Daily Archives: September 20, 2020

2020-09-20: News Headlines

Naomi LaChance (2020-09-20). Biden's Foreign Policy Advisors Show Loyalty to Israel, Defense Contractors. counterpunch.org When Donald Trump was elected president, the foreign policy apparatus that Barack Obama's administration built did not disappear. The power brokers went to think tanks and lobbying firms, cashing in on the uncertainty with help from defense contractors and other corporations. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's potential foreign policy would likely be a continuation of

RT (2020-09-20). 'Big, fat shots in the ass': Trump again suggests Biden is on energizing DRUGS. rt.com Donald Trump has mercilessly taunted Joe Biden, telling supporters that his Democratic nemesis must be taking performance-enhancing substances and should undergo a drug test. | Trump reiterated previous casual accusations that Biden is too senile to be a good fit for the US president's office while talking to a crowd of supporters in Fayetteville, North Carolina. | Using his nickname for his Democratic opponent, Trump said that "Sleepy Joe" is appearing conspicuously efficient during debates and public events. | "Don't underestimate [him], he's been doing this for 47 years. And I got a debate coming up with th…

RT (2020-09-20). A senior moment or a secret code? Twitter puzzled over Sen. Chuck Grassley's ramblings about 'dead pet pidgin'. rt.com Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley has triggered an avalanche of speculation and snark after announcing that he found someone's lifeless pet bird in his front yard. He followed up by reminiscing about a time he hit a deer with his car. | Using his unique style of social media prose, the 87-year-old Republican lawmaker informed the world about his troubling discovery. | "If u lost ur pet pidgin /it's dead in front yard my Iowa farm JUST DISCOVERED here," he

Peter Koenig (2020-09-20). Venezuela: A Tribute for Her Endless Pursuit of Democracy. dissidentvoice.org Venezuela is again the shining light of Democracy — pushing ahead with the 6 December 2020 National Assembly (NA) elections despite the endless challenges of covid, of sanctions, of embargos, of confiscation of foreign assets, and even of a totally illicit blockage of reserve currencies — Venezuela's gold — naturally in the world's protectorate of …

Ron Unz (2020-09-20). Will California Restore Affirmative Action? globalresearch.ca As everyone knows, over the last couple of decades California has become a one-party Democratic state. Democrats hold a better than three-fourths hyper-majority in the State Assembly and their control is nearly as overwhelming in the State Senate. California has …

Akio Tanaka (2020-09-20). Weighing the Pros and Cons of The Proposed New Pacifica Bylaws Ôªø. indybay.org The aim of the proposed New Day Pacifica Bylaws is to simplify, democratize, and stabilize the governance structure of Pacifica to keep it from evaporating in April 2021, when its $3.2 million balloon payment becomes due.

_____ (2020-09-20). Labor Must Make Defense Of Black Lives Its Own Imperative. popularresistance.org Black trade unionists across the U.S. are calling on the labor movement to defend Black Lives Matter protesters and to fight racism in their own ranks. The attacks by police and increasingly violent armed racist militias evoke the memory of many such violent incidents against Black people in earlier periods, from slavery to segregation to the civil rights era. | For Labor Day 2020, Truthout reached out to Christopher Silvera, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 808 in Long Island City, NY; Elise Bryant, executive director of Labor Heritage Foundation and president of the Communication Workers of America's Coal…

yenisafak (2020-09-20). For Kashmiris born in last 3 decades, peace far-fetched dream. yenisafak.com When my seven-year-old son's Skype class started on Thursday, a disturbing message popped up in the chat box.A parent of one of his classmates said his son could not attend the class because their neighborhood in Sringar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, was tense.Police had claimed killing three militants in Batamaloo, a warren of densely populated streets inhabited by pro-freedom people. A woman was also fatally shot while accompanying her baker son to his shop.As a general practice, authorities shut internet services after such incidents to block news from spreading through social media and as a res…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-09-19). RBG Death Means Two-Headed Uniparty Will Threaten Americans With Removal Of Civil Rights. thealtworld.com US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg The opportunistic galvanization process has already begun before Ginsburg's body is even cold, with liberal influencers calling Democrats to rally to a November win for "the notoriou…

The Canary (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…

RT (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…

RT (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). For the Planet, There Is No "Lesser Evil" popularresistance.org By now, most people in the United States recognize that the climate crisis poses the greatest threat to humanity and nature. Faced with a president who continually dismisses the dangers of global warming and has taken numerous measures to expand fossil fuel production, many progressives and even some on the Left have declared the need to vote for Biden as the "lesser evil" in November. Noam Chomsky went so far as to label the Republicans "the most dangerous organization in human history" because of Trump's aggressive pro-fossil fuel agenda.

Max Elbaum (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…

sputniknews (2020-09-19). White House Calls on Joe Biden to Release Supreme Court Nominee List. sputniknews.com Last week, President Donald Trump released his own list of possible Ginsburg replacements on the Supreme Court, calling on the former vice president to do the same.

