(2020-04-10). 'They're planning to replace Joe': Bernie's press secretary says Dems will toss Biden before November. rt.com 
The former press chief for the Bernie Sanders campaign has lashed out at the Democratic Party, arguing that it will hand a political victory to Trump and corporate oligarchs if it doesn't "replace" Joe Biden with a better nominee. | "Bernie was too kind to go after Biden, but it's coming," said Briahna Joy Gray, press secretary for the now suspended presidential campaign of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. | Either Dem leadership cares more about maintaining a corporate status quo than getting rid of Trump, or they're planning to replace Joe — adopting a pretty fast and loose relationship with representati…
(2020-04-10). Congress Must Lead The Way in This Unprecedented Crisis. zcomm.org The American people deserve and require leadership from Washington amid this horrific pandemic and economic meltdown. In this unprecedented moment in American history, we need an unprecedented legislative response…
(2020-04-10). Be A Hero: COVID-19 w/ Ady Barka, Rep. A. Ocasio-Cortez, & Rahna Epting of MoveOn. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-04-10). Venezuela Pres Maduro's Message to American people. indybay.org Oil rich Venezuela is again threatened with invasion, by Nazi Trump, with no opposition from any Democrat, sending an armada to Venezuela's shores, in the middle of a pandemic, under the obviously false pretext of drug-pushing, which the world knows Venezuela does not do. The democratically elected government of Nicolas Maduro has sent an open letter to the American people. See www.globalresearch.ca/letter-president-maduro-people-united-states/5708882…
(2020-04-10). Covid-19 : The terrifying numbers of a global crisis slowly unravelling before us. truepublica.org.uk TruePublica Editor: Leaving aside the devastating effects on the lives of people, the rapidly intensifying economic effects of COVID-19 on the world of economies and employment is already proving to be far worse than the 2008-9 financial crisis. And from a democratic point of view, more than two billion people live in countries where parliaments …
(2020-04-10). Democratic Money and the New Corona Virus Economy. counterpunch.org Here in the United States, we don't like to talk about class. The dominant metaphor projected by the media is the great big competition that we are all participating in as individuals (the meritocracy or free market). Within the competition, there are winners and losers. As independent competitors, most people don't belong to a class.
(2020-04-10). Noisy "OUTNOW! Tuesday" in SF Bay Area. indybay.org With the tag line "Trump is an American virus, it's time to break the silence," members of Refuse Fascism, Vigil for Democracy, and the Raging Grannies Action League protested while maintaining social distancing rules on Tuesday, April 7. They demand that the US government provide aid and protection for humanity globally, not just for Americans, based on international co-operation, not competition in this time of pandemic.
(2020-04-10). New York Times columnist urges Biden "national unity" cabinet. wsws.org Friedman's proposal for a Biden "national unity cabinet" is only the crudest expression of the right-wing embrace of the Democratic nominee.
(2020-04-10). Preserving the legacy of the townsite of Negro Bar, Alta California established in 1849. indybay.org Genesis 15: 12-14 speaks of a people enslaved and afflicted for 400 years. For 400 years people of Pan African Ancestry have been enslaved and afflicted throughout the United States of America. Rancho Rio de Los Americans begins to share the legacy along the American River Parkway.
(2020-04-10). California Buffalo Soldiers Project ~ National Buffalo Soldiers Study Celebration. indybay.org National Buffalo Soldiers Study has been released and 2020 Memorial Day in Oakland and 2020 Buffalo Soldiers Day in San Francisco we share the journey toward educating everyone about the "good news."
