2020-11-20: News Headlines

Lee Camp (2020-11-20). Despite Media Blackout — The Elections Proved Americans Are Done With The Drug War. counterpunch.org Something seismic happened in this election and it has nothing to do with Joe Biden winning. And yes, Joe Biden did indeed win. I'm sorry for those of you Trump fans who believe the election was rigged against him. It simply wasn't. Yes, millions of Americans were indeed purged from the voter rolls — but

Editor (2020-11-20). Elections Proved Americans Are Done with the Drug War. scheerpost.com By Lee Camp / Original to ScheerPost Something seismic happened in this election and it has nothing to do with Joe Biden winning. And yes, Joe Biden did indeed win. I'm sorry for those of you Trump fans who believe the election was rigged against him. It simply wasn't. Yes, millions of Americans were indeed purged from the voter rolls — but they were mostly people of color. So if MAGA Nation are… |

Ted Rall (2020-11-20). Why The Democrats Keep Losing. counterpunch.org Why, Democrats have been asking, do so many poor white people vote for a Republican Party that doesn't care about or do anything for them? The most common reply is: Democrats are snobby coastal elites who talk down to them. Classic example, courtesy of Obama: "They [voters in the Rust Belt] get bitter, they cling to

Staff (2020-11-20). "A Huge Blow to Civil Society": Egypt Arrests Leading Human Rights Monitors in Latest Crackdown. democracynow.org In Egypt, the executive director of the country's leading human rights group has been arrested as part of an unprecedented crackdown on activists and journalists. Gasser Abdel-Razek was arrested at his home just days after two other staffers for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights were also arrested. The move signals a major escalation of repression from the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has imprisoned thousands of people since he came to power after the 2013 overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsi. "These arrests are a huge blow to civil society in Egypt," says Sharif Abdel Kouddo…

John Davis (2020-11-20). The Nation's New Crime Boss. counterpunch.org In this time of a recalcitrant lame duck who, it is widely proclaimed, threatened and continues to threaten 'democracy' – the fig leaf of respectability under which the nation's criminality festers – liberal triumphalism is shadowed by a residual anguish that rises to fever pitch when confronted by criticisms of Biden, or suggestions raised, in the enclaves of the enlightened, that he is not the savior whom we all seek.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-11-20). 22 million jobless, Senate Republicans go home for Thanksgiving without passing aid. peoplesworld.org &nbsp…

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-20). A Preview of How a Biden/Harris Regime May Operate. "Hired Guns" and the Role of "Registered Lobbyists" globalresearch.ca What's coming if Biden/Harris succeed Trump begins with regime appointees. | According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden/Harris transition team includes "at least 40 registered lobbyists" — hired guns for special interests. | Bringing them onboard is one of many examples …

Dan Cohen (2020-11-20). How Joe Biden Plans to Make The American Empire Great Again. mintpressnews.com Behind his rhetoric, Joe Biden will seek nothing less than global supremacy, escalating a new and even more dangerous arms race that risks the destruction of humanity, what he calls "decency" and "normalcy."

Common Cause (2020-11-20). Thursday 12/3: What's Next for Civil Rights: Democracy in the 117th Congress Town Hall w/ Common Cause. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

_____ (2020-11-20). Don't [Mourn] Celebrate, Organize! strategic-culture.org The danger is that Joe will put us all to sleep. To show that we will continue to resist, let's start with a demand that Trump as incumbent, or Biden as President-elect, agree to sign the new START treaty , which Putin has repeatedly agreed to sign if the US does, and which expires in February? Imagine having an anti-war movement again. Don't celebrate, organize.

Lynda Carson (2020-11-20). John Harris donates fabulous guitar collection to San Francisco Conservatory of Music. indybay.org The Harris Guitar Collection:…

Common Cause (2020-11-20). Thursday 12/10: 2021 Planned Actions at State Level & Post Census Redistricting Town Hall w/ Common Cause. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

WSWS (2020-11-20). The Endless Trench: Hiding for decades from the Spanish fascists. wsws.org The film fictionally treats an actual phenomenon, the dozens or more of left-wing opponents of Franco, known as "moles," who concealed themselves in their own homes for 30 years following the defeat of the Republican forces in 1939.