Staff (2020-09-19). With the Passing of Justice Ginsburg, Democracy Just Got Harder, Again. truthout.org "If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump's term, and the primary process is started, we'll wait to the next election." — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), on filling a Supreme Court vacancy right before an election, October 2018 | Right. Ol' Lindsey nearly broke both legs

WSWS (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.

WSWS (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.

Maryam Jameel and Ryan McCarthy (2020-09-19). Poorly protected postal workers are catching COVID-19 by the thousands. it's one more threat to voting by mail. nationofchange.org More than 50,000 workers have taken time off for virus-related reasons, slowing mail delivery.

George Monbiot (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…

William rivers Pitt (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…

Democracy Now! (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."

Alicia Ely Yamin (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.

sputniknews (2020-09-19). Personality Expert Predicts Trump's 'Eagle' Could Held Victory Over Biden's 'Dove' Side in Election. sputniknews.com The expert alleges that no matter what policies candidates pursue, or what the current political situation in the world is, certain personalities are set to win the people's vote.

Staff (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. | "

Staff (2020-09-19). 2020 Election Could Decide Whether US Pursues Nuclear Escalation or Arms Control. truthout.org In these final weeks of the 2020 presidential campaign, U.S. voters' attention is being consumed by a maelstrom of crises — a merciless pandemic, a battered economy, a society ruptured by racist police violence and deadly structural inequalities, climate chaos and a fragile democracy. | Who has time to worry about nuclear war? | But just as warnings of a climate crisis and pandemics have been borne out, experts have long sounded the alarm about nuclear weapons, whether their use is…

The Canary (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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.

sputniknews (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".

Brian Cloughley (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."

Eleanor Goldfield (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.

John Laforge (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

Eleanor Goldfield (2020-09-18). No Socialist Paradise: Sweden's COVID-19 Response Is Nothing to Envy. mintpressnews.com From Djurgà•rden, I walk along the water on Strandvà§gen — a rising fall whips in a determined wind across the water, slicing at remnants of summer and carving pathways around centuries-old buildings. Colors like Nordic interior design catalogs look like they've been stirred among clouds — a muted vibrance that evokes a calm and stoic resolve. | Albeit quieter than a typical early fall day, there's a bustle. People are out and their faces are bare. Buses and trolleys roll by and not a mask can be seen inside. Scuffed and faded stickers on the street remind people to keep their distance yet t…

Don Fitz (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.

Eve Ottenberg (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

Andrew Levine (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

WSWS (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.

WSWS (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.

Ryan McMaken (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). '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.

Roger Harris (2020-09-18). Changing the Washington Guard: What a Democratic Sweep in November Portends. counterpunch.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

Matt Sedlar (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 …

Matt Sedlar (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 …

Roger D. Harris (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.

Marlee Kokotovic (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."

Repost (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.

Build Back Better (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…

sputniknews (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.

The Canary (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…

commondreams (2020-09-18). Common Cause Targeted—Democracy Attacked. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Julie Hollar (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

Julia Conley, staff writer (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

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (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

Jon Queally, staff writer (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

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-09-18). What Was Trump Thinking When He Appointed an Enemy To Head The FBI? thealtworld.com As I wrote in 2016, Trump had no idea who to appoint to his government. According to FBI Director Christopher Wray, it is Russia, not the Democrats, Antifa, and Black Lives Matter, who "sows divisiveness and discord" among Americans. | Wray says that it is the Russians who "trash Democratic nominee Joe Biden." | How can Trump hope to survive when he appoints to the FBI, CIA, and Pentagon his enemies? He appoints enemies to the Department of Justice who somehow just…

Robert Lipsyte (2020-09-18). American Athletes Can Decide This Year's Election. thenation.com American Athletes Can Decide This Year's Election…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

Staff (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…

RT (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…

Tim Libretti (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% …

Walter Smolarek (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 …

John Bachtell (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 …

MEE staff (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,…

RT (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.

Norman Solomon (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…

Norman Solomon (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

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (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

Paul Jay (2020-09-17). Who Will Win — a Conscious People or Anti-Democratic Elites? zcomm.org Interview about the state of the peoples' movement…

WSWS (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.

WSWS (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.

WSWS (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.

WSWS (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.

Docs4opendebate (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 …

Build Back Better (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.

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…

sputniknews (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.

Matt Sedlar (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 …

WSWS (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."

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (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

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (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

Julia Conley, staff writer (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

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (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

Joan Walsh (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?

Asiah Williams (2020-09-17). Of Course Republicans Want to Suppress the Youth Vote. thenation.com Of Course Republicans Want to Suppress the Youth Vote…

Cheryl Harris (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?

Staff (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."

Staff (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…

Stansfield Smith (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, …

yenisafak (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…

Mary Green Swig, Steven L. Swig, David A. Bergeron and Richard J. Eskow (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

yenisafak (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…

Michael T. Hertz (2020-09-16). Another step towards real democracy. nationofchange.org At least some of us are open to change…

Asher Luberto (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). 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.

sputniknews (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".