(2020-04-10). The Last Humans…Or Why 'Revolutionaries' Should Drop their Millenarianism and Support Survival International. counterpunch.org There are two types of 'human being' on the planet, but only one type can truly call itself human. The 'human beings' who cannot truly call themselves human include myself and all the others who are products and functions — not of the earth from which we originate — but of the economy we know
(2020-04-10). Emmanuel Barthélemy: A revolutionary who became a tawdry tabloid tale. greenleft.org.au 
The Murderer Of Warren Street: The True Story of a Nineteenth-Century Revolutionary
| Marc Mulholland
| W F Howes Ltd, 2019 | It is the sad, but not entirely undeserved, fate of Emmanuel Barthélem…
(2020-04-09). Telling the truth about coronavirus is resistance to Trump and authoritarianism. peoplesworld.org 
Last week, Trump and Mitch McConnell both blamed Democrats and the impeachment trial for distracting the nation and aiding the spread of COVID-19. We know—the shamelessness of this accusation is infuriating. In light of this article, and the entire GOP response to COVID-19, the quote we've been coming back to in recent days is from …
(2020-04-09). Suspending the Campaign, Not the Movement: Sanders Pulls Out of 2020 Race But Will Stay on Ballot. democracynow.org 
Senator Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, making former Vice President Joe Biden the presumptive nominee to face Donald Trump in November. Sanders says he will stay on the ballot in remaining primary races and continue to assemble delegates. We play highlights from Sanders's speech to supporters in a live stream on Wednesday. "Together, we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become, and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice and envir…
(2020-04-09). CNN spreads the blame around as Democrats block Senate effort to pour more cash into small business relief program. rt.com 
A Senate bill to add $251 billion to the emergency small business coronavirus stimulus program met with opposition from Democrats, who tried to tack on their own agenda — but CNN did its best to cover for its political "team." | A White House-backed measure to add a quarter of a trillion dollars to the small-business bailout passed last month as part of a massive coronavirus stimulus bill aimed at getting the US economy back on its feet ran aground in the Senate on Thursday, after Democrats dug their feet in to demand an additional $250 billion for hospitals and local governments, plus a 15 percent boost…
(2020-04-09). Naomi Klein: Sanders "Broke the Spell" of Neoliberalism as Trump Pushes Coronavirus Capitalism. democracynow.org 
We talk to journalist and activist Naomi Klein about Bernie Sanders's historic presidential campaign as he suspends his bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination, and about coronavirus capitalism — President Trump's response to the pandemic. Sanders "opened up the window of what was possible politically in this country," says Klein, a senior correspondent at The Intercept, Rutgers University professor and longtime Sanders supporter.
(2020-04-09). Noam Chomsky: Bernie Sanders Campaign Didn't Fail. It Energized Millions & Shifted U.S. Politics. democracynow.org 
In a new interview, world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky reflects on the significance of the Bernie Sanders campaign, calling it "an extraordinary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States.
(2020-04-09). Stay safe, stay well; Protect democracy, vote by mail. peoplesworld.org 
If Wisconsin's primary election on Tuesday taught us anything, it's this: The ability to thwart the democratic process and suppress the votes of Black, Latino, and other minority communities is even easier when crisis strikes. Ignore the federal medical advice to prevent the spread of coronavirus, close hundreds of polling places, and you're sure to …
(2020-04-09). "Exposing U.S. Racism in a Stark New Way": COVID-19 Kills Disproportionate Number of Black Americans. democracynow.org 
We speak with family physician and epidemiologist Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones about how the coronavirus is taking a devastating toll on black Americans, who are disproportionately dying from the virus across the country as a result of entrenched racial inequality. Black Americans are more likely to have chronic health problems and less likely to have insurance. They also make up significant numbers of frontline workers that are still going to work amid the pandemic. Jones is the former president of the American Public Health Association. Her recent piece for Newsweek magazine is headlined "Coronavirus Disease Discri…
(2020-04-09). Post-Sanders: Dealing with Biden, the DNC, and the Rest of It. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks to Iowa voters at the Ames City Auditorium on January 25, 2020 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_21.jpg …
(2020-04-09). What we all need to learn now that Bernie Sanders's presidential bid is over. thecanary.co Unfair fr…
(2020-04-09). Noam Chomsky: The Sanders Campaign Energized Millions, and Shifted US Politics. truthout.org In a new interview, world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky reflects on the significance of the Bernie Sanders campaign, calling it "an extraordiernary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States. | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: Before we go to break, on Wednesday, just before Bernie Sanders announced, but it did look like he was about to pull out of the presidential race, I asked political dissident, linguist and…
(2020-04-09). The Sanders Campaign Is Suspended, But His Impact Lives On. truthout.org Robert Kennedy was murdered three years before I was born, so my practical experience with transformative progressive presidential candidates is slim. There was Jesse Jackson, Dennis Kucinich and a whole lot of rain. In point of fact, my personal timeline arcs in a long descent into neoconservative/neoliberal hell, dotted along the way with landmark disasters like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and now Donald Trump, the inverted apex of this slide into ignominy. | And then Bernie Sanders popped up, and popped off, an…
(2020-04-09). Bernie Sanders Suspends His Campaign: What Happened and What Now? mintpressnews.com Once again, disenfranchised American voters are left without a candidate that represents their values, but instead of staying home or voting against those values, there is another option, writes Sam Husseini.