Uriel Araujo (2020-11-20). US Under Joe Biden Will Pursue Policy of "Countering" and "Encircling" Russia. globalresearch.ca On Sunday, there were new street demonstrations in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Last week, two British diplomats were declared "persona non grata" by the Belarusian government. They are accused of conducting "destructive activities" — most probably related to aiding …

Protest Facebook Coalition (2020-11-20). Saturday 11/21: Wake the ZUCK up! We won't let Facebook destroy our democracy. indybay.org Please join us outside Mark Zuckerberg's house in San Francisco. Facebook needs to stop election lies from running rampant on its platform.

Jim Sleeper (2020-11-20). Corporate capital and Trump's coup: Will business elites take a stand?>. salon.com Trump's war on democracy is clearly bad for business — but the leaders of corporate America helped create this mess…

_____ (2020-11-20). Over 235 Organizations Call On Biden To Cancel Student Debt. popularresistance.org Washington, D.C. — Over 235 organizations sent a letter to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris, calling on them to use executive authority to cancel federal student debt on day one of their administration. | In the letter, 238 nonprofit and community organizations highlight that cancelling student debt would stimulate the economy, help reduce the racial wealth gap, and could have a positive impact on health outcomes. The groups write that "executive action is one of the few available tools that could immediately provide a boost to upwards of 44 million borrowers and the economy…

Quanah Brightman (2020-11-20). Monday 11/23: Demand the US GSA formally recognize Biden as president elect now! indybay.org

Derek Royden (2020-11-20). After Trump: Can the GOP sell itself as the party of the working class? nationofchange.org "The future of the [Republican] party is based on a multiethnic, multiracial working class coalition." and that, "…the free market exists to serve our people. Our people don't exist to serve the free market."

Amanda Marcotte (2020-11-20). Republicans aren't scared of the Trump & Rudy show — they love this stuff. salon.com Republicans aren't staying quiet because they fear Trump — this clown-car coup has nothing but upside for them…

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-11-20). Saturday 11/21: Trump: You're Fired. Now Get the Hell OUT! indybay.org Castro & Market, San Francisco…

David Rosen (2020-11-20). Will Biden's New FCC End the Digital Divide? progressive.org A critical first step for the President-elect to achieve universal broadband will depend on whom he selects as the new chairperson.

_____ (2020-11-20). Trump Plans Series Of Actions Against China Before Biden Inauguration. popularresistance.org The Trump administration is planning a series of hardline actions against China with the aim of making it politically untenable for a Biden administration to reverse the moves, administration officials told Axios. | According to the officials, the administration plans to sanction or restrict trade with Chinese companies, officials, and government entities. The actions will be related to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, so-called threats to US national security, and China's fishing industry.

Phyllis Bennis (2020-11-19). It's Time for Congress to Remember the Rest of the World. counterpunch.org The 2020 election will have enormous consequences for the pandemic, the planet, the economy, our democracy and people's lives. And that will be true even before the next Congress and administration take office. After the vote, the current Congress will have another six weeks or so in office. For some members, it will be a

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-11-19). Social Security Defenders Tell Biden to Keep Austerity-Obsessed Bruce Reed Far Away From the White House. commondreams.org "In this time of national crisis with millions struggling to get by, we cannot afford to grant positions of power to austerity hawks." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden-reed.jpg

Staff (2020-11-19). Headlines for November 19, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 250,000; Nearly 1% of U.S. Population Currently Infectious, Pfizer to Seek Emergency Authorization of COVID-19 Vaccine, Touting 95% Efficacy, Lawsuit Alleges Tyson Foods Managers Wagered on Meatpackers' Coronavirus Infection Rate, COVID-19 Surge Overwhelms Hospitals as Healthcare Workers Fall Ill, Biden Says Trump's Refusal to Concede Could Set Back Vaccine Rollout by Months, Arizona Secretary of State Faces Death Threats as Trump Promotes Election Conspiracy Theories, Democratic Congressmembers Reelect Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, Australian Military Apologizes to Afghan…

