(2020-07-27). Popular Movements Can Overcome Authoritarian Policing. dissidentvoice.org 
Portland protests say Go Home Feds as protests grow (by Noah Berger, AP) Today is the 60th day of protests since the murder of George Floyd. This weekend, people marched in cities across the country in solidarity with Portland and in opposition to the US becoming a police state. President Trump sending troops to cities added fuel …
(2020-07-27). GOP maneuvers to block Heroes Act will bring the roof down. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON — Unless Congress acts, acts fast, and acts the way the Democratic-run U.S. House wants it to act, millions of people will fall off a cliff—financially and otherwise—after Friday, July 31. But Senate Republicans and GOP President Donald Trump are standing in the way. July 31 is the date of the last $600 weekly …
(2020-07-27). Trump threatens democracy with militarized police as polls suggest he's in trouble. peoplesworld.org 
By sending federal militarized units in fascist-like fashion into major cities to attack peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstrators, President Donald Trump is assaulting democracy and setting a dangerous precedent less than 100 days before the November elections. Clearly, it is a desperate move to shore up his far-right base and divert public attention away from …
(2020-07-27). Elizabeth Warren On Why We Must Stop Utility Shutoffs During The Pandemic. therealnews.com 
With unemployment at record levels and an economy teetering on the edge, utility shutoffs threaten to compound the existing public health disaster unfolding in the US. The Real News is highlighting voices from a national campaign that is trying to do something to prevent this by demanding a national moratorium on shutoffs during the COVID…
(2020-07-27). Three Questions for the "Resistance" counterpunch.org 
The Trump/Pence regime has sent a federal occupying army into Portland to "quell" ongoing protests. Overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and cobbled from a number of federal agencies, including Customs & Border Patrol and the Coast Guard, these anonymous thugs in camouflage, virtually indistinguishable from right-wing militias, have seized the authority to kidnap
(2020-07-27). The Heart of Darkness in Portland. counterpunch.org 
Soon it will be 60 straight nights of demonstrations and ear shattering protests in Portland, Oregon. There is a continuous drum corps that is beating hypnotic rhythms that gives thousands of Portlanders a reason to be alive. The energy is electrifying, as people take turns chanting their built up frustrations of what they see as utter
(2020-07-27). $600-per-week jobless benefit expires for 20 million US workers. wsws.org The Trump administration and Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress are condemning millions of workers to destitution, hunger and homelessness.
(2020-07-27). Killing Democracy in America. zcomm.org The Military-Industrial Complex as a Cytokine Storm…
(2020-07-27). The Volatile Path to Democracy in Ethiopia. counterpunch.org Ancient ethnic divisions and long held grievances die hard. Ethiopia is made up of dozens of tribal/ethnic groups, divided into nine regional states. Oromia is the largest region (it includes the capital, Addis Ababa) and, with 34% of the population (c.40 million), the Oromo people make up the biggest single group. On 29th June the
(2020-07-27). Corporate Constitutional Rights are Cancerous to Democracy. commondreams.org "Monsanto has known for several decades that Roundup (glyphosate) causes cancer. Rather than informing consumers about the glyphosate cancer risk, Monsanto buried the risks as sales of Roundup continued to skyrocket." (Photo: Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/monsanto_bayer-settlement.jpg …
(2020-07-27). Will the Left Get a Say in the Biden Doctrine? thenation.com Will the Left Get a Say in the Biden Doctrine?
(2020-07-27). Cuba commemorates the 67th National Rebellion Day. peoplesdispatch.org On July 26, 1953, a group of revolutionaries under the command of Fidel Castro attacked the Moncada army barracks in Santiago de Cuba and the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes military garrison in Bayamo, marking the beginning of the Cuban revolution…
(2020-07-27). Understanding Trump's game plan in Portland. zcomm.org Because the overwhelming majority of Portlanders have been demonstrating for Black Lives Matter in nonviolent ways, elected officials are mobilizing against Trump's intervention. If the majority had been violent, Trump's intervention would be welcomed by the center…
(2020-07-27). What is BORTAC and why is it patrolling the streets of Portland? wsws.org The special paramilitary arm of Customs and Border Protection has been deployed to intimidate and terrorize young people and workers amid the greatest health, economic and political crisis in modern American history.
(2020-07-27). With Cold War Language, Pompeo Defines Plan For 'Totalitarian' China. popularresistance.org In a major foreign policy speech on U.S.-China relations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cast ratcheted-up tensions with Beijing in Cold War terms, announcing that Washington would seek to change Beijing's behavior and stopping just short of calling for regime change. | He described Beijing — and Chinese President Xi Jinping — as a generational threat to "free democracies around the world," a totalitarian and hegemonic regime that must not be treated like a normal nation. Riffing on President Ronald Reagan's famous "trust but verify" dictum about the Soviet Union, he said that when it comes to Beijing…
(2020-07-27). The Militarized Assault On Our Right To Protest. popularresistance.org The Trump Administration sent federal law enforcement, including the paramilitary squad of Customs and Border Patrol, BORTAC, which has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, to the streets of Portland, OR to stop the ongoing demonstrations against racist police violence. Federal law enforcement, working with local police, is also being sent to other cities where anti-racist protests are going on. We speak with constitutional lawyer Mara Verheyden-Hilliard about the legality of this and how activists can fight back to protect the rights of everyone and end police violence and lawless impunity.
