(2020-01-21). Spanish PM Sanchez to meet head of Catalan govt Torra, independence referendum 'off the table'. rt.com 
Spain's prime minister has said he will meet the head of Catalonia's regional government in early February, but discussion of an independence referendum will be off the table. | The meeting will come ahead of negotiations between Quim Torra's regional government and PM Pedro Sanchez, aimed at finding a way out of the political crisis that has rocked Spain since 2017 after a disputed referendum in the northeastern region. | Catalonia's oldest and largest pro-independence party, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), demanded the talks about the region's place within Spain in exchange for its abstention in a co…
(2020-01-21). Iowa is not the Twitterverse. counterpunch.org It was a balmy 70 degrees in New York City last Saturday, and the excited green croci began tipping through the earth. Now, that same ground is icy, and those tips are frozen stiff, and I've been fearing that the same fate might befall hopeful progressive voters in the wake of the Warren/Sanders tiff. The
(2020-01-21). US Gov Was Found Guilty In MLK's Assassination, Virginia Update & Israeli Gov "Proof" Of Iran Nukes. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-21). Democracy – a Plea to Strengthen It and Fight for It. indybay.org We as democrats must take care of democracy as a learning system. If we do not do so, democracy will wither away.
(2020-01-21). The Teamster Revolt Against the Hoffa Era. counterpunch.org Willie Ford listened to the conference call in disbelief from the cab of his tractor trailer on I-95 as the Teamster election monitor announced the results of the contract vote covering 250,000 workers at UPS.Ford, a leader of Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), and rank-and-file activists like him, had spent months organizing the UPS
(2020-01-21). Northam's Virginia budget: Democrat gives a pittance to workers, lion's share to wealthy. wsws.org The budget would give paltry increases in healthcare subsidies and teacher wages while doing nothing to undercut the state government's support for big business.
(2020-01-21). Get the Money Out of Politics: 10 Years After Citizens United. counterpunch.org Ten years ago this week, the Supreme Court released its disastrous 2010 Citizens United decision. The court, either through remarkable naivety or sheer malevolence, essentially married two terrible ideas: that "money equals speech" and that "corporations are people." The ruling put a for sale sign on our democracy, opening up a flood of corporate, special
(2020-01-21). Even the Democrats Do Favors for the Rich. dissidentvoice.org In 2017 a Republican-controlled Congress passed a tax cut hugely tilted to corporations and the wealthy. In the waning days of 2019, the Democratic-controlled House did a kind of me-too. It pushed through a retirement bill with a provision that gives billions to those in the upper tiers. The House's gift to the well-off was …
(2020-01-21). San Mateo Peace Action — Rally for Women on the SF Peninsula. indybay.org Every Saturday, San Mateo Peace Action sponsors a protest at 3rd Ave and El Camino Real from 3pm… but one Saturday out of the year is extraordinary.
(2020-01-21). Is Anti-monopolism Enough? thenation.com 
| In Goliath, Matt Stoller argues that U.S. history has been defined by a struggle between monopoly and democracy, but to understand inequality today requires engaging with questions of class and labor that he and other anti-monopolists tends to ignore.
(2020-01-21). In 2020, Double Standards Are Still Dogging Elizabeth Warren—and All the Women Candidates. thenation.com In 2020, Double Standards Are Still Dogging Elizabeth Warren—and All the Women Candidates…
(2020-01-21). The Iowa Caucuses Have Long Turned Out the 'Same Old White Crew.' 2020 Could Be Different. thenation.com The Iowa Caucuses Have Long Turned Out the 'Same Old White Crew.' 2020 Could Be Different.