(2020-04-09). Sanders Quits Race, Endorsement of Corporatist/Warmonger Biden to Follow. globalresearch.ca When revolutionary change is most needed, it's nowhere to be found in the US land of the free and home of the brave in name only — a fantasy democracy, never the real thing, so-called elections part of the charade….
(2020-04-09). Headlines for April 9, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Pandemic Could Push 600 Million More People into Poverty, New York Reports Record 779 Coronavirus Deaths in Just 24 Hours, General Motors to Deliver 30,000 Ventilators, with Most Arriving Long After Projected COVID-19 Peak, Kansas to Allow Crowded Church Services as L.A. Expands Order on Face Coverings, California Fast-Food Workers Strike, Demanding Hazard Pay and Protections Against COVID-19, Trump Touts Unproven Treatments of Hydroxychloroquine and Zinc for COVID-19, World Health Organization Head: "Please Don't Politicize This Virus", Researchers Find Coronavirus Arrived in New York from Europe in…
(2020-04-09). Sanders "Broke the Spell" of Neoliberalism as Trump Pushes COVID-19 Capitalism. truthout.org We talk to journalist and activist Naomi Klein about Bernie Sanders's historic presidential campaign as he suspends his bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination, and about coronavirus capitalism — President Trump's response to the pandemic. Sanders "opened up the window of what was possible politically in this country," says Klein, a senior correspondent at The Intercept, Rutgers University professor and longtime Sanders supporter. | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!
(2020-04-09). Ocasio-Cortez Decries Trump Halt to Federal Funding of Coronavirus Testing as 'Completely Irresponsible' Amid Pandemic. commondreams.org "If anything, we should err on the side of testing 'too much'—we're *nowhere* near that." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/testibng.jpg …
(2020-04-09). After 'Civic Catastrophe' in Wisconsin, Congress Urged to Fully Fund National Vote-by-Mail for November. commondreams.org Calls are mounting from rights advocates for Congress to fully fund a nationwide shift to mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic after a "civic catastrophe" in Wisconsin Tuesday, when the state's Republican legislative leaders and Supreme Court forced people to vote in-person despite the serious threat to public health. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12174503721.jpg …
(2020-04-09). 'Why the Unnecessary 6?': Medicare for All Advocates Warn Biden That Lowering Age to 60 Solves Nothing. commondreams.org "These policies are what I would expect from Republicans. This is not a 'big overture' by any stretch of the imagination." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_iraq_1.jpg …
(2020-04-09). Why You Should Never Vote for Joe Biden. dissidentvoice.org 
There's a video of Lawrence O'Donnell, spokesperson for MSNBC, saying in 2020 what he's paid to say, namely that electing a candidate with a platform you approve of is somehow in conflict with electing a candidate who can win. The logic of this is that most people are expected to vote for a candidate with …
(2020-04-08). Sanders to 'stay on ballot' to wield influence at Democratic Convention, despite dropping out. rt.com 
Bernie Sanders has confirmed that despite suspending his presidential campaign, he'll "stay on the ballot" in all remaining primary states and continue to gather delegates in order to exert influence at the Democratic Convention. | In a Periscope address to his supporters on Wednesday, Sanders reiterated that while his name will stay on the ballot, former vice president Joe Biden "will be the nominee" in November. | Sanders said his goal was to "assemble as many delegates as possible" at the Democratic Convention, where his campaign would be able to "exert significant influence over the party platform and othe…
(2020-04-08). Journalist on Wisconsin Election: Republicans Are Letting People Die in Order to Hang On to Power. democracynow.org 
Lines stretching city blocks, hours-long waits and polling officials in hazmat suits. That's the scene voters in Wisconsin encountered as they braved the polls Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic. Despite growing outcry about the risks to public health and safety that in-person voting would pose, on Monday the state Supreme Court blocked Democratic Governor Tony Evers's ruling to delay the election until June. At least 92 people in Wisconsin have died from exposure to COVID-19. In Milwaukee — the most diverse city in Wisconsin — the number of polling stations went from 180 to five. We speak with Jes…
(2020-04-08). Trump blames Warren & DNC for Sanders ending campaign, INVITES 'Bernie people' to the Republican Party. rt.com 
President Donald Trump took to Twitter to invite Bernie Sanders supporters to the Republican Party after the Senator dropped out of the presidential race. Trump also blamed Sanders' exit on Elizabeth Warren and the Democrats. | "Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren. If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday!" the president tweeted shortly after it was announced Sanders was suspending his presidential campaign, clearing the way for Joe Biden to earn his party's nomination. | Sanders ended his campaign with a total of 914 delegates, compared to the 1,217 earned by…
(2020-04-08). "People Are Dying in the Streets": Ecuador Struggles to Cope with COVID-19 as Cases Skyrocket. democracynow.org 
The coronavirus pandemic is exhausting Ecuador's medical resources, with at least 220 dead and more than 4,000 cases. Ecuador is among the top three countries with the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the entire Latin American region. In recent days, images of dead bodies wrapped in plastic tarp left on the streets of the city of Guayaquil as families desperately try to bury loved ones have shocked the entire country and the world. Guayaquil is Ecuador's most populous city and the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. We speak with Denisse Herrera, the Ecuador correspondent for teleSUR.
