2020-11-03: News Headlines

_____ (2020-11-03). 'The Coming War On China' — Watch John Pilger's Powerfully Relevant Documentary. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | "The aim of this film is to break a silence: the United States and China may well be on the road to war, and nuclear war is no longer unthinkable," Pilger says in his 2016 documentary The Coming War on China, which "In a few years China has become the world's second-biggest economic power," Pilger's introduction continues. "The United States is the world's biggest military power, with bases and missiles and ships covering ever…

Editor (2020-11-03). Progressive Candidates Rally the Vote with Bernie. scheerpost.com Livestream event recording gathers many fresh, diverse and principled activists running in key competitive races including Mike Siegel, Ilhan Omar and 20 others. [Fast-forward to 5 minutes to start event.]…

Staff (2020-11-03). "I Am a Citizen": Watch Nikki Giovanni Read Her Poem "Vote" on the Power of the Ballot. democracynow.org Acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni has a new collection of poems called "Make Me Rain," a celebration of her Black heritage, as well as an exploration of racism and white nationalism. In the poem "Vote," Giovanni offers her thoughts on the importance of voting. It was filmed by The Meteor, a feminist collective of activists, journalists and creators, part of a daily Instagram series focusing on voting rights.

Ted Kelly (2020-11-03). International calls for release of Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike. workers.org The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, in a resolution released late last month, called for the immediate release of Maher al-Akhras, a Palestinian man imprisoned by Israeli occupation. Detained without charges under the notorious "administrative detention" policy, al-Akhras has been staging a hunger strike for almost 100 days. Hunger striker . . . |

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-03). Is Joe Biden Cognitively and Physically "Unfit to Serve"? Both Trump and Biden are Unfit for the Highest Office. globalresearch.ca As judged by their public records, Trump and Biden are unfit for the nation's highest office. | Time and again, both figures showed that they serve privileged interests exclusively at the expense of ordinary people they're dismissive toward. | It's how Dem …

Ruth Conniff (2020-11-03). Wisconsin Braces for a Contentious Election. progressive.org Advocates prepare for the possibility that Republicans and their allies might attempt to stop the vote count.

news.un (2020-11-03). UN expert urges Myanmar not to undermine 'very lifeblood of democracy' ahead of polls. news.un.org An independent UN human rights expert has called on the Government and military of Myanmar to stop persecuting opposition supporters, including journalists and student protesters, ahead of next week's general elections.

Solnit (2020-11-03). 'Choose Democracy, Stop a Coup:' Guerilla Street Mural in Oakland. indybay.org Last Thursday, people from Oakland and the Bay Area carrying chalk, brushes, and buckets of paint, took over and painted 14th Street in downtown Oakland.

Campbell TL. (2020-11-03). Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply I agree with Dr Harris and with Dr Gordon and colleagues that screening for ACEs may reduce child abuse, improve the outcome of physical and mental disorders, and result in better public health, but this has yet to be proven. Where we primarily disagree is whether there are interventions that have been proven to improve health outcomes for children and adults who report high levels of ACEs on screening.

Whitney Webb (2020-11-02). Election Special Part 3: How The Bipartisan Swamp Is Engineering Election Chaos In Philadelphia. thealtworld.com In Part 3 the 2020 Election Special, Ryan and Whitney discuss the two connected groups run by former national security officials and their efforts to undermine and mortally wound US democracy in its birthplace, Philadelphia.

sputniknews (2020-11-02). US Election's Effect on Assange Case Unclear as Trump, Biden Never Debated on Free Press – Journo. sputniknews.com WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange's British extradition trial won't be decided until January, but the effect of the US presidential election on his ultimate fate is hard to predict, since his case and the dangers posed to freedom of the press was never a topic for the candidates to debate, a journalist told Sputnik.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-11-02). Shell Oil Asked What People Are Willing to Do to Reduce Emissions. 'I'm Willing to Hold You Accountable," Said Ocasio-Cortez. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday denounced the "audacity" of Shell Oil, the international multi-billion-dollar oil and gas company, after it waded into the global discussion about the climate crisis by asking members of the public what they would do to reduce carbon emissions. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_1_0.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-11-02). Shell Oil Asked What People Are Willing to Do to Reduce Emissions. 'I'm Willing to Hold You Accountable,' Said Ocasio-Cortez. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday denounced the "audacity" of Shell Oil, the international multi-billion-dollar oil and gas company, after it waded into the global discussion about the climate crisis by asking members of the public what they would do to reduce carbon emissions. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_1_0.jpg

