Daily Archives: April 15, 2020

2020-04-15: News Headlines

commondreams (2020-04-15). Federal Appeals Court Upholds Michigan's Independent Redistricting Commission. commondreams.org ______________________________…

RT (2020-04-15). Elizabeth Warren officially endorses Democrat Joe Biden for 2020 election. rt.com Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has joined former President Barack Obama and fellow ex-candidate Bernie Sanders in throwing her support behind Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for the 2020 election. | "In this moment of crisis, it's more important than ever that the next president restores Americans' faith in good, effective government," Warren tweeted on Wednesday morning in her endorsement of Biden. | The senator also tweeted out a video of her talking up Biden's commitment to "public service" and "empathy," admitting she does not agree with the former vice president "100 percent of…

Joe G. Kaye (2020-04-15). Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party, and Why We Don't Have a Working Class Party (Yet). dissidentvoice.org Sanders as transforming the Democratic Party There is a debate on the Left about the role of Bernie Sanders. A good many (probably a majority) are enthusiastic. Some believe that he represents a truly progressive force and brings renewed hope in reshaping the Democratic Party to become that party of the working people, the "minorities," …

RT (2020-04-15). Should Biden create his own 'SHADOW GOVT, shadow cabinet, shadow SWAT team' to counter Trump… asks MSNBC host. rt.com MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle went beyond the point of shilling for Joe Biden by asking whether the former vice president should set up a "shadow government" to counter Donald Trump's coronavirus daily briefings. | Biden may be riding the momentum of endorsements from previous competitors Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as from former President Barack Obama, but one MSNBC host thinks he needs to do more to "counter-program" Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic. | "Should he be creating his own shadow government, shadow cabinet, shadow SWAT team, and getting up there on a podium every night saying, 'here's…

WSWS (2020-04-15). Barack Obama endorses Joe Biden for president. wsws.org Obama's endorsement, following that of Bernie Sanders, is part of a concerted effort to paint the most right-wing of the Democratic candidates for president as a vehicle for "progressive" change…

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2020-04-15). American Politics Without Sanders. counterpunch.org The decision of Senator Bernie Sanders to withdraw from the Democratic presidential contest is a blow to the prospects of democracy in America. For several years, but especially since 2016, Sanders has been talking of the need for political revolution, by which he means: (1) revitalize democratic institutions and the economy by taxing the rich and closing

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-04-15). WATCH: Sanders to Hold Livestream Discussion on Future of US Economy. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders will be joined by labor rights advocates and progressive economists Wednesday night for a livestream on the future of the U.S. economy after the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-6733707742_0.jpg

Staff (2020-04-15). Trump Cuts Funds for World Health Org as Oxfam Warns Pandemic Could Push Half a Billion into Poverty. democracynow.org As the confirmed cases of coronavirus surpass 2 million around the world, President Donald Trump says he will cut U.S. support for the World Health Organization. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, called it a "crime against humanity." Oxfam America said the cuts slash "any hopes for the responsible international cooperation and solidarity that is critical to save lives and restore the global economy." This comes as a new Oxfam report estimates the pandemic's economic fallout could push more than half a billion more people into poverty. We get response from Paul O'Brien, vice president…

Staff (2020-04-15). Headlines for April 15, 2020. democracynow.org Lancet Editor Calls Trump's WHO Funding Freeze a "Crime Against Humanity", NYC Coronavirus Toll Tops 10,000 as Thousands of Uncounted Deaths Added, Health Official Says COVID-19 May Be Present in All New Jersey Nursing Homes , California Governor Outlines Roadmap for Easing Coronavirus Lockdown, Florida Governor Declares Pro Wrestling an "Essential Service" Amid Lockdown, Pandemic to Increase U.S. Budget Deficit to World War II Levels, IMF Warns Global Economy Faces Worst Downturn Since Great Depression, Indian PM Modi Cracks Down on Political Opponents Amid Coronavirus Lockdown, Scientists Warn 400,000 Will Die…

Staff (2020-04-15). "I Want an Apology": Black Doctor Who Tests Homeless for Coronavirus Handcuffed by Miami Police. democracynow.org We speak with Dr. Armen Henderson, an African-American doctor who was handcuffed and detained outside his home Friday as he was wearing a mask and preparing for a volunteer shift to test homeless people for COVID-19. "I want the officer held accountable. There's no way that you racially profile me and then you arrest me, detain me, during a pandemic, when you have no mask on, where hundreds of police officers throughout Miami-Dade County have tested positive," says Dr. Henderson, who is an internal medicine physician, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Miami and an organizer with Dream Defenders…

RT (2020-04-15). Pelosi's motives questioned for labeling Zoom a 'Chinese entity' after waving off remote voting for Congress. rt.com Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi slammed Zoom over security concerns when talking about Congress remotely voting, mistakenly calling the American firm "Chinese." Both her logic and motives have quickly fallen under suspicion. | "People think we can do Congress by Zoom. Zoom is a Chinese entity that we've been told not to even trust the security of," Pelosi told MSNBC's Chris Hayes this week when questioned about Congress not meeting before the first week of May. | Zoom is a video conferencing app that has been utilized by many companies with employees working remotely and has shot to prominence during the Cov…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-04-15). Obama, Sanders, and Warren back Biden: 'Lives and democracy at stake'. peoplesworld.org

RT (2020-04-15). Resistance loses it as Trump offers extra US ventilators to RUSSIA to help with Covid-19. rt.com Arguing the US was so well supplied with ventilators to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, President Donald Trump said he will send spares to other hard-hit places such as Russia, immediately triggering his critics. | "I think Russia is going to need ventilators. They're having a hard time in Moscow. We're going to help them," Trump said on Wednesday, during the daily press conference in the White House garden. | The online Resistance — die-hard believers in the conspiracy theory that Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 US presidential election, pushed for years by the Democrats and the mainstream med…

RT (2020-04-15). Trump threatens to dismiss both chambers of Congress over held-up appointments. rt.com Protesting pro-forma sessions of the House and Senate blocking him from recess appointments, US President Donald Trump said he might force both chambers of Congress to officially adjourn unless they did so voluntarily. | The Senate should "either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees, or formally adjourn so that I can make recess appointments," the president said Wednesday at the White House press conference. | Both the Republican-majority Senate and the Democrat-majority House continue to gavel in for pro forma sessions while most of the lawmakers have departed Washington, DC and do not intend to return un…

Lucas Koerner (2020-04-15). Corporate Media Cover for US Mob Threats Against Venezuela. fair.org The Trump administration unveiled on March 31 a "democratic transition" plan to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from office, in favor of a "council of state" composed of both opposition and ruling party loyalists. | The plan was, however, less an offer to negotiate than a diktat, with the US State Department ( Despite the obvious mafioso over…

WSWS (2020-04-15). Ocasio-Cortez offers her services to the Biden campaign. wsws.org In an interview with the New York Times, Ocasio-Cortez did not articulate a single demand as a condition for her support for the Biden campaign.

graham (2020-04-15). The leaked Labour report is truly shocking. truepublica.org.uk "Casual snobbery. Sexist and racist commentary. Clandestine plotting. Contempt for democracy. A sense of privilege and entitlement. This is not the Bullingdon Club, it is what runs through the messages revealed in the leaked document which found its way online yesterday." These are the rather restrained words of Jon Trickett the Labour politician who has been …

WSWS (2020-04-15). When it comes to Joe Biden, New York Times abandons "Believe women" wsws.org Former Vice President Joe Biden, the leading candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2020, has been accused by a former Senate staffer of sexually assaulting her.

