most Democrats as well as AFL-CIO president Trumpka and the UAW, USWA and most unions.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-22). Seemingly Coordinated ISIS/al-Qaeda Attacks On Syrian Oil/Gas Fields & US' Russia/Libya Hypocrisy. 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 (12/21/19). 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 …

Michael Harris (2019-12-22). 2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa Pan African Unity. indybay.org Rancho Cordova Library Community Room | Sacramento, California…

yenisafak (2019-12-22). Trump slams House's impeachment delay as 'so unfair'. yenisafak.com President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi for holding off on sending the articles of impeachment against him to the Senate."It's so unfair," Trump said, days after he was impeached by the House, during a speech to conservative student group Turning Point USA, saying that Pelosi adopted the strategy because she has "no case.""They are violating the Constitution," Trump said, calling Pelosi "crazy Nancy."The Democratic-controlled House voted on Dec. 18 to impeach Trump, setting the stage for a trial in the Senate. Trump is very unlikely to be convicted and removed f…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-22). After Admitting "It's Always Been Republicans Suppressing Votes," Trump Advisor Says Party Will Get Even More Aggressive in 2020. commondreams.org "It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/justin_clark.jpg

Rigel Sergent (2019-12-22). Grassroots Democracy & the Social Production of Housing. zcomm.org Venezuela's cities have given birth to a powerful social movement aiming at urban reorganization through self-governed assembly processes…

John Catalinotto (2019-12-21). Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary. workers.org Dec. 20 — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach the president on two counts late on the evening of Dec. 18. All Republicans and one Democratic House member voted against impeachment. As of today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has not yet released the orders of impeachment . . . | Continue reading Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary at Workers.org

Staff (2019-12-21). Buttigieg Leads 2020 Rivals in Wall Street Contributions. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — The financial sector, blamed by progressives for spawning the 2008 economic collapse, is lining up behind Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign. | The mayor of South Bend, Ind., has collected more campaign cash from donors and political action committees tied to the financial, insurance and real estate sector than any other White House hopeful, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. | The $3.06 million in contributions compares to $2.8 million directed toward former Vice President Joe Biden and $2.03 million for Sen. Cory Booker, whose home state of New Jersey has st…

Peoples Dispatch (2019-12-21). Despite bloodshed, Indians continue to resist discriminatory citizenship law. peoplesdispatch.org For over a week, India has been gripped by massive unrest against the far-right government led by prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protests that began as a movement against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the CAA, has turned into a nation-wide uprising to protect the values of secularism, democracy and socialism. | The CAA opens pathways to citizenship for a specific set of immigrants who have lived in India from before December 31, 2014 and are from India's three Muslim-dominated neighbors, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Critics of the Act have stated that…

Staff (2019-12-21). Trump Adviser Says Republicans Will Ramp Up Voter Suppression in 2020. truthout.org Reporting on Friday shows a top adviser for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party's history of voter suppression — and promising to go on the offensive in 2020. | The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election adviser Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin. | "Traditionally it's always been Republicans s…

Staff (2019-12-21). McConnell Pushes Through 12 More Lifetime Trump Judges. truthdig.com This article originally appeared on Common Dreams. | The right-wing takeover of the U.S. courts continued apace Thursday as the Republican-controlled Senate, with the help of some Democrats, quietly confirmed a dozen more of President Donald Trump's lifetime judicial nominees hours before leaving for Christmas recess. | The confirmations received little media attention amid Trump's im…

Staff (2019-12-21). We Must Address the Roots of Inequality to Keep It From Killing Us. truthout.org New data from the U.S. Census Bureau confirms that the gap between the richest and poorest households in the U.S. is the largest it has been in over 50 years, and that economic power is more concentrated than ever before. Democrats and Republicans may have different interpretations of these facts, but in public health, decades of research are coming to a consensus: Inequality kills. | Over the past five years, I have worke…

Julie Hollar (2019-12-21). PBS Decides What Debate Watchers Need Is More Talk From Pundits. commondreams.org Candidates participate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate at Loyola Marymount University on December 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/warren_pete.jpg

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-21). ICC To Investigate Israeli Government War Crimes & UN Again Contradicts US Claims Of Iran "Proof" 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 (12/20/19). 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 …

WSWS (2019-12-21). Trump signs Pentagon budget imposing new sanctions on Syria. wsws.org The record $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act was passed with the overwhelming support of House and Senate Democrats.

WSWS (2019-12-21). Democratic debate: Candidates denounce Trump, ignore party votes for Trump's program. wsws.org The seven candidates said nothing about the fact that the impeachment of Trump was bracketed by congressional votes in which the Democratic Party endorsed Trump's key legislative priorities.

Dan Corjescu (2019-12-21). Fearing Kantian Globalization, Democracy, and Migration. dissidentvoice.org Globalization, Democracy, and Migration are themes which continually ignite both scholarly and non-scholarly debate. Not so surprisingly, none of this is new. In his own inimitable way, the German Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant, touched upon all these current hot topics and more. Kant's political writings have only relatively recently been appreciated by the likes of …

WSWS (2019-12-21). Hungary's government continues its assault on democratic rights. wsws.org Last week, the Hungarian parliament, dominated by the right-wing Fidesz party, passed bills that represent a further step towards dictatorial forms of rule.

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-21). As Bernie and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Rally in Los Angeles, Over 300 Prominent Californians Endorse Sanders Campaign. commondreams.org Over 300 prominent Democrats endorsed Sanders ahead of the event. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie-sanders-ocasio-cortez-queens-rally-endorsement-saturday_0.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-21). Promising a 'Radical Realignment of Our Priorities,' Ocasio-Cortez Tells Los Angeles Crowd That the Sanders Campaign Can Change the Country. commondreams.org "For anyone that accuses us of instituting purity tests, it's called having values. It's called giving a damn." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc.jpeg

C.J. Atkins (2019-12-20). Trump gets Space Force as GOP, Dems pass $738b. war budget. peoplesworld.org President Donald Trump is expected to sign a massive $738 billion defense spending bill today that has now passed both the House and Senate with overwhelming support from both Republican and Democratic lawmkers. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) covers military spending through Sept. 30 of next year and ups the Pentagon budget by …

Mark Gruenberg (2019-12-20). Sanders, Warren keep class central to debate; raise opponents' reliance on billionaires. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES—It took an hour and a half for them to warm up and stop being too polite, but seven Democratic presidential hopefuls spent the last half of their Dec. 19 debate in Los Angeles mixing it up over campaign financing and health care, while one—Tom Steyer, the richest—made an unexpected (and unconvincing) bid for …

Staff (2019-12-20). "Wine Cave Full of Crystals": Warren & Buttigieg Spar over Donors, But Poverty Is Left Out of Debate. democracynow.org During Thursday's Democratic debate, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigieg sparred over money's role in politics and who funds their campaigns. The main difference between their approaches to taking funding is that Warren's policies have been consistently clear on issues of inequality, while Buttigieg is "more of a cipher," says Heather McGhee, distinguished senior fellow and former president of Demos. Meanwhile, moderators did not ask candidates about their platforms to tackle poverty in the U.S. "The word 'poverty' has yet to be mentioned by a moderator, and this is not a matter just of semantics,"

Staff (2019-12-20). As Democratic Field Gets Whiter, DNC Should "Press Pause" & Fix Process Shutting Out People of Color. democracynow.org Within a day of President Trump's impeachment, the Democratic presidential candidates held their final debate of the year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. On the stage were Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, along with Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang. Amna Nawaz, the first Pakistani American and first Muslim American to moderate a presidential primary debate, questioned Yang about being the only nonwhite candidate on the stage. We get response from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers'

Staff (2019-12-20). Joe Biden Criticized at Democratic Debate over Iraq, Afghanistan Wars & Failure to Close Gitmo. democracynow.org Former Vice President Joe Biden sparred with Senator Bernie Sanders about his support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and faced scrutiny over his failure to close Guantánamo Bay during President Obama's tenure in the White House at Thursday night's Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles. We look at the candidates' foreign policy stances with award-winning investigative reporter Azmat Khan, a New York Times Magazine contributing writer and a Future of War fellow at the New America Foundation.

Staff (2019-12-20). Activists Demand a Migrant Justice Platform as Democratic Candidates Discuss Immigration in Debate. democracynow.org Protesters for immigrant rights demonstrated outside the Democratic debate Thursday in Los Angeles, displaying a banner that read "Migrant Justice on Day One" and demanding a moratorium on deportations and immigrant worker protections. We look at how the candidates responded, with Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. "I'm really happy that immigration came up this time around," she notes. "In the past few debates, the issue didn't even come up."

Staff (2019-12-20). Democrats Invoke Russiagate to Advance Bill Lobbied for by Big Oil. therealnews.com Two bills that would allow the United States to expand its fossil fuel infrastructure in the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries have advanced to the the Senate—and Democrats backing them have invoked "Russiagate" to push them through.

