(2020-10-16). Imagine If MSM Consistently Applied the Evidentiary Standards It's Applying to Hunter Biden's Emails. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | published by The New York Post which purports to show "smoking gun" emails from the laptop of Hunter Biden, son of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | Both Twitter and Facebook have censored the story on their platforms, the first time we've seen the powerful social media giants deplatform a mainstream news media article, both citing concerns about the origins of the emails and an uncertainty about the veracity of the claims. | "Facebook was limiting distribution of the story while its outside fact-checkers reviewed the story's claims, spokesman Andy Stone said," (2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org 
During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
(2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org 
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…
(2020-10-16). Headlines for October 16, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Hospitalizations on the Rise Across U.S. as Confirmed Cases Hit 8 Million, French Police Raid Homes of Government Officials in Probe of Failed Coronavirus Response, WHO Finds Remdesivir Fails to Prevent COVID-19 Deaths, World Health Organization Warns Many Will Have to Wait Until 2022 for Vaccine, Senate on Track to Confirm Far-Right Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 26, Joe Biden Defends 1994 Crime Bill and Calls for More Police Funding, President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Trump Celebrates Apparent Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals Carryi…
(2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org 
The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…
(2020-10-16). Roaming Charges: Pray, Grin and Barrett. counterpunch.org 
The genius of the Biden campaign is that there really is no Biden campaign. The outcome of the election will almost certainly depend on whether they can resist the temptation to start one over the next three weeks.
(2020-10-16). Screen Shot 2020-10-15 at 12.37.31 PM.png. progressive.org President Trump and Senate Republicans are determined to shove through their SCOTUS pick before election results are decided.
(2020-10-16). 'A Perfect Crime,' gripping Netflix documentary on the looting of East Germany. peoplesworld.org 
A Perfect Crime, a new four-part documentary series on Netflix about the 1991 assassination of German politician Detlev Rohwedder, surprisingly offers critical viewpoints about German reunification. October 3 marked the 30th anniversary of the reunification of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). While German reunification is …
(2020-10-16). Two mockeries of democracy instead of one: Biden and Trump town halls replace debate. liberationnews.org 
Donald Trump and Joe Biden held town hall-style encounters at the same time yesterday in what columnist and political cartoonist Ted Rall described as an event, "long on drama but short on credible solutions." Trump and Biden were initially scheduled to face off in a traditional head-to-head debate. But this was called off due to …
(2020-10-16). Biden won't rule out MANDATORY Covid-19 vaccination, but admits that enforcement would be nearly impossible. rt.com 
Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden said he might make a Covid-19 vaccine mandatory, depending on the "nature" of the drug, but then admitted that such a mandate probably couldn't be fully enforced. | Speaking on Thursday night at a town hall event hosted by ABC News, Biden said his decision on whether to make a Covid-19 vaccine compulsory for all Americans would depend on the "state" and "nature" of the vaccine, including whether it's seen as something that would positively affect 85 percent of the public or as a "golden key" to ending the pandemic. | Biden says you can't mandate masks and a COVID vacci…
(2020-10-16). Poll finds just 15% of Americans confident in US democracy, as partisan divisions only grow ahead of presidential vote. rt.com 
Less than one-sixth of US voters believe that American democracy is working "very well," while most Americans seem to agree that their society is extremely divided about its core values, a new survey has shown. | Almost three quarters of registered voters believe the nation "is headed in the wrong direction,"
(2020-10-16). Too little too late? Twitter announces 'hacked materials' policy update after Biden expose censorship fiasco. rt.com 
Twitter has issued a mea culpa after using its "hacked materials" policy to bury a controversial story alleging shady backroom dealings by the Biden family, with the platform vowing to alter its rules and how it enforces them. | "Over the last 24 hours, we've received significant feedback (from critical to supportive) about how we enforced our Hacked Materials Policy yesterday," Twitter policy head Vijaya Gadde said in a tweet on Thursday night, adding that the company would change how it applies the rule and lift its blockade on the Biden story, published on Wednesday by the New York Post. | We believe that l…
(2020-10-16). 'No need to quarantine': Biden says he was wearing mask, '50+ feet away' from crew member who had Covid-19 on board campaign plane. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden said he will not quarantine after being on board the same airplane as a crew member who tested positive for the coronavirus, saying he was far away and wearing a N-95 mask. | "My COVID test from last night came back negative," Biden tweeted on Thursday evening, just before the platform unexpectedly crashed. | "Not only was the individual 50+ feet [15 meters] away and wearing a mask, but I was wearing an N-95 mask," he added. "My doctors have advised that there is no need for me to quarantine." | Not only was the individual 50+ feet away and wearing a mask, but I was w…
(2020-10-16). Twitter rolls out 'DISPUTED' warnings for users trying to post 'misleading' content after backlash over Biden emails censorship. rt.com 