Staff (2020-04-15). GOP Buried Overwhelming Benefits for Millionaires in COVID-19 Relief Package. truthout.org Democratic lawmakers and progressive critics expressed outrage Tuesday after a nonpartisan congressional body found that nearly 82% of benefits from a Republican tax provision in the most recent coronavirus relief package will go to the nation's millionaires and billionaires and cost taxpayers an estimated $90 billion this year alone. | The finding came in a new Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) analysis released by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) detailing t…

Ruth Conniff (2020-04-15). Democracy Wins in Wisconsin. commondreams.org An election official checks in a resident at a drive-up polling place set up outside of Roosevelt Elementary School on April 7, 2020 in Racine, Wisconsin. The polling place was set up to offer drive-up voting where residents voted from their vehicles but it offered one outdoor voting booth for residents who walked to the polling place. The extreme measures were put in place to make the process safer for residents and election officials as the state continues its shelter-in-place order to help curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/st

WSWS (2020-04-15). Trump calls on states to move quickly to reopen their economies. wsws.org The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday congratulated both Trump and the Democratic governors for moving to lift the restrictions on profit-making.

Harry Blain (2020-04-15). Why Did Our Permanent Emergency Government Fail to Face the Emergency? counterpunch.org Between 1978 and 2018, American presidents declared 58 national emergencies. Their targets ranged from "Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process" and "Transactions with Significant Narcotics Traffickers" to "the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels with Respect to Cuba" and "Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Zimbabwe." By the time

KOB 4 (2020-04-15). Ayudando fugitives arrested in Oklahoma. kob.com Susan and William Harris failed to show up to a sentencing hearing last month.

No New SF Jails (2020-04-15). Digital Day of Action to #ShutDown850 Bryant St. indybay.org Phone, Email, and Social Media…

MoveOn, Congressional Progressive Caucus Cntr (2020-04-15). Q&A w/ Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Coronavirus Relief that Puts People First. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

Joan Walsh (2020-04-15). The Troublesome Tara Reade Story. thenation.com The Troublesome Tara Reade Story…

sputniknews (2020-04-15). Senator Elizabeth Warren to Officially Endorse Joe Biden for US President – Reports. sputniknews.com Former US President Barack Obama a day earlier released a video message in which he endorsed his ex-vice president Joe Biden for the Democratic Party's nomination to run against current President Donald Trump in the November 2020 US election.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-04-15). Indictment of Trump and a Warning: 90% of US Coronavirus Deaths Could Have Been Prevented With Swifter Action. commondreams.org Eight Republican governors still have not issued statewide stay-at-home orders as deaths in the U.S. top 26,000. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1209974476_2.jpg

Christopher D. Cook (2020-04-15). Beyond Bernie: The Next Challenge for Progressives. commondreams.org Whoever wins the presidency, the millions of people who voted and worked for Bernie Sanders will need to plow their energies and talents into creating serious political pressure to win gains for climate action, health care access, people power, workers' rights, corporate accountability, and much more. (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_texas_1_0.png

Ed Sykes (2020-04-15). Sanders has endorsed Biden, but progressives won't join him without a massive policy shift. thecanary.co

Stephen Lendman (2020-04-14). Sanders Formally Capitulates to Corporatist-Warmonger Biden. globalresearch.ca There never was any doubt. In 2016, Sanders capitulated to unfit to serve Hillary. | History repeated on Monday as expected. Biden's agenda since the 1970s matches Hillary's with a gender difference. | It's much the same as Trump's with a party …

Staff (2020-04-14). "Terrified to Go to Work": Hundreds of Workers in Meat & Poultry Plants Test Positive for COVID-19. democracynow.org We look at the spike in coronavirus infections at meatpacking plants. In just one case, Smithfield Foods shut down a plant responsible for 5% of U.S. pork production after more than 350 workers at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, deaths of slaughterhouse workers have been reported in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Colorado. Many meat processing facilities employ large numbers of immigrants, including undocumented workers. We speak with Wenonah Hauter, executive director and founder of Food & Water Watch, and with Magaly Licolli, executive director of Venceremos, an advocacy group for poultry plant…

Staff (2020-04-14). Headlines for April 14, 2020. democracynow.org New York Says Coronavirus Cases May Be Stabilizing But Hospitals Still Overwhelmed, 50 NYC Education Employees, Including At Least 21 School Teachers, Have Died of COVID-19, New Jersey Grapples with Surge in Cases as Deaths Mount in Veterans' and Nursing Homes, Deceased COVID-19 Patients Were Piled into Vacant Rooms as Detroit Hospital Overwhelmed with Cases, Virginia Pastor Who Held Packed Services, Defying Order to "Stay at Home," Dies of COVID-19, Sailor from Coronavirus-Stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt Dies of COVID-19, At Least 19 Immigrant Children Infected with COVID-19 at Chicago Facility, Demolition of Ch…

Staff (2020-04-14). Essential or Expendable? Farmworkers Condemn Lack of Protection and Economic Help During Pandemic. democracynow.org As the coronavirus sweeps through the United States, the country's 2.5 million farmworkers are continuing to go to work every day, often facing crowded and unsanitary conditions without personal protective equipment, for poverty wages. We speak with Gerardo Reyes Chávez, a farmworker leader with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who describes the conditions farmworkers in Florida are facing and how they are calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to protect farmworkers during the COVID-19 crisis, and with Mónica Ramírez, president and founder of Justice for Migrant Women and co-founder of the National Farmwork…

Staff (2020-04-14). Juan González: My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID-19 Experience Shows Me How Rotten Our Health System Is. democracynow.org As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get his own 92-year-old mother tested when he took her to the emergency room in New Jersey. "It is just an outrage that this di…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-04-14). Progressive lawmakers say pandemic underlines need for Workers' Bill of Rights. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Progressive lawmakers are using workers' sacrifices due to the coronavirus pandemic — especially the sacrifices of those who put their lives on the line to serve all of us — to argue for approval of a Workers Bill of Rights, guaranteed pay, retraining money and other pro-labor reforms. The common denominator: All the lawmakers want …

Joan Walsh (2020-04-14). Newly Blue Virginia Leaves Workers Behind. thenation.com The Democratic governor used Covid-19 as an excuse to delay pro-labor bills. But unions say the virus shows why workers need protection ASAP.

Eoin Higgins (2020-04-14). Ocasio-Cortez warns Biden that just throwing progressives a 'couple of bones' will not be enough. nationofchange.org "At the bare minimum, we should aspire to be better than what we have been before," says New York Democrat in new interview. "People need to feel hope."

