Daily Archives: May 22, 2020

2020-05-22: News Headlines

Andrew Levine (2020-05-22). If Nancy Pelosi Is So Great, How Come Donald Trump Still Isn't Dead in the Water? counterpunch.org To hear Democratic Party propagandists and anti-Trump Republicans on the cable networks tell it, Nancy Pelosi is the shrewdest, most politically savvy Democrat in living memory. MSNBC is the worst, and Rachel Maddow is the worst of the worst, but, in effect, they all speak with one voice, and they all agree that the woman

Joseph Natoli (2020-05-22). Will Things Fall Apart Now or in November? counterpunch.org "[T]he Republican fraud drumbeat could lay the groundwork for Mr. Trump and his supporters to reject the election results should he lose." — Michael Wines, "Republicans to Pursue a Crackdown on Voting," The New York Times, May 19, 2020. Bill Maher has been asking this question for a long time now: "How will we get

WSWS (2020-05-22). "Obamagate" claims spark new round in internal US political warfare. wsws.org There is no progressive or democratic side in the conflict between Trump and the Democrats.

Mitchell Plitnick (2020-05-22). Key Biden Adviser Offers Little Hope for Palestinians. commondreams.org Speaking in a web broadcast organized by the so-called Democratic Majority for Israel, Blinken stated bluntly that Biden "would not tie military assistance to Israel to any political decisions it makes, full stop."(Photo: Matt Smith Photographer / Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-05-22_at_9.42.21_am.png

WSWS (2020-05-22). NY Governor Cuomo shields nursing homes from prosecutions related to 5,600 COVID-19 deaths. wsws.org The Democratic governor simultaneously praised his administration's response to the pandemic and asserted that "nobody" should be held accountable for the tremendous number of needless deaths.

WSWS (2020-05-22). No to the anti-China campaign! For international solidarity against the pandemic and capitalism! wsws.org The SEP rejects the chauvinistic attacks by the Trump administration and Democrats aimed at shifting responsibility for the mass death due to the coronavirus pandemic from the American ruling class.

Mariela Castro Espín (2020-05-22). Sexual rights and emancipation in Cuba. zcomm.org The 1959 revolution launched a project of social justice and equity, an event that would change policies regarding gender and sexualities, among profound, radical transformations in the nation and its culture…

WSWS (2020-05-22). Third man charged in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. wsws.org William Bryan, who recorded video of Arbery being shot and killed by Travis McMichael in February, was arrested Thursday and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Mnar Muhawesh (2020-05-21). Podcast: Aaron Mate Debunks RussiaGate and Discusses How Liberals Came to Love Bush-Era Neocons. mintpressnews.com Investigative journalist Aaron Mate unpacks four years of Russiagate propaganda and how it was the gift that kept on giving for both the Trump administration and the Democratic Party.

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-21). "KievGate" and the November 2020 Presidential Elections. Biden and Poroshenko Colluded in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca Money-controlled US elections are farcical when held — world's apart from what democracy in action is supposed to. | It's a notion long abhorred by both right wings of the one-party state — the war party, the money party, the anti-peace, …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-05-21). Warren Tops MoveOn Survey for Preferred Biden VP Pick. commondreams.org The new poll shows 73% of the group's members would be more likely to vote for the former vice president if Sen. Elizabeth Warren is his running mate. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/moveon-warren-vp.jpg

Staff (2020-05-22). Headlines for May 22, 2020. democracynow.org Unemployment Claims Reach 38.6 Million in Worst U.S. Economic Crisis Since Depression, As Millions Lose Jobs, the Billionaire Class Sees Wealth Soar by $434 Billion During Pandemic, COVID Cases Spike in Brazil, Mexico, India & Indonesia as Outbreak Grows in Global South, World Bank: 3 Billion People Don't Have Access to Clean Water & Soap, U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 95,000, Trump Refuses to Wear Mask in Front of Media at Ford Plant in Michigan, Report: Striking Racial Divide Found in Nursing Homes Impacted by COVID Outbreak, COVID Racial Data Tracker Documents How Pandemic Is Devastating Communities of Color, Pol…

Staff (2020-05-22). "Diarrhea, Dehydration, Hunger, Exhaustion": India's Rural Poor Suffer Most Under Lockdown. democracynow.org India just saw its biggest spike in coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 6,000 new reported infections, as an estimated 3 million seek shelter from a powerful cyclone and tens of thousands have no work or food. We go to Mumbai for an update from renowned journalist P. Sainath, founder of the People's Archive of Rural India.

