Daily Archives: July 10, 2020

2020-07-10: News Headlines

CEWPAPH (2020-07-10). Alternative "Declaration of Independence Day" on July 4. indybay.org On the fourth of July, a CodePink caravan declared independence from racism, war, and climate devastation – all interconnecting systems of death. | Top Photo: Demonstrators use stencils to paint a message on the street in front of Nancy Pelosi's Pacific Heights Home. It reads, Pelosi Defund War $.

Gloria Rubac (2020-07-10). Federal executions set to resume before Republicans convene. workers.org The federal government plans to execute four people this summer in Terre Haute, Ind., even though the condemned prisoners have not been able to meet with their attorneys for more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced the executions to take place on . . . |

RT (2020-07-10). Phoenix, Arizona hospital runs out of morgue space, requests REFRIGERATOR TRUCKS as Covid-19 fatalities mount. rt.com One hospital in Phoenix, Arizona has reportedly requested refrigerated trucks to augment its morgue capacity, amid a spike in both temperatures and coronavirus deaths in that southwest US state. | Maricopa County "just announced they are going to be getting refrigerated trucks because the Abrazo health care system has run out of morgue beds," Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told MSNBC on Friday. | Gallego, a Democrat, demanded a statewide mask mandate from Republican Governor Doug Ducey. | | Phoenix Mayor Gallego says Maricopa Co. has requested re…

_____ (2020-07-10). How Democrats Are Deceived. strategic-culture.org Democrats are deceived in basically the same way that Republicans are, but by a different group of billionaires. | Noah Shachtman is the Editor-in-Chief of the Democratic Party billionaires' Daily Beast 'news' site. On 29 October 2018, he headlined there,

RT (2020-07-10). NYC mayor bans 'large events' through end of September — except BLM protests. rt.com New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has banned all large public events for the next three months, citing the Covid-19 pandemic — only to make a belated exception for Black Lives Matter rallies, incensing Americans far outside the city. | Fresh from painting a giant "Black Lives Matter" mural on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, the mayor took to CNN to expand on his office's order to cancel all large gatherings through September 30 on Thursday. But when host Wolf Blitzer asked him about "protests," de Blasio couldn't resist taking the day's pandering even further. | "We understand, at this moment in histor…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-07-10). Historic Negro Bar, California a World Heritage Site to be considered. indybay.org In 1848, the discovery of Gold just above Rancho Rio De Los Americanos, his land along the American River Parkway, sparked the world's first global story. The Gold Mining Town of Negro Bar, California is worthy of world class preservation.

Paul Street (2020-07-10). Imperial Blind Spots and a Question for Obama. counterpunch.org The biggest of the many moral blind-spots that mar the politics of the Democratic Party is American imperialism. Biden Helped Lead the Charge into Iraq Look at the Inauthentic Opposition Party's[1] presumptive presidential nominee. Biden recently chided Donald Trump in not-so veiled terms for failing to overthrow the democratically elected socialist Maduro government of Venezuela?

Joel Wendland-Liu (2020-07-10). Overcoming Civil Discourse and Other Illusions of Democracy for the 1%. dissidentvoice.org Festishizing democracy The U.S. racist-capitalist class and its ideological apparatus fetishize the word democracy. Using fatuous appeals to civil discourse, it sponsors the illusion that democracy is the most advanced political system in human history. In addition to voting for their representatives, people supposedly engage with civil society through which they achieve greater social goods …

Rob Urie (2020-07-10). Democracy and the Illusion of Choice. counterpunch.org The neoliberal logic of everything for the rich is now so deeply embedded in American political economy that its base assumptions appear untouchable, except in rare and extraordinary circumstances. With the Covid pandemic exacerbating the current crisis of capitalism, political and economic defense mechanisms make restoring the people and institutions that created the crisis appear to be the only alternative (once again) to solving it

José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva (2020-07-10). Brazilian Democracy Is at a Stalemate. zcomm.org Interview on the need for a broad front coalition to defeat Bolsonarismo…

_____ (2020-07-10). Trump Threatens To Cut Funding For Schools That Don't Reopen. popularresistance.org President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are threatening to cut off federal funding to schools that do not open their doors this fall due to coronavirus concerns. | In a recent Tweet he suggests it is a Democrat ploy to hurt him politically by tweeting: "In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families." In a conference call with governors across the country, Devos stated: "Risk is involved in ever…

Vigil for Democracy, Raging Grannies, More (2020-07-10). Saturday 7/11: Demand that Palo Alto Open City Park to All. indybay.org Foothills Park, 3300 Page Mill Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. | See parking directions below.