(2020-01-21). PROFILE: Elias Fakhakh, Tunisia's new premier. yenisafak.com Born in commercial hub town of Sfax, Fakhfakh, 48, was announced on Monday as the country's new premier after President Qais Saeed gave him a mandate to form the government.He appeared satisfied last Saturday during his meeting with Saeed at Carthage Palace, amid ongoing consultations to choose the next prime minister.Fakhfakh belongs to the Democratic Current Party, which has 22 lawmakers in the 217-seat Tunisian parliament. He got the support of both his own bloc and the Long Live Tunisia Party for the premier position. Following parliamentary elections last October, Fakhfakh will be the second prime minister a…
(2020-01-20). Oxfam Report Contains Dire Warning for Global Capitalism. truthdig.com 
"I don't think 500 billionaires are the reason we're in trouble," former Vice President After Bernie Sanders said that "
(2020-01-20). 'Hot mess': New York Times eviscerated for dual endorsement of Warren/Klobuchar. rt.com 
New York Times editor Mara Gay said the paper's Sunday night dual endorsement of Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar is meant to point out that there's two ways forward for anti-Trump voters, but neither side is buying it. | "This is really our way of narrowing that field, and also just pointing out to voters there is more than one pathway forward here," Gay told Morning Joe on Monday, saying Warren and Klobuchar present the best "two paths" to beat US President Donald Trump. | Conservatives have mocked the dual endorsement for being motivated by identity politics — Warren and Klobuchar are two of the las…
(2020-01-20). Biden campaign warns media not to spread 'debunked' claims about his activities in Ukraine or else. rt.com 
Joe Biden's presidential campaign has issued a warning to the media cautioning journalists against spreading what he called "debunked" theories about his controversial role in having a Ukrainian prosecutor removed from office. | In the memo first reported by NBC News, Biden's campaign accuses President Donald Trump of "spreading a malicious and conclusively debunked conspiracy theory" that the former VP engaged in wrongdoing when he pressured Ukraine to fire former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. | Biden has previously bragged about his role in having Shokin fired, even admitting on camera that he presented…
(2020-01-20). Trump's legal team releases impeachment trial memo, calls process a 'charade'. rt.com 
Donald Trump's legal team has released an official response to the charges of impeachment against the president, calling the process a "charade" and an "affront to the Constitution." | Trump has been charged with abuse of office and obstruction of Congress, with his impeachment trial slated to begin in the Senate on Tuesday. Though Trump has lambasted the impeachment drive against him since an inquiry was initially opened by Democrats in September, his legal team released a 110-page rebuttal of the charges on Monday. | "The Articles of Impeachment now before the Senate are an affront to the Constitution and to…
(2020-01-20). Trump Lawyers Urge Dismissal of "Flimsy" Impeachment Case. truthdig.com 
Their brief offers a glimpse of the lines of defense they intend to use against Democratic efforts to convict and oust the president.
(2020-01-20). 7 Pointed Questions for Corporate Media About Their Biases. truthdig.com 
(2020-01-20). SPECIAL: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in His Own Words. democracynow.org 
Today is the federal holiday that honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was born January 15, 1929. He was assassinated April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was just 39 years old. While Dr. King is primarily remembered as a civil rights leader, he also championed the cause of the poor and organized the Poor People's Campaign to address issues of economic justice. Dr. King was also a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy and the Vietnam War. We play his "Beyond Vietnam" speech, which he delivered at New York City's Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, as well as his last speech, "I've Been to…
(2020-01-20). Trump Showed Us Who He Was Before He Became President. counterpunch.org The long record of this presidency's transgressions now includes the open dog-wagging assassination — on brazenly false pretexts — of a foreign military commander atop a state (Iran) with which the United States is not at war and without the permission of a government (Iraq) on whose soil the monumental war crime took place. In response to mild Democratic Party criticism of the timing and grounds for the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Trump has re-tweeted a right-wing lunatic's tweet depicting Democratic Congressional leaders Charles Schumer (Senate Minority Leader) and Nancy Pelosi (Hou…
(2020-01-20). Better Living Through Glyphosate? Spray Now, Ask Questions Later. counterpunch.org There's a lot of talk in the Trump era about the "war on science." But this war, such as it is, extends far beyond uninformed Republican attacks on climate change science or Donald Trump's mocking insults of Greta Thunberg, the teen climate activist nearly 60 years the old bully's junior. This war involves not only
(2020-01-20). Report: Israel Steals Land, Erects Nature Reserves and National Parks to Expand Settlements. imemc.org Madeeha Araj/PNN The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements stated, in its latest weekly report , that the far-right Israeli Defense Minister, Naftali Bennett announced, last week, the approval of seven nature reserves in the West Bank, with an area of 130,000-State dunams — 20,000 of which ones …
(2020-01-20). Thousands of Armed Gun-Rights Activists Protest in Virginia. telesurenglish.net A large number of armed gun-rights activists descended on Virginia's capitol building on Monday to protest a package of gun-control legislation making its way through the newly Democratic-controlled state legislature. | RELATED: | According to the Reuters News Agency, the Richmond rally was surrounded by heavy security after Virginian Governor Ralph Northam banned carrying weapons onto the capitol grounds. | The r…
