2021-01-16: News Headlines

Staff (2021-01-16). Republicans Are Using Capitol Breach as Excuse to Promote Anti-Protest Bills. truthout.org On the heels of the U.S. Capitol breach, Republican lawmakers in five states are capitalizing on unrest and anxiety about

_____ (2021-01-16). Black Lives Matter Protestors Charged As A Gang. popularresistance.org Maricopa County, AZ – In Washington, D.C., members of a pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol and killed a police officer are so far being charged mainly with disorderly conduct and unlawful entry. The man photographed with his feet on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk faces three charges that carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison. After the violent siege, some members of the mob simply returned to their hotel. | Many were quick to point out an apparent double standard when compared to the way police in D.C. treated Black Lives Matter protesters over the summer—like when they tear gassed protesters to cl…

_____ (2021-01-16). The US Economy Could Use Some 'Overheating'. popularresistance.org Recent proposals for large-scale fiscal relief and recovery from the economic effects of COVID-19 have drawn criticism that they could lead to "overheating" of the U.S. economy. These criticisms should be ignored. Proposals under discussion—including Biden's economic plan introduced tonight—are highly unlikely to lead to any durable uptick in inflation or interest rates (the normal indicators of "overheating") and even if they did, these higher interest rates and inflation would be a welcome sign of economic healing, not something to worry about. | Warnings about economic "overheating" normally mean t…

Kate Aronoff (2021-01-16). How to Fight Climate Change and Fascists at the Same Time. zcomm.org Democracy reform is the first step toward a sustainable future…

Maryam Jameela (2021-01-16). Assaults on democracy come in many forms — not just storming the Capitol. thecanary.co The

David Masciotra (2021-01-16). Longtime GOP insider Mike Lofgren on his former party: "Going easy on these people will not work" salon.com Lofgren spent 28 years on Capitol Hill. Now he says Republican zealots should be crushed, banished and ostracized…

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 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…

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…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-01-15). Omar and Ocasio-Cortez Tell Josh Hawley to 'Resign'—And Poll Shows Majority of Missouri Voters Agree. commondreams.org "While you may politically regret what you've revealed about yourself, you still have no place in public office," Ocasio-Cortez said of Hawley. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/hawley.jpg

Meaghan Ellis (2021-01-15). Tucker Carlson faces backlash after mocking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's fears during Capitol riot. salon.com "Fox's Tucker Carlson has moved on to mocking lawmakers for fears of a mob howling for blood on their corridors"

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-01-15). Sunrise Movement to Rally in NYC, Chicago, Calling on Senate Dems to Tackle Pandemic and Unemployment Crises. commondreams.org The youth-led climate action group called on Sens. Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin to use their new majority "to deliver on the needs of the people who backed their victory." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/dems_1.jpg

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.

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…

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). 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?

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

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 …

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 …

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…

Anoa Changa (2021-01-15). Georgia Organizers Won Because They Didn't Treat Elections as a Be-All, End-All. zcomm.org "We are undoing a history of voter suppression and injustice in Black and Brown communities. The changes we are seeing now didn't happen overnight, and we are not solving our challenges with just one vote."

_____ (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…

commondreams (2021-01-15). Small Business Have Needed a Comprehensive Plan—Biden Response Set to Deliver. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-01-15). US Fast Food Workers Strike, Demanding Congress #RaiseTheWage to $15 an Hour and Union Rights. commondreams.org "As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office," said one McDonald's worker, "we're urging the nation's leaders to pass a $15 minimum wage in the first 100 days of the new administration." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ery6sjpxuauospz.jpg

commondreams (2021-01-15). Patriotic Millionaires Statement on $15 Minimum Wage in Biden's "American Rescue Plan" commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-01-15). Outstanding Leaders Chosen to Advance Biden's Climate and Environmental Justice Agenda. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-01-15). To Protect Democratic Rule of Law, Privacy, and Public Health, the Biden Administration Should Immediately Move to Block Google Takeover of Fitbit. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-01-15). Sunrise to Hold Rallies Demanding "No Compromise, No Excuses" to Top Democratic Leaders. commondreams.org ______________________________…

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…

Igor Derysh (2021-01-15). Joe Biden wants to use coronavirus relief to raise federal minimum wage to $15. salon.com His $1.9B plan includes $1,400 checks, $350B in state and local aid, and billions for schools and vaccinations…

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…

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…

teleSUR (2021-01-15). Nine Out of 10 Citizens Repudiate the Capitol Assault. telesurenglish.net The Washington Post and ABC Friday published a poll in which 9 out of 10 U.S. citizens repudiate the January 6 assault on Congress and 57 percent believe President Donald Trump is responsible for that event. | RELATED: | The degree of repudiation varies according to the respondents' political affiliation, with 98 percent among Democrats, 80 percent among Republicans, and 89 percent among independent voters. | Repu…

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…

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). 60,000 People Flee Violence in the Central African Republic. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday warned that nearly 60,000 people have fled the Central African Republic (CAR) to neighboring countries due to violence at the hands of armed groups that reject the results of the December 27 elections. | RELATED: | "Most of them fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), crossing the Ubangui River, where the number of arrivals exceeded 50,000 after 10,00…

Staff (2021-01-14). Dr. Ali Khan: U.S. Needs to Quickly Ramp Up Vaccinations as COVID Kills Over 4,000 in Single Day. democracynow.org As the United States breaks all records for coronavirus cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns another 92,000 could die in the next three weeks as complaints grow over the slow distribution of COVID vaccines. Across the country, hospitals are overflowing, and ICU beds are in short supply. In Los Angeles County, an epicenter of the outbreak, a staggering one in three residents has gotten the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to new data. For more on the pandemic, we speak with epidemiologist Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Publi…

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,…

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 …

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…

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

_____ (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…

_____ (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 …

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

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

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.

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

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…

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.

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.

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…

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

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

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

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

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 …

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.