Staff (2020-07-10). "Most Important Indian Law Case in Half a Century": Supreme Court Upholds Tribal Sovereignty in OK. democracynow.org In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that much of eastern Oklahoma, constituting nearly half the state, is Native American land, recognizing a 19th century U.S. treaty with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump nominee, joined the court's liberal wing in a narrow 5-4 ruling that found state authorities cannot criminally prosecute Indigenous peoples under state or local laws. The court's bombshell decision — which also impacts the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole Nations — is a major victory for Indigenous sovereignty and treaty rights. "It's a landmark case…

Staff (2020-07-10). Brazilian Epidemiologist Slams Bolsonaro's COVID Response as Far-Right President Tests Positive. democracynow.org As Brazil faces the world's second-worst COVID-19 outbreak after the United States, Trump ally and far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive, after months of downplaying the severity of the pandemic. Brazil has gone almost two months with no health minister. "Bad political leadership is a major risk factor for the spread of the pandemic," says leading Brazilian epidemiologist Cesar Victora, who coordinates the International Center for Equity in Health at the Federal University of Pelotas.

Staff (2020-07-10). Headlines for July 10, 2020. democracynow.org Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Claim of Absolute Immunity, Court Says Much of Oklahoma Remains Indian Country in Landmark Indigenous Sovereignty Case, Hospitals Face Surge as U.S. Reports Record 65,000 New Coronavirus Cases, Surge in Cases Directly Tied to Early Reopenings in Florida, Arizona, Texas, Bolivia's Interim President Tests Positive; India, S. Africa & Mexico Report New Record Highs, 1.3 Million More File for Unemployment as GOP Rejects Extending Jobless Aid, Biden Unveils $700 Billion "Buy American" Economic Recovery Plan, St. Louis Police Break Up City Hall Protest Encampment, With Veto-Proof Majority,…

Staff (2020-07-10). Supreme Court Rules Trump Is Not Above the Law, But Public Unlikely to See Tax Returns by Election. democracynow.org In a pair of 7-2 rulings, the Supreme Court rejected President Trump's claim of absolute immunity under the law. The court ruled a Manhattan grand jury could have access to the president's tax returns, but it remains unlikely any of Trump's tax records will be seen before the election. "Legally, Trump had a big loss," says investigative reporter David Cay Johnston, founder and editor of DCReport.org. "Politically, he got a big win out of this court."

Staff (2020-07-10). "House of Absolute Horrors": Mary Trump's Book Reveals How Trump Family Gave Rise to a "Sociopath" democracynow.org In a new book, Mary Trump — the president's niece — describes Donald Trump as a "sociopath" who grew up in a dysfunctional family that fostered his greed and cruelty. Donald Trump's younger brother, Robert, is seeking to block the sale of the book on the grounds that it violates a confidentiality agreement, but publisher Simon & Schuster says 600,000 copies of the book have already been distributed ahead of its July 14 publishing date. Investigative journalist David Cay Johnston, who has reported on Trump for three decades, says the book is "very, very important" and helps to answer how Trump got to t…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-10). Retired Steelworker leader Jones backs Biden but wishes it was Bernie. peoplesworld.org INDIANAPOLIS—Chuck Jones, the retired Steelworkers Local 1999 president who became famous for debunking then-President-elect Donald Trump's lies about the Carrier plant closure outside Indianapolis almost four years ago, is going to vote for Joe Biden. But Jones really wishes he was voting for Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., the last man standing against former veep Biden …

Peter Frost (2020-07-10). Trump election strategy: Blame China for coronavirus, bad economy. peoplesworld.org With the latest opinion polls showing Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by 53% to 42%, Trump needs desperate measures. A major part of his re-election strategy now is to up the ante against Beijing. Last weekend, he announced yet again that China had caused great damage to the United States and the rest of the …

_____ (2020-07-10). VenezolanosConBiden And MAGAzuela: Two Sides Of The Same Coin. popularresistance.org The Biden campaign held an online event on Wednesday, July 8 pitched as the former Vice President's "vision for Venezuela and Venezuelans in the U.S." Spoiler alert: his vision for Venezuela barely differs from President Trump. This event, which didn't merit an appearance from Biden himself, was aimed at getting Venezuelan-Americans to volunteer for "Uncle Joe", as Representative Darren Soto (D-Fl) called him. It was an hour and a half of shilling for votes and influence, and it demonstrated that when it comes to Venezuela, policies of regime change, sanctions and a refusal to engage in dialogue unite Venezolanos…

repost (2020-07-09). Corrupt Pelosi & Here Wealthy Husband Get PPP-Nancy Pelosi's husband among lawmaker-linked. indybay.org Corrupt Nancy Pelosi's wealthy husband received PPP loan funds.

