(2020-09-19). Thai protesters hold rally urging democratic reforms. thecanary.co 
As many as 50,000 people are expected to show up for a march seeking democratic reforms. | By | Protesters have gathered in Bangkok for the most ambitious rally so far in a pro-democracy campaign that has shaken the government and Thailand's conservative establishment.Mobilised support: Organisers predicted as many as 50,000 people will show up and march over two days in an area of the capital historically associated with political protests. An estimated 10,000 people turned out for the last major rally on 16 August. This time, oppositio…
(2020-09-19). Obama urges GOP-led Senate to leave Supreme Court seat empty until after 2020 race following death of Justice Ginsburg. rt.com 
Former US President Barack Obama has called on the Republican-controlled Senate to delay its confirmation vote to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, citing the GOP's own playbook during his administration. | Celebrating Ginsburg's lengthy career on the court following her death on Friday, Obama said that even in her final days, the justice showed an "unwavering faith in our democracy and its ideals." Going forward, however, the former president said Ginsburg's empty seat should not be filled until after the 2020 election, pointing to a principle invoked by the Republicans following the death of…
(2020-09-19). Tulsi Gabbard goes OFF MESSAGE from fellow Dems again, introduces bipartisan bill to deter fraud with mail-in ballots. rt.com 
Former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, branded a "Russian asset" by Hillary Clinton for her anti-war views, is again refusing to blindly follow her party's talking points — this time over fears of election fraud. | "Whether in the midst of a pandemic, as we are now, where mail-in voting is likely to drastically increase, or even in a normal election, no one should get in between a voter and the ballot box," the Hawaii congresswoman said Friday on Twitter. | Banning ballot harvesting is not a partisan issue. It's been used & abused in states like North Carolina and California & is ripe fo…
(2020-09-19). Socialist Strategy and the Biden Debate. zcomm.org The left forces whose strategy translates into sending the first message have much better prospects to grow their ranks and expand their influence, power and coalition relationships…
(2020-09-19). Casualties of "herd immunity": Three new teacher deaths in one week as US schools reopen. wsws.org The deaths are a direct result of the criminal actions by Democratic and Republican governors, as well as the Trump administration.
(2020-09-19). Biden in Minnesota: A phony "pro-worker" spin on a right-wing campaign. wsws.org On the basis of economic nationalism, Biden is doubling down on his ludicrous self-promotion as a "working stiff" from "hard-scrabble" Scranton, Pennsylvania.
(2020-09-19). Another Day of COVID, Another Failed Stimulus, Another Thousand Deaths. zcomm.org With an election looming just 47 tiny days away, fury at vicious Republican intransigence has begun to give way to something close to horrified awe…
(2020-09-19). Extinction Rebellion is showing Britain what real democracy could look like. zcomm.org The protest movement's call for meaningful participation highlights the failings of dysfunctional Westminster politics…
(2020-09-19). "These Are Climate Fires": Oregon Firefighter Ecologist Says Devastating Blazes Are a Wake-Up Call. indybay.org President Trump has said little about the wildfires raging in California, Oregon and Washington for three weeks, other than to suggest poor forest management was primarily to blame. But the states' governors are pushing back and directly linking the fires to the climate crisis. "These are climate fires," says Timothy Ingalsbee, an Oregon-based wildland fire ecologist and former wildland firefighter who now directs Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. "Though some scientists hesitate to attribute a single event to climate change, these are exactly the conditions predicted by climatologists."
(2020-09-19). [Correspondence] Seeking clarity on retinal findings in patients with COVID-19. thelancet.com Paula M Marinho and colleagues1 described hyper-reflective lesions in ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from 24 eyes of 12 adults who had symptoms of COVID-19. Marinho and colleagues argued that these lesions could be associated with COVID-19-related neurological events in humans.2 On the basis of the fundamental principles of OCT, we hold different views as to how the hyper-reflective foci were generated and their relevance to COVID-19.
(2020-09-19). [Perspectives] Human rights parables for a post-pandemic world. thelancet.com Before the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the structural inequalities across societies, there were diverging parables in human rights. One narrative identified the populist challenge to human rights and juxtaposed it with the cosmopolitan ideal of a multilateral order. An alternative narrative viewed populism as the symptom of democratic failure more than the cause and argued that the crisis of legitimacy facing the neoliberal, multilateral order was inextricably connected to a world where capitalist democracies have become "mere faàßade democracies", as Jàºrgen Habermas has asserted.
