(2020-04-20). Want to Push Biden Left? Focus on These Appointments. cepr.net In These Times See article on original site Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential campaign but assured his supporters that "the struggle continues." And he's right. In the coming weeks and months, the struggle will continue in the streets (although perhaps in cars for the time being), at the ballot box, in workplaces, …
(2020-04-20). Sanders Won the War of Ideas. counterpunch.org As Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama endorse Joe Biden, the final deathblow to the Bernie campaign is dealt. Beyond the sickening numbness I feel in my gut, there's a terribly familiar cynicism setting in, the kind of deep-rooted anger that at present, has no place to go. Once again, I feel almost naàØve for thinking
(2020-04-20). Headlines for April 20, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Fatalities Top 40,000; Nursing Homes Hit Hard as Death Tolls Soar | , Trump and Governors at Odds over Coronavirus Testing as Uneven Reopening of States Commences, Right-Wing Groups Organize Anti-Lockdown Protests Around the Country | , New Deal on Relief for Small Businesses Could Be Imminent But May Lack Key Democratic Provisions, Immigrant Prisoners at Otay Mesa Launch Hunger Strike, Denounce Inhumane Treatment | , Michael Cohen to Be Released from Federal Detention as Prisoners Nationwide Face Mounting Coronavirus Risk, Italy Records Lowest Daily Death Toll in a Week; Spain & France Also Show Signs of Pr…
(2020-04-20). Essential or Expendable? Gig Workers at Instacart & Grocery Stores Demand Safety Gear & Hazard Pay. democracynow.org 
Grocery stores are one of the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, with store workers and gig economy shoppers often working without protection, as demand for groceries soars and millions of Americans stay home. "At first, when the adrenaline was still there, we were essential. We were prideful. And now, as we get more into it, that's wearing off, and it's seeming more like expendable," says Matthew Telles, a member of the Gig Workers Collective, who is a personal shopper who helped organize a strike by Instacart workers in March to demand the company implement appropriate safety measures and give them hazard…
(2020-04-20). Handcuffed: Black Miami Doctor Who Works with Homeless Says He Was Racially Profiled by Police. democracynow.org 
We continue our conversation with Dr. Armen Henderson, an African-American doctor in Miami who was handcuffed outside his home while preparing for a volunteer shift to help protect homeless people from the spread of COVID-19. The encounter has sparked widespread outrage, and Miami's police chief has now tested positive for COVID-19 and is in self-isolation. Dr Henderson has taken a test himself and is waiting for results — and accountability.
(2020-04-20). 'Biden Loves Kids': Trump attacks Biden with meme video of his swimming pool gaffe. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has shared a meme featuring Joe Biden rambling about children touching him in a swimming pool. Fresh from sparring with Biden over China, Trump may be previewing a new line of attack on his handsy opponent. | Posted by Trump on Monday, the meme is a send-up of an Allstate Insurance ad, and features a visibly embarrassed Barack Obama — his head pasted onto an actor's body — squirming as Biden talks about some perplexing encounters with children at a Delaware swimming pool. |
(2020-04-20). Pelosi Picks Friend With Corporate Ties to Oversee COVID-19 Bailout Fund. truthout.org Rep. Katie Porter, a freshman California Democrat and consumer finance expert who quickly made a name for herself in Washington with
(2020-04-20). Old SDSers, New DSAers, and Trump vs. Biden. zcomm.org In a recent letter a group of old SDSers hoped to engage some young critics of the Democratic Party and Joe Biden. Those critics actually ought to be mightily commended for many of their analyses, insights, actions, intuitions, and feelings. For example, the critics are correct that Biden is a tribune of power and wealth
(2020-04-20). New York City mayor announces $827 million in cuts to public education. wsws.org New York's Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio announced deep cuts to education last week, with predictions of more to come.
(2020-04-20). Iranian documentary to be screened at Mammoth Lakes filmfest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 20 (MNA) — Iranian documentary 'Democracy on the Road of Saveh" directed by Touraj Kalantari has been accepted into the 2020 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival in the US.
