Bernie Sanders and the Revenge of the Superdelegates
David Schultz | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-19
Unless Bernie Sanders wins enough delegates to capture the Democratic Party nomination on the first ballot, he is not going to be the nominee. The reason will be that the superdelegates–those same people who were his wrath in 2016–will come back to deny him the nomination. The Democratic Party's superdelegates were a reaction to the…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/19/bernie-sanders-and-the-revenge-of-the-superdelegates/

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Corporate Democrats and corporate media on the attack…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830739.php

Latinx Group Mijente Backs Bernie Sanders in First-Ever Presidential Endorsement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-19
In its first-ever presidential endorsement, the Latinx and Chicanx organization Mijente endorsed Bernie Sanders on Tuesday ahead of the Nevada caucuses. The group tweeted its decision, saying, "We know that in 2020, Trump's potential re-election is a life-or-death threat for us, for our people, and for our planet. This moment demands a historic mobilization. That's why Mijente is uniting with the movement to elect @BernieSanders." A video accompanied the announcement. After the contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, where the electorate is overwhelmingly white, Nevada is the first election with a diverse population.
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/19/latinx_groups_back_bernie_sanders

Yale Study Says Medicare for All Would Save U.S. $450 Billion, Prevent Nearly 70,000 Deaths a Year
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-19
As the Democratic presidential hopefuls prepare to take to the debate stage tonight, we turn to a central issue of the campaign: Medicare for All. In a new study, Yale scholars have found that Medicare for All will save Americans more than $450 billion and prevent 68,000 deaths every year. The study in The Lancet

Trump Spreads Alarm About Green New Deal: "They Want to Kill Our Cows"
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
As the campaign of Bernie Sanders continues to gain (an albeit fragile) viability, along with the equally fragile yet increasingly necessary enactment of a Green New Deal, Donald Trump is inoculating his base. | "The Green New Deal … would crush our farms, destroy our wonderful cows," President Donald Trump told a gat…
truthout.org/articles/trump-spreads-alarm-about-green-new-deal-they-want-to-kill-our-cows/

Michael Bloomberg Is Trying To take Down Bernie Sanders, Not Trump
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-19
Michael Bloomberg's campaign has called on the other "moderate" candidates, such as Amy Klobuchar, Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, to step down and unite behind him as the only force that can stop Bernie Sanders, who, he warns, will soon have an insurmountable lead in delegates.
mintpressnews.com/michael-bloomberg-trying-take-bernie-sanders-not-trump/265026/

Elites Underestimate the Power of the People
Cornel West | zcomm.org | 2020-02-19
Interview on Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/elites-underestimate-the-power-of-the-people/

Bernie Sanders' Campaign to Request Recount of Iowa Caucuses
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-19
The plans come after the results of a recanvass by state party officials show the Vermont senator and Pete Buttigieg in an effective tie.
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-campaign-to-request-recount-of-iowa-caucuses/

Bernie Sanders in Las Vegas: Being free, being high and eminent domain
Tomasz Konicz | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
The proclamation of a national climate emergency, the ban on oil and gas exports, the import of cheap medicines from Canada, the nationwide legalization of marijuana or the immediate halt to all construction work on Trump's border wall are to be implemented by means of the so-called "Executive Order."
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/19/18830824.php

Danny Glover & Bernie Sanders In Richmond Call For Working Class Power In Elections
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Actor and SAG member Danny Glover spoke and introduced Bernie Sanders at a Richmond rally of over 6,000 people on Washington's Birthday on 2/17/20.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830765.php

Klobuchar Is in Fourth Place, and Her Policies Are Shockingly Conservative
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Following the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is in fourth place in delegates. She trails Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg but is ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden. Reporting showed that at least some voters were moved by her New Hampshire debate performance where she confronted Buttigieg for criticizing those doing the work in Washington. But Klobuchar will likely have a difficult time rallying support from voters…
truthout.org/articles/klobuchar-is-in-fourth-place-and-her-policies-are-shockingly-conservative/