(2020-09-19). GOP's Strategy for 2020 Election Looks Like an All-Out Assault on Voting Rights. truthout.org The Republican Party and its allies have relied on voter suppression tactics for decades, but this year they are pulling out all the stops. | "
(2020-09-18). Assange 'offered win-win deal by Trump to avoid extradition. thecanary.co The WikiLeaks founder's extradition hearing was told that Trump associates sought the source of leaks from the Democratic National Committee. | By | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was offered a "win-win" deal by Donald Trump to avoid extradition by revealing the source of the hacking of Democratic party emails, a court has heard. | Trump approval: | Barrister Jennifer Robinson said she was asked to attend the meeting by her client, Assange, with Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Trump associate Charles Johnson at the Ecuador…
(2020-09-18). Trump vs. Masks: Attacks on CDC, Doctors & Scientists Undermine a "Pillar of Pandemic Control" democracynow.org 
As the official United States death toll from COVID-19 approaches 200,000 people, we speak with infectious disease expert Dr. Monica Gandhi, who says President Trump's refusal to promote face masks has made the pandemic much worse. "Masks are a pillar of pandemic control. They are incredibly important," says Dr. Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, as well as a division head at San Francisco General Hospital. "There is no country in the world right now that has been fighting masks like this, especially at the presidential level. If we could have started mask wearing, con…
(2020-09-18). As Fires Rage Across the West, Trump Bails Out Big Oil & Picks Climate Denier for Top Role at NOAA. democracynow.org 
As climate-fueled wildfires continue to ravage the West, the Trump administration has tapped a well-known climate change denier for a top position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. University of Delaware professor David Legates has written papers calling for more fossil fuel emissions and has had his work supported by the Robert Mercer-funded Heartland Institute and Koch Industries, as well as major gas companies. He was recently hired as NOAA's deputy assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. We speak with David Goodrich, a former top climate scientist at the National…
(2020-09-18). Trump Calls Howard Zinn's Work "Propaganda." Hear the Legendary Historian in His Own Words. democracynow.org 
This week President Trump described the work of the legendary historian Howard Zinn, who died in 2010, as "propaganda" meant to "make students ashamed of their own history." But Zinn believed the opposite, that teaching the unvarnished truth about history was the best way to combat propaganda and unexamined received wisdom. We air excerpts from a 2009 interview with Zinn in which he explained his approach to education. "We should be honest with young people; we should not deceive them. We should be honest about the history of our country," Zinn said.
(2020-09-18). Headlines for September 18, 2020. democracynow.org White House Scuttled Plan to Mail 650 Million Face Masks to U.S. Households, NYC Schools Delay In-Person Classes Amid Staffing Shortages and Coronavirus Fears, CDC Watered Down Coronavirus Testing Guidelines Over Objections of Scientists, Trump Coronavirus Adviser Threatens to Sue Stanford Doctors over Criticism, WHO Warns of "Alarming" Coronavirus Transmission Rates Across Europe, U.S. Billionaires Added $845B to Net Worth Since March as Pandemic Exposed Racial Inequities, Court Halts "Drastic Operational Changes" at USPS, Warning of Widespread Disenfranchisement, Ex-Coronavirus Task Force Aide Endorses Biden, C…
(2020-09-18). Venezuela's President Maduro Calls Pompeo's 'War-Mongering' Tour a 'Failure'. sputniknews.com The US Department of State earlier announced Pompeo would be visiting South America with the aim of showing support for local democracies and containing the "threat" coming from "Maduro's illegitimate regime".
(2020-09-18). Medicare-for-All is a beginning, not the end point. mronline.org 
As a coup de grâce to the Bernie Sanders campaign Joe Biden declared that he would veto Medicare-for-All. This could drive a dedicated health care advocate to relentlessly pursue Med-4-All as a final goal.
(2020-09-18). Germany: US Nuclear Weapons Shamed in Nationwide Debate. counterpunch.org 
We need a broad public debate … about the sense and nonsense of nuclear deterrence. —Rolf Mutzenich, German Social Democratic Party Leader Public criticism of the US nuclear weapons deployed in Germany bloomed into a vigorous nationwide debate this past spring and summer focused on the controversial scheme known diplomatically as "nuclear sharing" or "nuclear
(2020-09-18). The Final Nail: COVID-19 Marks the End of Democratic Socialism in Sweden. mintpressnews.com 
Eleanor Goldfield reports from Stockholm on how COVID-19 has laid bare the US-style capitalist reality taking hold in Sweden and how the pandemic ushered in the end of democratic socialism in the country.
(2020-09-18). Be It Trump Or Biden, Iraq is Doomed. counterpunch.org 
It was announced on September 9 that the U.S. Administration would reduce troop numbers in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of the month. The commander Central Command, General McKenzie, said the withdrawal was to take place because of "the great progress the Iraqi forces have made" and that the "ultimate goal" was having local forces who were capable of preventing a resurgence of Islamic State in the country."
