2020-09-29: News Headlines

Staff (2020-09-29). Headlines for September 29, 2020. democracynow.org As COVID-19 Claims Over 1 Million Lives, Reports of Rift Among White House Advisers, Another Immigrant Prisoner Dies from COVID-19; Nurses Union Says U.S. Failed to Protect Medical Workers, Kentucky AG to Release Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Tapes as Juror Calls for Information to Be Made Public, Family of Black Man Shot Dead by Police While Handcuffed in Car Reaches $20 Million Settlement, Trump and Biden to Face Off in 1st Debate as NYT Drops Second Report on Trump's Taxes, Channel 4 Report Says Trump Campaign Sought to Deter Black Voters in 2016, Artist Ai Weiwei Holds Protest in Support of Julian Assange, Press…

Staff (2020-09-29). Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor: We Must Rethink Our Society, from Policing to the Supreme Court. democracynow.org As President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden face off in the first presidential debate in Cleveland, we speak to author and academic Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, who says the multiple crises facing the United States are not getting enough attention leading up to the November election. "We're in the midst of a national reckoning about systemic racism in this country, about the way that things are governed, the way that this country functions," says Taylor, historian and contributing writer at The New Yorker. "There is such a myopia with Donald Trump that every sentence, every breath, everything that h…

Staff (2020-09-29). Philly Activists Reclaim 50 Vacant Houses, Creating a Model for Organizing as Mass Evictions Loom. democracynow.org In a historic victory for unhoused people, Philadelphia city officials agreed to hand over 50 vacant homes to a community land trust, following months of organizing and protest encampments. We hear from one of the organizers and speak to Philadelphia-based Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, who has written extensively about housing insecurity and says the direct actions there are applicable across the U.S. "This dynamic exists all over the country where you have both empty housing and houseless people, a completely irrational expression of what American capitalism means," Taylor says. The sustained movement in Philadelphia…

Staff (2020-09-29). David Cay Johnston: Trump Deserves to Be Jailed, But System Is Set Up to Let Rich Avoid Paying Taxes. democracynow.org Ahead of the first of three presidential debates between President Trump and Joe Biden, we speak with David Cay Johnston, founder and editor-in-chief of DCReport.org, who says the bombshell New York Times report on Trump's taxes highlights the existence of "two income tax systems, separate and unequal." The Times reports that Trump paid no federal income tax in 10 of the past 15 years and just $750 in 2016 and 2017. In a follow-up report, the Times reveals Trump made $427 million in connection to the hit reality TV show "The Apprentice," providing him a financial lifeline as other investments lost money. "People…

Staff (2020-09-29). Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor: Breonna Taylor's Rigged Case Further Erodes Legitimacy of U.S. Institutions. democracynow.org Historian Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor says the Breonna Taylor case is contributing to an "unfolding dynamic of radicalization" in the United States as people see repeated cases of police misconduct go unpunished. A grand jury recently declined to charge any of the officers involved in the 26-year-old EMT's killing for her death. "To have it go through the 'proper channels' and still come out with a rigged decision raises existential questions for people about the legitimacy of the institutions of governance in the United States," says Taylor, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University.

sputniknews (2020-09-29). Minneapolis Police Open Probe Into Reports Ilhan Omar's Allies Harvested Piles of Ballots for Money. sputniknews.com Undercover videos published by Project Veritas over the weekend allege, citing a Somali political operative, that special ballot harvesters were hired in the community in July for the Democrats to take advantage of elderly and other vulnerable community members. The politicians named in the allegations have denied them.

RT (2020-09-29). Tulsi Gabbard believes Project Veritas' ballot-harvesting claims against fellow dem Ilhan Omar, causing left-wing backlash. rt.com Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard invoked the ire of her own base for siding with the conservative news organization Project Veritas, over claims of alleged ballot-harvesting voter fraud linked to Representative Ilhan Omar. | Gabbard tweeted on Monday that the allegations against Omar made by the investigative undercover news group were "further evidence of the need to ban ballot harvesting." Such practice is also called 'ballot collecting' and involves third parties gathering mail-in ballots and delivering them to election officials. It is legal in some states, and is aimed at helping physically impaired…

Lawrence Wittner (2020-09-29). Where Does the Democratic Party Stand on War, Peace, and International Relations? zcomm.org In this November's elections, American voters will have a clear choice as to what kind of role they want their country to play in the world…