WSWS (2020-07-09). Wall Street, Republicans and militarists back Biden campaign. wsws.org The presumptive Democratic nominee has outraised President Trump for two months in a row, thanks in part to a flood of corporate and billionaire money.

WSWS (2020-07-09). Federal judge backs Democrats, rules against SEP challenge to Michigan ballot access requirements during pandemic. wsws.org A Republican-appointed federal judge sided with Michigan Democrats on Wednesday and ruled against the Socialist Equality Party in its lawsuit to block the state's unconstitutional rules for ballot access in the 2020 presidential elections.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-09). Trumka rips Senate GOP and its leader, McConnell. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has had it up to here with the U.S. Senate's ruling Republicans and specifically with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Listing the three big crises facing the country, Trumka wants the GOP majority to get off its butt and help the nation's workers. "Numbers of coronavirus infections are rising across large …

RT (2020-07-09). 'Pull up your pants & finish school': Would CNN's Don Lemon cancel himself over shockingly unwoke 2013 tips to black community? rt.com A vintage clip of CNN anchor Don Lemon telling black people to act civilized and disregard "street culture" has the woke pundit's detractors' jaws on the floor, wondering what happened to him over the intervening seven years. | In the 2013 clip, Lemon praises Fox News host Bill O'Reilly as the Republican pundit decries the "disintegration of the African-American family," even arguing O'Reilly "doesn't go far enough" when he denounces "street culture." The video was posted to social media by "Panda Tribune" on Wednesday and quickly circulated among conservatives, who had a hard time reconciling this Lemon with…

RT (2020-07-09). 'Liberating 5th Avenue': New York mayor paints BLACK LIVES MATTER outside Trump Tower. rt.com Signaling where his priorities lie amid an epidemic of coronavirus and violence, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered a stretch of 5th Avenue outside Trump Tower to be painted with the words 'Black Lives Matter'. | City workers closed off the street on Thursday morning and began painting the mural, as De Blasio boasted about "liberating 5th Avenue" and finally giving credit to African-Americans for building New York and the US. | | "We are not denigrating anything, we are liberating Fifth Avenue." | New York City Mayor Bill de Blasi…

Michael Harris (2020-07-09). California Reparations Bill AB 3121 – Senate Process in flow… indybay.org The signs and symbols surrounding the California State Capitol are coming down and few know the reason they were put in place. Reparative Justice hidden, cloaked in secrecy and does not mention Slavery thoroughout the State of California… limited narrow focus may do additional harm… yet not sure it matters because the Black Lives "in the building" is all that matters.

James Goodman (2020-07-09). Closing the Door on Asylum. progressive.org Trump's proposed regulations are an assault on asylum and democracy.

Peter Koenig (2020-07-09). The Global Reset — Unplugged. "The Deep State" globalresearch.ca Imagine, you are living in a world that you are told is a democracy — and you may even believe it — but in fact your life and fate is in the hands of a few ultra-rich, ultra-powerful and ultra-inhuman oligarchs. They may be called Deep State, or simply the Beast, …

Makasi Motema (2020-07-09). Revolution and proletarian democracy. workers.org A socialist revolution is an uprising of the proletariat — the working class, those who do not own the property necessary to run a business but must instead work for someone else. A socialist revolution is an awakening that causes the mass of workers to resist their oppression. In order . . . |

WSWS (2020-07-09). Letters demand Sri Lankan defence secretary stop military harassment of SEP candidates. wsws.org This campaign is part of broader struggle to defend the democratic rights of all working people against dictatorial measures.

