2020-03-31: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-31). Values and virus: European Commission tells EU states emergency coronavirus laws 'cannot flout democracy'. rt.com The European Union's executive warned member states on Tuesday that emergency measures adopted to fight the coronavirus crisis cannot undercut democracy. | "It is of utmost importance that emergency measures are not at the expense of our fundamental principles and values," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. "Democracy cannot work without free and independent media." | Any emergency measures "must be limited to what is necessary and strictly proportionate," she said, adding that "they must not last indefinitely." | Governments must make sure that such measures are subject to…

RT (2020-03-31). Coup plan B! US tells Guaido he may renounce his Venezuela 'presidency' claim — but they'll still support him. rt.com The US State Department magnanimously agreed that opposition politician Juan Guaido may not actually be president of Venezuela, but insisted he still has to be part of a transition government if Caracas wants sanctions relief. | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put forth a "democratic transition framework" on Tuesday, under which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro would set up a power-sharing interim government with Guaido, that would arrange for elections in six months to a year. | According to Pompeo, the proposal "protects the interests and equities of all Venezuelan people who desperately seek a resolution…

Staff (2020-03-31). Dr. Abdul El-Sayed: Communities Enduring Racism & Poverty Will Suffer Most Due to COVID-19. democracynow.org As the number of coronavirus deaths in the United States tops 3,100, states are demanding ventilators and medical supplies. Michigan is a growing hot spot and struggling to prepare for a surge in cases, but President Trump has repeatedly attacked Michigan's governor, calling her "that woman." We speak with the former director of the Detroit Health Department, Abdul El-Sayed. He's a physician and epidemiologist, and his new book is just out today, "Healing Politics: A Doctor's Journey into the Heart of Our Political Epidemic." His recent piece for The Guardian is headlined "Coronavirus is exploiting an underlying…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-03-31). Workers strike over safety failures; progressives hatch plans for next stimulus. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—From Sara Nelson to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, from the Economic Policy Institute to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, progressive leaders and groups are hatching ambitious plans for measures they insist should be in the government's next economic stimulus bill to deal with the coronavirus pandemic's impact. And this time, they declare they won't accept a business-heavy measure …

Norman Solomon (2020-03-31). Trump's Mass Negligent Homicide Doesn't Let Democratic Leaders Off the Hook. indybay.org Failures of leadership in a time of coronavirus…

Ben Norton (2020-03-31). Brazil's ex-President Lula on Venezuela: Maduro is democratic, Guaidó should be in prison, US blockade kills civilians. thegrayzone.com In comments ignored by English language media, Lula da Silva slammed the US coup attempt against Venezuela, calling Nicolás Maduro…

commondreams (2020-03-31). Speaker Pelosi's Idea to Repeal SALT Caps in Coronavirus Stimulus Would Be a Huge Mistake. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Roger Harris (2020-03-31). Beyond Chutzpah: US Charges Venezuela With Nacro-Terrorism. counterpunch.org According to the parable, the ungrateful son takes out a life insurance policy on his parents, murders them to collect, and is caught and found guilty. At his sentencing, the judge asks if he has anything to say on his behalf. The son replies: "Have mercy upon me because I am an orphan." That's chutzpah.

H. Patricia Hynes (2020-03-31). Winners: Wars, Walls and Wealthy; Losers: Diplomacy, Public Health, Environment. zcomm.org Why do we fail in protecting our own people's health and well-being while we squander more than a trillion dollars each year — with the assent of both Republicans and Democrats — on maintaining a failed and futile military empire across the world?

Staff (2020-03-31). After Securing Corporate Bailout, Trump and GOP Largely Oppose New Stimulus. truthout.org Having secured a multi-trillion-dollar bailout fund for large corporations and minimal relief for the public as the U.S. economy reels from the coronavirus crisis, the White House and Republican leaders in Congress are already throwing cold water on the prospect of a fourth stimulus bill that

Claire Provost (2020-03-31). Who's happy about coronavirus? zcomm.org Our rights and democracies are under threat. But how this crisis reshapes our world depends on us…

James Bovard (2020-03-31). The Deep State's Demolition of Democracy. counterpunch.org "Thank God for the Deep State," declared former acting CIA chief John McLaughlin while appearing on a panel at the National Press Club last October. In 2018, the New York Times asserted that Trump's use of the term "Deep State" and similar rhetoric "fanned fears that he is eroding public trust in institutions, undermining the

yenisafak (2020-03-31). Sit-in against YPG/PKK in Turkey enters day 211. yenisafak.com A sit-in by families in southeastern Turkey has entered its 211th day on Tuesday.The protesters, camped outside the office of a Turkish opposition party in Diyarbakir province, are demanding that their children kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terrorists be returned. Dozens of mothers started the protest on Sept. 3, 2019 outside the offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.One of the mothers, Zumrut Salim's son Hamza was abducted by the terror group six years ago when he was just 14 years old.Salim said: "We are sitting here for our chil…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-31). "Pelosi's Terrible Idea": Critics Denounce Proposal to Give Wealthy a Tax Cut in Next Stimulus Package. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pelosi_progressives_1_1_0.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-03-31). 'Massachusetts Is Not Happy': Warren Condemns Trump for Outbidding States, Seizing Key Medical Supplies. commondreams.org Sen. Elizabeth Warren demanded to know Monday why the Trump administration seized at least two shipments of badly-needed medical supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic after her state of Massachusetts ordered the equipment. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/warren-bolivia_0.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-31). 'Pandemics Know No Borders': Democrats Call on Trump Admin to Suspend Sanctions on Iran During Coronavirus Outbreak. commondreams.org "We need to cancel all economic sanctions during this crisis." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/iran_8.jpg

