(2020-01-31). Does Pete Buttigeig represent the religious left? peoplesworld.org 
Of all the candidates for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, one in particular has used religion as a center stage for his political campaign. That individual is none other than the now former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete—Pete Buttigieg. Pete Buttigieg has brought up his religious background and used his religious views as one of …
(2020-01-31). Senate May Delay Final Trump Trial Vote. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON — The Senate is considering pushing off final acquittal in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial until next week under a proposal being negotiated Friday by party leaders. | The situation remained fluid, but senators have indicated they want more time to publicly debate the charges and air their positions on the coming vote, according to a Republican familiar with the proposal but unauthorized to discuss it. The person was granted anonymity. | The shift in timing ahead of Trump's all but certain acquittal shows the significance of the moment to senators in voting that would bring to a close…
(2020-01-31). Inappropriate, Not Impeachable: Key GOP Senator's "Astonishing" Statement Clears Way for Acquittal. democracynow.org 
The Republican-led Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump as early as today in his historic impeachment trial. On Thursday night, Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee announced he would vote against calling witnesses. Alexander said it was "inappropriate" for Trump to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival, but he went on to say "there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense." Democrats need four Republican senators to support calling for witnesses, bu…
(2020-01-31). GOP Accused of 'Greatest Cover-Up Since Watergate'. truthdig.com 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday The Senate is widely expected as early as Friday evening to oppose permitting witnesses, given swing vote Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-Tenn.)
(2020-01-31). Right-Wing Business Billionaires Launch Attack on Bernie Sanders. truthout.org Conservative business executives launched an ad campaign against Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders this week, attacking the democratic socialist on his plans to provide health care to all Americans and clean up the planet with a major public works program. | The wealthy manufacturing, poultry, fast food, and finance magnates, several of whom are Charles Koch allies, have recently donated millions of dollars to (CFGA), the super PAC affiliated with the right-wing political advocacy group
(2020-01-31). The Party's Over: Bernie's Last Dance With the Dems. counterpunch.org The Good I wrote six articles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) about the Bernie Sanders campaign during the 2016 primary. As everyone keeps saying, Bernie is a paragon of consistency, so my understanding of him stands unchanged. The political situation in 2020 is, however, significantly different, and has opened up new possibilities for the
(2020-01-31). Do Not Light That Fuse DNC. counterpunch.org Recent leaked audio indicates that Donald Trump feared Hillary Clinton opting for Bernie Sanders as her VP choice in the last election cycle. This alone should create a situation that would cause the DNC to realize the viability of a Sanders candidacy this time around, but obviously a win for their "team" is not the
(2020-01-31). Two Wings, Four Despotisms. counterpunch.org Republican Tyranny, Orange Menace Democracy is trumped in the United States by multiple, overlapping, interrelated and mutually reinforcing forms of despotism. The Trump administration and the Trumpified Republican Party, backed by a cult-like base, embody a creepy, neofascistic variant of the disease. The Republican White House and Senate are currently conducting a tasteless tutorial in
(2020-01-31). Dennis Kucinich: The Democratic Party Has No Soul. truthdig.com Nearly four years after the 2016 primaries, tensions that arose within the Democratic Party during the last presidential election cycle remain largely unresolved. Former presidential candidate
(2020-01-31). Terrorism and the Militarization of the NYPD. counterpunch.org President Donald Trump's decision to assassinate Qassem Suleimani (the leader of Iran's Quds Force) and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units) on January 3rd provoked deep fears in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio pointed out, "the US Government effectively declared war on Iran tonight. The American people had no say in the matter, despite
(2020-01-31). 20th Anniversary of Rosa Parks Day in California. indybay.org Our 2020 Rosa Parks Day of Courage, at Sacramento City Hall is the oldest known official celebration of Rosa Parks Day in California. ACR 156, California Legislation recognizing the 20th Anniversary of Rosa Parks Day will recommit a statewide effort to share the strength, courage, faith and determination of Rosa Louise McCauley Parks with young school children and seasoned seniors who have forgotten how to sing, "We Shall Overcome" in California and throughout the world.
