(2020-05-01). If Trump is a Pathological Liar, What Type of Liar is Biden? counterpunch.org Bernie Sanders has routinely called Trump a "pathological liar." The term pathological liar, a controversial one for psychiatrists, in common usage coveys someone who is an extraordinarily unrestrained liar. And so, Bernie knows that it is in no way radical to use this term to describe the unrelentingly self-serving Trump who unhesitatingly lies if he
(2020-05-01). Joe Biden Needs an Intervention: An Open Letter to DNC Chair Tom Perez. indybay.org "It takes two wings to fly."
(2020-05-01). Detroit mayor pushes back-to-work agenda as COVID-19 cases rise across Michigan. wsws.org The number of confirmed cases and deaths across the state of Michigan continues rising as Democratic Governor Whitmer and Mayor Mike Duggan push for a rapid reopening of Detroit.
(2020-05-01). Democrats, unions set trap for workers with phony May Day Amazon strike. wsws.org The WSWS and International Amazon Workers Voice spoke to dozens of Amazon and logistics workers, none of whom had heard of or had any say in planning this protest.
(2020-04-30). Ryan Grim: Dems' Coronavirus Response Repeats Past Blunders. therealnews.com 
Sanders is out of the race, but the fight over the future of the Democratic part continues, says Ryan Grim, author of We've Got People: From Jesse Jackson to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the End of Big Money and the Rise of a Movement.
(2020-04-30). China declares 'no interest' in meddling in US vote after Trump accuses Beijing of doing 'anything' to oust him. rt.com 
China has rejected any allegations it planned to meddle in the US election in November after the US president accused the Chinese of favouring his rival, Joe Biden, given Trump's rhetoric over Covid-19 origins and trade relations. | Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said during a daily briefing that "the US presidential election is an internal affair, we have no interest in interfering in it," adding "we hope the people of the US will not drag China into its election politics." | In an interview on Wednesday, President Trump claimed Beijing wanted his opponent, Joe Biden, to take the White House t…
(2020-04-30). 'Joe Biden is Joe Biden': Democratic establishment clashes with progressives over lockstep defense on Tara Reade allegations. rt.com 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "boys will be boys"-type defense of 2020 Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden has half the internet raging at the party's "hypocrisy," while the other half demand the heads of the candidate's critics. | Pelosi delivered a tart rebuke on Thursday to a reporter's query about how the party was (mis)handling former Senate staffer Tara Reade's sexual assault allegations against Biden. | Speaker Pelosi: "I have complete respect for the whole
(2020-04-30). Democrats fume as armed protesters descend on Michigan Capitol to protest lockdown. rt.com 
Crowds of protesters, some carrying weapons, descended on the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, as legislators considered extending Covid-19 lockdown measures. Democrats blamed President Donald Trump. | Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order late last month, as the coronavirus epidemic took hold in her state. When the governor — a Democrat and fierce critic of Trump — extended the order by 15 days last week, a group of residents filed a lawsuit claiming Whitmer had infringed their constitutional rights. | After the Michigan Court of Claims rejected the suit, the state legislature sat…
(2020-04-30). WHO Adviser on Meat Plants: If We're at War, the Weapons We Need Are Tests and PPE, Not Pork. democracynow.org 
As President Trump invokes the Defense Production Act to bar local governments from closing meatpacking plants around the United States, we get response from a longtime adviser to the World Health Organization. "When Congress passed that act, it certainly did not have in mind that the president has the power or the right to put workers' lives and health at risk," says Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health law at Georgetown University and director of the World Health Organization Center on National and Global Health Law. Gostin also discusses why he joined 40 leading center directors in a declaration this we…
(2020-04-30). 'I can do a lot': Trump blames China for Covid-19 & seeking to 'undermine' his re-election. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump believes China "will do anything they can" to make him lose his re-election bid, pointing to Beijing's handling of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 60,000 Americans already. | Taking aim at Beijing, Trump told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that the country would prefer to see his Democratic rival Joe Biden take the Oval Office in November, stating it would pull out all the stops to see him win — though the former VP would first need to secure his party's nomination. | China will do anything they can to have me lose this race. | Exclusive: Trump says China 'wil…
(2020-04-30). Economist Thomas Piketty: Coronavirus Pandemic Has Exposed the "Violence of Social Inequality" democracynow.org 
As nearly 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment in just six weeks and millions worldwide face hunger and poverty, we look at the global economic catastrophe triggered by the pandemic and its impact on the most vulnerable. As the World Food Programme warns of a massive spike in global hunger and more than 100 million people in cities worldwide could fall into poverty, can this crisis be a catalyst for change? We ask French economist Thomas Piketty. His 2014 internationally best-selling book, "Capital in the Twenty-First Century," looked at economic inequality and the necessity of wealth taxes. His new b…
(2020-04-30). Biden and Trump compete to produce most misleading, racist anti-China ad. liberationnews.org 
Both political parties in the U.S. seek to make a national enemy out of China. But the U.S. working class has more to gain from friendship, solidarity and exchange of knowledge with China and the Chinese people.