(2020-04-20). Israelis condemn Netanyahu's anti-democratic COVID-19 measures. peoplesdispatch.org Scores of Israeli citizens gathered at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on April 19, Sunday, to participate in a 'Black Flag' protest against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Protesters claim these measures are anti-democratic and violate privacy. Protesters also opposed Netanyahu's continuing as prime minister. Negotiations between Netanyahu's Likud party and the main opposition — Benny Gantz's Blue and White Alliance — reached a stalemate after no final decision could be reached regarding a potential power-sharing deal between the two. | Protesters on Sunday w…
(2020-04-20). Trump Disrupts the Distinction Between Personal Loyalty & Constitutional Allegiance. counterpunch.org Donald Trump was elected president to disrupt our government and society; to drain the swamp. The specifics were vague, but the understanding was that someone had to change the "system". As Trump said at the 2016 Republican nominating convention in Cleveland, "Only I can fix it." And, he wants explicit loyalty to him from government
(2020-04-20). Biden ads against Trump: Blame China for impact of coronavirus, not the ruling class. wsws.org With his new ads, Biden lines up behind Trump's anti-China witch hunt, seeking merely to turn the chauvinist and war mongering agitation against Trump himself.
(2020-04-20). Legacy of Racial Hatred – Historic Gold Mining Town Negro Bar. indybay.org The 1849 Gold Mining Townsite of Negro Bar is being told utilizing the racial hatred values and beliefs still alive and well. 2020 the California State Governor and Executive Officers are requested to weigh in and provide staff direction.
(2020-04-20). Kashmir photojournalist faces charges over Facebook post. yenisafak.com Indian authorities on Monday booked a Kashmiri photojournalist under a draconian law for her Facebook post, a move criticized for violating the right to free speech in the world's largest democracy."Cyber police station received information through reliable sources that one Facebook user Masrat Zahra is uploading anti national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and to promote offences against public tranquility," according to a statement issued by the police.Zahra has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Section 505 of Indian Penal Code.If convicted, she could face up…
(2020-04-20). Too far-reaching German rescue packages could raise questions, says Merkel. yenisafak.com Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday told the leadership of her party that if Germany spent too much on additional coronavirus rescue programmes, Italy and Spain might point to Europe's largest economy and say it has enough money, participants in the call told Reuters.Merkel, a Christian Democrat (CDU), reiterated her view that launching eurobonds would be the wrong path.
(2020-04-20). New York mayor says lack of coronavirus testing may delay city reopening. yenisafak.com De Blasio, whose city is at the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in the United States, said New York needed to be conducting hundreds of thousands of tests a day and to see hospitalizations decline further before reopening the economy."We could get there but we can't do it without widespread testing and so far the federal government still can't get their handle on that," de Blasio said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," adding that ending social distancing too soon could rekindle the virus."The federal government, especially, needs to get the memo that this thing ain't over and if you pretend it's over it is only going…
(2020-04-19). 'Absurdity and Cruelty' of US Healthcare System, Says Sanders, 'Should Now Be Apparent to All'. commondreams.org Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders took to the opinion section of the New York Times on Sunday to make the case that in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and an economic meltdown, "it's imperative that we re-examine some of the foundations of American society, understand why they are failing us, and fight for a fairer and more just nation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-851681500_0_0.jpg …
(2020-04-19). POLL: Trump is unpopular, but Biden bores America to tears. rt.com 
A new poll shows a majority of voters disapprove of President Donald Trump. But hardly anybody trusts Joe Biden in his place. Even against an unpopular incumbent, Biden has his work cut out for him. | Low approval ratings are nothing new for President Trump, especially when it's liberal or centrist outlets carrying out the polling. The NBC/WSJ
(2020-04-19). Kim never sent 'nice note' to Trump: North Korea accuses US president of 'feeding ungrounded story to media'. rt.com 