Twitter is cracking down on the spread of what they call "misleading" content ahead of the election: users attempting to retweet anything similar to the NYPost's Hunter Biden leak will now get a warning the material is "disputed." | Attempting to retweet the offending content will trigger a prompt warning the user that the material they're trying to post is "disputed," Twitter revealed on Friday, tweeting an image of the new warning screen. The user will be able to click a button to "find out more" about why Twitter doesn't want the material shared – and then presumably post it anyway. | pic.twitter.com/KjQSnD…
(2020-10-16). 'Most brazen media suppression in US history': Republicans go after Twitter over censorship of NYPost's Biden bombshell. rt.com 
Suppressing several stories critical of Democrat candidate Joe Biden amounted to election interference and an illegal political contribution, the Republican National Committee said in a complaint to the election watchdog FEC. | The party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Friday, accusing Twitter of illegally interfering with the 2020 US presidential election through its muscular censorship of a handful of articles that appeared to expose Biden's son Hunter's dodgy business dealings with Ukrainian and Chinese entities. | Twitter's unprecedented blackout, which blocked all sharing of link…
(2020-10-16). ABC ignores elephant in the room, asks Biden ZERO QUESTIONS about censored NY Post scoops on his son's overseas business dealings. rt.com 
ABC held a 90-minute town hall with Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden without asking a single question about this week's New York Post stories on alleged scandals involving his son's business dealings in Ukraine and China. | Host George Stephanopoulos steered clear of…
(2020-10-16). Bloomberg donates $250,000 to boost Jewish support for Biden in Florida. middleeasteye.net 
Bloomberg donates $250,000 to boost Jewish support for Biden in Florida | Donation to Jewish Democratic Council of America's Super PAC seeks to reinforce American Jews' support for Biden and fellow Democrats | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 20: 52 | Michael Bloomberg's $250,000 donation to go toward Jewish Democratic Council of America's digital outreach campaign targeting Florida (AFP/File photo) | Billionaire businessman…
(2020-10-16). Outnumbered on Supreme Court Nomination, Democrats Campaign for ACA. truthout.org Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee know that, barring something unexpected, they lack the votes to block President Donald Trump from installing his third justice in four years on the Supreme Court and creating a 6-3 conservative majority. | They also know that, in a normal year, by mid-October Congress would be out of session and members home campaigning. But 2020 is obviously no normal year. So, while the rest of Congress is home, Democratic Judiciary members are trying something very differe…
(2020-10-16). Struggle: The History of the American People (1954-56). Jacob Lawrence at The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. globalresearch.ca "The paintings which I propose to do will depict the struggles of a people to create a nation and their attempt to build a democracy" — this is how Jacob Lawrence described his project in 1954. Over sixty-five years later …
(2020-10-16). Smart Ass Cripple: Trump's Contempt for the Disabled. progressive.org One of the first things Trump and the Republicans tried doing to screw disabled people was obliterate the Affordable Care Act.
(2020-10-16). Make an Informed Decision: Where the Presidential Candidates Land. aclu.org Everything we've fought for is at stake in this election. Our right to protest a broken system, our right to equal treatment at work, and even our right to vote. It's up to us to decide what comes next. The ACLU does not endorse or oppose candidates, but we do want to give you the information you need to make informed decisions. It is crucial that you study where the candidates land on the issues. See below for the presidential candidates' positions on key civil liberties issues. | IssueJoe BidenDonald Trump | Police Reform: Pledged to help hold police accountable for shooting unarmed people and other miscondu…
(2020-10-16). Democrats Could Revive a Reagan Tax Reform. dissidentvoice.org Conservatives have every reason to love Ronald Reagan. He cut taxes hugely on high incomes. Once a union leader, he became a ruthless union-buster. He warred endlessly against welfare. But the darling of the Right made one sharp Left. His landmark Tax Reform Act of 1986 called for equal taxes on income from wealth and …
(2020-10-16). 10 things you need to know to stop a coup. zcomm.org Coups are not a time to just watch and wait until "someone else" figures it out. No matter who you are you can be a part of choosing democracy…
(2020-10-16). Reforming an Undemocratic Institution. zcomm.org The problem is not who is serving on the court or how long they get to stay; it's the power they have. And we need to curtail it…
(2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…
(2020-10-16). Texas Is Limiting Ballot Drop-Off Locations. Activists Are Pushing Back. zcomm.org "Education has been key to part of the success of our campaign. We're trying to educate people on every single thing that we possibly can that could happen that falls under the guise of voter suppression"
(2020-10-16). Saturday 10/24: March for Democracy. indybay.org Rally at Mission High School Steps, 3750 18th Street | Across from Dolores Park | Followed by a march to San Francisco City Hall…
(2020-10-16). New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs Juneteenth Holiday Legislation. indybay.org "This new public holiday will serve as a day to recognize the achievements of the Black community, while also providing an important opportunity for self-reflection on the systemic injustices that our society still faces today,"
(2020-10-16). Behavior and body in the sights of capital. indybay.org The proclamation of states of emergency in the spring of 2020, even if not in all countries, helped to consolidate a state crisis management system that overturned constitutions and now completely bypassed democratic decision-making processes. In the name of public health… the measures were presented as without alternative and divergent expert opinions were ignored or defamed.