(2020-04-30). Stir Crazy! Episode #25: Schools Out For…Ever? therealnews.com 
On today's show: TRNN Executive Producer Lisa Snowden-McCray, "By Any Means Necessary" co-host Jacqueline Luqman, and special guest Center for American Progress Managing Director for K-12 Education Policy Dr. Khalilah Harris. Hosted by Kim Brown.
(2020-04-30). Headlines for April 30, 2020. democracynow.org Jared Kushner Hails "Great Success Story" as U.S. Deaths Top 60,000, Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks Outside Brooklyn Funeral Home, President Trump Claims Coronavirus Will Be "Eradicated" from U.S. | , FDA to Approve Emergency Use of Remdesivir After the Drug Shows Promise Treating COVID-19, More Than 30 Million U.S. Workers File Unemployment Claims in Just Six Weeks, International Labour Organization Warns Pandemic Threatens Livelihoods of 1.6 Billion, South Korea Reports No New Domestic Coronavirus Cases , U.K. Now Has Europe's Second-Highest COVID-19 Death Toll | , Femicides and Domestic Violence…
(2020-04-30). Hillary Clinton endorses Joe Biden. wsws.org Coming one day after the endorsement of Biden by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the event signaled the alignment of all factions of the Democratic Party behind the most right-wing of the major contestants in this year's Democratic primaries.
(2020-04-30). Trump Reportedly Lashed Out at His Campaign Manager Over Grim Reelection Polls. truthout.org President Donald Trump is denying reports that he erupted last week at his own campaign manager over numbers that showed he was down in the polls in a head-to-head general election matchup against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | Trump, during a phone conversation with campaign manager Brad Parscale on Friday,
(2020-04-30). Baby Boomers for Biden Recant Left Legacy. dissidentvoice.org Former members of the leading Vietnam War-era peace organization in the US, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), recently circulated an open letter warning today's young activists to — as the adage goes — do as I say and not as I did. Back in the '60s and '70s, these former leaders led the way …
(2020-04-30). Army May Have Hosted Largest Gathering During Pandemic. strategic-culture.org The Pentagon "failed to adequately respond" to the COVID-19 pandemic, charged ten Democratic lawmakers in a letter sent to the Pentagon Monday. The lawmakers say "lack of clear guidance" from Defense Secretary Mark Esper has put service members at risk because there has not been a clear coronavirus policy across the Defense Department.
(2020-04-30). Et tu? Progressive Boomers Are Now Preaching Pro-Biden Lesser-Evilism. mintpressnews.com At a time when an independent progressive movement is needed more than ever, the sheepdogs of a bygone era are trying to herd a new generation of activists into the Democratic Party.
(2020-04-30). The Way Liberals Smear Tara Reade Is Everything Rape Survivors Fear. thealtworld.com Former Georgia state congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who is on the Joe Biden running mate short list and "The New York Time…
(2020-04-29). Trump Attacks Post Office While Carriers & Clerks Die from COVID-19. democracynow.org 
President Trump has lashed out at the U.S. Postal Service as the pandemic brings it to the brink of collapse and more people than ever are relying on the mail. Trump claims the agency is only losing money because it is undercharging Amazon and other companies for shipping. "It just isn't true," says American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein.