(2020-01-20). Democrats Respond to Trump's Official Statement on Impeachment Charges. truthout.org Responding to President Donald Trump's official answer to the impeachment charges against him now facing trial in the U.S. Senate, the Democratic House Managers assigned to prosecute the case rejected Sunday morning the president's claim his conduct was "perfect" by saying there is "a different word for it: impeachable." | Entitled "
(2020-01-20). Bernie Sanders Has Been Getting It Right for 40 Years. Now, Says His Movement: 'We Are Going to Win'. commondreams.org "We've never ever in our lifetimes had a true champion of social, economic, and climate justice this close to the White House." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_molly_crabapple_new_hampshire.jpg …
(2020-01-20). 'Love Letter to Capitalism and War': Progressive Scorn Follows New York Times Endorsement. commondreams.org The newspaper's endorsement of both Warren and Klobuchar, said one critic, reveals "so much about the liberal reaction to a resurgent left, a reaction that holds Trump as an aberration and polite, well-mannered centrism as the greatest virtue." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/nyt-scorn-endorsement-.jpg …
(2020-01-20). Countering Annual Whitewash of His Legacy, Progressives Remember the 'Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Imperialist' Martin Luther King Jr. commondreams.org While the likes of President Donald Trump, right-wing Republicans, and Pentagon officials—in addition to many liberals—marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day with selective quotes and messages, progressives aimed to challenge their whitewashed narrative of the civil rights leader's legacy with detailed reminders of King's scathing critique of not only racism but also capitalism, militarism, and imperialism. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mlk_2.jpeg …
(2020-01-19). Cusack, Bernie's prophet of doom: Only 10-12 years to stop climate change & 'predatory capitalism'. rt.com 
It appears actor John Cusack took the climate change messages in his film '2012' really, really seriously, because he says Earth only has a handful of years left — unless Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is elected US President. | Introducing Sanders in Exeter, New Hampshire, on Saturday, the 53-year-old actor threw out a doomsday scenario where the world only has a "10 to 12 year window" to reverse the effects of climate change and combat the "predatory capitalism" that is supposedly fueling it. | "The billionaires are getting nervous and all the corporate media is — they hate us, they don't hate us…
(2020-01-19). Sanders Team Hits Back After Biden Claims Social Security Video Was "Doctored" truthout.org Highlighting a major contrast between the current top two candidates in the Democratic primary field in terms of how they have addressed the issue over their long legislative careers, the Bernie Sanders campaign hit back against a claim made by Joe Biden earlier in the day in which the former vice president said there was "doctored video" being circulated by the Sanders campaign that showed him agreeing with former Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan about the need to cut Social Securit…
(2020-01-19). Revealed Iran's Attack Did Cause Casualties, US/Israeli Cyberattack & Pompeo Threatens The World. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/18/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-19). Ex-UN weapons inspector: Biden's Iraq war vote excuse a 'bald-faced lie'. thegrayzone.com Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter dismantles Joe Biden's explanation for his Iraq war vote and recounts Biden's long record…
(2020-01-19). The Battle to Impeach Trump Is Part of a Global Struggle for Democracy. truthout.org The impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump — with their abundance of political theater and insipid media coverage — often treat Trump's crimes as the endpoint of an abuse of power and an illegal act. This is a grave mistake: We must understand Trump's crimes not as an endpoint but as symptoms of a long history of conditions that have led to the United States' slide into the abyss of authoritarianism. | Trump's impeachment battle is part of the wider historical and global struggle…
(2020-01-19). Unity Requires Recognizing That Warren Is Telling the Truth. thenation.com Unity Requires Recognizing That Warren Is Telling the Truth…
(2020-01-18). AFL-CIO to the nation: Make King's dream America's reality. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Faced with the renewed and rising right-wing onslaught against women, workers, immigrants and people of color, unionists at the AFL-CIO's annual Martin Luther King Civil and Human Rights Conference spent their two days in D.C. focusing on reclaiming voting rights, battling voter suppression and educating and empowering workers to ensure they can vote this year …
(2020-01-18). Minnesotans brave a blizzard to challenge Klobuchar on Iran and Iraq. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – 20 people picketed in front of Senator Amy Klobuchar's office during a blizzard, January 17, for her legitimizing Trump's targeting of Iran and for her silence on the U.S. occupation of Iraq. | Autumn Lake of the Anti-War Committee spoke to the crowd, "Minnesota's favorite hometown disappointment, Senator Amy Klobuchar, is somehow still on the campaign trail, seemingly for no other reason than to prove what many of us have known for years; that the Republicans and the Democrats will always unite to serve the interests of the powerful over the interests of the broad masses. She's managed to…
(2020-01-17). 'Rigging election again': Trump says impeachment all a ploy to… shaft Bernie Sanders. rt.com 
The impeachment trial against Donald Trump is not just a "witch hunt," but a ploy to "rig" the Democratic nomination against Bernie Sanders and in favor of Joe Biden, the US president has claimed. | "They are rigging the election again against Bernie Sanders, just like last time, only even more obviously," Trump tweeted on Friday. | They are rigging the election again against Bernie Sanders, just like last time, only even more obviously. They are bringing him out of so important Iowa in order that, as a Senator, he sit through the Impeachment Hoax Trial. Crazy Nancy thereby gives the strong edge to Sleepy…[m…
(2020-01-17). Following corporate media's Warren-Sanders controversy, progressive groups call for unity. peoplesworld.org 