Staff (2020-11-02). "We Never Made It to the Polls": Police in North Carolina Pepper-Spray Voting March, Arresting Eight. democracynow.org Police in Alamance County in North Carolina pepper-sprayed a peaceful get-out-the-vote march Saturday, descending on the crowd after they stopped near a Confederate monument to kneel in honor of George Floyd, who was killed by police in Minneapolis in May. Viral videos of the violent police action show officers in riot gear attacking the marchers, including young children and elderly people, who had intended to walk to a polling place on the last day of early voting in North Carolina. At least eight people were arrested, including march organizer Rev. Greg Drumwright, who says police gave the crowd of hundreds on…

Kaleigh O'Keefe (2020-11-02). Tens of millions locked out of U.S. "democracy" liberationnews.org Tens of millions of residents of the United States and its colonial territories are legally or practically barred from voting every year.

RT (2020-11-02). Biden 'no antidote' to Trump, military-industrial complex and Wall Street win either way — Jimmy Dore to RT. rt.com It's 'nuts' to expect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to turn left after getting into power, and their record is actually worse than that of President Donald Trump, progressive commentator Jimmy Dore told RT's Going Underground. | "The idea that Joe Biden is the antidote to Donald Trump — when he has a worse record — is mental gymnastics, games that people have to play in their head, because they can't stand [Trump] being such a jacka** on television," Dore told Afshin Rattansi during Monday's broadcast. | "These are the people that they're giving as an antidote to Donald Trump? In many respects they're…

Sheren Khalel (2020-11-02). US elections 2020: A Middle East policy breakdown of five battleground Senate races. middleeasteye.net US elections 2020: A Middle East policy breakdown of five battleground Senate races | Middle East Eye takes a look at key Senate races and what voters can expect from each candidate when it comes to the region | Mon, 11/02/2020 – 22: 46 | Democrats, who control the House, hope to win four additional seats on Tuesday in order to seize the majority in the Senate (AFP/File photo) | Six years after the…

RT (2020-11-02). NO U! Trump & Biden camps accuse each other of seeking to STEAL election with premature victory claims & vote count lawfare. rt.com Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller has set off uproar among opponents by suggesting the president's lead will be decisive enough to claim victory on election night, after which Democrats will try and "steal it back." | Miller painted a fairly confident image of Trump's re-election chances during a Sunday interview, but also suggested that any swing in Biden's favor after election day could be Democrats "trying to steal" their way to the top. | "If you speak with many smart Democrats, they believe that President Trump will be ahead on election night, probably getting 280 electoral [votes], somewhere in…

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-02). No Letup in US War on Iran by Other Means Ahead. globalresearch.ca On all things Iran under both right wings of the US war party, transforming the country into a subservient vassal state is a high priority. | Regardless of whether Republicans or Dems control the White House and/or Congress, things won't change …

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-02). Will Trump and Biden Refuse to Concede if Defeated? globalresearch.ca Trump v. Biden results won't be known for days or weeks post-election because of record early voting by mail or in-person. | According to the US Elections Project, early voting so far reached about 62% of total 2016 turnout as of …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-11-02). Violence After The Election Will Only Benefit The Powerful: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Any violence arising from the US election or its aftermath will only benefit the powerful, will be used to justify authoritarian agendas which serve the powerful, and will in all probability have been instigated by the powerful. | There are plenty of arguments to be made for situations in which intelligent application of force by the citizenry could have good results. Killing each other over which oligarch crony will be the president is not one of those situations about which such arguments can be made. | Please everybody stay cool and live to fight another day. | ~ | Most of the Democratic establishment's argume…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-11-02). 'Huge Victory for Texas Voters': Federal Judge Rules in Favor of 127,000 Drive-Thru Ballots. commondreams.org "This is what democracy looks like," said one ACLU lawyer. "Our justice system did its duty today to ensure voting rights are protected and our democracy remains intact." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1228942091_1_0_0.jpg

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-02). Fight against Arrogance a deep-rooted notion in Islamic Rev. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 02 (MNA) — IRGC statement stressed that "fight against global arrogance" is a deep-rooted notion in principles of the Islamic Revolution of Iran which will not be influenced by power shift between Democrats and Republican.