Staff (2020-03-31). "It Shattered My Life": Former Joe Biden Staffer Tara Reade Says He Sexually Assaulted Her in 1993. democracynow.org In an exclusive Democracy Now! TV/radio broadcast, we speak with Tara Reade, the former staffer in Joe Biden's Senate office who has come forward with allegations that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. Last week, The Intercept reported that the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, set up to help survivors of rape and sexual assault, refused to fund a #MeToo investigation into allegations against Biden. Reade told journalist Katie Halper in an interview published Tuesday that Biden repeatedly touched her without her consent and sexually assaulted her. Reade approached the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund in January looki…

RT (2020-03-30). North Korea says it used 'super-large multiple rocket launcher' in latest missile test. rt.com Pyongyang has confirmed it conducted yet another test of a new "super-large multiple rocket launcher" a day after Seoul reported that North Korea had fired two short-range missiles towards the Sea of Japan amid ongoing drills. | The launch, carried out early on Sunday morning, went off without a hitch, North Korean state media reported, saying that it was conducted to "verify strategic and technical characteristics" of the novel launcher, which has featured in a series of recent tests by the reclusive country. | It's unclear whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the drill to oversee the launch in pe…

RT (2020-03-30). 'We'll go our own way': North Korea says it 'dropped interest' in talks with US after Pompeo's call for more pressure. rt.com North Korea said it has lost faith in dialogue with Washington after "reckless" US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for more pressure on Pyongyang. | In statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Monday, an unnamed North Korean diplomat in charge of the talks with the US warned that the country will continue working on "our important planned projects aimed to repay the US with actual horror and unrest for the sufferings it has inflicted upon our people." | "We will go our own way. We want the US not to bother us," the official said. | Hearing Pompeo's reckless remarks, we dropped t…

RT (2020-03-30). Trump threatens to 'take over' San Francisco from 'sick puppy' Pelosi in fiery reply to her Covid-19 response bashing. rt.com President Donald Trump slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on 'Fox and Friends,' suggesting the federal government could take over her "slum" district San Francisco, as the two locked horns on the coronavirus pandemic response. | "Look, she's a sick puppy in my opinion," the president said when asked about Pelosi criticizing his response to the coronavirus outbreak. "She really is. She's got a lot of problems." | Trump continued his fuming against Pelosi later when he slammed her for "playing the impeachment game" and being controlled by "the radical left," including freshman New York Congresswoman and Green Ne…

RT (2020-03-30). Congresswoman with 'presumed coronavirus infection' was on House floor & next to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (PHOTO). rt.com Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-New York) announced she may have a presumed case of Covid-19, which could put many other members of Congress at risk, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. | Velázquez said in a statement on Monday that she reached out to the House attending physician on Sunday after feeling "the abrupt onset of muscle aches, fevers, nasal congestion and stomach upset," all symptoms other positive coronavirus victims have reported. She had also lost her sense of smell and taste. | After hearing the congresswoman's symptoms, the physician diagnosed her with a "presumed coronavirus infect…

RT (2020-03-30). A voice of CLARITY? Biden launches podcast but can't distract from sexual assault accusation. rt.com Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden has launched a podcast, attempting to reassure voters by channeling FDR's WW2-era Fireside Chats but failing to distract from sexual assault allegations and concerns about his mental state. | The show, called "Here's the Deal," debuted on Monday with a sit-down with Obama administration "Ebola czar" and venture capitalist Ron Klain, whom Biden (jokingly?) called an "old friend of the show." Perhaps tellingly for the candidate, who has staunchly refused to participate in a final primary debate with Democratic Socialist challenger Bernie Sanders, the pre-recorded, heavily-edited…

Eds. (2020-03-30). 'For common benefit of all,' Ireland nationalizes hospitals for duration of Coronavirus crisis, sparking demand for U.S. to follow suit. mronline.org "How wonderful is this. A beautiful silver lining."

Roger D. Harris (2020-03-30). Beyond Chutzpah: the Hypocrisy of US Nacroterrorism Charges Against Venezuela. mintpressnews.com This latest escalation of the US hybrid war against Venezuela takes place amid a global pandemic, which the US apparently sees as an opportunity to further attack a people made more vulnerable by the health crisis.