_____ (2020-09-29). Unfounded UN Report On Venezuela Used As Regime Change Tool. popularresistance.org The United Nations Human Rights Council issued a report* by the Independent Mission to Determine the Facts in Venezuela (Independent Mission), which accuses Venezuela of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment committed since 2014." The veracity, timing, and political intent of this report is best understood in the context of a campaign led by the U.S. to overthrow Venezuela's democratically elected government of President Nicolás Maduro and before him of Hugo Chávez. | Venezuela is a historically petroleum exporting nation and has consequently suffered from the crash in the international oil prices starting in 20…

Al Neal (2020-09-29). 'Saving American Democracy': Sanders outlines plan to combat Trump's election threats. peoplesworld.org During a Sep. 23 news conference, when asked about the election outcome, Trump said, "We're going to have to see what happens," in response to a question about committing to the results. "You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster." In a sweeping response to Trump's …

Joel Wendland-Liu (2020-09-29). The people, not the military, must protect democracy in America. peoplesworld.org I am a U.S. military veteran and served in the army in the early 1990s, partly out of a belief in patriotic duty and partly out of need for G.I. Bill resources to attend college. Having said this, I do not believe in the idea that a military veteran is a more "virtuous citizen" with …

Ronald Newman (2020-09-29). How the ACLU is Flexing its Political Muscle in the 2020 Elections. aclu.org This week, the presidential candidates will face off in their first debate of the general election. Voters will hear Donald Trump and Joe Biden talk about their views on the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, and the Supreme Court vacancy created by the untimely passing of ACLU alumna Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The ACLU and our supporters will be listening closely for how their answers relate to key civil liberties issues, including racial justice and reproductive freedom, just as we have throughout the presidential campaign., , This cycle, the ACLU has gotten involved in the presidential campaign in a serious way for…

Julián Pilatti (2020-09-29). Julio López, the shadow of Etchecolatz and the new forced disappearance in democracy. peoplesdispatch.org The disappearance of Jorge Julio López is a symbol of the impunity of the remnants of the dictatorship and particularly of the Buenos Aires police, who is once again suspected of being responsible for the death of Facundo Astudillo Castro.

Jim Hightower (2020-09-29). The Better Part of Patriotism. progressive.org Protest is the essence of American democracy, of America itself.

John Whitehead (2020-09-29). Don't Be Fooled: The 2020 Election Has Already Been Decided. mintpressnews.com Voting booths have already been hijacked by a political elite comprised of Republicans and Democrats who are determined to retain power at all costs. The outcome is a foregone conclusion: the Deep State will win and "we the people" will lose.

Roger Harris (2020-09-29). NYT Releases Sequel of Putin-the-Poisoner: the Incredulous Case of Mr. N. counterpunch.org The New York Times released sequel six in the best-selling Putin-the-Poisoner series on September 22. The incredibly gifted junior G-men and women in the Times Tower have sleuthed yet another episode of boundless evildoing by the arch-villain Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. "The editorial board," we are informed, "is a group of opinion journalists whose views are

John W. Whitehead (2020-09-29). The Election Has Already Been Hijacked and the Winner Decided: 'We the People' Lose. globalresearch.ca "Free election of masters does not abolish the masters or the slaves." ― Herbert Marcuse | Republicans and Democrats alike President Trump is convinced that

_____ (2020-09-29). Venezuela: Democracy Versus Blockade. popularresistance.org On December 6 there will be elections in Venezuela to elect all the deputies to the National Assembly (NA), an event of extraordinary political transcendence. But before going into that subject I will mention the elections that will be held in several Latin American countries in the coming months, all of them are very important in the dispute for our America between the right-wing and the popular forces. | On October 18, general elections in Bolivia, where Evo Morales' MAS is the favorite to win in the first round, but the big question remains whether the same oligarchic and racist group that, supported by Washin…

Jamie McCal ≠lum (2020-09-29). American Workers Have Lost Control of Their Time. It's Time To Take It Back. zcomm.org Whether it's working longer hours, having no control over work schedules, or scrambling to find enough hours to pay the bills, American workers have lost control of their working time. Getting that time back is crucial—for workers' well-being, for democracy and for weakening the tyrannical power of the boss.

Paul Simon (2020-09-29). Trump's strategy of tension. indybay.org "No one will be safe in Biden's America!" This was Donald Trump's message. The theme, for three days: Danger. Danger through crime, through China, through the supposedly radical agenda of the Democrats – and through "riots, looting, arson and violence" in the country's cities.