(2020-04-08). Albert Woodfox: COVID-19 Offers Public a "Small Window" into What Prisoners Face in Solitary Confinement. democracynow.org 
As millions shelter in place around the world, we speak with Albert Woodfox, who served the longest time in solitary confinement of any prisoner in the United States. Known as one of the Angola Three, along with Robert King and Herman Wallace, Woodfox was held in isolation for nearly 44 years at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola. He was convicted of killing a guard in jail, but always maintained his innocence. He says he was targeted for co-founding the first Black Panther chapter in Angola. He was released in 2016 and is now 73 years old. His memoir is "Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solit…
(2020-04-08). "A Systematic Issue of Disparity": Black People in Louisiana Account for 70% of COVID-19 Deaths. democracynow.org 
Louisiana faces one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus in the United States. New data shows black people account for 70% of all the state's coronavirus deaths, though they comprise just 32% of the state's population. Louisiana also has the highest incarceration rate in the country, and more than 65% of the people in its jails and prisons are black. At least 28 people are infected, and 22 corrections staff have tested positive. State corrections officials are sending infected prisoners to the Louisiana State Penitentiary — known as Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the United States [mdas…
(2020-04-08). Senate Dems propose big pay hike for frontline anti-pandemic workers. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Senate Democrats' plans for the next big economic stimulus bill include a big pay hike for frontline workers — nurses, EMTs, grocery workers, sanitation workers, and their colleagues — who put themselves in peril to help battle the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation, unveiled by Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and his colleagues, would mandate each …
(2020-04-08). Sanders drops out of Democratic race, says movement "won the ideological struggle" peoplesworld.org 
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent whose two runs for the White House galvanized millions of voters—including a majority of young voters—officially dropped out of the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination race on April 8, ceding the nod to the last remaining hopeful, former Vice President Joe Biden. But even though the two differed sharply on …
(2020-04-08). 'I need to earn your votes': Biden tries to lure in Bernie supporters, but sales pitch flops HARD. rt.com 
Joe Biden did his best to woo Bernie Sanders supporters to his campaign after the senator suspended his campaign, but many made it clear they are not buying into the sales pitch. | "I want you to know that I see you, I hear you, and I understand the urgency of this moment," Biden tweeted to Bernie supporters on Wednesday, shortly after Sanders announced a suspension of his campaign. | "I hope you'll join us. You're more than welcome: You're needed," the former vice president added. | And to Bernie's supporters: I know that I need to earn your votes. And I know that might take time. But I want you to know that…
(2020-04-08). Bernie Sanders ends US presidential bid. thecanary.co Senator Today I am suspending my campaign. But while the campaign ends, the struggle for justice continues on. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) Sanders used strong polling…
(2020-04-08). Headlines for April 8, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Daily Death Toll Nears 2,000 as Hundreds of COVID-19 Deaths Go Uncounted, Trump Threatens to Withhold U.S. Funding for World Health Organization, New WH Press Secretary Said Recently, "We Will Not See Diseases Like the Coronavirus Come Here", Trump Fires Inspector General Tasked with Overseeing $2 Trillion Stimulus, China Lifts Lockdown in Wuhan, Where Coronavirus Pandemic Began, EU Coronavirus Stimulus Talks Fail as Deaths Surge in Spain and France, Libyan Rebels Attack Hospital for COVID-19 Patients; Chadian Ex-Dictator Released from Prison, International Labour Organization: Pandemic Could Wipe Out 195 Mi…
(2020-04-08). Wisconsin FRSO condemns April 7 election farce. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – Wisconsin Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) spokesperson Ryan Hamann blasted the April 7 statewide election, stating, "Wisconsin FRSO condemns the forced vote in the midst of a global pandemic. Despite the CDC recommendations that people stay home as much as possible and avoid any kind of mass congregation, legislators in Wisconsin and members of the U.S. Supreme Court determined that did not apply when it came to voting in a presidential primary." | Hamann continued, "Meanwhile, the city of Milwaukee, populated by nearly 700,000 people, cut polling stations by 99%, from 180 to five. Unde…