Gerald E. Scorse (2020-04-14). SECURE Act Leaves Millions of Workers as Insecure as Ever. dissidentvoice.org Tweeter-in-chief Donald Trump constantly bashes "do nothing Democrats." In fact, it's Mopey Mitch McConnell who's the do nothing man, refusing to act on nearly 400 bills passed by Pelosi's House. One big Democratic initiative did manage to become law, pushed through as part of a late-2019 budget deal. Titled the SECURE Act, it's the latest …

Staff (2020-04-14). Democratic Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Protect Fauci From Being Fired by Trump. truthout.org After President Donald Trump sent out a tweet this past weekend that included a suggestion to fire one of the most recognizable and trusted names on his coronavirus task force, a Democratic senator hopes to pass legislation to prevent him from doing so without just cause or oversight. | Trump's tweet

Jeffrey C. Isaac (2020-04-14). The Promise and the Peril of the Millennial Left. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden tries to calm his supporters as demonstrators disrupt his rally at Renaissance High School on March 9, 2020 in Detroit on the eve of Michigan's primary election. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12114704101.jpg

Roger D. Harris (2020-04-14). Solidarity in a Time of Pandemic, while the US capitalizes on Disaster. dissidentvoice.org Like most everyone else, I don't get out much lately due to shelter-in-place. But when I walk around my community, I am heartened by neighbors asking if there is anything we might need. I suspect this scenario is taking place everywhere. Around the world amidst the pandemic, people step out at a mutually designated evening …

Mark Green (2020-04-14). Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP. thenation.com Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP.

Tom Tomorrow (2020-04-14). Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously. thenation.com Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously…

Staff (2020-04-14). My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID Experience Shows How Rotten Our Health System Is. truthout.org As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-04-14). Analysis Reveals 'Rotten, Un-American Giveaway' GOP Buried in COVID-19 Relief Package to Overwhelmingly Benefit Millionaires. commondreams.org Democratic lawmakers and progressive critics expressed outrage Tuesday after a nonpartisan congressional body found that nearly 82% of benefits from a Republican tax provision in the most recent coronavirus relief package will go to the nation's millionaires and billionaires and cost taxpayers an estimated $90 billion this year alone. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-10942242861_0.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-04-14). Nothing But a Taxpayer 'Subsidy to Insurers': Democrats Float Plan to Backstop For-Profit Healthcare Industry During Covid-19 Pandemic. commondreams.org "Democrats are doing exactly what insurance companies want by expanding COBRA. We need Medicare for All now." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1206754522_1_0.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-04-14). Progressives Urge Biden to Back 'Medicare for Kids' in Appeal to Sanders Supporters. commondreams.org The progressive think tank People's Policy Project offered a proposal to former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign Tuesday as Biden purportedly works to gather support from Sen. Bernie Sanders' base by amending his healthcare agenda. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-656419096.png

Dean Baker (2020-04-13). Bernie Sanders Forced Open the Books on the Last Bailout. cepr.net A Washington Post piece that noted the lack of disclosure requirements in the current round of bailouts referred to efforts to force disclosures in the last bailout. It only noted a suit by Bloomberg to force the Fed to make disclosures: "During the global financial crisis, the Federal Reserve refused to turn over to reporters …

teleSUR (2020-04-13). Sanders Endorses Biden to 'Bring Democrats Against Trump'. telesurenglish.net United States (U.S.) Senator and former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Monday former Vice President Joe Biden, joining him as a guest on an online appearance. | RELATED: | "We must come together to defeat the most dangerous president in modern history," tweeted Sanders announcing his appearance with Biden and referencing U.S. President Donald Trump. | "Today, I am asking all Americans[mdas…

RT (2020-04-13). Sanders joins Biden livestream to give full-throated ENDORSEMENT. rt.com Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprising appearance on former Vice President joe Biden's livestream to give the rival for the Democrat presidential nomination an enthusiastic endorsement against President Donald Trump. | Denouncing Trump as a "racist, sexist, homophobe" who "lies all the time," Sanders announced he was now supporting Biden's presidential bid. The self-described democratic socialist had suspended his campaign last week, saying he would stay on the ballot to influence party policy at the convention — but apparently changed his mind on Monday. | "I am asking all Americans — I'm…

Staff (2020-04-13). "Reckless and Irresponsible": Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Trump's Promotion of Hydroxychloroquine. democracynow.org The coronavirus hot spot Detroit is the site of the first major U.S. study into whether or not the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine could help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This comes after weeks of President Trump promoting the drug despite warnings from medical experts. "There's been a lot of hype from the president, and that is so problematic, because we know that hydroxychloroquine … has some potential side effects that can be really dangerous," responds Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and epidemiologist who is the former head of Detroit's Health Department.

Staff (2020-04-13). What Trump Knew & When He Knew It: NYT on How Trump Ignored COVID-19 Warnings Until It Was Too Late. democracynow.org As the United States surpasses the coronavirus death toll of any country in the world with more than 22,000 dead, we look how President Trump led the country to this point with Eric Lipton, lead author of The New York Times's explosive new exposé, "He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump's Failure on the Virus."

Staff (2020-04-13). Wash Your Hands? Despite Pandemic, Thousands Still Have No Water in Detroit, a Coronavirus Hot Spot. democracynow.org Water shutoffs continue amid the coronavirus pandemic in Detroit, despite a moratorium and a program to help thousands of residents restore service last month. The lack of water access comes as nearly 1,500 people in Michigan have died from COVID-19, and 40% of those who have died are African-American, despite making up just 14% of the state's population. We speak with community pastor and activist Rev. Roslyn Bouier, who has been working with residents to restore their water.

Staff (2020-04-13). Headlines for April 13, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Leads in Coronavirus Death Toll, as Trump Eyes Easing Restrictions in Weeks, Trump Moves to Slash Pay for Essential Migrant Farmworkers | , USPS Says It Will Become Insolvent Without Gov't Help, But Trump Refuses to Bail It Out | , 200+ Prisoners Released in Philadelphia After Weeks of Protest Calling for Decarceration, Protests Call Out Mounting COVID-19 Cases at Immigrant Prisons in Arizona, California | , Mounting COVID-19 Clusters Reported at Meat Processing Plants | , Almost 600 Sailors On Board USS Theodore Roosevelt Test Positive for COVID-19 | , Judge Blocks Alabama Coronavirus Abortion Ban; Texas Pr…

RT (2020-04-13). 'We scared the hell out of the American people' over 'flu,' says Fox News guest. rt.com Former education secretary Bill Bennett has been savaged online for suggesting that the coronavirus is "not a pandemic," calling for the lifting of lockdown measures, as the debate rages over reopening the shuttered US economy. | More than half a million Americans have caught the coronavirus, with just over 22,000 deaths. While the numbers are dire, the University of Washington's forecasters revised their total predicted Covid-19 deaths down to 60,000 last week, a number comparable to deaths from

Matt Sedlar (2020-04-13). How Big Tech Is Preparing for a Biden Presidency. cepr.net Washington Monthly See article on original site Three days after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, he took press questions standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a figure now vilified by his base: ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Back then, Big Tech didn't need to ask if it had a seat at the table of a Democratic presidential …

Dean Baker (2020-04-13). A Special Gift for Donald Trump's Friends: An Excess Profits Tax. cepr.net When he fired the inspector general who would have overseen the bailout fund, Trump made it clear that he fully intends to use the money to advance his re-election campaign, just as he has done with his presidential powers throughout his term in office. While the Democrats ceded their ability to prevent the corruption of …

Kanya Bennett (2020-04-13). Federal Wardens Must Immediately Flatten the Curve in our Nation's Prisons. aclu.org With 10 deaths and more than 500 positive COVID-19 cases in the nation's federal prisons, wardens must "

Jamie Osborn (2020-04-12). Cuts, outsourcing and democratic deficits are stunting councils' fight against coronavirus. bright-green.org England is one of the most centralised nations in the world. For years, local councils have faced brutal cuts to their budgets and stripping away of their powers by Westminster. Now …