_____ (2020-09-29). Democracy and Judgement Are Dying in the Light. strategic-culture.org The Washington Post was first published in 1877 and is a fine newspaper in spite of its sometimes swivel-eyed intolerance of all things Russian. Its admirable

Staff (2020-09-29). Democrats Present GOP With Yet Another Opportunity to Pass COVID Relief. truthout.org Progressive advocacy groups and labor leaders are urging Senate Republicans and the Trump White House to stop

Staff (2020-09-29). Private Police at Hospital Hosting Trump-Biden Debate Mostly Arrest Black People. truthout.org A few minutes after noon on a September day in 2018, Jacarvi Jackson and Darcell Williams were crossing Euclid Avenue, a main road through Cleveland's medical area. Both of them worked for a vendor that supplies food to patients at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. Still in their work uniforms after finishing their eight-hour shifts at the hospital's loading dock, they were heading to a Burger King lot where their cars were parked. They were in a hurry — Jackson was worried about…

Charles Booker (2020-09-29). Justice for Breonna Taylor. thenation.com Justice for Breonna Taylor…

Marshall Auerback (2020-09-29). Amid Trump's Wreckage, Democrats Have New Opportunities—if They Seize Them. thenation.com Amid Trump's Wreckage, Democrats Have New Opportunities—if They Seize Them…

Staff (2020-09-28). How "Extremist" Amy Coney Barrett Could Reshape the Supreme Court & Hand Trump the Election. democracynow.org As President Trump nominates conservative federal judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat, we look at how an emboldened 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court could dramatically loosen gun laws, hurt immigrant communities and play a possibly central role in deciding a close presidential election. "Her religious conservatism is not what's extreme about her. It's her actual judicial opinions," says Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation. "She does not use her religion to guide her through her decisions; she uses her extremist conservative views."

Staff (2020-09-28). Planned Parenthood CEO: Trump's SCOTUS Pick Could Overturn Roe v. Wade & Kill Obamacare. democracynow.org President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court could threaten reproductive rights across the U.S., according to Planned Parenthood president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson. Barrett, who once called abortion "always immoral," would give conservatives a decisive 6-3 advantage on the top court if she is confirmed by the Senate, and President Trump has openly promoted her nomination by suggesting she would help overturn the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in the U.S. Barrett "would be a huge threat to reproductive rights" on the Supreme Court, says McGill Johnson. "R…

Staff (2020-09-28). Headlines for September 28, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Nominates Amy Coney Barrett to SCOTUS; GOP-Led Senate Could Confirm Before Nov. 3, NYT: Trump Paid $750 in Fed. Income Taxes in 2016, No Income Taxes in 10 of Last 15 Years , Protests Continue over Impunity in Breonna Taylor's Case as Her Family Speaks Out, U.S. Coronavirus Cases Top 7 Million, on the Rise in Two Dozen States, Global Coronavirus Deaths Approach 1 Million; Latin America Has Half of Most Infected Nations, Armenia and Azerbaijan Declare Martial Law as Fighting Kills at Least 23 People, Belarus Protests Continue as EU and U.S. Refuse to Recognize Lukashenko as Legitimate Ruler, At Least 16 Refu…

Staff (2020-09-28). A Criminal Tax Cheat? Bombshell NYT Report Shows Trump Paid No Federal Income Tax for 10 of 15 Years. democracynow.org In a bombshell report a month before November's presidential election, The New York Times reveals Donald Trump paid no federal income taxes in 10 of the last 15 years, and just $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017. "We don't have to just take his word for the fact that he paid lots of taxes. We can see in the documents that he didn't," says Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation who has written about the legal fight over Trump's tax returns. "If those documents are wrong, Donald Trump can release his taxes and show us what he claims is the real truth."

sputniknews (2020-09-28). Trump Calls for Probe Into Ilhan Omar Following Report of Her Allies 'Illegally Harvesting Ballots'. sputniknews.com James O'Keefe of the conservative media platform Project Veritas over the weekend claimed that supporters of Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, central to her political base in Minnesota, illegally harvested ballots during a recent Minneapolis City Council election.

Staff (2020-09-28). The Democrats are not prepared for Trump refusing to leave office. therealnews.com The failure of the Democrats to come up with a plan for a contested election or for Trump refusing to leave office has concerned leftists since the start of his presidency.

Medea Benjamin (2020-09-28). Will Michele Flournoy Be the Angel of Death for the American Empire? zcomm.org Picking Michelle Flournoy to lead the Pentagon would be a tragic indication that Biden is truly hell-bent on squandering America's future on a debilitating arms race with China and Russia…

Mike Whitney (2020-09-28). Betrayal, Infuriating Betrayal. Russiagate and the Democrats. globalresearch.ca GR Editor's Note | This article does not mention explicitly that the grassroots of the Democratic Party has been misled and betrayed by high ranking members of their Party. We publish this article because it presents an important viewpoint which must …

Miko Peled (2020-09-28). How AOC Challenged the Myth of Yitzhak Rabin the Peacemaker. mintpressnews.com When it was publicized that AOC was pulling out of a Yitzhak Rabin memorial, Peace Now's Israel PR man called him "a warrior with skeletons turned peacemaker, a description that betrays his bloody past.

