2020-12-13: News Headlines

Megan Sherman (2020-12-13). "Corona Procurements": Tory Corruption Is Eroding UK Democracy. globalresearch.ca The UK's governing Tory party is dishonestly flouting the rules of free and fair competition for Coronavirus related procurements, by unfairly selecting commissions, awarding contracts to class allies instead of the best or cheapest service provider. | The party frequently uses …

Ben Lilliston (2020-12-13). A Roadmap for the Biden-Harris Administration: Redesigning Farm Systems for the Climate Crisis. commondreams.org A just transition for farming must not only consider reforms to farm policy, but also aligned reforms in financial, trade, environmental, and competition policy. | www.flickr.com/photos/suziesfarm/11438035863

Fight Back (2020-12-13). Philippines: Labor movement demands release of Human Rights Day 7. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating this December 11 joint statement from the Council of Global Unions Philippine affiliates. | PH affiliates of global unions demand release of HRD7, stop arrests of PH unionists | We strongly deplore the simultaneous raids of residences and the consecutive arrests of trade union organizers, Dennise Velasco of Defend Jobs Philippines, Romina Astudillo, Deputy Secretary-General of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila, Mark Ryan Cruz, Regional Executive Committee of KMU-Metro Manila, Jaymie Gregorio Jr. of KMU-Metro Manila, Joel Demate of Solidarity of Labor Rights and Welfare (SOLAR)…

Patrick Stephens (2020-12-13). Let Everybody Vote, Even If They're Incarcerated. zcomm.org What value is a democracy that actively seeks to silence the voices of its most vulnerable citizens?

Qiao Collective (2020-12-12). Qiao Collective on challenging U.S. aggression on China, the role of the Western left. mronline.org On the domestic front, the U.S. propaganda machine mostly works instead to position China as this great, menacing oriental Other. We've seen this during the COVID-19 pandemic in Trump's rhetoric about the "China virus" and in Biden's attempts at one-upmanship.

Igor Derysh (2020-12-12). Government study shows taxpayers are subsidizing "starvation wages" at McDonald's, Walmart. salon.com Sen. Bernie Sanders called the findings "morally obscene"

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-12). Biden solidifying a more aggressive neoliberal and militarist administration. peoplesdispatch.org From former war commanders and representatives of the military-industrial complex to Clinton loyalists to oil lobby-funded, the appointments made so far gives us very little change to be expected from the upcoming Biden administration.

Richard Horton (2020-12-12). [Comment] Offline: The coming technocracy. thelancet.com As 2020 draws to a close, one trend among nations most severely hit by COVID-19 bears some discussion. It is that democracies are evolving into technocracies, by which I mean a form of governance where those with political power are appointed on the basis of their scientific expertise. It would be hard to deny that scientists have assumed a role in political decision making unparalleled in recent memory. The French public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy was the first to raise the issue of medical power.

Stephen Lendman (2020-12-11). Biden to Mandate Mask Wearing, Mandatory Mass Vaxxing to Follow? globalresearch.ca Porous face masks offer no protection from minuscule covid spores. | Extended wearing is potentially hazardous to human health. | Mass vaxxing could be catastrophic if ordered. | Covid is a form of seasonal flu/influenza. | Protection comes from good health habits, including proper …

Mark Fiore (2020-12-11). Screen Shot 2020-12-10 at 9.16.39 AM.png. progressive.org President Trump is trashing democracy on his way out the door and congressional Republicans are complicit.

Eds. (2020-12-11). Silencing Black radicalism since the Cold War. mronline.org Describing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as socialist and accusing them of fomenting disorder in America's urban areas invoked racial disorder for the majority white voters who cast their ballots for an avowed white supremacist.