(2020-01-31). The Imminent Threat of Trump and the Value of Progressive Third Parties. counterpunch.org As predictable as death and taxes is the quadrennial injunction from liberals for progressive third parties to cease and desist. Equally predictable is the admonition that this will be the most decisive presidential election in US history. Given the prospect of four more years of Trump, do they have a valid thesis or are they
(2020-01-31). Minnesotans tell Klobuchar to drop White House run. Reports say she sent innocent Black teen to prison for life. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – "A young African American man by the name of Myon Burrell has spent more than half of his life incarcerated in Minnesota prisons under the leadership of Amy Klobuchar. She was the Hennepin County Attorney and she played a role in Myon Burrell being prosecuted for a crime that he did not commit," said Nekima Levy Pounds of Racial Justice Network, as she opened a press conference on January 29. "We want to lift up family of Tyesha Edwards, who was the victim in this case, an 11-year-old innocent child who was shot and killed. The incident that happened to Tyesha is extremely devastating. It sent s…
(2020-01-31). Election Theft Is a 120-Year Tradition. Let's End It This Year. truthout.org Every four years we suffer the sad ritual of begging or bashing a left third party to refrain from draining votes from the mainstream Democrats because of a horrendous Republican alternative. | And every four years the real point — election theft — is missed. | It's a 120-year tradition dating back to 1896, the year in which the evangelical Democrat William Jennings Bryan persuaded radical Populists to back his presidential bid. He may well have won the popular vote. But steel baron Mark Hanna (t…
(2020-01-31). Elizabeth Warren issues call for internet censorship. wsws.org While nominally directed against Russia and right-wing "trolls," the proposal would open the way to a sweeping attack on the democratic rights of the American people.
(2020-01-31). The Expected No-Witness Vote Shouldn't Surprise Us. Conservatives Want a King. truthout.org Senate Republicans on Friday lined up behind President Trump, poised to protect him from witness testimony in his impeachment trial, a development that is neither surprising nor particularly difficult to understand. Most of the popular explanations, though, fail to explore the underlying dynamics of conservativism. As a result, the Senate's apparent willingness to engage in a cover-up is seen as an aberration or low point for the Republican Party, rather than as a coherent expression of their…
(2020-01-31). Senator Clears Way for Acquittal, Says Trump's Actions Were Only "Inappropriate" truthout.org The Republican-led Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump as early as today in his historic impeachment trial. On Thursday night, Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee announced he would vote against calling witnesses. Alexander said it was "inappropriate" for Trump to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival, but he went on to say "there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitut…
(2020-01-31). The Open Letter and the DNC. counterpunch.org Strange times, strange times. Within days of the leading lights of the American left penning an open letter arguing that the political imperative of removing Donald Trump from office is so great that 'any blue will do' Tom Perez, the head of the DNC, was caught stacking Democratic Convention committees with the same centrists and
(2020-01-31). Sanders Beats Trump and Trump Throws Dynamite in the Powder Keg. indybay.org With Sander's election as the Democratic Party candidate, the US would have been the only country to have had a free health insurance policy since Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s… The USA and also Turkey have in fact long since left NATO and are following their own interests without taking their previous "partners" into consideration.
(2020-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…
(2020-01-31). The Myth of the "Electable" Democrat: Neoliberal Bankruptcy, 2020 Edition. counterpunch.org As the Democratic primaries near, the usual chorus of Democratic-establishment pundits have emerged to remind Americans that their party needs to remain "moderate" and appeal to "the center" if it wants to win the presidency. The calls for moderation are pervasive in commentary from the New York Times, the Hill, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.
(2020-01-31). Paranoid Groundings and Technocratic States: Hillary Clinton versus Mark Zuckerberg. dissidentvoice.org It is another one of those contests and disagreements where the contestants should all loose, or at the very least, be subjected to a torturous stalemate. Hillary Clinton remains the nasty sprinkle on the Democratic Party in the United States, ever hopeful that some door might open to enable her to come sliding in, taking …
(2020-01-31). Tram drivers' strike and protest in Melbourne, Australia. wsws.org The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has done everything within its power to isolate the workers and subordinate them to both the state Labor government and the antidemocratic Fair Work industrial regime.
(2020-01-31). Majority of Top 2020 Democrats Backed by Outside Groups. truthout.org Democratic presidential candidates started their race to the White House with the promise to reject support from outside groups. | But with just a few days left till the early primaries, yet another TV ad campaign by an outside group —— this time in support of former South Bend, Ind., Mayor
(2020-01-31). Our Courts Are a Growing Threat to Democracy. thenation.com Our Courts Are a Growing Threat to Democracy…
(2020-01-31). Democrats Need to Break Their Cold War—Addled Impeachment Fever. thenation.com Democrats Need to Break Their Cold War—Addled Impeachment Fever…
(2020-01-31). Ex-US Rep. for Maryland John Delaney Withdraws From 2020 Presidential Race. sputniknews.com The time is already ticking for the 2020 US presidential election which is scheduled for 3 November.
(2020-01-31). 'She Was So Easy': Trump Asks Supporters if He Should 'Take Another Crack' at 'Crazy' Hillary. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump taunted Democrats at a major rally in Iowa on Thursday night on the eve of key events in the ongoing Senate impeachment trial against him, and just days before the nation's first presidential caucuses there.
(2020-01-31). England Came and Went, Leaving Europe in a Mess. UK Leaves EU. globalresearch.ca Whew. Finally, at last, the UK is formally leaving the European Union on January 31. Here in Paris, the champions of French withdrawal from the EU are celebrating. They see Brexit as the harbinger of a future "Frexit", a French departure from undemocratic governance, and the end of a failed project to unify Europe around the demands of neoliberal capitalism.