The leaders of six major progressive organizations—some on record endorsing Sen. Elizabeth Warren, some backing Sen. Bernie Sanders, and others so far neutral—issued a joint statement calling for unity between the candidates and their supporters in the wake of the media-stoked controversy over gender and electability that has threatened to distract from the campaign to …
(2020-01-17). Warren presents ambitious plans to voters in rapidly changing small-town Iowa. peoplesworld.org 
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa—"When you see government working great for those with money and not working much for anyone else, that is corruption pure and simple," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren at a packed campaign event here on Jan. 12, with the Iowa Caucuses looming Feb. 3. The Caucuses are the first in a string of state contests …
(2020-01-17). Trump's Impeachment Trial Begins Next Week. therealnews.com 
By Jaisal Noor Democrats are just one Republican vote short of allowing new witnesses into Donald Trump's impeachment trial—and new evidence might sway them. The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump begins next week. House Democrats introduced charges on Thursday, Jan.16 that Trump abused his powers and obstructed a congressional inquiry into his effort…
(2020-01-17). Interpretation Crisis at the Border Leads to Deportation of Mayan-Language Speakers Seeking Refuge. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. continues to use hostile policies to stop people from seeking refuge and asylum in the United States, we look at a key problem that is preventing migrants from getting due process, and in many cases getting them deported: inadequate interpretation for indigenous asylum seekers who speak Mayan languages. Guatemala has a population of 15 million people, and at least 40% of them are indigenous. In the past year, a quarter of a million Guatemalan migrants have been apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. At least half of them are Mayan. Many speak little or no Spanish. This is the focus of a new report in…
(2020-01-17). Israel Bombs Gaza And Syria Killing 3 & Iran Says US Sabotage/Cyberattack Likely Behind 737 Downing. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/16/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-17). Protest at Senator Klobuchar's office to demand no war on Iran and U.S. troops out of Iraq. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – The Anti-War Committee of Minnesota is holding a protest on Friday, January 17, 4: 30 p.m., at U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar's Office, located at 1200 S Washington Avenue in Minneapolis to demand the senator denounce the Trump administration's military escalations with Iran and the U.S. continued occupation of Iraq. Klobuchar had the opportunity to denounce Trump's airstrike and instead responded that Trump should have asked for Congress' permission. | Protesters also plan on denouncing Klobuchar's attempts to further legitimize the targeting of Iran. On CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Senator Klobuchar…
(2020-01-17). Headlines for January 17, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Impeachment Trial Opens as Accountability Office Says Trump Broke Law by Withholding Aid, Pentagon Contradicts Trump and Says 11 U.S. Troops Injured in Iranian Strikes, Senate Votes to Approve USMCA, Report: Six Banks Reaped $18 Billion Last Year from Trump Tax Cuts, Guatemalan Protesters Demand Outgoing President Be Arrested for Corruption, Deported Immigrant Rights Leader Jean Montrevil Sues U.S. Government, FBI Arrests 3 Suspected Neo-Nazis Ahead of Pro-Gun Rally in Richmond, Virginia, Florida Supreme Court Upholds Law Limiting Voting Rights for People with Felony Convictions, Harvard Law Students Prote…
(2020-01-17). Democrats Should Embrace the Politics of Impeachment. thenation.com Democrats Should Embrace the Politics of Impeachment…
(2020-01-17). Republicans Are About to Show Just How Low They'll Go to Save Trump. thenation.com Republicans Are About to Show Just How Low They'll Go to Save Trump…
(2020-01-17). Thanks to Republicans, Iran Is Another Iraq Waiting to Happen. thenation.com Thanks to Republicans, Iran Is Another Iraq Waiting to Happen…
(2020-01-17). 4 Years Seeking Justice: Daughter of Slain Indigenous Environmental Leader Berta Cáceres Speaks Out. democracynow.org 
In Honduras, a new report by the Violence Observatory at the Honduran National Autonomous University says that at least 15 women have been murdered in the first 14 days of this year. Violence against women, LGBTQ people, indigenous leaders and environmental activists has skyrocketed in Honduras under the U.S.-backed government of President Juan Orlando Hernández. The report comes nearly four years after the Honduran indigenous environmental activist Berta Cáceres was shot dead inside her home in La Esperanza, Honduras, by hired hitmen. Last month in the capital of Tegucigalpa, seven men were sentenced to up to 50…
(2020-01-16). Pelosi wants new impeachment witnesses, says Trump broke the law in withholding Ukraine aid. rt.com 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has accused US President Donald Trump of breaking the law by delaying military aid to Ukraine. One day after submitting articles of impeachment to the Senate, Pelosi now wants to call more witnesses. | Her calls come on foot of a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) which claims Trump broke the law by temporarily withholding military aid to Ukraine last year. According to the report, Trump held up the aid based on "his own policy priorities," in violation of the Impoundment Control Act. | Pelosi, who on Wednesday announced her team of prosecutors who will lead t…
(2020-01-16). Trump Becomes Just Third U.S. President to Face Impeachment Trial as Case Moves to the Senate. democracynow.org 
In a historic move, the House of Representatives presented articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate Wednesday. It marks only the third presidential impeachment trial in all of U.S. history. Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a news conference with the seven impeachment managers. The House vote to send articles of impeachment to the Senate comes as The Washington Post reports explosive new information at the center of the impeachment inquiry. New material released by House Democrats shows text messages between former Giuliani associate Lev Parnas and Robert Hyde, a Republican c…
