Daily Archives: September 23, 2020

2020-09-23: News Headlines

Staff (2020-09-23). People of Praise: Former Member of Group Tied to SCOTUS Front-Runner Amy Barrett Calls It a "Cult" democracynow.org As President Trump appears poised to announce a nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, we speak with a former member of the secretive Catholic group People of Praise, known for its rigid gender roles and lifelong loyalty oaths, which apparent front-runner Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a member of. "Many call it a community, but I describe it as a cult," says Coral Anika Theill, who was a member of People of Praise from 1979 to 1984 and is now speaking out against the organization.

Staff (2020-09-23). 50+ Progressive Writers and Activists Pen Open Letter Urging Vote for Biden. truthout.org More than 50 progressive writers and activists — including prominent left-wing voices such as Noam Chomsky, Barbara Ehrenreich, and Cornel West — unveiled an Citing…

Staff (2020-09-23). Headlines for September 23, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 200,000, On Track to Double by Year's End, FDA Reportedly Planning Stricter Guidelines for Release of COVID-19 Vaccine, Pentagon Spent $1 Billion of Coronavirus Funds on Military Supplies, Trump Says Coronavirus "Affects Virtually Nobody" as U.S. Death Toll Tops 200,000, U.N. Secretary-General Warns of New Cold War as Trump Attacks China over Coronavirus, Sen. Mitt Romney Backs Rapid Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee, Officer Involved in Breonna Taylor's Killing Defends Actions, Calls Protesters "Thugs", Federal Agents Tapped Cellphones of Portland Protesters, President Trump…

Staff (2020-09-23). Who Is Amy Barrett? Front-Runner to Replace RBG Is Anti-Abortion Member of Patriarchal Catholic Group. democracynow.org We look at President Trump's top pick for a woman to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is a devout Catholic who has taken conservative stances on abortion, gun rights, immigration and LGBTQ rights. Barrett's involvement with the conservative Catholic group People of Praise, whose members pledge a lifelong loyalty oath to the group, has also raised questions about her ability to rule independently. "There's some real concerns about whether her involvement in there will affect her ability to be impartial a…

Staff (2020-09-23). No Más Bebés: ICE Hysterectomy Scandal Recalls 1970s LA, When a Hospital Sterilized Chicana Patients. democracynow.org As immigration authorities say they have stopped sending women to a Georgia gynecologist accused of sterilizing female prisoners without their consent, we continue our look at United States' disturbing history of forced sterilization with the producer and historian behind the 2016 documentary called "No Más Bebés," which tells the story of how a whistleblower doctor spoke out about a large number of tubal ligations performed on mostly Latinx patients at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center some 46 years ago. "Quite often they did not understand the terminology. They did not, in some cases, understand the lan…

stclair (2020-09-23). Two Capitalisms: A Challenge To Democratic Socialists, Social Democrats, Progressives and Welfare State Liberals. counterpunch.org [O]n September 24, 1599, in a timbered building off Moorgate Fields, not far from where Shakespeare was struggling to complete Hamlet, a new type of company was founded. [O]wnership of the new firm, called the East India Company, was sliced into tiny pieces to be bought and sold freely…Liberalism's fatal hypocrisy was to celebrate the virtuous

Manuel Raposo (2020-09-23). A Marxist view from Portugal on U.S. elections and decline of Washington's power. workers.org A Portuguese Marxist analyst looks at the Trump vs. Biden election, assessing its possible impact on U.S. foreign policy. This article was first published Sept. 1 on the jornalmudardevida.net website, which is edited by Raposo. Translation by John Catalinotto. The confrontation between Trump and Biden, regarding the upcoming U.S. presidential . . . |

Tim Libretti (2020-09-23). Coronavirus is no excuse for Trump's failing economy: A socialist viewpoint. peoplesworld.org The narrative Trump and his Republican allies have been weaving about his managing of the U.S. economy is that he had presided over, if not himself built, the strongest economy in the nation's history and that it was only slowed by the coronavirus outbreak, which was not his fault. He can't be held responsible for …

David L. Wilson (2020-09-23). The Democrats' immigration agenda. mronline.org The immigration plank in this year's Democratic Party platform is a reminder that real immigration reform isn't going to happen without serious grassroots organizing.

Eds. (2020-09-23). Senate Democrats want $350 billion to prepare for war with China. mronline.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.