(2020-04-08). Open Letter to the "Sandernistas": Bernie Caves Again 2020. dissidentvoice.org History Repeats Itself, First as Tragedy, Then as Farce I wrote this article almost four years ago right after the Democratic primaries in 2016. I am reposting it because it demonstrates how, while history changes, the machinations of the Democratic Party are the same, or in this case, worse. What is not relevant in this …
(2020-04-08). Let Us Now Praise Bernie Sanders. thenation.com Let Us Now Praise Bernie Sanders…
(2020-04-07). Deaths of Inequality: AOC on Black and Latinx Communities at Epicenter of Epicenter of the Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As COVID-19 deaths spike in African-American and immigrant communities, almost a third of New York City's infections are in Queens, one of the most diverse places in the world, and many in the hardest-hit neighborhoods are undocumented and working-class. We speak with Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the neighborhoods at the epicenter of the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, about how the Trump administration's response to the pandemic is causing "deaths of incompetence," "deaths of science denial" and "deaths of inequality."
(2020-04-07). Amazon "Profiting from This Pandemic" as Warehouse Workers Walk Off Job to Demand Safer Conditions. democracynow.org 
Just a week "after Amazon fired": www.democracynow.org/2020/3/31/headlines/amazon_fires_organizer_of_staten_island_strike_action a worker who led a walkout, workers at the same Staten Island warehouse walked off the job again Monday to protest unsafe working conditions as online orders soar during the pandemic. We get an update from Angeles Solis, lead organizer at Make the Road New York, which helped organize the strike. Solis helps lead the group's Beyond Amazon coalition in New York City. If Amazon doesn't do more to protect workers, "they are not only profiting from this pandemic, but they're helping t…
(2020-04-07). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders & Fight for a Progressive Future. democracynow.org 
As millions hope to receive support as soon as possible from the massive coronavirus stimulus bill passed by Congress without adequate oversight mechanisms, we look at who will benefit from "extraordinary asymmetrical assistance" that went to corporations instead of working people. "Some of the people who need it the most are not getting it," says Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "This contributes to a public health crisis in addition to an economic one." She also discusses plans for the 2020 election and a "progressive future" for the United States with a single-payer health system and a living wage.
(2020-04-07). Headlines for April 7, 2020. democracynow.org Boris Johnson in Intensive Care for COVID-19, U.K.'s Foreign Secretary Deputized | , Most of U.S. Population Told to Stay Home as Medical Equipment Shortages Continue to Mar Response, Trump Ignored Coronavirus Warnings from His Own Administration as Early as January | , Grocery Stores Report Coronavirus Deaths as Workers Say They Are Not Receiving Adequate Protection, WI Primary Vote Goes Ahead After Ruling by State Supreme Court; SCOTUS Throws Out Mail-in Ballot Extension, New York Appears to Flatten COVID-19 Curve as Cuomo Tightens Preventive Measures, Gov't Called to Release Data on Racial Makeup of COVID-19 D…
(2020-04-07). SDS pushes University of Utah on COVID-19 after victory on counselors. fightbacknews.org Salt Lake City, UT – Every victory comes with new challenges and new setbacks. Organizers with Students for a Democratic Society are learning that lesson in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as they start a new struggle for hazard pay as well as refunds for fees and tuition. | SDS organizers left the University of Utah for spring break in high spirits after the school met their demands for more mental health counselors, a demand they had been making for months. When the promised new counselors are hired, the school will finally be in compliance with national guidelines on the counselor-to-student ratio. | Celebr…
(2020-04-06). One Mask for Five 12-Hour Shifts: Harlem Hospital Nurses Demand Better Protection Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As New York state's death toll from coronavirus passes 4,000, nurses and medical workers on the frontlines in New York City are protesting for better protections. We go to a demonstration outside Harlem Hospital to speak with Sarah Dowd, a registered nurse who works in its medical/surgical unit and has been treating COVID-19-positive patients. She is a member of the New York State Nurses Association union. "This is not a time for people to be sitting on the sidelines," Dowd says. "We need to make big demands of the system."