Working Class Voices At Sanders Rally In Richmond: Workers Fed Up with 1% & Corruption
Pacifica | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Workers, unionists and youth spoke out at the Bernie Sanders rally in Richmond, California on 2/17/20.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830769.php

Sanders Calls Trump's Clemency for Corrupt Officials Proof of a Broken System
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Sen. Bernie Sanders said late Tuesday that President Donald Trump's decision to grant clemency to several prominent white-collar criminals

Bernie Sanders' Campaign to Request Recount of Iowa Caucuses
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-19
The plans come after the results of a recanvass by state party officials show the Vermont senator and Pete Buttigieg in an effective tie.
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-campaign-to-request-recount-of-iowa-caucuses/

Julian Assange Must be Freed, Not Betrayed
John Pilger | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-must-freed-not-betrayed/5704099

U-turn: Ex-Democratic candidate Andrew Yang joins CNN as political commentator
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Fresh from abandoning his dreams of presidential glory, entrepreneur and failed presidential hopeful Andrew Yang has lowered his sights to the corridors of CNN's newsrooms instead, joining the network as a political commentator. | Yang announced he was ending his long-shot campaign following last week's New Hampshire primary in which he finished in eighth place. "I am not someone who wants to accept donations and support in a race that we will not win," he said graciously. | It wasn't long, however, before Yang had found another route to political stardom: a cushy commentator job with CNN. | I'm excited to joi…
rt.com/usa/481236-andrew-yang-joins-cnn/

Nevada Culinary Workers Union Member: I Would Trade My Union Healthcare for Medicare for All
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-19
The third presidential contest of the primary season takes place Saturday in Nevada. One of the state's most coveted endorsements is from the Culinary Workers Union, which represents some 60,000 workers in the restaurant and hospitality industries in Las Vegas and Reno. Its membership is 54% Latinx. But last week they decided not to endorse any of the candidates. Nevada is a "right to work" state, and the Culinary Workers Union has attracted members by offering them healthcare. It has said it supports "choices" in healthcare. The mobilization of service employees could be critical to winning the Nevada caucuses.
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/19/nevada_caucus_healthcare_culinary_union

Russia Is A Progressive Democracy, America Is A Fascist Plutocracy
BLUES | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Too bad I have to live in this hell with all the money going for defective military junk, Billionaires running for Dictator, poop and needles are all over the sidewalks, empty store shelves are coming due to covid-19 in the country that makes all our necessities, etc, and so on.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/18/18830805.php

'Corporate Media Are Not Observers of the Electoral Process; They Are Participants' – CounterSpin interview with Jim Naureckas on Democratic primaries
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2020-02-19
Janine Jackson interviewed FAIR's Jim Naureckas about the Democratic primaries for the February 14, 2020, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. Janine Jackson: From debates that encouraged sparring over substance, to evidence-free declarations about electability or momentum, to the insistence–bordering on gaslighting–of the fringiness of ideas that in fact enjoy broad …
fair.org/home/corporate-media-are-not-observers-of-the-electoral-process-they-are-participants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=corporate-media-are-not-observers-of-the-electoral-process-they-are-participants

Democracy in Focus: Follow the dark money
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-02-19
Greater Britain, as we might call it, has over the past 70 years transformed itself from the largest-ever land empire to a sprawling financial one: a network of tax havens and money laundries stashing cash for the world's oligarchs, mafiosi, gangsters and hedge funds. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/19/democracy-in-focus-follow-the-dark-money/

'Impeached president says what?' Bloomberg hits back at Trump 'Mini Mike the pathetic debater' jibe
rt.com | 2020-02-19
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at billionaire Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg (again), this time calling him a "pathetic debater" with no respect for American farmers. Bloomberg hit back with some snark of his own. | Tweeting on Wednesday, Trump asked whether the "corrupt" Bloomberg News channel would admit that its owner "Mini Mike" was a pathetic debater. The tweet came ahead of the upcoming Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas

Sanders' surge in the polls triggers new provocations by media, Democratic establishment
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
There are growing concerns within the party apparatus and much of the corporate elite that wins for Sanders in Nevada and South Carolina could make his nomination unstoppable.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/dems-f19.html