(2020-10-16). Before the Bidens 'Did' Ukraine, There Was Iraq — and Serbia. strategic-culture.org The United States approaches the November 2020 election with growing apprehension, even dread. | Among the possibilities: | Protracted uncertainty about the presidential contest. Think Florida 2000 but with several states' results unresolved for weeks or even months ("Experts held 'war games' on the Trump vs. Biden election. Their finding? Brace for a mess"); | A disputed outcome, perhaps with Donald Trump and Joe Biden both claiming victory, compounded by a "
(2020-10-16). Republican Senate Candidate Linked to Organizer of Right-Wing Militia Rally. truthout.org Michigan Republican Senate candidate John James received campaign contributions and was photographed with the organizer of the rally where conspirators accused of planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer James, along with Vice President Mike Pence, was photographed with Ryan D. Kelley,…
(2020-10-16). Trump Is Urging Republicans to Break the Law. thenation.com Trump Is Urging Republicans to Break the Law…
(2020-10-16). Texas and the Long Tail of Voter Suppression. thenation.com Texas and the Long Tail of Voter Suppression…
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Won't Say Climate Change Is Real; Forgets 1st Amendment Protects Right to Protest. democracynow.org 
We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives.
(2020-10-15). Herd Immunity: Is It a More Compassionate Approach or Will It Lead to Death or Illness for Millions? democracynow.org 
As coronavirus cases increase across much of the United States, the Trump administration has reportedly adopted a policy of deliberately letting the virus infect much of the U.S. population in order to attain "herd immunity" — despite warnings from the World Health Organization against such an approach. We host a debate on the contentious issue of herd immunity and how best to confront the virus with two Harvard medical experts: epidemiologist Martin Kulldorff, a professor of medicine at Harvard University and one of the lead signatories of the controversial Great Barrington Declaration arguing for an easin…
(2020-10-15). Journalists Must Demystify The Green New Deal. commondreams.org Climate Activists Protest Against Senate Leader Chuck Schumer Demanding He Sign On To Green New Deal. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-10-15_at_10.02.29_am.png …
(2020-10-15). Memories of Voter Suppression. zcomm.org I wonder how Republican leaders can live with themselves when they betray the most basic principle of democracy. Of all the things they have done during their time in power, this is surely one of the most despicable.