(2020-09-18). Surprise! Still No Economic Relief from Washington. counterpunch.org 
With tens of millions unemployed, inevitable eviction merely postponed for a few months and low-wage jobs and small businesses drying up like the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, you'd think the federal government could negotiate some help for stranded Americans. Democrats had a bill ready back in May. But it just sat on Mitch McConnell's
(2020-09-18). Democrats: Can't Live With 'Em, Can't Live Without 'Em. counterpunch.org 
Like HIV or COVID-19, the Democratic Party is likely to be with us for some time to come. The best we can hope for is that it becomes more manageable. This is already the case with HIV, and there is reason to think that, despite Donald Trump's depraved indifference, the worst and most debilitating ravages
(2020-09-18). Democrats engineer removal of Green Party presidential candidates from Pennsylvania ballot. wsws.org The Pennsylvania Supreme Court kicked the Green Party off the November presidential ballot on Thursday on the basis of undemocratic procedural considerations.
(2020-09-18). Scientific American endorses a presidential candidate for the first time in its history: Joe Biden. nationofchange.org "We've never backed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now."
(2020-09-18). Changing the Washington Guard: What a Democratic Sweep in November Portends. dissidentvoice.org At the risk of counting chickens before they hatch, what would the return of Team Blue portend? As is patently obvious, the US is in trouble. Climate driven heat waves and fires grip the nation. An already faltering economy with deep contradictions could only tank given the shock of the pandemic that has necessitated varying …
(2020-09-18). 'This Is What Voter Suppression Looks Like'. popularresistance.org Two tribes in South Dakota and a voting rights group are suing four state officials, accusing them of failing to offer adequate voter registration services. | The complaint says South Dakota "is depriving thousand of tribal members and other citizens of their federally guaranteed opportunities to register to vote and to change their voter registration addresses when these citizens interact with state agencies." | The Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Four Directions filed a federal court complaint on Wednesday.
(2020-09-18). Governments Will Impose New Lockdowns if They Think They Can Get Away with It. globalresearch.ca This year's stay-at-home orders and lockdowns imposed by governments on their populations represent a watershed moment in the history of the modern state. | Before March 2020, it is unlikely that many politicians—let alone many ordinary people—thought it would be feasible …
(2020-09-18). What the OAS Did to Bolivia. cepr.net The Guardian See article on original site Bolivia has descended into a nightmare of political repression and racist state violence since the democratically elected government of Evo Morales was overthrown by the military on November 10. That month was "the second-deadliest month, in terms of civilian deaths committed by state forces, since Bolivia became a …
(2020-09-18). Austerity at Home and Imperialism Abroad: What a Joe Biden Win Would Mean for America. mintpressnews.com If past performance is any indicator of future outcomes, a brief look at past Democratic presidencies offers insights into what a Biden win could mean for America and the world.
(2020-09-18). Political Trials and Electoral Bans: the Battle for Democracy in Ecuador. cepr.net OpenDemocracy See article on original site Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno and his allies have gone to great lengths to prevent former president Rafael Correa and his political movement from returning to power. In order to achieve this goal, the current government has persecuted opponents and barred candidates from running. Moreno's authoritarianism has, so far, gone …
(2020-09-18). New York City Democratic mayor delays school opening a second time. wsws.org Bill de Blasio, the "progressive" mayor of New York City, announced a new date for a "phased reopening" of the city's public schools.
(2020-09-18). More Anti-Democratic Nonsense By KPFA LSB Board Majority & KPFA LSB Secretary Carol Wolfle. indybay.org The KPFA LSB board majority and their LSB secretary Carol Wolfley are working to prevent democratic participation in the LSB meetings. Their corporatist operation of the station local board is connected to their failure to do any evaluations of the manager Quincy McCoy or Program Director They have been rubber stamps to the unilateral of programs at KPFA and support by the station management.
(2020-09-18). Saturday 9/19: Build Back Better with Justice, Equality, Reform, Democracy, Truth… indybay.org San Mateo Community College, Upper Hillside Parking Lot…
(2020-09-18). US State Dept. Hands Over 16,000 Pages of Biden Probe Records to House Panel – Chairman. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, September 19 (Sputnik) – The panel's subpoena is part of the committee's investigation of Pompeo's alleged use of State Department resources to smear Biden.
