The Death of Democracy Looks Nearer Than Ever
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-15
Liz Cheney is not on my short list of politicians I admire or wish to see in Congress. But she has done the right thing in calling out the "big lie" and promising to do all she can to keep Donald Trump away from the White House, literally or in terms of his influence over a terribly broken party. She is a canary in the coal mine. Would that others had the courage to follow suit. | Most sentient beings on the planet breathed a huge sigh of relief last November when Joe Biden won the presidential election. We were even happi…
truthout.org/articles/the-death-of-democracy-looks-nearer-than-ever/

Last day of presidential candidates registration in Tehran
Staff | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-05-15
TEHRAN, May 15 (MNA) — The last day of registration of Iran 2021 Presidential Candidates kicked off at the venue of Elections Headquarters of the Ministry of Interior on Saturday.
en.mehrnews.com/photo/173443/Last-day-of-presidential-candidates-registration-in-Tehran

Venezuela: Regional & Municipal Elections Scheduled for November 21–Complete Electoral Calendar Announced
Lucía Eugenia Córdova | orinocotribune.com | 2021-05-15
Venezuela's regional and municipal elections will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2021. This was announced to the country on Thursday, May 13, by the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Pedro Calzadilla, following the approval of the corresponding electoral calendar. | RELATED CONTENT: Venezuela Inaugurates CNE Board: Meet the New Authorities | This calendar comprises, as usual, a set of dates: | ‚Ä¢ The special day for new voter registration and data update will be…
orinocotribune.com/venezuela-regional-municipal-elections-scheduled-for-november-21-complete-electoral-calendar-announced/

Prominent politicians enter presidential elections Saturday
Kamal Iranidoost | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-05-15
TEHRAN, May 15 (MNA) — On the fifth and the last day of the enrollment for upcoming presidential elections the most famous hopefuls from both ends of the political spectrum entered the race.
en.mehrnews.com/news/173465/Prominent-politicians-enter-presidential-elections-Saturday

Gaza Split In U.S. Congress, But Who Cares?
Anonymous103 | southfront.org | 2021-05-15
Illustrative image | The ongoing Gaza crisis has sparked a major split in the U.S. Congress. President Joe Biden remained silent during the first days of military escalation. Only on May 12th, speaking for the first time since violence started flaring, Biden took a pro-Israeli position, without even mentioning the Palestinians in his comments. | President's claims were treated like a betrayal of liberal values that his administration claims to promote all over the world. | Several Democratic members of the House of Representa…
southfront.org/gaza-split-in-u-s-congress-but-who-cares/

No, Biden's Not Banning Burgers – But Meat is a Real Climate Problem
Madison Geramoni | indybay.org | 2021-05-15
This article goes into detail about the misconceptions created by right winged politicians in regards to Biden's expectation to meet the Green New Deal.
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/05/12/18842465.php

Biden Administration Affirms US Support for Corrupt Jordanian Monarchy Amidst Suppression of Alleged Coup Attempt
Editor2 | orinocotribune.com | 2021-05-15
By Christian Sorensen — May 5, 2021 | Pattern of U.S. Support for Autocracy across the Middle East | In early April, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the former crown prince of Jordan, was imprisoned under house arrest. | King Abdullah II, who is Hamzah's half-brother and the absolute ruler of Jordan, ordered Prince Hamzah to cease communications with the outside world. | Prince Hamzah said he would not keep quiet, tweeting, "I'm not going to obey when they say you can't go out, you can't tweet, you can't communicate with people." | The Jordanian deputy prime minister, Ayman Safadi, claimed that the prince was inv…
orinocotribune.com/biden-administration-affirms-us-support-for-corrupt-jordanian-monarchy-amidst-suppression-of-alleged-coup-attempt/

Previously deleted video shows fascist Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing Representative Ocasio-Cortez's congressional office in 2019
wsws.org | 2021-05-15
In the previously uploaded February 2019 video, Greene, along with several other Trump supporters, taunted Ocasio-Cortez's staff from outside her locked office door.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/05/15/gree-m15.html

Trump Officials Used Secret Terrorism Unit to Question Lawyers at Border
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-15
Taylor Levy couldn't understand why she'd been held for hours by Customs and Border Protection officials when crossing back into El Paso, Texas, after getting dinner with friends in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in January 2019. And she didn't know why she was being questioned by an agent who'd introduced himself as a counterterrorism specialist. | Levy was part of the legal team representing the father of a girl who'd died the previous month in the custody of the Border Patrol, which is part of CBP. "T…
truthout.org/articles/trump-officials-used-secret-terrorism-unit-to-question-lawyers-at-border/