Richard Becker (2019-12-20). Impeachment: The road to nowhere leads to . . . nowhere. liberationnews.org Capping months of mind-numbingly repetitive "debates," the Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Dec. 17 to impeach President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Richard Ward (2019-12-20). The Fix is In. counterpunch.org The impeachment and trial of Donald Trump is aimed as much at Bernie Sanders (and, to a lesser extent, Liz Warren, though she's rapidly falling in line with the establishment) as it is at the President, if indeed it is aimed at him at all. As is often said, the Democratic Party establishment would rather More

Staff (2019-12-20). DNC Should Change Its Process to Stop Shutting Out Candidates of Color. truthout.org Within a day of President Trump's impeachment, the Democratic presidential candidates held their final debate of the year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. On the stage were Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, along with Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang. Amna Nawaz, the first Pakistani American and first Muslim American to moderate a presidential primary debate, questioned Yang about being the only no…

Maj. Danny Sjursen (2019-12-20). The United States of Impeachment. truthdig.com How, exactly, did I get here? My political journey has somehow taken me from canvassing for Obama north of Fort Knox, KY in 2008, to voting for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary outside of West Point, NY in 2016, to — gulp! — "defending" Trump against impeachment in 2019. What a long, strange, trip it has been, as they say. Truth is, I couldn't sleep last night and have been watching CNN's wall-to-wall impeachment coverage since 4AM. When the clock struck a reasonable hour on East Coas…

Alan Macleod (2019-12-20). The Real Reasons Tulsi Gabbard Did Not Vote to Impeach Donald Trump. mintpressnews.com Gabbard's decision had much more to do with a desire to censure Trump over his real crimes: carrying out wars without congressional approval, illegally "occupying and pillaging" Syria, " and continuing to support Saudi Arabia's "genocidal war" in Yemen.

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-20). Trump Not Officially Impeached So Far? globalresearch.ca Will or won't House Speaker Pelosi select Dem impeachment managers (prosecutors) and transmit articles of impeachment against Trump to the Senate for trial? | Knowing the GOP controlled body will reject House charges against Trump and acquit him, will Pelosi and …

Paul Street (2019-12-20). More Fascist Nonsense from a Disgraced President. counterpunch.org In the demented mind of the disgraced fascist oligarch Donald "Perfect Call" Trump, "the Radical Left Democrats have been trying to impeach me from Day 1." This is nonsense on at least three levels. First, the reigning forces in the dismal, demobilizing, neoliberal and dollar-drenched Democratic Party are anything but radical or Left. They are More

Staff (2019-12-20). Fiery Disagreements Erupt at Sixth Democratic Debate. truthout.org At the sixth Democratic primary debate, a smaller field displayed greater distinctions and fiery disagreements. The PBS/Politico debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, opened with questions echoing GOP talking points, such as claims about the alleged economic harm of wealth taxes (which Warren rebuffed well) but eventually ventured into real substance with challenging questions about Guantánamo Bay, Israel and Pal…

Ruth Conniff (2019-12-20). A Smaller, Whiter, Meaner Democratic Debate. progressive.org Yang made sense, Biden welcomed the hatred of billionaires, and Klobuchar made mincemeat of Buttigieg.

Thomas Knapp (2019-12-20). Trial and Error: Pelosi's Foolish Impeachment Ploy. counterpunch.org To the extent that the third presidential impeachment in US history is a "victory" — the public jury is still out on that question and likely to remain so for some time — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) seems determined to snatch defeat from its jaws. In a press conference following the House's vote to More

Fight Back (2019-12-20). Two tactics in the fight against Trump and the right. fightbacknews.org On December 18 the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a 230-197 margin to impeach President Donald Trump. The day before, thousands of people turned out at hundreds of protests across the country to support the impeachment effort. | Trump was impeached by a party-line vote on two counts: first, for abuse of power after he withheld military aid from the Ukraine in an effort to get the government there to investigate Joe Biden's son for corruption; and second, for obstruction of justice because of his campaign to cover up his actions. | What was not voted on were Trump's many other crimes against the people, in…

Bryant Brown (2019-12-20). "Doughnut Economics": Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist. globalresearch.ca Kate Raworth calls herself 'a renegade economist'. She was born in 1970 and earned a bachelor's degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and then followed it with a master's degree in Economics for Development, both from Oxford University where she …

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-20). Israel Bombs Gaza, 2020 NDAA's Israel Focus, Iran Excuse Now In Afghanistan & West Bank Take Over. 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 (12/19/19). 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 …

Kanya Bennett (2019-12-20). A Fair Chance at Opportunity: The U.S. Government Bans the Box. aclu.org When Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) reintroduced the Fair Chance Act earlier this year, he | said: "This bill would give individuals who are reentering society from prison | a fair chance at truly achieving the American dream." The Fair Chance Act would | ban the box that employers use to ask about arrest and conviction history on | job applications. It also requires that federal agencies and contr…

Carl Boggs (2019-12-20). Capitalism and the Limits of Greening. counterpunch.org The idea of a Green New Deal, including the one proposed by a group of Democrats led by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is hardly novel on the world scene, though potentially consequential for American politics. European Green parties, for example, introduced far-reaching policies in support of an ecological (sustainable) model of development as early as 1980. A few other European leftist parties later arrived at their own "greening" initiatives to mitigate climate disruption. The much-smaller U.S. Greens followed suit. Even the authoritarian Chinese government has introduced its own program to curb green…

Joe Allen (2019-12-20). Where Are the Teamsters Going? counterpunch.org The Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) held its 44th annual convention in Chicago in early November, where it endorsed Sean O'Brien for General President and Fred Zuckerman for General Secretary-Treasurer in the 2021 Teamster election. They will run on the "Teamsters United" slate and challenge the incumbent leadership, whether it is led by the More

commondreams (2019-12-20). 350 Action Responds to Final Democratic Debate of 2019. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2019-12-20). One day after impeachment: Democrats back Trump trade, budget bills. wsws.org One day after the US House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against President Trump, the House passed Trump's top policy priority for 2019, the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, by a massive bipartisan margin.

John Nichols (2019-12-20). Elizabeth Warren Took On Corruption in Both Parties. thenation.com Elizabeth Warren Took On Corruption in Both Parties…

Justin Lynch (2019-12-20). It's Not Enough to Topple a Dictator. thenation.com It's Not Enough to Topple a Dictator…

Jeet Heer (2019-12-20). Everybody Hates Pete. thenation.com Everybody Hates Pete…

Joan Walsh (2019-12-20). How Amy Klobuchar Beat 'Wine Cave Pete' Buttigieg in the Debate. thenation.com How Amy Klobuchar Beat 'Wine Cave Pete' Buttigieg in the Debate…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-20). Schumer Revealed as Key Industry Ally in Defeat of Effort to Curb Surprise Billing. commondreams.org It was one of a series of lobbying victories by the healthcare industry in 2019 bolstered by top Democrats. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/schumer_neal.jpg

Staff (2019-12-20). Headlines for December 20, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Delays Sending Impeachment Articles to Senate, 7 Democratic Candidates Debate in Los Angeles, Senate Passes $1.4 Trillion Spending Package, House Passes USMCA to Replace NAFTA, Protests Erupt in Lebanon as President Names New Prime Minister, Number of Killings by Police Soars in Brazil, Sudan Protesters Mark Anniversary of Uprising That Ousted Omar al-Bashir, Report: WA Republican Rep. Matt Shea Participated in Domestic Terrorism, Amazon Facing Criticism over Data Breach with Ring Home Security System…

RT (2019-12-20). 'I want immediate trial!' Trump takes aim at Dems for dragging out impeachment process in fresh attack. rt.com US President Donald Trump has demanded that House Dems hand over impeachment to the Senate "immediately" so he can have a proper trial, while accusing them of stalling the proceedings. | Trump launched a fresh broadside at Democrats after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to say when she would turn over the articles of impeachment to the Senate, implying it might take a while. | Explaining her decision, Pelosi said that the documents would remain in the House until Democrats are satisfied with how the Republican-majority Senate will handle the trial. Trump argued that Democrats who have been rallying behind t…

RT (2019-12-20). Hard truth to spit out: Yang tells Dems to stop obsessing over impeachment & deal with issues that helped Trump get elected. rt.com Breaking away from his Democratic peers, Andrew Yang called on the party to get over impeachment and stop pretending like President Donald Trump or Russia — not their own policy failures — caused their 2016 election loss. | In his opening remarks at the last Democratic presidential debate of the year on Thursday, Yang attempted to give his colleagues, still gloating over Trump's impeachment in the House, a rare reality check, urging them to stop putting all their eggs in a basket that nobody cares about in the first place. | "We have to stop being obsessed over impeachment, which unfortunately stri…

RT (2019-12-20). Pelosi & Trump make a show of SOTU business as usual as their supporters root for each to stab the other in the back. rt.com US President Donald Trump has accepted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's invitation to give the annual State of the Union address, extended just two days after the House voted to impeach. Does she have something up her sleeve? Does he? | Trump accepted the invitation to deliver the yearly speech before Congress February 4, less than two hours after Pelosi sent it on Friday – an incongruously civil act of business-as-usual amid the chaos of impeachment that has seen both parties trade insults all week. The date could see Trump delivering the SOTU while the Senate oversees his trial, and falls the day after the first…

RT (2019-12-20). 'Biden impersonating child's stutter' fails to join long list of gaffes, as Huckabee Sanders bears brunt of online rage (VIDEO). rt.com Near the end of Thursday's Democratic debate, frontrunner Joe Biden impersonated a child's stutter while speaking about people he meets on the campaign, in a move initially seen as a gaffe by some. | Rather than the heartfelt moment he had perhaps intended, the mimicry seemingly missed the mark at first and confused both the audience and the online commentariat, rather than winning them over. | What is going on with Joe B…