Bryant Arroyo (2020-12-11). PA prisons: Disdain, distrust and deprivation. workers.org Incarcerated workers across Pennsylvania are demanding that Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel reverse his disastrous decision to begin mass transfers of prisoners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following commentary is part 2 from an interview by Joe Piette with jailhouse organizer and environmentalist Bryant Arroyo, who . . . |

Claudia De la Cruz (2020-12-11). Biden's cabinet picks are a pittance—Representation in the capitalist government is not enough. liberationnews.org If we study the political careers of Kamala Harris and Avril Haines we find that these women have consistently made decisions that harm workers…

Staff (2020-12-11). U.S. Recognizes Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara in Latest Betrayal of Sahrawi People. democracynow.org We continue to examine the U.S.-brokered deal between Morocco and Israel to normalize relations. As part of the deal, the U.S. will become the first country in the world to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which Morocco has occupied since 1975 in defiance of the international community. We convene a roundtable to discuss developments: Mouloud Said, a representative of the Polisario Front in Washington; Stephen Zunes, professor of politics and international studies at the University of San Francisco; and Sahrawi journalist and activist Nazha El-Khalidi.

Alan Macleod (2020-12-11). Critics Pan Time's Choice of Biden-Harris for 2020 Person of the Year Award. mintpressnews.com "This is Joe Biden's year. He not only managed to stay alive until the election, he also did other things, presumably." — YouTube creator Shaun…

Chauncey K. Robinson, Matt Bernico (2020-12-11). PW Podcast: Rev. Liz Theoharis talks voter suppression and poverty. peoplesworld.org Beyond the Page is a companion podcast to the award-winning publication People's World. With every episode, we'll take you deeper into the topics covered at PeoplesWorld.org. Our program brings you in-depth interviews with journalists and activists on the most pressing stories in progressive politics, labor, and the struggle for socialism in the United States. As …

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-12-11). Roaming Charges: Negative Creep. counterpunch.org Under Biden we're going to experience four years (if he lasts that long) of negative creep, a steady recrudescence of the same policies—economic, social, environmental and military—which led us to into the very quagmire where nearly all of us are now inexorably sinking.

Albert Bender (2020-12-11). Bolivia feeds its hungry while Republicans let Americans starve. peoplesworld.org It is a tale of two countries regarding how Bolivia and the United States treat their people. On the one hand, there is Bolivia, a country that has embraced socialism, has overwhelmingly elected a progressive, anti-imperialist president, Luis Arce, and a country that has just initiated a program of "Bonuses Against Hunger" to provide relief …

Manar Waheed (2020-12-11). Biden Must Restore Citizenship for Black and Brown People. aclu.org President Trump's relentless destruction of our immigration system is well documented. However, the myriad ways in which he attacked and targeted Black and Brown people seeking immigration benefits or citizenship, and even U.S. citizens is less discussed. , , There have been three substantial attacks on citizenship for Black and Brown immigrants: | Indefinite delays of immigration benefits, including citizenship, through the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program (CARRP), which has targeted Muslims and people from Muslim-majority countries since 2008;Blocking the expedited path to citizenship fo…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-12-11). In Just 'Two-Ish Minutes,' AOC Details Progressive Accomplishments From First Two Years in Office. commondreams.org Often accused of being ineffective by conservatives and centrists, the congresswoman highlighted her work passing legislation, serving her constituents, and leading House investigations into corruption and fraud. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-12-11_at_3.14.50_pm.png

Heather Cox Richardson (2020-12-11). Thoughts on the Silence of Republican Lawmakers. indybay.org Coronavirus continues to devastate the country, with official deaths topping 281,000 today, but it turns out that the Trump administration did not actually have a plan for distribution of vaccines. Federal officials have drastically slashed the amount of vaccine they promised to states before the election. Instead of the 300 million doses, the plan is currently to distribute 35 to 40 million doses.