The Attack on our Movement Continues
Abahlali baseMjondolo | zcomm.org | 2021-05-15
Another comrade appeared in court today on trumped up charges of conspiracy to murder…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-attack-on-our-movement-continues/

Zionism, Israel & The Witch Hunt In UK Labour Party & Universities With Tony Greenstein
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2021-05-15
Tony Greenstein a former member of the UK Labour Party was interviewed about the role of Zionists and Israel in the Labour Party and also in the witch hunt against professors in the United Kingdom. He also talks about the history of the Zionists working with rightwingers including Trump and the Nazis in the 1930's…
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/05/13/18842484.php

House Homeland Security Committee announces agreement on bipartisan commission to investigate January 6 coup attempt
wsws.org | 2021-05-15
The commission bill continues the Democrats' feckless policy of "bipartisanship" and "unity" with a Republican Party that has overwhelmingly lined up behind the fascistic coup-plotter Trump.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/05/15/comm-m15.html

Mayo Clinic again receives top honors for high-quality patient care
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2021-05-15
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Eleven? hospitals across?Mayo Clinic?received star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Overall Hospital Quality. Six of the 11 hospitals earned five stars — the best score possible. The national average is 3 of 5 stars. The star rating provides patients with information about multiple dimensions of quality …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-again-receives-top-honors-for-high-quality-patient-care-4/

Jeremy Corbyn and the collapse of Britain's Labour Party
wsws.org | 2021-05-15
Corbyn came to lead the Labour Party in 2015 with the declared aim of preventing Labour's "Pasokification"–a reference to the implosion of PASOK and other social-democratic parties throughout Europe.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/05/15/corb-m15.html

WFDY condemns Zionist occupation and violence on Nakba Day
Editorial Team | challenge-magazine.org | 2021-05-15
The World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) has released a statement marking the 73rd Anniversary of the Nakba denouncing the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the ongoing horrific violence against Palestinians. | The YCL is Britain's affiliate to WFDY, one of over 180 progressive and anti-imperialist youth organisations from more than 100 countries that are members. WFDY organises campaigns as well as solidarity brigades in support of peace, self-determination for all people and social and economic progress. | This 15th of May, like every 15th of May since 1948, marks Nakba Day. Although it is a date th…
challenge-magazine.org/2021/05/15/wfdy-condemns-zionist-occupation-and-violence-on-nakba-day/

Sri Lankan estate workers protest against higher workloads and wage cuts
wsws.org | 2021-05-15
The rising number of strikes and protests by plantation workers underline the urgency of workers establishing action committees, independent of unions, to defend their democratic and social rights.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/05/15/sril-m15.html

Oregon middle school teacher dies from COVID-19 within days of school reopening
wsws.org | 2021-05-15
Local news outlets have attempted to blame Samantha Fox for her own death, despite the fact that Oregon's Democratic Governor Kate Brown demanded schools reopen well before the pandemic was contained.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/05/15/oreg-m15.html

Rep. Rashida Tlaib Speaks Truth to Power on Palestine
Stop US Aid to Israel | indybay.org | 2021-05-15
On the floor of the US Congress on 5/13/21, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan stated in her moving 10 minute speech below, that "If there's one thing Detroit instilled in this Palestinian girl from Southwest, it's you always speak truth to power, even if your voice shakes. The freedom of Palestinians is connected to the fight against oppression all over the world." We will be there for her and Palestine on 5/15/21 at 16th & Valencia, SF in opposition to the 75% of US Congress who, as Tlaib stated: "signed a letter pledging that Israel shall never be made to comply with basic human rights laws that other countries th…
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/05/14/18842496.php

Wisconsin bill would cut funding to cities that defund the police
Hayden Harwood | zcomm.org | 2021-05-15
Wisconsin's legislature is largely dominated by Republican minded bodies, who blatantly disregard Black, Brown and Indigenous communities…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/wisconsin-bill-would-cut-funding-to-cities-that-defund-the-police/

The Year Of Open Letters: Retired US Generals And Admirals Warn Democracy Is Dying
Anonymous007 | southfront.org | 2021-05-14
Click to see full-size image | If 2020 was the year of Black Lives Matter protests, and left-wing victories, 2021 is the year of open letters. | Following France, it is now the United States' turn. | On May 12th, Flag Officers 4 America published an open letter, warning that the US constitution was at stake.During the 2020 election an "Open Letter from Senior Military Leaders" was signed by 317 retired Generals and Admirals and, it said the 2020 election could be…
southfront.org/the-year-of-open-letters-retired-us-generals-and-admirals-warn-democracy-is-dying/