Donald Trump's claim that he received a positive letter from Kim Jong Un is false, Pyongyang has said, urging the US president to refrain from using his relations with the North Korean leader for "selfish purposes." | During his briefing on Saturday, Trump boasted that he had "recently" received a written message from Kim. "It was a nice note. I think we're doing fine," he said, insisting that the US and North Korea would've been at war by now, were it not for his diplomatic efforts. | But it turned out that the letter wasn't nice, nor was it unpleasant — as, according to the North Korean Foreign Ministry…
(2020-04-19). Israel's Anti-Netanyahu Protesters Demonstrate Despite Pandemic. telesurenglish.net Under strict COVID-19 restrictions, thousands of people in Tel Aviv, Israel, demonstrated Sunday against the possible extension of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's term under the current alliance negotiations between him and former rival Benny Gantz. | RELATED: | Wearing face masks, waving black flags as a symbol of threats against democracy, the protesters who observed the social distancing rule to fight coronavirus, called on Gantz's Blue…
(2020-04-19). Warren Slams Trump for Supporting Protests Against Stay-at-Home Orders. truthout.org Democratic lawmakers have joined with advocacy groups in criticizing President Donald Trump for In…
(2020-04-19). As Mnuchin Claims Business Relief Deal 'Very Close,' Progressives Demand More of Democratic Leaders. commondreams.org After U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that a deal with congressional leadership to provide more relief to small businesses impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic could be finalized as early as the end of the day, some progressives highlighted what's been left out of the emerging aid package and urged Democratic lawmakers to keep fighting to expand it. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12194339181.jpg …
(2020-04-19). Warren Says by Backing Protests, Trump Is 'Trying to Turn This Health Crisis Into a Political Rally for Himself'. commondreams.org Democratic lawmakers have joined with advocacy groups in criticizing President Donald Trump for encouraging recent protests against stay-at-home orders enacted by state and local governments in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic—including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who accused the president of using the COVID-19 crisis to garner voter support. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12103795741.jpg …
(2020-04-18). Poll Shows Majority of Americans Support Canceling Rent and Suspending Mortgage Payments During Pandemic. commondreams.org New polling from the think tank Data for Progress shows that a majority of Americans across the political spectrum support canceling rent payments and suspending home mortgage payments during the coronavirus pandemic—results that bolster the argument for legislation introduced Friday by Rep. Ilhan Omar to provide relief to "the millions of Americans currently at risk of housing instability and homelessness." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12177067381.jpg …
(2020-04-18). Trump slams 'rude & nasty' Dems admitting Covid-19 cooperation bad between parties. rt.com 
Donald Trump slammed Democrats for a "rude and nasty" phone call with the vice president over the Covid-19 pandemic, and theorized nothing will satisfy them as they try to "fool" America in November's election. | "No matter what you do for the Do Nothing Democrats, no matter how GREAT a job you are doing, they will only respond to their Fake partners in the Lamestream Media in the negative, even in a time of crisis," Trump tweeted on Saturday. | He added that his working relationship with Democrats during the Covid-19 pandemic has been "even worse" than before and revealed senators held a "rude and nasty" conf…
(2020-04-18). US right-wing protesters, supported by Trump, organize against stay-at-home orders. peoplesdispatch.org Different States in the United States are faced with threats of armed resistance from right-wing and conservative groups who are opposing measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, Michigan and a few others States have had or are set to have thousands of protesters defying stay-at-home orders passed by their respective governments. Unsurprisingly, president Donald Trump has come out in support of such dangerous acts. | On April 17, president Donald Trump tweeted in support of these right-wing protests in the States which are led by Democratic governors. The tweets include content like "LIBERATE MICHIGAN",…
(2020-04-18). Elizabeth Warren urges Treasury and Fed to protect workers and taxpayers in new bailout plan. nationofchange.org "You can and must do better for American workers, taxpayers, and the economy."
(2020-04-17). The Great Gray Hope: Bernie Sanders Tests the Limits of US Political Systems. mintpressnews.com For all his remarkable accomplishments, Sanders' legacy in 2020 will likely be that of 2016, which was to be the sheepdog that herded progressives into the Democratic Party and got nothing in return.