Staff (2020-05-22). FBI Says It Will Investigate Breonna Taylor Shooting Death as Police Chief Announces Retirement. democracynow.org We speak with Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nurse who was shot to death by police inside her own apartment. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department that details how police shot Taylor at least eight times after they burst into her apartment, unannounced, with a search warrant. The man police were looking for did not live in Taylor's apartment and was reportedly already detained by police when officers arrived at Taylor's residence on the night of March 13. At the time of her killing, Taylor had been working as an e…

Staff (2020-05-22). Mike Davis: Workers Face "Sophie's Choice" Between Income & Health as 50 States Reopen Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org All 50 states will be at least partially reopened this Memorial Day weekend, as the U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak tops 95,000 and some states prepare for a surge in cases. We're joined by historian and writer Mike Davis, who says in Jacobin that "Reopening the Economy Will Send Us to Hell."

Staff (2020-05-22). Third White Man Arrested for Murder in Ahmaud Arbery Shooting as DOJ Considers Hate Crime Charges. democracynow.org Authorities have arrested a third white man for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, this one charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump about how William Bryan filmed Arbery jogging down a narrow road in Brunswick, Georgia, in broad daylight, before he was confronted by two armed white men — retired police officer Gregory McMichael and his son Travis — who shot him three times. "This was never about any trespassing or burglary," Crump says. "This was always about profiling Ahmaud Arbery because of the color of his skin."

Staff (2020-05-21). From Syria to U.S.-Mexico Border, Refugees Worldwide Face Hunger & Deprivation as COVID-19 Spreads. democracynow.org We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited. We're joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, executive director of Lancet Migration.

Staff (2020-05-21). Refugees Worldwide Face Hunger and Deprivation as COVID-19 Spreads. truthout.org We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited. We're joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, executive director of Lancet Migration. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I'm Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh, as we look now to the spread of the coronavirus across the globe and how i…

Staff (2020-05-21). Crowded & Desperate: Rohingya in World's Largest Refugee Camp Face Dual Crises of Cyclone & COVID-19. democracynow.org A major cyclone hits India and Bangladesh amid the pandemic, displacing 3 million people and unleashing heavy rain on Cox's Bazar, home to 1 million Rohingya refugees, where the first cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. We get an update from Steven Corliss, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Bangladesh, and speak with Tun Khin, a Rohingya activist, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.

Staff (2020-05-21). Study Warns 1.1 Million Children Could Die as Pandemic Interrupts Access to Food & Medical Care. democracynow.org A new report finds 1.1 million children under 5 could die the next six months from secondary impacts of the pandemic, like disruptions to health services and access to food. Mothers are also imperiled. We speak with Tim Roberton, lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and with infectious diseases pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann.