(2020-04-06). To Stop Bernie Sanders, WaPo Willing to Risk Americans' Lives. fair.org 
There's little the Washington Post won't do to stop Bernie Sanders, including endanger American lives. | That was made clear with the March 17 Democratic primaries, which were held amid a rapidly worsening pandemic, and with enthusiastic support from…
(2020-04-06). "Leaving Us in Here to Die": Prisoners Plea for Release, Protection Amid Skyrocketing Infections. democracynow.org 
U.S. Attorney General William Barr issued an emergency order Friday calling for the release of vulnerable federal prisoners into home confinement amid the coronavirus crisis. This news comes as at least 16 states have also released prisoners. We look at the treatment of incarcerated people in New York state, where Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to grant anyone freedom despite at least 24 confirmed cases among state prisoners. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he'll release about 300 people from Rikers Island and other city jails, but advocates are calling for far more to be freed. We speak to…
(2020-04-06). Headlines for April 6, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Cases Surge in U.S., Surgeon General Warns of "Pearl Harbor Moment" | , Gov. Cuomo Slashes Medicaid as New York Struggles to Get Handle on COVID-19 Cases | , Black Communities Hit Disproportionately Hard by Coronavirus , Coronavirus Cases Appear to Level Off in Parts of Europe, But Death Tolls Remain High | , Boris Johnson Hospitalized for Acute Coronavirus Symptoms | , Japan's Shinzo Abe to Declare Emergency; Filipino Police Kills Man Who Flouted Coronavirus Rules, Low-Paid Garment Workers in Bangladesh Face Mass Unemployment , Former Prime Ministers of Somalia and Libya Die from COVID-19, Complaint…
(2020-04-06). NY Bishop Explains Why St John Divine Cathedral Is Working with Fundamentalist Group During Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As millions of worshipers around the globe enter the month of April preparing to celebrate Holy Week, Passover and Ramadan in the age of coronavirus, Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan is set to open its doors to 400 beds for non-COVID-19 patients to make more space in the hospitals for those suffering from the coronavirus. But there's a catch: The city is partnering with the Christian fundamentalist group Samaritan's Purse, led by Franklin Graham, a virulently Islamophobic, anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ preacher. Last week, the group erected an emergency field hospital in Central Park to treat spillover…
(2020-04-03). "Our Bodies Are On the Line": NYC Nurses Demand Protective Gear as COVID-19 Death Toll Skyrockets. democracynow.org 
Nurses in California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada and Texas are protesting one of the nation's largest hospital chains for a "lack of preparedness" amid the coronavirus pandemic. They're calling on HCA Healthcare to provide optimal personal protective equipment, or PPE, for nurses and other staff. In New York, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, nurses and doctors at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx protested Thursday over the lack of PPE. Today another protest is underway in front of Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan calling for more PPE, better staffing and COVID-19 testing for front…
(2020-04-03). As Virus Spreads in Philippines, So Does Authoritarianism: Duterte Threatens Violence Amid Lockdown. democracynow.org 
In the Philippines, authoritarian President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he's ordered soldiers to shoot to kill residents if they resist a strict lockdown on the island of Luzon. His order came after residents of Manila's Quezon City shanty town staged a protest, saying they've gone hungry without food promised when the lockdown began more than two weeks ago. The Philippines death toll is 136 with more than 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. As those numbers grow, nurses and doctors report a drastic lack of personal protective equipment. While the Philippines has seen a surge in cases, Indonesia is now reporting t…
(2020-04-03). Democracy Dies in Blah Blah Blah. fair.org In a live appearance on the Fox News network ( "The things they had in there were crazy," Trump said. "They had things—levels of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you'd never have a Republican elected in this co…
(2020-04-03). Protect Immigrant Communities: Fear Mounts of Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak in U.S. Border Camps, ICE Jails. democracynow.org 