(2020-01-30). Hillary Clinton dodges attempt to serve her with Tulsi Gabbard's defamation lawsuit…twice. rt.com 
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has twice rebuffed efforts to serve her with Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard's "Russian asset" defamation lawsuit, even using the Secret Service to fend off the paperwork. | Secret Service agents first barred the process server from Clinton's Chappaqua, New York home on Tuesday, directing them to her lawyer, David Kendall, in Washington, DC, Gabbard's own attorney Brian Dunne told the New York Post on Wednesday. When they attempted to serve the lawsuit the following day at Kendall's firm, Williams & Connolly, however, the lawyer insisted he was unable…
(2020-01-30). Republicans are 'actual demons,' 'zombies,' says New York Times Nobel Prize-winning columnist. rt.com 
New York Times columnist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman has doubled down on denouncing the Republican Party as "bad people," insisting that there's nothing wrong with "demonizing" opponents who "actually are demons." | Krugman refused to budge from his declaration that "Republicans are bad people" during an interview with PBS' Firing Line on Thursday. When interviewer Margaret Hoover pressed the Nobel Prize-winning economist on the risks inherent in "demonizing" political opponents, he only doubled down, taking his ad hominems into the mythical realm. | Is it demonizing if they already actually are demons?
(2020-01-30). Bush-era Iraq war authorization voted out by US House. rt.com 
The House of Representatives has voted to repeal a 2002 resolution authorizing the US to wage war on Iraq. The law was used by the Trump administration to justify the recent drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. | The House voted 236 to 166 to kill the 2002 Authorization for Military Force (AUMF) on Iraq, with eleven Republicans joining the Democrats to vote in favor, and two Democrats bucking their party to oppose it. | The 2002 AUMF was drafted during the presidency of George W. Bush to authorize the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and has been used by subsequent administrations to continue military acti…
(2020-01-30). "Coded Bias": New Film Looks at Fight Against Racial Bias in Facial Recognition & AI Technology. democracynow.org 
A new documentary looks at the dangers of artificial intelligence and its increasing omnipresence in daily life, as new research shows that it often reflects racist biases. Earlier this month, Cambridge, Massachusetts, became the latest major city to ban facial recognition technology, joining a growing number of cities, including San Francisco, to ban the artificial intelligence, citing flawed technology and racial and gender bias. A recent study also found that facial recognition identified African-American and Asian faces incorrectly 10 to 100 times more than white faces. The film "Coded Bias" begins with Joy B…
(2020-01-30). Why was Rand banned? Sen. Paul reveals his CENSORED question at Trump impeachment trial. rt.com 
As Senators gathered for the last day of questioning in President Trump's impeachment trial, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul found his question censored in a way that may have revealed the identity of the mysterious whistleblower. | With the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump nearing its final stages, senators gathered on Capitol Hill on Thursday to question the Democratic prosecution team, and Trump's defense attorneys. However, Paul (R-Kentucky) found his question shot down by presiding Chief Justice John Roberts, who declined "to read the question as submitted." | Paul left the chamber after Roberts' de…
(2020-01-30). Ex-Solicitor General: Alan Dershowitz Is Wrong. Trump Is Not Above the Law & Should Be Impeached. democracynow.org 
President Trump's legal team offered an extraordinary new defense during Trump's impeachment trial on Wednesday. Attorney Alan Dershowitz said that a sitting president could take any action to boost his re-election chances if he felt his re-election was in the public interest. "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment," Dershowitz said. Trump was impeached by the House last month for freezing military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Ukraine to open an investigation of Trump's politi…
(2020-01-30). US Bernie Sanders Top Presidential Pick Among Deported Dreamers. telesurenglish.net United States Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is the Dreamers' top pick to beat President Donald Trump in the upcoming November election, in order to put an end to the hostility in the U.S. against migrants. | RELATED: | Although they no longer live in the U.S., Dreamers who have returned to Mexico are closely following the presidential race, given that a second term for the Republican president w…
(2020-01-30). Alan Dershowitz Is Insulting Everybody's Intelligence. truthdig.com This article originally appeared on Alan Dershowitz, the Harvard emeritus law professor who is serving as a hired gun for Team Trump, is arguing that even if John Bolton testifies that Trump admitted the quid pro quo with Ukraine to him, the Senate could not remove the president from office. Dershowitz has gone so far as to say that even if Trump told Bolton he was withholding the congressionally authorized military aid to Ukraine until it helped him with an investigation of the Bidens, that is s…
(2020-01-30). Could This Be the End of American Exceptionalism? truthdig.com More Americans are dissatisfied with democracy than at any point since records began in 1995, according to a new study published Wednesday, and the number of citizens with a positive view of the U.S. system of government dipped for the first time below 50%. | To observers like journalist Rania Khalek, the reason for such a shift in global attitudes was clear. | "Our systems aren't actually democratic," said Khalek. "We live in a miserable oligarchy, no wonder people are unhappy." | "Dissatisfaction with democracy within developed countries is at its highest level in almost 25 years" | That's bc our systems aren't…
(2020-01-30). Your Emoji-Based Guide to Where the 2020 Candidates Stand on Media and Tech Policy. commondreams.org On Thursday, Free Press Action released its 2020 "Right to Connect Voter Guide," an analysis of presidential candidates' positions on vital media and technology policies. It analyzes the positions of nine Democratic and Republican presidential candidates polling at 3 percent or above in recent national polls. (Image: Free Press Action) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/media_scorecard.jpg …
(2020-01-30). John Bolton and the "national security" impeachment. wsws.org While the Democrats embrace the war criminal John Bolton, the Republicans portray the president as essentially above the law, an elected dictator.