(2020-04-17). Frontline Medical Workers Protest New NYC Policy Demanding Doctor's Notes When They Are Sick. democracynow.org 
A new policy at New York City's public hospitals requires medical workers who call in sick to produce a doctor's note. "We know that people just need a mental health day," says Sean Petty, a registered nurse at a public hospital in the Bronx who is organizing a protest against the policy. "Thousands of us have been exposed. Health workers are the least tested group of people in this city." Petty is a member of the board of directors of the New York State Nurses Association.
(2020-04-17). Headlines for April 17, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Surge to New Record High as 4,500+ People Die in 24 Hours, New York COVID-19 Death Toll Surpasses 12,000 While Hospitalizations Continue to Fall | , CDC Investigating SD Pork Processing Plant, Single Biggest COVID-19 Hot Spot in U.S. | , Nurses Suspended in CA for Refusing to Treat COVID-19 Patients Without N95 Masks | , $349B Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Exhausted | , USAA Will No Longer Seize Stimulus Checks; ProPublica Finds Landlords Violated Eviction Ban, NY Gov. Cuomo Rules Out Relief for Undocumented Residents | , UnitedHealth Group Profits Surge as Coronavirus Spre…
(2020-04-17). "Gangster in the White House": Noam Chomsky on COVID-19, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism. democracynow.org 
We continue our conversation with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky. He responds to President Trump's cuts to U.S. support for the World Health Organization and the surge in deaths in the United States to another record high, and discusses conditions in Gaza, the rise of authoritarianism around the world, and the progressive response. "This is typical behavior of autocrats and dictators. When you make colossal errors which are killing thousands of people, find somebody else to blame," say Chomsky. "In the United States, it's unfortunately the case, for well over a century, centu…
(2020-04-17). Sanders and Palestine: a Post Mortem. counterpunch.org Let me start with a story about the Democratic primary. Now, I'm no operative, so this story has nothing to do with voting choices or electability. It's about how Palestine disappears in US electoral discourses, even when people who identify as Palestinian purport to make it visible.
(2020-04-17). Republicans try for political leverage over China with bill allowing Americans to sue for 'damage they caused' with coronavirus. rt.com 
Republican officials Tom Cotton and Dan Crenshaw have introduced a bill sure to stir up tensions between the US and China that would allow American citizens to sue for 'damages' caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. | The senator from Arkansas and the representative from Texas, both vocal critics of the Chinese government, want to amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to create an exception for people to recover "damages caused by China's dangerous handling of the Covid-19 outbreak." | The Immunities Act protects foreign nations and their official agencies from being sued in US courts. | Cotton says China is a…
(2020-04-17). Which Bailed Out Industries Have a Shortcut to Biden World? cepr.net For the reality-based, Trump's indifference to the tragedy that COVID-19 is spreading across the country might be maddening but not surprising. Trump downplaying the severity of the crisis, tweeting nonsense, and pushing for a $500 billion corporate bailout are entirely on brand. This is to be expected of an administration full of former lobbyists and industry executives. But special interests are coming for Democrats, …
(2020-04-17). Trump Administration's Stance on China and WHO is Blackmail. dissidentvoice.org The Trump administration and the Republican's policy towards China and the WHO is nothing short of blackmail. They are trying to pressure China into easing up debts and suppressing the country's growing influence in international institutions.