'Impeached president says what?' Bloomberg hits back at Trump 'Mini Mike the pathetic debater' jibe
rt.com | 2020-02-19
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at billionaire Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg (again), this time calling him a "pathetic debater" with no respect for American farmers. Bloomberg hit back with some snark of his own. | Tweeting on Wednesday, Trump asked whether the "corrupt" Bloomberg News channel would admit that its owner "Mini Mike" was a pathetic debater. The tweet came ahead of the upcoming Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas

Nevada: Democratic primary intensifies the debate over class divisions in America
Eric A. Gordon | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-19
In the lead-up to the statewide Democratic primary caucus on Saturday, Feb. 22, Nevada's early voters on Feb. 15, the first day, turned out in record numbers–more than 18,500 Democrats, almost twice the turnout on the first day of advance caucusing in 2016. Enthusiasm over this election is mounting, and the eyes of the nation …
peoplesworld.org/article/nevada-democratic-primary-intensifies-the-debate-over-class-divisions-in-america/

Sanders fails to get endorsement from Chicago Teachers Union
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
The CTU leaders are cultivating ever-closer ties to the Democratic Party political establishment, which is campaigning to defeat a Sanders nomination.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/chgo-f19.html

Bloomberg Gains in Primaries, But His History With Unions May Be a Roadblock
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
We continue our conversation with Marcie Wells, activist and waitress who is a member of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Nevada, and Hamilton Nolan, labor reporter with In These Times. Nolan says 2020 had been "the most promising election year for organized labor in a long time," with Democratic candidates releasing platforms with strong labor protections. But Michael Bloomberg's entry into the race threatens to upend the Democratic Party's pro-worker shift. The billionaire former mayor o…
truthout.org/video/bloomberg-gains-in-primaries-but-his-history-with-unions-may-be-a-roadblock/

Mysterious 'PUTIN' group unleashes flock of MAGA-hatted pigeons in Las Vegas to protest Dem debate
rt.com | 2020-02-19
A flock of pigeons wearing tiny red baseball caps – and one wearing a Trump wig – have been released by a self-styled "underground radical group" in Las Vegas to protest the Democratic debate and support Trump. | The birds were unleashed on Tuesday evening in downtown Las Vegas to protest "the arrival of the 2020 Democratic debate" the following day, the group, which calls itself Pigeons United to Interfere Now (PUTIN, what else?), said in a statement to local media. The stunt also served "as a gesture of support and loyalty to President Trump," who is holding a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday. The group claims…
rt.com/usa/481240-pigeons-protest-democratic-debate-trump/

If Bloomberg wants to buy an election, he should run as a Republican against Trump–not sabotage Democrats
Robert W. McChesney | mronline.org | 2020-02-19
The mega-billionaire should be running against Trump in the Republican primaries, not as a Democrat. If he actually cared about this country more than stroking his massive ego that is exactly what he would be doing. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/19/if-bloomberg-wants-to-buy-an-election-he-should-run-as-a-republican-against-trump-not-sabotage-democrats/

Tonight's Debate in Nevada Is the Most Consequential Moment of the 2020 Race
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Thanks to the location of tonight's Democratic debate, we are all doomed to a common fate: the cringeworthy moment of hearing a pundit proclaim, "One thing's for sure: What happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas." We will inevitably hear about candidates "putting all their chips on the table," and of candidates "going all in." For journalists in search of an easy metaphor, this is low-hanging fruit, and it will be inescapable. You have been warned. | Now that we have that unpleasantness out of t…
truthout.org/articles/tonights-debate-in-nevada-is-the-most-consequential-moment-of-the-2020-race/

Sanders fails to get endorsement from Chicago Teachers Union
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
The CTU leaders are cultivating ever-closer ties to the Democratic Party political establishment, which is campaigning to defeat a Sanders nomination.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/chgo-f19.html