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has joined thousands of medical professionals and immigration rights groups to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement release all prisoners from immigration jails as the coronavirus continues to spread. Meanwhile, immigration advocates are working to prepare crowded encampments of asylum seekers across the U.S.-Mexico border for a potentially catastrophic outbreak of COVID-19. Since the implementation of the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy, tens of thousands of asylum seekers from regions like Central America and Africa have been stranded in Mexican bord…
(2020-04-03). How Taiwan Contained COVID-19: Early Action, Technology & Millions of Face Masks. democracynow.org 
Taiwan, despite being just 100 miles from mainland China with regular flights to and from Wuhan, has successfully staved off the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. The country has so far seen five deaths and just under 350 confirmed cases, and most schools and businesses remain open. How did Taiwan do it? "Aggressive action," says Dr. Jason Wang, the former project manager for Taiwan's National Health Insurance Reform Task-force. He is now the director of the Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention and associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at Stanford University. He speaks with us about Taiwan's strat…
(2020-04-03). Headlines for April 3, 2020. democracynow.org Nearly 1,200 U.S. Residents Die of COVID-19 in Just One Day, "Sheep Going to Slaughter": NYC Medical Workers Protest Lack of Protective Equipment, Trump Mocks States' "Insatiable Appetites" as Medical Supplies Nearly Exhausted, Florida Governor's Social Distancing Order Exempts Religious Gatherings, Coronavirus-Stricken Cruise Ships Allowed to Dock in Florida After Weeks at Sea, More Than 10 Million Americans File Jobless Claims in Just Two Weeks, Amazon Planned Smear Campaign Against Strike Leader Who Demanded Coronavirus Protections, New York City Urges All Residents to Wear Face Coverings in Public, FDA Approv…
(2020-04-03). Amazon on strike: what workers need to know about their rights. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Kevin Gustafson, an organizer with Democracy at Work and host of the Sensible…
(2020-04-02). "Social Distancing Is a Privilege": Pandemic Highlights India's Class Divide as 1.3 Billion Lock Down. democracynow.org 
In India, 1.3 billion people have been locked down for more than a week to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The country reports nearly 2,000 cases and at least 50 deaths. Millions living in poverty and migrant workers were stranded far from home when the lockdown was announced, and some have reportedly died making the perilous journey home. More than 80% of India's workforce is informal, with most living off daily wages often less than $2 or $3 a day — wages they cannot earn under the present curfew — and more than 4 million Indians are homeless. We speak with Indian journalist Rana Ayyub, a contri…
(2020-04-02). "There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst. democracynow.org 
After devastating China, Europe and the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is now intensifying across the Global South. The United Nations warns the pandemic is poised to destroy fragile economies in poor nations, decimating food security, education and human rights. We speak with Yanis Ben Amor, assistant professor of global health and microbiological sciences at Columbia University and executive director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute.
(2020-03-31). Brazil's ex-President Lula on Venezuela: Maduro is democratic, Guaidó should be in prison, US blockade kills civilians. thegrayzone.com In comments ignored by English-language media, Lula da Silva slammed the US coup attempt against Venezuela, calling Nicolás Maduro a…
(2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
(2020-03-24). [Comment] National UK programme of community health workers for COVID-19 response. thelancet.com The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic threatens to kill large numbers of people in the UK and to place unprecedented demands on the National Health Service (NHS). The case fatality rate is increased in older people and those with pre-existing disease and is reported to be about 20% in people with COVID-19 who are older than 80 years,1 although this does not take into account the under-reporting of mildly affected cases. There are about 8 ∑8 million people aged 70 years or older in the UK and many others with health conditions that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19.