Staff (2020-05-21). Headlines for May 21, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Cases Top 5 Million as WHO Records Record One-Day Spike, Brazilian Mayor Fears "Genocide" from COVID-19, Accuses Bolsonaro of "Crime Against Humanity", Disease Modelers Say Delays in U.S. Lockdowns Cost Tens of Thousands of Lives, Pro-Trump Doctors to Promote Reopening States Despite CDC Warnings, Millions Flee as Cyclone Batters India and Bangladesh, Dam Disaster in Michigan Threatens to Flood Toxic Sites, Trump Threatens to Cut Funding to Michigan, Nevada over Mail-in Voting, McDonald's Workers Strike to Demand Personal Protective Equipment, Striking New Orleans Sanitation Workers Replaced by…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). Why the West Is Not the Best When It Comes to COVID-19. strategic-culture.org East Asia fares significantly better in terms of the impact of COVID-19 than the West. Although the virus is believed to have originated in East Asia, as of May 22, 2020 no East Asian nation was among the first ten countries in number of total cases of COVID-19. No matter what type of rule — democratic or autocratic — the numbers of total cases and deaths per 1 million of population in East Asian countries are significantly lower than in the West despite huge population density.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). U.S. Warplane Profits Scramble Over Germany's Anti-Nuclear Push. strategic-culture.org When Germany's Social Democrats — the junior governing coalition partner — renewed long-standing calls for withdrawing U.S. nuclear bombs from the country, the backlash from Washington was fast and furious. | Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Berlin, wrote an

RT (2020-05-22). 'You ain't black' if you support Trump over me — Joe Biden to BLACK radio host. rt.com Joe Biden seems to have appointed himself the US' top racial scientist, telling a prominent black radio host that if he considers voting for Donald Trump instead of himself, then he "ain't black." | In a bizarre and often contentious interview, Joe Biden sat down with 'The Breakfast Club' host Charlamagne Tha God to discuss all things African-American, including the rumor that he's considering choosing a black female running mate for this year's election. | Charlamagne grilled Biden from the outset. An outspoken supporter of Bernie Sanders, he has previously hounded Biden for "avoiding" a sit-down interview on…

RT (2020-05-22). 'He had everything': Fans and clubs mourn as 'unforgettable' ex-Paris Saint-Germain prodigy Jordan Diakiese dies at age of 24. rt.com Paris Saint-Germain have paid their respects after the shock death of former France youth international Jordan Diakiese, who rose to the fringes of the Champions League contenders' squad and was known for his "wild dancing." | The French champions offered their sympathy to the right-back's family after current club AS Furiani-Agliani, where he had been a popular member of the squad since signing last summer, stunned supporters by revealing his premature death. | Corsica-based Furiani described the former France Under-21 player as an "endearing boy" who was liked "on and off the pitch," adding that their staff…

RT (2020-05-22). DOJ indicts elections judge who was bribed by Democratic adviser to STUFF BALLOT BOXES for 3 voting cycles. rt.com A Philadelphia elections judge has been charged after allegedly working with a political consultant to "stuff" ballot boxes in favor of Democratic candidates during three primary contests, taking bribes to cast fraudulent votes. | The US Department of Justice (DOJ) brought two counts against former Judge of Elections Domenick DeMuro, stating he accepted cash payments from a consultant to stuff ballots for Democratic judicial candidates during primary races in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Though DeMuro's court case is already underway in a sealed proceeding, the DOJ first announced the charges on Thursday. | "DeMuro fr…

RT (2020-05-22). Biden apologizes for telling black DJ he 'ain't black,' but his supporters were already making excuses for him. rt.com Joe Biden has apologized for questioning the blackness of a black radio host, saying he "shouldn't have been such a wiseguy." His earlier remarks caused an outcry, but the former VP's supporters were already covering for him. | In a radio interview with 'The Breakfast Club' host Charlamagne Tha God on Friday morning, Biden appeared agitated. After Charlamagne pressed him on a list of racial issues, he asked Biden to return for another questioning before November, saying "we've got more questions." | Biden, having evidently reached the end of his tether, snapped. "You've got more questions?" he jibed. "Well I…

RT (2020-05-21). What does Trump's new spy director think of Russia and China? rt.com John Ratcliffe has been confirmed as the US' new director of national intelligence. As he gears up to oversee seventeen intelligence agencies, how will he use these organizations to work with, or against, America's adversaries? | The Senate confirmed Rep. Ratcliffe to the position on Friday, in a 49-44 vote along party lines. President Trump had previously tipped the Texas Republican for the role last year, before urging him to withdraw his application due to "months of slander and libel" from the "lamestream media." The supposed slander centered around Ratcliffe's defense of Trump during Special Counsel Rober…