Bryant Arroyo (2020-11-19). COVID-19 protocols: Recipe for disaster in Pennsylvania prisons. workers.org Bryant Arroyo (left) with Joe Piette of WWP Prisoners Solidarity Committee. Incarcerated workers across Pennsylvania are demanding that Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel reverse his disastrous decision to begin mass transfers of prisoners at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following commentary is from jailhouse organizer and environmentalist . . . |

George Ochenski (2020-11-19). Time to End Trump's Incredible Damage to Our Nation. counterpunch.org For four long years, the United States of America has suffered the presidency of a narcissistic reality-TV actor incompetently playing his role as president. But finally this embarrassing charade of governance has come to an end. Yet, incapable of handling the truth of his loss to president-elect Joe Biden, this spoiled man-child has spent the

Liz Theoharis (2020-11-19). The New Politics of the Poor in Joe Biden's (and Mitch McConnell's) USA. counterpunch.org In the two weeks since Election 2020, the country has oscillated between joy and anger, hope and dread in an era of polarization sharpened by the forces of racism, nativism, and hate. Still, truth be told, though the divisive tone of this moment may only be sharpening, division in the United States of America is

MEE staff (2020-11-19). Macron tells French Muslim leaders to produce charter of 'republican values'. middleeasteye.net Macron tells French Muslim leaders to produce charter of 'republican values' | The French government's plan to regulate Islam in the country comes amid tensions in the wake of several attacks | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 14: 44 | French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured here during a videoconference on 17 November 2020, has taken a strong-handed approach to Islam (AFP) | French President Emmanuel Macron has given the…

Caitlin A. Johnstone (2020-11-19). Biden will likely be worse than Obama. The left must lead the backlash, or the right will. mronline.org It looks like a safe bet that Joe Biden will be sworn in on January 20th after successfully campaigning on returning the murderous and oppressive Orwellian US empire back to its pre-Trump "normal".

Jeff Cohen (2020-11-19). Time for Biden to Follow the Science. counterpunch.org One of the keys to Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump was his constant and accurate accusation that Trump "refuses to follow the science" on COVID-19 — that "he won't listen to the scientists." It proved to be a winning campaign theme. Indeed, it's sobering to realize that without COVID — both Trump's mishandling of

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-11-19). 'We Simply Cannot Afford Half-Measures': Outside DNC, Progressives Demand Biden Go Big for Green New Deal. commondreams.org Progressives elected to Congress joined grassroots climate action leaders from across the country on Thursday, demanding that President-elect Joe Biden "be brave" and work to pass a bold agenda aimed at combating the climate crisis. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-11-19_at_4.12.24_pm.png

Chris Marshall (2020-11-19). Are you sure Trump's plan to steal the election has failed? You shouldn't be. salon.com Surely Republicans would never stage a ludicrous constitutional end-around with Brett Kavanaugh's help, would they?>

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-11-19). As Trump Pursues Strategy of Chaos and Confusion, Biden Urged to 'Go Big and Fast' to Fix 'Broken' Government. commondreams.org "The arsonist in chief, who spent the past four years being as reckless as humanly possible, is lighting a whole bunch more fires with the GOAL of them being impossible to put out." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12291696281.jpg

Carla Stea (2020-11-19). Strangling Sanctions against North Korea. "Psychopathic Double Standards" at the UN Security Council. globalresearch.ca Do They Have a Conscience? | "A key difference between a psychopath and a sociopath is whether he has a conscience, the little voice inside that lets us know when we're doing something wrong, says L. Michael Tompkins, EdD. He's a …

William Stroock (2020-11-19). Biden 'Wins' Trump Contests. globalresearch.ca A few days before the presidential election, this observer predicted President Trump would win about 50% of the popular vote and around 325 electoral votes. Obviously that didn't happen. But most polls and poll aggregates predicted a Blue Wave leading …

WSWS (2020-11-19). Former Sheriff David Clarke calls for Proud Boys chapter in Wisconsin. wsws.org Clarke spoke at a Milwaukee County Republican event on Saturday, along with Republican State Senator Chris Kapenga.

teleSUR (2020-11-19). Colombia Goes on Strike to Demand an End to Violence. telesurenglish.net A new day of national mobilization Thursday will take place, "for life, democracy and the negotiation of the emergency plan," led by unions, workers' centers, students, farmers, and other social sectors. | RELATED: | The new day of the National Strike comes one year after the mobilizations of November 21, 2019, in which hundreds of Colombians took to the streets, demanding the right to life, the defense of social leaders…

WSWS (2020-11-19). "The wolf is at the door": Missouri hospital heads plead for state action to stem the pandemic. wsws.org As the St. Louis area sees record hospitalizations, local mitigation measures have been partial and limited, and Republican leaders are scheming to prevent workers from suing their employers for COVID-19 exposure.