(2020-04-29). Education Crisis: From Pre-K to Higher Ed, Students Face Unequal Access During Coronavirus Shutdown. democracynow.org 
We look at the impact of the pandemic on schools, universities, students, parents, teachers and professors — and who is at the table to shape what happens next. "We now have an economic crisis on top of the public health crisis, and the ways that we're choosing to educate children is simply unequal and is going to lead to an educational crisis," says education scholar and Cornell University professor Noliwe Rooks, author of "Cutting School: Privatization, Segregation, and the End of Public Education."
(2020-04-29). Hating Arabs as a Common Ground: Why Israel's Coalition Government is Likely to Survive. dissidentvoice.org 
Shortly after an agreement to form a "national emergency government" in Israel, leader of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party, Benny Gantz, tweeted triumphantly that 'democracy' in Israel has been 'safeguarded'. But how is a deal that would grant Israel's right-wing Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a veto power over the very judicial system which …
(2020-04-29). Ryan Grim: Dems Will Back Biden As Long As They Think He'll Beat Trump. therealnews.com 
The Intercept's Ryan Grim discusses the latest developments in Tara Reade's assault allegations against Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton's endorsement.
(2020-05-01). 'If Not Now, When?' Behind the Growing Push for a Black Woman VP Nominee. thenation.com 'If Not Now, When?' Behind the Growing Push for a Black Woman VP Nominee.
(2020-05-01). Democratic presidential candidate Biden says sexual assault 'never happened'. yenisafak.com U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Friday denied that he sexually assaulted a former Senate aide in 1993, his first public remarks on the subject after he faced intense pressure to address the allegation."I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago," Biden said in an emailed statement. "They aren't true. This never happened."
(2020-05-01). US Presidential Hopeful Joe Biden Denies Allegations of Sexual Misconduct. sputniknews.com Former Senate staffer Tara Reade previously accused Biden of sexual misconduct saying that she filed a complaint back in 1993.
(2020-04-30). Biden to Respond to Sex Assault Allegation in Interview Friday. telesurenglish.net Presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden for the first time on Friday is set to personally address a former Senate aide's accusation that he sexually assaulted her in 1993 – a claim that his campaign has denied. | RELATED: | Biden is scheduled to be interviewed about the matter on the MSNBC program "Morning Joe," the cable TV network said on Twitter on Thursday. Biden's campaign did not respond to a request…
(2020-04-30). #FireChrisHayes Trends as MSNBC Anchor Attacked for Covering Biden Accuser Story. commondreams.org Journalist Glenn Greenwald said the reaction to Hayes reporting on a news story which reflects poorly on the former vice president "shows what MSNBC has cultivated." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-04-30_at_10.56.12_am.png …
(2020-04-30). 'Anyone But Elizabeth': With Bernie Out, Big-Dollar Biden Donors Aim to Nix Warren as VP Choice. commondreams.org "Wall Street donors are pressuring Joe Biden not to pick Elizabeth Warren for VP. That's as good a reason as any to do it." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/warren-tops-national-average-polls_1.jpg …
(2020-04-29). Vote by Mail: Head of Postal Union Says Mailed Ballots Are Best Way to Secure 2020 Election. democracynow.org 
President Trump calls the U.S. Postal Service "a joke," and as millions face orders to stay home, his attacks on the agency could also threaten efforts to vote by mail, a method Trump has called "a terrible thing." "We're talking now about basic access to the ballot box," says American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein, who notes "
(2020-04-29). #Resistance & MAGA crew both lose it over independent US congressman's third-party presidential bid. rt.com 
Liberals and conservatives have finally agreed on something about the 2020 US presidential election — neither want ex-Republican (and current independent) Michigan Congressman Justin Amash to run on the Libertarian ticket. | Amash announced on Tuesday night via Twitter that he was forming an "exploratory committee" to look into running for president under the Libertarian Party's banner. Posting a link to a campaign website that featured little beyond a "DONATE" button, the newly-minted candidate vowed to bring "practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people" to the table. | Today, I launc…
