2020-02-17: News Headlines

Staff (2020-02-17). Virginia Lawmakers Reject Assault Weapon Ban. truthdig.com RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's push to ban the sale of assault weapons failed on Monday after some of his fellow Democrats balked at the proposal. | Senators voted to shelve the bill for the year and ask the state crime commission to study the issue, an outcome that drew cheers from a committee room packed with gun advocates. | Four moderate Democrats joined Republicans in Monday's committee vote, rejecting legislation that would have prohibited the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, including popular AR-15 style rifles, and banned the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 round…

RT (2020-02-17). No, YOU are Trump's buddy! Bernie and Bloomberg go at each other. rt.com Billionaire Mike Bloomberg is going after socialist senator Bernie Sanders, accusing him of being in league with President Donald Trump after a video emerged of the former New York mayor talking disparagingly about farmers. | "Bernie's New Bro… Donald Trump," the Bloomberg campaign blared on Monday, accusing the Sanders campaign of using "the very same attacks and tactics" in the Democrat primaries as the Republican president. | "Mike is in this race to defeat Donald Trump, and he's the Democratic candidate who can get that done. This campaign will not sit idly by and allow these false attacks to stand witho…

Staff (2020-02-17). Pundits Hail Bloomberg as Their Anti-Sanders Savior. truthdig.com It seems the former Republican mayor of New York has arrived on the primary scene just in time to rescue media from the man they fear most.

RT (2020-02-17). Wrong kind of 'energy'? Bloomberg takes on the 'Bernie Bros'… using Hillary Clinton-style tactics. rt.com Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg has deployed a new tactic against Bernie Sanders: accuse his supporters of harassment and mean tweets. Hillary Clinton used the same strategy in 2016, and suffered a devastating loss. | In little over two weeks, the race for the Democratic nomination has shifted to Bernie Sanders versus everyone else. Destroying former Vice President Joe Biden's lead in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, the progressive senator from Vermont is now the frontrunner in nearly every national poll, with centrists like Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and now former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, ni…

Chris Hedges (2020-02-17). The New Rules of the Game. truthdig.com The quadrennial political game of least worst, or how to scare the public to vote for presidential candidates who serve corporate power, comes this season with a new twist. Donald Trump, if he faces Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar or Michael Bloomberg, will continue to be an amalgamation of Adolf Hitler, Al Capone and the Antichrist. But should Bernie Sanders manage to evade the snares, traps and minefields laid for him by the Democratic Party elites, should he miraculously become the party's nominee, the game of least worst will radically change. All the terrifying demons that inhabit Trump will be inst…

RT (2020-02-17). 'A little bit of excitement at no extra cost': Sanders quips after TOPLESS anti-dairy protesters steal show at Nevada rally. rt.com A group of anti-dairy activists, including topless women, upstaged Democratic race frontrunner Bernie Sanders at his own campaign rally ahead of the Nevada primaries. The senator kept his cool, laughing off the stunt, however. | Keen on capitalizing on his success in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders was holding a rally in Carson, Nevada on Sunday. He was barely a couple of minutes into his speech when a young woman, who could be seen lurking behind the podium during the live broadcast, rushed the stage and attempted to wrestle the microphone from the Vermont independent. | Sanders did not give in, taking a few…

Norman Solomon (2020-02-17). Class War Comes to the Democratic Party. truthdig.com More than ever, Bernie Sanders is public enemy number one for power elites that thrive on economic injustice. The Bernie 2020 campaign is a direct threat to the undemocratic leverage that extremely wealthy individuals and huge corporations constantly exert on the political process. No wonder we're now seeing so much anti-Bernie rage from leading corporate Democrats — eagerly amplified by corporate media. | In American politics, hell hath no fury like corporate power scorned. | Flagrant media biases against Sanders are routine in a wide range of mainstream outlets. (The media watch group FAIR has long docume…

Staff (2020-02-17). How Bloomberg-Funded Center for American Progress Censored a Report on NYPD Surveillance of Muslims. democracynow.org Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg's self-funded campaign has flooded the airwaves with political advertisements, with the billionaire former New York City mayor having already spent more than $400 million on TV, radio and other ads — far outpacing other campaigns. But it's not just Bloomberg's unprecedented campaign spending that has raised eyebrows. As The New York Times reports, Bloomberg has also kept potential critics quiet by making major donations to progressive causes and advocacy groups around the country over the years. This may have played a part in obscuring Bloomberg's checkere…

Staff (2020-02-17). How Billionaire Michael Bloomberg's Deep Pockets Have Let Him Win Friends and Buy Influence. democracynow.org With the Nevada caucuses less than a week away, many Democratic candidates are courting voters in state and increasingly targeting their attacks on a new challenger — billionaire Michael Bloomberg — whom they are accusing of buying his way into the election. In the lead-up to Super Tuesday on March 3, when voters in 14 states go to the polls, Bloomberg has spent an unprecedented $417 million of his own $60 billion fortune on advertising. He's also paid meme influencers to share sponsored content on Instagram, and hired thousands of on-the-ground political operatives to work in more than 125 offices ar…