Philip V. McHarris (2020-11-19). 'I Experience a Hollowing Fear Any Time I'm Stopped by Police'. thenation.com 'I Experience a Hollowing Fear Any Time I'm Stopped by Police'

D. Watkins (2020-11-19). Poet Nikki Giovanni shares her wisdom about Biden, cowardly racism, and why love is a pineapple. salon.com The acclaimed activist and educator returned to "Salon Talks" to discuss the presidency & the writing process…

Sophia Tesfaye (2020-11-19). A new #Resistance hero emerges amid the Trump endgame: The dutiful civil servant. salon.com We hadn't heard of Brad Raffensperger or Chris Krebs a week ago. Now they're heroes standing tall for democracy…

splcenter (2020-11-19). Neo-Nazi, Klan Leader Thomas Metzger Dies in California. splcenter.org Thomas Linton Metzger, a neo-Nazi former Ku Klux Klansman who later formed the White Aryan Resistance, died early this month, according to his website.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-19). Reproducing soft, hard power key to lifting sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 19 (MNA) — Stressing that Biden is not Iran's friend and master key, Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Aide for International Affairs said that reproducing soft and hard power is key to lifting sanctions.

commondreams (2020-11-19). Joe Biden Must Keep Anti-Social Security Bruce Reed Far Away From His Administration. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Glen Ford (2020-11-19). Black "Misleaders" Back Susan Rice as Top Diplomat. Black Democrats See Her a Role Model. globalresearch.ca Genocide in Congo and militarization of the African continent are Susan Rice's specialties, but Black Democrats see her as a "role model." | "Rice cultivated relations with every pro-U.S. warlord in Africa." | No one in high levels of U.S. government …

Edmund Phelps (2020-11-19). The US economy needs Joe Biden. indybay.org The economic and socio-political record of US President Donald Trump is devastating. Wages stagnated even before the Corona crisis. Instead, the national debt increased because he lowered taxes for the rich – without any economic benefit. Joe Biden knows the reasons for the misery and knows what to do.

Chauncey DeVega (2020-11-19). Make fun of the "Million MAGA March" all you want — white supremacy has not been defeated. salon.com American fascism held power for four years — and now controls the Republican Party. Don't look the other way…

Jeff Abbott (2020-11-19). The Other Americans: What Joe Biden's Win Means for Central America. progressive.org Though it might undo many of Trump's policies, the Biden Administration will likely return to an Obama-era approach in the region.

Ralph Nader (2020-11-18). Abdicating to Boeing: An Open Letter to FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson. counterpunch.org November 13, 2020 Stephen Dickson, Administrator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) U.S. Department of Transportation 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Dickson, It is now abundantly clear that instead of clearing out top Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operatives who have worked to make the FAA safe for Boeing, you have thrown in your

Staff (2020-11-18). As COVID Deaths Soar, El Paso at Breaking Point with Hospitals & Mobile Morgues Filling Up. 18.224.45.15 Some Republican governors are dropping their resistance to mask mandates, as public health officials in the United States brace for a COVID-19 surge from the Thanksgiving holiday amid already record-high infection rates. However, Republican resistance to other public health safety measures continues as coronavirus cases in Texas reach record highs for a second time during the pandemic. El Paso County, an area along the U.S.-Mexico border where 80% of residents are Latinx, is also facing one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. and now has 10 mobile morgues to hold bodies. Some prisoners are being paid just…