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-09). As Long As Mass Media Propaganda Exists, Democracy Is A Sham. thealtworld.com "A majority of Americans believe that Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan last year amid negotiations to end the war, and more than half want to respond with new economic sanctions against Moscow, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday," "Overall, 60% of Americans said they found reports of Russian bounties on American soldiers to be 'very' or 'somewhat' believable, while 21% said they were not credible and the rest were unsure," says Reut…

Gary Leupp (2020-07-09). "Pinning Down Putin" Biden, the Democrats and the Next War. counterpunch.org The latest Foreign Affairs features a piece by former Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, "Pinning Down Putin: How a Confidant America Should Deal With Russia." A protege of former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton, she is a notorious "liberal interventionist," married to neocon pundit Robert Kagan. She is perhaps best known

_____ (2020-07-09). The Impact Of The Economic War On Venezuela. popularresistance.org It would be impossible to count each and every one of the ways in which the war on Venezuela declared by imperialism has harmed the country. The aggressions that we, the Venezuelans, have experienced since 1999 have been not only economic; they have been psychological as well. There is no way to measure the consequences of the hate planted by the anti-democratic opposition, with its anti-socialist propaganda; it has extended to the point of burning people alive for being Chavistas. The outrage felt by the Venezuelan people when they see those who have sold out their native land while calling themselves Venezuelan…

yenisafak (2020-07-09). UN sends 71 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Thursday sent 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people are in need of assistance due to internal conflict in the country.The trucks carrying supplies entered Idlib province through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's south.The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone…

RT (2020-07-09). Not a 'racist' plan anymore? Democrats rejoice over Biden's $700bn 'Buy American' promise. rt.com Joe Biden unveiled a $700 billion 'Buy American' initiative, drawing praise from both liberals and conservatives on social media, but some noted that similar plans by the Trump administration were previously framed as 'racist.' | Biden's economic pitch includes plans for a $400 billion, four-year increase in government spending on US-made goods and services — topped by a $300 billion investment in research and development for US technology. | "This will be the largest mobilization of public investments in procurement, infrastructure and (research and development) since World War II," Biden's senior advise…

Staff (2020-07-09). Belgian Princess Condemns Her Family's Brutal Colonial History in Congo & Calls for Reparations. democracynow.org Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. have sparked a reckoning about racism and colonialism across the world, including in Belgium, where a growing movement is demanding the country address systemic racism and make amends for its violent colonial legacy. King Philippe issued an unprecedented statement "expressing regret" for Belgium's brutal colonial rule in Congo under Leopold II, who ran the country as his personal fiefdom and under whose command millions of Congolese were enslaved and killed. "It's an erased history," says Belgo-Congolese journalist and activist Gia Abrassart. We also speak with Princess Esm…

Staff (2020-07-09). Headlines for July 9, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Posts Another Record Daily High in New Coronavirus Cases, Anthony Fauci Absent from Coronavirus Task Force Briefing After Drawing Criticism from Trump, Trump Attacks CDC Guidance on School Reopenings During Pandemic, Hundreds Test Positive for COVID-19 at Arizona For-Profit Immigration Jail, Tulsa, OK Health Official Links Explosion of Coronavirus Cases to Trump Rally, HHS Secretary Claims Medical Workers "Don't Get Infected" After 95,000 Test Positive for Coronavirus, COVID-19 Cases Spike in Africa, While Melbourne, Australia, Is Placed Back on Lockdown, Bolivians Buried in Mass Graves as Hospitals "Collaps…

Staff (2020-07-09). Viagra? Yes. Birth Control? No. SCOTUS Sides with Trump & Limits Free Contraception Under Obamacare. democracynow.org The Supreme Court dealt a major blow to reproductive rights when it sided with the Trump administration in letting employers deny people access to free birth control based on religious or moral grounds, hollowing out a mandate under the Affordable Care Act that requires most private health insurance plans to provide cost-free birth control. "It's a really deeply disappointing ruling," says Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women's Law Center. "These individuals are effectively on their own to find and pay for their contraception."