(2020-01-16). 'You're a liberal hack!' GOP Senator snubs CNN journo at impeachment trial — then tweets the insult (VIDEO). rt.com 
With the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump officially underway, not everyone involved is keen to give the liberal media soundbites. Arizona Senator Martha McSally let CNN's Manu Raju know exactly what she thought of him. | Following the delivery of the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Thursday and the swearing-in of Senators, CNN's Manu Raju waited in the halls of the US Capitol to ask Republicans whether the Senate should permit new evidence against Trump to be admitted, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said earlier it should. | "Senator McSally, should the Senate consider new evidence as part…
(2020-01-16). Putin Proposes Sweeping Changes to Russian Constitution, Possibly Prolonging His Grip on Power. democracynow.org 
In Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned Wednesday along with his entire Cabinet in a move that surprised many in Moscow and abroad. The move came as Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes to expand the power of the parliament and the State Council while weakening the presidency. Critics of Putin say the proposals could help him keep power after his final presidential term ends in 2024. The Russian parliament is expected to vote today to confirm Putin's pick for new prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, a bureaucrat who runs Russia's tax service. The Russian newspaper Kom…
(2020-01-16). Tanks & AR-15s: Moms 4 Housing Speaks Out After Militarized Eviction from Vacant Oakland House. democracynow.org 
We look at the fight for affordable housing in the Bay Area with Moms 4 Housing, the unhoused and insecurely housed mothers who were evicted Tuesday by a militarized police force from a vacant home they had been occupying in Oakland, California. The action ended a two-month standoff between the mothers and real estate developer Wedgewood Properties when sheriff's deputies arrested two mothers and two of their supporters. All four were released on bail Tuesday afternoon. We speak to Misty Cross, one of the moms who was arrested, and her daughter Destiny Johnson. "It was never about trying to stay in that house," s…
(2020-01-16). We Can't Be Silent Anymore: Rev. Barber & Poor People's Campaign Push Presidential Debate on Poverty. democracynow.org 
As the final Democratic debate ahead of the Iowa caucuses took place Tuesday night in Des Moines, Iowa, more than 100 protesters gathered outside the debate venue at Drake University to demand a televised presidential debate on poverty. Led by Reverend William Barber, demonstrators carried a coffin to honor the 250,000 people who die every year from the impacts of poverty. According to the Poor People's Campaign, 140 million Americans — over 43% of the population — can't pay basic living expenses. In Iowa, 630,000 workers — 45% of the state's workforce — make less than $15 an hour. We're j…
(2020-01-16). Jimmy Dore Interview — Voting In A Broken System, The Two-Party Illusion & Tulsi Gabbard. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today is political commentator, and self-styled "jagoff nightclub comedian" yet, in truth, one of the most important voices of today in reaching the masses that are still lost to the comforting suffocation of the mainstream propaganda, and that of course is Jimmy Dore. (d.tube/c/tlavagabond) Bitcoin Donations Are Appreciated: www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/bitcoin-donation (3FSozj9gQ1UniHvEiRmkPnXzHSVMc68U9f)…
(2020-01-16). The White House's Dangerously Expansive Views on Trump's Powers That You Can't See. aclu.org A basic legal consensus about our democracy is that the Constitution assigns the "
(2020-01-16). Headlines for January 16, 2020. democracynow.org House Lawmakers Deliver Articles of Impeachment to Senate, Ex-Giuliani Associate Says Trump Knew of Ukraine Pressure Campaign, U.S. Troops Resume Iraq Operations Despite Parliament's Expulsion Order, Afghan Reconstruction Watchdog Tells Congress of U.S. "Mendacity" and "Lies", Trump Signs "Phase 1" Agreement with China, Easing Trade War, Russian Government Resigns as Vladimir Putin Seeks to Retain Power Beyond 2024, At Least 21 Killed in Idlib Amid Syrian, Russian Airstrikes, Court Blocks Trump Order Allowing Local Leaders to Refuse Refugees, ACLU Sues to End Trump's Policy of Sending Asylum Seekers to Guatemala,…
(2020-01-16). Bernie Is Less Sexist Than American Voters. thenation.com Bernie Is Less Sexist Than American Voters…
(2020-01-15). Democrats Debate Wealth Tax, Free Public College & Student Debt Relief as Part of New Economic Plan. democracynow.org 
At Tuesday's Democratic debate, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg repeated his criticism of plans for tuition-free public college and wiping out student debt, supported by both Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Activist and Truthout contributor Alexis Goldstein says the dispute highlights a philosophical split within the Democratic Party. "We essentially have a disagreement between the progressive candidates and the moderate candidates about whether or not we want to pursue a universal benefit for higher education and make it a public good, much in the way that K-12 education is treated as a public good,"
(2020-01-15). A Modest Improvement or a Deal to Be Rejected? Warren & Sanders Debate New NAFTA Rewrite. democracynow.org 
Progressive Democratic presidential candidates Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders clashed over their trade policy disagreements as they zeroed in on the U.S., Mexico and Canada trade agreement that is meant to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Sanders said the government can do much better. "The heart and soul of our disastrous trade agreements — and I'm the guy who voted against NAFTA and against permanent normal trade relations with China — is that we have forced American workers to compete against people in Mexico, in China, elsewhere, who earn starva…
(2020-01-15). People Want a Wealth Tax, but Many Politicians Oppose It. therealnews.com 
Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are practically the only major politicians supporting a wealth tax to reduce inequality and fund government programs, even though polling shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support it.