Staff (2020-02-17). Centrist Democrats Have Already Lost the Most Important Battle. truthdig.com With dozens of Democratic candidates, scores of televised debates, and swarms of reporters and pundits descending on the tiniest blip in polls, this campaign already feels never-ending. But at long last, we're beginning what matters: Voting! | This year, in addition to decisions about candidates, voters will be making a decision about the future of our society. The question we face is whether we will continue the same-old politics of enriching and empowering the few at the expense of the rest of us, or will we pivot to implement transformative structural changes. | As you would expect, Trump and his sycophantic c…

RT (2020-02-17). Repeat of Iowa caucus looms in Nevada as problems are illuminated (& ignored). rt.com The same issues that led to the Democratic debacle in Iowa earlier this month are poised to make next week's vote in Nevada equally hellish — yet party leaders seem unwilling to connect the dots or recognize the problem. | Early voters in Nevada have already faced long lines, technical difficulties, and monumental uncertainty about the voting process with voting underway since Saturday due to close Tuesday before the general caucus this coming Saturday. | We've seen this movie before | The slow-motion car-crash caucus volunteers have sketched out in their heads bears a strong resemblance to the events of…

Staff (2020-02-17). "They Have Not Relented": U.S. Maintains Support for Yemen War as Saudi Airstrike Kills 31 Civilians. democracynow.org In Yemen, 31 people were killed in U.S.-backed Saudi airstrikes over the weekend, including women and children. The strikes in the northern al-Jawf province came just hours after the Houthis said they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet in the same area. The United Nations called the drone strike "shocking." The deadly strike follows a recent uptick in violence in northern Yemen and comes as the war there hits a five-year mark. More than 100,000 have died, and far more have been displaced, since the conflict began in 2015. On Sunday, the United Nations said the Houthis and U.S.-backed Saudi and United Arab Emirates…

Staff (2020-02-17). Bernie Sanders' Triumph Can't Be Denied. truthdig.com One of the most frustrating things for me,

Jacob Crosse (2020-02-17). Sanders Tells New York Times He Would Consider a Preemptive Strike Against Iran or North Korea. globalresearch.ca Bernie Sanders has won the popular vote in both the New Hampshire and Iowa presidential primary contests in considerable part by presenting himself as an opponent of war. Following the criminal assassination of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani last month, Sanders …

Norman Solomon (2020-02-17). The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders. indybay.org Corporate Democrats and corporate media on the attack…

Robert Koehler (2020-02-17). The Wall: Separating Democracy From Voters. counterpunch.org The mainstream media imposes some serious certainties on the 2020 presidential election that drive me into a furious despair, e.g.: Even though Bernie Sanders, winner of the first two Democratic primaries, is now leading in the national polls, he "can't and won't" be the party's nominee "because in coming weeks," writes Liz Peek in The Hill, "Democrats

Luke Elliott-Negri (2020-02-17). Why Is Nevada's Most Powerful Union Turning on Bernie Sanders? zcomm.org Top leaders in Unite Here Local 226 in Las Vegas have been circulating attacks on Bernie Sanders and his Medicare for All proposal. They should listen to their membership and stop slandering the most pro-worker candidate in the race…

Ralph Nader (2020-02-17). "Democratic Socialism" — Bring it on Corporate Socialists! counterpunch.org Crooked Donald Trump, the erstwhile failed gambling czar and corporate welfare king, is assailing Bernie Sanders for his "radical socialism." How ludicrous given Trump's three-year giveaway of taxpayer assets and authorities to giant corporations — a perfect portrait of crony capitalism. Others are joining the socialist labeling bandwagon, including corporatist right wing radio talk show

Peter Cohen (2020-02-17). Time to Retire the "He Can't Beat Trump" Trope. counterpunch.org Now that polls show Bernie Sanders the clear front-runner in this race, leading the pack by 8 points and ready to win New Hampshire, it's time to clear up one of the main Corporate Media myths about him: that "he can't beat Trump." First, pro-Israel fanatics like Alan Dershowitz and propagandists for the Corporate State

Staff (2020-02-17). Trump Wants to Inflict Severe Pain on Disabled Community Just Because He Can. truthout.org The "need" to strip benefits from poor and working people to help maintain the lifestyles of the Mar-a-Lago set is one of the fundamental principles of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The rich always "need" more tax cuts, so when budget deficits get in the way, those at the middle and bottom are just going to have to sacrifice. | This is the reasoning behind the large budget cuts that the president has proposed for Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps in his most recent budget proposal.

Alvaro Huerta (2020-02-17). Another Five Lessons for Democrats to Defeat Trump in 2020. counterpunch.org As part of my last two essays on how Democrats can beat President Donald J. Trump, click here and here, I've added another five lessons. As an independent, as noted in my last essay, I've consistently been critical (to the present) of Democrats and Republicans in the areas of race, class, place, immigration, etc., as

Cesar Chelala (2020-02-17). The Democrats' New Chapter. counterpunch.org Now that the impeachment of President Donald Trump hasn't reached the Democrats' expected goal, it is time for them to change gears facing the coming presidential elections. Until now, the Democrats have let the Republicans take the initiative, using techniques not always politically correct, or right, and in the process losing elections that they should

WSWS (2020-02-17). Bloomberg's billions and the politics of oligarchy. wsws.org The rallying of officeholders and media pundits to the billionaire candidate exposes the real class character of the Democratic Party.