Rushing to Judgment on Scott Stringer
Katha Pollitt | zcomm.org | 2021-05-14
The facts are too scarce, and the stakes are too high, to jump to conclusions. We cannot flourish as a society if a single accusation out of the blue upends an election overnight and ruins a 30-year career in politics…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/rushing-to-judgment-on-scott-stringer/

4th day of presidential candidates registration (2)
Staff | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-05-14
TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Registration of candidates for the upcoming presidential election is continuing for the 4th day in Tehran on Friday.
en.mehrnews.com/photo/173433/4th-day-of-presidential-candidates-registration-2

Some 300 applicants register for Presidential elections
Staff | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-05-14
TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — The number of people who have registered for the upcoming presidential race in Iran is less than 300 by Friday afternoon.
en.mehrnews.com/news/173435/Some-300-applicants-register-for-Presidential-elections

Chile: 5 Keys for this Weekend's Election that will Define the Future
Staff | orinocotribune.com | 2021-05-14
For some they are the most important elections [in Chile] since the plebiscite that marked the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990), for others these elections will set the rules of the game for the next decades. Whatever the approach, no one doubts the significance of the elections that Chile will experience this weekend. The star will undoubtedly be the Constituent election, which should bury the dictator's legacy. | 1. What is being voted on | Chile faces four simultaneous elections on May 15 and 16 in which 16,730 candidates participate: municipal and regional elections, in which mayors, counc…
orinocotribune.com/chile-5-keys-for-this-weekends-election-that-will-define-the-future/

MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting on the Election of Rep. Elise Stefanik as GOP Conference Chair
commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2021/05/14/moveon-executive-director-rahna-epting-election-rep-elise-stefanik-gop?cd-origin=rss

Open Letter From Retired U.S. Military Leaders to 'Dictatorial' Biden Administration Suggests Bad Times Ahead
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-05-14
As the divide now separating the Democrats and Republicans threatens to turn into a yawning, abyss, the future does not bode well for the U.S. | In an open letter signed by some 124 retired U.S. general and admirals, President Joe Biden is taken to task over a number of issues now dividing the nation, including critical race theory, the border wall, relations with China, and the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections. E…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/05/14/open-letter-from-retired-us-military-leaders-dictatorial-biden-administration-suggests-bad-times-ahead/

Why One State in India Is Showing Promising Signs of Democracy as the World Goes More Authoritarian
Vijay Prashad — Subin Dennis | counterpunch.org | 2021-05-14
Just before the state elections in Kerala, in southern India, a television channel ran a program called "The Great Political Kitchen." The anchor went to kitchens across the state to talk to homemakers about their views on politics. In one kitchen, the anchor asked a woman about a dispute surrounding a temple in southern Kerala…
counterpunch.org/2021/05/14/why-one-state-in-india-is-showing-promising-signs-of-democracy-as-the-world-goes-more-authoritarian/

Sanders Says Biden Must Pick Ambassador Who Won't Blindly Back Right-Wing Israeli Government
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"The role of the United States should be to bring the peoples of the region together, not simply to support a right-wing Israeli government." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gaza_16.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/sanders-says-biden-must-pick-ambassador-who-wont-blindly-back-right-wing-israeli?cd-origin=rss

'Reckoning for Roundup Rolls On': Ninth Circuit Court Upholds Verdict in Case Against Monsanto
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
Friday's appeals court ruling against Monsanto "is another reminder the Biden administration should act and revoke the registration of glyphosate immediately," said the Center for Food Safety. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/roundup_3.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/reckoning-roundup-rolls-ninth-circuit-court-upholds-verdict-case-against-monsanto?cd-origin=rss

Joe Biden's Pentagon Honeymoon
Mandy Smithberger | thenation.com | 2021-05-14
Joe Biden's Pentagon Honeymoon…
thenation.com/article/politics/biden-pentagon-budget/

As Israel's Attack Mounts, Biden Says It's "Not Been a Significant Overreaction"
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-14
U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday that he doesn't believe Israel's onslaught against the besieged Gaza Strip this week has been a "significant overreaction," remarks that came shortly before the Israeli military escalated its assault on the densely populated territory with air and artillery attacks involving nearly 200 war planes, tanks, and brigades of ground troop…
truthout.org/articles/as-israels-attack-mounts-biden-says-its-not-been-a-significant-overreaction/

New Intermarium: Biden, NATO Pledge Support to NATO's Nine-Nation Eastern Flank
Rick Rozoff | globalresearch.ca | 2021-05-14
The members of …
globalresearch.ca/biden-nato-pledge-support-nato-nine-nation-eastern-flank/5745267