Janice Rothstein (2020-09-28). Union leader in Southern California mayor's race. peoplesworld.org OCEANSIDE, Calif. — California's historically Republican 49th Congressional District has shifted Democratic in recent years. The change in this coastal Southern California GOP fiefdom is part of the Blue Wave that engulfed the state's Congressional delegation in the 2018 elections. Emblematic of the rupture with GOP representation and the emergence of progressive local candidates in …

Sam Pizzigati (2020-09-28). The Real Threat to Democracy: Concentrated Wealth. counterpunch.org A White House that muses openly about not counting votes. A Senate rushing to cement in place a fiercely conservative Supreme Court. We have plenty of reasons these days to despair for our democracy. The Commission on Presidential Debates has just added another. This independent blue-ribbon panel has produced every presidential debate since 1988. The

Paul Street (2020-09-28). The Rolling Constitutional-Fascist Coup in the World's Most Dangerous Nation. counterpunch.org We are in the middle of a rolling authoritarian and even fascist coup that is working with and through the United States Constitution to no small degree. To be sure, Trump is doing everything in his considerable power to undermine a "normal" bourgeois-constitutional election. He's working to sabotage mail delivery in an election that will depend on mail-in ballots thanks to the pandemic Trump has fanned. He's deploying armed right-wing "poll watchers" to intimidate minority and other Biden voters. He's encouraging terrorist street actions and intimidation by white "tough guys" (bikers, militia members, cops, and…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-09-28). Trump Labor Dept. would turn more workers into 'independent contractors'. peoplesworld.org

Staff (2020-09-28). AOC Skewers Trump for Seeking Tax Write-Offs for $70,000 in Hair Styling Costs. truthout.org Amid the numerous revelations from The New York Times's reporting on President Trump's tax returns is the fact that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) took special note of those expenditures, reminding Republicans that in 2019 she…

Ralph Nader (2020-09-28). To Democratic Voters — Up Your Demands; To Trump Voters — See How He Didn't Deliver for You. counterpunch.org Here is some practical advice for casting informed votes to improve the livelihoods of all Americans where they live, work, and raise their children and also to lessen their anxiety, dread, and fear. Democratic voters should demand that the Democratic Party candidates pledge to vote to (1) raise the long frozen, federal minimum wage of

pip.hinman (2020-09-28). Socialist Alliance: End the crackdown on the People's Democratic Party in Turkey. greenleft.org.au

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-09-28). The Supreme Court Has Never Been Liberal. counterpunch.org In the hours after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, shocked Americans speculated about whether or not Republican Senator Mitt Romney would oppose a Senate confirmation vote just weeks before the election. After all, Romney had emerged as the highest-profile Republican lawmaker critical of the president and was the lone senator from his party

Gene Glickman (2020-09-28). The Fickle Finger of Fate Points; Republicans React. counterpunch.org These excerpts come from the New York Times website at 9: 30 p.m. local time, on Thursday, September 24, 2020: "On Wednesday, Mr. Trump merged the two story lines involving the court and the legitimacy of the election. He said he expected voting disputes to be decided by the Supreme Court and urged a swift confirmation

teleSUR (2020-09-28). Trump's New Move To Stay in Office: Impose Coney-Barrett in Supreme. telesurenglish.net President Donald Trump nominated conservative Amy Coney-Barrett as a candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to guarantee his permanence in the White House in case he doesn't win the November election. | RELATED: | "I will not leave the presidency so easily," Trump said after warning that if Democrat Joe Biden wins a majority vote, he will appeal to the Supreme Court for "being a victim of fraud." | On Saturd…

teleSUR (2020-09-28). Brazil: Traditional Parties Weaken Ahead of Municipal Elections. telesurenglish.net The campaigns for the Brazilian municipal elections began on Sunday amid forecasts announcing that traditional political organizations could lose their voters in big cities. | RELATED: | "In these municipal elections, it is expected that the Workers' Party (PT) and the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) movements weakened in major cities, as it occurred in 2018 elections," expert Emerson Cervi explained. | Ac…

Gary D. Barnett (2020-09-28). The State's Response to this 'Virus' Is Nothing More than a Weapon of Mass Submission. globalresearch.ca "The great masses of men, though theoretically free, are seen to submit supinely to oppression and exploitation of a hundred abhorrent sorts. Have they no means of resistance? Obviously they have. The worst tyrant, even under democratic plutocracy, has but …

Ryan Olds (2020-09-28). As West Coast Burns, We Need to Point Finger at Those Responsible. zcomm.org We cannot have change without blame. Instead of calling for unity, it's time to ask what our labor ancestors asked: "Which side are you on?" Because the fire is coming for you too.