(2020-07-27). More Federal Officers Deploying To Portland. popularresistance.org Several dozen additional out-of-town federal law enforcement officers are deploying to Portland as they look to make additional arrests in the coming days, while also shifting tactics from the use of tear gas, according to multiple federal law enforcement sources. | The federal response has so far sparked four civil rights lawsuits, a Department of Justice inspector general investigation, proposed legislation in Congress limiting the role of federal law enforcement in American cities, and has injured a number of protesters. Rather than quell the protests as was the intent, it's served to reenergize and strengthen…
(2020-07-27). Meet Eddy, 'War Correspondent' for High School Newspaper in US City of Portland. sputniknews.com PORTLAND (Sputnik) – The youngest journalist covering the protests in Portland writes for a high school newspaper. Press badges, slight build, and being 17 years of age has proven insufficient to protect Eddy Binford-Ross from police brutality. Yet, almost every night she ventures back to report from the frontline.
(2020-07-27). Where are the fact checkers? Rep. Jerry Nadler claims Antifa violence in Portland is a MYTH (VIDEO). rt.com 
Congressman Jerry Nadler has been raked across the coals by social media after insisting that there is no protester-instigated violence in Portland. The lawmaker has spearheaded efforts to discredit federal police in the city. | The New York Democrat was approached by pundit and internet personality Austen Fletcher, who asked the House member if he "disavows the violence from Antifa happening in Portland right now." | "That's a myth that's being spread only in Washington, DC," Nadler responded. | Clearly amused by the lawmaker's answer, Fletched clarified: "About Antifa in Portland?" | "Yes," the NY representa…
(2020-07-27). False alarm? Person suspected of bringing 1st Covid-19 case into N. Korea wasn't infected, South believes. rt.com 
A man who crossed into North Korea and put the city of Kaesong on high alert because he had symptoms resembling coronavirus is unlikely to have been a transmitter of the deadly contagion, Seoul's health officials have claimed. | The man in question — who fled from the North three years ago — returned to his homeland on July 19. He reportedly showed up in Kaesong, his home city, and on-site medical screening returned "uncertain results," Pyongyang's state media reported. | Fearing that he could become North Korea's patient zero, the authorities immediately called a meeting to address an emergency "tha…
(2020-07-27). Portland Police say Molotov cocktails & rifle magazines found in bag as city reels from violent protests. rt.com 
A bag discovered in a park frequented by demonstrators contained Molotov cocktails and several loaded magazines, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has reported. Nightly protests in the city have become increasingly violent. | The PPB said they were tipped off about a suspicious bag in Lownsdale Square Park, which is located across the street from the federal courthouse that has been under siege by protesters for nearly two months. The pack reportedly contained loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails. The police force shared a photo of the bag's contents on Twitter. | Tonight Portland Police were near Lowns…
(2020-07-27). US police are wearing imaginary CGI armor to appease Putin, suggests acclaimed Russiagate huckster. rt.com Commentary on Donald Trump's decision to send federal police to riot-stricken cities has taken a creative turn: according to a celebrated Russiagate disciple, Putin has "ordered" US cops to wear cyberpunk armor that doesn't exist. | Cheri Jacobus, a popular #NeverTrump Twitter pundit and Russian collusion peddler, has joined the growing chorus of outrage over the use of federal law enforcement to help maintain order in Portland, Oregon, which has seen two months of increasingly violent demonstrations. | While most critics have focused on allegations that federal officers are too militarized and use excessive f…
(2020-07-27). Antifa rioters call themselves journalists to avoid federal crackdown. rt.com 
Federal officers in Portland are forbidden by court order from targeting journalists filming the riots. For 'Antifa' rioters, the order opened up an opportunity: anyone with a camera can call themselves a "journalist." | Riots have raged in downtown Portland for 60 straight nights, and the threat of arrest by federal agents hasn't stopped crowds of rioters from laying siege to the city's Justice Center night after night. With Mayor Ted Wheeler reluctant to order a police crackdown on the violence, federal officers have filled the gap. Unlike their local counterparts, these officers have had no qualms about mak…
(2020-07-27). Portland sex worker who stripped in front of cops as 'Naked Athena' says her nakedness was 'POLITICAL'. rt.com 
The woman dubbed 'Naked Athena' is a sex worker, and her famous confrontation with Portland police, in nothing but a cap and a face mask, happened because she felt offended by the way they stood, she has revealed in an interview.