Sanders' surge in the polls triggers new provocations by media, Democratic establishment
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
There are growing concerns within the party apparatus and much of the corporate elite that wins for Sanders in Nevada and South Carolina could make his nomination unstoppable.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/dems-f19.html

If Bloomberg Wants to Buy an Election, He Should Run as a Republican
Robert McChesney | zcomm.org | 2020-02-19
The mega-billionaire should be running against Trump in the Republican primaries, not as a Democrat. If he actually cared about this country more than stroking his massive ego that is exactly what he would be doing…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/if-bloomberg-wants-to-buy-an-election-he-should-run-as-a-republican/

Bloomberg Gains in Democratic Primaries, But Has History of Hostility to Unions Key to Voter Turnout
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-19
We continue our conversation with Marcie Wells, activist and waitress who is a member of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Nevada, and Hamilton Nolan, labor reporter with In These Times. Nolan says 2020 had been "the most promising election year for organized labor in a long time," with Democratic candidates releasing platforms with strong labor protections. But Michael Bloomberg's entry into the race threatens to upend the Democratic Party's pro-worker shift. The billionaire former mayor of New York has a long track record of hostility toward organized labor, particularly teachers' unions, whom he has comp…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/19/hamilton_nolan_michael_bloomberg_organized_labor

How Corporations Are Forcing Their Way Into America's Public Schools
Jeff Bryant | zcomm.org | 2020-02-19
In the expanding effort to privatize the nation's public education system, an ominous, less-understood strain of the movement is the corporate influence in Career and Technical Education (CTE) that is shaping the K-12 curriculum in local communities…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/how-corporations-are-forcing-their-way-into-americas-public-schools/

CNN reporter triggered by Fox interviewing InfoWars' 'Gun Girl' quickly reminded of own network's history with racists & criminals
rt.com | 2020-02-19
In a case of pot calling the kettle black, Oliver Darcy fumed at Fox News describing Kaitlin Bennet as a "gun rights activist" after her tumultuous visit to a college campus. Twitter was quick to remind him of CNN's own sins. | …
rt.com/usa/481244-cnn-fox-kaitlin-bennett-ohio/

Renovation and Preservation at Negro Bar California State Park
Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Negro Bar California State Park | Folsom Lake Recreational Area | Leidesdorff Adobe Home Site | Folsom, CA…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/18/18830775.php

2021 World Ag Expo – Expanding CA Pan African Trade
Khubaka, Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Throughout the 2020 World Ag Expo, in the cities of Visalia, Tulare and Three Rivers the notion of expanding Pan African Trade embraced with open arms. It is time.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830744.php

Cuba: Programa de la Agricultura Urbana, Suburbana y Familiar
Granma | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-19
SEGUNDO FRENTE, Cuba–Una placa en reconocimiento a la atención brindada al Programa de la Agricultura Urbana, Suburbana y Familiar desde su creación, le fue conferida al General de Ejército Raúl Castro Ruz, en cuyo nombre la recibió el Primer Ministro cubano, Manuel Marrero Cruz, durante el balance nacional del movimiento efectuado en este municipio santiaguero. …
peoplesworld.org/article/cuba-programa-de-la-agricultura-urbana-suburbana-y-familiar/

Live Chat: Watch the 9th Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'
The Nation | thenation.com | 2020-02-19
Live Chat: Watch the 9th Democratic Debate With 'The Nation'…
thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-debate-nevada/

The Future of Democratic Socialism Starts Here
Alan Maass | thenation.com | 2020-02-19
The Future of Democratic Socialism Starts Here…
thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-socialists-ydsa-conference/

The Future of Democratic Socialism Starts Here
Alan Maass | thenation.com | 2020-02-19
The Future of Democratic Socialism Starts Here…
thenation.com/article/politics/the-future-of-democratic-socialism-starts-here/

Bloomberg Is Creating a Party of One
Jeet Heer | thenation.com | 2020-02-19
Bloomberg Is Creating a Party of One…
thenation.com/article/politics/bloomberg-democratic-nomination-buy/