Dan La Botz (2020-09-28). Why I'm for Voting For Biden and Urge You To Do So. zcomm.org It has not been easy for me to arrive at this position or to publicly advocate it. But I have and I am. I urge all voters to vote for Biden to stop Trump's reelection. As I said, I regret having to make this decision, but I would regret even more a second term for Trump…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-28). Iranian documentary honored at US MLFF. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 28 (MNA) — Iranian documentary 'Democracy on the Road of Saveh" directed by Touraj Kalantari received an honorary reward in the 2020 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival.

sputniknews (2020-09-28). Biden Campaign Wastes No Time Putting Trump's Reported Tax Records Into Ads, Merchandise. sputniknews.com A bombshell report from The New York Times on Donald Trump's income tax payments has alleged the real estate tycoon-turned-president paid no income taxes during at least 10 years since 2000, and has been at loggerheads with the IRS over his hefty tax refund claims.

sputniknews (2020-09-28). In Nixon & Reagan's Footsteps? Professor Names Three Possible Scenarios for Trump's October Surprise. sputniknews.com With fewer than six weeks remaining before the US Election Day, American and international observers are wondering what "October surprise" Donald Trump has in store to upset the Democrats' applecart. Sociologist and geopolitical analyst Dr Heinz Dieterich has weighed up a number of options Donald Trump may possibly consider.

sputniknews (2020-09-28). It's Symbolic: Tractor Set on Fire Near Iconic India Gate in Delhi to Protest Against Farm Bills. sputniknews.com Earlier this month, India passed three new farm laws that have led to major protests across the country, especially in agricultural states like Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka.

Staff (2020-09-28). AOC Calls Trump a "Walking Scam" as His Federal Income Tax Records Are Released. truthout.org Financial

pip.hinman (2020-09-28). End the crackdown on the People's Democratic Party in Turkey. greenleft.org.au

Julian Rose (2020-09-28). High Treason in UK Suffocates Democratic Governance. globalresearch.ca My home country, the United Kingdom, once known for its promotion of libertarian causes, has been taken-over and its citizens utterly betrayed. The last vestiges of parliamentary democracy have been buried, so that the Prime Minister, members of the Cabinet …

Juan Cole (2020-09-27). Saudi Arabia, World's Last Absolute Monarchy, Challenged by New Democratic Political Party. zcomm.org "There would be an end of everything," Montesquieu said of absolute monarchy and the erasure of the separation of powers. That is what the Saudis have, and what Trump is working toward.

Ted Glick (2020-09-27). Abdullah àñcalan on the Sociology of Freedom. dissidentvoice.org The primary goal of politics in the environment and in the institutions of bourgeois democracy is, above all, to hold power. Power, on the other hand, is about getting a share from the monopolies. Obviously, this cannot be the objective of democratic politics. Even if democratic politics are to operate within the institutions of power …

sputniknews (2020-09-27). Democrats Rip Into Judge Barrett's Supreme Court Nomination. sputniknews.com The intention by US President Donald Trump to fill in the vacancy in the Supreme Court opened after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week drew harsh condemnation from Democrats, who insist that the vacancy should not be filled until after the US presidential election.

Staff (2020-09-27). The First 2020 Presidential Debate Needs to Address Wealth and Income Inequality. truthout.org White House that muses openly about not counting votes. A Senate rushing to cement in place a fiercely conservative Supreme Court. We have plenty of reasons these days to despair for our democracy. The Commission on Presidential Debates has just added another. | This independent blue-ribbon panel has produced every presidential debate since 1988. The 2020 debate series will launch this coming Tuesday, and the Commission has now announced the six topics that will each get 15 minutes at the…

Roger D. Harris (2020-09-27). New York Times Releases Sequel of Putin-the-Poisoner. dissidentvoice.org The New York Times released sequel six in the best-selling Putin-the-Poisoner series on September 22. The incredibly gifted junior G-men and women in the Times Tower have sleuthed yet another episode of boundless evildoing by the arch-villain Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. "The editorial board," we are informed, "is a group of opinion journalists whose views are …