RT (2019-12-20). #Resistance has 'come to Christ' moment after influential evangelical magazine pens scathing article supporting impeachment. rt.com Critics of US President Donald Trump have found an unlikely ally in Christianity Today — a popular evangelical magazine — after its top editor wrote a blistering column calling for the commander-in-chief's removal from office. | Taking aim at the president for "profoundly immoral" conduct, the magazine's editor-in-chief Mark Galli insisted impeachment was the right move, getting behind a Democrat-led effort still unfolding in Washington. | "This president has dumbed down the idea of morality in his administration," Galli wrote. "He has hired and fired a number of people who are now convicted crimin…

Jon Queally, staff writer (2019-12-20). 'I Was Wrong': Bernie Sanders Admits Barbara Lee Only Member of Congress in 2001 Who Had it Right on Afghan War. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-12-20_at_7.23.33_am.png

Staff (2019-12-19). "We Have to Hold This President Accountable": In Historic Vote, House Impeaches President Trump. democracynow.org President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in a historic vote Wednesday, making him only the third president to be formally charged with high crimes and misdemeanors under the Constitution. By a vote of 230 to 197, the House passed the first article of impeachment, which accuses President Trump of abuse of power. The House also approved the second article, which charges him with obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now says she will hold the articles back from being sent to the Republican-controlled Senate for a tria…

Staff (2019-12-19). After House Impeachment Vote, Trump's Case Headed for Possible "Kangaroo Court" in Senate. democracynow.org The trial to impeach President Trump could soon head to the Republican-controlled Senate, which requires a two-thirds supermajority vote to convict. Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell has said he is not an "impartial juror" and that he would closely coordinate a Senate impeachment trial with the White House Counsel's Office, leading Democrats to accuse McConnell of trying to preside over a sham trial. We speak with John Bonifaz, who spearheaded the push for impeachment with his group, Free Speech for People. Bonifaz says that despite the low chance of conviction in the Senate, Wednesday's impeachme…

The Canary (2019-12-19). Nicola Sturgeon warns 'democracy will prevail' as she demands indyref2. thecanary.co Nicola Sturgeon has insisted "democracy must and will prevail" as she confirmed she has now written to Boris Johnson formally requesting the power for Holyrood to hold a second independence referendum.The SNP leader and Scottish first minister said that following last week's election victory in which her party took 47 of the 59 Scottish seats at Westminster, the case for another referendum is "unarguable".Speaking at Bute House, her official residence in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said: "The alternative is a future that we have rejected being imposed upon us.Nicola Sturgeon has written to the PM to request the right to…

Staff (2019-12-19). FBI Surveillance of Trump Aide Reflects Flaws in Secretive FISA System That Mostly Targets Muslims. democracynow.org Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said Wednesday the FBI should have considered halting its surveillance of Trump's campaign aide Carter Page months before it did, after it was revealed that accusations against him may not be credible. Horowitz made the comments while testifying to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, saying the FBI used false information to obtain approval to wiretap Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and raising wider concerns about the agency's use of surveillance. He testified a day after the highly secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Co…

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-19). Dem Controlled House Impeaches Trump. globalresearch.ca On Wednesday, House members impeached Trump on two counts as expected, politicized voting almost entirely along party lines — 230 — 197 for alleged abuse of power, 229 — 198 for alleged obstruction of Congress. | No Republicans supported the scam, …

teleSUR (2019-12-19). US House Votes for NAFTA Update. telesurenglish.net The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a new North American trade deal that includes tougher labor and automotive content rules but leaves $1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged. | RELATED: | US Deports Mexicans Far from Border To Deter Their Return | The result of the votes 385-41 (with 38 Democrats, two Republicans and one independent member voting no) contrasted sharply with the Democrat-only vote to impeach U.S. President Dona…

Staff (2019-12-19). Headlines for December 19, 2019. democracynow.org President Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power & Obstruction of Congress, Trump Slams FBI, Democrats & Impeachment at Battle Creek Rally, McConnell Pushes Through 11 Federal Judge Nominations, DOJ Inspector General Testifies About FBI's Carter Page Surveillance, 7 Democratic Presidential Candidates to Take to Debate Stage in L.A. Tonight, Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Part of Affordable Care Act, Australia Protesters Pitch Tents Outside PM House over Climate Crisis, Report: U.N. Peacekeepers Fathered & Abandoned Hundreds of Children in Haiti, DRC: Families Sue Apple, Google, Microsoft over Children's Deaths in…

The Canary (2019-12-19). Queen's Speech unveils Boris Johnson's hardline plans to curtail Britain's democracy. thecanary.co Boris Johnson has unveiled a Queen's Speech with measures to toughen up criminal justice, limit parliamentary democracy and potentially weaken the scrutiny of government. | The government will look at whether the Official Secrets Act needs overhauling, which determines what protections and punishments whistleblowers are given. Whistleblowers are a critical check on power. It will also consider whether there is a case for updating the treason laws. | Work will be taken forward to repeal the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act — a move which would enable the prime minister to call an election without the consent of pa…

Suzanne Gordon, Jasper Craven (2019-12-19). When It Comes to Veterans, Democrats Parrot the Right Wing's Narrative. thenation.com When It Comes to Veterans, Democrats Parrot the Right Wing's Narrative…

Aaron Maté (2019-12-19). The Democratic Leadership's Strategy on Impeachment Is Doomed and Dangerous. thenation.com The Democratic Leadership's Strategy on Impeachment Is Doomed and Dangerous…

The Nation (2019-12-19). Live Chat: Watch the Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'. thenation.com Live Chat: Watch the Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'

Alan Minsky (2019-12-19). The Democratic Presidential Debate Must Address Poverty. thenation.com The Democratic Presidential Debate Must Address Poverty…

Bryce Covert (2019-12-19). Why Public College Should Be Free. thenation.com Why Public College Should Be Free…

RT (2019-12-19). Trump taunts 'do-nothing' Democrats for stalling on sending impeachment articles to Senate. rt.com President Donald Trump slammed the "do-nothing" Democrats after party leaders said they would delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate until they could guarantee a "fair trial" in the Republican-controlled chamber. | "Now the Do Nothing Party want to Do Nothing with the Articles & not deliver them to the Senate," Trump tweeted a day after being impeached by the House of Representatives for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." | I got Impeached last night without one Republican vote being cast with the Do Nothing Dems on their continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American histor…

RT (2019-12-19). Pelosi indefinitely delaying turnover of impeachment docs to Senate kicks trial up a notch in absurdity. rt.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to say when she will turn over the articles of impeachment to the Senate, hinting it could be a while — at least until the Senate's "process" looks "fair" — and infuriating Republicans. | Pelosi declined to say when — or even if — she would deliver the articles the House approved on Wednesday night to the Senate, explaining after the vote that Democrats needed to "see what the process is on the Senate side" before they could even think of parting with the documents or naming the impeachment managers required to prosecute the case. | Also on rt.com

Staff (2019-12-18). "Not the End of It": If GOP Senate Saves Trump, Rep. Al Green Says He Can Face Impeachment Again. democracynow.org President Donald Trump is on the cusp of being impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, with a historic vote set today on whether to formally accuse him of abusing his power in dealing with Ukraine to help himself politically, and then obstructing Congress by blocking their investigation. Trump lashed out directly at the vote on Tuesday, calling the proceedings to remove him from office an "attempted coup." Should the House approve either of the articles of impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate will hold a trial with all 100 senators acting as jurors, with a two-thirds supermajority…

Staff (2019-12-18). Impeachment Day? House Votes on Charging Trump with Abuse of Power & Obstruction of Justice. democracynow.org As thousands of protesters rally to impeach President Trump in cities across the country ahead of a vote today on impeachment by the full Democrat-controlled House, we hold a roundtable discussion with Rep. Al Green of Texas, who became the first member of Congress to call for impeachment from the floor of the House of Representatives in 2017; Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate, host of the "Amicus" podcast; and Mark Green, co-author of "Fake President: Decoding Trump's Gaslighting, Corruption, and General Bullsh*t."

Staff (2019-12-18). Democratic Donor Gets Natural Gas "Bomb Train" Permit from Trump Admin. therealnews.com Earlier this month, the Trump Administration issued Energy Transport Solutions a special permit to ship up to 100 shipments per day of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, the first interstate permit of its type.