(2020-04-29). Headlines for April 29, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops Number of Americans Killed in Vietnam War, Trump Orders Meat Plants to Remain Open as Worker Coronavirus Deaths Mount, Mayor of San Juan Says Puerto Ricans Haven't Received Relief Funds, Workers Plan May Day "People's Strike" to Demand Safer Workplaces, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Lends Support to May 1st Rent Strike, Report: 90% of Minority-Owned Businesses Shut Out of Paycheck Protection Program, U.S. House Cancels Plans to Reconvene in May as D.C. Remains COVID-19 Hot Spot, Pence Refuses to Wear Face Mask During Tour of Mayo Clinic, Riots, Escape Attempts Reported in U.S. Juv…
(2020-04-29). "We are so F****d": Joe Biden Town Hall Sparks Fears of a Clinton Rerun. mintpressnews.com Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden held a public online discussion with 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton yesterday, where she officially endorsed him for president. The 55-minute long event was branded a "women's town hall," as the two veteran Washington insiders discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has hit women in particular. | "I want to add my voice to the many who have endorsed you to be our president," Clinton announced from her home. "Just think what a difference it would make right now if we had a president who not only listened to the science — put facts over fiction…
(2020-04-29). Hate as a Common Ground: Why Israel's Coalition Government Is Likely to Survive. mintpressnews.com Israeli leaders insist that democracy, transparency, and inclusion are achievable, even when millions of the country's Arab citizens are marginalized and continue to be victims of institutional racism that dates back to the very foundation of Israel.
(2020-04-29). Biden Says He Would Restore Relations With Cuba If Elected. telesurenglish.net United States presidential candidate for the Democratic Party and former Vice President Joe Biden said Monday he would go back to former President Barack Obama's policies toward Cuba if he wins the presidential election in November. | RELATED: | "In large part, I would go back," Biden said in an interview with CBS. "I'd still insist they keep the commitments they said they would make when we, in fact, set the policy…
(2020-04-29). 'Coronavirus used as excuse to roll back Colombia's peace process and democracy'. colombiareports.com President Ivan Duque and his far-right party are using the coronavirus to cover up "assaults" on Colombia's peace process while promoting authoritarianism, the country's peace movement told the United Nations…
(2020-04-29). Massive global crime syndicate in UK operates with impunity. truepublica.org.uk By Rob Woodward — TruePublica: If you were the PM of a government in a normal Western country, with normal democratic and law-abiding principles and a report came through from the intelligence services of an impending massive new crime wave — it's quite likely you would do something about it. You send a request to …
(2020-04-29). Federal Bill Would Release Vulnerable People from Prisons to Help Stop Spread of COVID-19. aclu.org A month ago, Congress gave the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
(2020-04-28). Headlines for April 28, 2020. democracynow.org Known U.S. Deaths Top 56,000 as New Study Shows True Number Likely Much Higher, Trump Ignored Early Intelligence Reports as Coronavirus Spread, Trump Denies Responsibility for Spike in Disinfectant Poisonings, Texas Reopens Businesses, California Warns Against Violating Restrictions | , Trump's Plan to Give Commencement Address at West Point Could Bring Back 1,000 Cadets to Campus, NY Cancels Primary After Removing Bernie Sanders from the Ballot , U.N. Calls for Release of Immigrant Prisoners as San Diego Facility Refuses to Allow Face Mask Delivery, More Cases Reported at Prisons as New Study Shows 96% of Inmate…
(2020-04-28). Minnesotans protest Trump's threats on Iran. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – Over 30 cars occupied the parking lot of Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, April 26, to call on her to denounce President Trump's attacks and sanctions on Iran. Trump has escalated the threats against Iran by announcing on Twitter, April 22, that he told the Navy "to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea." Unlike Minnesota's Representative Ilhan Omar, Senator Smith has remained silent while Trump again threatened Iran with further acts of war. | The safe-distance car protest was the first Twin Cities anti-war action during the coronavirus pandemic. It was o…
(2020-04-28). Stir Crazy! Episode #23: The Empire State. therealnews.com 
On today's show: TRNN Digital Director Charles Lenchner. We're also joined by founding member of the Chinatown Collective which hosts the Charm City Night Market Leandro Lagera and Democratic State Committeeman and activist from Manhattan's 66th Assembly District Ben Yee. Hosted by Kim Brown.