(2020-07-27). Lockdown helped restore happiness, research suggests. thecanary.co Happiness fell as the coronavirus pandemic began — but lockdown helped to restore it, research suggests. | The wellbeing inequality gap between wealthy professionals and the unemployed even began to narrow during lockdown, according to the study by Cambridge University's Bennett Institute for Public Policy. | Researchers used a year's worth of data taken from YouGov Weekly Mood Tracker surveys and Google searches to track wellbeing in the British population before and during the pandemic. | They say it is one of the first studies to distinguish the effects of the pandemic from those of lockdown on psycholog…
(2020-07-27). Sunday 7/26: "Birddog Nation" Film Screening & Panel Discussion on Progressive Grassroots Activism. indybay.org Online…
(2020-07-27). Seattle & Portland Activists: Protest Federal and City Police Crackdowns & Keep Focus on BLM Agenda. democracynow.org 
As nationwide protests against systemic racism and police violence stretch into their second month, President Trump has sent a team of federal agents to Seattle, following a controversial deployment of federal forces in Portland, Oregon. "We don't know exactly what the federal officers are doing. What we do know is we are in a situation where local police are welcoming those federal agents into our cities," says Seattle community organizer Nikkita Oliver, co-executive director of Creative Justice. We also speak with Pastor E.D. Mondainé, president of the Portland, Oregon, branch of the NAACP.
(2020-07-27). "Don't Simply Yoke Him to Dr. King": Eddie Glaude on How Radical Student Activism Shaped John Lewis. democracynow.org 
Memorials for John Lewis, the civil rights icon and 17-term congressmember, are highlighting the bravery he and others showed in the face of police violence as they fought for the right to vote. We highlight the radical early years of Lewis, when he was chairperson of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. His political upbringing as a youth and student organizer and "the movement that he came out of" can't be ignored, says Princeton professor Eddie Glaude. It's important that people "don't simply yoke him to Dr. King, [and] understand him as a product of this student activism." Glaude is chair of Princet…
(2020-07-27). Make America White Again: Eddie Glaude on Trump and What James Baldwin Still Has to Teach Us. democracynow.org 
Amid a nationwide reckoning with systemic racism, we speak with Princeton African American studies professor Eddie Glaude, whose new book on James Baldwin offers lessons from the iconic writer for the present. Baldwin, says Glaude, insisted that "we put aside the myths and illusions and understand what white supremacy has done in terms of disfiguring and distorting the character of this nation." The book is titled "Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own."
(2020-07-27). Headlines for July 27, 2020. democracynow.org Florida, Texas and California Grapple with Mounting Infections as U.S. Caseload Tops 4.2 Million, Protesters in Puerto Rico Call for Halt to Tourism to Curb Mounting Coronavirus Cases, Judge Denies Trump Request to Delay Deadline for Releasing Immigrant Children, Senate to Unveil New Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Cutting Unemployment Benefits, U.K. Reinstates Spain Quarantine; N. Korea Declares Emergency; Cases Mount Across Latin America & Africa, BLM Protesters Face Attacks from Federal Agents, Police, and Other Violence in Cities Across the U.S., John Lewis Crosses Edmund Pettus Bridge for Last Time as Family and S…
(2020-07-27). Monday 7/27: SF Union Members Speak Out Against POA & Support For Defunding The Police. indybay.org POA | 800 Bryant St. | San Francisco…
(2020-07-27). At Solidarity with Portland March, A "Wall of Moms" Ready. indybay.org On July 25, Oakland stood strong with Portland in opposition to Trump's invasion of cities. A recently formed Wall of Moms was ready to take up their place on short notice between police and protesters.
(2020-07-27). Friday 8/7: The Battle for Portland & the Implications Nationwide. indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-07-27). Oakland March In Solidarity With Portland. indybay.org Close to a thousand in Oakland protest for BLM and against hostile Federal occupation of cities.
(2020-07-27). J25 Stand with Portland March, Call and Response. indybay.org One min 15 second video by Micky Souza, Pro Bono Photo. | Please give credit.