RT (2020-03-30). Kobe Bryant's 'farewell' towel sold to 'devoted Lakers fan' for $33,000 in online auction. rt.com The towel worn by Kobe Bryant during his farewell speech after his final NBA game was sold for $33,000 in an online auction, according to U.S. news outlet CNN. | After his final game at Staples Center, Bryant addressed the packed crowd, ending his speech with his famous signoff, "Mamba Out," before heading off court to a standing ovation. | His towel was grabbed by a fan and has since been sold and resold a number of times as fans have parted with their cash to own a piece of NBA history. | The towel went up for auction once again over the weekend, together with two gameday tickets from Bryant's final appea…

RT (2020-03-30). People who brand China a 'dictatorship' are jealous that Beijing beat the pandemic, embassy claims. rt.com Commentators refusing to give China credit for containing the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan and citing 'Asian democracies' as better examples simply envy Beijing's efficiency, the Chinese embassy in France has said. | China, from which the coronavirus spread throughout the world, has largely succeeded in containing the disease, according to official updates. Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, has recorded no new cases in a week and has been lifting the restrictions that helped quash the pandemic. | Beijing sees the outcome as a success story and finds it irritating when commentators in countries currently over…

Staff (2020-03-30). Housing Not Shelters: Amid Pandemic, Homeless New Yorkers Demand Refuge in Vacant Apartments, Hotels. democracynow.org More than 100 million people across the United States have been ordered to stay home to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but what about people who are homeless? Tens of thousands of homeless people in New York City shelters and on the streets have been left with no way to safely shelter in place. We hear from people who are homeless, and speak with Kiana Davis, advocate and policy analyst with the Safety Net Project at the Urban Justice Center.

Staff (2020-03-30). "Housing Is Health": Calls Grow for California to Give Vacant Homes to Unhoused People Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org We look at the crisis of homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic in California, where the number of cases has passed 6,000 with 132 deaths. The entire state has been ordered to shelter in place, leaving the state's massive unhoused population extremely vulnerable. As the state braces for a surge in cases, tens of thousands of people are living on the streets. A recent study estimates that nearly 2,600 unhoused people will need to be hospitalized for the virus in Los Angeles alone — and nearly 1,000 will need intensive care. We speak with Martha Escudero, a member of a group of unhoused mothers, elders…

Staff (2020-03-30). We Need a Public Health New Deal: Neoliberal Austerity & Private Healthcare Worsened U.S. Pandemic. democracynow.org It's been described as the public health failure of the century. As the United States leads the world in coronavirus infections, a record number of Americans file for unemployment. Gasping for air, gasping for care; what does global health justice look like? We speak with two Yale professors who say decades of neoliberal austerity make it harder to fight the pandemic. They propose a New Deal for public health. Gregg Gonsalves is assistant professor in epidemiology of microbial diseases at Yale School of Public Health; Amy Kapczynski is professor of law at Yale Law School and co-founder of the Law and Political Ec…

Ruth Conniff (2020-03-30). COVID-19 Pandemic Shows That We Don't Need Return to Normalcy—We Need President Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org Moderate voters don't necessarily want a President who takes unpopular positions. They want someone who can reassure Wall Street and stop this nightmare we are all living through. (Photo: Common Dreams / CC BY 3.0) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_9.jpg

Staff (2020-03-30). Headlines for March 30, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Extends Social Distancing, Says U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Could Reach 100,000 | , States Mandate Quarantines, Set Up Checkpoints to Limit Cross-State COVID-19 Infections , ER Doctor Who Blasted Lack of Worker & Patient Protections at WA Hospital Removed from Post, Coronavirus Cases Mount in Prisons and Among Law Enforcement Workers | , 9-Month-Old Is First Known Infant to Die from the Coronavirus in U.S. | , Cigna and Humana to Waive Copays for Coronavirus Treatment | , CBS News Executive and Cancer Survivor Maria Mercader Dies from Coronavirus | , | New York Scrambles to Build Hospitals, Imposes Fines fo…

Alan Macleod (2020-03-30). Biden's Foreign Policy Teams Hints at War with China, Conflict with Russia. mintpressnews.com An analysis by the Brookings Institute based on interviews with Biden's foreign policy teams hints at a foreign policy that closely mirrors that of the Pentagon under President Trump.

Alan Macleod (2020-03-30). Biden's Foreign Policy Team Hints at War with China, Conflict with Russia. mintpressnews.com An analysis by the Brookings Institute based on interviews with Biden's foreign policy teams hints at a foreign policy that closely mirrors that of the Pentagon under President Trump.

Michael T. Hertz (2020-03-30). No debates, Joe; a discussion. nationofchange.org If Biden and Bernie can have public discussions about important platform and personnel issues, the likelihood is that they could find genuine compromises and form a real coalition.

Arwa Mahdawi (2020-03-30). Why Has the Media Ignored Sexual Assault and Misbehaviour Allegations Against Biden? commondreams.org Does this presumption not apply when the guy being accused is a Democrat running for president? Tara Reade, who worked with Joe Biden, alleges he inappropriately touched her in 1993. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/4500.jpg

teleSUR (2020-03-30). St. Kitts and Nevis Thanks Cuba for Its Aid Against COVID-19. telesurenglish.net The government of Saint Kitts and Nevis expressed Saturday its appreciation and gratitude for the assistance Cuban authorities are providing to the Caribbean island to help it handle the novel coronavirus outbreak. | RELATED: | In a message published on Twitter, Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris announced that a Cuban medical team is arriving at the country to help cure the COVID-19 cases and prevent their increase.

Staff (2020-03-30). Tom Perez Put Corporate Lobbyists in Charge of the DNC's Budget. truthout.org This article was produced by Last week, Mike Bloomberg transferred the leftover $18 million from his presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee to use in the general election — over 23 times the maximum amount tha…

WSWS (2020-03-30). Spanish police assault steelworkers striking against COVID-19 "back-to-work" order. wsws.org The police assault on the Sidenor steel factory in the Basque Country was carried out under the authority of the pseudo-left Podemos party and the Spanish social-democrats.