Fight Back (2020-09-27). UW-Milwaukee SDS rallies to get cops off campus. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of September 25, organizers with the recently re-formed University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led a rally in Spaights Plaza on campus. More than 20 students and supporters gathered to demand that the university disarm, defund and ultimately disband the campus police. | "This event was held to formally announce our demands of UW Milwaukee, which includes defunding the UWM campus police entirely and redistributing those funds to programs such as ethnic studies and mental health services," said Veronica Roll, a leader with UWM SDS. "I am overjoyed wi…

_____ (2020-09-27). New Documents Further Unveil Democrat's 'Russiagate'. popularresistance.org A number of recent document releases shine new lights on 'Russiagate'. That conspiracy theory, peddled by the Obama administration, the Democratic Party aligned media and 'deep state' actors opposed to President Trump, alleged that Trump was in cahoots with Russia. The disinformation campaign had the purpose of sabotaging his presidency. | To some extent it has worked as intended. But due to the legal investigation of the whole affair much more is now known about those who conspired against Trump. Some of them are likely to end up in legal jeopardy.

_____ (2020-09-27). The Left And The Election Crisis. popularresistance.org The political crisis in the ruling class that is playing itself out in the presidential election is not really about Trump, any more than it's about saving democracy, decency and all the other stuff that Democratic Party leaders are shouting about. | This crisis is about the capitalist system starting to break down and fall apart, and what must be done to rescue capitalism and U.S. imperialism from demise. | This crisis has been building for a long time. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the course of the crisis; it's like pouring gasoline on a burning police station.

Bernie Sanders (2020-09-27). How to Block Trump from Stealing Election. zcomm.org The American people, no matter what their political view, must make it clear that American democracy will not be destroyed…

sputniknews (2020-09-27). Biden Promises Police Reform, National Commission to Oversee Law Enforcement Action. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised, if elected, to create a federal commission to work on a policy covering excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.

sputniknews (2020-09-27). Sparks to Fly as Trump, Biden Ditch Handshakes and Masks for First Showdown. sputniknews.com On 29 September, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are scheduled to face each other in the first of three presidential debates, with the representatives of the two candidates having hammered out the final details of the face-off.

The Canary (2020-09-27). Lib Dems urge Raab to step up sanctions against China over Uyghur 'genocide'. thecanary.co Foreign secretary Dominic Raab must "pull his finger out" and step up sanctions against China over its treatment of the Uyghurs, the Liberal Democrats have said. Layla Moran, the party's foreign affairs spokesperson, told the Lib Dem online conference that the treatment of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province is "nothing short of genocide". | "History is watching": | In a keynote address to the virtual event on Saturday 26 September, Moran said: History is watching us. The world is looking to the UK and the international community to stand up and take action. | I wonder, has Dominic Raab seen the footag…

Glen Ford (2020-09-27). The US Dictatorship of (White) Capital and Its Tools of Bamboozlement. commondreams.org Protesters march through lower Manhattan over the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police on June 19, 2020. (Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/real-power-bamboozle.jpg

Massoud Nayeri (2020-09-27). Towards "Totalitarian Governance" in America. globalresearch.ca American "democracy" is neither dead nor defeated; it is simply decaying day by day. This reality is the reflection of an exhausted and worn out capitalist system on a global scale. Facts surrounding the 2020 Presidential Election in the U.S. …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-09-26). Moderate Murder: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Kill millions in concentration camps and they'll call you a monster. Kill millions with bombs and they'll call you a moderate. | ~ | A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change. | ~ | Claiming a country attacked America's democracy is like claiming they attacked America's leprechauns. | ~ | America has slaughtered millions of human beings since 9/11 to facilitate global domination and the people who live there are saying this election is unique because this president is actually bad. | ~ | The only way to believe Trump is uniquely evil as a president…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-09-26). Outside Schumer's Home, Activists Demand Dems Block Trump SCOTUS Appointment. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/schumer-trump-scotus-democracy-eyes-you.jpeg

RT (2020-09-26). 'Shorty‚Äå ‚Äåwanna‚Äå ‚Äåbe‚Äå ‚Äåa‚Äå ‚Äåthug'?‚Äå ‚ÄåKamala‚Äå ‚ÄåHarris‚Äå ‚Äåslated‚Äå ‚Äåfor‚Äå ‚Äåsaying‚Äå ‚Äå2Pac‚Äå ‚Äåis‚Äå ‚Äåthe‚Äå ‚Äå'best‚Äå ‚Äårapper‚Äå ‚ÄåALIVE'‚Äå. rt.com Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris has named Tupac Shakur as the "best rapper alive." With 2Pac dead since 1996, either Harris knows something the rest of us don't or she's pandering again. | Speaking at the NAACP's virtual convention on Friday, Harris was asked who she thought was "the best rapper alive." Without missing a beat, Harris answered "2Pac." Reminded that the 'Picture Me Rollin" rapper is in fact dead, Harris did some damage control: | Kamala Harris asked, who's the best rapper alive? | She answers Then says "Not alive, I know…