(2020-10-15). Border Patrol Leaves Migrants in Remote Town as Deaths Rise. zcomm.org Dumping hundreds of migrants in the remote Mexican border town of Sasabe puts them at risk from organized crime…
(2020-10-15). Joe Biden says Muslims would serve 'at every level' in his administration. middleeasteye.net 
Joe Biden says Muslims would serve 'at every level' in his administration | Speaking to Muslim-American advocacy group, Biden reiterates pledge to repeal Trump's 'Muslim ban' on day one of his presidency | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 01: 20 | Biden pledged to 'rip the poison of hate' from US society (AFP/File photo) | Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden vowed that his administration would reflect the diversity of A…
(2020-10-15). Militias, misogyny, mainstream Republicanism and the plot against Whitmer. peoplesworld.org 
Last week, 13 members of the Wolverine Watchmen, a right-wing extremist Michigan militia group, were charged by federal and state officials in an alleged domestic terrorism plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Their plan was to put her on trial for treason, for violating the Constitution. Her crime? Putting in place restrictions to curb the …
(2020-10-15). Republicans recruit 'Army For Trump' poll watchers to intimidate voters. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—They call themselves "The Army For Trump." Their head, at least on their website, is the Oval Office occupant's son, Don Jr. And, thanks to the words—lies—from his dad about ejected "poll-watchers" in Philadelphia, their objective is clear: Electoral intimidation and, if that fails, turmoil and havoc. "Defend your ballot!" their website blares. "We need …
(2020-10-15). How Modi is Changing Laws to Help Imperialists Dominate India's Agriculture. counterpunch.org 
The two bills rushed through India's parliament on September 20 were objectionable in every conceivable sense. The very fact that they were being rammed through the Rajya Sabha, without being put to vote despite demands for a division, was grossly anti-democratic. The fact that the Center made unilateral and fundamental changes in agricultural marketing arrangements
(2020-10-15). Kurdish-led forces release hundreds of prisoners in northeast Syria. middleeasteye.net 
Kurdish-led forces release hundreds of prisoners in northeast Syria | Those released were Syrian citizens who had served at least half of their sentences, says co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 18: 27 | Earlier this month, Kurdish authorities said they planned to release all Syrians from al-Hol camp and relinquish any responsibility for foreign nationals held there (AFP) | Kurdish-l…
(2020-10-15). Top medical, scientific journals break non-partisan traditions to call for Trump's ouster. peoplesworld.org 
Two esteemed medical and scientific journals have broken with almost two centuries of non-partisanship and weighed in on the upcoming Presidential election. Scientific American Magazine, in its October 2020 issue, published an editorial entitled "Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden," while the New England Journal of Medicine published a statement signed by all 34 editors of …
(2020-10-15). Shhh! Don't Talk About Hunter Biden. strategic-culture.org 
Rod DREHER |
(2020-10-15). 'International solidarity': German technicians refuse to work on Belarusian President Lukashenko's plane at Hamburg airport. rt.com 
Technical workers, attached to Lufthansa, at Germany's Hamburg Airport have declined to service the state plane of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, accusing him of "giving the order to shoot at demonstrators in Belarus." | In a Facebook post on the page of the Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft workers union, a statement explained that technicians for Lufthansa Technik would not service the presidential Boeing 737 as an act of "international solidarity" and "standing side-by-side with Belarusian workers." In addition, the union demanded Lukashenko's resignation, and called for democratic elections…
(2020-10-15). Hunter Biden pursued deals worth tens of million in China, struck bargains for 'his family,' NEW email leaks allege. rt.com 
Freshly leaked emails suggest that Joe Biden's son, Hunter, stood to make tens of millions of dollars working for a Chinese energy firm, and allegedly called a deal with the firm's chairman "interesting to me and my family." | The emails — supposedly recovered from a laptop in a Delaware computer repair shop — were published by the New York Post on Thursday, one day after the paper published
(2020-10-15). Twitter CENSORS THE GOVERNMENT, briefly blocking link to GOP page on CONGRESS website with copy of NYPost's Hunter Biden story. rt.com 
After downplaying the censorship of links to a New York Post exposé on the Biden family's alleged murky business dealings, Twitter is still blocking links to the "unsafe" story, even ones posted by US lawmakers. | When the New York Post published a tranche of emails on Wednesday claiming to reveal Hunter and Joe Biden's alleged backroom dealings in Ukraine, the story spread like wildfire. That is, until Twitter and Facebook began preventing users from sharing links to the incriminating article. As Republicans and conservatives decried the apparent "censorship," Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stepped in to clear the a…
(2020-10-15). Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey blames 'poor communication' in Biden story takedown, downplaying Big Tech 'censorship' scandal. rt.com Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has blamed "bad communication" and a "lack of context" in response to public outcry over his platform's censorship of a New York Post story on alleged backroom dealings of the Biden family. | "Our communication around our actions on the [New York Post] article was not great. And blocking URL sharing via tweet or DM with zero context as to why we're blocking: unacceptable," Dorsey tweeted on Wednesday, hours after Twitter began blacklisting the