John Stanton (2020-12-11). What is the United States of America? A Military Democracy. counterpunch.org "Military leader, council, assembly of the people are the organs of gentile society developed into military democracy — military, since war and organization for war have now become regular functions of national life. Their neighbors' wealth excites the greed of peoples who already see in the acquisition of wealth one of the main aims of

Dennis Argall (2020-12-11). The Approaching Crunch in US Policy Towards China. globalresearch.ca The Republican and Democrat leaders of the US Senate Intelligence Committee have issued a joint statement of intense hostility towards China. This posture is a threat to Australia's national security… and the world. An attempt to tear China down will …

sputniknews (2020-12-11). 'Build an Inclusive Government': Asian Americans Urge for More Representation in Biden's Cabinet. sputniknews.com Projected US President-elect Joe Biden is currently in the process of assembling his Cabinet. Over the past week, Biden announced Denis McDonough as his pick for secretary of veterans affairs, Tom Vilsack for agriculture secretary and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) as secretary of housing and urban development.

Khubaka Michael Harris (2020-12-11). Thursday 12/10: 2020 Sacramento Kwanzaa Wakanda Project. indybay.org Florin Square | Florin Road Partnership | Sacramento, California…

commondreams (2020-12-11). Social Security Beneficiaries and SSA Employees Agree: Joe Biden Needs to Clean House on Day One. commondreams.org ______________________________…

US Senate, Senator Johnson Objection (2020-12-11). 2020 National Juneteenth Holiday Bill still in process. indybay.org Texas Republican Senator Cornyn. As in legislative session, I ask unanimous | consent that the Senate Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. 4019; Juneteenth National Holiday; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Miles Mogulescu (2020-12-11). Want to Defund the Police? Then Vote for Loeffler and Perdue in Georgia Senate Run-Off Race. commondreams.org When police (and teachers and firefighters and other essential state and local government workers) are defunded and fired in the next few months, blame it on Republicans like Purdue and Loeffler. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/georgia_0.jpg

James M. Dorsey (2020-12-11). Saudi Arabia Sends Joe Biden Mixed Messages. globalresearch.ca Saudi Arabia appears to be drawing lines in the sand as the kingdom prepares for a new era in relations with the United States once President-elect Joe Biden assumes office in January. | In doing so, the kingdom is seemingly signaling …

Alex Henderson (2020-12-11). Rust Belt warning for the GOP: These 3 counties spell trouble for future Republican wins. salon.com If these counties are any indication, Republicans might run into problems in the Rust Belt in 2022 and 2024…

Peter Boyle (2020-12-11). Thai democracy activists defy escalating repression. greenleft.org.au Despite growing number of democracy activists facing charges under Thailand's notorious lèse majesté law, the youth-led movement keeps up its mass mobilisations, reports Peter Boyle.

Alfred de Zayas (2020-12-11). My Take on the US Elections: Voting for Corporate Figureheads is not Democracy. globalresearch.ca Interview with Prof. Dr. iur. et phil. Alfred de Zayas, international law expert and former UN mandate holder | *** | Thomas Kaiser: Zeitgeschehen im Fokus Professor de Zayas, you are an American citizen. What do you think about the course of …

Amanda Marcotte (2020-12-11). Republicans want more than a coup: Trump's loyalty test exposes their hatred for democracy. salon.com More than half of House Republicans and 17 GOP attorneys general have outed themselves as traitors…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-12-11). Calls to "Abolish the Death Penalty" Grow as Trump's Last-Minute Execution Spree Kills Brandon Bernard. commondreams.org "In a world of incredible violence, the state should not be involved in premeditated murder," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/brandon_bernard.jpg

Ramzy Baroud (2020-12-10). Shunned by Trump, Mahmoud Abbas Looks to Biden to Revive a Long Dead "Peace Process" mintpressnews.com When all hope seemed lost, where Abbas found himself desperate for political validation and funds, Biden arrived like a conquering knight on a white horse and swept the Palestinian leader away to safety.

Orinoco Tribune (2020-12-10). Evo Morales: In Venezuela there was a Democratic 'Fiesta' on December 6. mronline.org "There is peace, tranquility and yesterday there was a great democratic 'fiesta'," the former president of Bolivia and international observer of Venezuela's elections, Evo Morales, emphasized this Monday.