(2020-01-15). Sanders and Warren Openly Spar as Some Progressives Fear Fighting Could Help Centrist Democrats. democracynow.org 
At Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren openly sparred for the first time when asked about Warren's claim that Sanders told her in a private 2018 meeting that a woman could not win the presidential election. Sanders again denied the accusation when asked about it by CNN's Abby Phillip. Warren maintained her claim. At the end of the night, Warren also apparently refused to shake Sanders's hand. We speak with journalist Julian Brave NoiseCat, activist and Truthout contributor Alexis Goldstein and Larry Hamm of People's Organization for Prog…
(2020-01-15). Phyllis Bennis on Dem Debate: Support for Combat Troop Withdrawal Is Not Enough to Stop Endless Wars. democracynow.org 
Six Democratic presidential candidates sparred on Tuesday night in Des Moines, the last debate before the crucial Iowa caucuses. The debate, hosted by CNN and The Des Moines Register, focused heavily on foreign policy and rising tensions with Iran following the U.S. assassination of that country's top military commander, Qassem Soleimani. As the presidential field continues to narrow, the U.S. Senate is preparing for the historic impeachment trial of President Trump, for which Senators Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar are all expected to leave the campaign trail to serve their role as jurors.
(2020-01-15). CNN Attacks Sanders in Iowa Dem Debate. therealnews.com 
The Warren/Sanders feud is splitting progressives. Can Sanders unite the working class with anti-war policies and Medicare for All?
(2020-01-15). In First All-White Democratic Debate, CNN Didn't Ask a Single Question About Immigration. democracynow.org 
As the federal government plans to divert an additional $7.2 billion from the military budget for the construction of President Trump's promised border wall, and tens of thousands of asylum seekers from Central America, the Caribbean and other regions are stranded throughout the U.S.-Mexico border, CNN moderators failed to question Democratic presidential candidates on border and immigration issues. We speak to Julio Ricardo Varela, co-host of the Latinx political podcast "In the Thick" and founder of Latino Rebels. "Anyone who thinks that a wall is going to protect us, the statistics aren't there. … But that i…
(2020-01-15). In Iowa Debate, Progressives Resist Efforts to Divide Them. progressive.org The moderators did all they could to start a fight, but Sanders and Warren refused to bite.
(2020-01-15). Video Shows TWO Missiles Bringing Down Iran 737, Second Plane Reported & Iraq And Syria Under Attack. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/14/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-15). Headlines for January 15, 2020. democracynow.org House to Vote to Send Impeachment Articles to Senate, WaPo: Threatening Text Messages Show Yovanovitch Was Under Surveillance, War Powers Resolution Limiting Trump on Iran Could Pass Senate | , Six Democratic Candidates Took Stage in Des Moines, Iowa, 5,000 Puerto Ricans Still Homeless After 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake, HRW Blasts China for Human Rights Violations Against Uyghurs & Protesters | , 15 Women Murdered in Honduras in First 2 Weeks of This Year, American Citizen Moustafa Kassem Dies in Egyptian Prison After Hunger Strike, Seattle Bans Foreign-Influenced Companies from Political Spending, "Jeopardy!" Apolo…
(2020-01-15). Trump Escalates Authoritarian Tone in Milwaukee Rally. progressive.org In the President's view, the Democratic Party is a malicious, disloyal force with sinister and destructive plans for the nation.