(2020-04-17). WHO Doubts That Antibodies Can Protect Against COVID-19. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization is not sure whether the presence of antibodies in blood gives full protection against reinfection with the new coronavirus, Mike Ryan, the WHO's top emergencies expert, told a briefing on Friday. | RELATE: | Ryan also said that even if antibodies were effective there was little sign that large numbers of people had developed them and were beginning to offer so-called "herd immunity" t…
(2020-04-17). A Brief History of the Cuomo—de Blasio Feud. thenation.com A Brief History of the Cuomo—de Blasio Feud…
(2020-04-17). In Letter to Mnuchin, Harris and 13 Other Senators Demand Stimulus Cash Be Exempt From Debt Collections. commondreams.org "Americans are in dire need of money to pay their rent and put food on the table—this is absurd." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-671305804_0.jpg …
(2020-04-16). Bernie Sanders Tests the Limits of the US Political System. dissidentvoice.org 
The Great Gray Hope has bowed out of the presidential primary race, leaving tottering Joe Biden as the last Democrat standing. What Bernie Sanders accomplished electorally was remarkable, revealing both how far a progressive can venture and the limits proscribing further advancement to the left within the Democratic Party. Sanders pushes the limits of the …
(2020-04-16). Lee Camp: Why Sanders is Wrong to Endorse Biden. dissidentvoice.org While some have applauded Senator Bernie Sanders for endorsing former Vice-President Joe Biden for president, some have criticized the endorsement. Redacted Tonight host Lee Camp joins Rick Sanchez for analysis.
(2020-04-16). Pandemic Is a Portal: Arundhati Roy on COVID-19 in India, Imagining Another World & Fighting for It. democracynow.org 
Officials in India say six major cities are coronavirus hot spots, including the capital city, New Delhi. We go there to speak with writer and activist Arundhati Roy, who has a new essay on how "The Pandemic Is a Portal." She says, "You have the sense that you're sitting on some kind of explosive substance," and describes how the government of Narendra Modi is using the pandemic to crack down on opponents and dissidents.
(2020-04-16). "Pure Baloney": Zoologist Debunks Trump's COVID-19 Origin Theory, Explains Animal-Human Transmission. democracynow.org 
With the largest one-day death toll in the U.S. yet — 2,400 in just 24 hours — President Trump is trying to deflect attention from his handling of the pandemic by waging a war on public health experts and science, threatening to cut World Health Organization funding and fueling a theory that the coronavirus came from a lab in Wuhan, China. We speak to a zoologist who has been sounding the alarm about a coming pandemic for years. "The idea that this virus escaped from a lab is just pure baloney," says Peter Daszak, disease ecologist and the president of EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit that works global…
(2020-04-16). Headlines for April 16, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Pushes to Reopen Economy by May as Doctors and CEOs Object, 22 Million U.S. Workers File for Unemployment in Just Four Weeks, Tax Loopholes in Coronavirus Relief Bill to Overwhelmingly Benefit the Wealthiest, New York Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 11,500 as Governor Orders Wearing of Masks in Public, Medical Workers Demand More Safety Measures as COVID-19 Deaths Mount, Michigan Protesters Defy Social Distancing Rules, Demanding End to Quarantine, Mexico Faces Shortage of Medical Workers as COVID-19 Spreads, French Aircraft Carrier Evacuated as Nearly 700 Sailors Test Positive for COVID-19, Swedish COVID-19 Ca…
(2020-04-16). 'Mao-style social controls' or benign citizen 'armies'? NYT flip-flops on Covid-19 contact tracers — because now it's not China. rt.com 
The same citizen virus-tracing corps the New York Times decried in China as Maoism incarnate is being tried in Massachusetts and San Francisco, and the outlet has decided that what's bad for Beijing is good for democracies. | Massachusetts and San Francisco — as well as the Republic of Ireland — are deputizing citizens to track down contacts of people infected with coronavirus, the Times
(2020-04-16). First Person: DR Congo doctor prepares for latest in long line of health crises. news.un.org Health professionals working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in eastern Democratic of Congo (DRC), have been dealing with the deadly Ebola epidemic since August 2018. This experience is helping them to prepare for the latest disease to arrive: COVID-19.
(2020-04-16). An Open Letter to the New New Left From the Old New Left. thenation.com Former leaders of the Students for a Democratic Society An Open Letter to the New New Left From the Old New Left…
(2020-04-16). Joe Biden Needs to Start Acting Like a Presidential Candidate. thenation.com Joe Biden Needs to Start Acting Like a Presidential Candidate…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(2020-04-15). Trump threatens to dismiss both chambers of Congress over held-up appointments. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has said he may force both chambers of Congress to officially adjourn unless they do so voluntarily in a protest over the House and Senate blocking him from recess appointments. | 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 on Wednesday at a 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 until May, Trump…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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."