(2020-01-30). Amid impeachment, Trump signs North American trade deal passed with Democratic support. wsws.org The bipartisan support for the USMCA shows that all factions in Washington agree on an intensification of economic conflict with China.
(2020-01-30). How is Washington "Liberating" Free Countries. dissidentvoice.org There are obviously some serious linguistic issues and disagreements between the West and the rest of the world. Essential terms like "freedom", "democracy", "liberation", even "terrorism", are all mixed up and confused; they mean something absolutely different in New York, London, Berlin, and in the rest of the world. Before we begin analyzing, let us …
(2020-01-30). A Public Option Sustains Health Care Inequities. Medicare for All Tackles Them. truthout.org Health care has been at the forefront of discussion during the 2020 primary season. The debate has boiled down to whether Democratic candidates will embrace single-payer or support an expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through a public option. While candidates trade jabs and throw around industry talking points, the debate and subsequent media attention has largely excluded how people with disabilities will be affected by the prospective nominees' health care plans. | People with dis…
(2020-01-30). The Bernie Blackout Is Real, and These Screenshots Prove It. truthout.org It's 2020, but it could well be 2016 all over again — history is repeating itself as the cadre of neoliberal Democratic Party leaders who
(2020-01-30). Impeachment and the Imperial Presidency. globalresearch.ca Donald J. Trump is the third president in American history to face an impeachment trial in the United States Senate. He stands accused by Democratic members in the House of Representatives of abusing power and obstructing Congress. | In reality, Trump …
(2020-01-30). Sanders or Warren? Why Not Both? thenation.com Sanders or Warren? Why Not Both?
(2020-01-30). The Republicans Have Now Begun the Trolling Phase of the Impeachment Trial. thenation.com The Republicans Have Now Begun the Trolling Phase of the Impeachment Trial…
(2020-01-30). Donald Trump Is Not the Only Alleged Criminal Democrats Can't Unseat. thenation.com Donald Trump Is Not the Only Alleged Criminal Democrats Can't Unseat…
(2020-01-30). Headlines for January 30, 2020. democracynow.org Rev. William Barber: Mitch McConnell Is Bringing Old Southern Justice to U.S. Senate, European Parliament Votes to Ratify Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 170, Racial Justice Groups Call on Klobuchar to Suspend Campaign, French Firefighters Clash with Riot Police in Latest Protests Against Pension Overhaul, Cuban Man Dies in ICE Custody, Marking 6th Death Since October, Salvadoran General Admits U.S.-Trained Forces Carried Out 1981 Massacre, South Dakota Passes Bill Criminalizing Gender-Affirming Surgery, #DignidadLiteraria: Latino Writers Launch Campaign in Response to "American Dirt"
(2020-01-30). 'A Champion of Workers Rights': 200,000-Strong Postal Workers Union Endorses Sanders for President. commondreams.org "We believe it is in the best interests of all postal workers, our job security, and our union to support and elect Bernie Sanders for president." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sanders-staff-bargaining-agreement_0_0.png …
(2020-01-29). 'I'm an old guy, vote for someone else': Biden's latest gaffes include odd sales pitch to voter & head-scratching demands for VP. rt.com 
Former Vice President Joe Biden's odd strategy for winning over voters continues as video of him scolding one goes viral, and recent comments about his age raises alarm. | Though Biden continues to poll at the top of the Democrats fighting for their party's presidential nomination — a Wednesday Monmouth University
(2020-01-29). 'We would be in World War Six by now' if Bolton were still in the WH, says Trump in scathing tweets. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has hit back at John Bolton, his former national security advisor, accusing him of writing a "nasty & untrue" book and saying the warmongering Republican could have led us into "World War Six." | While Bolton has become something of a hero to Trump's critics thanks to leaks from his upcoming book 'The Room Where it Happened', which seemingly confirm accusations that the president withheld foreign aid to Ukraine in the hopes they would investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, conservatives have begun to turn on the man, chief among them the president himself. | "For a guy who could…
(2020-01-29). The Liberal Establishment is Already Warning Third Parties Not to Ruin the 2020 Election. mintpressnews.com 
Prominent liberal personalities, including Noam Chomsky, issued an open letter imploring third parties to "remove themselves as a factor" in the 2020 presidential election to "benefit all humanity and a good part of the biosphere."