WSWS (2020-02-17). New York Times falsifies history to claim Sanders is "transforming" the Democratic Party. wsws.org Georgetown historian Michael Kazin's February 13 column falsifies history in an attempt to convince an increasingly radical population that they must not break from the Democratic Party.

Leonardo Flores (2020-02-17). Mistrial in Trump admin's biased case against Venezuelan embassy protectors is win for sovereignty. mronline.org The Trump administration's case against Venezuelan embassy protectors was severely biased, but ended up with a hung jury. The mistrial is a victory for sovereignty and democracy, and another failure in the coup attempt. |

Alex Demirovic (2020-02-17). The finance-dominated regime of accumulation and crisis. indybay.org Bourgeois society is currently undergoing a multiple crisis. Profits and private indebtedness skyrocket while wages and investments stagnate. Why don't governments loosen austerity measures and collectivize debt? Forms of solidarity economy and economic democracy are important building blocks for a transformation of the capitalist economuy, steps toward the unity of humanity…

WSWS (2020-02-17). Germany's Left Party appeals for cooperation with Christian Democrats and Free Democratic Party in Thuringia. wsws.org Although it was the target of the AfD in Thuringia, the Left Party has responded with evasions, concealing the truth, appeasement, and stretching out the hand of cooperation to the CDU and FDP.

Spartacist League (2020-02-17). In the Revolutionary Vanguard of the Civil War: Harriet Tubman, Fighter for Black Freedom. indybay.org First Congregational Church | 2501 Harrison St., Oakland…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-02-17). Grand Opening – Negro Bar State Park Trail Loop. indybay.org Negro Bar State Park | Folsom Lake Recreational Area…

Staff (2020-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2020. democracynow.org Americans Aboard Cruise Ship Repatriated as 71,000 Global Cases of Coronavirus Confirmed, 1,100+ Ex-DOJ Staff Call on Attorney General Barr to Resign, Sen. Klobuchar Can't Say Name of Mexican President, Sen. Sanders Calls Out Bloomberg on Campaign Trail, Bloomberg's Company Faced Years of Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Lawsuits, LGBT Activists of Color Call Out Pete Buttigieg for Ties to Big Money, Conservative Positions, Airstrikes Kill 31 People, Including Children, in Yemen, Intensifying Syrian Gov't Offensive Has Displaced 800,000 Civilians Since December, Airstrike Kills 8 Civilians in Afghanistan as U…

RT (2020-02-16). Desperate much? Biden takes a dig at Sanders for not distancing himself ENOUGH from 'supporters' attacking a Latino union. rt.com Hoping to bounce back from dismal early election results, former VP Joe Biden chastised Senator Bernie Sanders for not disowning supporters that harassed members of a Nevada Latino-majority union — except he did. | In an interview on NBC's Meet the Press to be aired in full on Monday, Biden unleashed a scathing attack on Sanders, who is currently riding high in the polls in Nevada, which holds the next Democratic Party contest. | Referring to instances in which supposed Sanders supporters hurled online abuse at members of the Nevada Culinary Workers Union (NCWU) after it distributed leaflets voicing conc…

William Kaufman (2020-02-16). Tulsi Gabbard: A Political Postmortem. dissidentvoice.org The all-or-nothing New Hampshire gamble of Tulsi Gabbard has come up snake eyes. As I write, with 98 percent of the vote tallied, she is in seventh place, with a meager 3.3 percent of the vote, behind Tom Steyer. It is hard to imagine any path forward for her. And, frankly, one must acknowledge that …

Staff (2020-02-16). Democrats Need to Cut the Realism and Start Dreaming — and Fighting — Big. truthout.org Even as Bernie Sanders, the most radically progressive candidate for the Democratic primary, secured early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire and the face of the moderate Democratic establishment faded toward the back, an ugly spirit of defeatism has crept into the political zeitgeist around the progressive platform. | This past week Ezra Klein wrote of what he termed "

Staff (2020-02-16). Medicare for All Would Save $450 Billion and Prevent 68,000 Deaths Every Year. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday applauded "This study confirms that Medicare for All will save the American people $450 billion on health ca…

Liliana Harrington (2020-02-16). The Company Behind the Iowa Caucus App Debacle has a Deeply Troubling Plan to Manipulate Voters. commondreams.org After Epic 'Nightmare' in Iowa, Democratic App Built by Secretive Firm Shadow Inc. Comes Under Scrutiny. Officials from the 68th caucus precinct overlook the results of the first referendum count during a caucus event on February 3, 2020 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo: Tom Brenner/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/iowa_app.jpg

The Canary (2020-02-16). White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg says he is proud of his husband. thecanary.co Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has said he is proud of his marriage and his husband. | He was addressing comments from conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh about whether voters would elect him because he's been "kissing his husband" on stage after debates. | Mr Buttigieg, the first openly gay politician to make a serious pitch for the presidency, says America should have politics that welcomes everybody. | He added: "I'm not going to be lectured on family values from the like of Rush Limbaugh, or anybody who supports Donald J. Trump as the moral as well as the political leader of the United St…

Staff (2020-02-16). US-Linked South African "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" Spread Harmful Misinformation. truthout.org A senior South African health official has today vowed action as openDemocracy Supported by US Christian campaigners who claim close links to the Trump White House, around the world these centres appear to offer pregnant women unbiased "advice…