Fight Back (2020-05-22). Tampa students say no to attack on video game club by USF administration. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) hosted an email-in on Wednesday, May 20, fighting back against the University of South Florida's administration. Under the panic of the COVID-19 crisis, USF administration has defunded, suspended and effectively disbanded the Video Game Club (VGC) at USF. The student organizers demanded the reinstatement of the VGC, in addition to maintaining students' prior demands of refunds for 'distance learning fees' and all activity and service fees, as the mandatory off-campus learning gives the fees no reason to be charged. | The suspension of student-run Vide…

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-21). The Real UkraineGate Scandal: There's No Longer Any Question that Joe Biden Carried Out a Cover-Up in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca Trump stands vindicated for accusing Biden of trying to cover up his son's corruption in Ukraine after one of that country's lawmakers released audio recordings of the former Vice President's numerous conversations with former President Poroshenko to that effect, proving …

Fight Back (2020-05-21). California Gov. Newsom calls for 10% state worker pay cuts. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On May 14, Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom laid out his plan to deal with a projected $54 billion budget deficit for the state of California. Included in the plan was to save almost $3 billion by cutting state workers' pay by 10%. | Eleven years ago, California state workers were furloughed for one to two days a month as part of the effort to cut spending after a large budget deficit developed with the deep recession and financial crisis. While the unions tried to fight this, the courts ultimately sided with the state government. The furloughs continued for five years, even though the recession ende…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-21). Teachers and students across Greece protest government's flawed educational policy. peoplesdispatch.org Protesters denounced a new bill on education proposed by the conservative New Democracy-led government in Greece. Critics claim the new bill is likely to worsen the operation of schools and increase class barriers to education…

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-05-21). What Goes Around Comes Around. thealtworld.com The Democrats wasted President Trump's first term with contrived investigations of Trump and General Flynn. The Russiagate hoax resulted in illegitimate indictments of Republican consultants Paul Manafort and Roger Stone as the questionable charges against them were unrelated to Robert Mueller's Russiagate investigation and exceeded the scope of his mandate. The charges were brought in order to coerce them into giving false testimony against Trump. The arm-twisting failed, but both were convicted in the media and had their old age ruined by the corrupt Muller's effort to frame the President of the United States.

Mark Harris (2020-05-21). Pandemic Capitalism's Cruel Absurdity. commondreams.org The United States has long established itself as the neoliberal superstar, the modern nation with the most wealth inequality, threadbare social safety net, and thoroughly corporatized political leaders from both major parties. (Photo: Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/killcapitalism.jpg

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-21). Israel Uses COVID To Further Infiltrate US Cybersecurity & US Gov Sets Fire To Wheat Crops In Syria. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/21/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-21). Bob Langer The Coronavirus "Common Denominator" Tied To Charles Lieber & Israel's NY "Smart Cities" thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Staff (2020-05-21). Trump's "Blame China" Strategy Echoes Bush's Targeting of Iraq. truthout.org There's a meme that appears now and then on Facebook and other social media: "Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it. Yet those who do study history are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it." | That's funny. What's not is that the Trump administration and its coterie of China-bashers, led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and aided by Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton, have recently been dusting off the fake-intelligence playbook Vice President Dick Cheney used in 20…

Staff (2020-05-20). "Stay Alive, Stay at Home, Organize": Rev. Barber Sets June 20 for Poor People's Digital March on DC. democracynow.org We look at the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Black, Brown and poor communities, and the next steps officials should take, with Reverend William Barber, who is organizing an online Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington, D.C., on June 20. "We're not going to just die. We're going to stand up and fight back," says Rev. Barber. He also discusses voter suppression ahead of the November election.

Staff (2020-05-20). Immigrants Protest Demolition of NJ Public School for $750 Million Robert Wood Johnson Cancer Center. democracynow.org We go to New Brunswick, New Jersey, to look at the fight to save the largely immigrant Lincoln Annex public school from demolition to make way for the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital's $750 million cancer center. Democracy Now! co-host Juan González lives in New Brunswick and has been active in the campaign. We also speak with Juan Cartagena, president and general counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and attorney representing parents, students and taxpayers who oppose the demolition.