(2020-01-29). Warren calls for criminalizing online 'disinformation,' gets roasted for Orwellian overreach. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren has called for criminalizing knowingly disseminating 'disinformation' about voting, a move that would give the government the power to decide what constitutes truth and lies. | Warren called for "civil and criminal penalties for knowingly disseminating false information about when and how to vote in US elections" on Wednesday, as part of the lengthy and occasionally self-contradictory
(2020-01-29). Mehdi Hasan: The Impeachment Trial Has Been a Farce Since Day One Filled with GOP Lies. democracynow.org 
At the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Republican senators in a private meeting Tuesday that he does not yet have enough votes to block Democrats from calling impeachment witnesses. Democrats have pushed for former national security adviser John Bolton to testify. On Sunday night, The New York Times published details about a draft of Bolton's forthcoming book, in which he claims Trump personally told him in August he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in military aid to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice Presi…
(2020-01-29). SEIU's Henry demands Senate impeachment trial call witnesses. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON —In her second comment on the Senate impeachment trial of GOP President Donald Trump, Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry is demanding lawmakers call live witnesses to ensure a fair trial. And those senators who don't want witnesses, she adds, are "playing political games with issues serious for our democracy and the sanctity of …
(2020-01-29). Mehdi Hasan: Trump's Middle East Plan Is a Policy of Apartheid & Settler Colonialism. democracynow.org 
We continue our discussion of President Trump's long-awaited Middle East plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which he has described as the "deal of the century." The plan was drafted by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner without any input from Palestinians and would give Israel sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, control over all of Jerusalem, and keep all illegal settlements built in the occupied West Bank. We speak with Mehdi Hasan, senior columnist at The Intercept, and Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University. Khalidi's latest book is…
(2020-01-29). "Yet Another Declaration of War on Palestinians": Rashid Khalidi on Trump's Middle East "Peace" Plan. democracynow.org 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to annex about 30% of the occupied West Bank, after Israel was given the green light to do so by the United States. On Tuesday, President Trump — with Netanyahu by his side — unveiled a so-called Middle East peace plan that was drafted by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner without any input from Palestinians. Under the plan, Israel will gain sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem would be under total Israeli control, and all Jewish settlers in the occupied territory will be allowed to remain in their homes. The plan…
(2020-01-29). Coalition to March on DNC threatens lawsuit as Milwaukee government denies democratic rights. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of January 27, organizers for the Coalition to March on the DNC held a press conference outside City Hall to announce their intention to sue the city if their permit to rally and march is not delivered. Despite having reserved the rotunda inside the building, the press conference was forced to be held outside. | This was the result of a city council representative not booking the room for that evening, even after all proper procedures were followed by the Coalition. This is further proof that the City of Milwaukee is trying to silence the freedoms of speech and assembly of the peopl…
(2020-01-29). Headlines for January 29, 2020. democracynow.org McConnell Tries to Secure Votes to Block Impeachment Witnesses, "Our Rights Are Not for Sale": Palestinians Reject Trump's Middle East Plan, Trump Praises Pompeo for Shouting and Cursing at NPR Reporter, WaPo Reinstates Reporter Suspended for Tweeting About Kobe Rape Case, Death Toll from Coronavirus Virus Hits 132, with 6,000 Infected, Over 100,000 Syrian Civilians Flee Regime Offensive in Idlib, Floods Kill 30, Displace 16,000 in Madagascar, Mississippi to Shut Down Unit of Parchman Prison After Deaths of 9 Prisoners, Maryland Cop Charged with Murder for Killing Handcuffed Man in Police Car…
(2020-01-29). The Electability Argument Is Really About Party Unity. thenation.com The Electability Argument Is Really About Party Unity…
(2020-01-28). DNC chair names John Podesta & other Clinton loyalists to Convention Committee, triggering revolt from voters fearing 2016 2.0. rt.com 
Democrats hoping their party learned from its 2016 failure have been horrified to discover many of those behind Hillary Clinton's losing campaign — including John Podesta of hacked email fame — have major Convention posts. | Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez has unveiled a 2020 Democratic Convention lousy with Clinton loyalists — Podesta merely the most notorious among them — alongside former Obama administration officials and corporate lobbyists. Democrats hoping the centrist old guard had relinquished its death-grip on the party are livid, and at least one campaign is pushin…
(2020-01-28). Murder of Mexican Artist Isabel Cabanillas Highlights Endemic Issue of Femicide in Ciudad Juárez. democracynow.org 
Isabel Cabanillas, a 26-year-old beloved feminist activist and artist, was recently assassinated in Ciudad Juárez, resurfacing the border city's painful legacy of femicides and violence against women. Cabanillas was reported missing on social media by her friends on Saturday, January 18, after she never returned home. On that same day, she was found shot to death on a sidewalk next to her bicycle in downtown Juárez. We speak with Nana Rebell, a feminist activist in Ciudad Juárez and a member of the Juárez feminist collective Hijas de su Maquilera Madre, about Cabanillas's life and the endemic issue of femicide in…