Sanders or Warren: Time to Choose?
The Nation | thenation.com | 2020-02-19
Sanders or Warren: Time to Choose?
thenation.com/article/politics/sanders-warren-presidential-debate/

Sanders and AOC's Fracking Ban Angers Centrists and Their Fossil Fuel Backers
Mike Ludwig | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
Source: Truthout Photo by J. Bicking/Shutterstock.com House Democrats have finally unveiled a flurry of climate bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but activists say only one proposal represents the "gold standard" for tackling the climate crisis: Legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that would ban fracking nationwide. While none of Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/sanders-and-aocs-fracking-ban-angers-centrists-and-their-fossil-fuel-backers/

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
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

Bernie Sanders Gains Endorsement From Latinx Group as Nevada Caucus Nears
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Progressive Latinx group Mijente on Tuesday announced its first ever presidential endorsement, for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, just days before Nevadans caucus in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary on Saturday. | "Something that's very appealing to people is his consistency and the concept of palabra," Mijente's director and cofounder Marisa Franco told Politico. "And what that me…
truthout.org/articles/bernie-sanders-becomes-latinx-group-mijentes-first-presidential-endorsement/

Factchecking NPR's Attempted Takedown of Bernie Sanders
Robin Andersen | fair.org | 2020-02-18
by Robin Andersen | The Iowa caucuses officially began the Democratic primary, and even in this ongoing, extended battle for the White House, Iowa remains an important marker for candidates and the media. A close look at a piece by two of NPR's leading political reporters, which aired just before the caucuses, provides a view of how journalists speak with authority on issues they seem to know very little about. The conversation between Mary Louise Kelly and her partner Mara Liasson, headlined "Where Iowa Falls in the Big Picture of the 2020 Election" (All Thing…
fair.org/home/factchecking-nprs-attempted-takedown-of-bernie-sanders/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=factchecking-nprs-attempted-takedown-of-bernie-sanders

Nevada Is a Big Test for Bernie Sanders's Medicare for All Plan
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Medicare for All faces a big test in Nevada's Democratic caucus, where front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are pitching competing health care plans in a last-minute effort to curry favor among voters as early voting comes to a close today. | Sanders has pledged to quickly push for a national health care system that covers everyone if elected president, while Biden wants to expand the Affordable Care Act with an option to buy government insurance that would compete with priv…
truthout.org/articles/nevada-is-a-big-test-for-bernie-sanderss-medicare-for-all-plan/

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
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

Politico reporter mercilessly mocked for tweeting that traffic jams at busy Bernie Sanders rally 'not a good look'
rt.com | 2020-02-18
US media has often been accused of playing down the popularity of Bernie Sanders

Walmart Workers Demand Fair Pay And Hours At Protest In NY
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Walmart workers staged a strike Tuesday demanding better wages, reliable and stable working hours, outside the building where Alice Walton, the heiress to the retailer's US$500 billion fortune, resides in New York. | RELATED: | Bernie Sanders Slams Walmart Over 'Starvation Wages' at Firm's Shareholder Event‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | The prote…
telesurenglish.net/news/walmart-workers-demand-fair-pay-and-hours-at-protest-in-ny-20200218-0030.html

Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed | John Pilger
John Pilger | thecanary.co | 2020-02-18
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/02/18/julian-assange-must-be-freed-not-betrayed-says-john-pilger/

'Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed', says John Pilger
John Pilger | thecanary.co | 2020-02-18
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/02/18/julian-assange-must-be-freed-not-betrayed-says-john-pilger/

"Worth the Price?" New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for U.S. to Invade Iraq
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War

Trump's Budget: More Warfare, Slightly Less Welfare
Rep. Ron Paul | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Listening to the howls from Democrats and the applause from Republicans, one would think President Trump's proposed fiscal year 2021 budget is a radical assault on the welfare state. The truth is the budget contains some minor spending cuts, most …
globalresearch.ca/trumps-budget-more-warfare-slightly-less-welfare/5703985