Staff (2020-05-20). As NYC Subway Closures Force Unhoused People into Packed Shelters, Advocates Demand Permanent Homes. democracynow.org For the first time in its 115-year history, this month New York City began shutting down its subway system overnight. The unprecedented move has left unhoused people who rely on the trains for shelter suddenly with nowhere to go, and made them even more vulnerable as the coronavirus continues to spread. "The situation is concerning," says emergency physician Dr. Kelly Doran, who has joined advocates in calling on New York to do more to protect unhoused people from infection. We also speak with Josh Dean, executive director of the homeless advocacy group Human.NYC.

Staff (2020-05-20). Headlines for May 20, 2020. democracynow.org CDC Unveils Guidance on Reopening, Excluding Advice to Houses of Worship, Florida, Georgia Accused of Manipulating Data on Coronavirus Outbreaks, Senators Grill Treasury Secretary, Fed Chair over Coronavirus Loan Programs, Trump Claims Meat Plants Are Safe Despite Surging Coronavirus Cases, Unhoused New Orleans Residents Demand Rooms in Hotels Idled by Pandemic, Federal Judge Rules Texas Must Allow Residents to Vote by Mail, Homeland Security Department Watchdog to Probe Coronavirus Response, Trump Defends Use of Unproven Antimalarial Drug Despite Medical Warnings, Brazilian President Pushes Chloroquine Use as CO…

Staff (2020-05-20). This is Not a Drill: LIVE, May 20th. therealnews.com What strategic opportunity remains for left organizers to build political power within the Democratic Party after Bernie? Are the Democrats in internal crisis, exacerbated by the broader health, political, and economic crises? And, how can we best fight the right wing? Join us for the next episode of This is Not a Drill: LIVE as…

Staff (2020-05-20). A Just Reopening Prioritizes People Over Profits. therealnews.com As Trump's "reopening" endangers lives, Democrats must advance policy that gives working people something to fight for, argues In These Times' Sarah Lazare.

RT (2020-05-20). Florida governor goes after media who 'waxed poetically' of Florida Covid-19 crisis, brandishing numbers. rt.com Republican Governor Ron DeSantis took a victory lap touting Florida's Covid-19 improved numbers after a partial lockdown lifting, and went after the media for their doomsday predictions. | Speaking to the press on Wednesday, DeSantis said Florida has the "absolute best data" when it comes to coronavirus and anything saying otherwise is simply "typical, partisan narrative trying to be spun." | "And part of the reason [for] that is you got a lot of people in your profession," the governor said, pointing to the cameras and microphones in front of him, "who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida wa…

Alan Macleod (2020-05-20). Biden: Criticism of Israel Is Not Anti-Semitism, Unless It Comes From the Left. mintpressnews.com Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden held an online fundraiser yesterday with around 550 people organized by former U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and Emory University professor Deborah Lipstadt. Much of the discussion revolved around the role of Israel and around the growing tide of anti-Israeli sentiment on American college campuses. "Criticism of Israel's policy is not anti-Semitism," Biden

Raina Lipsitz (2020-05-20). DSA Was Only Getting Started. thenation.com DSA Was Only Getting Started…

Katha Pollitt (2020-05-20). We Should Take Women's Accusations Seriously. But Tara Reade's Fall Short. thenation.com We Should Take Women's Accusations Seriously. But Tara Reade's Fall Short.

CounterSpin (2020-05-15). Ari Berman on Voter Suppression and Coronavirus. fair.org Media…

Jeff Jurgens (2020-05-07). Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help. peaceaction.org Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help Washington, D.C. — May 7, 2020 — In response to the veto by President Trump yesterday of a bill (S.J.Res.68) to reclaim congressional war powers in regards to Iran and the anticipated failure today of the Senate override vote, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for …

Jon Rainwater (2020-04-23). A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times. peaceaction.org As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …

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 …

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