RT (2020-02-15). With Sanders surging in the polls, Israel lobby spends big bucks to sink his chances in Nevada. rt.com After emerging as the Democratic frontrunner in wake of Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, Bernie Sanders heads to Nevada leading in polls but facing new opposition: the Israel lobby and its vast cash reserves. | Despite being pipped at…

William Hawes (2020-02-15). What "That's Not Realistic" Really Means: Bernie Sanders, Social Democracy, and Capitalist Apologetics. dissidentvoice.org When discussing politics, or listening to pundits in the mainstream media in the run up to the 2020 presidential election, you've probably heard a common refrain: certain policies are "not realistic." It's similar to the close-minded remark that certain politicians, such as Bernie Sanders, have issues regarding their "electability". What are these elites and people …

RT (2020-02-15). Hillary for VP is 'speculation'? Bloomberg campaign brushes aside, but stops short of denying, Clinton 'running mate' claim. rt.com A spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has brushed off a report he's considering taking on Hillary Clinton as a running mate without denying the rumor, and reaction on Twitter was unstoppable. | Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report claimed on Saturday that Bloomberg's campaign considers the idea of a Mike/Hillary ticket a "formidable force." Citing sources "close to" the campaign, Drudge said that Bloomberg would go as far as changing his official residence from New York to one of his properties in Colorado or Florida, "since the electoral college makes it hard for a POTUS and VPOTUS from…

RT (2020-02-15). Klobuchar flip-flops on immigration ahead of Nevada primary, says English SHOULDN'T be official language of US. rt.com Senator Amy Klobuchar said that English shouldn't be the official language of the US, ahead of next week's primary in heavily Latino-populated Nevada. However, Klobuchar sang a different tune a decade ago. | Speaking at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Friday, the three-term Minnesota senator said that she has "taken a strong position against" any legislation that would enshrine English as the US' official language. | "I think that when you look at a state like this state, and a country like ours that is so diverse, you don't want to have that provision in law," Klobuchar told the crowd. | Klobuchar's statemen…

Anis Shivani (2020-02-15). So Many More People Understand the Meaning of Neoliberalism Today, and That's a Huge Thing. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidates former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and former Vice President Joe Biden greet each other prior to the start of the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on February 07, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/buttigieg-sanders-biden-nhdebate.jpg

Staff (2020-02-15). Bloomberg Is Emerging as Corporate Media's Preferred Opposition to Sanders. truthout.org Coming out of the first two Democratic primary states, with Bernie Sanders leading in votes and Pete Buttigieg leading in delegates, who is "starting to dominate the national political debate like no one in the past five years other than President Donald Trump"? | According to NBC's Jonathan Allen (

Jamie Peck (2020-02-15). Bernie Sanders Can Beat Trump with His Liberal Vision for America. Primary Voters Know It. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) takes the stage during a primary night event on February 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie-wins-nh-2020-955px.jpg

WSWS (2020-02-15). Sanders surge in poll sparks backlash in Democratic establishment. wsws.org The growing support for a self-styled "democratic socialist" has been met by anti-communist diatribes and media smears.

Ralph Nader (2020-02-15). "Democratic Socialism" — Bring it on Corporate Socialists! commondreams.org Vice President Henry Wallace (left) with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Our government today is of, by, and for the dominant corporations. Such private power dominating our government in so many reported ways was called "fascism" in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a formal message to Congress. (Photo: Library of Congress) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/wallace_roosevelt_0.jpg

Zach D. Roberts (2020-02-15). New Hampshire 2020: This is just the beginning. nationofchange.org "This is a democracy problem. Yes, Donald Trump is a great threat to our way of life… but the reality is that he is a symptom of a larger disease."

Laura Flanders (2020-02-15). Democracy vs. Dictatorship: Don't Let Bloomberg Muddy That Choice. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks during the kickoff of his "Get it Done Express" bus tour as a protester holds up a sign reading "Billionaires Should Not Buy Elections" at the Dollarhide Community Center in Compton, California on February 3, 2020. (Photo: Frederic J. Bown / AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bloomberg_social_security_2020_0.jpg

John Nichols (2020-02-15). Trump Wants You to Ignore His Republican Challenger. thenation.com Trump Wants You to Ignore His Republican Challenger…

Staff (2020-02-14). Rep. Rashida Tlaib: Trump's "Racist" Plan Would Legalize the Theft of Palestinian Land. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. She responds to President Trump's Middle East plan, under which Israel would 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 would be allowed to remain in their homes. Tlaib says the plan was formulated with a "racist lens" that ignores Palestinian lives and aspirations. Tlaib says she wants people "to know what the human impact is of taking people's land, taking people's…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-14). Senate follows House in banning money for Trump war on Iran. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—By a bipartisan 55-45 vote on Feb. 13, the GOP-run Senate followed the Democratic-run House and barred saber-rattling Donald Trump from spending any military money to make war on Iran. Eight Republicans joined all 45 Democrats and both independents in voting against Trump and against war on Iran. One of the eight, Maine's Susan Collins, …

Andrew Levine (2020-02-14). Mayor Mike, Worse Than Mayor Pete. counterpunch.org Michael Bloomberg is essentially an old school Republican. He hates Trump, the worst American president ever, but he loved George W. Bush, the second worst president in modern times. He may honestly think that black and brown lives matter, but, as mayor of New York City, he showed, time and again, that, for him gentrification — and its concomitants, mass incarceration of young black and Latino men, and brutal "law and order" policing