Staff (2020-07-09). How to Stop the Next Pandemic: U.N. Report Links Outbreaks to Climate Crisis & Industrial Farming. democracynow.org As the unprecedented global health emergency continues to unfold, a new United Nations report says humans must lower stress on the natural environment to prevent the next pandemic. COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has a zoonotic origin, meaning it jumped from animals to humans, and the U.N. report finds that such diseases are spreading with greater frequency due to human activity, including industrial farming and the climate crisis. "Rather than focusing on the symptoms, we were looking at the causes," says Delia Grace, lead author of the report, veterinary epidemiologist at the Internationa…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-07-09). In Wake of Supreme Court Ruling, Powerful House Democrat Richard Neal Faulted as 'Biggest Obstacle' to Getting Trump Tax Returns. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/richie.jpg

Ahrar Ahmad (2020-07-09). Racism in America: Police Choke-Holds Are Not the Issue. counterpunch.org While the abject inhumanity of slavery may have been legally mitigated to some extent, the institutions, practices and values of exclusion, exploitation and devaluation were not. Constitutional guarantees, and Supreme Court decisions, could be cleverly subverted by States. For example, Black people were denied the right to vote through poll taxes, arbitrary registration requirements, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, white primaries and so on. In 1940, 70 years after they had received the right to vote, only 3% of Blacks in the South were registered as voters. Less overt voter suppression efforts continue to t…

Ahrar Ahmad (2020-07-09). Racism in America: Police Choke-hold is Not the Issue. counterpunch.org While the abject inhumanity of slavery may have been legally mitigated to some extent, the institutions, practices and values of exclusion, exploitation and devaluation were not. Constitutional guarantees, and Supreme Court decisions, could be cleverly subverted by States. For example, Black people were denied the right to vote through poll taxes, arbitrary registration requirements, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, white primaries and so on. In 1940, 70 years after they had received the right to vote, only 3% of Blacks in the South were registered as voters. Less overt voter suppression efforts continue to t…

commondreams (2020-07-09). 350 Action on the Climate Policy Platform from the Biden-Sanders Task Force. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Ted Glick (2020-07-09). A Climate Movement Turning Point? commondreams.org If Trump is gone, the odds are good that the people, organized, will make sure a President Biden does the right thing and prevents this pipeline from going into operation. (Photo: 350.org) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/nodapl-day-of-action-san-francisco.jpg

Leonardo Flores (2020-07-09). Biden's vision for Venezuela is virtually indistinguishable from Trump's. thegrayzone.com A campaign event demonstrated that when it comes to Venezuela, policies of regime change, sanctions, and refusal to engage in…

Leonardo Flores (2020-07-09). Biden and Trump on Venezuela: Two Sides of the Same Coin. commondreams.org A January 2015 meeting between Venezuelan President Nicol√°s Maduro and Vice President Biden—unlikely to be repeated if Biden wins the presidency. (Photo: AP) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/biden_maduro.jpg

_____ (2020-07-09). Joe Biden as a Stealthy Bigot. strategic-culture.org The New York Times Sunday Magazine on July 5th headlined its cover-story

Orlando Oramas León (2020-07-08). Cuba helping the world fight COVID-19, despite U.S. government's retaliation efforts. peoplesworld.org HAVANA—While the United States tries to disqualify Cuba's international medical cooperation, the list of brigades sent by the island to fight COVID-19 in different latitudes of the planet grows. They are the members of the Henry Reeve Contingent, created in 2005 by Fidel Castro to face situations of serious epidemics and natural disasters. It is a …

John Bachtell (2020-07-08). Separation of Trump and state: Blocking Republicans' evangelical election strategy. peoplesworld.org On Monday, June 1, President Donald Trump stood in front of St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., awkwardly clutching a Bible. Moments earlier, military police had forcibly cleared peaceful demonstrators from Lafayette Park with pepper spray, flash and smoke grenades, truncheons, and rubber bullets. Outraged religious leaders across denominations immediately condemned Trump for his …

RT (2020-07-08). US must tear down 'whole system of oppression,' says Democrat Ilhan Omar. Dems have 'given up' on America, Republicans reply. rt.com Ilhan Omar has called on the US "to tear down systems of oppression." But the Minnesota Democratic representative's remarks have outraged Republicans, who say she wants to ruin the whole American system. | Oppression is seen pretty much across the board in the American system, Omar claimed in a speech in Minnesota on Tuesday. | "We are fighting to tear down systems of oppression that exist in housing, in education, in healthcare, in employment, in the air we breathe," she said. | "We cannot stop at the criminal justice system. We must begin the work of dismantling the whole system of oppression wherever we fin…

RT (2020-07-08). Facebook bans accounts linked to Roger Stone, Proud Boys & Brazil's Bolsonaro in fight against 'coordinated inauthentic behavior'. rt.com Facebook has banned dozens of pages allegedly linked to ex-Trump adviser and Republican operative Roger Stone, as well as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in its relentless battle against political 'misinformation networks'. | The 100-account network said to be linked to Stone, a Florida resident, was discovered in the course of an investigation into the right-wing group Proud Boys, banned from Facebook years ago, the social media behemoth