Rob Harris (2020-12-10). In Paris, soccer players lay down 'marker' in fight against racism. peoplesworld.org AP—Players have taken a knee, unfurled slogans and demanded tougher action only to find soccer — their working environment — remains infected with racism. The tipping point might just have come, with elite players in Paris taking the extraordinary step of refusing to continue playing. At the end of a year of striking gestures against …

Andrew Korybko (2020-12-10). Will Joe Biden Stop Funding the Saudi-UAE War on Yemen? globalresearch.ca Pro-Yemeni activists hope that Biden will stay true to his prior promise to stop funding the GCC's War on Yemen, but even if he does what's arguably the morally right thing, he'll probably be doing it for geopolitical reasons even …

Ahmad Salah (2020-12-10). Will Joe Biden "Revise" U.S Agenda in Syria? Use Terrorism Pretext to "Keep Boots on the Ground"? globalresearch.ca The mayhem of the presidential elections left the American policy-makers locked in heated arguments about the future of the US domestic and foreign policy alike. One of the most pressing issues on the agenda is the Middle East developments, especially …

Terrell Jermaine Starr (2020-12-10). Activists Fight Voter Suppression in Georgia Runoffs. zcomm.org Groups go to court to reverse wrongful purge of 200,000 voters that could have significant impact on the election's outcome…

Pip Hinman (2020-12-10). Five reasons Australia is not a real democracy. greenleft.org.au Many Australians watched the shit-show of the recent United States elections and questioned the level of democracy in that country. Alex Bainbridge asks if there's much of a difference here.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-12-10). Biden Provokes Frustration by Sidestepping Rep. Fudge for USDA, Treating HUD as 'Consolation Prize'. commondreams.org "His transition team has made a completely avoidable, self-inflicted injury by appointing Tom Vilsack to USDA." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-5809665821_0.jpg

Belén Fernández (2020-12-10). Israel's Honeymoon with the United Arab Emirates Is Grotesque. globalresearch.ca Since normalizing relations in September, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have teamed up to do what both do best: trample on democratic freedoms, commit atrocities, and whitewash occupation. | *** | Back in 2010, the New York Times' Thomas Friedman …

Sarah Lazare (2020-12-10). Biden's Defense Secretary Pick Shows the Revolving Door for Military Contractors Remains. globalresearch.ca Pres ≠i ≠dent-elect Joe Biden has tapped retired Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III for the pow ≠er ≠ful role of defense sec ≠re ≠tary, news out ≠lets revealed Decem ≠ber 7. Spec ≠u ≠la ≠tion over who Biden would pick had been brew ≠ing for weeks. All three top con ≠tenders for …

Abayomi Azikiwe (2020-12-10). Lawsuit Filed to Halt Voter Suppression in the Runoff Senate Elections in Georgia. globalresearch.ca After the third certification of the results of the presidential elections in the state of Georgia, efforts are underway to ensure equal access to the franchise leading up to the pivotal race to determine the composition of the United States …

_____ (2020-12-10). Stop Government Attack On COVID-19 Whistleblower. popularresistance.org Florida state police barged into Jones' home Monday with guns aimed at her and her family. They seized her phone, computer and several hard drives, preventing her from continuing to publish data on COVID-19 outbreaks. After the raid Jones tweeted: "They pointed a gun in my face. They pointed guns at my kids… This was DeSantis. He sent the gestapo." | Jones tweeted Friday that she has learned that Circuit Judge Joshua Hawkes was appointed by Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in September, and one of his first acts as a judge was to sign the search warrant that led to the seizure of her technology.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-12-09). Nina Turner Files to Run for Congress in Ohio. commondreams.org The former Ohio state senator and Bernie Sanders 2020 national campaign co-chair filed the requisite FEC paperwork on Wednesday. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/turner_1.jpg

Tom Conway (2020-12-09). Why America's future depends on rebuilding our factories. nationofchange.org Biden's Build Back Better campaign will make commonsense investments in U.S. manufacturing that put millions to work and ensure a reliable, high-quality supply of critical goods.