WSWS (2020-03-30). Japanese government planning attacks on democratic rights on pretext of pandemic. wsws.org Health experts are warning that Japan could see a wider COVID-19 outbreak, in part due to the complete lack of preparation by the Abe government.

Staff (2020-03-30). Undemocratic Elections Have Citizens Reinventing Self-Governance Worldwide. truthout.org One of the problems that the coronavirus pandemic is exposing in the U.S. is a

sputniknews (2020-03-30). 'Lives Are at Stake': Biden Challenges Trump as POTUS Prolongs Nationwide COVID-19 Guidelines. sputniknews.com On Sunday, President Donald Trump extended federal guidelines on social distancing until 30 April following a warning by the government's top infectious disease expert that US deaths from the coronavirus could reach 200,000 with millions of infections.

yenisafak (2020-03-30). N.Korea claims 'successful' rocket launchers test. yenisafak.com North Korea on Monday claimed to have test-fired what it called "super-large multiple rocket launchers," state media reported. | The state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said the tests were carried out "successfully" by the Academy of Defense Science of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Sunday. | However, the state media acknowledged that there were "problems arising in delivering the weapon system to the units of the People's Army". | Meanwhile, South Korea's military said the rocket launchers tested by Pyongyang were "similar to its large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system unveiled la…

yenisafak (2020-03-30). Sit-in against YPG/PKK in SE Turkey enters Day 210. yenisafak.com A sit-in by families in southeastern Turkey has entered its 210th day.The protesters, who camped outside the office of a Turkish opposition party in Diyarbakir province, are demanding that their children kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terrorists be returned. Dozens of mothers started the protest on Sept. 3, 2018 outside the offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.Solmaz Ovunc, one of the mothers, said her son Baran was abducted by the terror group five years ago when he was just 15 years old. Ovunc added she will continue the protest…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-30). 'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent. commondreams.org "The city should reopen Hahnemann hospital immediately," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/hahnemann_hospital.jpg

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-03-30). DOJ Investigating Lawmakers' Stock Dumps Ahead of Coronavirus Market Crash. commondreams.org At least one lawmaker affected by the probe is Republican Sen. Richard Bur, who unloaded up to $1.7 million in stocks. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sen-burr.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-03-30). 'Poor Omen': Just 24% of Biden's Supporters 'Very Enthusiastic'—Less Than Half of Trump's 53%. commondreams.org A new survey from ABC News/The Washington Post points to a trend in Joe Biden's support which caused concern among progressives on Sunday regarding his chances of beating President Donald Trump in November. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_2_0.jpg

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-03-30). Saying Quiet Part Very Loud, Trump Admits "You'd Never Have a Republican Elected in This Country Again" If Voting Access Expanded. commondreams.org "This morning on live television, the president of the United States admitted he is opposed to laws that would make it easier for Americans to vote because that would hurt Republicans." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mcconnell-votes-call-your-senators_0.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-30). As Coronavirus Exposes Deep Flaws of For-Profit System, Biden Doubles Down on Opposition to Medicare for All. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_m4a_.png

teleSUR (2020-03-29). COVID-19 Reminds Us We Need a Gov't Working for All: Sanders. telesurenglish.net "In this unprecedented moment in American history, (people in the United States) want to hear the ideas that will lead us away from where we are right now," Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said Friday in an interview with NPR Morning Edition Noel King. | RELATED: | The senator, who is some 300 delegates behind former Vice-President Joe Biden, acknowledged in the interview that it would be a steep road to…

Fight Back (2020-03-29). U.S. Imperialism Pulls Desperate Move in Venezuela. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). | For years, the criminal government of the United States has attempted to remove the democratically elected president of Venezuela and discredit the peoples' movement in that country that has been so successful in lifting millions of Venezuelans out of extreme poverty. Under the corrupt Trump administration alone, the United States has conducted multiple illegal attacks against President Nicolas Maduro and the people of Venezuela, including: failed assassination attempts by drone, poorly orchestrated mi…

Afroze Fatima Zaidi (2020-03-29). Amid coronavirus chaos, the media is almost silent about sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden. thecanary.co There's never a good time for survivors of sexual assault to come forward with allegations. Especially when they're going against powerful men. And in the midst of a global pandemic, many establishment media outlets also seem to be ignoring ongoing allegations against Joe Biden, one of the Democratic nominees for the 2020 US presidential election. | "That's exactly why I have to keep going": | According to a report from the Hill, Biden's latest accuser,

Katie Halper (2020-03-28). Media Silent as Poll Workers Contract Covid-19 at Primaries That DNC, Biden Campaign Claimed Were Safe. fair.org Donald Trump is the

news.un (2020-03-28). COVID-19: UN donates 250,000 face masks to NYC health workers. news.un.org On behalf of the city, the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, was on hand to receive 250,000 face masks donated by the UN on Saturday, destined for health workers in the metropolis that is home to the Organization's Headquarters.