(2020-09-18). Joe Biden blasts Donald Trump's 'criminal' pandemic response. thecanary.co The Democratic presidential nominee held his first town hall on Thursday. | By | Joe Biden on Thursday went after President Donald Trump again and again over his handling of Covid-19, calling the president's downplaying of the pandemic "criminal". | "You've got to level with the American people — shoot from the shoulder. There's not been a time they've not been able to step up. The president should step down," the Democratic presidential nominee said to applause from a CNN drive-in town hall crowd in Moosic, outside his hometown of Scrant…
(2020-09-18). 'Climate Floods. Climate Droughts. Climate Fires': Interactive Map Illustrates How Planetary Crisis Threatens Every Corner of US. commondreams.org Taking a cue from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, an outspoken climate action advocate who this week referred to the wildfires which have burned through hundreds of thousands of acres in his state as "climate fires," two New York Times journalists on Friday offered a visual of how the climate crisis is expected to affect every part of the United States. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1273051424_1.jpg …
(2020-09-18). Ex-Pence Aide, Covid Task Force Member, Denounces Trump's 'Flat-Out Disregard for Human Life' in Biden Defection Video. commondreams.org Olivia Troye—a self-described lifelong Republican—is the first member of the president's Coronavirus Task Force to speak out publicly against him. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/troye.jpg …
(2020-09-18). Right-Wing Operatives Accused of Trying to Entrap Progressive Pro-Democracy Groups in North Carolina to Undermine Their Election Work. commondreams.org "Common Cause may be the target, but the attack is on our democracy and on the right of every eligible voter to have a say in the future for our families, communities, and country." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-09-18_at_4.34.48_pm.png …
(2020-09-18). Voters Should be Wary of USA Today's False Balance on Election 2020. commondreams.org "The [USA Today] headline directly suggests that 'voters' are equally wary of both candidates," writes Hollar. (Photo: USA Today) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_biden_usatoday.jpg …
(2020-09-18). Common Cause Targeted—Democracy Attacked. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-09-18). American Athletes Can Decide This Year's Election. thenation.com American Athletes Can Decide This Year's Election…
(2020-09-17). Daniel Ellsberg Warns U.S. Press Freedom Under Attack in WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Extradition Case. democracynow.org 
Legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg says Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London could have far-reaching consequences for press freedoms. The WikiLeaks founder faces an ever-evolving array of espionage and hacking charges related to the release of diplomatic cables that revealed war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Assange faces almost certain conviction, if extradited, and 175 years in prison. "The American press has remained in kind of a state of denial for 40 years, really, since my case, that the Espionage Act has wording in it that could be aimed directly at…
(2020-09-17). A Crisis Made in America: Yemen on Brink of Famine After U.S. Cuts Aid While Fueling War. democracynow.org 
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is deepening amid the pandemic and cuts to international aid from the United States and its allies, leaving millions of Yemenis facing famine after years of a brutal U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing campaign that has devastated the country. CNN's senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir says what is happening in Yemen is not a natural disaster but a "man-made catastrophe" directly tied to U.S. policies. Elbagir says, "Not only is the U.S. profiting from the war by selling weapons to the UAE and Saudi Arabia," but it is also ignoring the impact on civilians. We also feature he…
(2020-09-17). After Fire Destroys Moria Refugee Camp in Greece, Demands Grow for Relocation, Not Another Camp. democracynow.org 
We get an update on the massive fire at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, which has left 13,000 refugees and migrants from Afghanistan, African countries and Syria without access to shelter, food or sanitation. The fire has raised concerns about a coronavirus outbreak and comes as migrants protest their living conditions during the pandemic. Some of the asylum seekers — many of them women and children — are demanding they be allowed to leave the island of Lesbos, but the Greek government is refusing to relocate most people displaced by the fire to the mainland. "The calculation of the Greek go…
(2020-09-17). Suspect arrested in murder of 17-year-old staffer of GOP challenger to Ilhan Omar. rt.com 
A suspect was arrested on Thursday morning in connection with the murder of a teenage staffer for Lacy Johnson, the Republican challenger to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota). The shooting is not believed to be politically motivated. | The suspect was taken into custody after a high speed pursuit, according to the Minneapolis Police Department. Officers attempted to pull them over, but they fled, leading to the car chase which ended with the suspect crashing their vehicle. | The shooting occurred on Monday at a service station where the assailant approached two Johnson staffers, who were among a group of people. B…
(2020-09-17). Senate Democrats want $350 billion to prepare for war with China. liberationnews.org 