RT (2020-04-12). Believe all women? New York Times only remembers its journalistic skepticism when it's Biden in the crosshairs. rt.com For anyone running for office in modern America, accusations of sexual assault are par for the course. But when it comes to weighing up these accusations, the US' mainstream paper of record applies some very uneven standards. | Take Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. If doubts weren't already raised by his fondness for Yet amid the coronav…

Fight Back (2020-04-12). New York: New social distancing fines attack workers, not coronavirus. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that he has increased the maximum fines for not adhering to social distancing orders. Previously $500, the maximum fines suddenly jumped to $1000. The NYPD has also started arresting people for not social distancing, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claims "is about educating people, helping them understanding the new reality." | While it is of course important that those who are able to work from home keep others safe through social distancing, the increase in fines will primarily affect essential workers, many of whom are still forced to…

RT (2020-04-11). NY's Cuomo pleases crowds with 'Hero Compensation Fund' for healthcare workers… after 9 years of hospital cuts. rt.com New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched a fund to support sick healthcare workers and their families, but some blame him for the dire working conditions facing the state's caregivers after nine years of hospital budget cuts. | Cuomo announced the state is working on a "Covid-19 Heroes Compensation Fund" to support healthcare workers and their families who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus during his daily briefing on Friday. It was heralded by his growing Democratic fan club as a generous, thoughtful move from a politician who cares about the "frontline workers." | AAbsent from the lovefest was any…

Comrade Jenkem (2020-04-11). Sanders Out – It's Biden VS Trump. thepeoplescube.com <h5><a href="https://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/" title="People's Blog">People's Blog</a></h5> | <b>Statistics</b> : 7 Replies | | 2480 Views | Last post by Comrade Jenkem…

Natalie Bennett (2020-04-11). Frontline workers deserve honest answers about their PPE concerns. bright-green.org Like most people in the UK, I've been hearing for weeks reports from medical professionals and care workers about their concerns about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), but …

Staff (2020-04-10). Noam Chomsky on Trump's Disastrous Coronavirus Response, Bernie Sanders & What Gives Him Hope. democracynow.org How did the United States — the richest country in the world — become the worldwide epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with one person dying of COVID-19 every 47 seconds? We spend the hour with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, discussing this unprecedented moment in history, and its political implications, as Senator Bernie Sanders announces he is suspending his campaign for the presidency. Chomsky also describes how frontline medical workers and progressive organizing are giving him hope.

Laura Flanders (2020-04-10). Thank you, Bernie. Screw You, New York Times. fair.org | It is the essence of American liberalism to trash radical dreams and then dance on them. And that's just what the New York Times did the day after Bernie Sanders bowed out of the Democratic race for the nomination. On that day, in a special editorial ( 4/9/20), the editors of the very same paper that disparaged his every move opined that America is divided and our democracy corrupt, and launched a series promising to report on just the sort of transformative policies Sanders advocated. The New York Times (

Alan Macleod (2020-04-10). COVID-19: How the Media Hyped the Public Into an Anti-China Frenzy. mintpressnews.com A new Harris

Staff (2020-04-10). Headlines for April 10, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Patients Dying Every Minute in the United States, Epicenter of the Pandemic, 17 Million U.S. Workers File Unemployment Claims in Just Three Weeks, New York City Workers Dig Mass Graves Amid Surge of COVID-19 Deaths, President Trump Pushes to Reopen U.S. Economy Despite Severe Shortage of Tests, California Nursing Home with COVID-19 Cases Evacuated After Workers' No-Show, Kansas Governor Sues to Halt Church Congregations Ahead of Easter, Chicago Prisoners Post Signs in Jail Windows: "Help, No Supply" and "We're Dying", NYC Cathedral Won't Partner with Christian Fundamentalist Field Hospital Group over LGB…

Stuart Munckton (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…

Staff (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.

Staff (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.

Staff (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…

Peter Bolton (2020-04-09). What we all need to learn now that Bernie Sanders's presidential bid is over. thecanary.co Unfair fr…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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.

Staff (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.

Staff (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…

Staff (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."

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Anya Parampil (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…

Bernie Sanders (2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…

Lilly Dragnev (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 …

Lilly Dragnev (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 …

Paul Kawika Martin (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 …

Antonio Carty (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

CounterSpin (2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…

CounterSpin (2020-02-14). Jim Naureckas on Democratic Primaries, Nina Luo on Decriminalizing Sex Work. fair.org Media…

Paul Kawika Martin (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 …

Bernie Sanders (2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…

Tyler Durden (2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>

Various Contributors (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…

Jon Rainwater (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 …

Paul Kawika Martin (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 …

2020-04-15: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Michigan's Independent Redistricting Commission
commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2020/04/15/federal-appeals-court-upholds-michigans-independent-redistricting-commission?cd-origin=rss

Elizabeth Warren officially endorses Democrat Joe Biden for 2020 election
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has joined former President Barack Obama and fellow ex-candidate Bernie Sanders in throwing her support behind Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for the 2020 election. | "In this moment of crisis, it's more important than ever that the next president restores Americans' faith in good, effective government," Warren tweeted on Wednesday morning in her endorsement of Biden. | The senator also tweeted out a video of her talking up Biden's commitment to "public service" and "empathy," admitting she does not agree with the former vice president "100 percent of…
rt.com/usa/485887-elizabeth-warren-endorses-joe-biden/

Should Biden create his own 'SHADOW GOVT, shadow cabinet, shadow SWAT team' to counter Trump… asks MSNBC host
rt.com | 2020-04-15
MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle went beyond the point of shilling for Joe Biden by asking whether the former vice president should set up a "shadow government" to counter Donald Trump's coronavirus daily briefings. | Biden may be riding the momentum of endorsements from previous competitors Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as from former President Barack Obama, but one MSNBC host thinks he needs to do more to "counter-program" Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic. | "Should he be creating his own shadow government, shadow cabinet, shadow SWAT team, and getting up there on a podium every night saying, 'here's…
rt.com/usa/485933-biden-shadow-government-msnbc/

Sanders has endorsed Biden, but progressives won't join him without a massive policy shift
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2020-04-15
Bernie Sanders has now endorsed establishment rival Joe Biden for the US presidency. The two had previously clashed during the Democratic Party primary over policy issues like the 'Medicare for All' universal healthcare plan (which Sanders advocated and Biden opposed). But Sanders cited ongoing work between the two camps on several policy matters, and the importance of defeating Donald Trump in November, as key reasons for backing Biden. Hi…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/04/15/sanders-has-endorsed-biden-but-progressives-wont-join-him-without-a-big-policy-shift/

American Politics Without Sanders
Evaggelos Vallianatos | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-15
The decision of Senator Bernie Sanders to withdraw from the Democratic presidential contest is a blow to the prospects of democracy in America. For several years, but especially since 2016, Sanders has been talking of the need for political revolution, by which he means: (1) revitalize democratic institutions and the economy by taxing the rich and closing…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/15/american-politics-without-sanders/

Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party, and Why We Don't Have a Working Class Party (Yet)
Joe G. Kaye | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-15
Sanders as transforming the Democratic Party There is a debate on the Left about the role of Bernie Sanders. A good many (probably a majority) are enthusiastic. Some believe that he represents a truly progressive force and brings renewed hope in reshaping the Democratic Party to become that party of the working people, the "minorities," …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/04/bernie-sanders-the-democratic-party-and-why-we-dont-have-a-working-class-party-yet/

Beyond Bernie: The Next Challenge for Progressives
Christopher D. Cook | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
Whoever wins the presidency, the millions of people who voted and worked for Bernie Sanders will need to plow their energies and talents into creating serious political pressure to win gains for climate action, health care access, people power, workers' rights, corporate accountability, and much more. (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_texas_1_0.png
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/15/beyond-bernie-next-challenge-progressives?cd-origin=rss

Barack Obama endorses Joe Biden for president
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
Obama's endorsement, following that of Bernie Sanders, is part of a concerted effort to paint the most right-wing of the Democratic candidates for president as a vehicle for "progressive" change…
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/obam-a15.html

WATCH: Sanders to Hold Livestream Discussion on Future of US Economy
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
Sen. Bernie Sanders will be joined by labor rights advocates and progressive economists Wednesday night for a livestream on the future of the U.S. economy after the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-6733707742_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/15/watch-sanders-hold-livestream-discussion-future-us-economy?cd-origin=rss

"I Want an Apology": Black Doctor Who Tests Homeless for Coronavirus Handcuffed by Miami Police
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-15
We speak with Dr. Armen Henderson, an African-American doctor who was handcuffed and detained outside his home Friday as he was wearing a mask and preparing for a volunteer shift to test homeless people for COVID-19. "I want the officer held accountable. There's no way that you racially profile me and then you arrest me, detain me, during a pandemic, when you have no mask on, where hundreds of police officers throughout Miami-Dade County have tested positive," says Dr. Henderson, who is an internal medicine physician, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Miami and an organizer with Dream Defenders…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/15/dr_armen_henderson_arrest_miami

Trump Cuts Funds for World Health Org as Oxfam Warns Pandemic Could Push Half a Billion into Poverty
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-15
As the confirmed cases of coronavirus surpass 2 million around the world, President Donald Trump says he will cut U.S. support for the World Health Organization. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, called it a "crime against humanity." Oxfam America said the cuts slash "any hopes for the responsible international cooperation and solidarity that is critical to save lives and restore the global economy." This comes as a new Oxfam report estimates the pandemic's economic fallout could push more than half a billion more people into poverty. We get response from Paul O'Brien, vice president…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/15/oxfam_coronavirus

Ocasio-Cortez offers her services to the Biden campaign
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
In an interview with the New York Times, Ocasio-Cortez did not articulate a single demand as a condition for her support for the Biden campaign.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/cort-a15.html

Corporate Media Cover for US Mob Threats Against Venezuela
Lucas Koerner | fair.org | 2020-04-15
The Trump administration unveiled on March 31 a "democratic transition" plan to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from office, in favor of a "council of state" composed of both opposition and ruling party loyalists. | The plan was, however, less an offer to negotiate than a diktat, with the US State Department ( 3/31/20) vowing that "sanctions will remain in effect, and increase, until the Maduro regime accepts a genuine political transition." | Despite the obvious mafioso over…
fair.org/home/corporate-media-cover-for-us-mob-threats-against-venezuela/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=corporate-media-cover-for-us-mob-threats-against-venezuela

Pelosi's motives questioned for labeling Zoom a 'Chinese entity' after waving off remote voting for Congress
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi slammed Zoom over security concerns when talking about Congress remotely voting, mistakenly calling the American firm "Chinese." Both her logic and motives have quickly fallen under suspicion. | "People think we can do Congress by Zoom. Zoom is a Chinese entity that we've been told not to even trust the security of," Pelosi told MSNBC's Chris Hayes this week when questioned about Congress not meeting before the first week of May. | Zoom is a video conferencing app that has been utilized by many companies with employees working remotely and has shot to prominence during the Cov…
rt.com/usa/485927-nancy-pelosi-zoom-chinese-entity/

Pelosi's motives questioned for labeling Zoom a 'Chinese entity' after waving off remote voting for Congress
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi slammed Zoom over security concerns when talking about Congress remotely voting, mistakenly calling the American firm "Chinese." Both her logic and motives have quickly fallen under suspicion. | "People think we can do Congress by Zoom. Zoom is a Chinese entity that we've been told not to even trust the security of," Pelosi told MSNBC's Chris Hayes this week when questioned about Congress not meeting before the first week of May. | Zoom is a video conferencing app that has been utilized by many companies with employees working remotely and has shot to prominence during the Cov…
rt.com/usa/485927-nancy-pelosi-zoom-chinese-entity/

Why Did Our Permanent Emergency Government Fail to Face the Emergency?
Harry Blain | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-15
Between 1978 and 2018, American presidents declared 58 national emergencies. Their targets ranged from "Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process" and "Transactions with Significant Narcotics Traffickers" to "the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels with Respect to Cuba" and "Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Zimbabwe." By the time…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/15/why-did-our-permanent-emergency-government-fail-to-face-the-emergency/

Trump threatens to dismiss both chambers of Congress over held-up appointments
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Protesting pro-forma sessions of the House and Senate blocking him from recess appointments, US President Donald Trump said he might force both chambers of Congress to officially adjourn unless they did so voluntarily. | The Senate should "either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees, or formally adjourn so that I can make recess appointments," the president said Wednesday at the White House press conference. | Both the Republican-majority Senate and the Democrat-majority House continue to gavel in for pro forma sessions while most of the lawmakers have departed Washington, DC and do not intend to return un…
rt.com/usa/485939-trump-congress-close-appointments/

Trump threatens to dismiss both chambers of Congress over held-up appointments
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Protesting pro-forma sessions of the House and Senate blocking him from recess appointments, US President Donald Trump said he might force both chambers of Congress to officially adjourn unless they did so voluntarily. | The Senate should "either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees, or formally adjourn so that I can make recess appointments," the president said Wednesday at the White House press conference. | Both the Republican-majority Senate and the Democrat-majority House continue to gavel in for pro forma sessions while most of the lawmakers have departed Washington, DC and do not intend to return un…
rt.com/usa/485939-trump-congress-close-appointments/

Trump calls on states to move quickly to reopen their economies
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday congratulated both Trump and the Democratic governors for moving to lift the restrictions on profit-making.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/open-a15.html

Democracy Wins in Wisconsin
Ruth Conniff | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
An election official checks in a resident at a drive-up polling place set up outside of Roosevelt Elementary School on April 7, 2020 in Racine, Wisconsin. The polling place was set up to offer drive-up voting where residents voted from their vehicles but it offered one outdoor voting booth for residents who walked to the polling place. The extreme measures were put in place to make the process safer for residents and election officials as the state continues its shelter-in-place order to help curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/st
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/15/democracy-wins-wisconsin?cd-origin=rss

When it comes to Joe Biden, New York Times abandons "Believe women"
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the leading candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2020, has been accused by a former Senate staffer of sexually assaulting her.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/bide-a15.html

GOP Buried Overwhelming Benefits for Millionaires in COVID-19 Relief Package
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-15
Democratic lawmakers and progressive critics expressed outrage Tuesday after a nonpartisan congressional body found that nearly 82% of benefits from a Republican tax provision in the most recent coronavirus relief package will go to the nation's millionaires and billionaires and cost taxpayers an estimated $90 billion this year alone. | The finding came in a new Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) analysis released by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) detailing t…
truthout.org/articles/gop-buried-overwhelming-benefits-for-millionaires-in-covid-19-relief-package/