Staff (2020-11-18). As North Dakota Faces World's Deadliest Outbreak, Native Communities Condemn States' COVID Response. democracynow.org As COVID-19 rampages through the U.S., we look at how the rapid spread of the disease is affecting Native American communities, which have already faced disproportionate infection and death rates throughout the pandemic. "We're having a lot of people perish. We're having a lot of death, a lot of hospitalizations," says Jodi Archambault, a citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and former special assistant to President Obama for Native American affairs. We also speak with Allie Young, founder of Protect the Sacred, who says the Navajo Nation has "worked hard to flatten the curve" of COVID-19 infections but is st…

Eric A. Gordon (2020-11-18). 'Accused': Finnish composer tackles political interrogations from France, GDR and USA. peoplesworld.org Living in a firmly established social democracy, Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg probably doesn't hear very often about political interrogations in his own country, but the subject obviously interests him. His latest CD, on the Ondine label, brings together two recent compositions. One, purely orchestral, called Two Episodes, shows his mastery of the orchestra. Almost 18 …

Sheren Khalel (2020-11-18). Senators urge Trump to axe 'Made in West Bank' settlement labels before end of term. middleeasteye.net Senators urge Trump to axe 'Made in West Bank' settlement labels before end of term | Four Republican senators warn Trump administration that labelling Israeli settlement products anything other than 'Made in Israel' encourages BDS movement | Wed, 11/18/2020 – 19: 35 | Israeli protestor carries national flag and US President Donald Trump campaign hat after heckling tour by EU diplomats at settlemen…

RT (2020-11-18). Pennsylvania Supreme Court shoots down Trump campaign claims of blocking Philadelphia election observers. rt.com The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has rejected allegations by President Donald Trump's campaign team that election observers in Philadelphia were deprived of "meaningful access" to the polls, overturning a lower court's ruling. | The state's liberal-leaning Supreme Court ruled 5-2 against Trump's lawsuit on Tuesday, rebuffing claims that local election officials barred Republican poll-watchers from standing close enough to the vote-counting process to see what was happening. | "We conclude the [Philadelphia County Board of Elections] did not act contrary to law… during the precanvassing and canvassing proces…

Eric A. Gordon (2020-11-18). 'Accused': Swedish composer tackles political interrogations from France, GDR and USA. peoplesworld.org Living in a firmly established social democracy, Swedish composer Magnus Lindberg probably doesn't hear very often about political interrogations in his own country, but the subject obviously interests him. His latest CD, on the Ondine label, brings together two recent compositions. One, purely orchestral, called Two Episodes, shows his mastery of the orchestra. Almost 18 …

RT (2020-11-18). NYC schools to close 'indefinitely' as city's weekly Covid-19 positive rate reaches 3%. rt.com New York City's public-school system is to close its doors "indefinitely," officials announced, after the city's seven-day coronavirus positive rate hit three percent. They won't necessarily open their doors when it dips, either. | Schools will suspend all in-person instruction on Thursday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed via tweet on Wednesday. The mayor's announcement came after schools chancellor Richard Carranza sent an email to principals warning them that New York had "reached [the three percent] threshold of test positivity citywide." | In-person classes are not expected to begin again anyt…

WSWS (2020-11-18). Socialist Party's Moe Manir expels London Bus Drivers Rank-and-File Safety Committee leader from Facebook group. wsws.org The Socialist Party promotes the dangerous illusion that mass pressure from below can transform the unions into fighting organisations. But in every country the trade unions respond to mass pressure from workers by deepening their collusion with the companies and the state, and by stamping out any semblance of democracy.

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-18). US Election 2020: The Moment of Truth Approaches. globalresearch.ca Joe Biden is not and never will be US president-elect legitimately. | Clear evidence shows significant election fraud in key swing states — favoring Biden/Harris over Trump. | If all US Election 2020 votes were tabulated accurately, Trump would carry key swing …

commondreams (2020-11-18). Trump Administration's Refusal to Cooperate With President-Elect Biden Is Worsening COVID-19 Human Rights Crisis. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-11-18). Drug Policy Alliance Outlines Priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration's First 100 Days. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Taylor Griggs (2020-11-18). Biden vs. the Climate Revolution. progressive.org Though wary of electoral politics, progressive climate activists helped Biden win—and now must make him deliver.