Michael Marmot (2020-03-28). [Perspectives] Despair, democracy, and the failures of American capitalism. thelancet.com A third of the children who used to ride the number 6 bus to school in Yamhill, OR, USA, in the 1970s died before their time, mostly by suicide or from drugs, alcohol, or reckless accidents. Nicholas Kristof, columnist for The New York Times, is one of the survivors. He recalls one family of five siblings, four of whom succumbed as adults: Farlan died of liver failure from drink and drugs; Rogena died of hepatitis linked to drug use; Zealan burned to death in a house fire while passed out drunk; and Nathan blew himself up cooking meth.

teleSUR (2020-03-28). New York: Quarantine By Trump Would Be a "Declaration of War" telesurenglish.net The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, attacked this Saturday the idea of ‚Äã‚Äãa mandatory quarantine in this state raised by the U.S. President, Donald Trump, and stated that such a measure would be a "declaration of war on the states." | RELATED: | "It would be chaos and mayhem," said Democrat Cuomo in an interview with CNN, in which he questioned the legality of the two-week quarantine th…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-28). 'Far More to Do,' Say Progressives After House Approves and Trump Signs Corporate-Friendly Coronavirus Relief Act. commondreams.org "The clock has already started on a fourth bill and we expect and demand that House Democrats fight to ensure that the needs of all communities are met." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/house_coronavirus_bill.jpg

Mark Gruenberg (2020-03-27). Lots of cash, including pro-worker cash; very little pro-worker policy. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—The $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic impact bill Congress President Donald Trump says he will sign contains a lot of pro-worker cash — and very little pro-worker policy. It wasn't for lack of trying, at least by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. She produced an alternative with the same spending — but festooned with pro-worker sections. …

Staff (2020-03-27). U.S. Is #1 in Pandemic: Rep. Omar Blasts Trump for "Wrong Kind of American Exceptionalism" democracynow.org As much of the United States is under lockdown, the House votes today on a $2 trillion emergency relief package to address the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. It will generate payments to most Americans and includes protections for workers, but it is also a massive bailout for a number of industries and corporations, and the vote comes as a record 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. We speak with Congressmember Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, the first Somali American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the first Muslim women in Congress, about the bill, Trump's response t…

Staff (2020-03-27). When Home Isn't Safe: Shelter-in-Place Is Putting Domestic Violence Survivors in a "Dire Situation" democracynow.org As schools shut, public spaces close, and all but essential workers are ordered to stay indoors under shelter-in-place orders across the U.S. and globe, domestic violence services are scrambling to help vulnerable people navigate home lives that they say are increasingly unsafe during the pandemic. What happens when you're trapped at home with your abuser? "This is really a dire situation for a lot of victims across the country," says Katie Ray-Jones, chief executive officer of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and loveisrespect.

Staff (2020-03-27). "Total System Failure": Congress Pushes $2 Trillion Pandemic Bill. Will Dems Allow "Corporate Coup"? democracynow.org We continue our look at the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package — the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history — with author Matt Stoller, who argues the country will be unrecognizable after this pandemic if big corporations walk away with trillions of dollars and no strings attached. Stoller is research director at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of the book "Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy." His recent column for The Guardian is headlined "The coronavirus relief bill could turn into a corporate coup if we aren't careful."

teleSUR Desk (2020-03-27). Democracy in Brazil would not be normal, Bolsonaro threatens. mronline.org The far-right president hints that a regime more authoritarian than Chile's Augusto Pinochet dictatorship could be the "price to pay" due to the "chaos" that the "small flu" triggers.

Bernie Sanders (2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…

Dan Lieberman (2020-03-27). America is Now Democratic Socialist. dissidentvoice.org Take careful notice — as of March 2020, the United States is operating as a more than strict Democratic Socialist system. The government is regulating aspects of American life — economic, social, and medical. The Federal Reserve is printing money and making it available to financial and commercial industries and the public. Americans are being …

Staff (2020-03-27). Headlines for March 27, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Leads World in Reported COVID-19 Cases as Hospitalizations Surge, Trump Doubts New York City's Need for 30,000 Life-Saving Ventilators, Politico: President Trump Failed to Follow Pandemic Playbook, Squandering Precious Time, Detroit and Chicago Join New Orleans as U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spots, House to Vote on Record-Shattering $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package, Three Unaccompanied Migrant Children Test Positive for COVID-19, Jailed Asylum Seekers Stage Hunger Strike, Demanding Release During Pandemic, Activists Demand Release of Aging Prisoners as Coronavirus Spreads, Hospitals in Spain and Italy on th…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-03-27). Roaming Charges: The Scum Also Rises. counterpunch.org Here's what a real leader sounds like in the tumult of a catastrophe, Irish health minister Simon Harris: "We must of course have equality of treatment, patients with this virus will be treated for free, and they'll be treated as part of a single, national hospital service."

Staff (2020-03-26). Bernie Sanders Fights for Laid-off Worker Protections in $2 Trillion Stimulus with Corporate Bailout. democracynow.org The Senate unanimously approved a historic $2.2 trillion emergency relief package late Wednesday night to battle the unprecedented economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. ‚Ä®‚Ä®The House will consider the bill Friday before it goes to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. ‚Ä®‚Ä®The bill would massively expand unemployment benefits, providing laid-off workers up to 100% of their salary and health insurance benefits for four months. Vermont senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders successfully fought to strengthen the bill's assistance…

Staff (2020-03-26). "Chaotic Situation": India Begins Lockdown of 1.3 Billion Residents as Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads. democracynow.org As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, we look at India, which is now under the largest lockdown in human history, with 1.3 billion people ordered to shelter in place. As the country's economy and daily life come to an abrupt halt, hundreds of millions of Indians who live hand to mouth have been left without the means to support their families. We speak with Amitav Ghosh, whose books include "Gun Island" and "The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable."