Dean Baker (2020-09-23). Are Red State Governors Getting Their People Killed to Help Donald Trump's Re-election Chances? counterpunch.org This is an incredibly ghoulish question, that it would absurd to ask in normal times. But these are not normal times. We know Donald Trump has staffed the top levels of his administration with people who unhesitatingly put Donald Trump's political prospects above the well-being of the people. It is certainly plausible that Republican governors

Staff (2020-09-23). A 6-3 court could cement minority Republican rule for decades. therealnews.com The Appeal's Daniel Nichanian discusses the consequences of Trump filling the seat of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

RT (2020-09-23). 'They'll come knocking at your door': NRA says a Biden victory would deprive Americans of 'your AR-15,' sends Twitter into frenzy. rt.com Many on Twitter are up in arms over gun control once again, thanks to an NRA post warning Americans that their semi-automatic rifles would be taken away should Joe Biden win the upcoming US presidential vote. | The National Rifle Association has apparently sought to remind Americans about the Democratic Party presidential candidate's stated plans to crack down on gun ownership. However, it appears instead to have reignited the interminable controversy over the future of gun control instead. | "If Joe Biden wins — Mike Bloomberg wins — and Beto O'Rourke will be knocking on your door for your AR-15," t…

RT (2020-09-23). Pentagon slammed for turning $1 billion 'coronavirus fund' into more military-industrial pork — but what did Congress expect? rt.com The Pentagon has defended its decision to repurpose Covid-19 preparedness funds — meant for pandemic response — to prop up weapons contractors as House Democrats slammed its double-dipping. | While the Department of Defense received $1 billion in March's CARES Act stimulus bill specifically to "prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus," it ultimately diverted most of the windfall to defense contractors, the Washington Post revealed on Tuesday. | The pandemic response fund, created under the aegis of the Defense Production Act, was supposed to be used to produce N95 masks, gloves, and other…

RT (2020-09-23). Florida AG urges FBI to probe Mike Bloomberg's pro-Biden effort to pay fines of 32,000 felons so they can vote. rt.com Florida's attorney general has called on the FBI and state law enforcement to probe potential violations of election law after billionaire Michael Bloomberg raised $16 million to help felons in the state become eligible to vote. | State AG Ashley Moody penned a letter to federal and state police agencies on Wednesday, stating that "further investigation is warranted" after a preliminary review of Bloomberg's voting initiative, which helped to fundraise millions to pay off court fines for some 32,000 felons in order to qualify them to vote under Florida law. | "Today, I sent a letter to the Florida Department o…

Jamal Rich (2020-09-23). Poor People's Campaign and progressive allies take fight to Mitch McConnell's doorstep. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—On Monday, Sept. 21, just days after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg's death, organizers from the D.C. Poor People's Campaign and other major local organizations demonstrated by foot and car caravan outside of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's house to demand that he not appoint yet another extreme right Supreme Court justice, that …

Aaliyah Harris (2020-09-23). World Alzheimer's month is calling for global action on stigma and misinformation. thecanary.co 21 September marked What is Alzheimer's disease?: | The NHS describes In the UK, Alzheimer's disease is the most com…

Fight Back (2020-09-23). Car caravan rally held in Arlington to protest UAE-Israel relations. fightbacknews.org Arlington, Texas – On September 20, over 50 people gathered at Masjid Dar El Eman, an Islamic center, for a car protest against the United Arab Emirates' and Bahrain's normalization of relations with Israel. The car caravan was organized by the Dallas Palestine Coalition; Palestinian Youth Movement-Dallas, Muslim Democratic Caucus-Texas; American Muslims for Palestine-Texas; Code Pink-Greater Dallas, and Veterans for Peace-Dallas. | After a short prayer, a car caravan drove around South Arlington. Many of the protesters attached Palestinian and American flags to their cars to call for an end to U.S. support…

sputniknews (2020-09-23). Wall Street Reportedly Braces for Market Volatility in Case of US Supreme Court Vote Before Election. sputniknews.com Later this week, President Donald Trump is expected to announce his choice for Supreme Court justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on 18 September due to cancer complications. Democrats insist that the new justice should be nominated after the 3 November presidential election.

_____ (2020-09-23). Protest At Mitch McConnell's House Over Supreme Court Vacancy. popularresistance.org A crowd of protesters swarmed outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's Kentucky home after the Republican leader said he would move to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death. | About 100 protesters gathered outside McConnell's Louisville home on Saturday after he said he would push for a Senate vote on filling the seat with the presidential election is less than seven weeks away, the Louisville Courier Journal reported. | The demonstrators called out "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Mitch McConnell has got to go," "vote him out" and ditch Mitch."