commondreams (2020-11-18). Progressive Groups Pushing for Ro Khanna to Fill Harris Senate Seat. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-18). Defying police deployment, Greeks commemorate 47th anniversary of Polytechnic uprising. peoplesdispatch.org The Athens Polytechnic uprising of 1973 was a key moment in the resistance to the right-wing junta that then ruled Greece. This year, the New Democracy government had tried to ban commemorative gatherings citing COVID-19…

Andrew Corbley (2020-11-18). Trump's New Pentagon — Divisive Duo Will Frustrate Doves and Hawks Alike. globalresearch.ca After last week's firing of various Pentagon officials including Sec. of Defense Mark Esper, the Undersecretaries of Intelligence and Policy, and Chief of Staff to the Sec of Defense, Democrats and Republicans, eager to get back to a status …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-18). Several injured in police action against pro-democracy protesters in Thailand. peoplesdispatch.org Protesters in Thailand are demanding a curb on the monarchy's power. The government led by prime minister Prayush Cha-ocha has resorted to repression of the protesters and arrested several leaders…

_____ (2020-11-18). A Typical Democratic Official On The Pentagon And War. popularresistance.org Jeh Johnson, formerly homeland security secretary under President Obama, showed how a typical Democratic official approaches the Pentagon and war as he spoke on ABC's This Week on Sunday (11/15). For Johnson, the Pentagon "is typically an island of stability" in the U.S. government, but President Trump was destabilizing that island because of recent changes to Pentagon personnel. Trump's changes could be driven by his desire to get U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, speculated Johnson, which was not a good thing:…

sputniknews (2020-11-18). George Soros Speaks For the First Time on Conspiracy Theories Surrounding Him. sputniknews.com The Hungarian-born billionaire and philanthropist has long been the target of politicians in several countries, who accuse him of sowing political chaos. Last week, a former US Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, accused the 90-year-old of helping Democrats steal the Joe Biden ticket victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Roger Sollenberger (2020-11-18). Ted Cruz calls Democratic senator "a complete ass" for asking Republican colleague to wear a mask. salon.com GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is 87 years old, revealed the following day that he had tested positive for COVID-19…

Staff (2020-11-18). Mobile Morgues Fill Up in El Paso as Gov. Greg Abbott Refuses New Lockdown. truthout.org Image Credit: Reuters / Ivan Pierre Aguirre | Some Republican governors are dropping their resistance to mask mandates, as public health officials in the United States brace for a COVID-19 surge from the Thanksgiving holiday amid already record-high infection rates. However, Republican resistance to other public health safety measures continues as coronavirus cases in Texas reach record highs for a second time during the pandemic. El Paso County, an area along the U.S.-Mexico border where 80% of re…

Editor (2020-11-18). There's One Issue Joe Biden Has Refused to Follow the Science On. scheerpost.com jlhervàs / CC BY 2.0] By Jeff Cohen One of the keys to Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump was his constant and accurate accusation that Trump "refuses to follow the science" on COVID-19 — that "he won't listen to the scientists." It proved to be a winning campaign theme. Indeed, it's sobering to realize that without COVID — both Trump's mishandling of it and the accompanying economic downturn… |

Igor Derysh (2020-11-18). GOP secretary of state: Trump "would have won" Georgia, but he "suppressed" Republican mail-in votes. salon.com "He would have won by 10,000 votes," Brad Raffenspeger says. "He actually . . . suppressed his own voting base"

commondreams (2020-11-18). Center for Food Safety's Biden Administration Priority Recommendations Urgently Needed to Protect Our Food and Environment. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-18). 75 Democrats urge Trump to show leniency on Iran Sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (MNA) — Democrats on Capitol Hill are pushing back on the Trump administration's plan to unveil stepped-up sanctions against Iran, urging the outgoing US president to be flexible and allow coronavirus aid to be sent.

Ursula Wolfe-Rocca (2020-11-18). The United States Is Not a Democracy. Stop Telling Students That It Is. commondreams.org When our students only learn about this exceptionally strange system from their corporate-produced history and government textbooks, they have no clue why this is how we choose our president. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/sunrise-movement-protest-credit-geoff-livingston-flickr-650×433.jpg

Mia Barnes (2020-11-18). Biden's health care plans could mean new changes to your health care options. nationofchange.org Biden's health care plans could benefit millions of Americans, especially as the nation faces a potential second wave of the coronavirus.