(2020-10-15). Biden campaign CANCELS Kamala Harris' travel after two people on her flight test POSITIVE for Covid-19. rt.com 
The campaign team for US presidential candidate Joe Biden is halting any travel for his Democrat running mate Kamala Harris, after two people who were recently on a flight with her tested positive for Covid-19. | Biden's campaign said on Thursday that the two people were Harris' communications director Liz Allen and a non-staff flight crew member. | Just in: The Biden camp is canceling some upcoming travel for Harris + her husband after two people she was on a plane with Oct. 8 tested positive for Covid (a flight crew member + her comms dir. They say Harris did not "close contact" and wore N95, but are being e…
(2020-10-15). Indian woman rescued after husband locked her in toilet for 18 months. rt.com 
A woman who was held captive in squalid conditions in a nine-square-foot outdoor toilet by her husband for 18 months has been freed by local authorities in India. | The horrific incident took place in Rishpur village in the northern Indian state of Haryana. | The unidentified, 35-year-old mother-of-three was rescued by police and welfare officers on Tuesday having been discovered in a malnourished and weakened state. The woman was periodically starved and denied water for days at a time by her captor. | A woman in Haryana's Rishpur village of Panipat district was locked in a toilet by her husband for over a ye…
(2020-10-15). To Democratic Voters — Up Your Demands; To Trump Voters — See How He Didn't Deliver for You. zcomm.org Before you cast your ballot, let's toast your informed self-respect as clear-minded voters who can see an immoral, law-breaking, greedy Trump regime full of plutocrats who couldn't care less about America and the people they've exploited…
(2020-10-15). Graham Tells Democrats, "Y'all Have a Good Chance of Winning the White House" truthout.org During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) seemed to acknowledge that President Donald Trump, his own party's nominee, was far from guaranteed to win a second presidential term. | Graham made the comment while speculating on how Americans will vote this year based on judicial nominations to the Supreme Court made by presidents belonging to each party. | "Republicans generally look at people of a disposition like Judg…
(2020-10-15). Lindsey Graham Called Out for Illegal Campaign Soliciting in Senate Building. truthout.org Locked in a tight race with Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday urged South Carolinians who are "excited about Judge Barrett" to contribute to his reelection campaign — a blatant violation of Speaking to reporters following the third day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee…
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Says Climate Change Is a "Very Contentious Matter" truthout.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Reveals Senate's Misplaced Priorities. commondreams.org Most people in America believe the next president should fill the Supreme Court vacancy. (Photo: Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-10-15_at_9.45.32_am.png …
(2020-10-15). The Supreme Could Put the LGBTQ Community at Risk for Decades. telesurenglish.net With less than 20 days before the election, President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled senate are holding the vote for a second COVID-19 relief package hostage. | RELATED: | This policy tool would also free nearly a billion dollars for countries suffering from the pandemic. Why? So he can rush through a vote on his Supreme Court nominee in time to steal yet another election as the Republicans did in 200…
(2020-10-15). Chile: Lawmakers Approve Resolution To Dismiss Police Chief. telesurenglish.net With 74 votes in favor, 66 against, and two abstentions, Chile's Lower House Wednesday approved a "draft resolution" whereby it asks President Sebastian Piñera to request the resignation of Mario Rozas, the director of the Military Police (Carabineros). | RELATED: | In the background to that resolution, members of the Party for Democracy (PPD) and other progressive organizations highlighted that the Comptroller's Off…
(2020-10-15). 'Democracy Is at Risk in Bolivia,' International Network Warns. telesurenglish.net The Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity (REDH), which is an independent organization made up of people living in America and Europe, published on Thursday an open letter to warn about the risks to democracy in Bolivia. Its text is presented below. | RELATED: | The October 18 elections in Bolivia are going through an extremely difficult and sensitive time. The systematic declaration…
(2020-10-15). POTUS Punk vs. Dem Dementia. thealtworld.com The total balkanization of culture in the U.S. into bulletproof containers of irrationality is precluding any possibility of civilized debate. | The whole planet is enthralled, appalled, shocked and awed by the spectacle of democracy as enacted under the shadow of messianic imperialism — complete with a slew of slimy, We're in total
(2020-10-15). Video recordings reveal Republican strategy to suppress the vote in US election. wsws.org The Council for National Policy, a secret society of ultra-wealthy conservative activists, media and business moguls is closely linked to the Republican Party and Donald Trump.
(2020-10-15). Trump vs Deep State: Will Trump Upend Neocolonial World Order? globalresearch.ca Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released an extraordinary statement on Tuesday, decrying a political scene he said "has moved away from spirited debate to a vile, vituperative, hate-filled morass, that is unbecoming of any free nation." "The world is …
(2020-10-15). COVID-19, Spanish Influenza, Trump and Woodrow Wilson. nationofchange.org The election in 1920 turned the country from Democratic to Republican, and it is likely that the 2020 election will do the reverse.