Ralph Nader (2020-09-26). To Democratic Voters — Up Your Demands; To Trump Voters — See How He Didn't Deliver for You. commondreams.org A voter puts a ballot in a ballot box on June 9, 2020 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/informed-votes-2020-nader.jpg

sputniknews (2020-09-26). Trump Announces Amy Barrett as His Supreme Court Nomination Pick. sputniknews.com A vacancy in the US Supreme Court opened following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week at the age of 87. US President Donald Trump has been eager to fill the vacancy before the presidential election, a desire met with criticism by Democrats.

commondreams (2020-09-26). Popular Democracy PAC Denounces Trump's Supreme Court Nomination. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-09-26). Muslim Advocates: Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court Nomination Threatens Democracy. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Rachel Zhang (2020-09-26). Democrats need to be pressured on climate, too. nationofchange.org "We are already facing the consequences of the climate crisis."

WSWS (2020-09-26). US Congress threatens to cut funding for Philippines police and military. wsws.org Congressional Democrats are attempting to establish a more pliant regime in the Philippines to join the US build-up to war against China.

Organizing Upgrade Editors (2020-09-26). The Frontline: A Black-Led, Multiracial Coalition Throws Down. zcomm.org The more progress The Frontline makes, the more strength will accrue to every component of the fight for democracy, justice, working class power and deep structural change…

Sam Pizzigati (2020-09-26). Let's Start Debating What Dooms Democracy: Concentrated Wealth. zcomm.org Why we need to shove inequality onto America's political center stage…

Matthew Cunningham-Cook (2020-09-26). Washington Congressional Race Lays Bare Democratic Divide on Climate Crisis. zcomm.org The outcome of the race will say much about what kind of Democratic Party will be confronting climate change in the years ahead…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-09-26). Saturday 10/3: California MAAFA Awareness Month. indybay.org Folsom Light Rail Station | Leidesdorff Plaza…

Amitava Banerjee, Laura Pasea, Spiros Denaxas, Bryan Williams, Harry Hemingway (2020-09-26). [Correspondence] Models for mortality require tailoring in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We thank Arielle Lasry and Roberta Horth for their comments on our study1 and agree that long-term mortality models, applicable to people with different underlying conditions, have an important ongoing role in the COVID-19 response, and that they require further development to include wider determinants of health.

_____ (2020-09-26). Fidel Castro's 1960 Speech to the UN Did More for Anti-Colonial Struggle Than the UN's Hyperbole About 'Eradicating Colonialism'. strategic-culture.org This September marked 60 years since Fidel Castro's first address to the United Nations, in which he delivered a scathing and truthful critique about the imperialist philosophy of war. On September 26, 1960, facing the beginning of U.S. political hostilities against Cuba, while the Cuban delegation to the UN was excluded from meetings and diplomatic events, Fidel's speech, lasting over five hours, was an eloquent reflection that seamlessly weaved the implications of U.S. supremacy in a historical narrative from the colonised country's experience and perspective. | "Colonies do not speak. Colonies are not known un…

sputniknews (2020-09-26). Biden Compares Trump to Nazi Propaganda Chief, Says Prepared For 'Lies' on Debates. sputniknews.com As the US November presidential election race between Democratic candidate Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump intensifies, next week on 29 September, will see the two holding their first presidential debate.

sputniknews (2020-09-26). 'Biden's Ego, Mouth his Weak Spots': Netizens Irked by Democrat's 'Stupid Bastards' Dig at Troops. sputniknews.com Earlier, a video of the former vice president Joe Biden jokingly calling US troops "stupid bastards" in 2016 went viral, stirring up a reaction on the internet late Friday.

sputniknews (2020-09-26). Well-Preserved? Joe Biden Suggests He Was Elected to Senate '180 Years Ago' – Video. sputniknews.com US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is prone to slip-ups and stumbles, for which he is mocked by his Republican rival, incumbent President Donald Trump, who regularly links Biden's verbal blunders to possible issues with the Dem candidate's mental health.