Democrats in the Senate announced September 17 a massive spending bill aimed at stepping up U.S. hostility towards China to the tune of $350 billion. Introduced by leading imperialist war hawks Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez, the legislation is intended to shore up U.S. dominance in strategic sectors of the world economy through huge government …
(2020-09-17). But 'What is the Economy, Stupid?'. peoplesworld.org 
Polling indicates that Americans still give Donald Trump an edge over Joe Biden when it comes to their faith in either candidate's ability to manage the economy. While it's true that, according to a late-August Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump's approval rating on the economy has dipped 14% since March, putting him in negative territory with 47% …
(2020-09-17). GOP election sabotage scheme using Wisconsin Green Party stalls. peoplesworld.org 
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Sept. 14 against placing the Green Party on the 2020 election ballot. The decision vacated a hold the same court had put on sending ballots to municipalities and 1 million absentee ballots to voters last week. Under Wisconsin law, election officials must send more than a million requested mail-in ballots …
(2020-09-17). US lawmakers call on Trump administration to restore aid to Yemen. middleeasteye.net 
US lawmakers call on Trump administration to restore aid to Yemen | Citing coronavirus concerns, Democrats in both the House and Senate describe a dire need for aid in war-torn Yemen, where virus mortality rates remain around 25 percent | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 18: 40 | Hashem Mahmoud Atin, a ten-month-old displaced Yemeni child suffering from acute malnutrition and who is unable to reach a hospital for treatment,…
(2020-09-17). 'Abject incompetence': NYC mayor postpones school opening at last minute AGAIN, triggering parental rage. rt.com 
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has postponed school reopening for most students a second time, just days before kids were set to return. Parents and teachers who already planned their lives around the schedule aren't happy. | Instead of returning to the classroom on Monday, elementary school students will come back on September 29, de Blasio announced in a Thursday press briefing, enraging parents and teachers alike with the eleventh-hour delay. Middle and high school students won't return until October 1 under the new schedule. | It's not the first time de Blasio has pushed school reopening dates forward.
(2020-09-17). Why the Left Must Reject and Elect Biden at the Same Time. zcomm.org To organize against a government headed by Trump is to push against a thick stone wall. To organize against a government headed by Biden holds out the real potential of progressive breakthroughs…
(2020-09-17). Trump's Climate Denial Gains Strength If We're in Denial About His Neo-Fascism. commondreams.org "Trump's right-wing base and leading Republicans are in lockstep with both types of denial. They embrace the most absurd claims about climate … And they refuse to recognize or deplore his autocratic moves," writes Solomon. (Photo: Oil Change International/Twitter) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_climate_hotel_0_1.jpeg …
(2020-09-17). Weed Killers: Bowing to Blue Dogs, Democratic Leadership Delays 'Enormously Popular' Marijuana Legalization Bill Until After Election. commondreams.org "If you're trying to punt it as a result of a political calculation, I disagree with that calculation," Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said earlier of the MORE Act. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_10.jpg …
(2020-09-17). Who Will Win — a Conscious People or Anti-Democratic Elites? zcomm.org Interview about the state of the peoples' movement…
(2020-09-17). Opposition mounts as thousands of University of Illinois at Chicago nurses and workers continue strike. wsws.org The university administration and the Democratic Party are increasingly nervous over the support striking workers have elicited.
(2020-09-17). New York City ruling elite warns Mayor de Blasio of "widespread anxiety" wsws.org The corporate elite is demanding an intensified back-to-work drive, and is fearful that the "progressive" mayor may not be able to keep the lid on growing social discontent.
(2020-09-17). A Huge Number of Medical Doctors Ask for a Reassessment of the Corona Measures. globalresearch.ca Globally, we are seeing a massive campaign of disinformation on the main stream media that sets aside all the principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law. | While a great number of colleagues doctors present with different …
(2020-09-17). Trump repeats threats of post-election military repression as Barr calls for charging protesters with "sedition" wsws.org While Trump and his political aides and advisers openly speak of civil war and martial law, the Democrats are largely ignoring and covering up the moves toward dictatorial forms of rule.
(2020-09-17). House report on Boeing 737 Max crashes: Corporate criminality, FAA complicity, but no accountability. wsws.org Despite the incriminating evidence, the Democrats propose no actions to hold either Boeing or the FAA accountable for the deaths of 346 men, women and children.
(2020-09-17). Build Back Better with Reform, Justice, Equality, Democracy, Rights… indybay.org Want reform, equality, justice, liberty? Want Black Lives to Matter? Learn about how you can help Biden and Harris Build Back Better.
(2020-09-17). Build Back Better with Reform, Justice, Equality, Democracy, Truth… indybay.org Want reform, equality, justice, liberty? Want Black Lives to Matter?Learn about how you can help Biden and Harris Build Back Better.