The Russian Bounty Story Is A Deadly Example Of Fake News
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-05-14
A New York Times report about Russia paying Taliban militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan turned many heads in the summer of 2020 when it was first published. It solidified many Democrats' views that Russia is a dangerous enemy that is consistently acting to not only undermine the U.S., but actually murder its citizens. As NBC News points out, Joe Biden treated the story as factual as a presidential candidate and has continued to repeat the allegations as president. Yet, as many on the left pointed out countless times since the story was published by major news outlets, the reports have never been ad…
popularresistance.org/the-russian-bounty-story-is-a-deadly-example-of-fake-news/

What's Missing From Biden's Climate Agenda?
Tom Athanasiou | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"We need a Green New Deal. But we also need a new internationalism, an emergency internationalism, and a solidarity than includes distant strangers as well as strangers within our own borders." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/climateagenda-1.jpg …
commondreams.org/views/2021/05/14/whats-missing-bidens-climate-agenda?cd-origin=rss

Netanyahu Says Gaza Campaign 'Is Not Over Yet'
Dave DeCamp | news.antiwar.com | 2021-05-14
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement that said the Israeli bombing campaign in Gaza that continued through Friday "is not over yet." So far, the bombardment that began on Monday has killed 137 Palestinians in Gaza, including 36 children. | "This is not yet over. We will do everything to restore security to our cities and our people," Netanyahu said. The Israeli leader also thanked President Biden and other Western l…
news.antiwar.com/2021/05/14/netanyahu-says-gaza-campaign-is-not-over-yet/

100+ Groups Condemn Israeli Violence in East Jerusalem and Gaza
Brett Wilkins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
Over 100 progressive groups called on the Biden administration to condemn Israeli violence against Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Gaza, and address its root causes. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gaza_18.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/100-groups-condemn-israeli-violence-east-jerusalem-and-gaza?cd-origin=rss

'Rules-Based Order' Is Cover for Destructive Western Hegemonic Ambitions
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-05-14
The future of world peace and security depends on the vast majority of nations succeeding in upholding the UN against Western malign efforts. | Since Joe Biden became U.S. president, the new administration in Washington has made repeated references to "rules-based order" in international relations, accusing Russia and China of undermining this putative order. | This is as audacious as a poacher appointing himself to be the gamekeeper. For there is no power as rogue and reckless as the United States and its Western minions when it comes to eviscerating international law. The litany of illegal wars, destroyed natio…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/05/14/rules-based-order-cover-for-destructive-western-hegemonic-ambitions/

Biden: Israel's Gaza Bombardment Is Not a 'Significant Overreaction'
Dave DeCamp | news.antiwar.com | 2021-05-14
As Israeli bombs are pounding Gaza, the US is standing firmly behind its ally. President Biden on Thursday said the bombing campaign that has killed over 100 people is not a "significant overreaction." | "I have my intelligence community, the Defense Department, as well as the State Department … in contact with all of their counterparts, not only in Israel, but in the region, and one of the things I have seen thus far is there has not been a significant overreaction," Biden said. | Israel's bomb…
news.antiwar.com/2021/05/13/biden-israels-gaza-bombardment-is-not-a-significant-overreaction/

Will the GOP Scaremonger Us Out of Child Care and Family Leave?
Joan Walsh | thenation.com | 2021-05-14
Will the GOP Scaremonger Us Out of Child Care and Family Leave?
thenation.com/article/politics/american-jobs-families-biden/

Biden's Decisions This Year Will Determine US Nuclear Weapons Policy for Decades
Mark Muhich | counterpunch.org | 2021-05-14
Nuclear weapons policies and the trillions of U.S. dollars proposed to fund them come into sharp focus this month and through next year as Congress and the Biden Administration engage the nuclear weapons threat. A threat viewed as existential by bombmakers, presidents, and arms control activists since the first nuclear weapons were detonated over Hiroshima…
counterpunch.org/2021/05/14/bidens-decisions-this-year-will-determine-us-nuclear-weapons-policy-for-decades/

Israel Isn't Entitled to "Self-Defense" Against the People Under Its Occupation
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-14
As Israel continues to pummel the Palestinian people with bombs and artillery shot into Gaza from troops amassed along its borders in preparation for a ground invasion, the Biden administration has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Israel's war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Palestinians. | Israel could not commit its crimes without the overwhelming support of…
truthout.org/articles/as-an-occupier-israel-isnt-entitled-to-self-defense-under-international-law/

Biden administration plans an immediate ban on menthol cigarettes
Ashley Curtin | nationofchange.org | 2021-05-14
Studies prove that such bans will help people quit smoking, especially those disproportionately affected by menthol cigarettes.
nationofchange.org/2021/05/14/biden-administration-plans-an-immediate-ban-on-menthol-cigarettes/

Republicans Want Biden to End Iran Talks Over Gaza Violence
Dave DeCamp | news.antiwar.com | 2021-05-14
Republican Iran hawks are jumping on the ongoing violence in Gaza and using it to argue for President Biden to end the ongoing negotiations with Iran in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal. | On Thursday, 44 Republican senators sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to end the talks and not give Iran sanctions relief, an effort led by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). | "We call on you to immediately end negotiations with Iran, and make clear that sanctions relief will not be provided,"
news.antiwar.com/2021/05/13/republicans-want-biden-to-end-iran-talks-over-gaza-violence/

Hanan Ashrawi & Rashid Khalidi: U.S. Backing Has Given Israel License to Kill & Maim Palestinians
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-05-14
Palestinian scholar Hanan Ashrawi says Israel's latest assault on Gaza is turning life in the besieged territory into "sheer hell," aided by U.S. military and diplomatic support. "Israel has total license to use unbridled power to kill and destroy and maim and get away with it," Ashrawi says. We also speak with Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University, who says President Joe Biden's continued defense of Israeli actions reflects long-standing erasure and dehumanization of Palestinians. "One wonders what proportion you have to have of Arab deaths, of Palestinian deaths, ov…
www.democracynow.org/2021/5/14/israel_palestine_hanan_ashrawi_rashid_khalidi

Biden Plans Expansion of Feds' Army of Snitches in 'Dollars for Collars' Program
James Bovard | globalresearch.ca | 2021-05-14
The Biden administration …
globalresearch.ca/biden-plans-expansion-feds-army-snitches-dollars-collars-program/5745273

Billions for Farmers of Color isn't Racist, It's Smart and Long Overdue
Anthony Pahnke — Jim Goodman | counterpunch.org | 2021-05-14
You've probably heard that $5 Billion dollars from President Biden's $1.9 Trillion Stimulus plan has been dedicated to farmers of color. Specifically, that designation is for "socially disadvantaged farmers," which according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is anyone who has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group. You should…
counterpunch.org/2021/05/14/billions-for-farmers-of-color-isnt-racist-its-smart-and-long-overdue/

Biden administration ends Trump-era rule, banning discrimination against transgender people in health care
Marlee Kokotovic | nationofchange.org | 2021-05-14
"Everyone — including LGBTQ people – should be able to access health care, free from discrimination or interference, period."
nationofchange.org/2021/05/14/biden-administration-end-trump-era-rule-banning-discrimination-against-transgender-people-in-health-care/

How Trump's "Abraham Accords" Inflamed Tensions by Marginalizing Palestinians and how Biden must hold Israel Accountable
H. Scott Prosterman | juancole.com | 2021-05-14
Oakland, CA (Special to Informed Comment) — Formal military units and street gangs are fighting it out separately throughout Israel, Palestine and the territories. Both Arab and right-wing Jewish street gangs have been fighting it out with each other AND cops. Nadav Eyal of the newspaper Yediot Ahronoth characterized it saying, "We are seeing the …
juancole.com/2021/05/marginalizing-palestinians-accountable.html

Sound the alarms, McConnell and Manchin put roadblocks in front of Biden's agenda
Michael Payne | nationofchange.org | 2021-05-14
When will we hear our president tell us how he plans to get all this great legislation underway in a Senate that is filled with McConnell and Manchin roadblocks?>…
nationofchange.org/2021/05/14/sound-the-alarms-mcconnell-and-manchin-put-roadblocks-in-front-of-bidens-agenda/

Headlines for May 14, 2021
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-05-14
Palestinian Civilian Death Toll Mounts as Israel Pounds Gaza with Airstrikes and Heavy Artillery, Eight Killed in Israel by Palestinian Rocket Fire as Military Chief Threatens "Gaza Will Burn", President Biden Says Israel's Bombing and Shelling of Gaza Not a "Significant Overreaction", India to Make Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Available Amid Devastating COVID-19 Toll, Japan Expands Coronavirus Emergency as Doctors Join Call to Cancel Summer Olympics, CDC Says Fully Vaccinated U.S. Residents Can Go Maskless in Most Settings, Hackers Post Personal Data of D.C. Police Officers Following Ransomware Attack, Active-Duty…
www.democracynow.org/2021/5/14/headlines

Pipeline Politics: From Afghanistan to Gaza
Charlotte Dennett | counterpunch.org | 2021-05-14
It's too early to tell if the bombing deaths of over 60 Afghan schoolgirls will change President Biden's trajectory for withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan. So far he's adhered to the tired old mantra of why our troops were sent there in the first place — to fight the terrorists responsible for 9/11 — and he…
counterpunch.org/2021/05/14/pipeline-politics-from-afghanistan-to-gaza/

After Deranged Marjorie Taylor Greene Video Emerges, AOC Laments Colleague Who Is 'Deeply Unwell'
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"If the shoe were on the other foot, the GOP would be calling for my expulsion," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/marjorie_taylor_greene_0.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/after-deranged-marjorie-taylor-greene-video-emerges-aoc-laments-colleague-who-deeply?cd-origin=rss

#LatinoRebels10: From 2018, When Elementary School Teachers Dressed Up as a Trump Border Wall
Latino Rebels | latinorebels.com | 2021-05-14
Why, Idaho school teachers, why?>…
latinorebels.com/2021/05/14/elementaryschoolborderwall/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=elementaryschoolborderwall

'Why We Need Medicare for All': GOP Missouri Governor Rejects Ballot Mandate for Medicaid Expansion
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"This is a perfect example of why we need Medicare for All," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/missouri-gov-blocks-medicaid-expansion.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/why-we-need-medicare-all-gop-missouri-governor-rejects-ballot-mandate-medicaid?cd-origin=rss

Mayo Clinic again receives top honors for high-quality patient care
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2021-05-14
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Eleven? hospitals across?Mayo Clinic?received star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Overall Hospital Quality. Six of the 11 hospitals earned five stars — the best score possible. The national average is 3 of 5 stars. The star rating provides patients with information about multiple dimensions of quality …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-again-receives-top-honors-for-high-quality-patient-care-4/

'Palestinian Lives Matter,' Declares Bernie Sanders in NYT Op-ed
Kenny Stancil, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"Why is the question almost never asked: 'What are the rights of the Palestinian people?'" asked Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/palestinian_child_killed.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2021/05/14/palestinian-lives-matter-declares-bernie-sanders-nyt-op-ed?cd-origin=rss

If the Democrats Don't Pick Up the Pace All Could Be Lost
Robert Reich | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"Democrats have to get rid of the Senate filibuster and stop worrying about bipartisanship," writes Robert Reich. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2021-05-14_at_10.31.41_am.png …
commondreams.org/views/2021/05/14/if-democrats-dont-pick-pace-all-could-be-lost?cd-origin=rss

Chris Hedges: Israel, the Big Lie
Moderator | scheerpost.com | 2021-05-14
By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPost Nearly all the words and phrases used by the Democrats, Republicans and the talking heads on the media to describe the unrest inside Israel and the heaviest Israeli assault against the Palestinians since the 2014 attacks on Gaza, which lasted 51 days and killed more than 2,200 Palestinians, including 551 children, are a lie. Israel… | Source…
scheerpost.com/2021/05/14/chris-hedges-israel-the-big-lie/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chris-hedges-israel-the-big-lie

Anti-Democratic Tradition Is So Ubiquitous That Many Don't Even Recognize It
David Swanson | zcomm.org | 2021-05-14
Interview on how the U.S. is a proudly and shamelessly corrupt oligarchy, reforming impeachment and how people can experience something bordering on democracy by engaging with their local governments…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/anti-democratic-tradition-is-so-ubiquitous-that-many-dont-even-recognize-it/

Why One State in India Is Showing Promising Signs of Democracy
Vijay Prashad | zcomm.org | 2021-05-14
Hunger can't be eradicated by devotion. Only social action can eradicate hunger and hopelessness…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/why-one-state-in-india-is-showing-promising-signs-of-democracy/

People of Arizona exert grassroots pressure on U.S. senators to abolish filibuster
Joe Bernick | peoplesworld.org | 2021-05-14
TUCSON, Ariz.–Frustrated with their two Democratic Senators' refusal, so far, to abolish the Senate filibuster rule, Arizonans have been mobilizing in a campaign of pressure from below by the people who put them in office. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly are being inundated with thousands of phone calls and emails, together with letters to local …
peoplesworld.org/article/people-of-arizona-exert-grassroots-pressure-on-u-s-senators-to-abolish-filibuster/

Alliance of Democracies Summit: The Glass House Where the Power Elite Gather to Throw Stones
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2021-05-14
The lineup of presidents, generals and CEOs makes it clear that what was stated is effectively the collective view of the world's elite and a window into their thinking and the debates they are having. What they decide will affect all of us, whether we realize it or not.
mintpressnews.com/alliance-of-democracies-summit-regime-change-agenda/277135/

Maj. Danny Sjursen: The Russian Bounty Story Is a Deadly Example of Fake News
Moderator | scheerpost.com | 2021-05-14
[Shutterstock] Click to subscribe on: Apple / Spotify / Google Play A New York Times report about Russia paying Taliban militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan turned many heads in the summer of 2020 when it was first published. It solidified many Democrats' views that Russia is a dangerous enemy that is consistently acting to not only undermine the U.S., but actually murder its… | Source…
scheerpost.com/2021/05/14/maj-danny-sjursen-the-russian-bounty-story-is-a-deadly-example-of-fake-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=maj-danny-sjursen-the-russian-bounty-story-is-a-deadly-example-of-fake-news

Colombians continue to resist as national strike completes 15 days
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-05-14
Enduring brutal police and military repression, hundreds of thousands of Colombians continue to remain on the streets against neoliberalism and violence, for life, peace, justice and democracy…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/05/14/colombians-continue-to-resist-as-national-strike-completes-15-days/

Israel Is Carrying Out Mass Murder, Aided and Abetted by the US
Chris Hedges | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"The United States is not an honest broker for peace but has funded, enabled and defended Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people. Israel is not defending the rule of law. Israel is not a democracy. It is an apartheid state," writes Chris Hedges. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/wounded.jpg …
commondreams.org/views/2021/05/14/israel-carrying-out-mass-murder-aided-and-abetted-us?cd-origin=rss

As Israel Attacked Gaza, It Heard Something New: Opposition from Congress
Ryan Grim | zcomm.org | 2021-05-14
Zionist fears of Democratic dissent have turned stale for years. The latest House speeches show that's changing…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/as-israel-attacked-gaza-it-heard-something-new-opposition-from-congress/

Philly Health Commissioner Resigns After Mayor Reveals MOVE Bombing Victims' Remains Cremated in 2017
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-05-14
As MOVE family members and hundreds of supporters held a memorial Thursday to mark the deadly May 13, 1985, police bombing of their home in Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney announced the resignation of the city's top health official over stunning new revelations he cremated some of the bombing victims' remains, including bone fragments, without the knowledge or permission of the families. This comes amid an ongoing investigation into how the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University came into possession of bones thought to belong to one or two MOVE children killed in the bombing. The police bombing of the…
www.democracynow.org/2021/5/14/move_philadelphia_bombing_anniversary_human_remains

Why one State in India is showing promising signs of democracy as the world goes more authoritarian
Vijay Prashad | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-05-14
In Kerala, the re-elected Left government has prioritized making life better for all, even during crises–contrasting sharply with Narendra Modi's right-wing central government's devastating mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/05/14/why-one-state-in-india-is-showing-promising-signs-of-democracy-as-the-world-goes-more-authoritarian/

DSA Stands with Palestinians: from Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza and Beyond
commsdirector | dsausa.org | 2021-05-14
The Democratic Socialists of America unequivocally condemns the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians everywhere, including the dispossession (aka illegal "evictions") of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, the ongoing racist violence by Israeli police and Jewish settlers, and Israel's latest bombardment, invasion, and murder of Palestinians in Gaza. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against…
dsausa.org/statements/dsa-stands-with-palestinians-from-sheikh-jarrah-to-gaza-and-beyond/

Vive La Démocratie: France Bans Pro-Palestinian Protests
Anonymous007 | southfront.org | 2021-05-14
Click to see full-size image | On May 13th, France imposed a ban on pro-Palestine demonstrations amid the escalating situation in the West Bank. | This is allegedly due to concerns that previous clashes and riots that took place in Paris over half a decade ago could happen again."Serious disturbances to public order were noted in 2014. Instructions were given to the Prefects to be particularly vigilant and firm," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Twitter, noting that he had direc…
southfront.org/vive-la-democratie-france-bans-pro-palestinian-protests/

Republicans Oppose Kristen Clarke for Top Civil Rights Job at DOJ in Latest Attack on Voting Rights
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-05-14
Republican senators in Washington are attempting to block Kristen Clarke, a prominent voting rights advocate, from a top Justice Department position. The Senate Judiciary Committee has deadlocked on an 11-11 vote on whether to move Clarke's nomination for assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to the Senate floor for a full vote. If she wins the vote, Clarke, who has served as the head of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and is a longtime champion of voting rights, a defender against hate and violent extremism, would be the first Black woman to hold the posit…
www.democracynow.org/2021/5/14/kristen_clarke_justice_dept_ben_jealous

Watch Rep. Rashida Tlaib Blast U.S. Aid for Israel & Attack on Gaza in Dramatic House Floor Speech
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-05-14
As the death toll in Gaza reaches at least 119 amid Israel's escalation of its aerial assault, Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian American woman elected to Congress, delivered a powerful speech on the House floor Thursday to denounce the violence and attempted erasure of the Palestinian people. "I am the only Palestinian American member of Congress now," Tlaib said. "I am a reminder to colleagues that Palestinians do indeed exist."
www.democracynow.org/2021/5/14/rashida_tlaib_israel_palestine_gaza_war

Minnesota Al Nakba protest and march: Say no to US aid to Israel!
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2021-05-14
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Anti-War Committee and American Muslims for Palestine MN will be holding a rally and march on May 15, at 2 p.m., 4301 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, in order to commemorate Al Nakba and highlight the role that the U.S. plays in endorsing and funding the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine. This action follows up on the march of over 1000 people on Tuesday, May 11, in front of Senator Klobuchar's office. | Over the past week Israeli settlers have attempted a forced ethnic displacement of over 500 Palestinians living in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, worship…
fightbacknews.org/2021/5/14/minnesota-al-nakba-protest-and-march-say-no-us-aid-israel

Minnesota Al Nakba protest and march: Say no to US aid to Israel!
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2021-05-14
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Anti-War Committee and American Muslims for Palestine MN will be holding a rally and march on May 15, at 2 p.m., 4301 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, in order to commemorate Al Nakba and highlight the role that the U.S. plays in endorsing and funding the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine. This action follows up on the march of over 1000 people on Tuesday, May 11, in front of Senator Klobuchar's office. | Over the past week Israeli settlers have attempted a forced ethnic displacement of over 500 Palestinians living in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, worship…
www.fightbacknews.org/2021/5/14/minnesota-al-nakba-protest-and-march-say-no-us-aid-israel

Liz Cheney: Now She's Done It!
Mark Fiore | progressive.org | 2021-05-14
The crazy Republican party is getting crazier.
progressive.org/dispatches/liz-cheney-fiore-210514/

The Republican War on Facts and Voting Rights
Amy Goodman, Denis Moynihan | commondreams.org | 2021-05-14
"Massive public pressure will be needed to get the For the People Act through the Senate." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/votehere_1.jpg …
commondreams.org/views/2021/05/14/republican-war-facts-and-voting-rights?cd-origin=rss

State Lawmakers Are Trying to Ban Talk About Race in Schools
Emerson Sykes | aclu.org | 2021-05-14
A nationwide attempt to censor discussions of race in the classroom is underway. In recent weeks, Republican lawmakers across the country have proposed bills banning teaching "divisive concepts" in K-12 public schools and in public colleges and universities. The new bills target efforts to provide education about gender and race discrimination, including critical race theory, an academic concept and practice that recognizes systemic racism is deeply ingrained in American society and examines how our systems promote i…
aclu.org/news/free-speech/state-lawmakers-are-trying-to-ban-talk-about-race-in-schools

Republicans Oppose Kristen Clarke for DOJ Job in Latest Attack on Voting Rights
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-14
Republican senators in Washington are attempting to block Kristen Clarke, a prominent voting rights advocate, from a top Justice Department position. The Senate Judiciary Committee has deadlocked on an 11-11 vote on whether to move Clarke's nomination for assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to the Senate floor for a full vote. If she wins the vote, Clarke, who has served as the head of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and is a longtime…
truthout.org/video/republicans-oppose-kristen-clarke-for-doj-job-in-latest-attack-on-voting-rights/

What a Florida School's Standardized Test Scores Won't Show
Jeff Bryant | dissidentvoice.org | 2021-05-14
"What I'm working on–like making sure students have access to food, clean clothing, and streetlights–may not look like what I'm working on," Catherine Gilmore told me over a phone call. Gilmore has worked as an educator in Hillsborough County, Florida, for 13 years, and has spent the last six years at Gibsonton Elementary School where …
dissidentvoice.org/2021/05/what-a-florida-schools-standardized-test-scores-wont-show/

California Trial of Universal Basic Income Inspires More Cities to Follow Suit
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-05-14
It's probably safe to say that a few years ago, most Americans weren't familiar with the term universal basic income, commonly abbreviated as UBI. But more recently, as the idea has grown in popularity among the tech community, and with Andrew Yang's presidential run putting it into the political spotlight, the idea of every…
truthout.org/articles/california-trial-of-universal-basic-income-inspires-more-cities-to-follow-suit/