Staff (2019-12-18). Activists Cheer Approval of Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants in New York, New Jersey. democracynow.org People in New York and New Jersey are celebrating two victories for immigrants' rights. In New York, thousands of undocumented people waited in line for hours at Departments of Motor Vehicles on Monday to apply for a driver's license, as the "Green Light Law" went into effect six months after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it. The law allows undocumented people to apply for a driver's license using alternative forms of identification instead of providing a Social Security Number. Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of New Jersey, state lawmakers also passed a bill Monday to allow undocumented people to app…

The Canary (2019-12-18). Tories spent over £950,000 on Facebook adverts in late election blitz. thecanary.co The Conservative Party spent more than any other party on Facebook and Instagram adverts in the run-up to last week's General Election, analysis by the PA news agency has found.It largely came in a spending blitz in the final two weeks of the campaign.Across their two main pages — named Conservatives and Boris Johnson — the party spent a total of £959,329 in the four weeks up to the vote.In comparison, Labour spent £552,035 on its Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn pages between 14 November and 12 December, the fourth most of the major UK parties.The Liberal Democrats were the second biggest spe…

Max Blumenthal (2019-12-18). The insider: How national security mandarins groomed Pete Buttigieg and managed his future. thegrayzone.com Pledging to "end endless wars," Pete Buttigieg claims he has "never been part of the Washington establishment." But years before…

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-18). Mexico Finds "World's Largest Lithium Deposit" Just Before US Focus & $1.4 Trillion War-Aimed NDAA. 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 (12/17/19). 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 …

Staff (2019-12-18). Headlines for December 18, 2019. democracynow.org House to Hold Historic Impeachment Vote Today, Top U.S. Diplomat to Ukraine William Taylor to Step Down, Rick Gates Sentenced to 45 Days in Jail and $20,000 Fine, FISA Court Orders FBI to Change National Security Wiretaps After DOJ Report, Democratic Primary Debate to Go Forward After Labor Dispute Resolved, Senate Approves One of the Most Expensive Military Spending Bills in U.S. History, Trump Meets with Outgoing Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, Indian Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Controversial Citizenship Law, Strikes Continue Nationwide in France over Pension Overhaul, Bolivia's Evo Morales Names Two…

Staff (2019-12-17). "Police Brutality All Over": India Cracks Down on Protests Against Anti-Muslim Citizenship Law. democracynow.org Protests continue to erupt across India against a new anti-Muslim law that gives immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan a path to citizenship — unless they are Muslim. Police have responded with violence, leaving at least six dead. This comes amid a broader crackdown on India's Muslims. We get an on-the-ground update from New Delhi from Neha Dixit, an independent reporter who just received the 2019 International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Staff (2019-12-17). "A Spectacular Fall from Grace": Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Burmese Genocide of Rohingya at The Hague. democracynow.org Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked the U.N. International Court of Justice to drop the genocide case against Myanmar, formerly Burma. Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent over a decade fighting against the Burmese military, which she is now defending. Last week, Suu Kyi appeared in person at the court to dispute the charges and called the allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims "incomplete and misleading." The Burmese military killed and raped thousands of Rohingya and forced more than 700,000 to flee into neighboring Bangladesh in a brutal army crackdown in 2017. Gambia brough…

Staff (2019-12-17). Democratic Candidates Focus on Public Education at Historic Forum with Civil Rights & Labor Groups. democracynow.org Ahead of the last Democratic presidential debate of the year this Thursday, seven candidates appeared Saturday at the historic Democratic Presidential Forum on Public Education in Pittsburgh, an event organized by public education organizations, unions, civil rights organizations and community groups. We play highlights from the forum and get response from Keron Blair, director of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Atlanta; Jitu Brown, national director of the Journey for Justice Alliance; and Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education Action. She recently authored a report titled "S…

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-17). US Regime Change In Mexico, US Bombs Afghan Hospital, Saudis Get Involved In Syria & More OPCW Leaks. 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 (12/16/19). 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 …

Staff (2019-12-17). Headlines for December 17, 2019. democracynow.org House to Vote Wednesday on Two Articles of Impeachment Against Trump, Democratic Candidates to Boycott Debate If Labor Dispute Not Resolved, Booker & Other Presidential Candidates Call on DNC to Change Debate Criteria, Sen. Graham Says Trump May Announce Drawdown of Troops in Afghanistan, Protests Against "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill Sweep India, Pakistan's Former Military Ruler Pervez Musharraf Sentenced to Death for Treason, China Cancels Soccer Broadcast over Player's Criticism on Uyghurs, Boeing Temporarily Suspends Production of 737 MAX Jet, Sacklers Withdrew $10B from Purdue Pharma Amid Scrutiny over Opio…

Staff (2019-12-16). Ralph Nader on Impeachment: Democrats Should Go After Trump's Full Corruption, Not Just Ukraine. democracynow.org Donald Trump is set to become the third president to be impeached when the Democrat-controlled House votes Wednesday on two charges related to his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. The vote will send the charges to the Republican-controlled Senate, which will then hold a trial on whether to remove Trump from office. Witnesses who could be called to testify include former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Early Monday, the House Judiciary Committee released its full report on Trump's impeachment that is nearly 700 pag…

Staff (2019-12-16). Boeing May Suspend 737 MAX, But Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Wants a Total Recall of Deadly Planes. democracynow.org Executives at Boeing are reportedly considering ending production of the troubled 737 MAX passenger jet, which was grounded worldwide after two crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed all 346 people on board. Last week, former Boeing manager Edward Pierson testified to the House Transportation Committee that he tried to warn executives about safety concerns four months before the first deadly crash, as well as before the second crash, but his warnings were ignored. We continue our conversation with Ralph Nader, longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and three-time presidential candidate, whose great-n…

Staff (2019-12-16). COP25 Was a Failure, But Activists' Collective Organizing at the Talks Was Unprecedented. democracynow.org The COP25 United Nations climate summit ended in failure Sunday, after negotiators failed to agree to a deal that would limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — a key goal of the Paris Agreement. Scores of civil society groups condemned governments in the European Union, Australia, Canada and the U.S. for a deal that requires far less action than needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Indigenous leaders and environmentalists blasted the United Nations for marginalizing civil society groups over two weeks of negotiations at the climate summit, while welcoming polluters.

Sarah Lahm (2019-12-16). Midwest Dispatch: Minnesota Runs a Huge Budget Surplus Amid Higher Education Cuts. progressive.org State Republicans want new tax breaks, not a strong university system.

Staff (2019-12-16). Headlines for December 16, 2019. democracynow.org U.N. Climate Talks End with Few of the Commitments Needed to Avert Catastrophe, Top Republicans Coordinating with White House on Senate Impeachment Trial, Trump Set to Withdraw 4,000 Troops from Afghanistan Amid Revelations About Failing War Effort, At Least 6 Dead in India as Protests Rage Against Anti-Muslim Citizenship Law, Fire Kills 10 at Bangladesh Factory with "No Safety Measures", Police in Lebanon Break Up Protests Against Corruption & Inequality, Judge Orders 234,000 Names Purged from Voter Rolls in Wisconsin, Key Battleground State, New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew to Join Republican Party After Meeting w…

Jeff Bryant (2019-12-16). Millions Wasted on Charter Schools. progressive.org The Network for Public Education calls the findings in its recent report "nothing short of a national scandal."

Matt Bruenig (2019-12-16). Michael Bennet Keeps Going Backwards on Child Benefits. peoplespolicyproject.org Michael Bennet and Mitt Romney released a Child Tax Credit proposal last night. When reorganized logically, the proposed CTC has three pieces: | $1,000 CTC that phases in at a 15 percent rate for all children. | $1,000 CTC that is fully refundable for all children. | $500 CTC that is fully refundable for children ages 0 to 6. | Thus, young children would receive $1,500 in fully refundable benefits while older children would receive $1,000 in fully refundable benefits. Both would then re…

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-15). US Threatens To Attack Iran Over Rockets Fired In Iraq & Assange Blocked From Seeing Key Evidence. 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 (12/14/19). 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 …

Janine Jackson (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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,…

Julie Hollar (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…

Reese Erlich (2019-12-13). Foreign Correspondent: An Open Letter to a Trump-Supporting, Working-Class Friend. progressive.org Robby reflects the views of many older white workers who are critical of the system and blame Democrats and liberals for its breakdown.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-13). UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions. 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 (12/12/19). 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 …

2019-12-22: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Democrats Cave in Secret Budget Deal with Trump
Ralph Nader | commondreams.org | 2019-12-22
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) speak about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as the USMCA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on December 10, 2019. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_usmca.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/21/democrats-cave-secret-budget-deal-trump?cd-origin=rss

Anti-labor USMCA NAFTA 2.0 With IAM Matt Mckinnon & LCLAA Al Rojas
WorkWeek | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
WorkWeek interviews IAM Legislative staff member Matt Mckinnon and LCLAA Sacramento Al Rojas about the effect of UMCA NAFTA 2.0 on working people in the US and Mexico. It is being supported by Trump, National Chamber of Commerce, Pelosi and most Democrats as well as AFL-CIO president Trumpka and the UAW, USWA and most unions.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/19/18829027.php

Seemingly Coordinated ISIS/al-Qaeda Attacks On Syrian Oil/Gas Fields & US' Russia/Libya Hypocrisy
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-22
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 (12/21/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/seemingly-coordinated-isis-al-qaeda-attacks-on-syrian-oil-gas-fields-us-russia-libya-hypocrisy/

2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa Pan African Unity
Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Rancho Cordova Library Community Room | Sacramento, California…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/19/18829035.php

Trump slams House's impeachment delay as 'so unfair'
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi for holding off on sending the articles of impeachment against him to the Senate."It's so unfair," Trump said, days after he was impeached by the House, during a speech to conservative student group Turning Point USA, saying that Pelosi adopted the strategy because she has "no case.""They are violating the Constitution," Trump said, calling Pelosi "crazy Nancy."The Democratic-controlled House voted on Dec. 18 to impeach Trump, setting the stage for a trial in the Senate. Trump is very unlikely to be convicted and removed f…
yenisafak.com/en/world/trump-slams-houses-impeachment-delay-as-so-unfair-3508001

After Admitting "It's Always Been Republicans Suppressing Votes," Trump Advisor Says Party Will Get Even More Aggressive in 2020
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-22
"It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/justin_clark.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/21/after-admitting-its-always-been-republicans-suppressing-votes-trump-advisor-says?cd-origin=rss