(2020-09-17). Trump's Caudillismo Support Among Wealthy Latin American Expatriates. strategic-culture.org The U.S. political class of pundits, pollsters, columnists, and endless cable news blathering talking heads are currently putting forth the notion that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is having a problem with support from the Hispanic community. This argument is based on a disingenuously false premise that the Hispanic community is a political monolith that is gravitating, as it has in recent years, to Republican candidates. To be sure, there is a conservative base to the Hispanic vote among the mostly white European exiles in South Florida, who came to the United States to flee, along with their offs…
(2020-09-17). Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Announced That No Major Defense Cuts to the US Budget are Expected. sputniknews.com On this edition of The Critical Hour, host Garland Nixon talks to Scott Ritter about Biden's plans to supports a sustained U.S. military footprint of up to 1,500-2,000 on the ground — primarily for special operations against Daesh and other terror threats — in the war that began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks 19 years ago.
(2020-09-17). Biden's Big Test: Selecting a White House Chief of Staff. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site Vice President Joe Biden was angry. It was 2013, and Ron Klain, his trusted chief of staff, was leaving for the private sector. Biden needed someone dependable to replace him during the second term. But David Plouffe, President Obama's campaign guru and top political adviser, kept shooting …
(2020-09-17). Letters from Australia, the US and New Zealand defending Philippine historian Dr. Joseph Scalice. wsws.org The Communist Party of the Philippines "is scapegoating an historian for having the principles and courage to tell the truth to the whole world about the anti-democratic and anti-working class role of the Stalinists."
(2020-09-17). 'Existential Threat to Our Democracy': Trump Openly Telegraphs Intent (Once Again) to Delegitimize 2020 Election Results. commondreams.org The president's latest baseless attack on mail-in ballots drew yet another warning from Twitter. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/twitter_trump_0.jpg …
(2020-09-17). With Eye on Biden Victory, Warren and Schumer Unveil Plan to Cancel Up to $50,000 for Federal Student Loan Borrowers. commondreams.org "Broadly cancelling student loan debt would be a game-changer for millions of people in this country and a lifeline when they desperately need it." | www.flickr.com/photos/sdmc/21502010111…
(2020-09-17). House Passes 'Historic' Legislation to Protect Pregnant Workers From Discrimination, Prompting Calls for Senate to Follow Suit. commondreams.org Labor rights and women's rights advocates called on the U.S. Senate to follow suit on Thursday after the Democratic-led House passed an historic bipartisan bill to protect the rights of pregnant workers—but expressed little hope that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would prioritize the legislation. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-533768447_1.jpg …
(2020-09-17). 'A Recipe for Disaster': Democrats Worry Biden Campaign Missing in Action in Battleground States. commondreams.org The Democratic candidate's campaign is sparking concern that a redux of 2016—including a lack of outreach and a dearth of voter excitement—is now underway. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/getty-biden-michigan.jpg …
(2020-09-17). Do Florida Democrats Want to Win the State Senate This Year? thenation.com Do Florida Democrats Want to Win the State Senate This Year?
(2020-09-17). Of Course Republicans Want to Suppress the Youth Vote. thenation.com Of Course Republicans Want to Suppress the Youth Vote…
(2020-09-17). What Is Critical Race Theory and Why Is Trump Afraid of It? thenation.com What Is Critical Race Theory and Why Is Trump Afraid of It?
(2020-09-16). Noura Erakat: Trump's Bahrain-UAE-Israel Deal Won't Advance Palestinian Peace & Will Up Repression. democracynow.org 
As the Trump administration celebrates deals establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, we speak with Palestinian American legal scholar Noura Erakat, who says Trump's "peace" agreements are a sham. "This is not about advancing any kind of meaningful, enduring peace, but instead about entrenching a geopolitical alliance that would otherwise increase oppression for people of the Middle East," says Erakat, assistant professor at Rutgers University and author of "Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine."