(2020-10-15). Biden's Treasury Could Fight Climate Change, But Would Lael Brainard's? cepr.net Common Dreams See article on original site If Joe Biden wins in November, he will have no time to spare to shift our trajectory away from climate disaster. He will need to move quickly to install forward thinking, dynamic, and aggressive advocates for climate action, especially in his Treasury Department. What does the Treasury department …
(2020-10-15). Sheriff defends Michigan conspirators as details emerge of plot's scope, links to police and Trump campaign. wsws.org New information about Huron Valley Guns, which employed one plotter, shows that the facility has deep connections to the police, ICE and the Republican Party.
(2020-10-15). Ecuador's New Loan Program: A Tale of Two IMFs. cepr.net OpenDemocracy See article on original site In her speech opening this year's Annual World Meetings, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned of the dangers of an uneven recovery and increasing inequality and talked of the need for an inclusive recovery. Otherwise, Georgieva warned, we are at risk of recreating the dystopian world of Charles's Dickens …
(2020-10-15). The Nightmare Facing the Poor and Working Class If There's Not Another Stimulus. zcomm.org With time running out and Republicans balking at more Covid relief, U.S. workers are facing a future of financial misery…
(2020-10-15). Nicaragua Attacked For Using Same US Policies Against Foreign Meddling. popularresistance.org US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo launched another attack on Nicaragua's Sandinista government last month, accusing President Daniel Ortega of being a "dictator" who is "doubling down on repression and refusing to honor the democratic aspirations of the Nicaraguan people."[1] The State Department openly supports what it calls "a return to democracy in Nicaragua", saying that "the people of Nicaragua rose up peacefully to call for change."[2] | Pompeo's accusations came in a month in which Nicaragua's National Assembly made three new legislative proposals…
(2020-10-15). Will New Reports About Hunter Biden Emails Affect US Presidential Election? sputniknews.com On this edition of The Critical Hour, co-hosts Dr. Wilmer Leon and Garland Nixon talk to Alexander Mercouris about 2015 emails cited by the New York Post that suggest Hunter Biden introduced his father, then-US Vice President Joe Biden, to a top executive of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings, where the younger Biden worked.
(2020-10-15). 'Big Impact on Discourse': Twitter Polices Black Americans' Politics in Botnet Takedown – Journo. sputniknews.com Twitter recently took down several dozen accounts it says were impersonating Black supporters of US President Donald Trump and hinted they might have been foreign-controlled. Two journalists told Sputnik the story's prominence owes mostly to Democratic insecurity about Black voters looking outside their party for political solutions.
(2020-10-15). Will Twitter and Facebook Shut Down Our Ukraine Reporting? sputniknews.com On today's episode Lee Stranahan covers: C-SPAN editor Steve Scully lied about getting his Twitter account hacked, President Trump & Joe Biden are having town halls, Senate is subpoenaing Jack Dorsey for censoring New York Post article on Ukraine & Hunter Biden, and a Kamala Harris staffer has tested positive for Covid-19.
(2020-10-15). Biden Campaign Announces Thursday Coronavirus Test Was Negative. sputniknews.com Democratic presidential nominee and former US Vice President Joe Biden has revealed his most recent COVID-19 novel coronavirus test returned negative results for the contagious disease.
(2020-10-15). "Garbage Fire" Hunter Biden Exposé Riddled With Flaws. truthout.org The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post published a series of stories on Tuesday surrounding alleged emails between Hunter Biden and officials connected with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, which the outlet obtained from a source
(2020-10-15). US press reports confirm killing of Portland anti-fascist was targeted police assassination. wsws.org Trump raised the killing of Reinoehl as a great achievement during the first presidential debate with former Vice President Joe Biden. The Democratic candidate made no objection.