Resistance loses it as Trump offers extra US ventilators to RUSSIA to help with Covid-19
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Arguing the US was so well supplied with ventilators to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, President Donald Trump said he will send spares to other hard-hit places such as Russia, immediately triggering his critics. | "I think Russia is going to need ventilators. They're having a hard time in Moscow. We're going to help them," Trump said on Wednesday, during the daily press conference in the White House garden. | The online Resistance

Obama, Sanders, and Warren back Biden: 'Lives and democracy at stake'
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-15
peoplesworld.org/article/obama-sanders-and-warren-back-biden-lives-and-democracy-at-stake/

The leaked Labour report is truly shocking
graham | truepublica.org.uk | 2020-04-15
"Casual snobbery. Sexist and racist commentary. Clandestine plotting. Contempt for democracy. A sense of privilege and entitlement. This is not the Bullingdon Club, it is what runs through the messages revealed in the leaked document which found its way online yesterday." These are the rather restrained words of Jon Trickett the Labour politician who has been …
truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/the-leaked-labour-report-is-truly-shocking/

Ayudando fugitives arrested in Oklahoma
KOB 4 | kob.com | 2020-04-15
Susan and William Harris failed to show up to a sentencing hearing last month.
kob.com/albuquerque-news/ayudando-fugitives-arrested-in-oklahoma/5701254/?cat=500

Digital Day of Action to #ShutDown850 Bryant St
No New SF Jails | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
Phone, Email, and Social Media…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/13/18832327.php

Q&A w/ Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Coronavirus Relief that Puts People First
MoveOn, Congressional Progressive Caucus Cntr | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
Online via Zoom…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/13/18832325.php

The Troublesome Tara Reade Story
Joan Walsh | thenation.com | 2020-04-15
The Troublesome Tara Reade Story…
thenation.com/article/politics/tara-reade-joe-biden-democrats/

Can Biden Go Left?
D.D. Guttenplan, The Nation | thenation.com | 2020-04-15
Can Biden Go Left?
thenation.com/article/politics/biden-sanders-2020-medicare/

Senator Elizabeth Warren to Officially Endorse Joe Biden for US President – Reports
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-15
Former US President Barack Obama a day earlier released a video message in which he endorsed his ex-vice president Joe Biden for the Democratic Party's nomination to run against current President Donald Trump in the November 2020 US election.
sputniknews.com/us/202004151078964515-senator-elizabeth-warren-to-officially-endorse-joe-biden-for-us-president/

Indictment of Trump and a Warning: 90% of US Coronavirus Deaths Could Have Been Prevented With Swifter Action
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
Eight Republican governors still have not issued statewide stay-at-home orders as deaths in the U.S. top 26,000. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1209974476_2.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/15/indictment-trump-and-warning-90-us-coronavirus-deaths-could-have-been-prevented?cd-origin=rss

Progressives Urge Biden to Back 'Medicare for Kids' in Appeal to Sanders Supporters
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-14
The progressive think tank People's Policy Project offered a proposal to former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign Tuesday as Biden purportedly works to gather support from Sen. Bernie Sanders' base by amending his healthcare agenda. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-656419096.png
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/14/progressives-urge-biden-back-medicare-kids-appeal-sanders-supporters?cd-origin=rss

Essential or Expendable? Farmworkers Condemn Lack of Protection and Economic Help During Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-14
As the coronavirus sweeps through the United States, the country's 2.5 million farmworkers are continuing to go to work every day, often facing crowded and unsanitary conditions without personal protective equipment, for poverty wages. We speak with Gerardo Reyes Chávez, a farmworker leader with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who describes the conditions farmworkers in Florida are facing and how they are calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to protect farmworkers during the COVID-19 crisis, and with Mónica Ramírez, president and founder of Justice for Migrant Women and co-founder of the National Farmwork…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/14/us_farmworkers_coronavirus

"Terrified to Go to Work": Hundreds of Workers in Meat & Poultry Plants Test Positive for COVID-19
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-14
We look at the spike in coronavirus infections at meatpacking plants. In just one case, Smithfield Foods shut down a plant responsible for 5% of U.S. pork production after more than 350 workers at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, deaths of slaughterhouse workers have been reported in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Colorado. Many meat processing facilities employ large numbers of immigrants, including undocumented workers. We speak with Wenonah Hauter, executive director and founder of Food & Water Watch, and with Magaly Licolli, executive director of Venceremos, an advocacy group for poultry plant…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/14/us_meatpacking_facilities_coronavirus

Juan González: My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID-19 Experience Shows Me How Rotten Our Health System Is
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-14
As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get his own 92-year-old mother tested when he took her to the emergency room in New Jersey. "It is just an outrage that this di…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/14/juan_gonzalez

Ocasio-Cortez warns Biden that just throwing progressives a 'couple of bones' will not be enough
Eoin Higgins | nationofchange.org | 2020-04-14
"At the bare minimum, we should aspire to be better than what we have been before," says New York Democrat in new interview. "People need to feel hope."
nationofchange.org/2020/04/14/ocasio-cortez-warns-biden-that-just-throwing-progressives-a-couple-of-bones-will-not-be-enough/

Sanders Formally Capitulates to Corporatist-Warmonger Biden
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-14
There never was any doubt. In 2016, Sanders capitulated to unfit to serve Hillary. | History repeated on Monday as expected. Biden's agenda since the 1970s matches Hillary's with a gender difference. | It's much the same as Trump's with a party …
globalresearch.ca/sanders-formally-capitulates-corporatist-warmonger-biden/5709633

SECURE Act Leaves Millions of Workers as Insecure as Ever
Gerald E. Scorse | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-14
Tweeter-in-chief Donald Trump constantly bashes "do nothing Democrats." In fact, it's Mopey Mitch McConnell who's the do nothing man, refusing to act on nearly 400 bills passed by Pelosi's House. One big Democratic initiative did manage to become law, pushed through as part of a late-2019 budget deal. Titled the SECURE Act, it's the latest …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/04/secure-act-leaves-millions-of-workers-as-insecure-as-ever/

Democratic Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Protect Fauci From Being Fired by Trump
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-14
After President Donald Trump sent out a tweet this past weekend that included a suggestion to fire one of the most recognizable and trusted names on his coronavirus task force, a Democratic senator hopes to pass legislation to prevent him from doing so without just cause or oversight. | Trump's tweet included the hashtag #FireFauci, a reference to Anthony Fauci, director of…
truthout.org/articles/democratic-lawmaker-proposes-bill-to-protect-fauci-from-being-fired-by-trump/

The Promise and the Peril of the Millennial Left
Jeffrey C. Isaac | commondreams.org | 2020-04-14
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden tries to calm his supporters as demonstrators disrupt his rally at Renaissance High School on March 9, 2020 in Detroit on the eve of Michigan's primary election. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12114704101.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/14/promise-and-peril-millennial-left?cd-origin=rss

Solidarity in a Time of Pandemic, while the US capitalizes on Disaster
Roger D. Harris | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-14
Like most everyone else, I don't get out much lately due to shelter-in-place. But when I walk around my community, I am heartened by neighbors asking if there is anything we might need. I suspect this scenario is taking place everywhere. Around the world amidst the pandemic, people step out at a mutually designated evening …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/04/solidarity-in-a-time-of-pandemic-while-the-us-capitalizes-on-disaster/

Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP
Mark Green | thenation.com | 2020-04-14
Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP.
thenation.com/article/politics/warren-democrat-vice-president/

Newly Blue Virginia Leaves Workers Behind
Joan Walsh | thenation.com | 2020-04-14
The Democratic governor used Covid-19 as an excuse to delay pro-labor bills. But unions say the virus shows why workers need protection ASAP.
thenation.com/article/politics/virginia-democrats-labor/

Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously
Tom Tomorrow | thenation.com | 2020-04-14
Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously…
thenation.com/article/politics/coronavirus-republicans-trump/

My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID Experience Shows How Rotten Our Health System Is
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-14
As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get…
truthout.org/video/my-92-year-old-mothers-covid-experience-shows-how-rotten-our-health-system-is/

Analysis Reveals 'Rotten, Un-American Giveaway' GOP Buried in COVID-19 Relief Package to Overwhelmingly Benefit Millionaires
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-14
Democratic lawmakers and progressive critics expressed outrage Tuesday after a nonpartisan congressional body found that nearly 82% of benefits from a Republican tax provision in the most recent coronavirus relief package will go to the nation's millionaires and billionaires and cost taxpayers an estimated $90 billion this year alone. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-10942242861_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/14/analysis-reveals-rotten-un-american-giveaway-gop-buried-covid-19-relief-package?cd-origin=rss

Nothing But a Taxpayer 'Subsidy to Insurers': Democrats Float Plan to Backstop For-Profit Healthcare Industry During Covid-19 Pandemic
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-14
"Democrats are doing exactly what insurance companies want by expanding COBRA. We need Medicare for All now." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1206754522_1_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/14/nothing-taxpayer-subsidy-insurers-democrats-float-plan-backstop-profit-healthcare?cd-origin=rss

Sanders Endorses Biden to 'Bring Democrats Against Trump'
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-13
United States (U.S.) Senator and former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Monday former Vice President Joe Biden, joining him as a guest on an online appearance. | RELATED: | US Democratic Voters More Than Ever Not Afraid of 'Socialism' | "We must come together to defeat the most dangerous president in modern history," tweeted Sanders announcing his appearance with Biden and referencing U.S. President Donald Trump. | "Today, I am asking all Americans[mdas…
telesurenglish.net/news/Sanders-Endorses-Biden-to-Bring-Democrats-Against-Trump–20200413-0013.html

Bernie Sanders Forced Open the Books on the Last Bailout
Dean Baker | cepr.net | 2020-04-13
A Washington Post piece that noted the lack of disclosure requirements in the current round of bailouts referred to efforts to force disclosures in the last bailout. It only noted a suit by Bloomberg to force the Fed to make disclosures: "During the global financial crisis, the Federal Reserve refused to turn over to reporters …
cepr.net/bernie-sanders-forced-open-the-books-on-the-last-bailout/

Sanders joins Biden livestream to give full-throated ENDORSEMENT
rt.com | 2020-04-13
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprising appearance on former Vice President joe Biden's livestream to give the rival for the Democrat presidential nomination an enthusiastic endorsement against President Donald Trump. | Denouncing Trump as a "racist, sexist, homophobe" who "lies all the time," Sanders announced he was now supporting Biden's presidential bid. The self-described democratic socialist had suspended his campaign last week, saying he would stay on the ballot to influence party policy at the convention

Wash Your Hands? Despite Pandemic, Thousands Still Have No Water in Detroit, a Coronavirus Hot Spot
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-13
Water shutoffs continue amid the coronavirus pandemic in Detroit, despite a moratorium and a program to help thousands of residents restore service last month. The lack of water access comes as nearly 1,500 people in Michigan have died from COVID-19, and 40% of those who have died are African-American, despite making up just 14% of the state's population. We speak with community pastor and activist Rev. Roslyn Bouier, who has been working with residents to restore their water.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/13/detroit_michigan_water_shut_offs

"Reckless and Irresponsible": Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Trump's Promotion of Hydroxychloroquine
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-13
The coronavirus hot spot Detroit is the site of the first major U.S. study into whether or not the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine could help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This comes after weeks of President Trump promoting the drug despite warnings from medical experts. "There's been a lot of hype from the president, and that is so problematic, because we know that hydroxychloroquine … has some potential side effects that can be really dangerous," responds Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and epidemiologist who is the former head of Detroit's Health Department.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/13/detroit_hydroxychloroquine_study_coronavirus

What Trump Knew & When He Knew It: NYT on How Trump Ignored COVID-19 Warnings Until It Was Too Late
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-13
As the United States surpasses the coronavirus death toll of any country in the world with more than 22,000 dead, we look how President Trump led the country to this point with Eric Lipton, lead author of The New York Times's explosive new exposé, "He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump's Failure on the Virus."
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/13/trump_coronavirus_response_eric_lipton_nyt

A Special Gift for Donald Trump's Friends: An Excess Profits Tax
Dean Baker | cepr.net | 2020-04-13
When he fired the inspector general who would have overseen the bailout fund, Trump made it clear that he fully intends to use the money to advance his re-election campaign, just as he has done with his presidential powers throughout his term in office. While the Democrats ceded their ability to prevent the corruption of …
cepr.net/a-special-gift-for-donald-trumps-friends-an-excess-profits-tax/

How Big Tech Is Preparing for a Biden Presidency
Matt Sedlar | cepr.net | 2020-04-13
Washington Monthly See article on original site Three days after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, he took press questions standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a figure now vilified by his base: ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Back then, Big Tech didn't need to ask if it had a seat at the table of a Democratic presidential …
cepr.net/how-big-tech-is-preparing-for-a-biden-presidency/

Federal Wardens Must Immediately Flatten the Curve in our Nation's Prisons
Kanya Bennett | aclu.org | 2020-04-13
With 10 deaths and more than 500 positive COVID-19 cases in the nation's federal prisons, wardens must " move with dispatch" to " move vulnerable inmates out of these institutions." These are the words that Attorney General William Barr used on April 3rd when he directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reduce the federal prison population in the wake of COVID-19…
aclu.org/news/prisoners-rights/federal-wardens-must-immediately-flatten-the-curve-in-our-nations-prisons

'We scared the hell out of the American people' over 'flu,' says Fox News guest
rt.com | 2020-04-13
Former education secretary Bill Bennett has been savaged online for suggesting that the coronavirus is "not a pandemic," calling for the lifting of lockdown measures, as the debate rages over reopening the shuttered US economy. | More than half a million Americans have caught the coronavirus, with just over 22,000 deaths. While the numbers are dire, the University of Washington's forecasters revised their total predicted Covid-19 deaths down to 60,000 last week, a number comparable to deaths from influenza in 2017-2018,…
rt.com/usa/485723-scared-americans-flu-bennett/

Solidarity in a Time of Pandemic, While the US Capitalizes on Disaster
Roger D. Harris | mintpressnews.com | 2020-04-13
The virus does not discriminate, attacking oppressed and oppressor alike. Unfortunately, the US government does more than discriminate. Washington has seen the pandemic as an opportunity.
mintpressnews.com/solidarity-during-pandemic-us-capitalizes-covid-19/266557/