Grassroots Democracy & the Social Production of Housing
Rigel Sergent | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Venezuela's cities have given birth to a powerful social movement aiming at urban reorganization through self-governed assembly processes…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/grassroots-democracy-the-social-production-of-housing/

Trump Adviser Says Republicans Will Ramp Up Voter Suppression in 2020
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
Reporting on Friday shows a top adviser for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party's history of voter suppression — and promising to go on the offensive in 2020. | The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election adviser Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin. | "Traditionally it's always been Republicans s…
truthout.org/articles/trump-adviser-says-republicans-will-ramp-up-voter-suppression-in-2020/

House Vote Locks in Impeachment as Issue in '20 Hill Races
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
WASHINGTON — The day after nearly every House Democrat voted to impeach President Donald Trump, the chief of the House Republican campaign committee said the political fallout was clear. | "Last night their obsession with impeachment finally came to a head, and they basically ended their majority," Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer said Thursday. "Max Rose is done," he continued, listing him among freshmen Democrats from districts Trump captured in 2016 who he said won't survive next November's elections. | The feisty Rose, a Brooklyn native and Afgha…
truthdig.com/articles/house-vote-locks-in-impeachment-as-issue-in-20-hill-races/

Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary
John Catalinotto | workers.org | 2019-12-21
Dec. 20 — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach the president on two counts late on the evening of Dec. 18. All Republicans and one Democratic House member voted against impeachment. As of today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has not yet released the orders of impeachment . . . | Continue reading Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/12/45036/

McConnell Pushes Through 12 More Lifetime Trump Judges
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
This article originally appeared on Common Dreams. | The right-wing takeover of the U.S. courts continued apace Thursday as the Republican-controlled Senate, with the help of some Democrats, quietly confirmed a dozen more of President Donald Trump's lifetime judicial nominees hours before leaving for Christmas recess. | The confirmations received little media attention amid Trump's im…
truthdig.com/articles/mcconnell-pushes-through-12-more-lifetime-trump-judges/

We Must Address the Roots of Inequality to Keep It From Killing Us
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau confirms that the gap between the richest and poorest households in the U.S. is the largest it has been in over 50 years, and that economic power is more concentrated than ever before. Democrats and Republicans may have different interpretations of these facts, but in public health, decades of research are coming to a consensus: Inequality kills. | Over the past five years, I have worke…
truthout.org/articles/we-must-address-the-roots-of-inequality-to-keep-it-from-killing-us/

PBS Decides What Debate Watchers Need Is More Talk From Pundits
Julie Hollar | commondreams.org | 2019-12-21
Candidates participate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate at Loyola Marymount University on December 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/warren_pete.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/21/pbs-decides-what-debate-watchers-need-more-talk-pundits?cd-origin=rss

Buttigieg Leads 2020 Rivals in Wall Street Contributions
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
WASHINGTON — The financial sector, blamed by progressives for spawning the 2008 economic collapse, is lining up behind Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign. | The mayor of South Bend, Ind., has collected more campaign cash from donors and political action committees tied to the financial, insurance and real estate sector than any other White House hopeful, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. | The $3.06 million in contributions compares to $2.8 million directed toward former Vice President Joe Biden and $2.03 million for Sen. Cory Booker, whose home state of New Jersey has st…
truthdig.com/articles/buttigieg-leads-2020-rivals-in-wall-street-contributions/

ICC To Investigate Israeli Government War Crimes & UN Again Contradicts US Claims Of Iran "Proof"
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-21
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 (12/20/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/icc-to-investigate-israeli-government-war-crimes-un-again-contradicts-us-claims-of-iran-proof/

Trump signs Pentagon budget imposing new sanctions on Syria
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The record $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act was passed with the overwhelming support of House and Senate Democrats.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/ndaa-d21.html

Democratic debate: Candidates denounce Trump, ignore party votes for Trump's program
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The seven candidates said nothing about the fact that the impeachment of Trump was bracketed by congressional votes in which the Democratic Party endorsed Trump's key legislative priorities.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/dems-d21.html

Despite bloodshed, Indians continue to resist discriminatory citizenship law
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-21
For over a week, India has been gripped by massive unrest against the far-right government led by prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protests that began as a movement against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the CAA, has turned into a nation-wide uprising to protect the values of secularism, democracy and socialism. | The CAA opens pathways to citizenship for a specific set of immigrants who have lived in India from before December 31, 2014 and are from India's three Muslim-dominated neighbors, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Critics of the Act have stated that…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/21/despite-bloodshed-indians-continue-to-resist-discriminatory-citizenship-law/

Hungary's government continues its assault on democratic rights
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
Last week, the Hungarian parliament, dominated by the right-wing Fidesz party, passed bills that represent a further step towards dictatorial forms of rule.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/hung-d21.html

Fearing Kantian Globalization, Democracy, and Migration
Dan Corjescu | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-21
Globalization, Democracy, and Migration are themes which continually ignite both scholarly and non-scholarly debate. Not so surprisingly, none of this is new. In his own inimitable way, the German Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant, touched upon all these current hot topics and more. Kant's political writings have only relatively recently been appreciated by the likes of …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/fearing-kantian-globalization-democracy-and-migration/

As Bernie and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Rally in Los Angeles, Over 300 Prominent Californians Endorse Sanders Campaign
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-21
Over 300 prominent Democrats endorsed Sanders ahead of the event. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie-sanders-ocasio-cortez-queens-rally-endorsement-saturday_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/21/bernie-and-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-rally-los-angeles-over-300-prominent?cd-origin=rss

Promising a 'Radical Realignment of Our Priorities,' Ocasio-Cortez Tells Los Angeles Crowd That the Sanders Campaign Can Change the Country
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-21
"For anyone that accuses us of instituting purity tests, it's called having values. It's called giving a damn." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc.jpeg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/21/promising-radical-realignment-our-priorities-ocasio-cortez-tells-los-angeles-crowd?cd-origin=rss

DNC Should Change Its Process to Stop Shutting Out Candidates of Color
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-20
Within a day of President Trump's impeachment, the Democratic presidential candidates held their final debate of the year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. On the stage were Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, along with Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang. Amna Nawaz, the first Pakistani American and first Muslim American to moderate a presidential primary debate, questioned Yang about being the only no…
truthout.org/video/dnc-should-change-its-process-to-stop-shutting-out-candidates-of-color/

The Fix is In
Richard Ward | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
The impeachment and trial of Donald Trump is aimed as much at Bernie Sanders (and, to a lesser extent, Liz Warren, though she's rapidly falling in line with the establishment) as it is at the President, if indeed it is aimed at him at all. As is often said, the Democratic Party establishment would rather…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/the-fix-is-in/

As Democratic Field Gets Whiter, DNC Should "Press Pause" & Fix Process Shutting Out People of Color
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
Within a day of President Trump's impeachment, the Democratic presidential candidates held their final debate of the year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. On the stage were Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, along with Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang. Amna Nawaz, the first Pakistani American and first Muslim American to moderate a presidential primary debate, questioned Yang about being the only nonwhite candidate on the stage. We get response from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers'…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/democratic_debate_lack_of_diversity

Joe Biden Criticized at Democratic Debate over Iraq, Afghanistan Wars & Failure to Close Gitmo
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
Former Vice President Joe Biden sparred with Senator Bernie Sanders about his support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and faced scrutiny over his failure to close Guantánamo Bay during President Obama's tenure in the White House at Thursday night's Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles. We look at the candidates' foreign policy stances with award-winning investigative reporter Azmat Khan, a New York Times Magazine contributing writer and a Future of War fellow at the New America Foundation.
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/joe_biden_criticized_at_democratic_debate

The United States of Impeachment
Maj. Danny Sjursen | truthdig.com | 2019-12-20
How, exactly, did I get here? My political journey has somehow taken me from canvassing for Obama north of Fort Knox, KY in 2008, to voting for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary outside of West Point, NY in 2016, to — gulp! — "defending" Trump against impeachment in 2019. What a long, strange, trip it has been, as they say. Truth is, I couldn't sleep last night and have been watching CNN's wall-to-wall impeachment coverage since 4AM. When the clock struck a reasonable hour on East Coas…
truthdig.com/articles/the-united-states-of-impeachment/

The Real Reasons Tulsi Gabbard Did Not Vote to Impeach Donald Trump
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-20
Gabbard's decision had much more to do with a desire to censure Trump over his real crimes: carrying out wars without congressional approval, illegally "occupying and pillaging" Syria, " and continuing to support Saudi Arabia's "genocidal war" in Yemen.
mintpressnews.com/war-pillaging-and-peace-why-tulsi-gabbard-did-not-vote-to-impeach-trump/263657/

Impeachment: The road to nowhere leads to . . . nowhere
Richard Becker | liberationnews.org | 2019-12-20
Capping months of mind-numbingly repetitive "debates," the Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Dec. 17 to impeach President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
liberationnews.org/impeachment-the-road-to-nowhere-leads-to-nowhere/

Trump Not Officially Impeached So Far?
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
Will or won't House Speaker Pelosi select Dem impeachment managers (prosecutors) and transmit articles of impeachment against Trump to the Senate for trial? | Knowing the GOP controlled body will reject House charges against Trump and acquit him, will Pelosi and …
globalresearch.ca/trump-not-officially-impeached-so-far/5698309