RT (2020-02-14). Information wars: GOP lawmaker on quest to officially declare CNN and the Washington Post 'fake news'. rt.com In these times of political division, Americans on the far ends of the political spectrum often accuse each other of misinformation — but one GOP lawmaker wants CNN and the Washington Post to be officially declared "fake news." | Micah Van Huss, a Republican state lawmaker from Tennessee, has introduced a

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-14). Warren calls for impeachment of the Attorney General. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has become the first prominent lawmaker to demand House impeachment of GOP President Donald Trump's attorney general, William Barr, for Barr's kowtowing to Trump's demand to cut the court sentence of convicted top Trump campaign fixer and lackey Roger Stone. Together, the Trump-Barr sequence represents "a descent into …

Julie Hollar (2020-02-14). Pundits Look to Bloomberg as Their Anti-Sanders Savior. fair.org Coming out of the first two Democratic primary states, with Bernie Sanders leading in votes and Pete Buttigieg leading in delegates, who is "starting to dominate the national political debate like no one in the past five years other than President Donald Trump"? | According to NBC's Jonathan Allen (

Special to People's World (2020-02-14). Sanders says his health plan would protect culinary workers in Nevada. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday issued a statement saying his Medicare for All plan would protect the benefits workers with good union-negotiated health plans currently have. He issued the statement after Culinary Workers Union Local 226 announced it would not endorse in the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucus: "I very much appreciate the struggle …

Staff (2020-02-14). Detroit Overtaxed Residents by $600M, Causing Foreclosure Crisis. Residents Are Now Fighting Back. democracynow.org In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap. On Thursday, the Coalition for Property Tax Justice announced a class-action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County and the state of Michigan in response to unfair property tax foreclosures. One in four Detroit properties have been subject to property tax foreclosure, a level comparable only to tax foreclosure rates during the Great Depression. According to legal experts, many of the foreclosures were caused by…

Staff (2020-02-14). One Billion Rising: Eve Ensler & Taína Asili Mark V-Day and Campaign to End Sexual Violence. democracynow.org This Valentine's Day, people around the world are taking to the streets to protest violence against women and girls. From the Philippines to India to Italy to Bolivia, thousands of women in more than 100 countries will reclaim public space through dance and performance as part of a global movement called One Billion Rising. The movement takes its name from the shocking statistic that one in three women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. One Billion Rising started on Valentine's Day 2012 and has continued to grow every year since. Participants say they won't stop dancing until violence…

Staff (2020-02-14). Headlines for February 14, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Passes Resolution Limiting Trump's War Powers Authority, Attorney General William Barr Criticizes Trump's Tweets, Bloomberg Criticized for Falsely Blaming 2008 Crisis on End of Redlining, Top Wall Street Executives on Biden Guest List for Manhattan Fundraiser, Ex-Ohio State Wrestler Says Rep. Jim Jordan Begged Him to Cover Up Sexual Abuse, Last Month Was Hottest January on Record, Indigenous Anti-Pipeline Blockades Cripple Canada's Rail Transportation, Intercept: Canadian Fossil Fuel Company "Bought" Oregon Sheriff Department Unit, Judge Temporarily Blocks Microsoft-Pentagon Contract After Amazon Lawsuit,…

Fight Back (2020-02-14). Major anti-war groups join the Coalition to March on the DNC. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – As the July 13 start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) draws closer, the Coalition to March on the DNC has risen to the occasion. Since the start of the new year, the coalition has seen tremendous gains. | Between leading a 2000-person demonstration against Donald Trump when he visited Milwaukee on January 14 and butting heads with the city while trying to host a press conference to announce a lawsuit for our right to protest, traffic to the Facebook page has increased dramatically, including numerous inquiries about how people can get more involved. | Perhaps the most significant indica…

news.un (2020-02-14). Guinea-Bissau: Swearing-in of new President unlikely to bring stability, says UN representative. news.un.org Political discord in Guinea-Bissau could hamper the first-ever peaceful transfer of power to a democratically elected leader, the top UN official in the West African country told the Security Council on Friday.

Robert L. Borosage (2020-02-14). What We Already Owe to Bernie Sanders. thenation.com What We Already Owe to Bernie Sanders…

Eric Alterman (2020-02-14). The Modern GOP Is Built on Lies. thenation.com The Modern GOP Is Built on Lies…

Sasha Abramsky (2020-02-14). Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We? thenation.com Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We?

Jeet Heer (2020-02-14). How Can Warren Win? By Attacking Bloomberg. thenation.com How Can Warren Win? By Attacking Bloomberg.

Staff (2020-02-14). The Corporate Media Is Directly Profiting from Mike Bloomberg's Rise as He Spends Fortune on TV Ads. democracynow.org Billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg is rising in the polls in the wake of the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. Democracy Now! co-host Juan González speaks with us about Bloomberg's approach to campaign spending, the administration's policies during his three terms as mayor of New York City and the scores of lawsuits filed against Bloomberg and his company. "It's amazing to me that Michael Bloomberg is getting as much attention as he is," González says.