Staff (2020-03-26). "In a Week We Will Be Italy": NYC ER Doctor Says the U.S. Pandemic Will Only Get Worse. democracynow.org As New York hospitals see a surge in coronavirus cases, medical workers report growing shortages of protective gear, and a nurse who tested positive after treating patients with the highly contagious disease has died. "It's pretty dire inside New York City hospitals right now," says New York City emergency room doctor Craig Spencer. "We have a growing number of patients coming in every day with coronavirus. We have people young and old, with complications, without complications, who get put on mechanical ventilators, who get put on life support to help their breathing, who have cardiac arrest. It's a daily realit…

Staff (2020-03-26). Headlines for March 26, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Approves Historic $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package, Republican Sen. John Thune Misses Vote on Coronavirus Bailout Due to Illness, New York City Hospitals Set Up Makeshift Morgues as COVID-19 Deaths Multiply, U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Top 1,000 as Louisiana Cases Soar, Pittsburgh Sanitation Workers Hold Wildcat Strike, Demanding Safety Gear, COVID-19 Claims Playwright Terrence McNally, Chef Floyd Cardoz and Fashionista Jenny Polanco, World Health Organization Urges Dramatic Action as Global Coronavirus Cases Near 500,000, Italy's COVID-19 Infection Rate Slows as Spain's Death Toll Surpasses China's, I…

Staff (2020-03-25). Calls Grow for Sen. Burr to Resign After He Sold $1.7 Million in Stocks & Downplayed COVID-19 Risks. democracynow.org Calls are growing for Republican Senator Richard Burr to resign after he reportedly sold up to $1.7 million worth of stocks after receiving privileged briefings about the coronavirus's threat to the global economy. ProPublica reports Burr, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, unloaded his holdings on February 13 in 33 separate transactions. At the time, he had access to classified information about the coronavirus and was receiving daily intelligence briefings. The stock market began plummeting a week after Burr's sales and has since lost about 30% of its value. We speak with Derek Willis of ProPublica…

Staff (2020-03-25). Madrid's Ice Rink Turned to Morgue as Spain Exceeds China in Coronavirus Deaths. democracynow.org We go to Madrid, Spain, one of the epicenters of the pandemic in Europe, where health workers account for nearly 14% of the country's infections. Many face limited availability of protective equipment. So many people have died that Madrid's municipal funeral home has stopped collecting bodies. A large ice rink is now being used as a makeshift morgue, and the government plans to extend the state of emergency by another 15 days in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. "If Madrid was a country, it would actually be fifth in terms of death rate in the entire world," says María Carrión, journalist and former De…

Staff (2020-03-25). "People Go Before Money. This Is About Saving Lives," Says San Juan Mayor on Pandemic in Puerto Rico. democracynow.org Puerto Rico announced a record $787 million financial package to fight the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic Monday, as the island's death toll hits two with 39 cases reported. The pandemic follows a series of devastating earthquakes in Puerto Rico earlier this year and comes as the island continues to deal with fallout from Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico's infrastructure and killed at least 3,000. "One of the things that I think is evident is that with the Trump administration and FEMA, we have to continue to remind them, time and time again, that we are people and that we deserve to be…

Staff (2020-03-25). Frontline NY Nurses Lack Protective Masks & Ventilators, Say Worst Yet to Come as COVID-19 Spreads. democracynow.org As the New York metro area has 60% of all the new coronavirus cases in the United States and is responsible for half the cases all over the country, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday the number of hospitalizations is expected to peak in the next 40 days as hospitals are already encountering shortages of equipment needed to protect medical workers and to keep patients alive when the city's COVID-19 cases peak in the coming weeks. We're joined by two people on the frontlines of the pandemic: Sean Petty, a registered nurse in the pediatric emergency room of a public hospital in the Bronx and member of the…

Staff (2020-03-25). Headlines for March 25, 2020. democracynow.org Senate and White House Reach Agreement on $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill, NY Governor Blasts Trump's Coronavirus Response, Asking "Where Are the Ventilators?", Two Georgia Medical Workers Die of COVID-19 Amid Critical Shortage of Protective Gear, California Seeks to Add 50,000 Hospital Beds Ahead of COVID-19 Peak, Washington to Inspect Nursing Homes After 37 Die of Coronavirus at Life Care Center, Minnesota Lt. Gov.'s Brother Dies of COVID-19; Sen. Klobuchar's Husband Hospitalized, Defying Medical Advice, Trump Calls for Return to Normal and "Packed Churches" on Easter Sunday, U.S. Immigration Agencies Quara…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-25). BJP and Israel: Hindu Nationalism is Ravaging India's Democracy. dissidentvoice.org It was only a matter of time before the anti-Muslim sentiment in India turned violent. A country that has historically prided itself on its diversity and tolerance, and for being 'the largest democracy in the world' has, in recent years, exhibited the exact opposite qualities — chauvinism, racism, religious intolerance, and, at times, extreme violence. …

Matthew J. L. Ehret (2020-03-25). Why Assume There Will Be a 2020 Election? dissidentvoice.org The upcoming American elections are just around the corner and everyone is wondering if the new president will be named Trump, Biden, Sanders or none of the above. I can hear the incredulous reader exclaim: Wait, what does "none of the above" mean? It's certainly going to be one of those three, isn't it? It …