(2020-09-16). Continue to Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor's Family Wants Cops Arrested After Historic $12M Settlement. democracynow.org 
The city of Louisville, Kentucky, will pay a historic $12 million settlement to the family of Breonna Taylor, more than six months after police shot and killed the 26-year-old Black emergency room technician in her own apartment and Taylor became a household name as part of the nationwide uprising in defense of Black lives. It is one of the largest payouts ever for a police killing of a Black person in the U.S. The city will also institute major reforms to the police department responsible for Taylor's death. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the settlement at a press conference, where he was joined by memb…
(2020-09-16). Mychal Denzel Smith on Breonna Taylor, Defunding Police, Systemic Racism & His Trump-Era Depression. democracynow.org 
Journalist and author Mychal Denzel Smith joins us for a wide-ranging discussion on the uprising against racist police, the upcoming presidential election and why he says a Biden win won't cure his Trump-era depression, and his new book, "Stakes Is High: Life after the American Dream." Denzel Smith questions whether arresting and charging the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor, a core demand of many protests in the wake of her death, represents justice, despite the historic settlement between Louisville and her family. "The only way to prevent another instance of the situation that took Breonna Taylor's li…
(2020-09-16). Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and the Power of the US Dollar in the World Economy (Part 1). dissidentvoice.org Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) has become popularized by some of the liberal-left because it offers an explanation how to achieve full employment, national health insurance, free college education, and the Green New Deal without raising taxes. Political leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have espoused MMT. Economist Stephanie Kelton, a leading spokesperson of the theory, …
(2020-09-16). UN sends six aid trucks to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Wednesday dispatched six trucks with humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people remain in need of assistance due to internal conflict.The trucks crossed over into Syria's Idlib province from the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a 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-escal…
(2020-09-16). Idaho's Indigenous Senate candidate Paulette Jordan challenges entrenched Republican power. peoplesworld.org 
A U.S. Senate race in the state of Idaho could bring about sweeping change to the current Republican-controlled Senate and correct a longstanding historical wrong if it's won by the Democratic opponent to incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Risch. "I'm Paulette Jordan, and I'm running to be the first female senator from the state of Idaho and the first …
(2020-09-16). Maduro security forces committed crimes against humanity: UN. yenisafak.com Venezuelan security forces and allied groups have committed systematic human rights violations including killings and torture amounting to crimes against humanity, U.N. investigators said on Wednesday.Reasonable grounds existed to believe that President Nicolas Maduro and his interior and defence ministers ordered or contributed to the crimes documented in the report in order to silence opposition, they said.Most unlawful executions by state agents have not been prosecuted in Venezuela, where the rule of law and democratic institutions have broken down, they added.The U.N. fact-finding mission said other national…
(2020-09-16). Biden tells UAW he plans clean energy factory future. peoplesworld.org 
WARREN, Mich.—Joe Biden envisions a clean energy factory future for U.S. workers, with a million new jobs for auto workers making electric vehicles, thousands of electrical workers making chargers for them, tax credits for firms that bring jobs back to the U.S., and tax penalties, big time, for companies that ship U.S. jobs abroad. And …
(2020-09-16). Prisoners denied the right to vote, a new form of poll tax — WW commentary. workers.org 
Voting in Lower Peach Tree, Ala., in Wilcox County, on May 3, 1966, after passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Voter suppression in the United States is as "American as apple pie," especially when it comes to Black, Brown and other marginalized communities. Despite the passing of the Voting . . . |
(2020-09-16). How Were 46 Million People Trapped by Student Debt? The History of an Unfulfilled Promise. counterpunch.org 
The democratic principle of tuition-free education in our country pre-dates the founding of the United States. The first public primary education was offered in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635, and its legislature created Harvard College the following year to make education available to all qualified students. Even before the Constitution was ratified, the Confederation
(2020-09-16). Protests for Daniel Prude in second week in Rochester, N.Y. workers.org 
Sept. 13 — Nearly six months ago, Daniel Prude was murdered by police officers in Rochester, N.Y., while experiencing a mental health crisis. Initially, the details of the case were swept under the rug by Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary and Mayor Lovely Warren. However, on Sept. 2, body camera . . . |
(2020-09-16). Kamala Harris' Timberland boots make unlikely headlines as Biden campaign struggles to create excitement. rt.com 
Footage of Democratic VP candidate Kamala Harris sauntering out of a plane in Timberland boots has Biden campaign supporters all aflutter — but even many on the Left are rolling their eyes at the brand name fetishism. | "Kamala Harris may have made Timberland boots cool again," gushed a Yahoo! News headline, one of several touting the VP pick's footwear as she alighted from a plane to visit firefighters and those displaced by the devastating wildfires in Fresno, California. | Called "Timbs" for short, the boots were ubiquitous during the 1990s and early 2000s, worn by men and women and especially popular…
(2020-09-16). NYC Mayor de Blasio to furlough HIMSELF & nearly 500 staff for week amid revenue shortfall, blames Congress for lack of stimulus. rt.com 