(2020-01-14). GOP Debate on Impeachment Witnesses Intensifies as Pelosi Prepares to Send Articles to Senate. democracynow.org 
The impeachment trial of President Trump is anticipated to proceed this week, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to send the two articles of impeachment to the Senate as early as Wednesday. The House impeached Trump in December for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to Trump's effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. A growing number of Republican senators are pushing for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a vote on whether to allow witnesses to speak at the Senate trial. The timing of the Senate impeachment trial could impact the 2020 presidentia…
(2020-01-14). Moms 4 Housing: Meet the Oakland Mothers Facing Eviction After Two Months Occupying Vacant House. democracynow.org 
In Oakland, California, a group of mothers fighting homelessness is waging a battle against real estate speculators and demanding permanent solutions to the Bay Area housing crisis by occupying a vacant house with their children. The struggle began in November, when working mothers in West Oakland moved into 2928 Magnolia Street, a vacant house owned by real estate investment firm Wedgewood Properties. The firm tried to evict them, claiming they were illegally squatting on private property, but the mothers went to court and filed a "right to possession" claim, saying housing is a human right. Their name is Moms 4…
(2020-01-14). "Floaters": Martín Espada Pays Tribute to Salvadoran Father & Daughter Who Drowned at U.S. Border. democracynow.org 
Acclaimed poet Martín Espada pays tribute to àìscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his 23-month old daughter Angie Valeria, who drowned in the Rio Grande river in June 2019 trying to cross into the United States. A photo of the drowned Salvadoran father and daughter caused widespread outrage at the humanitarian crisis at the U.S. southern border and also raised questions about the ethics of exploiting such images in the press. Espada's poem "Floaters" meditates on their passing and its aftermath.
(2020-01-14). CLEAN Future Act Is 'Shameful' and 'Greenwashing,' say Climate Justice Groups. therealnews.com 
Democrats' CLEAN Future Act calls for "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050 but doesn't require a fossil fuel industry phaseout. Critics say the bill lacks ambition and ignores the short timeline for radical action dictated by climate science.
(2020-01-14). "Morir Soñando": Martín Espada Reads Poem About Luis Garden Acosta, Young Lord & Community Activist. democracynow.org 
Last week marked the first anniversary of the passing of Luis Garden Acosta, the founder and longtime president of the nationally known El Puente youth and community leadership program in Brooklyn. Long regarded as one of New York City's foremost human rights and Latino community activists, Garden Acosta died last January at the age of 72. A former seminarian who had been active in the Catholic antiwar movement, Garden Acosta joined the Young Lords Party in 1970 and later founded that group's Massachusetts chapter while he was still a student at Harvard Medical School. He went on to pioneer successful nonviolent…
(2020-01-14). Headlines for January 14, 2020. democracynow.org "It Doesn't Really Matter": Trump Changes Story on Soleimani Killing, Six Democratic Candidates Will Take Stage for Debate in Iowa Tonight, Sanders Refutes Warren's Charge That He Said a Woman Couldn't Win in 2020, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Launching New PAC to Support Progressive Democrats, Trump Plans to Divert Additional $7.2 Billion from Military Budget to Border Wall, Turkey and Russia Broker Ceasefire for Idlib, Syria, France to Send More Troops to West Africa Amid Rising Violence in Sahel, 55 Die in Avalanches in Pakistan, Study: 2019 Was Hottest Year for World's Oceans on Record, AG Barr and Apple Face Off…
(2020-01-14). Israel Provided The Intel To Kill Soleimani & A Cyberattack May Have Been Behind Iran's 737 Downing. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/13/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-13). Democratic Debate: Will Progressives Highlight the Cost of War? therealnews.com 
Senators Sanders and Warren could have their best opportunity yet to argue that if the U.S. has trillions to pay for war abroad, it can invest in healthcare, education, and infrastructure at home.
(2020-01-13). "America Exists Today to Make War": Lawrence Wilkerson on Endless War & American Empire. democracynow.org 
Retired U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff from 2002 to 2005, says the escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran today is a continuation of two decades of U.S. policy disasters in the Middle East, starting with the 2003 run-up to war with Iraq under the Bush administration. "America exists today to make war. How else do we interpret 19 straight years of war and no end in sight? It's part of who we are. It's part of what the American Empire is," says Wilkerson. "We are going to cheat and steal to do whatever it is we have to do to continue th…
(2020-01-13). "A System Failure": Iran Admits to Downing Airplane, Sparking Renewed Anti-Government Protests. democracynow.org 
Iranian protesters have taken to the streets for a third day, after the Iranian military acknowledged it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner last week, killing all 176 people on board, including 82 Iranians and 57 Canadians. Iran initially denied downing the plane, but Iran's Revolutionary Guard took responsibility for what authorities now describe as a "disastrous mistake." The plane was downed hours after Iranian forces fired 22 rockets at military bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops, in retaliation for the U.S. assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Millions of Iranians took to the streets la…
(2020-01-13). "Stop the Money Pipeline": 150 Arrested at Protests Exposing Wall Street's Link to Climate Crisis. democracynow.org 
Nearly 150 people were arrested on Capitol Hill Friday in a climate protest led by Academy Award-winning actor and activist Jane Fonda. Fonda has been leading weekly climate demonstrations in Washington, D.C., known as "Fire Drill Fridays," since October. For her last and 14th protest, actors Martin Sheen and Joaquin Phoenix, indigenous anti-pipeline activist Tara Houska, journalist Naomi Klein and dozens more lined up to get arrested as they demanded a mass uprising and swift political action to thwart the climate crisis. Fonda then marched with supporters down Pennsylvania Avenue to a Chase Bank branch where en…
(2020-01-13). Democratic Candidates Can't Afford to Ignore the Nation's Housing Crisis. progressive.org California's homelessness crisis has reached a fever pitch—and it's not alone.