Lauren Smith (2020-11-02). If the Deep State Wants Biden to Win, He Will. globalresearch.ca Even without a crystal ball, it's predicted that presidential candidate and former Vice-President Joe Biden will win the 2020 United States presidential election. However, this forecast is not based on record voter turnout or the magnitude of bad press generated …

commondreams (2020-11-02). ACLU Comment on Texas Ruling Blocking Efforts to Invalidate Nearly 127,000 Drive-Thru Votes Cast in Harris County. commondreams.org ______________________________…

_____ (2020-11-02). Trump's Zealots: White Supremacists And Evangelicals. popularresistance.org Let us not be naive. If President Trump recently called on his adoring followers to "liberate" states like Michigan, Virginia, Maryland*, and Minnesota, which all happen to have Democrat governors, this is not about freeing people from the supposed tyranny of lockdown and social distancing measures. What the gun-toting, Trump 2020 and Confederate-flag waving Trump storm-troopers have been organized and likely paid to do, is to make sure the United States goes back to work as soon as possible. Naturally, this is despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging in all 50 states, at various levels, with n…

Editor (2020-11-02). Biden's Potential War Cabinet Is Troublesome. scheerpost.com by Mariamne Everett "Let's bring decency and integrity back to the White House." I can't count the number of times I have heard and read this phrase uttered by U.S. expats here in Paris, France. As one of many American expats living here, of course I share in the desire for an end to a Donald Trump presidency. But at what cost? And will a Biden presidency — which promises a return to "normalcy"… |

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-11-02). Warning of 'Dark Days Ahead,' Historians of Fascism Stress 'It Is Not Too Late' to Avoid Descent Into Authoritarianism. commondreams.org "We believe that unless we take immediate action, democracy as we know it will continue in its frightening regression, irrespective of who wins the American presidency," the scholars warned. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/proud_0.jpg

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (2020-11-01). 'Let This Moment Radicalize You'. zcomm.org These moments aren't about ignoring your fear. It's about turning that fear into the fuel propelling us forward…

_____ (2020-11-01). Teacher's Viral Arrest Helped Stop Evictions. popularresistance.org Sophia Lukatya is a Chicago Public Schools teacher. She organizes with the Chicago Teachers Union and is a member of Democratic Socialists of America. During the Lift The Ban Coalition's protests in Daley Plaza this August, Lukatya was one of a dozen housing activists who were arrested in the week-long occupation. Positive press from the event—including a viral video of Lukatya and fellow DSA member Shannon Pilz—contributed to Governor Pritzker's decision to extend the eviction moratorium.

RT (2020-11-01). Canadian opposition aghast as Trudeau responds to violence over Mohammed cartoons by saying freedom of expression must have LIMITS. rt.com Canadian opposition party leader Erin O'Toole was appalled by Justin Trudeau's tepid support for "free speech" in the face of Islamist attacks over Mohammed cartoons, saying the prime minister is undermining a pillar of democracy. | "It is very disturbing when the prime minister sends the signal that he is not protecting freedom of expression," O'Toole It is one of the pillars of our democracy, and without it, we slide into ignorance. | O'Toole's rebuke came one day after Trudeau res…

Common Cause (2020-11-01). Wednesday 11/4: 2020 Election & Protecting Democracy After We Vote w/ Common Cause. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

Bernie Sanders (2020-11-01). Build a Compassionate Nation. zcomm.org To address these urgent issues and many more, we must rebuild the trade union movement and end corporate America's stranglehold on our economy and our government. We must create the nation of, by, and for the working class that we know we can become…