(2020-04-28). In Her Own Words: Fiona Apple on New Album "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" & Acknowledging Indigenous Lands. democracynow.org 
In a broadcast exclusive, world-renowned singer-songwriter Fiona Apple joins Democracy Now! for the hour to discuss her critically acclaimed new album, "Fetch the Bolt Cutters," which was released early amid the pandemic. "I've heard that it's actually making people feel free and happy," Apple says, "and it might be helping people feel alive or feel their anger or feel creative. And that's the best thing that I could hope for." Her record includes an acknowledgment that the album was "Made on unceded Tongva, Mescalero Apache, and Suma territories." We also speak with Native American activist Eryn Wise, an organiz…
(2020-04-27). 'A Progressive Bailout Includes A Freeze On Rent, Mortgages, And Utilities'. therealnews.com 
Public educator Jamaal Bowman wants to win the congressional seat of hawkish 30-year incumbent Eliot Engel. Justice Democrats, the group that helped elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are with him.
(2020-04-27). Scientific American: As Trump Touts Dangerous Cures, Here's What We Know About COVID-19 Drug Tests. democracynow.org 
President Trump dangerously suggested injecting disinfectants could help patients sick with the coronavirus, then said he was being "sarcastic." But his remarks led to a spike in calls to helplines about taking disinfectants. We look at "What We Know About the Most Touted Drugs Tested for COVID-19" with Tanya Lewis, associate editor for health and medicine at Scientific American.
(2020-04-27). "Never Rarely Sometimes Always": New Film Follows Teenager's Perilous Journey to Access Abortion. democracynow.org 
As multiple states have moved to further restrict access to abortions during the pandemic, a powerful new dramatic film follows a 17-year-old girl as she travels from her small town in Pennsylvania to New York City to get an abortion without having to notify her parents. "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" director and writer Eliza Hittman joins us to discuss the making of the film, which is being distributed online while cinemas remain closed in most states due to the pandemic.
(2020-04-27). "Unconscionable": Planned Parenthood Pres. Condemns States Using Pandemic to Limit Abortion Access. democracynow.org 
As much of the U.S. remains on lockdown, abortion rights are under attack nationwide. We get an update on the fight for abortion access with Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "Our bodies have literally been deemed essential," she says, "and yet the control of our bodies and the right to control our own bodies has not."
(2020-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Deaths Top 207,000 as Hard-Hit European Nations Start Relaxing Lockdowns, States Prepare to Reopen Economies as Cases Continue to Mount, Doctors See Rise in Strokes Caused by Coronavirus; CDC Expands List of Possible Symptoms, Oakland Police Tackle and Detain Unhoused Outreach Workers, Poison Control Center Calls Spike After President Trump Suggests Injections of Disinfectant, WHO Warns Against Issuing "Immunity Passports", Activists Hold "Cancel the Rent" Protests Around the Country, Coronavirus Outbreak Reported at Tyson Foods Meat Processing Plant, "Larry King Live" Tape from 1993 Supports T…
(2020-04-24). New $484B Relief Bill Lacks Funds for Food Aid, Rent Relief, US Postal Service, Election Protection. democracynow.org 
As the House passes a new $484 Billion coronavirus relief bill, Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the sole Democrat to vote no, saying it falls far short, failing to protect those at greatest health risk, including essential frontline workers, and could let millions go hungry. We get response from The American Prospect's David Dayen.
(2020-04-24). Organizer: Domestic Workers Make All Work Possible, But the Coronavirus Relief Bill Discounts Them. democracynow.org 
To talk more about how the coronavirus relief bills have affected essential workers, we speak with an organizer in Queens, New York, the epicenter of the epicenter of the pandemic. "Things are being done, but it's not enough to serve the domestic workers who are essential workers and keep this city running," says Riya Ortiz, lead organizer and case manager for the nonprofit Damayan Migrant Workers Association in New York City.