Staff (2020-03-24). "Top Priority Is Release": Will Rikers Island Free More Prisoners as 60+ Test Positive for COVID-19? democracynow.org As COVID-19 begins to spread in the U.S. prison system, calls are growing in the New York City epicenter of the pandemic to release people from Rikers Island, the second-largest jail system in the country. At least 39 prisoners and 21 staff at Rikers Island have tested positive. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday the city had released 75 people, but advocates are calling for the release of thousands more. We speak with Dr. Homer Venters, former chief medical officer for New York City's Correctional Health Services and author of "Life and Death in Rikers Island." His piece for The Hill is headlined "Coronavirus behi…

Staff (2020-03-24). "Humanitarian Solidarity": Even Under U.S. Sanctions, Cuba Sends Doctor Brigade to Italy and More. democracynow.org As Italy's death toll soars past 6,000, Cuba has sent medical brigades to combat COVID-19. Cuba has also deployed doctors to Venezuela, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Suriname and Grenada. "The arrival of a medical brigade from Cuba to Italy is pretty historic. You have a leading European nation accepting support in the form of a medical team from a small Caribbean island," says our guest, Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University. "It just goes to the history of Cuba's deep and long-lasting commitment to humanitarian solidarity with other cou…

Staff (2020-03-24). Economist Jeffrey Sachs: Trump "Understands Nothing, Listens to Nothing" as Pandemic Surges in U.S. democracynow.org As #NotDying4WallStreet trends on Twitter, President Trump defies his top scientists and soaring infection rate, saying he will ease restrictions soon to jumpstart the economy. We speak with economist Jeffrey Sachs about the stimulus package that failed to pass again Monday, as Democrats called the measure a slush fund for corporations. Sachs also led the WHO's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health from 2000 to 2001 and played a key role in conceiving and establishing the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which helped distribute new medicines to fight infectious diseases.

Staff (2020-03-24). Headlines for March 24, 2020. democracynow.org U.N. Calls for Global Ceasefire So Countries Can Unite in Fight Against Coronavirus Pandemic, Italy's COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 6,000 as Spain Officials Say Nearly 4,000 Health Workers Are Infected | , Trump Says Country Will Be "Open for Business Very Soon" Despite Skyrocketing COVID-19 Infections | , 16 U.S. States Enforce Stay-at-Home Orders Amid Coronavirus Pandemic Affecting Over 40% of Population, Texas Orders Abortion Providers to Stop Performing Procedures, Texas Lt. Gov.: Elderly Should "Sacrifice" for U.S. Economy Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Man in AZ Dies, Wife in Critical Condition, After Couple Took Ch…

Staff (2020-03-23). Former ICE Director: Release Immigrants from Detention or COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire Inside. democracynow.org Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible for them to avoid close contact to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly half of those detained by ICE are accused of no crime other than civil immigration violations. Immigrants at three jails in New Jersey are now on hunger strikes over unsanitary conditions that put them at high risk during the pandemic.‚Ä®‚Ä® We hear from a detained person on hunger strike and speak wit…

Staff (2020-03-23). "Hope Is Not a Strategy": Emergency Doctor Asks, Where Are COVID-19 Tests? Where Is Protective Gear? democracynow.org As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. rises to more than 35,000, doctors are facing a desperate lack of supplies, and tests continue to lag. We speak with Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore's health commissioner. She says healthcare workers are "putting their lives on the line every day" as they work in hazardous conditions with inadequate supplies, including N95 respirator masks. "First we're going to run out of masks, and then we're going to run out of doctors and nurses, because they'll become…

Staff (2020-03-23). Headlines for March 23, 2020. democracynow.org Global COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 15,000 as Italy Drafts Military to Enforce Lockdown, Angela Merkel to Self-Quarantine After Her Doctor Tests Positive for COVID-19, First COVID-19 Cases Reported in Occupied Gaza, War-Stricken Syria and Afghanistan | , Coronavirus Cases Mount Across Africa, Two Nigerians Overdose Self-Medicating with Chloroquine After Trump Praised Anti-Malaria Drug as Possible COVID-19 Treatment, Coronavirus Leads to Lockdowns, Travel Bans in Latin America, as a Colombian Prison Riot Turns Deadly | , Fate of Tokyo Olympics Still Unknown as Canada, Australia Refuse to Send Athletes | , India Lock…

Sonia Gill (2020-03-23). This is No Time to Play Politics with our Democracy. aclu.org Update 03/27/2020: Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package intended to address the broad impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. While it included $400 million for states to expand access to the ballot for eligible voters, as outlined in this blog, more can and must be done to safeguard our democracy. , , To ensure elections proceed and eligible Americans can vote, any federal legislative package addressing the impact of COVID-19 on our elections must include an immediate, substantial infusion of federal funding and federal requirements for no-excuse mail-in absentee voting and early in-person voting.