_____ (2020-09-23). How Police Reform Was Derailed In California. popularresistance.org Sacramento, CA – By the time the sun set at the Capitol on Monday evening, hours from a legal deadline to pass bills for the year, state Sen. Steven Bradford knew his proposal to strip badges from troubled officers was in trouble. | For weeks prior, police reform bills were points of contention — even among Democratic legislators publicly sympathetic to the cause but privately circumspect, often under the pressure of intense lobbying by law enforcement interests. | But then, in the last hours, chaos broke out at the Capitol…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-23). Proposal to reduce MPs in Italy approved in referendum with support of establishment parties. peoplesdispatch.org The proposal to reduce the number of members of both of houses of parliament was opposed by the left parties which said it would decrease democratic representation…

Editor (2020-09-23). Journalists Need to Be Clear About a Clear Threat to Democracy. scheerpost.com Matt Johnson / CC BY 2.0] By Joshua Cho / FAIR When the president of the United States has: explicitly declared his intentions to withhold federal election funding from states that are trying to make it easier to vote during a pandemic; appointed a major donor to his campaign with conflicts of interest to sabotage the US Postal Service—while stating that he opposes additional funding for…

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-09-23). Democrats Mock the GOP for Denying Climate Science, But They are Still Addicted to Fossil Fuel Funders. counterpunch.org The recent chorus of Democratic Party leaders lining up to denounce President Donald Trump's climate science denial is deafening. As the West Coast of the United States burns relentlessly, taking lives and land, spewing ash and smoke, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidendenounced Trump's refusal to acknowledge climate science, saying in a speech, "If you give

Adam Dick (2020-09-23). The No-Compromise Texas Republican Party Resolution Telling the Republican Governor to Immediately End His Entire Coronavirus Crackdown. globalresearch.ca The Republican Party of Texas executive committee has taken a heroic action that could serve as an example for Republican and Democratic parties across America. It has adopted, by a 54 to 4 vote, a resolution clearly and emphatically demanding …

_____ (2020-09-23). Three Cities Designated As 'Anarchist Jurisdictions' — What That Means. popularresistance.org On Sept. 21, 2020, millions of people in three major U.S. cities awoke to find themselves living in what President Donald Trump and his Justice Department cronies had declared "anarchist jurisdictions." New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle — all of which are led by Democrats — were slapped with the label and, as a result, are now at risk of being defunded by the federal government, even as they grapple with massive budget shortfalls tied to the coronavirus pandemic. The president is playing a political game with those whom he considers to be his enemies, and that list is growing day by day.

55 Progressive Activists and Writers (2020-09-23). Open Letter: Dump Trump, Then Battle Biden. zcomm.org Protestations that Biden is beholden to elites are true but beside the point. The lesser evil is evil, but in this case, the greater evil is simply off the charts…

Common Cause and others (2020-09-23). Thursday 9/24: "Capturing The Flag" Award Winning Film Screening & Discussion on Voter Suppression. indybay.org Online screening…

_____ (2020-09-23). VIDEO: The Creeping Socialism Republicans Cannot Understand. strategic-culture.org Republicans have double standards when it comes to "Socialism" they are apt to point out the poverty of nations like Venezuela and Cuba but neglect to mention that it was the West who put them under further sanctions. Watch the video and read more in the

sputniknews (2020-09-23). Ted Cruz Blocks Senate Tribute to RBG Over 'Dying Wish Not to Replace Her Until New POTUS Installed'. sputniknews.com Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer accused Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz of "legal sophistry" for proposing an amendment to remove late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's valedictory wish to only be replaced by "a new president".

Thom Hartmann (2020-09-23). Trump Keeps Telling Us How He and Republicans Plan to Steal This Election. commondreams.org Trump supporters wearing "make America great again" hats stand together in back of Vice President Mike Pence as he interviews with Fox news following a rally for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign in Gilford, NH on Sept. 22, 2020. (Photo: Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-09-23_at_2.55.37_pm.png

Tom Engelhardt (2020-09-23). A Vote for Trump Is a Vote for Climate Apocalypse. thenation.com A Vote for Trump Is a Vote for Climate Apocalypse…

WSWS (2020-09-22). Assange dragged from embassy "on the orders of the president" wsws.org Cassandra Fairbanks testified that Arthur Schwartz, a wealthy Republican Party donor and key Trump ally, had provided her with evidence of plans by the Trump administration to impose the death penalty.