Kolina Koltai (2020-11-01). How to Be a Good Digital Citizen During the Election—And Its Aftermath. commondreams.org People spreading disinformation may be trying to sway the election one way or the other or simply undermine confidence in the election and American democracy in general. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/file-20201029-23-17d9zuc1.jpg

Fight Back (2020-10-31). The riot in Naples and the choice between health and work. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Italian Marxist- Leninist organization Fronte Popolare. | "Health is first and foremost, but without money no masses are sung": so, we read on one of the many banners laid out during the spontaneous protest marches in Naples in these hours. The contrast between health and work, between physical well-being and economic well-being is a choice that in a real democracy we should not even imagine to make. Yet this is the choice put in front of us, in the South as well as in the North, throughout the all country. While the North — and especially…

_____ (2020-10-31). Radical Neoliberalism Was Born And Will Die In Chile. popularresistance.org A wave of Indigenous peoples supporting the Luis Arce-David Choquehuanca presidential ticket defeated the main right-wing candidate, Carlos Mesa by 20 points, restoring democracy to Bolivia. Just days later around 80% of Chilean voters decided by referendum to re-found their nation with a new constitution. These momentous events represent twin victories for Latin American independence, the rejection of radical neoliberalism, a desire for socio-economic reform, and the insistence on self-determination from the bottom-up.

The Canary (2020-10-31). Key states that could decide the result of the US election. thecanary.co A handful of states will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2020 United States presidential election.These are the "swing states": so called because they will help swing the overall result either way. Most states are not swing states and will not change hands at this election — but safe states alone are not enough to get either Trump or Biden to the White House.Here are eight swing states to watch. All were won by Trump in 2016, but all are being strongly contested at this election by Biden.(PA Graphics)— Florida | This is the most hotly-contested swing state of them all. Florida has…

The Lancet (2020-10-31). [Editorial] The US election 2020. thelancet.com 100 years ago, voters in the presidential election of 1920 were weary, trepidatious, and living with the spectre of pandemic and uncertainty. After the carnage of World War 1 and the multiple waves of influenza that enveloped the world between 1918 and 1920 (of the 50 million lives lost, 675‚Äà000 were American), the US economy had sunk into a deep recession as it adjusted to post-wartime production and consumption. Presidential candidate Warren G Harding expounded that "America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy".

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-31). No one should insult Holy Prophet in name of democracy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 31 (MNA) — Iranian First Vice President said that no one should insult Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) under the pretext of freedom of expression and democracy, stating that the West should stop committing violence and insult.

Unitarian Universalist Society of S.F. (2020-10-31). Wednesday 11/4: Action for Justice and Democracy / Protect the Results. indybay.org 1187 Franklin @ Geary St., San Francisco…

Andrew Emett (2020-10-31). City Councilman charged with assault and impersonating an officer. nationofchange.org Warren City Councilman Eddie Kabacinski chased down a young woman after she placed three Black Lives Matter stickers on Trump-Pence signs posted along the road.

_____ (2020-10-31). Biden And Trump Agree Far More Than They Disagree. popularresistance.org With the U.S. presidential elections slated for next Tuesday November 3rd, unprecedented numbers of voters have already cast their ballot. Despite a polarized electorate deeply divided on issues from police brutality to COVID-19, for many voters commited to preventing four more years of Trump, the two major candidates prove far more similar than presented in mainstream media. | To shed light on some of these dyanmics in this crucial election for the hemisphere, we spoke with Adrienne Pine, professor of medical anthropology at American University, member of the Embassy Protection Collective, and author of the rece…

John Feffer (2020-10-31). People to Autocrats: Not So Fast. zcomm.org Authoritarianism has been on the march for years, but people powered revolutions are pushing regimes toward democracy on nearly every continent…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-10-31). 'So, So Cruel': Rights Advocates, Biden Campaign Sound Alarm About Immigration Agenda Stephen Miller Is Crafting for Trump's Second Term. commondreams.org According to the Democratic nominee, "This agenda is designed to do one thing only: divide our communities with cheap, xenophobic rhetoric, and demonize those seeking to make legitimate asylum claims." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-10928406961.jpg