(2020-07-27). J25 Stand with Portland March, Quanah Parker Brightman Address. indybay.org video by Micky Souza, Pro Bono Photo. Please give credit. | 2 min 23 second video…
(2020-07-26). The Real Collusion Scandal of the 2016 Campaign. strategic-culture.org Tim GRAHAM | Four years ago this week, the leftists at WikiLeaks tried to ruin the Democratic convention by posting a trove of emails exposing how the Democratic National Committee blatantly favored Hillary Clinton and tilted against Bernie Sanders. But even then, the media downplayed the juiciest tidbits for conservatives: emails in Clinton aide John Podesta's account that demonstrated how shamelessly reporters and Democrats work hand in hand to shape the "news". — Some might even say it sounds fake. For example: | 1. ABC's George Stephanopoulos harshly interviewed "Clinton Cash" author Peter Schweizer on h…
(2020-07-26). Political murder? Republicans seek federal probe into 'senseless' killing of black Trump supporter in Milwaukee. rt.com 
The murder in broad daylight of Milwaukee's Bernell Trammell is prompting calls for a federal prosecutor to investigate whether the 60-year-old black man was killed because of his passionate support for President Donald Trump. | Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt asked that US Attorney Matthew Krueger investigate whether the "senseless" killing was politically motivated. Trammel was gunned down around midday Thursday in front of his small publishing business, eXpressions Journal. Police are still looking for the shooter. | "No American should fear for their personal safety because of where they li…
(2020-07-26). Riots are driving Portland's small businesses under, but mainstream media wants to sell you a different story. rt.com 
After nearly 60 straight nights of violence, business owners in Portland are sick and tired of riots. But as their stores go under, the coastal media treats the rioters to glowing coverage and city authorities do nothing. | Portland is a liberal stronghold, and as 'Black Lives Matter' protests fizzle out around the country, anger remains at boiling point in the Oregonian city. The protests there have not been all banner-waving and slogan-chanting affairs though. Instead, droves of 'Antifa' types have laid siege to the city's Justice Center for almost two months, tearing down barricades, lobbing fireworks, sett…
(2020-07-26). Police declare riot in Portland after protesters pull down courthouse fence (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Law enforcement officers have begun pushing protesters away from Portland's federal courthouse after demonstrators pulled down a fence surrounding the building. | Activists used wire cutters, power saws, and ropes to attack the fence on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning. Videos show a group of demonstrators rocking the chainlink barrier back and forth, ultimately pulling it down. Projectiles and tear gas flew across the sky, in what one observer described as a scene resembling a battlefield. Several fires were then lit outside the courthouse before police declared a riot and emerged fro…
(2020-07-26). Eclipsed Race and Class? Calling AOC a 'B*tch' Is Not Just About Sexism. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wears a face mask to protect herself from the coronavirus during a press conference in the Corona neighborhood of Queens on April 14, 2020 in New York City. (Photo: Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12098953161.jpg …
(2020-07-26). On the passing of Ka Fidel Agcaoili. fightbacknews.org To: National Democratic Front of the Philippines
| From: Freedom Road Socialist Organization
| On the passing of Ka Fidel Agcaoili | Dear comrades
| It is with great sadness we received the news of Ka Fidel Agcaoili's passing. The leadership and members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) extend our heartfelt condolences to his many comrades, his friends and family. Ka Fidel was an outstanding example of what a communist should be. He was among those in the forefront of the titanic struggle to liberate the Philippines from the evils of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism. Great…
(2020-07-26). Trump Is Daring Us to Stop Him. zcomm.org Trump's deployment of federal officers to Democratic-run cities is extreme even for him…
(2020-07-26). Questions Swirl Around Portland Police's Coordination With Federal Officers. zcomm.org The Portland police have been cagey about how they work with the feds. Deputy Chief Chris Davis has said Portland police offered "suggestions" to the federal forces and coordinated efforts with them.
(2020-07-26). Minneapolis protests Trump's repression in Portland. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Over 600 people rallied and marched here, July 23, at the "Portland to Minneapolis: Protest Trump's Goons Attacking Our Movement," called by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J.) | On July 20, Trump announced plans to send the Department of Homeland Security to cities across the U.S. Agents in military fatigues were deployed in Portland, grabbing demonstrators off the street, detaining them in unmarked cars and attacking protesters. Homeland Security agents were also sent to Washington, DC and Seattle. 150 federal agents are headed to Chicago, and there are reports that 2000 mor…
(2020-07-26). NYC rallies to defend Portland. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – Over 40 people gathered in Union Square in New York City, July 24, to stand in solidarity with Portland against the recent targeting of activists there. The action was called in response to viral videos of protesters in Portland being picked up by unmarked vans and brought to undisclosed locations, all just for speaking out against racist violence. | The action was called by the Workers World Party and included speakers from New York Community Action Project, Code Pink, Peoples Power Assemblies, Veterans for Peace, A Call to Action on Puerto Rico, and The Pakistan-USA Freedom Forum. | The speeches…
(2020-07-26). Anti-China Hysteria Drives Record 2021 US Defense Spending. popularresistance.org Anti-China hysteria has emerged as the central 'threat' designed to justify endless U.S. military spending and adventurism in the Asia-Pacific. | The 2021 Department of Defense spending bill has become contested terrain for a progressive wing of Democrats seeking to curtail endless military spending and a Republican-led bipartisan coalition focused on increasing spending to "stay competitive" with ostensible threats from Russia and China. | On July 21, the House passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with an increase in stipulated defense spending from 2020's $658 bi…
(2020-07-26). Wall Of Vets, Grandparents Support Black Lives Matter Movement. popularresistance.org Portland, Ore. — The protests have drawn people from all walks of life, and on Friday night, veterans from all over showed up downtown to create a "Wall of Vets" to protect protesters. | And they showed up in white shirts to support the Black Lives Matter movement. | "It's something I believe in. The other vets here — this is the first time they've come down; they don't like crowds either; we believe in something; it's time to stand," said Jonathan Fisher, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. | Veterans responded after the Navy veteran, Chris David, seen on video being beaten by federal officers, called for…
(2020-07-26). Pelosi Calls Trump 'Mr Make Matters Worse' for Handling of COVID-19. sputniknews.com In response to his critics earlier, the US president said that he has been right "more than anybody else" and that the virus will go away eventually and everything will be right.
(2020-07-26). US federal agents fire tear gas on peaceful protesters. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 26 (MNA) — US federal troops have used tear gas and flash-bang grenades against Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland, on the 59th consecutive day of unrest in the city.
(2020-07-26). Housing Activists in Philly Launch Major Takeover of Abandoned Public Buildings. truthout.org In Philadelphia, single mothers and their children have moved into abandoned, publicly owned buildings, in the most significant housing take over in the country—at a time when millions have lost their jobs and the country is on the brink of another housing crisis. Jennifer Bennetch has helped place unhoused people into vacant homes owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), as the founder of Occupy PHA and a member of the Philadelphia Housing Action coalition. She's doing wha…
(2020-07-26). Federal Crackdown in Portland Provokes Solidarity Protests Across the Country. commondreams.org "This is my first protest," said a 45-year-old woman who joined the "Wall of Moms" at a Saturday demonstration in Seattle. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12586851111.jpg …
(2020-07-25). First the National Security State Surged Baghdad, Now It Is Surging Portland and Seattle. commondreams.org Federal officers walk through tear gas while dispersing a crowd of about a thousand people during a protest on July 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/dhs_agents.jpg …
(2020-07-25). Who is the most dangerous fascist? mronline.org 
Most American leftists are incoherent on the term fascism, and Democrats have utterly destroyed the word's meaning.
(2020-07-25). Trump's federal repression election ploy spurs greater resistance. liberationnews.org 
Far from being intimidated, Portland residents were outraged when unannounced paramilitary units started grabbing protesters off the street.
(2020-07-25). Trump orders federal police to more cities. mronline.org 
The Trump administration is stepping up its unconstitutional moves toward dictatorial rule, tear gassing antipolice violence protesters in Portland, Oregon and announcing the deployment of federal police to three more cities—Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee—in addition to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(2020-07-25). Human 'Wall of Vets' joins 'moms' & 'dads' to shield Portland protesters from police (VIDEO). rt.com 
A group of former US service members has deployed to Portland to support demonstrators laying siege to the city's federal courthouse. The new 'wall' has emerged after self-described moms and dads formed their own human shields. | The cadre of military veterans assembled in front of the courthouse on Friday night, creating a line between protesters and a protective fence wrapped around the building. Some of the vets stood with their hands placed behind their backs, while others held signs that read "Disabled veterans 4 BLM" and "Federal troops defend property but this does not give them the right to take away m…
(2020-07-25). Democrats have gone 'stone cold left,' want to turn America into 'Venezuela on steroids' — Trump. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has called on the Republican-held Senate to kill a bill that would overturn his controversial travel ban. The Democrats, he said, want to turn the US into "Venezuela on steroids." | Comparing one's opponents to communists or Stalinists is a tired trope in American politics, but President Donald Trump added another anti-socialist slur to the phrasebook on Saturday. | "The Democrats in the House are trying to undo my big win Travel Ban Bill, which successfully keeps very bad and dangerous people out of our great Country," he tweeted. "Passed along party lines. Hopefully, will be DEAD in th…
(2020-07-25). UN human rights office condemns 'arbitrary arrests & unnecessary use of force' amid US police brutality protests. rt.com 
The United Nations has denounced heavy-handed police tactics used against demonstrators in Portland and other US cities during ongoing protests, taking aim at what it called baseless arrests and unnecessary violence by officers. | "Peaceful demonstrations that have been taking place in cities in the US, such as Portland, really must be able to continue without those participating in them… risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary, disproportionate or discriminatory use of force, or suffering other violations of their rights," Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN's Office of the Hi…
(2020-07-25). Strobe lights, electric saws & glass bottles: Portland protesters expand weapons arsenal in ongoing clashes with police (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Demonstrators in downtown Portland are using a range of weapons in their nightly skirmishes with law enforcement officers, and their growing arsenal now includes everything from leaf blowers to lasers. | Ropes and electric saws: | Protesters tried out some new tactics during the latest fracas. Footage shows a group of helmeted, masked activists using an electric saw to break apart the fence used to protect the city's besieged federal courthouse. The operation appeared to be well-coordinated, with several demonstrators using shields to protect the individual using the saw. | Portland rioters are using e…
(2020-07-25). Black Trump supporter allegedly STABBED by 'Antifa dude' during Portland protest (VIDEO). rt.com 
A black Trump supporter was reportedly attacked and stabbed by a protester amid increasingly violent demonstrations in Portland that have rocked the Oregon city for weeks. Police have made an arrest in connection to the incident. | Drew Duncomb, a Trump supporter and anti-Antifa activist, said that he had been stabbed while walking around downtown Portland in the early hours of Saturday. In a brief video message that he made while being transported to the hospital in an ambulance, Duncomb claimed that he had been attacked by an "Antifa dude" who had been "following me around for a while." | I got stabbed in P…
(2020-07-25). Portland protests continue after judge rejects bid to restrict federal agents. thecanary.co 
Thousands of people joined another night of Black Lives Matter protests on the streets of Portland, hours after a US judge denied the state of Oregon's request to restrict federal police in the city.Demonstrators, most wearing masks and many donning helmets, stood near the fountain on Salmon Street Springs. They then marched to the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the federal agents there.They chanted and clapped along to the sound of thunderous drums, pausing to listen to speakers. Various organised groups took part, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives and the '
(2020-07-25). Trump's Troop Surge to Democratic Cities. zcomm.org "His entire attention is this one issue on his mind: that's the election. He has to cover up for the fact he is personally responsible for killing tens of thousands of Americans. It's impossible to conceal that for much longer."
(2020-07-25). Thailand Sees Largest Anti-Government Protests Since 2014 Military Coup. zcomm.org The youth-led protests appear to have taken a page from Hong Kong's highly decentralized pro-democracy movement last year…
(2020-07-25). Coalition to March on the DNC announces shift, to prioritize movement against police crimes. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – On August 20, the day that Joe Biden is expected to be in Milwaukee to accept the Democratic nomination, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention is hosting a march and rally within sight and sound of the Wisconsin Center. | People in cities and towns across the country are protesting racist police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Alvin Cole right here in Milwaukee. Protests in Minneapolis ignited a fire that swept across the country, producing the largest civil rights movement in U.S. history. | For the Coalition, a shift in priority is necessary. Rather than maint…
(2020-07-25). 150,000 dead in the US and no end in sight. wsws.org The resurgence of COVID-19 is a result of the campaign by the Trump administration—with the assistance of the Democrats and the media—to force workers back on the job as the pandemic continues to rage.
(2020-07-25). Illinois Democrats embrace Trump's law enforcement "surge" wsws.org Illinois Democratic lawmakers have made public statements aimed at assuaging public fears that the federal forces will crack down on anti-police violence protesters in Chicago, just as they have in Portland.
(2020-07-25). Thoughts on Zachary Carter's The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes. cepr.net I just finished reading Carter's book and I will agree with the general assessment. It is an outstanding book that brings together much useful material on the life and influence of Keynes. While I am of course familiar Keynes' history and the history of Keynesianism, there is much that I learned here. In particular, I …
(2020-07-25). Michigan workers demand $600 unemployment from U.S. Rep. Huizenga. fightbacknews.org Grandville, MI – Stagehands held signs and rallied outside the office of U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga in this suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Huizenga, like all but one Republican, voted against the HEROES Act in the House of Representatives. | Joining workers in other states, stagehands across Michigan are gathering outside politicians' offices to demand extending unemployment into next year. The stagehands, who are normally working behind the scenes, were out in front on June 23 chanting, "They say cut back! We say fight back!" and "What do we want? $600!" | Stagehands, like other entertainment and hospi…
(2020-07-25). Biden still needs to earn our vote. nationofchange.org "Earning our vote would create an accountability structure which to date has been avoided."
(2020-07-25). The Portland Police Attack: ACLU Files Lawsuit. Sues Trump and City of Portland. globalresearch.ca PORTLAND, Ore. — Multiple volunteer street medics are suing the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, and the City of Portland for targeting and attacking them at Portland protests against police brutality. The lawsuit was filed in federal court …
(2020-07-25). US Cities Need Masks and Tests, Mr. President, Not Shock Troops. commondreams.org Federal officers prepare to disperse the crowd of protestors outside the Multnomah County Justice Center on July 17, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Mason Trinca/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/portland_protest_0.jpg …
(2020-07-25). Massive Crowd Outside Aurora PD in Solidarity with Elijah McClain & Portland. unicornriot.ninja Aurora, CO — This evening over a thousand protesters demonstrated outside the Aurora Police Department (APD) to continue calling for justice for Elijah McClain, as well as, to show solidarity with Portland. | Unicorn Riot is covering the event, which you can check out below. | Aurora…
(2020-07-25). Trump's Reelection Strategy Involves Terrorizing Us With Secret Stormtroopers. zcomm.org Trump's actions in Portland are terrifying by any standard.
(2020-07-25). Why Trump's Paramilitary Force Is Unconstitutional. 'A Profoundly Un-American Attack On Civil Society'. globalresearch.ca
(2020-07-25). Trump's Use of Federal Paramilitaries Is a Classic Tactic of Autocrats to Test How Far They Can Push Their Authority. commondreams.org A federal officer tells the crowd to move while dispersing a protest in front of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/feds.jpg …
(2020-07-25). America's Terminal Decline. popularresistance.org President Trump's U-turn admission on the coronavirus pandemic, acknowledging that it's going to get worse before it gets better, could be applied to the general condition of American politics. It can only get worse under present circumstances. | That's because there is no way to solve deep-seated problems in the US system under the prevailing bipartisan framework. | It is delusional for Democrats to blame Trump and the Republicans for all the woes of that nation. The notion that America can be returned to some kind of presumed normality if Joe Biden is elected to the White House in November is a fantasy.
(2020-07-25). What Programs A 10% Cut In Military Spending Could Buy. popularresistance.org For millions of Californians, times are tough, and the future looks tougher still. So far, California has seen over 325,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 7,000 deaths. | In the economic fallout, over 6 million of us have applied for unemployment insurance since the start of the pandemic. Many of them have yet to see a dime from the understaffed California Employment Development Department, which has struggled to keep up with the sheer volume of claims. | Meanwhile, a $600-per-week federal unemployment supplement is set to expire at the end of July, and the Republican-controlled Senate appears determined to…
(2020-07-25). Single Mothers And Children Take Over Abandoned Public Buildings. popularresistance.org In Philadelphia, single mothers and their children have moved into abandoned, publicly owned buildings, in the most significant housing take over in the country—at a time when millions have lost their jobs and the country is on the brink of another housing crisis. Jennifer Bennetch has helped place unhoused people into vacant homes owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), as the founder of Occupy PHA and a member of the Philadelphia Housing Action coalition. She's doing what she says is "the government's job to make sure people who need it have housing."
(2020-07-25). Protesters Use 'Midnight Yoga' To Cope With Police Violence. popularresistance.org Saturday night marked another session of "Midnight Yoga" on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. | The protesters, who have been out in the streets over 50 days after being initially sparked by the failure to arrest the officers who had murdered George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (still), have turned to the peace that yoga provides to manage their pain, both physical and emotional. | Around the same time federal police were turning Portland into a war zone while violently beating and pepper-spraying citizens, D.C. protesters were stretching out their limbs after giving a touching 100 candle-light tribute to l…
(2020-07-25). Federal Agents Use Tear Gas To Clear Portland Protest. popularresistance.org Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, into the early hours of Saturday shooting fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas, dispensed by U.S. agents, lingered above. | The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd around 2: 30 a.m. and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range. They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse. | The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as "an unlawful assembly" and cited that officers had been injured.
(2020-07-25). Homeland Security Claims Shields And Gas Masks Are Weapons. popularresistance.org Far from restoring order, the arrival of federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Border Patrol in Portland, Oregon has only heightened tensions, with agents attacking and arresting protesters nightly. DHS' Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli took to social media yesterday to share images of items confiscated from demonstrators. | "Here is a shield and a couple of gas masks from a rioter arrested in Portland. Not a sign with a slogan that someone expressing their first amendment rights might carry, but preparations for violence. Peaceful protester? I don't think so," he wrote.
(2020-07-25). Judge Rejects Oregon's Motion For A Restraining Order Against Federal Police. popularresistance.org A federal judge on Friday afternoon denied a request by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to issue a temporary restraining order against federal officers making arrests of Portland protesters without probable cause. | In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said Rosenblum had failed to provide sufficient evidence that such arrests were occurring widely in the streets of Portland or were part of a federal policy. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to the co-owner of WW's parent company.) | He ruled that because the state of Oregon couldn't establish a pattern or policy, it lacked the legal standi…
(2020-07-25). Florida State students host call-in day, slave-owner statue removed once again. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On July 23, The FSU chapter of Students for a Democratic Society held a call-in day demanding the administration immediately remove a statue honoring slave-owner Francis Eppes, and the immediate renaming of several buildings located on campus that are named after slave owners and segregationists. The statue of Francis Eppes, as well as Eppes Hall, B. K. Roberts Hall and Doak Campbell Stadium were the campus buildings included in the demands. | | Participants in the action called the offices of FSU President John Thrasher and Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Hecht to speak out against the…
(2020-07-25). Sunday 7/26: Socialism, Communism, Democracy, and Dictatorship: A Scientific Perspective. indybay.org Online…
(2020-07-25). WorkWeek On Confederate Monuments & Knights Of Labor & Covid Murders. indybay.org WorkWeek looks at the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond, Virginia and the Knights of Labor who were uniting Black and White workers against the Democrats and Republicans. WorkWeek also looks at racism at Tesla, the Port of Oakland and the fight against privatization of Alameda County Highland Hospital.
(2020-07-25). Ada Mills Young – A new look 2020 National Buffalo Soldiers Day Weekend. indybay.org Ada Mills Young, born in our California Gold Rush District offers a new and facinating journey into the extended families of our Buffalo Soldiers.
(2020-07-25). Massive Protests in Portland Continue After Judge Denies State Request for Restraining Order Against Federal Agencies. commondreams.org "If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her citizens, who does?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12277751121.jpg …
(2020-07-24). Climate Change And Hatred For Trump May Put Biden In The White House. therealnews.com 
Climate justice groups are disappointed at the recently unveiled Biden-Sanders joint action plan on climate change, saying it fails to recognize the urgency of the situation which can overshadow Democrats' efforts to rally the more progressive voices behind the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | Since Sen. Bernie Sanders' abrupt exit from the Democratic field mid-April, the respective teams of Biden and the Vermont senator have cooperated to build a joint action plan that can rally both Democratic conservatives and left-leaning progressives behind a unified political agenda. | On July 8, after weeks of h…
(2020-07-24). New Stimulus Bill Lacks Teeth to Reverse 'Wave of Permanent Layoffs' in Ailing US Economy. sputniknews.com Senate Republicans announced Wednesday a "fundamental agreement" for a $1 trillion coronavirus relief package. However, that is not sufficient to generate an economic recovery, Dr. Jack Rasmus, professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California, told Sputnik.
(2020-07-24). Homeland Security Justifies Invasion of Portland by Claiming Shields and Gas Masks are Weapons. mintpressnews.com DHS' Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli claimed that defensive tools like Shields and Gas Masks were evidence that protesters were making "preparations for violence."
(2020-07-24). Headlines for July 24, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Cancels RNC in Jacksonville as COVID-19 Deaths Soar in Florida, CDC Issues New Guidelines Urging Schools To Reopen, South Africa Closes School For a Second Time as COVID-19 Cases Top 40,000, 1.4 Million File For Employment as Moratorium on Evictions Ends, Whistleblowers Reveal How ICE Used Deception to Deport Immigrants with COVID-19, ICE Attempted to Censor Embedded Journalists Who Filmed Wrongdoing, Judge Bars Federal Agents in Oregon From Targeting Journalists & Legal Observers, 37 Senate Democrats Join GOP in Passing $740 Billion Military Spending Bill, AOC Delivers Moving Response to Rep. Ted Yoho's Se…
(2020-07-24). Watch Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fire Back on House Floor After Rep. Yoho Calls Her An "F'ing Bitch" democracynow.org 
We bring you Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's full address from the floor of the House when she excoriated her Republican colleague, Rep. Ted Yoho of Florida, after he verbally attacked her earlier in the week on the steps of the Capitol and used a sexist slur overheard by a reporter, calling her a "fucking bitch," then issued a non-apology from the House floor. "My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television," she says, "and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men."
(2020-07-24). Noam Chomsky: Trump Is Using Pandemic to Enrich Billionaires as Millions Lose Work & Face Eviction. democracynow.org 
As millions of people in the U.S. lose work and face eviction due to the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, the 1% have seen a massive increase to their wealth, with Amazon founder and world's richest person Jeff Bezos recently adding an estimated $13 billion to his net worth in a single day. World-renowned political dissident Noam Chomsky says the corporate windfall is yet more evidence that the U.S. is run "essentially by the corporate sector" for its own profits. "They're just running wild."
(2020-07-24). Noam Chomsky on Trump's Troop Surge to Democratic Cities & Whether He'll Leave Office if He Loses. democracynow.org 
"President Trump is desperate," says world-renowned dissident Professor Noam Chomsky in an extended interview that begins with President Trump's vow to send a "surge" of federal agents into major Democrat-run cities across the United States. "His entire attention is this one issue on his mind: that's the election. He has to cover up for the fact he is personally responsible for killing tens of thousands of Americans. It's impossible to conceal that for much longer."
(2020-07-24). "Man. Woman. Camera. Person. TV.": Noam Chomsky Responds to Trump Bragging He Aced a Dementia Test. democracynow.org 
Is the United States being run by a madman? "What can you say about a person who, before speaking before an adoring crowd, raises his eyes to heaven and calls himself the chosen one?" says Noam Chomsky, responding to President Trump's boast that he aced a mental acuity test.
(2020-07-24). Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police. fair.org 
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(2020-07-24). Vote Democrat… and Watch America Burn. globalresearch.ca "…This is the most dangerous time in the history of man. The seriousness of this plot cannot be underestimated. It is not due to any threat of conventional war or nuclear decimation, it is based on the fact that this …
(2020-07-24). AOC: 'Rep. Yoho called me, and I quote, a "fucking bitch"'. peoplesworld.org 
On the Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C., there is a list of a dozen easily recognized features of a society headed toward fascism. High on that list is the oppression and denigration of women—in short, sexism. Yesterday, New York's Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, the leading socialist in the U.S. Congress, rose to the floor and changed …
(2020-07-24). House votes to toss statues of rebels from U.S. Capitol. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—By a 305-113 vote, the Democratic-run U.S. House voted to eject statues of Confederate leaders, plus racist U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, from the U.S. Capitol, especially Statuary Hall. Republicans cast all 113 "no" votes, while 72 GOPers joined all 232 voting Democrats and the lone Independent in deciding to toss out the …