More Fascist Nonsense from a Disgraced President
Paul Street | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
In the demented mind of the disgraced fascist oligarch Donald "Perfect Call" Trump, "the Radical Left Democrats have been trying to impeach me from Day 1." This is nonsense on at least three levels. First, the reigning forces in the dismal, demobilizing, neoliberal and dollar-drenched Democratic Party are anything but radical or Left. They are…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/more-fascist-nonsense-from-a-disgraced-president/

Trump gets Space Force as GOP, Dems pass $738b. war budget
C.J. Atkins | peoplesworld.org | 2019-12-20
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a massive $738 billion defense spending bill today that has now passed both the House and Senate with overwhelming support from both Republican and Democratic lawmkers. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) covers military spending through Sept. 30 of next year and ups the Pentagon budget by …
peoplesworld.org/article/trump-launches-space-force-as-gop-and-dems-pass-738-billion-war-budget/

Fiery Disagreements Erupt at Sixth Democratic Debate
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-20
At the sixth Democratic primary debate, a smaller field displayed greater distinctions and fiery disagreements. The PBS/Politico debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, opened with questions echoing GOP talking points, such as claims about the alleged economic harm of wealth taxes (which Warren rebuffed well) but eventually ventured into real substance with challenging questions about Guantánamo Bay, Israel and Pal…
truthout.org/articles/fiery-disagreements-erupt-at-sixth-democratic-debate/

"Wine Cave Full of Crystals": Warren & Buttigieg Spar over Donors, But Poverty Is Left Out of Debate
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
During Thursday's Democratic debate, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigieg sparred over money's role in politics and who funds their campaigns. The main difference between their approaches to taking funding is that Warren's policies have been consistently clear on issues of inequality, while Buttigieg is "more of a cipher," says Heather McGhee, distinguished senior fellow and former president of Demos. Meanwhile, moderators did not ask candidates about their platforms to tackle poverty in the U.S. "The word 'poverty' has yet to be mentioned by a moderator, and this is not a matter just of semantics,"
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/poverty_left_out_of_democratic_debate

Sanders, Warren keep class central to debate; raise opponents' reliance on billionaires
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2019-12-20
LOS ANGELES–It took an hour and a half for them to warm up and stop being too polite, but seven Democratic presidential hopefuls spent the last half of their Dec. 19 debate in Los Angeles mixing it up over campaign financing and health care, while one–Tom Steyer, the richest–made an unexpected (and unconvincing) bid for …
peoplesworld.org/article/sanders-warren-keep-class-central-to-debate-raise-opponents-reliance-on-billionaires/

A Smaller, Whiter, Meaner Democratic Debate
Ruth Conniff | progressive.org | 2019-12-20
Yang made sense, Biden welcomed the hatred of billionaires, and Klobuchar made mincemeat of Buttigieg.
progressive.org/dispatches/a-smaller-whiter-meaner-democratic-debate-conniff-191220/

Trial and Error: Pelosi's Foolish Impeachment Ploy
Thomas Knapp | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
To the extent that the third presidential impeachment in US history is a "victory" — the public jury is still out on that question and likely to remain so for some time — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) seems determined to snatch defeat from its jaws. In a press conference following the House's vote to…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/trial-and-error-pelosis-foolish-impeachment-ploy/

Two tactics in the fight against Trump and the right
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-20
On December 18 the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a 230-197 margin to impeach President Donald Trump. The day before, thousands of people turned out at hundreds of protests across the country to support the impeachment effort. | Trump was impeached by a party-line vote on two counts: first, for abuse of power after he withheld military aid from the Ukraine in an effort to get the government there to investigate Joe Biden's son for corruption; and second, for obstruction of justice because of his campaign to cover up his actions. | What was not voted on were Trump's many other crimes against the people, in…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/20/two-tactics-fight-against-trump-and-right

"Doughnut Economics": Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist
Bryant Brown | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
Kate Raworth calls herself 'a renegade economist'. She was born in 1970 and earned a bachelor's degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and then followed it with a master's degree in Economics for Development, both from Oxford University where she …
globalresearch.ca/doughnut-economics-seven-ways-think-like-21st-century-economist/5698326

Israel Bombs Gaza, 2020 NDAA's Israel Focus, Iran Excuse Now In Afghanistan & West Bank Take Over
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-20
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 (12/19/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/israel-bombs-gaza-2020-ndaas-israel-focus-iran-excuse-now-in-afghanistan-west-bank-take-over/

One day after impeachment: Democrats back Trump trade, budget bills
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
One day after the US House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against President Trump, the House passed Trump's top policy priority for 2019, the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, by a massive bipartisan margin.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/trad-d20.html

Where Are the Teamsters Going?
Joe Allen | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
The Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) held its 44th annual convention in Chicago in early November, where it endorsed Sean O'Brien for General President and Fred Zuckerman for General Secretary-Treasurer in the 2021 Teamster election. They will run on the "Teamsters United" slate and challenge the incumbent leadership, whether it is led by the…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/where-are-the-teamsters-going/

350 Action Responds to Final Democratic Debate of 2019
commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2019/12/20/350-action-responds-final-democratic-debate-2019?cd-origin=rss

Capitalism and the Limits of Greening
Carl Boggs | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
The idea of a Green New Deal, including the one proposed by a group of Democrats led by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is hardly novel on the world scene, though potentially consequential for American politics. European Green parties, for example, introduced far-reaching policies in support of an ecological (sustainable) model of development as early as 1980. A few other European leftist parties later arrived at their own "greening" initiatives to mitigate climate disruption. The much-smaller U.S. Greens followed suit. Even the authoritarian Chinese government has introduced its own program to curb green…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/capitalism-and-the-limits-of-greening/

Activists Demand a Migrant Justice Platform as Democratic Candidates Discuss Immigration in Debate
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
Protesters for immigrant rights demonstrated outside the Democratic debate Thursday in Los Angeles, displaying a banner that read "Migrant Justice on Day One" and demanding a moratorium on deportations and immigrant worker protections. We look at how the candidates responded, with Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. "I'm really happy that immigration came up this time around," she notes. "In the past few debates, the issue didn't even come up."
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/democratic_debate_immigration_erika_andiola_raices

Democrats Invoke Russiagate to Advance Bill Lobbied for by Big Oil
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-20
Two bills that would allow the United States to expand its fossil fuel infrastructure in the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries have advanced to the the Senate–and Democrats backing them have invoked "Russiagate" to push them through.
therealnews.com/columns/democrats-invoke-russiagate-to-advance-bill-lobbied-for-by-big-oil

A Fair Chance at Opportunity: The U.S. Government Bans the Box
Kanya Bennett | aclu.org | 2019-12-20
When Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) reintroduced the Fair Chance Act earlier this year, he | said: "This bill would give individuals who are reentering society from prison | a fair chance at truly achieving the American dream." The Fair Chance Act would | ban the box that employers use to ask about arrest and conviction history on | job applications. It also requires that federal agencies and contr…
aclu.org/news/smart-justice/a-fair-chance-at-opportunity-the-u-s-government-bans-the-box

Elizabeth Warren Took On Corruption in Both Parties
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-12-20
Elizabeth Warren Took On Corruption in Both Parties…
thenation.com/article/elizabeth-warren-wine-caves/

How Amy Klobuchar Beat 'Wine Cave Pete' Buttigieg in the Debate
Joan Walsh | thenation.com | 2019-12-20
How Amy Klobuchar Beat 'Wine Cave Pete' Buttigieg in the Debate…
thenation.com/article/amy-klobuchar-pete-buttigieg-democratic-debate/

It's Not Enough to Topple a Dictator
Justin Lynch | thenation.com | 2019-12-20
It's Not Enough to Topple a Dictator…
thenation.com/article/sudan-dictator-protest-democracy/

Everybody Hates Pete
Jeet Heer | thenation.com | 2019-12-20
Everybody Hates Pete…
thenation.com/article/democratic-debate-pete-buttigieg/

'I Was Wrong': Bernie Sanders Admits Barbara Lee Only Member of Congress in 2001 Who Had it Right on Afghan War
Jon Queally, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-12-20_at_7.23.33_am.png

Schumer Revealed as Key Industry Ally in Defeat of Effort to Curb Surprise Billing
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
It was one of a series of lobbying victories by the healthcare industry in 2019 bolstered by top Democrats. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/schumer_neal.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/schumer-revealed-key-industry-ally-defeat-effort-curb-surprise-billing?cd-origin=rss

'I want immediate trial!' Trump takes aim at Dems for dragging out impeachment process in fresh attack
rt.com | 2019-12-20
US President Donald Trump has demanded that House Dems hand over impeachment to the Senate "immediately" so he can have a proper trial, while accusing them of stalling the proceedings. | Trump launched a fresh broadside at Democrats after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to say when she would turn over the articles of impeachment to the Senate, implying it might take a while. | Explaining her decision, Pelosi said that the documents would remain in the House until Democrats are satisfied with how the Republican-majority Senate will handle the trial. Trump argued that Democrats who have been rallying behind t…
rt.com/news/476450-trump-impeachement-immediately-trial/

Hard truth to spit out: Yang tells Dems to stop obsessing over impeachment & deal with issues that helped Trump get elected
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Breaking away from his Democratic peers, Andrew Yang called on the party to get over impeachment and stop pretending like President Donald Trump or Russia — not their own policy failures — caused their 2016 election loss. | In his opening remarks at the last Democratic presidential debate of the year on Thursday, Yang attempted to give his colleagues, still gloating over Trump's impeachment in the House, a rare reality check, urging them to stop putting all their eggs in a basket that nobody cares about in the first place. | "We have to stop being obsessed over impeachment, which unfortunately stri…
rt.com/usa/476452-yang-impeachement-obsession-trump/