CounterSpin (2020-02-14). Jim Naureckas on Democratic Primaries, Nina Luo on Decriminalizing Sex Work. fair.org Media…

RT (2020-02-13). US Senate strikes symbolic blow against Trump by limiting war powers toward Iran with new resolution. rt.com The US Senate has passed a resolution limiting President Donald Trump's war powers in the case of Iran. The measure would only allow the president authority to strike in the case of self-defense or an imminent attack. | Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure, which was passed 55-45. The resolution fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto, meaning this resolution is more symbolic than anything. | The president made his feelings on the War Powers Resolution clear on Wednesday when he tweeted that Iran would "have a field day" if his hands "were tied" due…

Leonard C. Goodman (2020-02-13). The Iowa fiasco and the Democrats' shadowy plot to stop Bernie. mronline.org Yogi Berra, the great Yankees catcher, had the memorable line, "It's like deja vu all over again." Bernie Sanders supporters might have been thinking the same thing after the fiasco of the Iowa caucuses. |

Staff (2020-02-13). Did Amy Klobuchar Send an Innocent Teenager to Life in Prison? Questions Mount over Her Record as DA. democracynow.org After a surprising third-place finish in the New Hampshire primary, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is attempting to gain ground in the national polls. But Klobuchar is also facing mounting scrutiny over her record as a district attorney in Minnesota. The Minneapolis NAACP, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities and other racial justice groups recently called on Klobuchar to suspend her presidential campaign following a shocking investigation by the Associated Press. The AP report centered on the case of Myon Burrell, an African-American teenager who was sentenced to life in prison over the 2002 murder of 11-year-old Tye…

Staff (2020-02-13). Time's Up for Harvey Weinstein? Closing Arguments Begin in Rape Trial in NYC. democracynow.org Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday in the trial of disgraced Hollywood mogul and accused sexual predator Harvey Weinstein. The jury is expected to begin deliberating on Tuesday. Weinstein faces five felonies based on accusations by two women and, if convicted, could face up to life in prison. The trial comes more than two years after initial accusations against the film producer were published in The New Yorker and The New York Times, fueling the #MeToo movement that swept Hollywood and beyond. Since then, over 100 women have accused Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. During t…

Staff (2020-02-13). "Traumatizing from the Get-Go": Weinstein Trial Exposes Flawed Approach to Sexual Assault Cases. democracynow.org We continue our conversation about the trial of alleged sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, ahead of the scheduled start of opening arguments today. Weinstein is facing five felony charges, based on accusations brought forth by two women in the case, and, if convicted, could face up to life in prison. Last week, one of his accusers, Jessica Mann, broke down and went into an apparent panic attack during questioning from Weinstein's lawyers, forcing the judge to adjourn proceedings for the day. Mann was made to read past emails to a boyfriend, in which she disclosed she had been sexually assaulted before meeting Wein…

Staff (2020-02-13). The Wet'suwet'en Fight Against New Pipeline Spreads Across Canada with Blockades & Occupations. democracynow.org A major anti-pipeline struggle continues in Canada, where protests have broken out across the country in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en land defenders whose sovereign land in northern British Columbia was raided last week and over the weekend by Canadian police. Dozens were arrested in the days-long raid of unceded indigenous territories, where hereditary chiefs have been in a protracted battle to protect their land from the construction of TransCanada's 400-mile, $4.7 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline. The raids took place about 700 miles north of Vancouver and sparked outrage across the country. In Ontario, a Moha…

Staff (2020-02-13). Headlines for February 13, 2020. democracynow.org Attorney General William Barr to Testify Before House Judiciary Committee, Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus Skyrocket in Hubei, China, Bloomberg Would Pay Billions Less Under His Tax Plan Than Sanders', U.N. Releases List of 100 Companies Linked to Israeli-Occupied West Bank Settlements, Mexico: Outrage over Murder of 25-Year-Old Ingrid Escamilla, Former Guatemalan Presidential Candidate Sentenced to 15 Years by U.S. Court, 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill May Have Been 30% Bigger Than Thought, New York Has Highest Number of Premature Deaths from Out-of-State Air Pollution, El Paso Walmart Shooter Pleads Not Guilty…

Fight Back (2020-02-13). Duterte continues US military control of the Philippines despite VFA termination notice. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following February 11 statement By Jose Maria Sison, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant. | The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) notice of termination takes effect after 180 days. The people cannot be sure that Duterte will not change his mind within that lengthy period. Previously, Duterte postured about terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement but after a few months allowed Balikatan exercises under VFA. | In the meantime, there are other military treaties with the US: Mutual Defense Treaty, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement…

Alexander Rubinstein (2020-02-13). State-backed Alliance for Securing Democracy disinfo shop falsely smears The Grayzone as 'state-backed'. thegrayzone.com In painting critical reporting on the Iowa caucuses debacle as a Russian plot, a Western government-backed information warfare shop smeared…

Paul Kawika Martin (2020-02-13). Peace Action: Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …

Joan Walsh (2020-02-13). Democrats Should Welcome Michael Bloomberg to Their Debates—ASAP. thenation.com Democrats Should Welcome Michael Bloomberg to Their Debates—ASAP…