We Shouldn't Have to Beg Mark Zuckerberg to Respect Democracy
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Last month George Soros had a New York Times column arguing that Mark Zuckerberg should not be running Facebook. (Does the NYT reserve space on its opinion page for billionaires?) The gist of Soros' piece is that Zuckerberg has made a deal with Trump. He will allow all manner of outrageous lies to be spread…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/we-shouldnt-have-to-beg-mark-zuckerberg-to-respect-democracy/

The Day Democracy Died
The Founding Fathers | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
Some of the Founders and Framers of the Constitution did more than turn over in their graves… they actually resurfaced to sing "The Day Democracy Died."
zcomm.org/zvideo/1029329/

Ambra Gutierrez Recorded Harvey Weinstein Admitting Sexual Assault in 2015. Why Wasn't He Charged?
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
Irin Carmon is a senior correspondent for New York magazine who has followed the allegations against Harvey Weinstein. She just published her new profile on Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, a Filipina-Italian model who reported Weinstein to the New York Police Department in 2015 for allegedly groping her during a meeting at his Tribeca office. At the urging of police, she wore a recording device for an arranged meetup at a Manhattan hotel and got Weinstein to admit on tape that he groped her and sought unsuccessfully to get her to come to his room. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance decided not to pursue the case…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/18/harvey_weinstein_trial_new_york

Social Movements Reject Almagro's Presence in Panama
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The presence of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, in Panama, unleashed a wave of protests in country's social movements on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Almagro Against Venezuela Dialogue, in Favor of Use of Force | Almagro, who traveled to Panama at the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to receive an award for his "valuable contributions" to democracy in Latin America, was received by the Social Movements in Panama City…
telesurenglish.net/news/panama-social-movements-reject-almagros-presence-in-the-country-20200218-0014.html

In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference
John Bachtell | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …
peoplesworld.org/article/in-politics-a-day-or-a-week-makes-a-big-difference/

Buttigieg and Centrist Dems Want a Military Response to Climate Change. That's Dangerous
Sarah Lazare | commondreams.org | 2020-02-18
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks at a town hall event in Coralville, Iowa on Feb. 2, 2020. (Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pete.jpeg …
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/18/buttigieg-and-centrist-dems-want-military-response-climate-change-thats-dangerous?cd-origin=rss

New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for US to Invade Iraq
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War

When Your Doctor Is Also a Lobbyist: Inside the War Over Surprise Medical Bills
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
When Carol Pak-Teng, an emergency room doctor in New Jersey, hosted a fundraiser in December for Democratic freshman Rep. Tom Malinowski, her guests, mostly doctors, were pleased when she steered the conversation to surprise medical bills. | This was a chance to send a message to Washington that any surprise billing legislation should protect doctors' incomes in their battle over payments with insurers. Lawmakers are grappling over several approaches to curtail the practice, which can leave…
truthout.org/articles/when-your-doctor-is-also-a-lobbyist-inside-the-war-over-surprise-medical-bills/

Minority Abuse: A Slice of Life in Modi's India
Arshad Khan | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
It is not uncommon for colonial governments to enact sedition laws with the purpose of stifling dissent; it is, following independence, for democratic governments to be enforcing them to quell critics. It is also exactly what the Modi government and party encourages in India. And it is what landed a 26-year old mother and her…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/minority-abuse-a-slice-of-life-in-modis-india/

Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/18/irin_carmon_harvey_weinstein_trial_nyc

Pay-to-play? Bloomberg & his deep pockets qualify for Nevada debate after DNC rule change opened door to billionaire contender
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Michael Bloomberg will be allowed to participate in the upcoming Democratic primary debate in Nevada, thanks in part to a helpful rule change

The Charter School Movement Is Imploding. What Comes Next May Be Worse
Jeff Bryant | commondreams.org | 2020-02-18
Stephanie Davis and her daughter, Janiyah, attend the State of the Union address on February 4, 2020 in Washington, D.C. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/davis.jpeg …
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/18/charter-school-movement-imploding-what-comes-next-may-be-worse?cd-origin=rss