Pelosi & Trump make a show of SOTU business as usual as their supporters root for each to stab the other in the back
rt.com | 2019-12-20
US President Donald Trump has accepted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's invitation to give the annual State of the Union address, extended just two days after the House voted to impeach. Does she have something up her sleeve? Does he? | Trump accepted the invitation to deliver the yearly speech before Congress February 4, less than two hours after Pelosi sent it on Friday – an incongruously civil act of business-as-usual amid the chaos of impeachment that has seen both parties trade insults all week. The date could see Trump delivering the SOTU while the Senate oversees his trial, and falls the day after the first…
rt.com/usa/476531-trump-pelosi-sotu-business-as-usual/

'Biden impersonating child's stutter' fails to join long list of gaffes, as Huckabee Sanders bears brunt of online rage (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Near the end of Thursday's Democratic debate, frontrunner Joe Biden impersonated a child's stutter while speaking about people he meets on the campaign, in a move initially seen as a gaffe by some. | Rather than the heartfelt moment he had perhaps intended, the mimicry seemingly missed the mark at first and confused both the audience and the online commentariat, rather than winning them over. | What is going on with Joe B…
rt.com/usa/476462-biden-impersonating-childs-stutter-sanders/

#Resistance has 'come to Christ' moment after influential evangelical magazine pens scathing article supporting impeachment
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Critics of US President Donald Trump have found an unlikely ally in Christianity Today — a popular evangelical magazine — after its top editor wrote a blistering column calling for the commander-in-chief's removal from office. | Taking aim at the president for "profoundly immoral" conduct, the magazine's editor-in-chief Mark Galli insisted impeachment was the right move, getting behind a Democrat-led effort still unfolding in Washington. | "This president has dumbed down the idea of morality in his administration," Galli wrote. "He has hired and fired a number of people who are now convicted crimin…
rt.com/usa/476453-evangelical-magazine-impeachment-resistance/

Dem Controlled House Impeaches Trump
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-19
On Wednesday, House members impeached Trump on two counts as expected, politicized voting almost entirely along party lines — 230 — 197 for alleged abuse of power, 229 — 198 for alleged obstruction of Congress. | No Republicans supported the scam, …
globalresearch.ca/dem-controlled-house-impeaches-trump/5698262

"We Have to Hold This President Accountable": In Historic Vote, House Impeaches President Trump
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-19
President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in a historic vote Wednesday, making him only the third president to be formally charged with high crimes and misdemeanors under the Constitution. By a vote of 230 to 197, the House passed the first article of impeachment, which accuses President Trump of abuse of power. The House also approved the second article, which charges him with obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now says she will hold the articles back from being sent to the Republican-controlled Senate for a tria…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/19/donald_trump_impeachment_vote

After House Impeachment Vote, Trump's Case Headed for Possible "Kangaroo Court" in Senate
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-19
The trial to impeach President Trump could soon head to the Republican-controlled Senate, which requires a two-thirds supermajority vote to convict. Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell has said he is not an "impartial juror" and that he would closely coordinate a Senate impeachment trial with the White House Counsel's Office, leading Democrats to accuse McConnell of trying to preside over a sham trial. We speak with John Bonifaz, who spearheaded the push for impeachment with his group, Free Speech for People. Bonifaz says that despite the low chance of conviction in the Senate, Wednesday's impeachme…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/19/donald_trump_impeachment_vote_senate_trial

US House Votes for NAFTA Update
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a new North American trade deal that includes tougher labor and automotive content rules but leaves $1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged. | RELATED: | US Deports Mexicans Far from Border To Deter Their Return | The result of the votes 385-41 (with 38 Democrats, two Republicans and one independent member voting no) contrasted sharply with the Democrat-only vote to impeach U.S. President Dona…
telesurenglish.net/news/umsca-us-house-voted-a-twenty-first-century-nafta-update–20191219-0017.html

Nicola Sturgeon warns 'democracy will prevail' as she demands indyref2
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-12-19
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted "democracy must and will prevail" as she confirmed she has now written to Boris Johnson formally requesting the power for Holyrood to hold a second independence referendum.The SNP leader and Scottish first minister said that following last week's election victory in which her party took 47 of the 59 Scottish seats at Westminster, the case for another referendum is "unarguable".Speaking at Bute House, her official residence in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said: "The alternative is a future that we have rejected being imposed upon us.Nicola Sturgeon has written to the PM to request the right to…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/19/nicola-sturgeon-warns-democracy-will-prevail-as-she-demands-indyref2/

FBI Surveillance of Trump Aide Reflects Flaws in Secretive FISA System That Mostly Targets Muslims
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-19
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said Wednesday the FBI should have considered halting its surveillance of Trump's campaign aide Carter Page months before it did, after it was revealed that accusations against him may not be credible. Horowitz made the comments while testifying to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, saying the FBI used false information to obtain approval to wiretap Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and raising wider concerns about the agency's use of surveillance. He testified a day after the highly secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Co…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/19/doj_inspector_general_fisa_carter_page

Queen's Speech unveils Boris Johnson's hardline plans to curtail Britain's democracy
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-12-19
Boris Johnson has unveiled a Queen's Speech with measures to toughen up criminal justice, limit parliamentary democracy and potentially weaken the scrutiny of government. | The government will look at whether the Official Secrets Act needs overhauling, which determines what protections and punishments whistleblowers are given. Whistleblowers are a critical check on power. It will also consider whether there is a case for updating the treason laws. | Work will be taken forward to repeal the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act — a move which would enable the prime minister to call an election without the consent of pa…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/19/queens-speech-unveils-boris-johnsons-hardline-plans-to-curtail-britains-democracy/

When It Comes to Veterans, Democrats Parrot the Right Wing's Narrative
Suzanne Gordon, Jasper Craven | thenation.com | 2019-12-19
When It Comes to Veterans, Democrats Parrot the Right Wing's Narrative…
thenation.com/article/veterans-affairs-republican-rhetoric/

The Democratic Leadership's Strategy on Impeachment Is Doomed and Dangerous
Aaron Maté | thenation.com | 2019-12-19
The Democratic Leadership's Strategy on Impeachment Is Doomed and Dangerous…
thenation.com/article/impeachment-democrat-pelosi-doomed/

The Democratic Presidential Debate Must Address Poverty
Alan Minsky | thenation.com | 2019-12-19
The Democratic Presidential Debate Must Address Poverty…
thenation.com/article/democrat-debate-poverty-california/

Live Chat: Watch the Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'
The Nation | thenation.com | 2019-12-19
Live Chat: Watch the Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'…
thenation.com/article/democratic-debate-live-december/

Why Public College Should Be Free
Bryce Covert | thenation.com | 2019-12-19
Why Public College Should Be Free…
thenation.com/article/public-college-buttigieg-tuition/

Trump taunts 'do-nothing' Democrats for stalling on sending impeachment articles to Senate
rt.com | 2019-12-19
President Donald Trump slammed the "do-nothing" Democrats after party leaders said they would delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate until they could guarantee a "fair trial" in the Republican-controlled chamber. | "Now the Do Nothing Party want to Do Nothing with the Articles & not deliver them to the Senate," Trump tweeted a day after being impeached by the House of Representatives for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." | I got Impeached last night without one Republican vote being cast with the Do Nothing Dems on their continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American histor…
rt.com/usa/476418-trump-do-nothing-democrats/

Pelosi indefinitely delaying turnover of impeachment docs to Senate kicks trial up a notch in absurdity
rt.com | 2019-12-19
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to say when she will turn over the articles of impeachment to the Senate, hinting it could be a while — at least until the Senate's "process" looks "fair" — and infuriating Republicans. | Pelosi declined to say when — or even if — she would deliver the articles the House approved on Wednesday night to the Senate, explaining after the vote that Democrats needed to "see what the process is on the Senate side" before they could even think of parting with the documents or naming the impeachment managers required to prosecute the case. | Also on rt.com
rt.com/usa/476429-pelosi-stalls-articles-impeachment-senate/

The insider: How national security mandarins groomed Pete Buttigieg and managed his future
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-18
Pledging to "end endless wars," Pete Buttigieg claims he has "never been part of the Washington establishment." But years before…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/17/national-security-mandarins-groomed-pete-buttigieg/

"Not the End of It": If GOP Senate Saves Trump, Rep. Al Green Says He Can Face Impeachment Again
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-18
President Donald Trump is on the cusp of being impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, with a historic vote set today on whether to formally accuse him of abusing his power in dealing with Ukraine to help himself politically, and then obstructing Congress by blocking their investigation. Trump lashed out directly at the vote on Tuesday, calling the proceedings to remove him from office an "attempted coup." Should the House approve either of the articles of impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate will hold a trial with all 100 senators acting as jurors, with a two-thirds supermajority…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/18/not_the_end_of_it_if

Mexico Finds "World's Largest Lithium Deposit" Just Before US Focus & $1.4 Trillion War-Aimed NDAA
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-18
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 (12/17/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/mexico-finds-worlds-largest-lithium-deposit-just-before-us-focus-1-4-trillion-war-aimed-ndaa/

