Daily Archives: January 13, 2021

2021-01-13: News Headlines

Workers World Party (2021-01-14). PDF of January 14 issue. workers.org Download the 12-page PDF. Special Coverage: Resisting White Supremacy No fascist coup! Fight back with workers' power Georgia grassroots victory; Marcy on violence and the state; Threat of fascism remains; Black Lives Matter and 'democracy'; 'Fraudulent' elections; as imperialist ploy; Charlottesville's how-to lessons; Fascists, the FBI — and legislators; Capitol . . . |

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 …

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…

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.

Alan Macleod (2021-01-13). A Record of Hawkish Intervention: Biden Picks Samantha Power to Head USAID. mintpressnews.com Samantha Power has been an outspoken advocate of US humanitarian intervention, promoting the Iraq war and defending human rights abusers like Israel and Saudi Arabia.

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

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…

Jens Martens (2021-01-13). 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,…

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.

ANMBEC (2021-01-13). Thursday 1/21: Biden Day One: What's Next For Muslim Communities? indybay.org Online event…

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.

Zach Conti (2021-01-13). 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.

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.

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.

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 …

Peter Koenig (2021-01-12). The Global Reset — Unplugged. "The Deep State" globalresearch.ca Imagine, you are living in a world that you are told is a democracy — and you may even believe it — but in fact your life and fate is in the hands of a few ultra-rich, ultra-powerful and ultra-inhuman oligarchs. They may be called Deep State, or simply the Beast, …

Norman Solomon (2021-01-12). Denouncing Republican Evils Isn't Enough. indybay.org Demanding progressive policies is essential…

Shamus Cooke (2021-01-12). DSA's Moment of Truth. counterpunch.org Now that Democrats control the House, Senate, and the Presidency, expectations have been raised around covid relief, rent relief, a Green New Deal, cancelling student debt and Medicare For All. Covid has especially elevated the demand of Medicare For All: the trillion dollar healthcare industry that annually leaves tens of thousands of uninsured dying unnecessary

Philip Giraldi (2021-01-12). In Search of Enemies. Joe Biden's Foreign Policy and National Security Team. globalresearch.ca What occurred at the United States Capitol last week was surely reprehensible, but to my mind the real enduring damage that was done to our form of government took place in a basement in Wilmington Delaware where president-designate Joe Biden…

MEE staff (2021-01-12). Israel is an 'apartheid' state, says the country's leading human rights group. middleeasteye.net Israel is an 'apartheid' state, says the country's leading human rights group | B'Tselem's latest report analyses Israel's efforts to cement 'supremacy of Jews over Palestinians' while operating under the veil of democracy | Tue, 01/12/2021 – 10: 55 | A member of Israel's security forces takes pictures as Palestinian demonstrators try to reach their lands confiscated by Israeli authorities during a protest in…

Eds. (2021-01-12). Towards a geopolitics of popular power. mronline.org Lecture given at the event: "The Collapse of the Unlawful State and the Recovery of Democracy", held in La Paz, on December 14, 2020, in the auditorium of the Vice Presidency of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

John Riddell (2021-01-12). How Socialists Resist Rightist Coups: Lessons from the Early Communist International. socialistproject.ca Parliaments and elections are no guarantee of democratic rights and fair treatment for working people. Capitalist forces displeased with an electoral outcome are all too likely to take direct action to impose their will, whether by financial manipulations, economic blockades, or military coups. Even apparently stable parliamentary regimes in dominant countries can be challenged in …

Otis Grotewohl (2021-01-12). The fascists, the FBI — and legislators. workers.org Following the right-wing fascist coup attempt — Donald Trump's version of a Nazi "putsch" — one Republican lawmaker was arrested and charged with "entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol." On Jan. 8, the FBI arrested Derrick Evans — recently elected into the West Virginia House of Delegates — . . . |

Brian Tashman (2021-01-12). As Sheriffs Quit ICE, Joe Biden Can Lead the Way in Restoring Trust. aclu.org This month, two newly-elected sheriffs canceled contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The sheriffs in Gwinnett County, Georgia and Charleston County, South Carolina were

Cody Fenwick (2021-01-12). Susan Collins shockingly reveals her "first thought was that the Iranians" hit the Capitol. salon.com Republican Sen. Susan Collins made a stunning admission of ignorance about the right-wing extremism goaded by GOP…

Jon Skolnik (2021-01-12). "Terrorists" Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley should be on no-fly list, House homeland security chair says. salon.com "There's no exemption for being put on the no-fly list," said Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson…

David Daley (2021-01-12). How to stop an Insurrection Caucus: These reforms could reduce GOP extremism and save our democracy. salon.com There were two mobs behind the Capitol riot: One in MAGA hats, the other in expensive suits. Both did immense harm…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-12). Palestinians oppose announcement of fresh illegal Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, faced with elections in March and prospects of a less friendly Biden administration, announced expedited construction of 800 new illegal Jewish homes inside the West Bank…

Sarah Jones (2021-01-12). Republicans Want Clemency, and With It, a Return to the Status Quo. commondreams.org The public deserves something better: a true champion of the poor and vulnerable. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/uscongress_0_0_0.jpg

Josef Woss and Niema Movassat (2021-01-12). Strengthening the Welfare State. indybay.org Resist the beginnings of fascism, manipulation and control! Trump's smear campaigns, scapegoating, fear mongering, $8-trillion tax heists, corporate welfare, attacking the poor, minorities, seniors, disabled, children and students have left democracy in intensive care. Helicopter money, a Marshall Plan for journalism and ending wars could revive the indispensable debate culture.

Death Penalty Abolition (2021-01-12). Biden Asked To Withdraw ProExecution Garland As AG. indybay.org Biden chose for AG Merrick Garland, who as a prosecutor called for the death penalty and was instrumental in the passage of the unconstitutional 96 pro execution law, who denied GTMO prisoner rights, upheld draconian marijuana regulations, denied most prisoner mercy appeals, and paved the way for Citizens United ruling that $ is speech.

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.'

James O'Neill (2021-01-12). The Leopard Doesn't Change its Spots: US Foreign Policy Under Biden. dissidentvoice.org It is a great pity that the Australian mainstream media is so narrow in its choice of sources for stories to appear on its pages and in its telecasts. This point was vividly brought home to me when I read in the English language version of the Russian website Pravda.ru (truth) about the alleged killing …

Roger D. Harris (2021-01-12). The US Capitol Building Riot and Its Blowback. dissidentvoice.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 …

Editor (2021-01-11). Chris Hedges & Ramesh Srinivasan Debate Twitter & Facebook Banning Trump. scheerpost.com Twitter, Facebook and other social media companies have removed President Trump from their platforms, after years of debate about the disinformation he shared to millions of followers from his accounts. While many are applauding the bans, author Chris Hedges warns they could backfire on a new episode of DemocracyNow! "To allow these companies to essentially function as de facto platforms for… |

Ramzy Baroud (2021-01-11). 'A Game Changer': Ilan Pappe and Awad Abdelfattah on the One Democratic State Campaign. mintpressnews.com "It is a game-changer which will force everyone in the region – and in the world – to look very differently at the Palestine Question." –Ilan Pappe…

Alex Bainbridge (2021-01-11). Trump's coup and Biden's corporate cabinet. greenleft.org.au Democratic Socialists of America member Isaac Silver addressed the Socialist Alliance national conference about Donald Trump inciting his base to storm Capitol Hill and more.

Alex Bainbridge (2021-01-11). Video: Trump's coup and Biden's corporate cabinet. greenleft.org.au Democratic Socialists of America member Isaac Silver addressed the Socialist Alliance national conference about Donald Trump inciting his base to storm Capitol Hill and more.

Juan Cole (2021-01-11). Yes It Was Attempted by Wingnuts, But It Was a Coup Attempt Just the Same. commondreams.org Over 140 Republican congressmen and 8 senators joined the attempt to overturn the election even after the mob tried to kill or kidnap them. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/capital-1.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-01-11). 47 Lawmakers Join Rep. Cori Bush's Resolution to Remove GOP Members for Inciting Attack on Capitol. commondreams.org "This is sedition," said the freshman Democrat. "We must hold these Republicans accountable for their role in this insurrection." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12296857061.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-01-11). Justice Democrats Endorses Nina Turner for Congress Based on Record of 'Fighting to Uplift' Working People. commondreams.org The Ohio Democrat and former Bernie Sanders campaign advisor "has stood with our progressive movement since day one," said Alexandra Rojas. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/nina-turner-practical-candidate_0.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-01-11). As 'Dark Stain' of Guant√°namo Begins 20th Year, Groups Demand Biden Close Offshore Prison. commondreams.org "Biden must reaffirm his commitment to closure and take the necessary action to accomplish it before we have to mark the 20th anniversary next year," says the Center for Constitutional Rights. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/huovu_ou.jpg

Chauncey DeVega (2021-01-11). America the undead: Trump's mob attacked a democracy already weakened by his war on reality. salon.com What do you see when you look — really look — at the images of pro-Trump fascist goons trashing the Capitol?

Amanda Marcotte (2021-01-11). Republicans are gaslighting America about Trump's coup: Only impeachment can set the record straight. salon.com Impeachment establishes a formal record, making it harder for the right to pressure media to downplay January 6…

news.un (2021-01-11). West Africa: Democracy 'a constant process' top UN official tells Security Council. news.un.org While elections are one-time events, "democracy is a constant process of deliberation and consultation" where dialogue provides an "important arena for the building of national consensus", the top UN official in West Africa told the Security Council on Monday.

commondreams (2021-01-11). Delays on Biden's Secretary of State Nominee Put National Security At Risk. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-01-11). Education and Civil Rights Groups Send Letter to Biden Education Transition Team, Urging Them to Protect English Learners by Postponing Proficiency Testing. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-01-11). Continued Delays to Confirmation Process of Biden Nominees Are A Threat to National Security and Public Safety. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WIT (2021-01-11). àönase a la celebración mundial de la victoria de Joe Biden y Kamala Harris. indybay.org àönase al mundo en la celebración de que Trump ya no es el presidente de los Estados Unidos y es reemplazado por Joe Biden.

Khibaka, Michael Harris (2021-01-11). MLK Sacramento Library Golden Anniversary – Farm to Fork Friday. indybay.org Join us as we continue the journey celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Liberary in the Meadowview Community of Sacramento, California.

Stephanie Woodard (2021-01-11). Native Americans on police response to Capitol insurrection. nationofchange.org "No way would Black or Brown people be treated that way had they attacked a symbol of our democracy."

teleSUR (2021-01-11). Biden Chooses Iran Nuclear Deal Negotiator as His CIA Director. telesurenglish.net After serving as ambassador to Russia, Burns led the Obama administration's negotiations with Iran to reach the historic nuclear deal in 2015. | Burns currently serves as the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international think-tank. | RELATED: | If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the first career diplomat to serve in…

teleSUR (2021-01-11). Uganda Beefs up Security in Its Capital City Ahead of Polls. telesurenglish.net Uganda's military and police have stepped up security in and around Kampala ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for this Thursday. | RELATED: | "The campaign period is coming to an end and we are now proceeding to the next level of voting. We have now upgraded our security and deployed police officers who are being supported by the army," Patrick Onyango, Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said. | There a…