(2020-04-24). "We Don't Have the Capacity to Treat": Palestinian-Canadian Doctor Says Israel Must Lift Gaza Siege. democracynow.org 
As fears continue to grow about what a rampant outbreak of the coronavirus might do to the occupied Palestinian territory, already crippled by years of Israeli sanctions, we get an update from Dr. Tarek Loubani, Palestinian-Canadian doctor and emergency physician who volunteers in the Gaza Strip and returned from a trip there last month. "Testing is severely limited," he says. "There have been fewer tests in Gaza so far throughout the entire pandemic than there were in South Korea yesterday."
(2020-04-24). Corporate Media Deny Their Own Existence, Despite Driving Biden's Primary Victory. fair.org 
If someone were to tell you that major and influential business sectors like the fossil fuel and health insurance industries simply don't exist, or imply that major corporations like ExxonMobil and Cigna don't try to manipulate public opinion and advance a political agenda in order to protect and maximize their profits, you might find it hard to contain your laughter. | But looking at corporate media's coverage of corporate media, one gets the sense that anyone who dares to suggest that media corporations like Comcast-owned MSNBC, AT&T-owned CNN or News Corp…
(2020-04-24). "Nobody Wants to Do This": Georgia Reopens Nonessential Businesses Despite Public Health Warnings. democracynow.org 
We go to Georgia, which is reopening nonessential businesses today — hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors and massage therapists — despite a rising number of COVID-19 deaths. The governor is opening the state over the objections of mayors in Savannah, Atlanta and Augusta. "This order has nothing to do with public health. It has everything to do with the financial health of the state," says George Chidi, columnist for Decaturish, and public policy director for PadSplit, an Atlanta-based affordable housing organization.
(2020-04-24). Headlines for April 24, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Nears 50,000, as Pandemic Leaves 26 Million Unemployed, House Approves $484 Billion in Additional Coronavirus Relief Funding, House Members Wear Masks During Historic Vote as COVID-19 Impacts Lawmakers' Families, Trump Suggests Injecting COVID-19 Patients with Disinfectant, Leaving Doctors Aghast, "Trump Lies People Die": Protesters Dump Body Bags in Front of Trump D.C. Hotel, New York Governor Says 1 in 5 NYC Residents Have Coronavirus Antibodies in Blood, As Georgia Reopens Businesses, Hospitals Brace for New Wave of Coronavirus Deaths, Gov. Newsom Keeps Lockdown in Place as California…
(2020-04-24). What is the Republican Position on the Pandemic? No, Really. progressive.org New polls show the Party of Death thing is not a hit with swing state voters.
(2020-04-23). A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times. peaceaction.org 
As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …
(2020-04-23). Global Health Doctor: Hire 1000s of Contact Tracers to Stop COVID-19, Save Lives and the Economy. democracynow.org 
As parts of the United States and Europe consider reopening, most of the world's population remains susceptible to the coronavirus. We look at new efforts to stop the deadly spread of COVID-19 with contact tracing — finding who infected patients have been in contact with so they can get tested and isolated. We'll speak with global health expert Dr. Joia Mukherjee, with Partners in Health, about a contact tracing project she is working on now in Massachusetts.
(2020-04-23). "The Virus Is Still Out There": Infectious Disease Expert Warns Against Reopening States Too Soon. democracynow.org 
Despite strong objections of public health officials, governors in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina still plan to reopen parks, beaches and nonessential businesses. Even Trump reversed his support. Increased testing is critical for the whole country. But where are the tests? We look at the path ahead with Dr. Syra Madad, infectious disease specialist and special pathogens expert, who was recently featured in the Netflix docuseries "Pandemic."
(2020-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2020. democracynow.org ACLU Warns Spread of Coronavirus in Jails Could Add 100,000 Deaths to U.S. Toll, Government Scientist Claims Reprisal for Opposing Trump's Unproven Coronavirus Treatment, As Coronavirus Reached the U.S., Trump Admin Tapped Ex-Labradoodle Breeder to Lead Task Force, President Trump "Disagrees Strongly" with Governor's Plans to Reopen Georgia, Scientists Skeptical of Reports of High Rates of Coronavirus Antibodies in California Residents, Funeral Directors Association Warns U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Are Underreported, Doctors Report Life-Threatening Blood Clotting in COVID-19 Patients, More Human Trials of Experimental…
(2020-04-22). Bernie Sanders and Our Day of Destiny. progressive.org New books explore the future of U.S. socialism.