Impeachment Day? House Votes on Charging Trump with Abuse of Power & Obstruction of Justice
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-18
As thousands of protesters rally to impeach President Trump in cities across the country ahead of a vote today on impeachment by the full Democrat-controlled House, we hold a roundtable discussion with Rep. Al Green of Texas, who became the first member of Congress to call for impeachment from the floor of the House of Representatives in 2017; Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate, host of the "Amicus" podcast; and Mark Green, co-author of "Fake President: Decoding Trump's Gaslighting, Corruption, and General Bullsh*t."
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/18/impeachment_day_house_votes_on_charging

Activists Cheer Approval of Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants in New York, New Jersey
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-18
People in New York and New Jersey are celebrating two victories for immigrants' rights. In New York, thousands of undocumented people waited in line for hours at Departments of Motor Vehicles on Monday to apply for a driver's license, as the "Green Light Law" went into effect six months after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it. The law allows undocumented people to apply for a driver's license using alternative forms of identification instead of providing a Social Security Number. Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of New Jersey, state lawmakers also passed a bill Monday to allow undocumented people to app…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/18/newyork_newjersey_undocumented_immigrants_drivers_licenses

Democratic Donor Gets Natural Gas "Bomb Train" Permit from Trump Admin
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-18
Earlier this month, the Trump Administration issued Energy Transport Solutions a special permit to ship up to 100 shipments per day of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, the first interstate permit of its type.
therealnews.com/columns/democratic-donor-gets-natural-gas-bomb-train-permit-from-trump-admin

Tories spent over £950,000 on Facebook adverts in late election blitz
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-12-18
The Conservative Party spent more than any other party on Facebook and Instagram adverts in the run-up to last week's General Election, analysis by the PA news agency has found.It largely came in a spending blitz in the final two weeks of the campaign.Across their two main pages — named Conservatives and Boris Johnson — the party spent a total of £959,329 in the four weeks up to the vote.In comparison, Labour spent £552,035 on its Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn pages between 14 November and 12 December, the fourth most of the major UK parties.The Liberal Democrats were the second biggest spe…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/18/tories-spent-over-950000-on-facebook-adverts-in-late-election-blitz/

US Regime Change In Mexico, US Bombs Afghan Hospital, Saudis Get Involved In Syria & More OPCW Leaks
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-17
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 (12/16/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/us-regime-change-in-mexico-us-bombs-afghan-hospital-saudis-get-involved-in-syria-more-opcw-leaks/

"Police Brutality All Over": India Cracks Down on Protests Against Anti-Muslim Citizenship Law
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-17
Protests continue to erupt across India against a new anti-Muslim law that gives immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan a path to citizenship — unless they are Muslim. Police have responded with violence, leaving at least six dead. This comes amid a broader crackdown on India's Muslims. We get an on-the-ground update from New Delhi from Neha Dixit, an independent reporter who just received the 2019 International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/17/india_protests_citizenship_amendment_act

Democratic Candidates Focus on Public Education at Historic Forum with Civil Rights & Labor Groups
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-17
Ahead of the last Democratic presidential debate of the year this Thursday, seven candidates appeared Saturday at the historic Democratic Presidential Forum on Public Education in Pittsburgh, an event organized by public education organizations, unions, civil rights organizations and community groups. We play highlights from the forum and get response from Keron Blair, director of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Atlanta; Jitu Brown, national director of the Journey for Justice Alliance; and Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education Action. She recently authored a report titled "S…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/17/democratic_presidential_forum_on_public_education

"A Spectacular Fall from Grace": Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Burmese Genocide of Rohingya at The Hague
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-17
Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked the U.N. International Court of Justice to drop the genocide case against Myanmar, formerly Burma. Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent over a decade fighting against the Burmese military, which she is now defending. Last week, Suu Kyi appeared in person at the court to dispute the charges and called the allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims "incomplete and misleading." The Burmese military killed and raped thousands of Rohingya and forced more than 700,000 to flee into neighboring Bangladesh in a brutal army crackdown in 2017. Gambia brough…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/17/aung_san_suu_kyi_burma_rohingya

Ralph Nader on Impeachment: Democrats Should Go After Trump's Full Corruption, Not Just Ukraine
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-16
Donald Trump is set to become the third president to be impeached when the Democrat-controlled House votes Wednesday on two charges related to his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. The vote will send the charges to the Republican-controlled Senate, which will then hold a trial on whether to remove Trump from office. Witnesses who could be called to testify include former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Early Monday, the House Judiciary Committee released its full report on Trump's impeachment that is nearly 700 pag…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/16/ralph_nader_trump_impeachment_trial_senate

Boeing May Suspend 737 MAX, But Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Wants a Total Recall of Deadly Planes
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-16
Executives at Boeing are reportedly considering ending production of the troubled 737 MAX passenger jet, which was grounded worldwide after two crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed all 346 people on board. Last week, former Boeing manager Edward Pierson testified to the House Transportation Committee that he tried to warn executives about safety concerns four months before the first deadly crash, as well as before the second crash, but his warnings were ignored. We continue our conversation with Ralph Nader, longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and three-time presidential candidate, whose great-n…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/16/ralph_nader_boeing_737_max_jet

Midwest Dispatch: Minnesota Runs a Huge Budget Surplus Amid Higher Education Cuts
Sarah Lahm | progressive.org | 2019-12-16
State Republicans want new tax breaks, not a strong university system.
progressive.org/dispatches/minnesota-runs-a-huge-budget-surplus-amid-higher-education-cuts-lahm-191216/

Millions Wasted on Charter Schools
Jeff Bryant | progressive.org | 2019-12-16
The Network for Public Education calls the findings in its recent report "nothing short of a national scandal."
progressive.org/op-eds/millions-wasted-on-charter-schools-bryant-191216/

COP25 Was a Failure, But Activists' Collective Organizing at the Talks Was Unprecedented
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-16
The COP25 United Nations climate summit ended in failure Sunday, after negotiators failed to agree to a deal that would limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — a key goal of the Paris Agreement. Scores of civil society groups condemned governments in the European Union, Australia, Canada and the U.S. for a deal that requires far less action than needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Indigenous leaders and environmentalists blasted the United Nations for marginalizing civil society groups over two weeks of negotiations at the climate summit, while welcoming polluters.
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/16/cop25_failure_asad_rehman_tasneem_essop

Michael Bennet Keeps Going Backwards on Child Benefits
Matt Bruenig | peoplespolicyproject.org | 2019-12-16
Michael Bennet and Mitt Romney released a Child Tax Credit proposal last night. When reorganized logically, the proposed CTC has three pieces: | $1,000 CTC that phases in at a 15 percent rate for all children. | $1,000 CTC that is fully refundable for all children. | $500 CTC that is fully refundable for children ages 0 to 6. | Thus, young children would receive $1,500 in fully refundable benefits while older children would receive $1,000 in fully refundable benefits. Both would then re…
peoplespolicyproject.org/2019/12/16/michael-bennet-keeps-going-backwards-on-child-benefits/

US Threatens To Attack Iran Over Rockets Fired In Iraq & Assange Blocked From Seeing Key Evidence
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-15
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 (12/14/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/us-threatens-to-attack-iran-over-rockets-fired-in-iraq-assange-blocked-from-seeing-key-evidence/

188 Democrats Vote for Trump's Bloated Defense Budget
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-14
41 Democrats, 6 Republicans, and 1 Independent stood against a record $738 billion for defense, which gives Trump his space force and the right to launch more wars.
therealnews.com/stories/democrats_vote_trumps_defense_budget

Foreign Correspondent: An Open Letter to a Trump-Supporting, Working-Class Friend
Reese Erlich | progressive.org | 2019-12-13
Robby reflects the views of many older white workers who are critical of the system and blame Democrats and liberals for its breakdown.
progressive.org/dispatches/foreign-correspondent-an-open-letter-to-a-trump-supporter-erlich-191213/

Climate Refugees: Climate-Fueled Drought, Sea Level Rise, Storms & Fires Displace Millions Worldwide
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-13
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,…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/13/climate_refugees_climate_fueled_drought_sea

'It's Not Just About Sanders and Warren, It's About the Issues They Represent' – CounterSpin interview with Julie Hollar about Election 2020
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2019-12-13
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…
fair.org/home/its-not-just-about-sanders-and-warren-its-about-the-issues-they-represent/

UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-13
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 (12/12/19). 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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/un-counters-us-claims-of-proof-iran-attacked-saudi-arabia-netanyahu-impunity-turkey-sanctions/

For WaPo's Centrist Sources, Progressive Politics Are 'Purity Tests'
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2019-12-13
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…
fair.org/home/for-wapos-centrist-sources-progressive-politics-are-purity-tests/

COP25: Developing Countries Charge Ahead with Bold Climate Plans as Rich Countries Drag Their Feet
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-13
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/13/cop25_developing_countries_charge_ahead_with

Anakbayan-USA holds 3rd congress
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-13
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…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/13/anakbayan-usa-holds-3rd-congress

"Dark Day for Everyone Who Believes in Justice": U.K. Tories Defeat Labour in Landslide Election
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-13
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/13/uk_election_boris_johnson_jeremy_corbyn

A New Report Finds Massive Waste and Abuse in Federally Funded Charter Schools
Jeff Bryant | progressive.org | 2019-12-12
During the eight years that these federal grants were available, $504,517,391–28 percent of the total amount given out–went to charter schools that never opened or that have already closed.
progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/new-report-waste-abuse-charter-bryants-191212/