(2020-01-28). It's Media—Not Bernie Sanders—That Have an Antisemitism Problem. fair.org 
Have you heard the news? Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders is antisemitic. Yes, yes, he's Jewish, and has a So goes the story in several prominent media outlets, who accuse him of leading "the most antisemitic [campaign] in decades" (Washington Examiner,
(2020-01-28). Trump's Expansive Claims of Executive Privilege Pose "Very Serious Constitutional Crisis" democracynow.org 
During eight hours of oral arguments at the president's impeachment trial on Monday, President Trump's legal team repeatedly said that he has done nothing wrong, and largely ignored the explosive revelations made by Trump's former national security adviser. The president's case was made on Monday by a team of lawyers including Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz and former independent counsel Kenneth Starr, whose probe led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. In an upcoming book, former national security adviser John Bolton says Trump told him the withholding of $391 million in military aid to Ukraine…
(2020-01-28). Chinese Artist & Filmmaker Ai Weiwei on State Violence from Mexico to Hong Kong to Xinjiang. democracynow.org 
In 2014, 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College disappeared after they were abducted in Iguala, Mexico. More than five years after their disappearance, the families of the students are still fighting for justice. The story is the subject of a stunning new documentary by the world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. The film, "Vivos," follows the families of the disappeared students in their daily lives as they grapple with the absence of their loved ones and attempt to hold the Mexican government accountable for their disappearance. We sat down with Ai Weiwei earlier this week at the Sund…
(2020-01-28). Chomsky and other Liberal Intellectuals ask us to Join them in Throwing in the Towel. dissidentvoice.org Noam Chomsky, Barbara Ehrenreich, Bill Fletcher, Leslie Cagan, Ron Daniels, Kathy Kelly, Norman Solomon, Cynthia Peters, and Michael Albert wrote an Open Letter to the Green Party, asking them to support the 2020 Democratic candidate regardless who wins the nomination. It was in response to an article well worth reading by Howie Hawkins, "The Green …
(2020-01-28). Headlines for January 28, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Lawyers Says He Did No Wrong as Calls Mount for Bolton and Other Witnesses to Testify | , Trump to Unveil Middle East "Peace Plan" as Netanyahu Indicted over Corruption, SCOTUS Allows Trump's "Public Charge" Rule Targeting Low-Income Immigrants to Take Effect, State Dept. Bars NPR Reporter from Upcoming Pompeo Trip, Washington Post Suspends Reporter for Tweet About Kobe Bryant Rape Allegation, Mixed Accounts After U.S. Military Plane Crashes in Afghanistan, Torrential Rains and Landslides Kill At Least 46 People in Brazil, Nigerian Journalist Maxwell Nashan Killed, 2nd Accuser Testifies in Weinstein Trial a…
(2020-01-28). Milwaukee: Rally against war on Iraq, Iran. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – On January 25, around 40 people gathered at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and North Avenue to protest the ongoing U.S. war in Iraq and the threat of war with Iran. The protesters occupied each of the four street corners and took to chanting before running through a short lineup of speakers. | "Organization and numbers are the two greatest weapons at the disposal of the working class. We must use them if we're gonna win," said Ryan Hamann, a speaker from Freedom Road Socialist Organization. "Here's to building a strong, united, firmly anti-imperialist anti-war movement in Mi…
(2020-01-28). FRSO Venezuela delegation meets with women in Bolivarian Militia. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – During the World Anti-Imperialist Congress, members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation talked with women in the Bolivarian Militia. The Bolivarian Militia was created in 2005 in response to U.S. intervention. As of December 2019, President Maduro said he is moving toward making the Militia into "combat units" within the Armed Forces. In 2019, with multiple U.S.-backed coup attempts to install Juan Guaidó in place of democratically elected President Maduro, the Bolivarian Militia nearly doubled to 3.3 million members in a country of around 30 million people. Their rol…
(2020-01-27). Explosive Bolton Book Allegations Spark New Calls for Witnesses to Testify at Impeachment Trial. democracynow.org 
Calls are growing for the Senate to call witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial, after The New York Times published details about former national security adviser John Bolton's forthcoming book. In the book, Bolton writes that President Trump personally told him in August that he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice President Joe Biden and supporters of Hillary Clinton in Ukraine. The New York Times broke the story on Sunday, one day after President Trump's legal team began its defense of the president. D…
(2020-01-27). Kobe Bryant Dead at 41: Remembering Basketball Star's Legacy On and Off the Court. democracynow.org 
Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant died Sunday in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles at the age of 41. The crash killed all nine people on board, including Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna and beloved college baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their 13-year-old daughter Alyssa. They were heading to a youth basketball game. Bryant won five NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals and was crowned an All-Star 18 times. He played for the L.A. Lakers for 20 years before retiring in 2016. Gianna Bryant reportedly hoped to one day play for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team. Tribute…
(2020-01-27). Never-Trumper strategist launches #ILefttheGOP campaign just in time for Senate impeachment votes. rt.com 
Disaffected ex-Republicans are sharing their stories on social media as the seemingly-unbreakable two-party duopoly approaches peak unpopularity with American voters with less than a year to go before the 2020 election. | The hashtag #ILefttheGOP was trending on Monday as self-described former Republicans shared what made them exit party ranks – whether to join the Democrats, or to vote independently. It was created by former Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus, who left the party after a disastrous encounter with the president's 2016 campaign and has been a strident "never-Trumper" ever since. | Perhaps predi…
(2020-01-27). Under Pressure in Impeachment Trial, Trump Steps Up Attacks on Reproductive Rights. democracynow.org 
Donald Trump on Friday became the first sitting president in U.S. history to attend the so-called March for Life, the annual anti-abortion rally held in Washington, D.C., that draws thousands of participants. President Trump — who once described himself as "pro-choice in every respect" — accused Democrats of infanticide and falsely stated that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam supports an abortion bill that would "execute a baby after birth." The March for Life began in 1974 in response to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. Past…
(2020-01-27). To rig primary against Bernie, DNC chair Tom Perez nominates regime-change agents, Israel lobbyists, and Wall Street consultants. thegrayzone.com With Senator Bernie Sanders surging in the polls, DNC chair Tom Perez has put forward a cartoonishly neoliberal cast of…
(2020-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2020. democracynow.org Impeachment Trial Resumes as Leaked Bolton Manuscript Bolsters Democrats' Case, Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 81 in China as Disease Spreads Around the World, Pentagon: 34 U.S. Troops Have Brain Injuries After Iranian Attack on Iraqi Airbase, Deadly Crackdown on Iraqi Protests Continue as 100,000s March Against U.S. Military Presence, Turkey Earthquake Kills 38; At Least 1,600 Hospitalized, Ugandan Activist Vanessa Nakate Slams Racist Media After Being Cropped from Photo with White Activists, Trump Attends Anti-Abortion "March for Life" as Admin Continues Assault on Reproductive Rights, High-Ranking Pharma Exec…
(2020-01-27). "Ours to Tell": New Film Highlights Personal Stories About the Importance of Abortion Access. democracynow.org 
As Roe v. Wade faces unprecedented attacks, the new short film "Ours to Tell" puts a human face to the fight for reproductive justice and highlights those whose stories are often sidelined by the media: LGBTQ communities and communities of color. The film focuses on Ylonda, Nick, Hannah and Brittany, four people who discuss how having access to abortion shaped their lives. The film was directed by Rayka Zehtabchi and was created by Planned Parenthood and We Testify. For more on the film, as well as the state of reproductive rights in the United States, we speak with Renee Bracey Sherman, founder and executive dir…
(2020-01-27). United States: As Iowa caucuses approach, Democratic battle lines emerge. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-01-25). Suing Hillary Clinton, Tulsi Gabbard stands up to the Russiagate smear machine. thegrayzone.com As Bernie Sanders ignores Hillary Clinton's attacks, Tulsi Gabbard is fighting back. Gabbard has filed a $50 million defamation suit…
(2020-01-24). Law Professor: Trump Could Also Have Been Impeached for War Crimes, Assassinations & Corruption. democracynow.org 
Democratic lawmakers are continuing to lay out their case for removing the president from office in the final day of opening arguments by Democrats in the historic impeachment trial of President Trump. Republicans will begin their opening arguments on Saturday. The Senate trial comes a month after the House impeached Trump for withholding congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump's political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. On Thursday, House impeachment manager Jerrold Nadler made the case that a president can…
(2020-01-24). International Court of Justice Orders Burmese Authorities to Protect Rohingya Muslims from Genocide. democracynow.org 
In a major ruling, the U.N. International Court of Justice at The Hague has ordered Burma to "take all measures within its power" to protect Rohingya Muslims from genocide. The court issued the ruling Thursday, calling the 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Burma, also known as Myanmar, "extremely vulnerable" to military violence. The court ordered Burma to report regularly to the tribunal about its progress. The ruling is a sharp rebuke of Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who last month asked the court to drop the genocide case against Burma. Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent over a decade figh…
(2020-01-24). Oakland Moms Who Occupied Vacant Property to Highlight Housing Crisis Celebrate Unexpected Victory. democracynow.org 
In Oakland, California, a months-long struggle between a group of unhoused mothers occupying a vacant home and the real estate firm that owned it ended with an unexpected offer to purchase the property earlier this week. The major win in the mothers' fight against homelessness and real estate speculation comes just a week after Wedgewood Properties forcibly evicted the families — known as Moms 4 Housing — from the home they were living in for more than two months. Two mothers and two of their supporters were arrested in the early-morning eviction after armed police officers battered down the door. The…