Staff (2020-09-26). GOP Senator Proposes Bill That Would Discount Most Absentee and Mail-in Ballots. truthout.org A new bill proposed by Republican Sen. Rick Scott is "entirely unworkable," Slate The Orwellian-named "Help America Vote Act of 2020," which Scott proposed Thur…

commondreams (2020-09-26). Climate Justice Alliance Deeply Disappointed with Passage of House Democrats Dirty Energy Bill. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-09-26). MoveOn Slams Trump's Reported Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for SCOTUS, Warns of GOP-Led Attacks on Healthcare, Democracy. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Staff (2020-09-25). Bernie Sanders on How to Block Trump from Stealing Election & Preserve American Democracy. democracynow.org In an address to the country, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has issued a stark warning about the threat posed by President Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the November election. Trump, who has made spurious claims of voter fraud and election-rigging against Democrats for months, recently ramped up his efforts to discredit the election results by suggesting he will refuse to concede if he loses. "This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy. And democracy must win," Sanders said. We air excerpts from his speech.

Staff (2020-09-25). "The Election That Could Break America": Inside How Trump & GOP Could Steal the Vote. democracynow.org As President Trump refuses to commit to accepting the results of the upcoming election, we speak to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Barton Gellman, whose latest piece in The Atlantic looks at how Trump could subvert the election results and stay in power even if he loses to Joe Biden. "Trump's strategy is never to concede. He may win, he may lose, but under no circumstances will he concede this election," says Gellman. "That's a big problem, because we don't actually have a mechanism for forcing a candidate to concede, and concession is the way we have ended elections."

Olujimi Alade (2020-09-25). Is Marxism still relevant? — a commentary. workers.org With the dire economic circumstances brought on by COVID-19 and the rise in police brutality provoking civil unrest unseen since the 1960s, the Millennial Generation as well as Generation Z are beginning to see the pitfalls of both neoliberalism and U.S. conservatism. The Republicans in office are taking notice and . . . |

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-09-25). 'Recognize What Is at Stake,' Progressives Warn Amid Reports Trump Will Tap Amy Coney Barrett as Ginsburg's Successor. commondreams.org "Barrett is a threat to our healthcare, reproductive freedom, to immigrant rights, equality, and the well-being of American democracy writ large." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/coney_barrett.jpg

MEE and agencies (2020-09-25). Turkey condemns Pelosi's 'ignorance' about Erdogan and democracy. middleeasteye.net Turkey condemns Pelosi's 'ignorance' about Erdogan and democracy | US House speaker says President Donald Trump is trampling on democracy as if he were in Turkey | Fri, 09/25/2020 – 23: 27 | Pelosi suggests that Turkey is not democratic country in criticism of Trump (AFP/File photo) | Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday slammed US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "blatant igno…

_____ (2020-09-25). Pledge Of Resistance: Stop Austerity This Fall. popularresistance.org We are living in tumultuous times. The core capitalist countries are rapidly abandoning any pretense of democracy and advancing toward war. We, the oppressed peoples and working class people of the world, must take decisive action to stop the advance of authoritarianism and the potential restoration of the neo-liberal fragmentation and austerity which delivered us to this moment. | The United States is now a powder-keg. Right-wing forces are threatening and assaulting progressive forces with deadly intent and outcomes all over the country.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-25). Argentina rejects Bolivian de-facto president's statements at the UN assembly. peoplesdispatch.org On September 23, during her speech before the 75th United Nations General Assembly, the de-facto president of Bolivia, Jeanine àÅñez, attacked the progressive government of Argentine president Alberto Fernández, accusing the neighboring nation of exercising "systematic and abusive harassment" against Bolivia. She also accused the Argentine government of "interfering in Bolivia's internal affairs" and "supporting a violent conspiracy by (former Bolivian president) Evo Morales against Bolivian democracy." | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, on behalf of the national government, rejected the statem…

teleSUR (2020-09-25). US Lawmakers Claim El Salvador is 'Abandoning Democracy'. telesurenglish.net Republican lawmakers Thursday published an open letter claiming that El Salvador's government is legitimizing the MS-13 gang, the Mara Salvatrucha, which is the largest and most dangerous criminal group in the United States. | RELATED: | "According to reports, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele got engaged in a negotiation process that could further empower this criminal organization," the Republicans stated. | The…

Leanna First-Arai (2020-09-25). Trump Is Losing Farmer Support in Climate Crisis. Will They Swing the Election? zcomm.org In a push to capture the rural vote, 62 percent of which went to Trump in 2016, both the Trump and Biden campaigns are ramping up efforts to appeal to farmers and ranchers.

sputniknews (2020-09-25). Donald Trump Blasts 'Weak as Hell' Biden for 'Anti-Police Crusade', Surrender to 'Flag Burners'. sputniknews.com Ahead of their first debate set for 29 September, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have weighed in on the civil unrest in Kentucky over a decision by state Attorney General suggesting that the use of force by two police officers in Breonna Taylor's death in March was justified under state law.