(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 "
(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.
(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…
(2020-04-10). Emmanuel Barthélemy: A revolutionary who became a tawdry tabloid tale. greenleft.org.au 
The Murderer Of Warren Street: The True Story of a Nineteenth-Century Revolutionary
| Marc Mulholland
| W F Howes Ltd, 2019 | It is the sad, but not entirely undeserved, fate of Emmanuel Barthélem…
(2020-04-09). Noam Chomsky: Bernie Sanders Campaign Didn't Fail. It Energized Millions & Shifted U.S. Politics. democracynow.org 
In a new interview, world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky reflects on the significance of the Bernie Sanders campaign, calling it "an extraordinary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States.
(2020-04-09). Naomi Klein: Sanders "Broke the Spell" of Neoliberalism as Trump Pushes Coronavirus Capitalism. democracynow.org 
We talk to journalist and activist Naomi Klein about Bernie Sanders's historic presidential campaign as he suspends his bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination, and about coronavirus capitalism — President Trump's response to the pandemic. Sanders "opened up the window of what was possible politically in this country," says Klein, a senior correspondent at The Intercept, Rutgers University professor and longtime Sanders supporter.
(2020-04-09). Suspending the Campaign, Not the Movement: Sanders Pulls Out of 2020 Race But Will Stay on Ballot. democracynow.org 
Senator Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, making former Vice President Joe Biden the presumptive nominee to face Donald Trump in November. Sanders says he will stay on the ballot in remaining primary races and continue to assemble delegates. We play highlights from Sanders's speech to supporters in a live stream on Wednesday. "Together, we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become, and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice and envir…
(2020-04-09). "Exposing U.S. Racism in a Stark New Way": COVID-19 Kills Disproportionate Number of Black Americans. democracynow.org 
We speak with family physician and epidemiologist Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones about how the coronavirus is taking a devastating toll on black Americans, who are disproportionately dying from the virus across the country as a result of entrenched racial inequality. Black Americans are more likely to have chronic health problems and less likely to have insurance. They also make up significant numbers of frontline workers that are still going to work amid the pandemic. Jones is the former president of the American Public Health Association. Her recent piece for Newsweek magazine is headlined "Coronavirus Disease Discri…
(2020-04-09). Headlines for April 9, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Pandemic Could Push 600 Million More People into Poverty, New York Reports Record 779 Coronavirus Deaths in Just 24 Hours, General Motors to Deliver 30,000 Ventilators, with Most Arriving Long After Projected COVID-19 Peak, Kansas to Allow Crowded Church Services as L.A. Expands Order on Face Coverings, California Fast-Food Workers Strike, Demanding Hazard Pay and Protections Against COVID-19, Trump Touts Unproven Treatments of Hydroxychloroquine and Zinc for COVID-19, World Health Organization Head: "Please Don't Politicize This Virus", Researchers Find Coronavirus Arrived in New York from Europe in…
(2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
(2020-03-20). Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections. peaceaction.org Statement of Jon Rainwater, Executive Director, Peace Action, on the introduction of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill would help ensure that elections can take place in a safe and secure way throughout the pandemic and beyond. March 19, 2020 Peace Action …
(2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …
(2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-06). If Sanders forms a real Alliance with Warren, their Popular Policies Can Win. zcomm.org Conventional wisdom is that a presidential candidate should pick an opposite or contrasting vice presidential running mate, to create a perception of a balanced ticket. But this is not a conventional time or race, Bernie is offering a clear and practical progressive choice to fix the USA. So his running mate needs to be a
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org 
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(2020-02-14). Jim Naureckas on Democratic Primaries, Nina Luo on Decriminalizing Sex Work. fair.org 
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(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…
(2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>
(2020-02-01). The Times They Are a-Changin: Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Sometimes it feels like our world is falling apart, but real change is all around us…
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