Noam Chomsky (2020-09-22). The train wreck of the 2020 US election. zcomm.org Interview on the 2020 US election, the state of humanity, the breakdown of democracy, the rise of conspiracy theories, the prosecution of Julian Assange, the role of satire — and what helps to keep him going amidst all this…

Staff (2020-09-22). "Belly of the Beast": Survivors of Forced Sterilizations in California's Prisons Fight for Justice. democracynow.org Revelations about forced hysterectomies at an ICE facility in Georgia have forced a reckoning with the long history of sterilizations in the U.S. — particularly of Black, Brown, poor and disabled people — and the way this procedure has continued in jails and prisons to the present day. We speak with Kelli Dillon, who was sterilized at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla in 2001 and who is featured in the documentary "Belly of the Beast," which tells the stories of women subjected to unwanted sterilization behind bars in California. She says incarcerated women are "punished" for simpl…

Staff (2020-09-22). Headlines for September 22, 2020. democracynow.org GOP, Trump Charge Forward with Effort to Replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Supreme Court, DOJ Designates New York City, Seattle, Portland as "Anarchist" Cities, CDC Again Retracts Information About Coronavirus on Website; HHS Head Azar Exerts Control Over FDA, 150+ Countries, Not Including the U.S., Join U.N.'s Effort to Fairly Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine, House Report Finds Immigrant Prisoners Denied Access to Essential Care, Forced into Labor, Mexican National Dies in Georgia Immigration Prison, One Week into Peace Talks, Scores Killed in Bloody Day of Fighting Across Afghanistan, 6 People Killed in Colombian Mass…

Staff (2020-09-22). Whistleblower Nurse in ICE Jail Alleges Forced Sterilization & Neglect Amid 8th COVID Death. democracynow.org As ICE confirms the 20th person to die in its detention in fiscal year 2020, making it one of the deadliest periods in the agency's history, we talk to the whistleblower at the center of an explosive complaint that accuses an ICE jail in Georgia of failing to adhere to coronavirus safety protocols and performing a large number of unwanted hysterectomies on detainees. The doctor who carried out the procedures became known to women inside the facility as "the uterus collector." Whistleblower Dawn Wooten, a nurse at the Irwin County Detention Center, says the neglect and abuse at the facility was "jaw-dropping." We…

Jack Rasmus (2020-09-22). Ginsburg's Death and Trump's Emerging Legal Coup D'Etat. counterpunch.org On Friday, Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg, died. Mitch McConnell are Donald Trump now moving rapidly to replace with a 3rd right wing nominee to the SCOTUS. Democrats mount feeble and futile defense, saying McConnell should not proceed with nomination based on McConnell's own argument back in Feb. 2016 used to thwart the nomination of Obama's

Juan Cole (2020-09-22). If McConnell Packs the Court on behalf of Minority Rule, Dems must Expand and Reform it. zcomm.org If the Democrats win both the presidency and the senate, they must do something about the dictatorship of the minority on the court…

Mark Weisbrot (2020-09-22). What the OAS Did to Bolivia. counterpunch.org 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 democracy nearly 40 years ago," according to

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-22). How Do Democrats and Republicans Differ on Palestine and Israel? counterpunch.org The polarized nature of American politics often makes it difficult to address fundamental differences between the country's two main political rivals, Republicans and Democrats. As each side is intent on discrediting the other at every opportunity, unbiased information regarding the two parties' actual stances on internal and external issues can be difficult to decipher.

Ryan Hamby (2020-09-22). Jailed Denver anti-racist leaders subjected to dangerous and degrading conditions in custody. liberationnews.org This is an outrage! They are still in jail. Almost six days after their arrest, three of the jailed organizers have not been brought before a judge yet. The following is a report from Ryan Hamby, a Party for Socialism and Liberation member and the long-time partner of Lillian House, one of the four PSL …

Eds. (2020-09-22). A tribute for her endless pursuit of Democracy. mronline.org Venezuela is again the shining light of Democracy.

RT (2020-09-22). Somebody should do something? Senator Dianne Feinstein roasted for tweeting hot air on SCOTUS crisis. rt.com Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein's tweet lamenting the "double standard" of the ongoing Supreme Court conundrum has gone viral, but not in a flattering way — many said it's supposed to be the politician's job to deal with it. | Feinstein tweeted on Tuesday that it would be "dangerous" if Republicans got to appoint a justice to the court during an election year, despite having refused to do so in 2016 under Barack Obama. The longtime California Senator added that such a precedent "can't be allowed to stand." | When Merrick Garland was nominated in 2016 to fill Justice Scalia's seat, we were 237 days aw…