Religion is a Repeating Chapter in the History of Politics
Peter Harrison | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
It is no coincidence that the story of the Garden of Eden is about the loss of 'innocence'

Religion is a Repeating Chapter in the History of Politics
Peter Harrison | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
It is no coincidence that the story of the Garden of Eden is about the loss of 'innocence'

WORTH THE PRICE? Joe Biden and the Launch of the Iraq War
CP Editor | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/worth-the-price-joe-biden-and-the-launch-of-the-iraq-war/

More Than 1,200 IBEW Members Call on Union Leadership to Retract Biden Endorsement
Hamilton Nolan | commondreams.org | 2020-02-18
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction and Maintenance conference on April 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/biden_ibew_850_545.jpeg …
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/18/more-1200-ibew-members-call-union-leadership-retract-biden-endorsement?cd-origin=rss

RNC 2020 and the symbols of history: Crowns, Hornets, and Boiler Plugs
Lorri Nandrea | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
This August, the Republican National Convention will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the only city that offered to host it. After submitting their bid, the Charlotte City Council tried to retract it, but were cowed by the threat of being sued for breach of contract. So, the Republicans have somewhere to go. Charlotte was …
peoplesworld.org/article/rnc-2020-and-the-symbols-of-history-crowns-hornets-and-boiler-plugs/

Impunity for Torturers Made Trump's Invulnerability Possible
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
On February 5th, the Senate voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. In other words, Trump's pre-election boast that he "could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not "lose any voters" proved something more than high-flown hyperbole. (To be fair, he did lose one Republican "voter" in the Senate

Welcome to the United States of Impunity
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-18
On February 5th, the Senate voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. In other words, Trump's pre-election boast that he "could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not "lose any voters" proved something more than high-flown hyperbole. (To be fair, he did lose one Republican "voter" in the Senate

Nevada's Culinary Union, Bernie Sanders, and Labor's Missed Opportunity
Walter Peric | thenation.com | 2020-02-18
Nevada's Culinary Union, Bernie Sanders, and Labor's Missed Opportunity…
thenation.com/article/politics/culinary-union-nevada-sanders/

Trump's Morality Police Are Obsessed With Buttigieg Kissing His Husband
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-02-18
Trump's Morality Police Are Obsessed With Buttigieg Kissing His Husband…
thenation.com/article/politics/buttigieg-sexuality-lgbtq-gorka/

The Woman Behind Elizabeth Warren's Foreign Policy
David Klion | thenation.com | 2020-02-18
The Woman Behind Elizabeth Warren's Foreign Policy…
thenation.com/article/politics/sasha-baker-elizabeth-warren-foreign-policy/

"You Tell Me You Can't Vote for Him?": Eddie Glaude Calls Out GOP Strategist for Never Bernie Hypocrisy
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-02-18
"If Donald Trump is the emergency that you say he is, and the Democratic Party puts forward Bernie Sanders, and you tell me you can't vote for him, then it seems to me that Donald Trump isn't the emergency that you say he is." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-02-18_at_1.34.11_pm.png …
commondreams.org/news/2020/02/18/you-tell-me-you-cant-vote-him-eddie-glaude-calls-out-gop-strategist-never-bernie?cd-origin=rss

John Pilger: Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed
Susan Price | greenleft.org.au | 2020-02-18
civil liberties John PilgerIssue 1254 Britain Julian Assange extraditionFebruary 18, 2020On February 22, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. | People will carry pictures of the Australi…
greenleft.org.au/content/john-pilger-julian-assange-must-be-freed-not-betrayed

'A little bit of excitement at no extra cost': Sanders quips after TOPLESS anti-dairy protesters steal show at Nevada rally
rt.com | 2020-02-17
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…
rt.com/usa/480984-sanders-naked-protest-rally-dairy/

No, YOU are Trump's buddy! Bernie and Bloomberg go at each other
rt.com | 2020-02-17
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…
rt.com/usa/481058-bernie-bros-bloomberg-trump/