(2020-03-20). Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections. peaceaction.org Statement of Jon Rainwater, Executive Director, Peace Action, on the introduction of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill would help ensure that elections can take place in a safe and secure way throughout the pandemic and beyond. March 19, 2020 Peace Action …
(2020-03-19). The Dem Primary is Over, and We Need Bernie Sanders to Lead on Health Care From the Senate. truthdig.com On Tuesday, I cast a joyless vote for the very much politically doomed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Illinois primary, in an elementary school where hushed whispers and fearful glances had replaced the normal din of an election day. There was no one standing just outside the perimeter hustling me to vote for this …
(2020-03-19). These Are the 51 GOP Senators Who Just Voted Against Expanding Paid Sick Leave to Protect Americans. truthdig.com Republican senators on Wednesday teamed up to kill an amendment introduced by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray that would have expanded paid sick leave to millions of U.S. workers left out of a bipartisan coronavirus relief package. Every Republican present for the vote, 51 in total, voted against the amendment while every Senate Democrat voted in favor. …
(2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …
(2020-03-13). [Correspondence] COVID-19, ECMO, and lymphopenia: a word of caution. thelancet.com Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can serve as life-saving rescue therapy for refractory respiratory failure in the setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome, such as that induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the study by Yang and colleagues,1 who compared clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19, five (83%) of six patients receiving ECMO died. Although this sample was small, and specific baseline characteristics and disease courses were almost unknown, it raises concerns about potential harms of ECMO therapy for COVID-19.
(2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-11). [Correspondence] Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? thelancet.com The most distinctive comorbidities of 32 non-survivors from a group of 52 intensive care unit patients with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the study by Xiaobo Yang and colleagues1 were cerebrovascular diseases (22%) and diabetes (22%). Another study2 included 1099 patients with confirmed COVID-19, of whom 173 had severe disease with comorbidities of hypertension (23 ∑7%), diabetes mellitus (16 ∑2%), coronary heart diseases (5 ∑8%), and cerebrovascular disease (2 ∑3%). In a third study,3 of 140 patients who were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, 30% had hypertension and 12% had diab…
(2020-03-06). If Sanders forms a real Alliance with Warren, their Popular Policies Can Win. zcomm.org Conventional wisdom is that a presidential candidate should pick an opposite or contrasting vice presidential running mate, to create a perception of a balanced ticket. But this is not a conventional time or race, Bernie is offering a clear and practical progressive choice to fix the USA. So his running mate needs to be a
(2020-03-05). [Correspondence] Respiratory support for patients with COVID-19 infection. thelancet.com As of Feb 27, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected 47 countries and territories around the world.1 Xiaobo Yang and colleagues2 described 52 of 710 patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in Wuhan, China. 29 (56%) of 52 patients were given non-invasive ventilation at ICU admission, of whom 22 (76%) required further orotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. The ICU mortality rate among those who required non-invasive ventilation was 23 (79%) of 29 and among those who required invasive mechanical ventilation was 19 (86%) of 22.
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…
(2020-02-28). [Corrections] Correction to Lancet Respir Med 2020; published online Feb 21. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30079-5. thelancet.com Yang X, Yu Y, Xu J, et al. Clinical course and outcomes of critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a single-centred, retrospective, observational study. Lancet Respir Med 2020; published online Feb 21. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30079-5—In this Article, Tables 1, 2, and 3 have been updated. These corrections have been made to the online version as of Feb 28, 2020, and will be made to the printed version.
(2020-02-24). [Correspondence] Viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples. thelancet.com An outbreak caused by a novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Wuhan in December 2019,1 and has since spread within China and to other countries. Real-time RT-PCR assays are recommended for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.2 However, viral dynamics in infected patients are still yet to be fully determined. Here, we report our findings from different types of clinical specimens collected from 82 infected individuals.
(2020-02-19). [Correspondence] Asymptomatic cases in a family cluster with SARS-CoV-2 infection. thelancet.com Since December, 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a serious epidemic in China and other countries, resulting in worldwide concern.1 Family clusters of infected individuals have been reported, and this phenomenon could present a serious threat to public health if not strictly controlled. In a previously reported family cluster, most infected individuals had clinical symptoms, decreased lymphocyte counts, and abnormal chest CT images, and were positive for the virus on quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis.
(2020-02-14). Jim Naureckas on Democratic Primaries, Nina Luo on Decriminalizing Sex Work. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…
(2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>
(2020-02-01). The Times They Are a-Changin: Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Sometimes it feels like our world is falling apart, but real change is all around us…
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'the Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, has endorsed four progressive champions for the House of Representatives in the 2020 election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York's 14th district, Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota's 5th district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib …