(2020-08-19). Fidel at 94: The ideas of a revolutionary never die. workers.org 
Makasi was 16 when he first learned about Fidel Castro. As a Black Latinx youth, Makasi notes that "growing up as a Puerto Rican in the U.S., learning about Fidel showed me how someone from a small Caribbean island can challenge the most powerful and most vicious empire in the . . . |
(2020-08-19). Democrats vs. Republicans: Which party really CARES? workers.org 
While the corporate media focus public attention on the imminent opening of the Democratic and Republican Party conventions and the electoral contest, another battle matters much more to tens of millions of people still out of work: the failure of Congress to pass a second stimulus bill. The provisions of . . . |
(2020-08-19). Defecting From Trump's GOP. counterpunch.org 
Rick Wilson has worked to elect Republicans for thirty years, but he will "no longer use those skills to serve the party I once loved. That party is gone." He has not become a Democrat, but he is adamantly anti-Trump. His book, Running Against the Devil; A Plot to Save America From Trump and Democratsfrom
(2020-08-19). DNC: Conservative forces dominate opening night; security state apparatus dominates streets in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org 
The true nature of the Democratic Party is on display not only through the digital convention, but on the ground as well.
(2020-08-19). Bill Clinton lectures Trump on 'taking responsibility' & proper Oval Office behavior while backing Biden's 2020 bid. rt.com 
Former US president Bill Clinton took aim at the Trump administration's pandemic response in his speech to the Democratic convention, saying it has been "only chaos," while urging voters to send Joe Biden to the Oval Office. | "Denying, distracting and demeaning work great if you're trying to entertain or inflame, but in a real crisis, it collapses like a house of cards," Clinton said of President Donald Trump's handling of the ongoing health crisis. | At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command center. Instead, it's a storm center. There's only chaos. Just one thing never changes — his deter…
(2020-08-19). American Samoa 'hostage situation' & Rhode Island 'calamari ninja': Twitter loses it over DNC's virtual roll call. rt.com 
As the Democratic Party moved to nominate Joe Biden, viewers watching at home were somewhat distracted, infatuated with Rhode Island's calamari-wielding "ninja" and a bizarre "hostage-taking" scene in American Samoa. | The party's national convention pushed into its second night on Tuesday, seeing Biden officially elevated as the Democrats' 2020 presidential candidate alongside running mate Kamala Harris. During the roll call vote prior to the nomination, however, spectators couldn't help but notice that delegates in American Samoa, a US territory, were flanked by a pair of uniformed soldiers, giving the appea…
(2020-08-19). Joe Biden officially nominated as Democratic presidential candidate. rt.com Joe Biden has clinched the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, becoming the official 2020 pick alongside running mate Kamala Harris after emerging from a crowded primary field. | Though Biden was the only Democratic candidate left in the running after facing off with early rivals during the primary, he formally seized the nomination on the second night of the party's national convention on Tuesday, selected in a virtual roll call vote by delegations from 57 states and territories. | "Thank you very, very much from the bottom of my heart. It means the world to me and my family, and I'll see you on Thurs…
(2020-08-19). The Democratic Party and the national question. workers.org 
With the Aug. 11 announcement of California Sen. Kamala Harris's nomination for the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate, WW is reprinting excerpts from the July 25, 2019, article, "A revolutionary understanding of the national question — In defense of the squad." (workers.org/2019/08/43256) In response to Trump's xenophobic attack on Harris, . . . |
(2020-08-19). Needed: Indicators for Measuring Injustice and Societal Decay. zcomm.org The more Americans know where their country is heading, the more they may just want to work for a better future by participating in or supporting the movements dedicated to turning our democracy around…
(2020-08-19). Saudi Arabia Is Just An Honest America: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com ~ | Look at Yemen with fresh eyes and it will haunt your dreams and fill you with mountain-moving rage. | That's why people don't. | That's why people should. | ~ | Steal from the wealthy and give a bit to your friend and they'll call you a thief. Steal from the working class and give a bit to agendas you approve of and they'll call you a philanthropist. | ~ | Placing yourself in the ideological center between two corporatist warmongering parties doesn't make you a centrist, it makes you a corporatist warmonger. | ~ | Watching liberals fake enthusiasm for Biden/Harris is like watching women fake enthusiasm in rea…
(2020-08-19). Trump's suggestion of a pardon for Edward Snowden meets US intelligence community backlash. wsws.org Democrats and Republicans with close ties to the intelligence agencies have launched a campaign of opposition after the president said he would look into the case of the former NSA contractor who exposed illegal mass surveillance.
(2020-08-19). Coalition to March on the DNC joins march against Trump in Oshkosh, WI. fightbacknews.org Oshkosh, WI – On the afternoon of August 17, a large crowd of people marched and rallied to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump at Wittman Airport. Answering the call put forth by a handful of organizations, most of whom are members of the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, over 120 people gathered in the parking lot of the Lake Aire Shopping Center, just a half mile from where Trump spoke. | Despite releasing information on road closures earlier in the day with different information, the police on hand changed which roads were closed and where. This threw a wrench into the plan f…
(2020-08-19). Saturday 9/26: 2020 Yosemite National Park ~ CA Buffalo Soldier Celebrations. indybay.org Yosemite Valley…
(2020-08-19). Joe Biden nominated to take on Donald Trump. thecanary.co Democrats have formally nominated Joe Biden as their 2020 presidential nominee, as party officials and activists gave the former vice president their overwhelming support to take on Donald Trump. | The moment marked a political high point for Biden, who had sought the presidency twice before and is now cemented as the embodiment of Democrats' desperate desire to defeat Trump in autumn. | The roll call of convention delegates formalised what has been expected for months since Biden took the lead in the primary elections' chase for the nomination. | It came as he worked to demonstrate the breadth of his coalition f…
(2020-08-19). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
(2020-08-18). UN Ambassador Moncada: US Keeps Plotting To Invade Venezuela. popularresistance.org The Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, reiterated his denunciation of the United States' orchestrating an invasion in Venezuela to destroy the military and political forces of the Bolivarian Revolution. | On his Twitter account, the Ambassador indicated that the White House's war propaganda against Venezuela seeks to assassinate the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro and turn the country into a colony. | "War propaganda in the US affirms that its objective is democracy in Venezuela. The truth is more sinister and deadly: eliminating President Maduro continues the invasion to destr…
(2020-08-18). Headlines for August 18, 2020. democracynow.org Virtual DNC Kicks Off with Calls for Unity, Speeches by Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders, UNC Switches to Remote Classes After 177 Students Contract COVID-19, Indigenous Groups in Brazil Protest Gov't Inaction on Coronavirus; South Korea Outbreak Grows, Postmaster General Agrees to Testify as Fears Mount over USPS Changes That Could Threaten Election, Special Tribunal Delivers Verdict over 2005 Killing of Ex-Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri, Mapuche Protesters Demand Hunger-Striking Leader Be Released, Spanish Royal Family Confirms Exiled Former King Juan Carlos Is in UAE, Trump Admin Finalized Plan to Open Alaska's…
(2020-08-18). Julián Castro Ran for President on a Police Reform Platform But Wasn't Invited to Give DNC Address. democracynow.org 
The Democratic National Convention faces criticism over the lack of diversity in its primetime programming during this year's virtual event, even as Latinx voters are slated to make up the largest bloc of nonwhite voters in 2020. Only a handful of Latinx speakers and no Muslim speakers are appearing during the broadcasted convention, while Republicans like former Ohio Governor John Kasich were given slots. "There were 35 primetime speakers, and only three of them were Latinx, and I raised a concern about that," says Julián Castro, former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and the only Latinx candidate in the…
(2020-08-18). "His Only Preexisting Condition Was Trusting Trump": Daughter Speaks at DNC After Dad Dies of COVID. democracynow.org 
One of the most memorable speeches of the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention was delivered by Kristin Urquiza, who said her father, a supporter of Donald Trump, died after believing the president's assurances that the coronavirus was under control. "My dad, Mark Anthony Urquiza, should be here today, but he isn't," she said. "My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump — and for that, he paid with his life."
(2020-08-18). "Donald Trump Is the Wrong President for Our Country": Michelle Obama Slams President at DNC. democracynow.org 
On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a searing critique of President Trump, accusing him of being "in over his head" and incapable of carrying out the duties of the office. "If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can," Obama said. We air excerpts from her keynote speech, delivered virtually after the convention was moved online due to the pandemic.
(2020-08-18). 19th Amendment Turns 100: Fight for Voting Rights Builds on Centuries of Struggle Led by Black Women. democracynow.org 
As this year marks 100 years since the ratification of 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing women's right to vote, we look at the connection between the movement for women's suffrage and the movement to abolish slavery. Many states created laws to continue to deny women the vote, and African American women were subjected to the same Jim Crow laws already used to deny the vote to African American men. "To look for African American women and their history of the vote in 1920 is to miss the important chapter that begins in 1920 and doesn't culminate until the Voting Rights Act is adopted in 1965," says au…
(2020-08-18). The cancellation of professor Adolph Reed, Jr.'s speech and the DSA's promotion of race politics. wsws.org The effective ban on criticism of identity politics within the DSA and vicious denunciations of Marxism as "class reductionism" are in line with the Democratic Party's broader goals of promoting racialist divisions.
(2020-08-18). Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama rally the troops. peoplesworld.org 
Delivering stark warnings about disasters that would befall the nation and the planet under four more years of Donald Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., urged his sometimes-recalcitrant supporters to vote for and campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden this fall. "The future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is …
(2020-08-18). A view from a South Asian revolutionary on Kamala Harris — a WW commentary. workers.org 
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced on Aug. 11 that California Sen. Kamala Devi Harris, the first South Asian American and the second African American woman to serve as a U.S. senator, will be his running mate for the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Tania Siddiqi Harris is now the . . . |
(2020-08-18). Dem Labor Commission blasts Trump, envisions better future. peoplesworld.org 
Outlining how the Trump regime is hurting millions of people now, and envisioning a better future for workers and the country, dominated the first session of the Democratic National Convention's Labor Commission, which convened just before the virtual convention itself opened on the evening of August 17. The cavalcade of speakers, both union leaders and …
(2020-08-18). Easy Democratic victory Nov. 3? Washington primary results suggest otherwise. peoplesworld.org 
SEQUIM, Wash.—Washington state's voter turnout in the Aug. 4 primary broke records and the conventional wisdom is that it is good news for the Democrats. Yet warning bells are ringing because Republican turnout was unexpectedly high in rural areas of the state. Statewide, 55%, or 4.6 million voters, filled out their ballots and mailed them …
(2020-08-18). 'Vote for Biden like your life depends on it!' Michelle Obama unloads on Trump to virtual ovation at Dem convention. rt.com 
Former First Lady Michelle Obama has warned that lives may hang in the balance in the 2020 presidential race, pleading with voters to send Joe Biden to the White House to put an end to the "chaos" of Donald Trump's presidency.
(2020-08-18). Democratic Convention rides on BLM momentum, putting George Floyd family front & center in moment of silence. rt.com 
On the first night of its national convention, the Democratic Party has sought to cash in on months of raging protests over police brutality to sell 2020 nominee Joe Biden, trotting out George Floyd's relatives at the event. | "George had a giving spirit, a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world. People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds, peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity," said Philonise Floyd, the brother of the man slain by Minneapolis police in May, bringing in a moment of silence to honor the memory of "the many other souls we lost to…
(2020-08-18). Vote for Weinstein? Michelle Obama's praise of Biden prompts opponents to recall her similar praise for Hollywood rapist. rt.com 
Michelle Obama's heartfelt endorsement of Joe Biden for president ringed familiar to her opponents who have previously heard her introduce convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein as a "wonderful human being" and a "good friend." | The former First Lady endorsed Biden during her speech at the virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday. "I know Joe, he is a profoundly decent man guided by faith," Obama said about her husband's vice president. | The words seemed to ring hollow with the conservative crowd, who took little time before unsheathing the 2013 clip of her praising the disgraced movie mogul using simi…
(2020-08-18). #YoKamalaSoIndian hashtag trends in India as locals mock Biden's VP pick's persistent public demonstration of own identity. rt.com 
Indian Twitter users have been reacting to Kamala Harris' "first Indian-American vice-presidential candidate" status by jokingly trying to imagine the US politician actually living in their country. | The Twitter trend under the hashtag #YoKamalaSoIndian began on Tuesday, after an earlier New York Times Indian netizens overdressed the California senator in various stereotypes and some local insights about their culture, j…
(2020-08-18). Indian country? Memes and mockery greet Elizabeth Warren's DNC appearance at Native American Caucus. rt.com 
The Democratic National Convention came in for a round of online ridicule after Senator Elizabeth Warren, who once passed herself off as Native American, took part in discussions of how Covid-19 affected the "Indian country." | Warren (D-Massachusetts) spoke at the Native American Caucus virtual panel on Tuesday, the second day of the convention, to accuse President Donald Trump of having "failed Indian Country" by not sending enough coronavirus relief to the tribes. | | Elizabeth Warren speaking now. | Talking about how Trump admin has "f…
(2020-08-18). 'Covid is just a metaphor'?! Cuomo draws outrage with unhinged Trump-bashing DNC victory lap. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ignited a firestorm after attempting a poetic comparison between President Donald Trump and the coronavirus, dubbing the deadly illness but a "metaphor" in a speech to the Democratic convention. | "Our nation is in crisis. And in many ways Covid is just a metaphor," the governor pontificated during his speech to the party's virtual convention on Monday night, comparing the Trump administration to a "dysfunctional" immune system. | A virus attacks when the body is weak and when it cannot defend itself. Over these past few years, America's body politic has been weakened. The di…
(2020-08-18). Comedian posts satirical tweet claiming convicted RAPIST will speak at Republican convention and internet goes wild. rt.com 
Convicted Stanford University rapist Brock Turner will speak at the Republican National Convention! It's a comedy bit, not the truth, but in 2020, social media can perhaps be forgiven for losing its ability to tell the difference. | Comedian Jena Friedman announced the disgraced student athlete as RNC 'special guest' on Twitter on Tuesday, provoking a firestorm of responses as a good portion of her audience took it seriously. Would the Republicans seriously invite a registered sex offender — even one with a Stanford University pedigree — to address their convention? | BREAKING NEWS: Brock Turner, Sta…
(2020-08-18). Tefere Gebre, nation's top Black labor leader, challenges Dems on racism. peoplesworld.org 
Saying "systematic racism is alive and well in 2020," AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre challenged union members and the Democratic Party as a whole to confront it and campaign hard for comprehensive solutions to the nation's longest-lasting and most-corrosive chasm. And increasing unionization is one big part of that solution, he declared. Gebre delivered …
(2020-08-18). Rebellion, counterinsurgency and Kamala Harris — WW commentary. workers.org 
"[T]here were two or three years there where the movement went a little too far toward … [Kwame Ture], but in the end, John Lewis prevailed." Those words were spoken at Rep. John Lewis's funeral on July 30 by President Bill Clinton, one of the architects of the 1994 crime . . . |
(2020-08-18). The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the US: There's Worse to Worry About. dissidentvoice.org Spreading faster than COVID-19 among those on the portside, warnings of a fascist-style coup by Trump are rampant this presidential campaign season. Should Trump fail to carry the Electoral College, Noam Chomsky admonishes, "he could send Blackshirts out in the streets… preparation for a plan to try to bring the military in to carry out …
(2020-08-18). Democratic convention opens with appeal to right-wing Republican support. wsws.org Bernie Sanders led the way in preaching political unity from "left" to right against Trump and for Biden.
(2020-08-18). Bernie Sanders: 2020 election is a fight against Trump, authoritarianism, greed, oligarchy & bigotry. nationofchange.org "This election is the most important in the modern history of this country."
(2020-08-18). A Battleground State at War with Itself. progressive.org President Trump's flyover stop in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was only to spite Biden and stir division.
(2020-08-18). Harris' Problem Isn't Her Identity, It's Her Politics. counterpunch.org As you no doubt know by now, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has chosen US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate. You've probably also noticed the first salvo of Republican attacks on Harris: She's "not really black," and she may not even be a "natural born citizen" as required by the Constitution to
(2020-08-18). The Way to Enact a Progressive Foreign-Policy Agenda? Personnel. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site From his rejection of multilateralism to his embrace of hostile dictators, President Trump's foreign policy has failed all but a small clique of committed war hawks, defense contractors, and international corporations. As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris work to present a stark contrast to Trump on the …
(2020-08-18). After another police riot, Chicago mayor rises to national prominence as law-and-order figure. wsws.org Mayor Lori Lightfoot's role at the DNC underscores the right-wing and anti-democratic character of the Democratic Party, which seeks to demonstrate it will be better than Trump in securing the class interests of the financial aristocracy.
(2020-08-18). Day One: The Milwaukee Democratic National Convention that Wasn't. progressive.org Let's face it, the Dems have a pretty compelling story to tell this year.
(2020-08-18). New York and Los Angeles plan deadly reopening of schools. wsws.org Democrats in the two largest school districts are pushing to reopen schools in a matter of weeks, endangering the lives of millions of residents in New York and Los Angeles.
(2020-08-18). US: Trump Criticized During Democratic National Convention. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump Monday was harshly targeted by speakers during the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Washington. | RELATED: | Trump was slammed about the way he is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic downturn, and the social unrest derived from racism episodes in the nation. | Former First Lady Michelle Obama said he has been overtaken by the times the country is going through and called him "the wrong…
(2020-08-18). Unlike Republicans, Democrats can govern. But can they fight? nationofchange.org The big question hovering over the election is whether Democrats can summon enough fight to win against the predictable barrage.
(2020-08-18). The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the U.S. — There's Worse to Worry About. mintpressnews.com Spreading faster than COVID-19 among those on the portside, warnings of a fascist-style coup by Trump are rampant this presidential campaign season.
(2020-08-18). Kamala Harris seals Trump's re-election. indybay.org The appointment of Kamala Harris as Biden's vice candidate is now the result of the Democratic establishment's pathological fear of anything that could even begin to smell left. The cause of this pathology lies in the historical shift to the right of the US party system described by Chomsky.
(2020-08-18). Jimmy Lai Arrested, And Long Live Hong Kong. popularresistance.org The 71-year-old Lai, originally from Mainland China, owns a right-wing tabloid Apple Daily. He is known for dutifully echoing media salvos that are being fired by Western governments and media outlets, salvos against Beijing, and SAR administration, which in turn gained him, in the West, of course, various flattering and unreal titles such as 'an outspoken pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong who regularly criticizes China's authoritarian rule' (CBS News). Lies, of course. Obvious lies.
(2020-08-18). Coup 53: The Anglo-American Coup Against A Democratic Iran. popularresistance.org On August 19, the 67th anniversary of the Anglo-American coup in Iran, COUP 53 will hold a special transatlantic virtual premiere in partnership with venues across the US, Canada, UK and Ireland, followed on August 20 by an exclusive live Q&A with the editor Walter Murch director Taghi Amirani and a surprise special guest! Ten years in the making, COUP 53 tells the story of the 1953 the Anglo-American coup d'état that overthrew Iran's government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstalled the Shah. The CIA/MI6 covert action was called Operation Ajax. It was all about Iran's oil and who gets to contr…
(2020-08-18). Former DHS Staffer Tweets Pic of Himself and Trump After President Claims He 'Never Heard of Him'. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump is facing criticism from a former DHS staffer who recently publicly endorsed his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. The staffer has leveled a series of accusations against the president.
(2020-08-18). US House to Proceed With Saturday Vote on Postal Service Bill, Pelosi Says. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US House of Representatives is set to vote on Saturday on a bill to provide multi-billion financial support to…
(2020-08-18). In DNC Speech, Sanders Urges Popular Front to Defeat Donald Trump. truthout.org Calling the 2020 election the most important in modern U.S. history — one in which the survival of democracy, the economy, and the planet hang in the balance — Sen. Bernie Sanders used his primetime address at the virtual Democratic National Convention Monday night to warn of the existential dangers of handing President Donald Trump a second term and urge the nation to unite to ensure he is defeated in November. | "I and my family, and many of yours, know the insidious way authoritarianism de…
(2020-08-18). Julián Castro Ran on Police Reform Platform But Wasn't Asked to Give DNC Address. truthout.org The Democratic National Convention faces criticism over the lack of diversity in its primetime programming during this year's virtual event, even as Latinx voters are slated to make up the largest bloc of nonwhite voters in 2020. Only a handful of Latinx speakers and no Muslim speakers are appearing during the broadcasted convention, while Republicans like former Ohio Governor John Kasich were given slots. "There were 35 primetime speakers, and only three of them were Latinx, and I raised a c…
(2020-08-18). The Convention's First Night Was Filled With Sorrow — as It Should Be. truthout.org Technologically flawless, light on policy but with lots of lumber to lump up Donald Trump, the first night of the Democratic National "Convention" was what it needed to be: a well-crafted TV show that (mostly) kept your attention from start to finish. | Here in the valley of the shadow of death, the national mood is somber and grim. The first night of any convention is meant to set the tone for the week. Last night's tone was also somber and grim, but with enough hope to warm some of the places in the…
(2020-08-18). UN sends 20 truckloads of aid to Syria's Idlib. yenisafak.com 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 forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have frequently been violated by the Assad re…
(2020-08-18). Democracy Initiative re: Today's Statement from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Operational Changes at U.S. Postal Service. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-08-18). Massachusetts Dems Call for Pre-Election Probe of State Party's Role in Smear Campaign Against US House Candidate Alex Morse. commondreams.org Citing recent reporting, state Democratic committee members said they're concerned some party leaders "may have behaved unethically." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/2020-08-18.png …
(2020-08-18). Pentagon Secrecy Around Covid-19 at Guantanamo Just One More Reason to Shut Offshore Prison, Say Senate Dems. commondreams.org Eleven Democratic senators said Monday that the Pentagon's refusal to provide details about its Covid-19 mitigation strategy at Guantanamo Bay, where 40 detainees are currently being held, only bolsters the case for shutting down the prison. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/guantanamo_1.jpg …
(2020-08-18). Progressives, Get Ready to Push Biden and Harris. thenation.com Progressives, Get Ready to Push Biden and Harris…
(2020-08-18). How Biden Should Spend His First Days as President. thenation.com How Biden Should Spend His First Days as President…
(2020-08-17). "I Cannot Vote for This Platform": Rep. Ro Khanna on Why Democrats Must Support Medicare for All. democracynow.org 
As the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually in Milwaukee, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna, who says he will be voting no on the Democratic platform because it does not support Medicare for All. Khanna, who served as national co-chair of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, says ensuring universal healthcare is crucial for the Democratic Party, especially during a pandemic. "I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump, but I cannot vote for this platform that does not have universal healthcare as a right," says Khanna.
(2020-08-17). Rep. Ro Khanna: Trump's Postal Service Changes Are a Deliberate Strategy to Steal the Election. democracynow.org 
As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls lawmakers back from summer recess for an urgent vote this week to stop changes at the U.S. Postal Service that could interfere with the upcoming election, we speak with California Congressmember Ro Khanna, who says millions of ballots could be at risk of going uncounted. "That, in my view, is a deliberate strategy to try to disqualify millions of votes and for the president to try to steal this election," says Khanna. President Trump recently admitted he's working to undermine…
(2020-08-17). "We Have to Expand the Squad": Cori Bush on Her Upset Primary Win, Defunding Police & Kamala Harris. democracynow.org 
We speak with Cori Bush, a nurse and single mother who was formerly homeless, who joins the growing number of young Black progressives likely headed to Congress this November, after she won a stunning primary upset over 10-term incumbent Congressmember William Lacy Clay Jr. in Missouri's 1st Congressional District in the St. Louis area. Bush says her campaign's victory was a result of a grassroots effort from across her district and beyond. "We believed that it's time for a change, it's time for an active leader, someone who knows the streets, someone who knows the struggle of what's happening in our country, esp…
(2020-08-17). Headlines for August 17, 2020. democracynow.org Pelosi Calls House Back from Recess as Outrage Mounts over Turmoil at USPS, AZ Teachers Halt School Reopening; COVID-19 Data Shows Devastating Effect on Latinx, Black People, New Zealand Postpones Election Amid COVID-19 Spike; Virus Compounds Disaster in Lebanon, Mass Protests Continue in Belarus Amid Reports of Torture in Jails, Student Protests in Thailand Swell, Demanding Democratic Reforms, 16 People Killed After Car Bomb Blast at Hotel in Somalia, At Least 6 People Killed as Protests Intensify in Ivory Coast, Trump Vows to Reinstate U.N. Sanctions Against Iran, Lawyers Say Guards at Immigration Jail "Systema…
(2020-08-17). We Are in Danger Daily: Honduran Afro-Indigenous Garífuna Demand Return of Kidnapped Land Defenders. democracynow.org 
At least 212 land and environmental defenders were murdered last year — the highest number since the group Global Witness began gathering data eight years ago. Some 40% of those killed were Indigenous peoples. We get an update from Honduras, where the Afro-Indigenous Garífuna community continues to demand the safe return of five Garífuna land defenders who were kidnapped by heavily armed men who were reportedly wearing police uniforms and forced them into three unmarked vehicles at gunpoint. This was the latest attack against the Garífuna community as they defend their territory from destructive projects fu…
(2020-08-17). A Letter on Gary Leupp's "The RCP, Fascism, and Chairman Bob's Endorsement of Biden for President" counterpunch.org Lies, slanders, distortions, and ad hominem attacks don't constitute substantive discussion, debate and controversy — they prevent it. Dearn CounterPunch, We, the undersigned have all written for CounterPunch. We come from different perspectives, but we all greatly value your work for its edge, willingness to engage controversy, and openness to a diversity of views and
(2020-08-17). Platform fight precedes Democratic convention. peoplesworld.org 
The Democratic National Convention hasn't started yet, and already there's a fight over the party platform. There are differences in a party united in its determination to defeat Trump but divided on some key issues like Medicare-for-All and the Green New Deal. And another fight may be brewing over the party leadership's decision to basically …
(2020-08-17). The Hoopla Over the Kamala Harris VP Selection Obscures the Many Young People of Color Who Are Winning Offices Nationally. counterpunch.org 
Joe Biden's pick of Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate for the 2020 Democratic presidential ticket has generated strong responses. While many Democrats are elated at the idea of seeing a brown-skinned woman of Indian and Jamaican heritage in such a position, progressives are debating one another about Harris' mixed record on bread-and-butter
(2020-08-17). Joe Biden blasted for softball interview with Cardi B after avoiding real journalists ahead of convention. rt.com 
Joe Biden is facing a backlash after taking the time to sit down for a video chat with rapper Cardi B, having dodged interviews with major journalists and news outlets ahead of the Democratic convention. | Biden tuned in for a candid The unusual pairing discussed a variety…
(2020-08-17). Democrats' election platform demands end to 'forever wars' — most of which were launched last time Biden held office. rt.com 
The Democratic Party's 2020 electoral platform includes a call to end the US' "forever wars" – which sounds great, except that a Democratic president started many of those wars and the party has stonewalled efforts to end them. | "Democrats know it's time to bring nearly two decades of unceasing conflict to an end," the platform, released in draft form on Monday and expected to be approved by Democratic leaders later this week, reads. | It's a relatively uncontroversial statement in itself: at nearly 19 years and counting, the US war in Afghanistan is the longest conflict in American history. The various satel…
(2020-08-17). 'Joe and the Hoe': Rush Limbaugh's mockery of Kamala Harris' sex life triggers outrage & accusations of skewed priorities. rt.com 
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's "sexist" riff on Democratic VP candidate Kamala Harris' past relationship with a powerful older politician has liberals outraged and conservatives rolling their eyes. | In his Friday broadcast, Limbaugh brought up the NBA's dismissal of a freelance photographer who had posted a mock campaign ad of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden with Harris captioned 'Joe and the Hoe' on Facebook. | Noting the photographer was given the boot over a "sexist Facebook post referencing Kamala Harris," he explained the 'Joe and the Hoe' quip was a reference to Harris' sexual relat…
(2020-08-17). Trump carves into Biden's lead on eve of Democratic convention, poll shows. rt.com 
Donald Trump is nearly neck-and-neck with presidential opponent Joe Biden, who earlier enjoyed a comfortable lead over the incumbent, according to a new CNN poll. Voters are divided over Biden's VP pick, Kamala Harris. | The presumptive Democratic nominee leads Trump by just four points nationally, 50 percent to 46 percent, the poll shows. In fifteen battleground states, the CNN poll gives the former vice president a one-point lead, with Biden at 49 percent and Trump at 48 percent. Factoring in the poll's margin of error, ranging from 3.7 to 5 percentage points, the presidential contenders may be close to tied…
(2020-08-17). Twitter 'accidentally' suspends satirical site Babylon Bee after it mocked Kamala Harris and USPS conspiracies. rt.com 
Twitter suspended the account of parody news site The Babylon Bee after it mocked Democrat VP candidate Kamala Harris and 'mail vote suppression' conspiracies. It was shortly restored amid protests about censorship. | The Bee went dark around 6 pm on Monday. Archives showed that their last BREAKING: It appears the Babylon Bee's Twitter account has been suspe…
(2020-08-17). Rolling Stone reporter takes aim at Fox news over Seth Rich murder & gets blasted for failing to get facts right. rt.com 
Seth Rich 'truthers,' including internet rights activist Kim Dotcom, are hounding a journalist for his book about the former DNC staffer's death. They say he's profiting from Rich's death – the very thing he accuses them of. | Seth Rich was 27 years old when he was gunned down near his apartment in Washington, DC, in 2016. The murder of the Democratic National Committee staffer was declared a botched robbery by police, but widespread online speculation at the time suggested that Rich was responsible for leaking a trove of party emails to Wikileaks, and was killed in retaliation. These emails revealed, among ot…
(2020-08-17). The Russian Interference Report, Without Laughing. strategic-culture.org 
Craig MURRAY | Now the madding crowd has moved on, I take a mature look at the report by the It calls expressly and repeatedly for the security services to be actively involved in "policing the democratic space" and castigates the security services for their unwillingness to interfere in democratic process. It calls for t…
(2020-08-17). Pelosi calls lawmakers back to stop Trump's election and postal service sabotage. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. has called lawmakers back into session, despite the "virtual" Democratic National Convention, to stop GOP President Donald Trump's multifaceted scheme to stop voting by mail by basically shutting down the U.S. Postal Service before the Nov. 3 election. Trump's objective, along with that of his political puppets, is to stop …
(2020-08-17). Ocasio-Cortez Welcomes Help From Anti-Trump Republicans in Defeating President—But Rejects Kasich's Attempt to Define Party. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday made clear that she will reject any attempt by so-called "moderate" Republicans who are invited to the party's convention to define what the Democratic Party stands for. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12098953161_0.jpg …
(2020-08-17). 'Regime Change' in Belarus Looks Like an Objective of Both the Trump Administration and the Biden Campaign. globalresearch.ca It seems that whoever wins the presidency, United States foreign policy will keep chugging away at intervening across the world, including via "regime change" efforts. Over the last couple decades, targets for US-government-supported overthrow have included Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, …
(2020-08-17). Do Americans Dream of Capitalist Sheep? dissidentvoice.org It's capitalism after all. Those political parties for the rich and powerful know how to sell exploitation and subjugation by their good cop/bad cop marketing. If you don't buy this, you get Trump. But if you buy what they sell, you get Biden, an imperialist with the crime bill, Patriot Act, and the rest of the schemes …
(2020-08-17). The Biden/Harris campaign and the dead-end of "lesser evil" politics. wsws.org As the US election enters its final stage, enormous pressure is being brought to bear to convince workers and youth that the only way to oppose Trump is to support Biden and Harris.
(2020-08-17). 'We Want Climate Justice Now!' protest set for Minnesota Governor's Mansion. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – While the Democratic National Convention will take place virtually in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from August 17 to 20, activists from Minnesota's Climate Justice Committee and others are planning their own action targeting the DNC. Protesters are planning to picket the Minnesota Governor's Mansion to send a message to superdelegates that they want climate justice faster than the Democratic nominee's environmental plan. | Minnesota's Governor Walz is one of those superdelegates attending the DNC virtually. So on August 18, at 5 p.m., protesters plan to picket the Governor's Mansion at 1006 Summit…
(2020-08-17). Charter Schools Have Failed (And We Need to Stop Funding Them). progressive.org Nearly one million students have been left stranded because of charter school closures in the past twenty years—there's clearly something wrong here.
(2020-08-17). Indicators For Measuring Injustice And Societal Decay. popularresistance.org Economic indicators — data points, trends, and micro-categories — are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society's democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and down trends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision. | We can get the process started and lay the basis for qualitative and quantitative refinement. Years ago, when we started "re-defining progress" and questioning the very superficial GDP and its empirical limitations, professional economists took notice. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, economis…
(2020-08-17). Discussion Of Wikileaks Or 'Hacked Information' Banned Under New YouTube Rules. popularresistance.org Social media giant YouTube announced yesterday a host of new measures it says are aimed at preventing any interference in the upcoming presidential elections. Chief among the list it wrote on its blog, is "removing content that contains hacked information, the disclosure of which may interfere with democratic processes, such as elections and censuses." An example it gives would-be deleting "videos that contain hacked information about a political candidate." | It also promised to "raise up authoritative voices" when it comes to current events and politics by changing its algorithm to show users more credible chan…
(2020-08-17). Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Must Support Medicare for All. truthout.org As the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually in Milwaukee, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna, who says he will be voting "no" on the Democratic platform because it does not support Medicare for All. Khanna, who served as national co-chair of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, says ensuring universal health care is crucial for the Democratic Party, especially during a pandemic. "I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump, but…
(2020-08-17). State Attorneys General Appear Ready to Sue Trump Over Changes at the USPS. truthout.org At least six state attorneys general appear to be discussing possible legal action against the Trump administration due to changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) that could disenfranchise voters seeking to cast their ballot by mail this year. | The group of Democratic state officials
(2020-08-17). The 2020 Democratic Convention Could Be a Tech Debacle or an Ambitious Feat. truthout.org What do you suppose the Democrats will be talking about at their "convention" this week? | The U.S.
(2020-08-17). Stamp Out the Trump Attacks on Our Postal Service! commondreams.org The president and his obeisant postmaster general are out to destroy voting by mail—and democracy.
(2020-08-17). Democrats Demand McConnell Bring Senate Back Into Session to 'Protect USPS and Our Election'. commondreams.org Speaker Nancy Pelosi had directed House members to return to Washington, D.C. for an emergency vote Saturday on legislation to reverse Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's recent policy changes. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/warren_17_0_0.jpg …
(2020-08-17). Activist Voices Missing From Corporate Coverage of Uprisings. commondreams.org Protesters march through lower Manhattan over the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police on June 19, 2020. (Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/public-support-black-lives-matter-protests.jpg …
(2020-08-17). Milwaukee protesters determined to continue as Democratic convention is held remotely. thecanary.co Monday 17 August should have seen the beginning of a four day Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But thanks to coronavirus (Covid-19), the city will miss out on hosting the DNC this week. Instead of the predicted 50,000 visitors injecting millions of dollars into the local economy, the convention will be almost entirely online. | Wisconsin is seen as a key presidential battleground after Donald Trump won there unexpectedly — and by fewer than 23,000 votes — four years ago. Organisers of the convention had planned to highlight Democrats' commitment to the city and Wisconsin. Th…
(2020-08-17). Progressives, Get Ready to Push Them Left. thenation.com Progressives, Get Ready to Push Them Left…
(2020-08-16). Top Dems Demand Postmaster General DeJoy Testify, Citing 'Grave Threat' to 'Our Very Democracy'. commondreams.org The "Postal Service is a public institution that both serves and belongs to every person in our nation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/dems-demand-dejoy-testmony.jpg …
(2020-08-16). Top Dems Demand DeJoy Testimony, Citing 'Grave Threat' to 'Our Very Democracy'. commondreams.org The "Postal Service is a public institution that both serves and belongs to every person in our nation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/dems-demand-dejoy-testmony.jpg …
(2020-08-16). Weaponized Social Media Fuels "Youth" Protests. thealtworld.com 
US-based social-media tools are being used to reward participation in regime change with likes and shares. | Young protesters in Thailand are out demanding "human rights" and "democracy" — and for the current government to step down. | Should their demands be met — the opposition — headed by billionaire fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra and his Pheu Thai Party will take power. Thaksin Shinawatra and his political party represent neither human rights nor democracy. In fact, Thaksin Shinawatra is the worst human rights abuser in Thai history. | So how does one explain the paradoxical nature of young peopl…
(2020-08-16). 'Boycott Sandals'?: Holiday resort chain cancelled by Twitter users over sponsorship of Sean Hannity's 'racist' Fox News show. rt.com 
A holiday resort chain which sponsors Sean Hannity's Fox News show has found itself in the crosshairs of cancel-happy Twitter users after the host convinced the platform to mark a critical video of him as "manipulated media." | The video which sparked the latest social media drama showed Hannity making comments critical of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, juxtaposed with footage of Donald Trump, which made it appear as though Hannity was targeting the president, whom he staunchly supports. | After getting the footage flagged as "manipulated media" by Twitter, MeidasTouch, the liberal group who put the video togeth…
(2020-08-16). 'This is who you are now, GOP': Obama security advisor Rice freaks out over Snowden pardon idea, is roasted for right-wing stance. rt.com 
The fact they are even considering a pardon for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden shows how low the Republican party has sunk under Donald Trump, believes Susan Rice, former national security advisor in the Obama administration. | The possibility that criminal charges against Snowden may be dropped was floated by the US president this week. The idea triggered an outpouring of public support,
(2020-08-16). What Would a President Harris Mean for Whites? strategic-culture.org 
Sen. Harris is not particularly extreme by today's standards, but her life is about acquiring power. Once she has it, she would surely wield it against us. She is likely to restrict freedom of speech and other constitutional rights. Even those who have criticized her in the past would cheer it on.
(2020-08-16). Turmoil in Belarus, Another US Color Revolution Attempt? globalresearch.ca Time and again, the CIA, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), and USAID have been involved in US schemes to replace independent governments with pro-Western puppet ones. | Tactics include violent and non-violent labor …