RT (2020-09-22). Bloomberg raises $16mn to restore voting rights to black & Hispanic felons in Florida on presumption they'll vote for Biden. rt.com Billionaire ex-presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has raised over $16 million to pay the fees keeping some felons out of Florida's voting booths, touting the apparent votes-for-cash trade as a cost-effective route to victory. | The money will go to pay off court fees, restitution costs, and other fines for 32,000 black and Hispanic Florida voters with felony convictions, clearing the way for their return to participatory democracy — and, the former NYC mayor hopes, guaranteeing a win for Democratic candidate Joe Biden in a critical swing state. | While convicted felons who've served their sentences hav…

Staff (2020-09-22). Use every tool, says AOC to Democrats. therealnews.com The stakes for the upcoming Supreme Court battle couldn't be higher as Roe v. Wade, workers, healthcare access, unions, LGBTQ communities and climate change legislation hang in the balance.

WSWS (2020-09-22). Trump to nominate new Supreme Court justice as early as Friday. wsws.org Ignoring Democratic nominee Joe Biden's pleas to wait until after the election, Trump has pledged to nominate a women by Saturday.

Staff (2020-09-22). Front-Runner for Supreme Court Criticized "Roe v. Wade" and Affordable Care Act. truthout.org Democrats sounded the alarm about the potential Supreme Court nomination of federal appeals court Despite opposing former President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland 11 months ahead of the 2016 election, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell…

Miles Mogulescu (2020-09-22). Warning: GOP Can Appoint a Supreme Court Justice in Time to Confirm Trump's Second Term. commondreams.org Democrats and progressives must use every tool at their disposal to prevent the confirmation of Justice Ginsburg's successor before the next President is inaugurated. (Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/shadowflag.jpg

commondreams (2020-09-22). Statement From the Center for Popular Democracy Action on Senator Romney's Disgraceful Approval of Trump's Supreme Court Power Grab. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Matt Sedlar (2020-09-22). What a Defiant Democratic Party Looks Like. cepr.net The New Republic See article on original site On Friday night, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death shocked an already reeling country. What came next, however, was sadly unsurprising. Mere hours after Ginsburg's passing, McConnell had already affirmed that he would hold a vote for Trump's nominee to fill the vacancy, contravening the ersatz …

MBNJSD (2020-09-22). Will Michele Flournoy be the angel of death for the American empire? nationofchange.org Picking Michelle Flournoy to lead the Pentagon would be a tragic indication that Biden is truly hell-bent on squandering America's future.

Ruth Conniff (2020-09-22). Biden and Trump: Who's the Real Populist? progressive.org The candidates fight for working-class voters in Wisconsin.

John Scales Avery (2020-09-22). Climate and the U.S. election. nationofchange.org The U.S. election in November is critical, not just because of Donald Trump's neo-fascisinm, but primarily because if the climate-change-denying and fossil-fuel supporting Republican Party retains power.

Staff (2020-09-22). Topics for the First Debate Announced — Here's How Trump, Biden Poll on Them. truthout.org The first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden will take place on Tuesday, September 29 — exactly five weeks from Election Day on November 3 — at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. | Topics,

Staff (2020-09-22). Activists Fight Florida Proposal to Impose Harsh Penalties on Protesters. truthout.org The American Civil Liberties Union joined Florida Democrats on Monday in condemning a Flanked by Republican lawmakers and law enforcement officials at an afternoon press conference in Winter Haven, DeSantis referred to Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon as…

Staff (2020-09-22). Climate Anxiety Is Rising in the US — But Not Among Republicans. truthout.org Polling shows that people in the United States are taking climate change more seriously today than they were five years ago, but views on climate change remain sharply divided along partisan lines as the November elections loom. Concern about climate change remains higher in dozens of other countries, particularly in nations such as Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam, where people are more likely to feel personally affected by climate change than those living in the U.S. — despite record temperatures, widespr…

Fight Back (2020-09-22). Philippines: "No tyrant can withstand a million people marching as one" fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Sept. 21 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines. | Today is the 48th anniversary of the declaration of martial law and the start of the 14-year fascist dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. As in the past years, the Filipino people mark this day with an ardent vow "Never again!" to do their utmost to prevent a return to the dark days of brutal military rule. The vow echoes significantly strong as the Filipino people confront a new and especially cruel tyranny under Rodrigo Duterte. | The Party is in solidarity with the various democratic sectors and…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-09-22). In Major Speech and Ahead of Election, Sanders to Focus on 'Unprecedented and Dangerous' Threat Trump Poses to US Democracy. commondreams.org "Nothing less than our democracy is at stake," the senator said. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sun_sets_on_trump.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-09-22). Sanders Leads 30 Democrats in Call for OAS to Avoid Prolonging 'Crisis of Democracy and Human Rights' in Bolivia. commondreams.org Their letter to the State Department demands "that the United States government take responsibility for what is done with our taxpayer dollars." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bolivia_coup_western_media.jpg