Staff (2020-07-08). Headlines for July 8, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Begins Formal U.S. Withdrawal from World Health Organization, Brazil's Official Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 65,000 as Jair Bolsonaro Tests Positive, U.S. Confirms Record 60,000+ Coronavirus Cases as Trump Demands School Reopenings, Houston Mayor Pleads with Republicans to Cancel Texas Convention Amid Coronavirus Surge, Prominent GOP Senators to Skip Republican National Convention Amid Pandemic, Serbian Anti-Lockdown Protesters Storm Parliament; Spanish Study Questions "Herd Immunity", Mexican President to Meet with Trump; Canadian PM Won't Attend over COVID Concerns, Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley…

CP Editor (2020-07-08). Cornel West interview on the Clintons and "Race Matters" (1993). counterpunch.org

Karthik Ganapathy (2020-07-08). Charles Booker Could Have Won. thenation.com Charles Booker Could Have Won…

WSWS (2020-07-08). New York City Democrats ensure budget protects NYPD and guts social services. wsws.org An examination of the budget makes clear that highly publicized $1 billion "cut" to the New York Police Department is a complete sham.

Alan Macleod (2020-07-08). Democratic Candidate James Averhart Personally Oversaw Solitary Confinement of Chelsea Manning. mintpressnews.com Alabama congressional candidate James Averhart led a campaign to punish soldiers who deserted the Vietnam war and personally oversaw the brutal imprisonment of whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

Thomas Klikauer (2020-07-08). Right-Wing Resentment in Germany. zcomm.org Source: Countercurrents The rise of AfD right-wing extremism may well threaten Germany's democratic society Photo by Corinna Haselmayer The rise of AfD right-wing extremism may well threaten Germany's democratic society. It applies even more since the AfD mutated into Bjà∂rn Hà∂cke's national-revolutionary movement party while also moving [its focus] from the earlier scapegoat (the

Staff (2020-07-08). Trump Threatens to Cut Funding for Schools If They Don't Reopen in the Fall. truthout.org President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday morning to cut federal funding to schools that choose not to reopen their doors this fall in response to concerns about coronavirus. | Trump tweeted his dismay that U.S. schools couldn't reopen the way that other countries in the world were able to do so, and suggested refusing to start classes back up was a ploy by Democrats to hurt him in a political way. | "In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PR…

Staff (2020-07-08). ICE Threatens to Deport or Bar International Students If Schools Move Classes Online Due to Pandemic. democracynow.org As President Trump pressures states to reopen schools in the fall despite an alarming surge in new coronavirus cases, ICE says international students studying at U.S. universities could face deportation if their schools switch to online-only courses. The U.S. issues more than a million student visas a year, and international students account for as much as a third of the undergraduate student body at many colleges and universities and often constitute the majority of graduate students. "I have yet to see a justification for this," says immigration attorney Fiona McEntee, who notes that international students cont…

Staff (2020-07-08). The New NYC? Houston Hospitals Struggle with "Astonishing" Rise in Coronavirus Cases. democracynow.org As COVID-19 cases rise and hospitalizations are soaring, hospitals in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California are running out of ICU beds. On Tuesday, Texas set a grim new record of 10,000 new cases in a single day. "It's been astonishing," says Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent Dr. Sheri Fink, who has been reporting from Houston's largest hospital. "They've been adding unit after unit after unit just to care for coronavirus patients."

Staff (2020-07-08). COVID Exposes "Significant Racial Health Inequities" as Black, Brown & Indigenous People Suffer Most. democracynow.org The coronavirus continues to hit communities of color the hardest, with federal data showing African American and Latinx people are nearly three times more likely to be infected and twice as likely to die from the virus compared to their white neighbors. There were "pretty significant racial health disparities" even before COVID-19 ravaged the country, says Dr. Uché Blackstock, emergency medicine physician in New York and founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, a company working to fight racism and bias in health services. "What we saw in the pandemic these first few months is these really significant racial…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-07-08). GOP Has Unhinged Meltdown After Ilhan Omar Makes Simple Call to 'Dismantle All Systems of Oppression'. commondreams.org "Just to be clear, Ilhan Omar is under attack by the rightwing media machine for statements that are utterly normal and totally uncontroversial when they're delivered by white, non-Muslim politicians." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ilhan_omar_3.jpg