(2020-10-15). Brexit — Ten reasons why Boris Johnson will back down and do a deal. truepublica.org.uk TruePublica Editor: The word on the ground in political circles is that Boris Johnson is facing political armageddon. The battleground of Brexit and Covid has left Johnson with his back in a corner. With a no-deal Brexit and a Joe Biden win, Britain will be the only major economy in the world with no trade …
(2020-10-15). Demand Justice Calls for Dianne Feinstein's Removal as Lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-10-15). California Republicans Double Down on Defying Order to Cease and Desist Deployment of Bogus Ballot Boxes. commondreams.org "Let me be clear: unofficial, unauthorized ballot drop boxes are not permitted by state law," said California's secretary of state. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ballot_box_0.jpg …
(2020-10-15). Up in Arms Over Failed Barrett Hearings, Watchdog Calls for Feinstein's Removal as Ranking Member on Senate Judiciary. commondreams.org Allowing the California Democratic senator to remain, argues Demand Justice's Brian Fallon is a "monument to our side's weakness on the fight for the courts." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/feinstein_graham.jpg …
(2020-10-15). Biden's Treasury Could Fight Climate Change, But Would Lael Brainard's? commondreams.org The Treasury Secretary has untapped capacity to push Wall Street to take the risks of the climate crisis seriously. (Photo: Kiyo/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/treasury.jpg …
(2020-10-15). Progressives Warn Against Accepting—Let Alone Applauding—Twitter Ban of "Garbage" NY Post Story. commondreams.org "Look carefully at what Twitter is saying to justify censoring the Biden story. If applied consistently, it'd mean that some of history's most consequential journalism—the Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks' war logs, Snowden docs, Panama Papers, our Brazil Archive—would be banned." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/twitter_banning_ny_post.jpg …
(2020-10-15). How a Future Biden White House Can End the War in Yemen. commondreams.org Yemeni children study in the rubble of their school, which was destroyed by the violent war in the city of Taiz, Yemen 23 Dec 2018 (Photo: Akramalrasny via shutterstock.com) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-10-15_at_9.52.08_am.png …
(2020-10-15). North and East of Sri Lanka paralysed by mass anti-government protest. wsws.org Social opposition is mounting among workers and the poor across Sri Lanka against the Rajapakse government's continuous attacks on social and democratic rights.
(2020-10-15). Democrats Should Stop Worrying About Debating Climate Change. thenation.com Democrats Should Stop Worrying About Debating Climate Change…
(2020-10-14). Sen. Warren Slams Disney for 28,000 Fired Workers Amid Stock Buyback Spree. commondreams.org "It appears that—prior to, and during the pandemic—Disney took good care of its top executives and shareholders—and now is hanging its front-line workers out to dry." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/warren-letter-disney-execs-pay-layoffs.jpg …
(2020-10-14). House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "Intent" to Remove Trump from Office by Invoking the 25th Amendment? A Politically Desperate Distraction. globalresearch.ca This is a politically desperate distraction which hints that the Democrats aren't as confident about former Vice President Joe Biden's supposedly impending victory as their media surrogates are trying to convince everyone is bound to happen in a few weeks' …
(2020-10-14). Dahlia Lithwick: Amy Coney Barrett May Claim Neutrality, But Her Record Is "Extremely Conservative" democracynow.org 
In the second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the federal judge's refusal to answer basic questions on voter intimidation and whether a president can delay elections did her "no favors" and was part of an aim to "present herself as neutral; she's an open book; whatever she was before, whatever she ruled on the bench before, is immaterial," says Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate.com. "There are some issues that don't need to be approached with an open mind. … She could have allayed a lot of fears."
(2020-10-14). Making the Supreme Court Safe for Democracy: Samuel Moyn on Reforming an Undemocratic Institution. democracynow.org 
As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in order to safeguard democracy. "This country was founded on minority rule and the rejection of democracy, and t…
(2020-10-14). Headlines for October 14, 2020. democracynow.org White House Pursuing "Herd Immunity" Strategy Condemned by WHO as "Unethical", Trump Holds Packed Campaign Rallies in Defiance of Social Distancing Orders, "Potential Safety Concern" Halts Clinical Trial of Eli Lilly Antibody Treatment, Amy Coney Barrett Won't Commit to Recusing Herself If 2020 Election Is Decided by SCOTUS, FBI Says Far-Right Anti-Government Group Plotted to Kidnap Virginia Governor, More Witnesses Corroborate Claims of Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals, Trailing in Polls, Trump Appeals to White Suburban Women and Farmers, Supreme Court Will Allow Trump Admin to Halt Census Count a Month Ea…
(2020-10-14). Can Trump Delay Election or Reject Peaceful Transition of Power? Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Say. democracynow.org 
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced 11 hours of questioning in the Senate Tuesday but refused to provide clarity about her views on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, voting rights and even if President Trump could delay the election. Republicans are racing to confirm the 48-year-old federal judge before Election Day, which would give conservatives a commanding 6-3 majority on the high court. We air highlights from the marathon session.