Robert Reich (2020-09-22). For RBG It Was All Principle, for Mitch McConnell It's All Power. commondreams.org Over time, the unbridled pursuit of power wears down democratic institutions, erodes public trust, and breeds the sort of cynicism that invites despotism. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trumpmitch_0_0_0.jpeg

Joan Walsh (2020-09-22). Democrats Can't Take Any Option Off the Table. thenation.com Democrats Can't Take Any Option Off the Table…

Robert Reich (2020-09-22). For RBG it was all principle, for Mitch McConnell it's all power. nationofchange.org Over time, the unbridled pursuit of power wears down democratic institutions, erodes public trust, and breeds the sort of cynicism that invites despotism.

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-09-22). Trump's Likely November Reelection Is Already Discredited as a Coup Against Democracy. thealtworld.com On September 8, I provided a link to the Democrats' Transition Integrity Project (TIP) launched "out of concern that the Trump Administration may seek to manipulate, ignore, undermine or disrupt the 2020 presidential election and transition process." | On September 10 and 12, I followed up with articles pointing out that the presstitutes, both domestic and foreign, were preparing people to expect an American color revolution. The supposition is t…

Alan Macleod (2020-09-21). From Mass Incarceration to Plan Colombia: Biden's Role in the Failed War on Drugs. mintpressnews.com Former vice president Biden has a sordid history of opposing progressive criminal justice legislation, spearheading draconian police and immigration measures, and playing a central role in waging America's failed war on drugs.

Staff (2020-09-21). "RBG": Film Director Reflects on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Lifelong Fight for Gender Equity. democracynow.org In her later years, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was internationally known simply as her initials — RBG — and a 2018 documentary film by the same name about Ginsburg's legal career, personal history and unexpected celebrity became a surprise smash hit. We speak with Julie Cohen, co-director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "RBG," about Ginsburg's early years and leadership in fighting for equal rights for women, including arguing a case before the Supreme Court with all male justices who were condescending to her. "She never let that condescension get her down," notes Cohen. "Sh…

Staff (2020-09-21). "A National Tragedy": Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Friend & "Favorite Client" Remembers the Legal Icon. democracynow.org U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg first gained fame in the 1970s when she co-founded the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union and argued six gender discrimination cases before the Supreme Court. One of those cases was Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld, which centered on a widower who was refused Social Security benefits after his wife died during childbirth. We speak with Stephen Wiesenfeld, who was told his gender made him ineligible and that only women were entitled to survivor's benefits. Ginsburg argued in the Supreme Court that denying fathers benefits because of their sex was unc…

Staff (2020-09-21). Headlines for September 21, 2020. democracynow.org Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87, Sparking a Deluge of Tributes and a Fierce Succession Battle, U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Poised to Top 200,000, U.N. Says 150 Million More Children May Face Poverty as Global Coronavirus Death Toll Nears 1 Million, California Grapples with Evacuations, Toxic Air as Record-Breaking Wildfires Continue to Blaze, Trump Announces $13 Billion for Puerto Rico, as Elections Near and 3 Years After Hurricane Maria, Leaked Docs Show Major Banks Helped Criminals Launder Billions of Dollars, International Community Counters Trump over U.N. Iran Sanctions, Peru's President Survives Impeach…

Staff (2020-09-21). Remembering RBG: Legal Giant's Death Sparks Furious Fight in D.C. over Vacant Supreme Court Seat. democracynow.org We look at the life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as well as the future of the Supreme Court, in a wide-ranging interview with Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate, where she is the senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter. Ginsburg died September 18 at the age of 87 after serving 27 years as a Supreme Court justice, where she became the most prominent member of the court's liberal wing. Her death just 46 days before the November election sets up a major political battle over her replacement, with President Trump and many Senate Republicans vowing to nominate and confirm a right-wing judge to…

Sen. Bernie Sanders (2020-09-21). The possibility that Trump will not voluntarily leave. peoplesworld.org Yes. This is a presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Yes. This is an election about health care, education, the economy, climate change, criminal justice, and so many other important issues. More importantly, however, this is an election about whether or not we retain American democracy. This is an election we must not …