Staff (2020-03-20). Solidarity Not Charity: Mutual Aid & How to Organize in the Age of Coronavirus. democracynow.org As lockdowns and layoffs sweep the U.S., mutual aid groups are forming to protect and provide for the vulnerable, including the elderly, incarcerated, undocumented and unhoused. We look at the incredible community networks across the country that are coming together to protect their neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic — and how you can get involved. From Washington state to the Bay Area, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and New York City, thousands of mutual aid efforts are aimed at building solidarity, not charity. We speak with two longtime mutual aid organizers and activists in two hot spots of the pan…

Staff (2020-03-20). Doctor: As Coronavirus Cases Spike Worldwide, We Need Global Cooperation to Halt Spread. democracynow.org As the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 10,000, with over 250,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, we speak with Stanford University's global health expert Dr. Michele Barry, an infectious disease doctor. Italy has surpassed China in coronavirus deaths, and cases are rising in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, as the governor of California has ordered all 40 million residents to shelter in place.

splcenter (2020-03-20). The Fight to Vote: Overcoming voter suppression in the South. splcenter.org Voter suppression is alive and well across the South.

Staff (2020-03-20). Headlines for March 20, 2020. democracynow.org Worldwide COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 10,000 as Italian Nurses "Stop Counting the Dead", Refugee Groups Warn of COVID-19 "Carnage" in Camps Housing Millions, Coronavirus Multiplies Across Australia, Latin America, Africa and Middle East, California Gov. Gavin Newsom Issues Statewide "Stay at Home" Order for 40 Million, New York Mayor Calls on Trump to Mobilize Military to Aid Overwhelmed Hospitals, Georgia State Legislators Urged to Self-Quarantine; Spring Break Revelers Party On in Florida, Demands Grow to Empty ICE Jails as NJ Detention Center Worker Tests Positive, Trump Blasts "Corrupt" Media at Rambling Coronav…

Lilly Dragnev (2020-03-20). Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections. peaceaction.org Statement of Jon Rainwater, Executive Director, Peace Action, on the introduction of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill would help ensure that elections can take place in a safe and secure way throughout the pandemic and beyond. March 19, 2020 Peace Action …

Staff (2020-03-19). Trump Continues Calling the Coronavirus "Chinese" Despite Reports of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes. democracynow.org "I would like to begin by announcing some important developments in our war against the Chinese virus. I will be invoking the Defense Production Act just in case we need it." That was the opening line of President Trump's news conference Wednesday afternoon. Later in the news conference, Trump was questioned by ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega on continuously referring to the coronavirus as the "Chinese virus." A member of the administration also reportedly referred to the coronavirus as the "kung-flu." Meanwhile, racist incidents and threats of hate crimes against Asian Americans have emerged across the United Sta…

Staff (2020-03-19). Joseph Stiglitz: Trump's "Trickle-Down" Economic Plans Are Not Enough to Meet Coronavirus Challenge. democracynow.org The coronavirus relief package signed by President Trump Wednesday provides unemployment benefits and free coronavirus testing to millions of Americans suddenly out of a job, but guarantees paid sick leave to less than 20% of American workers. Earlier this month, Trump signed into law an $8 billion coronavirus response package and has laid out the first details of a third, $1 trillion economic package and invoked the Korean War-era Defense Production Act to allow the government to direct industrial production. For more on those bailouts and who benefits, we speak with Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize-winning economis…

Staff (2020-03-19). The Dem Primary is Over, and We Need Bernie Sanders to Lead on Health Care From the Senate. truthdig.com On Tuesday, I cast a joyless vote for the very much politically doomed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Illinois primary, in an elementary school where hushed whispers and fearful glances had replaced the normal din of an election day. There was no one standing just outside the perimeter hustling me to vote for this …

Staff (2020-03-19). These Are the 51 GOP Senators Who Just Voted Against Expanding Paid Sick Leave to Protect Americans. truthdig.com Republican senators on Wednesday teamed up to kill an amendment introduced by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray that would have expanded paid sick leave to millions of U.S. workers left out of a bipartisan coronavirus relief package. Every Republican present for the vote, 51 in total, voted against the amendment while every Senate Democrat voted in favor. …

Hatewatch Staff (2020-03-19). California Anti-Immigrant Activist Robin Hvidston Seeking State Assembly Seat. splcenter.org Robin Hvidston, a longtime anti-immigrant activist, is running as a Republican for a California Assembly seat in District 41.

Lilly Dragnev (2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …

Paul Kawika Martin (2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House 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: "Both chambers and …

Theodore de Macedo Soares (2020-03-07). TEXAS 2020 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY. tdmsresearch.com Exit Poll Versus Reported Vote Count By Theodore de Macedo Soares The 2020 Texas Democratic Party presidential primary was held on March 3, 2020. Election results from the computerized vote counts differed significantly from the results projected by the exit poll conducted by Edison Research and published by CNN at poll's closing. According to the exit poll Sanders was tied with Biden but lost in the unobservable computer counts by 4.5%. In this election candidate Sanders saw the largest

Antonio Carty (2020-03-06). If Sanders forms a real Alliance with Warren, their Popular Policies Can Win. zcomm.org Conventional wisdom is that a presidential candidate should pick an opposite or contrasting vice presidential running mate, to create a perception of a balanced ticket. But this is not a conventional time or race, Bernie is offering a clear and practical progressive choice to fix the USA. So his running mate needs to be a

Norman Solomon (2020-03-02). The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org "If there is going to be class warfare in this country," Bernie Sanders told the Iowa AFL-CIO convention last summer, "it's time that the working class of this country won that war and not just the corporate elite."

Noam Chomsky (2020-03-02). Sanders Threatens the Establishment by Inspiring Popular Movements. zcomm.org Inspiring a popular movement that violates these norms is a serious attack on democracy, so conceived, an intolerable assault against good order…