(2020-01-13). Headlines for January 13, 2020. democracynow.org Esper Says He Did Not See Specific Evidence Soleimani Was Planning Embassy Attacks, Iran Admits It Mistakenly Shot Down Plane Last Week, Sparking Protests, House Expected to Vote to Send Articles of Impeachment to Senate This Week, Coveted New Hampshire Union SEIU Local Endorses Sanders, White House Press Secretary Under Pressure to Hold Press Briefing, Volcanic Eruption in Philippines Forces Residents to Evacuate Homes, French Government Backing Down on Efforts to Raise Retirement Age, Taiwan: Voters Re-elect President Tsai Ing-wen in Rebuke to Beijing, Malta: New Prime Minister to Be Sworn In, After Journalist'
(2020-01-13). Let's Fight Preemption of Local Control. progressive.org Preemption is especially prevalent in states with Republican-led legislatures, which often employ model bill language from conservative groups like ALEC.
(2020-01-13). Miller Dismisses DACA in Emails, Mirroring Anti-Immigrant Extremists' Views. splcenter.org White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller went against many Republicans when siding with white nationalists and other extremists on the issue of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA, emails show.
(2020-01-11). Iran Admits 'Unintentionally' Shooting Down 737, But It Seems There Might Be More To This Story. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/11/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-11). Pompeo Admits No "Imminent Threat," Boeing Emails Reveal 737 Issues & 60 Afghans Killed By US Drone. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/10/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-10). Israel Again Bombs The PMU, Rockets Fired In Iraq, 737 Misinfo & Congress Warned Not To Discuss Iran. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/9/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-09). Steady Hand Joe – Turning Biden's support for Iraq War into foreign policy 'experience'. fair.org 
Election Focus 2020: Despite Democratic candidate Joe Biden's prominent role in leading the US into the disastrous Iraq War, and his recent stream of lies and equivocations about why he supported it and when he began to reverse his position, many pundits continue to uncritically paint Biden as "mature" or a "steady hand" on foreign policy.
(2020-01-09). ROCKETS Fired At US In Iraq, US Contractor Was 'Counterintelligence' & US/Iran Gov Coordination? thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/8/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-08). Iran Attacks US in Iraq, Soleimani's Diplomatic Mission & Trump Had Marines "Kill Protesters" thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/7/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-07). Ryan Cristián — The Last American Vagabond — on the Assassination of Soleimani, What You Need to Know. thelastamericanvagabond.com Ryan Cristián of The Last American Vagabond joins James Corbett of the Corbett Report to discuss his ongoing coverage of the situation surrounding the events that led to the assassination of Soleimani. What is the context of this event, how are we being lied to, and what does it mean for the future of the Middle …
(2020-01-07). War on Drugs or War on Freedom: One Nation's Perception/Deception of Cannabis. thelastamericanvagabond.com Note from the Author: It is easy in this unruly and manipulated time to be labeled "un-American" simply for choosing to speak out. Admittedly, I have some views that many may find "outside the box," to put it lightly, but that does not mean I am anti-America or against America. It is exactly our right …
(2020-01-06). More Rockets Fired At US Embassy, US Iranians Detained & Trump Says Twitter Is "Notifying Congress" thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/5/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-05). Rockets Fired At US Bases, US Gov Immediately Bombs Iraq & Syria & Their False Claims Exposed. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/4/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-04). Round Two: New US Drone Strikes Kill 6 In Iraq After Targeting Two Vehicles Carrying PMU Officials. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/3.5/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-03). US Gov Airstrikes Kill PMU Officials & IRGC General Soleimani, As US Claims "Preemptive" Defense. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/2/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-03). False Reports Of Missiles Hitting US Base, As US Gov Says Soleimani Killing Was "Preemptive" Defense. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/3/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2020-01-01). Cuba: 61 years of socialist victory. liberationnews.org 
Exactly 61 years ago today, Cubans poured into the streets to cheer the triumph of the Rebel Army led by Fidel Castro.
(2020-01-01). The Legend Of Bernie Sanders Song. zcomm.org The Legend of Bernie Sanders was originally written for the Bernie documentary called BERN THE MOVIE and is a compendium of Bernie Sanders's life leading into the OUR REVOLUTION movement…
(2020-01-01). US Gov Blames Iraqi Protests On Iran With No Evidence, Despite The US Bombing Of The Iraqi Military. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/31/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …