2021-01-15: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-15). What's the Point of Impeaching Trump Twice? globalresearch.ca Despite Trump agreeing to leave the White House next Wednesday after losing the election under contentious circumstances, the Democrats and their "Republican In Name Only" (RINO) allies pushed Trump's historic second impeachment through the House on allegations that he "incited …

Staff (2021-01-15). Would You Patent the Sun? Polio Vaccine Inventor Jonas Salk's Son Urges More Access to COVID Vaccine. democracynow.org The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. is set to top 400,000 before Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, but rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been slow, with many describing a vexing amount of red tape standing between them and the shot. We look at the development and distribution of another vaccine during the polio epidemic in the 1950s with Dr. Peter Salk, a physician and professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh, whose father, Dr. Jonas Salk, developed the first polio vaccine and famously declined to patent his invention. "The rest of the world and th…

Staff (2021-01-15). Would You Patent the Sun? Polio Vaccine Inventor Jonas Salk's Son Urges More Access to COVD Vaccine. democracynow.org The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. is set to top 400,000 before Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, but rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been slow, with many describing a vexing amount of red tape standing between them and the shot. We look at the development and distribution of another vaccine during the polio epidemic in the 1950s with Dr. Peter Salk, a physician and professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh, whose father, Dr. Jonas Salk, developed the first polio vaccine and famously declined to patent his invention. "The rest of the world and th…

Eve Ottenberg (2021-01-15). Here We Go Again: Botching the Vaccine Rollout. counterpunch.org At the rate we're vaccinating against covid in the U.S., it will take 10 years for the entire population to receive shots. To counter this, on January 12, the Trump regime announced that it would expand vaccination, regardless of whether second doses are available. Biden had earlier said he would do this too. The reasons

Staff (2021-01-15). Polio Vaccine Inventor Jonas Salk's Son Urges More Access to COVID Vaccination. truthout.org The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. is set to top 400,000 before Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, but rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been slow, with many describing a vexing amount of red tape standing between them and the shot. We look at the development and distribution of another vaccine during the polio epidemic in the 1950s with Dr. Peter Salk, a physician and professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh, whose father, Dr. J…

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies, Marcy Winograd (2021-01-15). Will the Senate Confirm Coup Plotter Nuland? counterpunch.org Who is Victoria Nuland? Most Americans have never heard of her because the U.S. corporate media's foreign policy coverage is a wasteland. Most Americans have no idea that President-elect Biden's pick for Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs is stuck in the quicksand of 1950s U.S.-Russia Cold War politics and dreams of continued NATO

B. Prasant (2021-01-15). India's farmers dig in for long haul against Modi's neoliberalism. peoplesworld.org DELHI—As I move away from the massive kisan (farmers and peasants) assemblage at the Singhu border between the province of Haryana and Delhi, a heavy drizzle starts to add to my misery in the bone-chilling cold of late Indian winter. I plan to drive along several narrow link roads to gain access to the otherwise …

Roberta Wood (2021-01-15). Communists like my uncle were sent to prison because they fought for democracy. peoplesworld.org My late uncle, LeRoy H. Wood, spent years in a federal prison in Lewisburg, Pa., for what he did in Washington, D.C. Roy was convicted of "conspiring to teach the advocacy of the overthrow of the U.S. government by force and violence." No, Uncle Roy was not a billionaire who incited a mob to storm …

Staff (2021-01-15). Neo-fascists found their voice in Trump. Where will the left's voice come from? therealnews.com With COVID-19 still raging and Biden's inauguration around the corner, Warnock and Ossoff win big in Georgia, Trumpist insurgents storm the U.S. Capitol, and Democrats and Republicans seethe with internal strife. What's next?

Mark Fiore (2021-01-15). Screen Shot 2021-01-14 at 8.41.25 AM.png. progressive.org Now that Trump is the first President to be impeached twice, we'll surely see more of his Republican allies slink away.

Medea Benjamin (2021-01-15). Biden's Pick: Will the Senate Confirm Coup Plotter Victoria Nuland? globalresearch.ca Who is Victoria Nuland? Most Americans have never heard of her because the U.S. corporate media's foreign policy coverage is a wasteland. Most Americans have no idea that President-elect Biden's pick for Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs …

Fight Back (2021-01-15). MN: Progressive groups plan inauguration day rally to demand a People's Agenda. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – A broad coalition of progressive organizations will rally and march in Minneapolis on the day of the inauguration of the Biden-Harris presidency, January 20. Demonstrators will call for a People's Agenda that immediately reverses the policies of outgoing President Trump and meets the demands of working people, immigrants and oppressed nationality communities. | Protesters will gather near South High School in Minneapolis at 5 p.m. The list of demands compiled by the coalition highlighted not only the failures and racist attacks from the Trump administration, but also what they see as omissions a…

Michael Harris (2021-01-15). 50th Anniversary of MLK Library – 'Hidden Archives" within the Sacramento Room Come Alive. indybay.org Dr. King realized the importance to Blacks in America, having been snatched from Africa and having lost our culture and identity, of reclaiming that culture. It is through this process of reclaiming African culture, Dr. King would go on to say, that we will regain our humanity. The Sacramento Room maintains the archives how the MLK Memorial Library was named in his honor established the very night of his assignation in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968…

_____ (2021-01-15). Against A Domestic Terrorism Law. popularresistance.org On Monday, Opposite Office, an "activistic architecture studio" based in Munich, released design materials for what it called "Capitol Castle," a plan that would encircle the entire U.S. Capitol with 36-feet-thick brick walls. The concept was not serious—or, at least, it was "serious" but not intended to be built. It was, depending on how charitable you feel about "activistic architecture studios," a design meant to spark a debate on democracy and division, or one meant to get written up by the architecture press and shared widely on social media. | But even if these German architects don't sincerely propos…

Fight Back (2021-01-15). SEIU Local 73: Statement of support for Human Rights Day 7 in the Philippines. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73. | | On International Human Rights Day, December 10, the Philippine National Police raided the homes and jailed Dennise Velasco of Defend Jobs Philippines; Romina Astudillo, Deputy Secretary-General of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila; Mark Ryan Cruz, Regional Executive Committee of KMU-Metro Manila; Jaymie Gregorio Jr. of KMU-Metro Manila; Joel Demate of Solidarity of Labor Rights and Welfare (SOLAR); Rodrigo Esparago of Sandigang Manggagawa sa Quezon City (SMQC), and journalist Lady Ann…

WSWS (2021-01-15). FBI reveals "dozens" of neo-Nazis and white supremacists on Terror Watch List traveled to D.C. for January 6 coup. wsws.org In addition to active Republican politicians and off-duty military and police, many militiamen and fascists claiming membership in the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and III Percenters marched on the Capitol…

teleSUR (2021-01-15). Haitian People Demand President Moise's Resignation. telesurenglish.net Haiti's opposition leaders Friday called for nationwide protests to demand President Jovenel Moise's resignation due to the social and political crisis that is shaking the country. | RELATED: | "Moise is clinging to power when the priority must be to promote economic, social, and political development," opposition Democratic and Popular Sectors Coalition's leader Andre Michel said. | "His term is over. It began when Presiden…

Somil Trivedi (2021-01-15). The Unspoken Agreement Between Prosecutors and Law Enforcement. aclu.org Last week's physical and civic violence at the U.S. Capitol has raised a terrifying set of questions about American democracy, including the potential complicity of law enforcement in insurrection. The president-elect joined the entire freethinking world in noticing that, if Trump's mob had been Black, it would not have received the same concierge service. But Trump's coup attempt was not the only law enforcement catastrophe last week: We cannot forget that, two days earlier, Kenosha County, Wisconsin District Attorney Mike Graveley chose not to charge police officer Rusten Shesky for shooting Jacob Blake seve…

The Conversation (2021-01-14). Is impeaching President Trump 'pointless revenge'? Not if it sends a message to future presidents. juancole.com By Michael Blake | — A House majority, including 10 Republicans, voted on Jan. 13 to impeach President Trump for "incitement of insurrection." The vote will initiate a trial in the Senate — but that trial will likely not be finished before Trump's term of office comes to an end on Jan. 20. There is …

Juan Cole (2021-01-14). The GOP stood with Trump and against the Legitimacy of Biden: that's how Iraq Split up in 2014. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — On Wednesday, 197 Republican congressmen refused to impeach him for encouraging thousands of hard Right thugs, some armed, to march on the Capitol and "fight like hell or you won't have a country." These same 197 congressmen were themselves menaced by the invading mobs, who chanted that they wanted to …

Jens Martens (2021-01-14). 8 points for a global agenda of structural change in the COVID-19 pandemic. indybay.org "We can have democracy or concentration of wealth, not both," said Justice Louis Brandeis, the longest-serving Supreme Court justice,…

Jon Skolnik (2021-01-14). QAnon congresswoman vows to impeach Joe Biden one day after his inauguration. salon.com Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashes out after ten House Republicans vote to impeach Trump…

Amanda Marcotte (2021-01-14). Republicans threaten violence if Trump faces repercussions — but it was impunity that moved his mob. salon.com Trump and his mob believe they'll never pay the piper…

David Daley (2021-01-14). Arizona Republicans make sneaky moves to rig redistricting commission before any lines are drawn. salon.com There are national implications if Republicans take this crucial advantage for the next decade in a swing state…

ANMBEC (2021-01-14). Thursday 1/21: Biden Day One: What's Next For Muslim Communities? indybay.org Online event…

Zach Conti (2021-01-14). Biden Names Transparency Advocate to Top Regulatory Post. indybay.org Gary Gensler, former Wall Street regulator will be President-elect Biden's nominee to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to Reuters. Gensler will lead the agency created after the 1920's stock market crash to protect investors and enforce stability in the banking system.

Elie Mystal (2021-01-14). There Can Be No 'Unity' With Seditious Republicans. thenation.com There Can Be No 'Unity' With Seditious Republicans…

commondreams (2021-01-14). Watchdog Calls on President-Elect Biden, Congress to Reverse Trump Admin Policies that Weaken Climate Protections. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-01-14). Because 'Time for Urgent, Bold Change Is Now,' 200+ Groups Tell Biden to End Failed War on Drugs. commondreams.org "We are urging the administration to abandon criminalization as a means to address substance use, and instead ensure universal access to equitable evidence-based solutions rooted in racial and economic justice and compassion." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/drug_war2.jpg

_____ (2021-01-14). 600 Groups Urge Biden To Impose National Moratorium On Water Shut-offs. popularresistance.org Above photo: Detroit activists march for restoring local democracy and economic justice, and an end to the water shut-offs, July 18, 2014. Victoria Collier. Too many people are struggling to pay their bills, advocates say. The No Shutoffs Coalition on Wednesday presented the incoming Democratic administration with a draft executive order that would instruct the …

_____ (2021-01-14). A Record Of Hawkish Intervention: Biden Picks Samantha Power To Head USAID. popularresistance.org President-elect Joe Biden has selected longtime Democratic insider Samantha Power to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). "There is simply no one better to ensure our development agenda is a core pillar of our foreign policy," the 78-year-old Delawarean said in a video statement, claiming that, under previous Democratic administrations Power, "fought tirelessly to prioritize human rights." USAID styles itself as a human rights organization, a Washington-sponsored group promoting democracy and development around the world. But if one delves deeper than merely the surface level, the organizat…

sputniknews (2021-01-14). Several US Domestic Air Carriers Ban Checked Firearms on DC Flights Ahead of Biden Inauguration. sputniknews.com Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the federal government to cancel all protest permits for the inauguration, and the US National Mall complex will be closed to the public during the transfer of power, all in a bid to avoid a repeat of the violence seen on January 6.

Roger Harris (2021-01-14). The US Capitol Building Riot and Its Blowback. zcomm.org The Only Thing Scarier than QAnon Is the Reaction to It…

splcenter (2021-01-14). Angry Far-Right Extremists Seek to Overshadow Biden Inauguration, Amid Growing Scrutiny. splcenter.org Facing mounting pressure from law enforcement and obstacles in the form of tech companies pushing fringe websites and prominent social media accounts offline, far-right extremists have embraced a more diffuse, chaotic response to Joe Biden's inauguration than the concentrated mob attack that engulfed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

WSWS (2021-01-14). Details emerge exposing high-level coordination between fascists, police and Republican politicians in lead-up January 6 coup attempt. wsws.org New revelations confirm several Republican congressman conspired with fascistic elements in carrying out the attempted coup.

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-13). What's the Future of Afghanistan After Trump? US Troops Replaced by Private Military Contractors? globalresearch.ca Biden's Foreign Policy | Many questions are swirling about President-Elect Biden's foreign policy upon his impending inauguration next week, but one of the most relevant for all of Eurasia is what his stance will be towards the US' seemingly never-ending War …

Staff (2021-01-13). "American Abyss": Fascism Historian Tim Snyder on Trump's Coup Attempt, Impeachment & What's Next. democracynow.org As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration. We speak with Timothy Snyder, a historian of fascism, who says the riot at the U.S. Capitol was "completely and utterly predictable" given President Trump's record of stoking extremism and undermining democratic institutions. "The American republic is hanging by a thread because the president of the United States has sought to use violence to stay in power and essentially to ov…

Staff (2021-01-13). As COVID Surges in L.A., Hard-Hit Indigenous Communities Fight to Preserve Life, Culture & Language. democracynow.org As Los Angeles County reports record COVID-19 infections, overflowing hospitals and record death tolls, we look at how Indigenous communities there are among the hardest hit in working-class neighborhoods, where many are essential workers. "Indigenous people, we don't have the privilege to stay home and not go to work," says Odilia Romero, co-founder and executive director of Indigenous Communities in Leadership, or CIELO, an Indigenous women-led nonprofit organization in Los Angeles. Romero also laments "the loss of knowledge" that comes with the devastation of COVID-19. "Some of the elders have passed away, and…

Ramzy Baroud, Romana Rubeo (2021-01-13). 'One State is a Game Changer': A Conversation with Ilan Pappe and Awad Abdelfattah on the One Democratic State Campaign. counterpunch.org As the US ruling elites have fully succumbed to Israel's political discourse on Palestine, the Israeli government of right-wing Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, may feel that it, alone, is capable of determining the future of the Palestinian people. This conclusion is, perhaps, gleaned from Israel's behavior in recent years and months. The expansion of illegal

RT (2021-01-13). 'Perfect storm': WHO warns second year of fighting Covid-19 could be 'even tougher' than the first. rt.com Ongoing transmission dynamics show the world needs to brace for an even tougher year of fighting Covid-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, while the disease has turned into the "perfect storm" in Europe and the US. | "We are going into a second year of this, it could even be tougher given the transmission dynamics and some of the issues that we are seeing," WHO's Health Emergencies chief, Mike Ryan, said during a Q&A session broadcast Following a drop in new cases reported over the…

Michael Biesecker, Michael Kunzelman (2021-01-13). Who was behind the invasion of the Capitol? peoplesworld.org Editor's note: The AP report that follows shows that it was well-off businessmen, longtime GOP donors, and people with money who formed the backbone of the fascist invasion of the Capitol last week. They worked hand in hand with the white supremacists and far-right militants attacking democracy that day. WASHINGTON — They came from across …

Roger Harris (2021-01-13). The Only Thing Scarier than QAnon Is the Reaction to It. counterpunch.org The right-wing demonstration turned violent riot at the US Capitol on January 6 was a spectacle, complete with Confederate flags and a QAnon shaman in red-white-and-blue face paint. The Venezuelan government stated: "With this unfortunate episode, the United States is experiencing what it has generated in other countries with its policies of aggression." Some half

Anya Parampil (2021-01-13). Stop the Steal takeover exposes fragility of U.S. empire. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Brian Becker, host of The Socialist Program, about the implications of the recent Stop the Steal riot in Washington D.C. By Anya Parampil Becker analyzes direct coordination between rioters and the police and explains why he believes the Biden Era could be one of political instability in the United States. He also discusses the launch of his new podcast, The Socialist Program.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-13). China's trade deals to the east and west rewrite the rules. peoplesdispatch.org Vijay Prashad of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and John Ross, Senior Fellow Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, discuss the RCEP and EU-China trade deals…

Jon Skolnik (2021-01-13). House votes to impeach Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection. salon.com Donald Trump becomes the first president in United States history to be impeached twice…

Amanda Marcotte (2021-01-13). Republicans, don't be afraid to impeach: Trump's base will get over it — and get in line. salon.com GOP voters may whine but they will always fall in line — because they love power more than Trump…

Igor Derysh (2021-01-13). Rep. Lauren Boebert leads GOP "standoff" with Capitol Police over metal detectors on House floor. salon.com House Republicans shoved through officers and barged into House chamber, calling security measures an "atrocity"

Democracy (2021-01-13). Rep. Jim Jordan Projects His Own Vote Fraud Onto Democrats. indybay.org As Trump in 2020 once again hired Nathan Sproul, vote fraudster whose operatives have gone to jail for throwing away Demcratic voter registrations, Jim Jordan, sitting in the nation's perhaps most gerrymandered district, projected vote crimes onto Democrats.

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-01-13). Cori Bush Booed by House GOP for Denouncing White Supremacy. commondreams.org "What does it mean when they boo the Black congresswoman denouncing white supremacy?" asked the freshman Democrat from Missouri. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/cori_bush_booed.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-01-13). Rep. Mikie Sherrill Leads Demand for Probe of GOP Colleagues Who Gave 'Reconnaissance' Tours to Capitol Invaders. commondreams.org "Those members who attempted to help our president undermine our democracy, I'm going to see that they're held accountable." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sherrill.jpg

Joseph Nevins (2021-01-13). The Irony Of Calling America A 'Banana Republic'. commondreams.org The history of the banana republic reminds us that the notion of the United States as a beacon of human rights and democracy is, for all too many across the globe, a lie. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/chi.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-01-13). In Historic House Vote, Only 10 Republicans Join Democrats to Impeach Trump for Inciting Insurrection. commondreams.org "If Congress had a shred of decency, this impeachment would be unanimous." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12305702411.jpg

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-01-13). To Combat Ongoing 'Human Rights Crisis,' 600+ Groups Urge Biden to Enact Utility Shutoff Moratorium on Day One. commondreams.org "Private power utilities are disconnecting thousands of families every month, while continuing to reward shareholders." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/hand_washing.jpg

sputniknews (2021-01-13). Schumer Says if Trump Convicted Senate to Hold Vote to Bar Him From Running Again. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US Senate will vote on whether to bar US President Donald Trump from running for the White House in the future if he is convicted of impeachment charges, the presumptive Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, said in a statement.

Rainer Shea (2021-01-13). Biden's Patriot Act 2.0: Exploiting the Chaos to Impose More Surveillance and Censorship. globalresearch.ca GR Editor's Note | With regard to the coverage of the Wednesday Capitol Event, Global Research will be publishing opposing and contradictory points of view by several of our authors. | We are dealing with a complex and far-reaching political process. We …

Philip Farruggio (2021-01-13). Amerikan Republic: Without the banana! nationofchange.org As this new Biden administration will reveal, just like with Obama before him, little will be done to counteract the super rich who run this empire.

Ashley Curtin (2021-01-13). Former Michigan governor and others in his administration face charges in Flint water crisis. nationofchange.org While the nature of the charges are unknown, charges were brought against former governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, Nick Lyon, former health department director, and other officials in his administration.

Philip J. Cunningham (2021-01-13). Twisting the Truth about a Beautiful Sight: Some Beijing Press is using the Capitol Insurrection to Condemn Homegrown Pro-Democracy Demonstrators. juancole.com Ithaca, NY (Special to Informed Comment) — Given the mutual recriminations that characterize the sorry state of US-China relations as of late, it is hardly surprising that China's state media should pounce on the humiliating optics of US democracy under siege. Indeed, one need only retransmit US mainstream media reports about a demented US president …

Lisa Gilbert (2021-01-12). A Bill for a Democracy in Crisis. progressive.org Our clearest pathway toward a new and more equitable democracy would be to pass the 'For The People Act.'