John Wojcik (2020-09-21). RBG's death: A time to mourn but also to organize. peoplesworld.org Immediately upon hearing of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the night of Rosh Hashanah, thousands massed spontaneously in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington to mourn. They recognized, and on Sunday Joe Biden reminded us, that the first person to die in the Jewish New Year is a soul of …

Dennis Bernstein (2020-09-21). Kevin Cooper: Surviving Death Row and COVID-19 in San Quentin. counterpunch.org Kevin Cooper has been incarcerated for over 37 years (35 years on death Row) for the murder of the Ryan family and child guest Christopher Hughes, a brutal crime he doggedly maintains he did not commit. Currently, having exhausted appeals through the courts, Kevin is requesting that Governor Newsom order an innocence investigation to consider all the evidence that points to others and exonerates Kevin Cooper. Gov. Newsom has ordered DNA testing which has almost been completed at this time.

MEE staff (2020-09-21). Iran will not renegotiate nuclear deal if Biden wins US presidency, Zarif says. middleeasteye.net Iran will not renegotiate nuclear deal if Biden wins US presidency, Zarif says | Iranian foreign minister said returning to the terms of the accord should happen 'without conditions' | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 18: 06 | Iran's foreign minister said the outcome of the US election was irrelevant to returning to the 2015 nuclear deal (AFP/File photo) | Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that Teh…

Art Perlo (2020-09-21). Tediously analyzing Biden won't get us far; it's time to mobilize and organize. peoplesworld.org Knocking on doors in my diverse, low- to middle-income working-class neighborhood, almost everyone I talk to says they will vote to dump Trump and elect Biden-Harris. The next six weeks will see a struggle critical to the future of our country and all of humanity. Claims to leadership in…

_____ (2020-09-21). The Creeping Socialism Republicans Cannot Understand. strategic-culture.org Having a foreign-born U.S. citizen come on stage at the Republican National Convention to praise the greatness of the Republican view of the American experience is a fantastic idea. It is easy to believe in the religion or state ideology that you are born into, it is another thing entirely to completely change your views and consciously commit to a new set of beliefs as an adult. Essentially, converts tend to be more hardcore, which is a great reason to have this type of person give an impassioned personal speech at your big party gathering. The problem is when the focus of American superiority is so narrowly and…

Staff (2020-09-21). Amy McGrath raised millions after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Is it all wasted? therealnews.com After the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Democrats around the country began donating to Senate races in an effort to remove McConnell as majority leader.

Staff (2020-09-21). AOC Urges Democrats to Prevent Trump From Filling Ginsburg Vacancy. truthout.org With President Donald Trump expected to nominate a successor to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday evening "It's extraordinarily important that we understand the stakes of this vacancy," sai…

Samuel Moyn (2020-09-21). Socialists Have Long Fought to Disempower the Supreme Court. zcomm.org The Supreme Court has been a reactionary institution for most of its history. We need to take on its power and fight for real democracy in the United States…

Bill Lueders (2020-09-21). Next President Must Fill Ginsburg Seat. progressive.org If our democracy is going to survive, Trump must not be allowed to pick her successor to the U.S. Supreme Court, unless he wins the next election.

Staff (2020-09-21). Trump Spreads Misinformation With Claim That Dems Wrote Ginsburg's Dying Wish. truthout.org President Trump made false assertions on Monday regarding the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dying wish, insinuating that her request to have her successor named after the election was crafted by leading Democrats in Congress. | The president did not provide any evidence to back up his claim. | Trump made the statement during an interview on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program while discussing Ginsburg's passing over the weekend. When one of the hosts mentioned the late justic…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Trump says he will announce US Supreme Court nominee Friday or Saturday. yenisafak.com President Donald Trump said on Monday he is looking at four or five jurists to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court and he will announce his nominee on Friday or Saturday.The Republican president said in an interview with Fox News that he wanted to wait out of respect for Ginsburg, a liberal justice who died on Friday at age 87. "We should wait until the services are over for Justice Ginsburg," he said.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-09-21). With Planet and the Future on the Line, Sunrise Movement Doubles Down on 2020 After RBG's Death. commondreams.org The Sunrise Movement on Monday launched a new swing state mobilization campaign, aiming to lead the way as Democrats fight to get out the vote among young Americans, pressure Republican senators to delay a vote on a new U.S. Supreme Court justice, and flip the Senate and the White House on November 3. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/eicu9moxyacxw2q.png

news.un (2020-09-21). DPRK nuclear activities still 'cause for serious concern', says UN atomic energy chief. news.un.org Nuclear activities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "remain a cause for serious concern", the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in Vienna on Monday.