(2020-01-24). Headlines for January 24, 2020. democracynow.org Impeachment Managers Continue Opening Arguments in Trump's Senate Trial, 33 Million on Lockdown in Chinese Cities as Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads, Hundreds of Thousands of Iraqis March to Demand U.S. Troop Withdrawal, Trump Invites Israeli Leaders to White House for "Peace Plan" Unveiling, Mexican Soldiers Attack Central American Migrant Caravan, Arresting 800, U.S. to Send Ambassador to Bolivia After Coup That Ousted Evo Morales, Puerto Rican Protesters Demand Ouster of Gov. Wanda Vázquez, SC Official Switches Presidential Endorsement from Biden to Sanders, National Archives Replaces Doctored Women's March Photo…
(2020-01-23). Trump Brags About Withholding Evidence as Democratic Impeachment Managers Lay Out Case in the Senate. democracynow.org 
During the opening day of oral arguments in the impeachment trial, President Trump was accused of abusing his office to "cheat an election." House impeachment managers spent about eight hours on Wednesday laying out their case for why President Trump should be removed from office. The Senate trial comes a month after the House impeached Trump for withholding congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump's political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. While the impeachment trial was taking place in the Senate, Presiden…
(2020-01-23). Tim Robbins: Bernie Sanders Is the Best Shot We Have to Defeat Donald Trump. democracynow.org 
We continue our conversation with Academy Award-winning actor and director Tim Robbins, whose recent projects include the new film "Dark Waters" and a play about immigration called "The New Colossus." He recently endorsed Vermont senator and Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders for president. "I believe he is the only one of them that can defeat Trump," Robbins says.
(2020-01-23). "Dark Waters": Meet the Lawyer Whose 20-Year Fight Against DuPont Inspired the New Film. democracynow.org 
The new film "Dark Waters" tells the story of attorney Rob Bilott's 20-year battle with DuPont over contaminated drinking water in West Virginia from toxic chemicals used to make Teflon. The Environmental Working Group credited Billot with "uncovering the most heinous corporate environmental conspiracy in history," and the issue of contaminated water from the plastics industry continues to devastate areas across the country. On Wednesday, the Environmental Working Group released a shocking report about how toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS have been found in the drinking water of dozens of U.S. cities, in…
(2020-01-23). "The New Colossus": In New Play, Tim Robbins Tackles Immigration & Xenophobia. democracynow.org 
President Trump said Wednesday that he would expand his highly controversial travel ban, which already bars citizens from seven countries, most of which have Muslim-majority populations — Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela — from entering the United States. Politico reports that the expanded ban could implement immigration restrictions on seven more countries: Belarus, Burma, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania, according to two sources. We speak with acclaimed actor, director and activist Tim Robbins, whose recent work has focused on immigration to the United S…
(2020-01-22). 23 Headlines Obscure Biden's Lies About Cutting Social Security. fair.org Here's something many Americans would be very interested to know: Is a leading candidate in the Democratic primary a liar? And since a
(2020-01-13). Miller Dismisses DACA in Emails, Mirroring Anti-Immigrant Extremists' Views. splcenter.org White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller went against many Republicans when siding with white nationalists and other extremists on the issue of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA, emails show.
(2020-01-01). The Legend Of Bernie Sanders Song. zcomm.org The Legend of Bernie Sanders was originally written for the Bernie documentary called BERN THE MOVIE and is a compendium of Bernie Sanders's life leading into the OUR REVOLUTION movement…
(2019-12-02). The Official Secrets Movie vs. Joe Biden's Lies About the Iraq War. zcomm.org As he pursues the presidency, Joe Biden is persisting with dismal innovations to falsify his record on the Iraq war. In the process, he's operating completely at odds with what the Official Secrets film and Katharine Gun are all about…
(2019-12-02). The Foreign Policy of a Con Man. zcomm.org The Republican "radical insurgency," as it was called several years ago by Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute, has gone far off the traditional rails under Trump…
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'the Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, has endorsed four progressive champions for the House of Representatives in the 2020 election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York's 14th district, Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota's 5th district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib …
(2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …
(2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …
(2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …
(2019-06-20). Striking Iran Now Could Spark a Major War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "The United States has stumbled into a perilous situation. If, for example, the U.S. …
(2019-06-20). Senate Votes to Block Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting to block arms sales involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "When Trump vetoed legislation earlier this year to end U.S. involvement …