Wrong kind of 'energy'? Bloomberg takes on the 'Bernie Bros'… using Hillary Clinton-style tactics
rt.com | 2020-02-17
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…
rt.com/usa/481043-bernie-bros-mike-bloomberg/

"They Have Not Relented": U.S. Maintains Support for Yemen War as Saudi Airstrike Kills 31 Civilians
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-17
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/17/us_backed_saudi_airstrikes_yemen_war

Mistrial in Trump admin's biased case against Venezuelan embassy protectors is win for sovereignty
Leonardo Flores | mronline.org | 2020-02-17
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. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/17/mistrial-in-trump-admins-biased-case-against-venezuelan-embassy-protectors-is-win-for-sovereignty/

How Billionaire Michael Bloomberg's Deep Pockets Have Let Him Win Friends and Buy Influence
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-17
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

Repeat of Iowa caucus looms in Nevada as problems are illuminated (& ignored)
rt.com | 2020-02-17
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

How Bloomberg-Funded Center for American Progress Censored a Report on NYPD Surveillance of Muslims
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-17
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

Tulsi Gabbard: A Political Postmortem
William Kaufman | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-16
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 …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/tulsi-gabbard-a-political-postmortem/

Desperate much? Biden takes a dig at Sanders for not distancing himself ENOUGH from 'supporters' attacking a Latino union
rt.com | 2020-02-16
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

What "That's Not Realistic" Really Means: Bernie Sanders, Social Democracy, and Capitalist Apologetics
William Hawes | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-15
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 …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/what-thats-not-realistic-really-means-bernie-sanders-social-democracy-and-capitalist-apologetics/

With Sanders surging in the polls, Israel lobby spends big bucks to sink his chances in Nevada
rt.com | 2020-02-15
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…
rt.com/usa/480942-bernie-sanders-nevada-dmfi-aipac/

Hillary for VP is 'speculation'? Bloomberg campaign brushes aside, but stops short of denying, Clinton 'running mate' claim
rt.com | 2020-02-15
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.com/usa/480941-bloomberg-hillary-running-mate-report/

Klobuchar flip-flops on immigration ahead of Nevada primary, says English SHOULDN'T be official language of US
rt.com | 2020-02-15
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…
rt.com/usa/480945-klobuchar-english-official-language/

Pundits Look to Bloomberg as Their Anti-Sanders Savior
Julie Hollar | fair.org | 2020-02-14
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 ( 2/12/20), that's former New York City mayor, erstwhile Republican, and billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who has won no national delegates and is cur…
fair.org/home/pundits-look-to-bloomberg-as-their-anti-sanders-savior/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pundits-look-to-bloomberg-as-their-anti-sanders-savior

For Media in New Hampshire, Losing Is Winning and Winning Is Losing
Alan MacLeod | fair.org | 2020-02-14
The results from the New Hampshire primary are in– mercifully quickly–showing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders victorious with 26% of the vote, ahead of former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg with 24%. However, it was third place Amy Klobuchar, with 20%, who seemed to draw the greatest media buzz. The Minnesota senator has received a lot of press attention of late–almost all of it positive. | Why losing is actually winning: Vox's Matthe…
fair.org/home/for-media-in-new-hampshire-losing-is-winning-and-winning-is-losing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=for-media-in-new-hampshire-losing-is-winning-and-winning-is-losing

Guinea-Bissau: Swearing-in of new President unlikely to bring stability, says UN representative
news.un.org | 2020-02-14
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.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/02/1057441

Senate follows House in banning money for Trump war on Iran
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-14
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, …
peoplesworld.org/article/senate-follows-house-in-banning-money-for-trump-war-on-iran/

Major anti-war groups join the Coalition to March on the DNC
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-14
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…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/13/major-anti-war-groups-join-coalition-march-dnc

One Billion Rising: Eve Ensler & Taína Asili Mark V-Day and Campaign to End Sexual Violence
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-14
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/14/v_day_one_billion_rising

Warren calls for impeachment of the Attorney General
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-14
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 …
peoplesworld.org/article/elizabeth-warren-calls-for-impeachment-of-attorney-general-william-barr/