Thom Hartmann (2020-09-21). Trump's Destruction of America Started With Reagan. counterpunch.org Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies are letting America die. The billionaires who make their money from fossil fuels have bought off Trump and Republicans so that they're denying climate change while a dozen states in the West burn and the Gulf Coast is repeatedly ravaged by hurricanes. Firefighters are using dogs to identify the

Nick Licata (2020-09-21). Bridging Individualism and Community to Sustain our Democracy. counterpunch.org The U.S. stands out since its creation as championing the rights of all individuals, as proclaimed in the Declaration that Jefferson wrote for the new nation. Always clever, Jefferson substituted "pursuit of happiness" for "possessing property" in order to cast a wider net. Although initially those who did not own enough property, or were women

Ipek S. Burnett (2020-09-21). In the Night Kitchen of the Next Election: a Parody. counterpunch.org With apologies to Maurice Sendak. Did you ever hear of Mickey, how he heard a racket in the election year (Trump) (Sanders, Bloomberg, Warren) (Biden) and shouted QUIET DOWN THERE! And fell through the spectacle, out of his discernment Past the skepticism & the citizens sleeping tight (Oh) (Aah) (Ooh) (Democrats! Republicans!) Into the dark

WSWS (2020-09-21). Dry weather continues to fuel historic wildfires in California, rains bring new dangers to Pacific Northwest. wsws.org While fires continue to burn, destroying homes and displacing thousands, the Democrats and Republicans each seek to pass the blame onto each other.

Matt Sedlar (2020-09-21). Juicios políticos y vetos electorales en la batalla por la democracia en Ecuador. cepr.net OpenDemocracy Ver artículo en el sitio original In English El presidente ecuatoriano Lenín Moreno y sus aliados han hecho todo lo posible para evitar que el expresidente Rafael Correa y su movimiento político regresen al poder. Para lograr este objetivo, el gobierno actual ha perseguido a opositores y proscrito candidatos. El autoritarismo de Moreno, hasta …

_____ (2020-09-21). "Unethical" and "astonishing" — Serco lands another £45m for 'failing' COVID Test and Trace scheme. truepublica.org.uk By Caroline Malloy: The outsourcing giant Serco has won an additional £45m to provide COVID test centres, openDemocracy reveals. The multi-million-pound deal has not been made public but provides a major additional role for the controversial firm in the UK's troubled Test and Trace scheme, which has come under fire as infection rates rise across …

Akio Tanaka (2020-09-21). 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.

Staff (2020-09-21). Trump Praises "Good Genes" of Minnesotans, Highlighting His Eugenics Fixation. truthout.org Over the past five years or so, I've had no problem using the "F" word (fascism) to describe what's been happening under President Trump and the Republican Party.

John Buell (2020-09-21). The Many Ugly Faces of Climate Science Denial. commondreams.org "Fox News, the Republican Party, and the right edge of evangelicalism take the lead, often inspiring each other to new levels of extremism." (Photo: Screenshot) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/lauragreta.png

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-09-21). Fracking Not a 'Sustainable Pathway to Prosperity': New Report Shows Clean Energy Would Create More Jobs Than Fossil Fuels. commondreams.org "For the sake of giving workers a stable future, protecting public health, and making real strides in the fight against climate chaos, the choice is clear: Clean energy jobs can deliver far more good jobs for Pennsylvania." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/getty-biden-pennsylvania.jpg

Tim Shorrock (2020-09-21). Progressives Slam Biden's Foreign Policy Team. thenation.com Progressives Slam Biden's Foreign Policy Team…

_____ (2020-09-20). Democrat's Climate Change Lies. popularresistance.org In recent weeks a combination of drought and record breaking heat have accelerated wildfire season to historic levels of devastation. More than 4.6 million acres have burned in the states of California, Oregon and Washington. Skies are colored orange and red, the air is unbreathable, lives have been lost and entire towns have been destroyed. | The connection between heat waves, droughts, and human made climate change are clear and the solution is known to every school child. There must be a drastic reduction in the production of fossil fuels.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-09-20). Dems Pressured to 'Pick a Fight for Once' Over RBG Seat as Collins and Murkowski Oppose Pre-Election Vote. commondreams.org "To pretend that norms will constrain Trump or McConnell would be folly, yes. But for Democrats, the media, and the public to concede the ground in advance is to do their dirty work for them." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1228596796.png

Jeffrey C. Isaac (2020-09-20). Democrats, It's Time for Constitutional Jiujitsu. commondreams.org Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is flanked by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) while speaking to the media about President Donald Trump's Proposed FY 2018 budget May 23, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)