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-08). Patriotism Is Bullshit, And Other Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com It is 2021. The Biden administration has launched a full-scale invasion of Syria and the US and Russia are at a nuclear standoff unseen since the Cuban missile crisis. All top Twitter trends relate to the widespread debate over whether or not Sesame Street is guilty of kink shaming. | ~ | A vote for Kanye is a vote for Trump. | A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Trump. | A vote for no one is a vote for Trump. | A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Trump. | Everything is a vote for Trump. | Everything is Trump. | You are Trump. | I am Trump. | Trump is all there is. | There is no escape. | ~ | Leaving aside th…

commondreams (2020-07-08). Sunrise Movement Co-Founder Varshini Prakash Comments on the Biden-Sanders Climate Task Force Final Recommendations. commondreams.org ______________________________…

RT (2020-07-08). New York Times lays out conditions for Biden to debate Trump… or loophole to get Joe out of live sparring. rt.com Joe Biden is a stumbling speaker at the best of times, and Donald Trump is the insult king. With the two set to engage in three televised debates, the New York Times has decided that Biden needs an out. | "I worry about Joe Biden debating Donald Trump," New York Times opinion columnist Thomas Friedman wrote on Tuesday. Friedman is likely not the only liberal pundit sweating at the prospect. Donald Trump, for all his ineloquence, is a brutal debater, well used to ripping his opponents apart with off-the-cuff insults and jibes. Joe Biden, by contrast, mumbles and fumbles his way even through prepared statements,…

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-07-08). Biden Defends Undying Allegiance to For-Profit Healthcare During Interview With Dying Medicare for All Advocate Ady Barkan. commondreams.org The question: "What does preserving private insurance really do for people?" Biden's answer: "It depends on the plan. Look…" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ady_barkan_.jpg

Dave Lindorff (2020-07-07). Private: Why the High Dudgeon over Alleged Russian Bounties for Taliban Slaying of US Troops. counterpunch.org Democratic politicians like presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and liberal media pundits are all screaming for "action" against Russia based on an article in the New York Times that relies on anonymous sources in the "military" and "US intelligence." The article, picked up by most major media unquestioningly, asserts base on

yenisafak (2020-07-07). WHO to travellers: keep an eye on 'anywhere and everywhere' COVID-19. yenisafak.com The World Health Organization on Tuesday urged travellers to wear masks on planes and keep themselves informed as COVID-19 cases surge again in some countries, prompting new restrictions in places like Australia.Spokeswoman Margaret Harris urged people not to be caught off-guard by resurgent local epidemics and quarantine measures, saying: "If it's anywhere, it's everywhere and people travelling have to understand that.""This virus is widespread and people have to take that very, very seriously."The WHO said last month that it would update its travel guidelines ahead of the northern hemisphere summer holidays but…

David Trujillo (2020-07-07). The continuing evolution of Latinx voting—and voter suppression. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES — The Latinx vote in the upcoming November elections is critical. Don't be denied the right to vote. Don't get discouraged if there are attempts to sway you away from voting. One person, one vote is still the golden rule of democracy. Su voto es su voz—Your vote is your voice. Voter suppression …

WSWS (2020-07-07). Supreme Court rules Electoral College members must follow state vote in presidential elections. wsws.org The 9-0 ruling was driven by mounting fears that the outcome of future presidential elections—including the 2020 election—will be seen as illegitimate and undemocratic.

WSWS (2020-07-07). Australian court rejects Murdoch appeal against Geoffrey Rush defamation verdict. wsws.org Last week's Federal Court verdict is another important blow against the anti-democratic #MeToo movement.

Massoud Nayeri (2020-07-07). Dishonest Democrats, a Lying President and Fort Hood Crime Base. globalresearch.ca Once again dishonest Democrats have engaged in another embarrassing political food fight against a lying President over an unsubstantiated "Russian bounties" story by the New York Times. Based on a report by an "intelligence operative" in Afghanistan and without any …

WSWS (2020-07-07). Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer pushes unsafe reopening of Michigan schools. wsws.org Last week, Whitmer released dangerous and unfunded mandates on schools reopening, making it clear that she is determined to push ahead even as cases spike across the state.