Igor Derysh (2020-11-18). Democrats sound alarm over possible last-minute cuts to safety-net programs by Trump administration. salon.com The Trump administration has finalized a rule making it harder for individuals denied disability benefits to appeal…

teleSUR (2020-11-18). Peru: President Sagasti Apologizes for People Killed by Police. telesurenglish.net Peru's interim president Francisco Sagasti apologized to the parents of Bryan Pintado and Inti Sotelo, the two young people who were killed by police repression on the November 14 protests against the Congressional coup. | RELATED: | "We cannot bring these young people back to life, but we can prevent violent incidents from happening again. Also, we can decisively support the injured, some of them are grave," said Sagasti. | In…

_____ (2020-11-18). Order Out of Chaos: Who Will Replace 'President Biden'? strategic-culture.org Mathew MAAVAK | "If you count the legal votes, I easily win. If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us." That statement by US President Donald J. Trump is actually posted on the official White House Before the 46th President o…

commondreams (2020-11-18). National Education Association Releases Policy Playbook for Biden-Harris Administration. commondreams.org ______________________________…

_____ (2020-11-18). More Money For Coup Groups From US Agency For International Development. popularresistance.org Organizations that led the coup attempt in 2018 against the constitutional government of President Daniel Ortega, continue to receive foreign funding from the United States and some European countries. The latest information on USAID funding of the US-directed opposition was made available by journalist William Grigsby on Radio La Primerísima's Sin Fronteras Magazine. | USAID fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021) foreign assistance includes "funds to support the restoration of democracy and human rights in the region."

Thomas Hon Wing Polin (2020-11-18). Hong Kong: Beijing Presses the Cleanup. counterpunch.org Is China a sovereign country? The question may seem ludicrous. But it must be asked of the US and other Western politicians and media objecting loudly to Beijing's disqualification of four opposition lawmakers in Hong Kong. That act has sparked the resignation of 15 other "pro-democracy" legislators. A sovereign nation has the unchallengeable right to

Staff (2020-11-17). With COVID Vaccines on the Horizon, U.S. Urged to Help Ensure Equitable Distribution Across Globe. 18.224.45.15 As the U.S. COVID-19 death toll nears 250,000, drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna have both announced promising vaccine trial results showing over 90% effectiveness in preventing illness. But officials and health experts warn widespread distribution of a vaccine for the coronavirus — which has killed 1.2 million people across the globe — will be tremendously difficult to store and distribute. Vaccine researcher Dr. Saad Omer calls the recent news "reassuring" but says drugmakers need to be much more transparent about their data and issue more than just press releases. "There should be a little bit more det…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-11-17). Robert Reich: Capitalism makes it hard to keep democracy going. peoplesworld.org BERKELEY, Calif.—Rising income inequality, to levels unseen for almost a century, makes it "hard to keep an economy" and a democracy going, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich says. Ditto for the U.S. version of the capitalist system, he adds. Reich, now a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, said the growing chasm between …

Amanda Marcotte (2020-11-17). Hey, Republicans — your guy lost. Can you please take the coronavirus seriously now?>. salon.com Coronavirus denialism was entirely about helping Trump win the election — so can his voters move on now it's over?>

Shane Quinn (2020-11-17). Will Biden Seek to De-escalate Tensions with China and Russia? globalresearch.ca A crucial advantage that China enjoys over its Western rivals, principally the United States, is the country's rebuffing of neoliberalism. Under its present leadership, Beijing's influence over corporations and private power has increased substantially. | By contrast to America, almost all …

Phil Galewitz (2020-11-17). Red States' case against ACA hinges on whether they were actually harmed by the law. salon.com The Republican-led states are trying to prove they were harmed by the 2010 health law…

Editor (2020-11-17). The New Politics of the Poor in Biden's (and McConnell's) USA. scheerpost.com McConnell Center / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] By Liz Theoharis / TomDispatch In the two weeks since Election 2020, the country has oscillated between joy and anger, hope and dread in an era of polarization sharpened by the forces of racism, nativism, and hate. Still, truth be told, though the divisive tone of this moment may only be sharpening, division in the United States of America is not a new… |