(2020-10-14). WATCH: Sunrise Movement Makes 'Most Explicit Pitch to Fossil Fuel Workers' Yet With Ad for US House Candidate Mike Siegel. commondreams.org Following its viral video promoting Sen. Ed Markey's Democratic primary campaign, the Sunrise Movement released an ad in support of another vocal Green New Deal champion—Mike Siegel, who is running to oust Republican Rep. Michael McCaul in Texas' 10th congressional district. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/siegel_yt_thumbnail.png …
(2020-10-14). 'Out-vote the hate': Tlaib and Omar call for large Muslim turnout. middleeasteye.net 
'Out-vote the hate': Tlaib and Omar call for large Muslim turnout | At virtual event hosted by Senator Bernie Sanders, the congresswomen and other prominent US Muslims called for 'historic' turnout to defeat Trump | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 03: 55 | 'Go out there and make sure this election is too big to rig,' Rashida Tlaib says (AFP/File photo) | Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar along with other prominent Mus…
(2020-10-14). Thai democracy activists warn of military action against students. greenleft.org.au Thai democracy activists held a sombre commemoration of the 1976 Thammasat University massacre on the steps of Sydney Town Hall, reports Peter Boyle.
(2020-10-14). Barrett dodges questions, refuses to say Trump can't delay election. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Duck, dodge, and weave. Frustrating Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, that was the common "response" federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett produced on issue after issue during the second day of the panel's hearings on her nomination to the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. On everything from revisiting the legality of gay marriage to …
(2020-10-14). Derecho al voto: 'caridad capitalista' vs democracia obrera. workers.org 
Durante esta temporada de elecciones en Estados Unidos, mucha gente sigue luchando por acceder al derecho universal burgués al voto, supuestamente la fundación de la "democracia" capitalista. Ha sido una lucha cuesta arriba desde 1776 cuando solo los hombres blancos con propiedades que eran protestantes podían votar legalmente. A todos . . . |
(2020-10-14). Liberalism and Fascism: Partners in Crime. counterpunch.org 
Time and again we hear that liberalism is the last bulwark against fascism. It represents a defense of the rule of law and democracy in the face of aberrant, malevolent demagogues intent on destroying a perfectly good system for their own gain. This apparent opposition has been deeply engrained in contemporary so-called Western liberal democracies through their shared origin myth.
(2020-10-14). Socialism's increasing popularity doesn't bring media out of McCarthy era. mronline.org 
Ever since the Great Recession in 2008, and accelerating with Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential run, there has been a resurgence of popularity and interest in socialism in the U.S., and an increasing skepticism of capitalism.
(2020-10-14). Biden proposes science-driven COVID plan; Trump says Americans are on their own. peoplesworld.org 
During the vice-presidential debate, Sen. Kamala Harris recounted the Trump administration's "historic failure" to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Vice President Mike Pence tried to defend the indefensible and, in desperation, claimed Joe Biden had "plagiarized" the Trump-Pence coronavirus plan, which he astonishingly touted as a great success. FACT CHECK: The Biden campaign has released a …
(2020-10-14). Twitter BLOCKS sharing links to NYPost's Hunter Biden emails story, invoking 'HACKED MATERIALS' policy for first time ever. rt.com 
Twitter has one-upped Facebook's censorship regarding a story based on alleged emails from Democratic candidate Joe Biden's son Hunter about his Ukraine dealings, blocking all users from sharing it via tweet or direct message. | Twitter users were blocked on Wednesday from sharing the
(2020-10-14). Merriam-Webster labels 'sexual preference' OFFENSIVE after uproar over LGBTQ terminology during SCOTUS confirmation hearing. rt.com 
Merriam-Webster has been accused of politicizing its dictionary after it flagged the term 'sexual preference' as offensive, mirroring a complaint leveled against Amy Coney Barrett during her SCOTUS confirmation hearing. | The curious edit was spotted hours after Barrett was lambasted for using the phrase "sexual preference" to refer to LGBTQ Americans' sexual orientations as she answered questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. | Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono berated the conservative Supreme Court nominee for using the term, claiming that it was "offensive and outdated." The senator alleged…
(2020-10-14). US Jews mostly back Biden as Trump's support slips among Christians: Poll. middleeasteye.net 
US Jews mostly back Biden as Trump's support slips among Christians: Poll | Pew poll finds 70 percent of Jewish voters say they will support Biden as enthusiasm for Trump falls by five percent among Evangelicals | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 18: 00 | Supporter wears Trump yarmulke prior to speech by US president during Republican Jewish Coalition 2019 Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada (AFP/File…