WSWS (2020-07-07). Democrats' denunciation of America's revolutionary heritage provides an opening for Trump. wsws.org The campaign waged by the Democratic Party to discredit Jefferson, Lincoln and other leaders of America's two revolutions allows Trump to package his extreme right-wing policies as a defense of democratic traditions.

Andrew Korybko (2020-07-07). Rapper Kanye's Presidential Ambitions Might Doom the Democrats' White House Plans. globalresearch.ca Kanye's decision to officially run for President won't just siphon off African-American votes from the Democrats if he stays in the race long enough to get on some states' ballots as an Independent, but might even direct more of this …

Fight Back (2020-07-07). Philippines: Wage all forms of protest and resistance to junk Duterte's Terror Law. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines. | Wage all forms of protest and resistance to junk Duterte's Terror Law and end the regime of state terrorism | The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the rest of the democracy-loving Filipinos in condemning Rodrigo Duterte for the signing of Republic Act 11479, inappropriately titled Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Duterte signed the law in contempt of widespread opposition by broad democratic sectors of Philippine society as well as international human rights advocates. | In the guise of figh…

RT (2020-07-07). 'Shameful': Tucker Carlson under fire for claiming senator who lost legs in Iraq 'hates America'. rt.com Fox News host Tucker Carlson is facing fierce backlash on social media after claiming that Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, a war veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq, hates America. | Speaking on his show on Monday night, Carlson noted that Duckworth was a top contender to be Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's pick for vice president. | He took particular issue with her comment to CNN that it was time to have a "national dialogue" about historical statues in the country, including those to slave-owners like Founding Father George Washington. | Here's what Tucker said about Tammy Duckworth toni…

RT (2020-07-07). Where's the money? Election watchers wonder if Bloomberg will follow through on $1 BILLION spend pledge to help Dems defeat Trump. rt.com During his presidential run, Michael Bloomberg promised to spend up to $1 billion to help the Democrats unseat Donald Trump. As the election closes in, even the former mayor's supporters wonder if he's going to pay up. | Bloomberg originally made the pledge back in January, while he was still vying to become the Democratic Party's 2020 candidate. He added that the end sum handed over would depend on "whether the candidate needs help; if they're doing very well, they need less. If they're not, they'll need more." | Although he spent around $1 billion during his short-lived primary campaign, as of May Bloomberg…

Staff (2020-07-07). "A Dream That Comes True": Standing Rock Elder Hails Order to Shut Down DAPL After Years of Protest. democracynow.org Following years of resistance, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Indigenous organizers across the country scored a massive legal victory Monday when a federal judge ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline to be shut down and emptied of all oil, pending an environmental review. "You ever have a dream, a dream that comes true? That is what it is," responds LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, an elder of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and founder of Sacred Stone Camp, where resistance in 2016 brought tens of thousands of people to oppose the pipeline's construction on sacred lands. We also speak with Ojibwe lawyer Tara Houska, fou…

Staff (2020-07-07). How Black & Indigenous Groups Won the Fight to Stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. democracynow.org Anti-pipeline activists are celebrating after Duke Energy and Dominion Energy announced they are dropping plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a 600-mile pipeline that would have carried fracked gas from West Virginia to North Carolina and threatened rural Indigenous, Black and Brown communities. "There was an awful lot of opposition to this," says Donna Chavis, senior fossil fuel campaigner for Friends of the Earth and an elder of the Lumbee Nation, whose territory the pipeline would have crossed. She says the communities that would have suffered "irreparable harm" from the pipeline "now have that cloud l…

Staff (2020-07-07). Headlines for July 7, 2020. democracynow.org Judge Rules Dakota Access Pipeline Be Shut Down Pending Review, Trump Admin Moves to Deport and Bar International Students If Colleges Go Online in Fall, Coronavirus Surges Across Country as Dr. Fauci Warns U.S. Still "Knee-Deep" in First Wave, Jair Bolsonaro Gets Tested for COVID-19; WHO Warns AIDS Deaths in Africa Could Rise Amid Pandemic, Congressmembers, Trump Associates Among Beneficiaries of Coronavirus Stimulus Funds, Anti-Asian American Hate Crimes Have Been Soaring Since the Start of the Pandemic, Indiana Civil Rights Activist Says He Was Victim of Attempted Lynching, Video Shows Police Officers Fatally…

Max Elbaum (2020-07-07). Socialist Strategy and the Biden Debate. zcomm.org Should anti-capitalists urge a vote for Joe Biden to defeat Donald Trump in November 2020 or not?>