Cuts, outsourcing and democratic deficits are stunting councils' fight against coronavirus
Jamie Osborn | bright-green.org | 2020-04-12
England is one of the most centralised nations in the world. For years, local councils have faced brutal cuts to their budgets and stripping away of their powers by Westminster. Now …

Cuts, outsourcing and democratic deficits are stunting councils' fight against coronavirus

Believe all women? New York Times only remembers its journalistic skepticism when it's Biden in the crosshairs
rt.com | 2020-04-12
For anyone running for office in modern America, accusations of sexual assault are par for the course. But when it comes to weighing up these accusations, the US' mainstream paper of record applies some very uneven standards. | Take Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. If doubts weren't already raised by his fondness for sniffing women, the emergence last month of a sexual assault allegation against the former vice president could have caused a major headache for his campaign. | Yet amid the coronav…
rt.com/usa/485620-biden-new-york-times-kavanaugh/

New York: New social distancing fines attack workers, not coronavirus
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-12
New York, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that he has increased the maximum fines for not adhering to social distancing orders. Previously $500, the maximum fines suddenly jumped to $1000. The NYPD has also started arresting people for not social distancing, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claims "is about educating people, helping them understanding the new reality." | While it is of course important that those who are able to work from home keep others safe through social distancing, the increase in fines will primarily affect essential workers, many of whom are still forced to…
fightbacknews.org/2020/4/11/new-york-new-social-distancing-fines-attack-workers-not-coronavirus

NY's Cuomo pleases crowds with 'Hero Compensation Fund' for healthcare workers… after 9 years of hospital cuts
rt.com | 2020-04-11
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched a fund to support sick healthcare workers and their families, but some blame him for the dire working conditions facing the state's caregivers after nine years of hospital budget cuts. | Cuomo announced the state is working on a "Covid-19 Heroes Compensation Fund" to support healthcare workers and their families who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus during his daily briefing on Friday. It was heralded by his growing Democratic fan club as a generous, thoughtful move from a politician who cares about the "frontline workers." | AAbsent from the lovefest was any…
rt.com/usa/485546-cuomo-panders-healthcare-heroes-hospitals/

Frontline workers deserve honest answers about their PPE concerns
Natalie Bennett | bright-green.org | 2020-04-11
Like most people in the UK, I've been hearing for weeks reports from medical professionals and care workers about their concerns about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), but …

Frontline workers deserve honest answers about their PPE concerns

Sanders Out – It's Biden VS Trump
Comrade Jenkem | thepeoplescube.com | 2020-04-11

People's Blog

| Statistics : 7 Replies | | 2480 Views | Last post by Comrade Jenkem…
thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/sanders-out-it-s-biden-vs-trump-t21414.html#p231798

Noam Chomsky on Trump's Disastrous Coronavirus Response, Bernie Sanders & What Gives Him Hope
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-10
How did the United States

Thank you, Bernie. Screw You, New York Times
Laura Flanders | fair.org | 2020-04-10
| It is the essence of American liberalism to trash radical dreams and then dance on them. And that's just what the New York Times did the day after Bernie Sanders bowed out of the Democratic race for the nomination. On that day, in a special editorial ( 4/9/20), the editors of the very same paper that disparaged his every move opined that America is divided and our democracy corrupt, and launched a series promising to report on just the sort of transformative policies Sanders advocated. The New York Times (
fair.org/home/thank-you-bernie-screw-you-new-york-times/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thank-you-bernie-screw-you-new-york-times

COVID-19: How the Media Hyped the Public Into an Anti-China Frenzy
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-04-10
A new Harris poll has found that, amidst the crisis, the American public's attitude towards China has turned from frosty to outright hostile. 77 percent of the country blames China for the outbreak, with 54 percent stating that it owes the U.S. reparations for being the epicenter of the outbreak. The public also believes…
mintpressnews.com/poll-us-public-wants-retaliation-against-china-over-coronavirus/266534/

Emmanuel Barthélemy: A revolutionary who became a tawdry tabloid tale
Stuart Munckton | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-10
Books & music History Phil ShannonIssue 1260 AustraliaApril 10, 2020 | 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…
greenleft.org.au/content/emmanuel-barth%C3%A9lemy-revolutionary-who-became-tawdry-tabloid-tale

Naomi Klein: Sanders "Broke the Spell" of Neoliberalism as Trump Pushes Coronavirus Capitalism
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-09
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

Noam Chomsky: Bernie Sanders Campaign Didn't Fail. It Energized Millions & Shifted U.S. Politics
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-09
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.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/9/noam_chomsky_bernie_sanders_campaign

Suspending the Campaign, Not the Movement: Sanders Pulls Out of 2020 Race But Will Stay on Ballot
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-09
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/9/bernie_sanders_drops_out_of_race

What we all need to learn now that Bernie Sanders's presidential bid is over
Peter Bolton | thecanary.co | 2020-04-09
Bernie Sanders has withdrawn from the Democratic Party primary. This has prompted a fierce debate about what went wrong. While he clearly faced unfair disadvantages from the start, progressives must also accept that he made some unnecessary mistakes. And if we're going to win victories in the future, we must learn from them. | Unfair fr…
thecanary.co/us/us-analysis/2020/04/09/what-we-all-need-to-learn-now-that-bernie-sanderss-presidential-bid-is-over/

"Exposing U.S. Racism in a Stark New Way": COVID-19 Kills Disproportionate Number of Black Americans
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-09
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/9/camara_phyllis_jones_coronavirus_race_disparities

"People Are Dying in the Streets": Ecuador Struggles to Cope with COVID-19 as Cases Skyrocket
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-08
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.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/8/ecuador_coronavirus

"A Systematic Issue of Disparity": Black People in Louisiana Account for 70% of COVID-19 Deaths
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-08
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

Journalist on Wisconsin Election: Republicans Are Letting People Die in Order to Hang On to Power
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-08
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

Albert Woodfox: COVID-19 Offers Public a "Small Window" into What Prisoners Face in Solitary Confinement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-08
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/8/albert_woodfox_solitary_confinement

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders & Fight for a Progressive Future
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-07
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.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/7/aoc_coronavirus_stimulus_corporate_slush_fund

Deaths of Inequality: AOC on Black and Latinx Communities at Epicenter of Epicenter of the Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-07
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."
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/7/aoc_coronavirus_queens_bronx

Amazon "Profiting from This Pandemic" as Warehouse Workers Walk Off Job to Demand Safer Conditions
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-07
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/7/amazon_state_island_warehouse_workers_walkout

NY Bishop Explains Why St John Divine Cathedral Is Working with Fundamentalist Group During Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-06
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/6/samaritans_purse_central_park_field_hospital

Amazon on strike: what workers need to know about their rights
Anya Parampil | thegrayzone.com | 2020-04-03
Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Kevin Gustafson, an organizer with Democracy at Work and host of the Sensible…
thegrayzone.com/2020/04/03/amazon-strike-workers-rights/

'The universe is collapsing'
Bernie Sanders | zcomm.org | 2020-03-27
Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
zcomm.org/zvideo/the-universe-is-collapsing/

Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections
Lilly Dragnev | peaceaction.org | 2020-03-20
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 …
peaceaction.org/2020/03/20/peace-action-supports-wyden-klobuchar-bill-to-protect-democracy-and-ensure-safe-elections/