Democracy Now! (2020-02-13). First Nations Pipeline Protest: 14 Land Protectors Arrested as Canadian Police Raid Indigenous Camp. dissidentvoice.org In Canada, armed forces raided native Wet'suwet'en territory in British Columbia Monday, with at least 14 arrests being reported. Land defenders faced off with Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the police breached two checkpoints set up to keep pipeline workers out of protected territory. Indigenous leaders are reportedly being blocked from their territory. TransCanada Corporation …

Susan Price (2020-02-13). United States: Sanders versus the Democratic establishment. greenleft.org.au In the presidential contest between Republican George W Bush and the Democratic Party's Al Gore in 2000, confusing layouts on ballots in Florida — where Bush's younger brother Jeb was governor — resulte…

RT (2020-02-12). What about stopping endless wars? Trump urges GOP to vote down Iran war resolution because it's a partisan ploy by Democrats. rt.com US President Donald Trump says the resolution that would block him from using force against Iran is a partisan trick by Democrats, even though he campaigned on a peace platform and some of his closest allies support the proposal. | "We are doing very well with Iran and this is not the time to show weakness," Trump tweeted on Wednesday, adding that Tehran would "have a field day" if his hands were tied. | "The Democrats are only doing this as an attempt to embarrass the Republican Party. Don't let it happen!" he urged the GOP majority. ….If my hands were tied, Iran would have a field day. Sends a very bad s…

Staff (2020-02-12). Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire Primary with Key Support from Youth Voters. democracynow.org Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has won the New Hampshire primary a week after he won the popular vote in Iowa. As of Wednesday morning, with 89% of precincts reporting, Sanders has 25.8% of the vote, narrowly beating former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is at 24.4%. Senator Amy Klobuchar placed third with nearly 20% of the vote. Both Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden received under 10% of the vote, after seeing their support plummet in recent weeks and months. At a celebration in Manchester, Bernie Sanders said his victory in New Hampshire is the beginning of the end for Donal…

Staff (2020-02-12). Feminist Scholar Barbara Smith on Identity Politics & Why She Supports Bernie Sanders for President. democracynow.org We speak with the legendary African-American feminist scholar Barbara Smith. She is a founder of the Combahee River Collective and of Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press. Barbara Smith recently wrote a column in The Guardian newspaper titled "I helped coin the term 'identity politics'. I'm endorsing Bernie Sanders." Her latest book is "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: Forty Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith."

RT (2020-02-12). Iowa Democratic Party chair RESIGNS over caucus disaster. rt.com The Iowa caucuses fiasco has cost the state's Democratic Party chair Troy Price his job, as the final results are still unavailable due to recanvass and recount bids by frustrated candidates. | "While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion, I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward, and my presence in my current role makes that more difficult," Price wrote on Wednesday to the state party's Central Committee. | Troy Price will resign as the chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. This is his letter of resignation sent to the state central…

Staff (2020-02-12). South Bend Politician: I Worked with Pete Buttigieg. He Did Not Respect Black Residents' Struggles. democracynow.org 2020 presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg has surprised many with his strong showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, two of the country's whitest states. But as the race moves on to South Carolina and Nevada, Buttigieg continues to poll extremely low with African-American voters. His own former constituents are condemning his treatment of the black community in South Bend during his time as mayor, calling out systemic racism in the police force. During Buttigieg's tenure, black residents were 4.3 times more likely to be arrested for possessing marijuana than white people. We…

Staff (2020-02-12). Meet the Journalist Who Exposed Bloomberg's Racist Defense of Targeting Black & Brown Youth. democracynow.org "#BloombergIsRacist." That's the hashtag that's trending on Twitter since audio of remarks made by 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg surfaced earlier this week. In the clip from the 2015 Aspen Institute, Bloomberg is heard defending the New York City Police Department's controversial "stop-and-frisk" policies, saying, "Ninety-five percent of your murders and murderers and murdered victims fit one MO. You can just take the description, xerox it and pass it out to all the cops." He continues, "They are male minorities, 15 to 25. That's true in New York. It's true…

Alan Macleod (2020-02-12). New Hampshire Primaries Paint a Picture of Modern Day Class War in America. mintpressnews.com While the primary totals for Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg were relatively close, their support came from radically different segments of the population.

Staff (2020-02-12). Headlines for February 12, 2020. democracynow.org Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire Primary, Andrew Yang and Michael Bennet Drop Out of Presidential Race, Federal Prosecutors Quit Roger Stone Case Amid Fight with DOJ Officials, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Rejects Trump's Middle East Plan in U.N. Speech, Trump Conditionally Approves Peace Deal with the Taliban, WHO Warns Coronavirus Poses "Grave Threat" to World, Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó Heckled and Protested Upon Return to Venezuela, Report: 40% of Guatemalan, Honduran & Salvadoran Migrants Fled After Relatives Killed, WSJ: ICE & CPB Use Cellphone Location Data from Games, Apps to Arrest Immigrants,…

Neema Singh Guliani (2020-02-12). Deadline Looming, Strongest Surveillance Reform Bill Yet Emerges. aclu.org Congress has just five weeks to decide the fate of key foreign | intelligence surveillance powers — forcing a showdown between surveillance | reformers and defenders. And now, a group of Republicans and Democrats have | unveiled the strongest comprehensive reform proposal that we have seen | yet. | The Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act of 2020, introduced by a

news.un (2020-02-12). DR Congo Ebola outbreak still an international public health concern. news.un.org The Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains an international public health concern, experts meeting in Geneva concluded on Wednesday.

Staff (2020-02-11). Molly Crabapple: Bloomberg Is a Billionaire Republican Who Terrorized Black & Brown Youth. democracynow.org Polls open Tuesday in New Hampshire for the first primary of the 2020 presidential cycle. The Democratic candidates have been criss-crossing the state in the days leading up to the vote, which has even more significance this year following the muddled results of the Iowa caucuses. We continue our conversation with Arnie Arnesen, a longtime radio and TV host in New Hampshire and a former New Hampshire legislator; Norman Solomon, co-founder and national coordinator of RootsAction.org, which is supporting Bernie Sanders; and we are joined in New York by Molly Crabapple, an artist, writer and activist who recently pu…

Julie Hollar (2020-02-11). ABC Asking for Attacks Was a Lazy Way to Run a Debate. fair.org You knew it was going to be a long night when ABC's After asking Joe Biden about the "risks" of nominating Bernie Sanders (or Pete Buttigieg)—setting Biden up to…

Staff (2020-02-11). Despite Corporate Media's "War on Bernie," Sanders Rides Wave of Support into New Hampshire Primary. democracynow.org Polls have opened in New Hampshire for the first primary of the election season. The vote comes eight days after the still-disputed Iowa caucuses, where both Senator Bernie Sanders and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg claimed victory. Both candidates have asked for a partial recanvass of the results. We speak with Arnie Arnesen, a longtime radio and TV host in New Hampshire and a former New Hampshire legislator, and Norman Solomon, co-founder and national coordinator of RootsAction.org, which is supporting Bernie Sanders.

Staff (2020-02-11). Who Can Beat Trump? After Iowa Caucus Debacle, Stakes Increase for New Hampshire Primary. democracynow.org As voters head to the polls in New Hampshire for the nation's first presidential primary, we speak with Arnie Arnesen, a longtime radio and TV host in New Hampshire and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

Staff (2020-02-11). A Victory for Vulture Funds: Puerto Rico's Unelected Financial Control Board Strikes Debt Deal. democracynow.org Puerto Rico's financial control board has struck a deal with bondholders to shed about $24 billion from its general obligation debt. The deal announced Sunday will cut the island's outstanding general obligation debt from $35 billion to about $11 billion; however, the island would have to pay about $3.8 billion upfront. The agreement will still need to be approved by Puerto Rico's Legislature. Puerto Rico's financial control board filed for bankruptcy in 2017 to attempt to restructure $129 billion in debt. The board, which is often referred to as "La Junta," is an unelected board that runs much of Puerto Rico's e…

Staff (2020-02-11). Trump's New Budget Funds Endless War & Nuclear Weapons While Slashing Aid to Poor & Hungry Americans. democracynow.org President Trump unveiled his 2021 budget request Monday, proposing massive cuts to Medicaid and food stamps while increasing spending on the military and his border wall. The $4.8 trillion budget would slash Environmental Protection Agency spending by more than a quarter while allocating $18 billion for Trump's newly established Space Force. Trump is also requesting billions more for nuclear weapons, including a new submarine-launched nuclear warhead. Experts and Democratic lawmakers warn that increasing the nuclear stockpile will increase the likelihood of nuclear war and defy international agreements. Democrats…

Staff (2020-02-11). Headlines for February 11, 2020. democracynow.org New Hampshire Voters Head to Polls for First Primary of 2020, Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 1,000, with Over 42,000 Confirmed Cases, Chuck Schumer Calls for Investigation into Trump's Retaliation-Motivated Firings, DOJ Reviewing Ukraine Info from Giuliani, DOJ Charges 4 Chinese Military Hackers in 2017 Equifax Breach, El Salvador President Bukele and Armed Officers Confront Lawmakers over Military Funding, Fears Mount for 5 Activists Detained in Philippines, Sinn Féin Scores Major Victory in Ireland, Syrian and Turkish Forces Step Up Attacks as 100,000s Face Humanitarian Disaster, Massive Locust Swarms Threaten Cro…

Staff (2020-02-10). Headlines for February 10, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Deaths Soar as First U.S. Citizen Succumbs to Disease, Iowa Dem. Party Officially Gives Buttigieg the Lead as Candidates Prepare for New Hampshire Vote, Trump Budget Seeks Boost to Military and Nuclear Spending, Cuts to Social Programs and EPA, Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan, Trump Fires Key Impeachment Figures Following Acquittal, Thai Soldier Kills 29 People in Shooting Rampage, Brazilian Police Kill Hitman Suspected of Involvement in Marielle Franco's Assassination, Temperature Reaches Record-Breaking 65 Degrees in Antarctica, Extinction Rebellion Activists Demand New York Divest from Foss…

Staff (2020-02-10). "Our Very Existence Is the Resistance": An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar. democracynow.org On Friday, Democracy Now! co-host Nermeen Shaikh sat down for a rare joint interview with the Squad, the group of four freshmen Democratic congresswomen who have taken Capitol Hill by storm: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Omar and Tlaib are the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Omar is a former refugee from Somalia, and Tlaib is the first female Palestinian-American member of Congress. Ayanna Pressley is the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts. Ocasio-Cortez was just 29 years old w…

Bernie Sanders (2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…