Center for Popular Democracy (2020-10-31). Wednesday 11/4: After the Vote 2020: National Mobilization Call w/ Center for Popular Democracy. indybay.org Online event…

Susan Jaffe (2020-10-31). [World Report] US election 2020: the future of the Affordable Care Act. thelancet.com President Donald Trump pledges to replace the Affordable Care Act while his Democratic opponent Joe Biden offers detailed proposals to improve it. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-10-31). Saturday 10/31: Handmaids: Stop a Fascist Coup. indybay.org Harvey Milk Plaza, Castro & Market Street, San Francisco…

commondreams (2020-10-30). Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Legislation Enabling Creation of Public Banks. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Virginia Rodino (2020-10-30). Why I'm Voting Green in 2020. globalresearch.ca Author's note: Kevin and I worked on this article together right before his untimely passing on September 6. I met Kevin during Ralph Nader's 2004 presidential campaign. Throughout the years since, I appreciated seeing his anti-imperialist and eco-socialist arguments strengthen …

Global Research News (2020-10-30). Selected Articles: The 'Very, Very Bad Look' of Remdesivir. globalresearch.ca By Whatever the lesser evil outcome of the ruling class owned and controlled exercise of the present moment, we need immediate action on …

Staff (2020-10-30). "Fighting for Democracy": Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression & Why Georgia Could Go Blue. democracynow.org As the 2020 campaign enters its final days, we go to Georgia, where two Senate seats are up for grabs and both Republican incumbents face stiff opposition. Joe Biden is also spending significant time in the state, which no Democratic presidential candidate has won since 1992. "Georgia is truly in play," says Emory University professor Carol Anderson. "We have had grassroots organizing and mobilizing, registering folks to vote, working through getting through all of the voter suppression barriers to bring people out to the polls in unprecedented numbers." Anderson is the author of "One Person, No Vote: How Voter S…

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-30). Will Trump Surprise Pollsters and Hostile Media by Defeating Biden? globalresearch.ca The NYT is notably unrelenting in pushing fake news of Russian US election meddling to help Biden defeat Trump. | Despite claiming otherwise, the US intelligence community has no evidence suggesting foreign interference in the US election process this year or …

Jeff Harris (2020-10-30). Nine COVID Facts: A Pandemic of Fearmongering and Ignorance. globalresearch.ca Ever since the alleged pandemic erupted this past March the mainstream media has spewed a non-stop stream of misinformation that appears to be laser focused on generating maximum fear among the citizenry. But the facts and the science simply don't …

Scott Ritter (2020-10-30). Biden Can't Abandon US Oil Industry. thealtworld.com The challenges confronting US democracy in the upcoming presidential election are very real. With a genuine risk of post-election violence, the country's unbroken history of a peaceful transition of power may have run its course. The challenges facing the victor will also be enormous, running a broad gamut of domestic and foreign policy issues that will remain the same regardless of who wins. Energy security will be near the top of this list, given its dual characteristic as a domestic and foreign policy matter, and the critical role it plays in the economic health of both the US and the world. President Donald T…

Frank Scott (2020-10-30). Calling this "our Democracy" is like Slaves referring to "our Plantation" dissidentvoice.org While Americans are re-programmed every four years for the most important desperately crucial national emergency election since the last one, which will assure that Wall Street, the Pentagon, Israel and billionaires maintain power and control over everything that matters, most eligible voters will choose neither of the ruling power's candidates and in a sense exercise …

Miles Mogulescu (2020-10-30). There Already Is a Republican Plan for Pre-Existing Conditions: It's Called Obamacare. commondreams.org There is simply no way to protect people with pre-existing conditions, other than an Obamacare/Romneycare approach of subsidized insurance exchanges, or a Medicare For All, everyone in, nobody out approach. That's why it's been impossible for Republicans to propose their own alternative plan to protect pre-existing conditions. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pre-existing_conditions_medicare_for_all_0.jpg