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and nearly 500 city staffers will be furloughed for one week to help the city deal with a $9 billion revenue shortfall due to the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown. | The week-long furlough will save the city $860,000. | In his announcement on Wednesday, the mayor said no pay cuts are planned at this time, but he admitted the city will be facing a "horrible budget situation" for years, and that it was heightened by the economic shutdown in March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic. | "We're going to be in a horrible budget situation for years, so this borrowing capacity is to…
(2020-09-16). 'So it's verboten?': Fox News panelist STOPS Newt Gingrich from discussing 'Soros-elected' district attorneys. rt.com 
A Fox News host and a former CIA spokesperson ganged up on former House speaker and Republican pundit Newt Gingrich when he brought up the undisputed fact that George Soros funded candidates for prosecutors in riot-struck cities. | "The number one problem in almost all the cities is George Soros-elected, left-wing, anti-police, pro-criminal district attorneys who refuse to keep people locked up," Gingrich told the hosts of 'Outnumbered' on Wednesday. | "Both [Kamala] Harris and [Joe] Biden have talked very proudly about what they call progressive district attorneys," he continued. "Progressive district attorne…
(2020-09-16). New Japanese Prime Minister expected to continue far-right policies of predecessor. liberationnews.org 
Veteran right wing politician Yoshihide Suga took power as the new Prime Minister of Japan September 16. While his ascension to office ends the administration of Shinzo Abe, the far right policies that characterized the Abe administration are all but certain to continue under new management. Suga is a long-time leader of the Liberal Democratic …
(2020-09-16). US congresswoman honored for helping Palestine. yenisafak.com A US congresswoman has been honored for defending the rights of Palestinians in the face of Israeli human rights abuses."Honored to receive the Champion of Palestinian Rights Award from @AMPalestine today as part of Palestine Advocacy Day," US Democratic Representative Betty McCollum said Tuesday on Twitter, referring to the group American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)."Advancing peace human rights for Palestinian children all children should be a shared priority! #HR2407."House of Representatives Resolution 2407 is the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, a…
(2020-09-16). How a dire shortage of poll workers imperils American democracy. nationofchange.org COVID-19 exacerbated the shortages of poll workers that states and counties already face in every election.
(2020-09-16). Isolation And Opioids During The Pandemic. popularresistance.org In our new era of nearly unparalleled upheaval, as a pandemic ravages the bodies of some and the minds of nearly everyone, as the associated economic damage disposes of the livelihoods of many, and as even the promise of democracy fades, the people whose lives were already on a razor's edge — who were vulnerable and isolated before the advent of Covid-19 — are in far greater danger than ever before. | Against this backdrop, many of us are scanning the news for any sign of hope, any small flicker of light whose gleam could indicate that everything, somehow, is going to be okay.
(2020-09-16). Another step towards real democracy. nationofchange.org At least some of us are open to change…
(2020-09-16). Strike by University of Illinois at Chicago nurses and workers continues, as Illinois Democratic governor threatens to decimate state budget. wsws.org A virtual blackout of the strikes at UIC and its hospital in the national press indicates the growing fear in ruling circles over the development of working class opposition.
(2020-09-16). Voting in the United States: A Constant Uphill Battle. progressive.org A new documentary produced by Stacey Abrams explores the history of voter suppression, today's tactics, and what we need to do to fight it.
(2020-09-16). Democrats Campaigning To Keep Green Party Off The Ballot. popularresistance.org The 2020 presidential election is already underway — or, at least, it should be. Because of an ongoing legal battle, none of Pennsylvania's 67 counties will be sending out mail-in ballots today like they were originally scheduled to. Democrats are attempting to remove Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins from the ballot because of an alleged procedural mistake his running mate Angela Walker made when informing election authorities about a change in her South Carolina address. A similar battle is raging between the two parties in Wisconsin, another key battleground state.
(2020-09-16). NYC Mayor's Office Furloughed to Help Tackle City's Budget Deficit. sputniknews.com No exception was made for Mayor Bill de Blasio as well, who said that his office team had been working hard and he did not want them to go a week without pay, but the situation demands "tough choices".
(2020-09-16). Scientific American Breaks With 175-Year Precedent to Endorse Biden. truthout.org Scientific American has "We do not do this lightly," the editors write. "The eviden…
(2020-09-16). How to Do More Than Panic About Voter Suppression. truthout.org Trump's attacks on Black protesters and Black people are inextricably bound to the arguments he will make to try to invalidate the election. In this episode, Truthout's Kelly Hayes talks with voting rights activist Anoa Changa about how you can defend voting rights in the homestretch of the presidential race. | Note: This is a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | TRANSCRIPT: | Kelly Hayes: Welcome to Movement Memos, a Truthout podcast about things you should…
(2020-09-16). The Democrat Ticket Is Puzzling. thealtworld.com I am puzzled, as I assume my readers are, why the powers-that-be chose the two least electable candidates for the Democrat nominations for president and vice president. It makes no sense to choose people who have little chance of winning—unless the globalists intend to rig the election and elect them, or install them after a color revolution, in order to make the US a laughing stock throughout the world as a way of removing the US, a hegemonic power, as an obstacle to the global elite. | Really, once you see Biden in action, it is difficult to believe that even white liberals can vote for the Democrat ticke…