(2020-04-22). "Frightening Moment": On Earth Day, Kumi Naidoo on Africa's Twin Pandemics of Coronavirus & Hunger. democracynow.org 
Some 265 million people are expected to face acute hunger as the coronavirus crisis could trigger a second pandemic of hunger. The crisis is projected to disproportionately affect Africa, where there is already widespread hunger. This comes as the World Health Organization estimates the number of COVID-19 cases in Africa could rise to 10 million in the next three to six months. Ten African countries don't have a single ventilator. "This is an extremely terrifying and frightening moment for the people of Africa. … We were already facing a major food crisis — that was before the coronavirus hit," says lifel…
(2020-04-22). Bill McKibben on Earth Day at 50: We Must Stop Subsidizing Fossil Fuel Industry Wrecking the Planet. democracynow.org 
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, when more than 20 million Americans joined in actions to protect the environment — 10% of the U.S. population at the time. Half a century later, in the middle of a pandemic, protests planned around the world have moved online, and the Trump administration has gutted the Environmental Protection Agency — established not long after Earth Day — rolled back fuel economy standards and eased the enforcement of pollution regulations. "The countries that flattened the coronavirus curve early on are doing far better than those like ours, which delayed," says…
(2020-04-22). Greta Thunberg: Climate Activists Have Not Lost Hope Amid Pandemic. We're Changing How We Organize. democracynow.org 
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke in an Earth Day live stream hosted by the Nobel Prize Museum about how the Fridays for Future school strikes movement she launched is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. "Within the Fridays for Future movement, there's still this sort of big sense of resistance, and people are thinking, 'We will get out of this. And when we do, we will continue, and we will do everything we can that is possible in that situation to continue to push even harder,'" says Thunberg. "I feel like many people have not lost their sense of hope. We have just changed the way we do things. W…
(2020-04-22). Chileans Who Took to Streets Against Inequality & Climate Crisis Say Virus Lockdowns Won't Stop Them. democracynow.org 
Months ago, the streets of Santiago and other Chilean cities were alive with a vibrant mass protest movement that drew hundreds of thousands and even led the U.N. climate summit to be relocated to Madrid, Spain, last December. Now the public spaces of Santiago are largely empty as citizens shelter in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But the protest movement against austerity and right-wing President Sebastián Piñera lives on as activists find new ways to organize online. We go to Santiago, Chile, to speak with Angela Valenzuela, a 350.org organizer who has been active both in the country's uprising and in…
(2020-04-22). Wisconsin Republicans Sue to Dump Safety Rules. progressive.org The GOP-controlled legislature is asking the state's conservative-dominated Supreme Court to end the governor's ability to curb the spread of COVID-19.
(2020-04-16). Should Sanders Have Campaigned Like Warren? peoplespolicyproject.org In the past couple of weeks, supporters of Elizabeth Warren have
(2020-04-14). An Incremental Expansion of Medicare Should Begin With Kids. peoplespolicyproject.org Joe Biden announced on Thursday his intention to When thinking about expanding Medicare, I believe it is useful to start with the below graph, which breaks down insurance status at every age. To produce this graph, I average every ag…
(2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
(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 …
(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 …
(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 …
(2020-03-05). Study Showing Bernie Needs Huge Youth Turnout Is Nonsense. peoplespolicyproject.org 
In the 1980s, the economist Robert Solow quipped that "you can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics." There's a similar dynamic going on in the Democratic primaries. Doubts about Bernie Sanders' electability are legion among political observers, yet polls regularly show him performing near the top of the 2020 pack in matchups against Trump. | Polls go up and down, of course, but over the past two months Sanders' average performance in matchups against Trump, according to Real Clear Politics, generally stood above those of Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Warren, and Klobuchar, and typically jus…
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…
(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…
(2020-02-01). The Times They Are a-Changin: Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Sometimes it feels like our world is falling apart, but real change is all around us…
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …