(2021-10-07). Dispatches from The US: Biden continues Trump's violent deportation policies. peoplesdispatch.org Eugene Puryear from Breakthrough News spoke to Peoples Dispatch about the current Haitian migrant crisis and how the US administration under president Joe Biden has responded to this.
(2021-10-07). High Drug Prices and the Refusal to Talk Seriously About Debt and Deficits. counterpunch.org Reporters and politicians have been screaming about our debt and deficits in recent weeks, as the Democrats try to steer their public investment package through the senators from Arizona and West Virginia. The infuriating part of this story is that the whining about debt and deficits, and the reporting on it, literally makes no sense.
(2021-10-07). Iron Dome: Don't be deceived, US aid to Israel is not about saving lives. dissidentvoice.org Battles in the US Congress that erupted again this week, holding up an extra $1bn in military funding for Israel, underscored just how divorced from reality the conversation about US financial aid to Israel has become, even among many critics. For 48 hours last month, a small group of progressive Democrats in the US House of Representatives succeeded …
(2021-10-07). The Child Tax Credit Is a Proven Boost to American Families, So Why Are Conservative Democrats Trying to Stop It? counterpunch.org American families have struggled for decades to make ends meet with wages simply not rising as fast as the cost of living and a government social safety net that has been so deeply decimated that the U.S. now spends less on children than nearly any other wealthy nation. This year there was a small glimmer of hope that such
(2021-10-07). Headlines for October 7, 2021. democracynow.org Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Texas's Near-Total Ban on Abortions, Senate GOP Leader McConnell to Allow Debt Limit Extension into December, WHO Approves Use of First-Ever Vaccine Against Malaria, U.S. COVID Deaths in 2021 Surpass 2020's Total, U.N. to Pay Salaries of Aid Workers in Afghanistan, U.N. Appoints Envoy to Western Sahara After Two-Year Vacancy, Education Department to Expand Student Loan Forgiveness for Public Workers, Crude Oil Spills from Galveston Bay, TX Refinery, Biden Administration Restores Key Environmental Review Provisions to NEPA, Appeals Court Blocks California Law Banning Private Prisons…
(2021-10-07). Whistleblower Warns Facebook a Threat to Children and Democracy. indybay.org
(2021-10-07). Biden administration defends CIA against torture victim. wsws.org The Supreme Court is hearing an appeal by Abu Zubaydah, held at Guantanamo Bay, for the disclosure of additional information about his torture, including being waterboarded 83 times in a month.
(2021-10-07). Biden: The Interesting Debt Master-Slave Dialectic. counterpunch.org As a US Senator from Delaware Biden smoothed the way for his state to become a tax haven and a place that openly welcomed credit card companies. After graduating from Yale Law School, Hunter was offered the executive vice president position at MBNA, a rising credit card company, despite his lack of banking experience: "Hunter rejected concerns about the political ties between the firm and his father."
(2021-10-07). Biden in Michigan: Infrastructure, social spending bills vital for waging economic warfare vs. China. wsws.org President Biden framed the push for his economic agenda as an existential struggle to halt America's global geo-political decline and counter the rise of China.
(2021-10-07). Why Do so many in Congress resist funding Childcare But swoon over F-35s? juancole.com ( Code Pink) — President Biden and the Democratic Congress are facing a crisis as the popular domestic agenda they ran on in the 2020 election is held hostage by two corporate Democratic Senators, fossil-fuel consigliere Joe Manchin and payday-lender favorite Kyrsten Sinema. But the very week before the Dems' $350 billion-per-year domestic package hit …
(2021-10-07). Abu Zubaydah Was Tortured for Years at CIA Black Sites. Biden Is Trying to Keep the Abuse Secret. democracynow.org 
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case brought by Abu Zubaydah, the Guantánamo prisoner who was the first subject of the CIA's torture program. Zubaydah's legal team has spent years trying to obtain testimony from two psychologists who helped the CIA design and implement his torture, and the Biden administration is continuing the Trump's administration strategy to keep key information about Zubaydah's torture in Poland classified despite the fact that the two psychologists are willing to testify. Several justices contradicted the Biden administration, suggesting Zubaydah, the only witness besi…
(2021-10-07). Accused war criminal's foundation forced to refund MAGA donors angered by anti-Trump posts. salon.com Eddie Gallagher's foundation embraced a Marine who criticized Biden's Afghan withdrawal. Then he criticized Trump…
(2021-10-07). Trump, Twitter and the Digital Town Hall. counterpunch.org The merits are hard to stomach for partisans long jaundiced by presumption and dislike, but the cheer at the deplatforming of Donald Trump by a range of social media platforms said as much about the nature of any sentiment about democracy as it did about those claiming to defend it. For one, it shut off
(2021-10-07). State of California removes COVID-19 benefits for workers, allows companies to keep outbreak details secret. wsws.org The recent actions by the governor's office and the state legislature in the "bluest" of US states, demonstrates that the Democrats are just as committed to sacrificing thousands of workers lives for profit.
(2021-10-07). Teamsters for a Democratic Union convention looks forward to defeat of old guard. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL — Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) held its annual convention from October 1-3 in Chicago. Rank-and-file union activists from around the country traveled there to plan out the next steps for the upcoming international union election. TDU is supporting the reformer O'Brien-Zuckerman slate against the other slate, which is backed by the Hoffa old guard within the Teamsters union. | The O'Brien-Zuckerman slate, also known as the OZ Teamsters United slate, has gained a lot of momentum since announcing their intent to run. Ballots for the international union election are being mailed out on Oc…
(2021-10-07). Video: Electoral Members of the Socialist Equality Party support campaign against Australia's anti-democratic laws. wsws.org "The legislation… is in tune and tone with authoritarian movements right across the world."
(2021-10-07). Ethiopia: New Reports Expose Ethnic Cleansing & Illegal Arms Shipments on Commercial Flights. democracynow.org 
Amid the mounting humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government has been using the commercial airline Ethiopia Airlines to shuttle weapons and military vehicles from neighboring country Eritrea since the beginning of their civil war, according to a new CNN investigation. This comes as the United Nations estimates more than 5 million people in the country's Tigray region are now in need of humanitarian assistance in order to survive, but U.N. officials say Ethiopia's government is blocking the movement of medicine, food and fuel into Tigray. In response, Ethiopian officials expelled seven senior U.N. o…
(2021-10-07). CA removes COVID-19 benefits for workers, allows companies to keep outbreak details secret. indybay.org The recent actions by the governor's office and the state legislature in the "bluest" of US states, demonstrates that the Democrats are just as committed to sacrificing thousands of workers lives for profit.
(2021-10-07). Federal Judge Blocks Texas Abortion Ban, Blasts "Offensive Deprivation of Such an Important Right" democracynow.org 
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Texas's near-total ban on abortions, granting the Justice Department's emergency request to halt the law while courts consider its legality. In his ruling, Judge Robert Pitman slammed the Texas ban's unconstitutionality, writing, "This Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right." "Judge Robert Pitman ruled and said what advocates in Texas and clinics operators in Texas have been saying all along … a near-total ban on abortion in the state of Texas is flagrantly unconstitutional," says Amy Littlefield, abortion access corr…
(2021-10-07). Without Lockdowns, Sweden Had Fewer Excess Deaths than Most of Europe. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-07). China Against Defining Relations With US as 'Competition'. sputniknews.com BEIJING (Sputnik) – Beijing does not believe that "competition" is the right word to describe its relationship with Washington, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi said at a meeting with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
(2021-10-06). Ticking Time Bombs: California Oil Spill Spurs New Calls to Ban Offshore Oil Drilling. democracynow.org 
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency after a devastating oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach sent up to 144,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. Investigators say a split in an underwater pipeline, likely damaged by a ship anchor, is the source of the oil spill. The pipeline owner, Texas-based Amplify Energy, didn't report the leak until 12 hours after the Coast Guard was first notified, and beaches in the area are expected to be closed for months as crews race to minimize the environmental damage. "California's offshore oil platforms are a ticking time bomb," say…
(2021-10-06). 'Fora Bolsonaro': Massive Protests in Brazil Call for President's Impeachment. orinocotribune.com Similar to the resistance against the dictatorship, a dozen parties together with unions and social movements participated on Saturday, October 2, in mobilizations throughout Brazil in which the dominant slogan was "Fora Bolsonaro" (Bolsonaro out), together with other slogans on the socio-economic crisis and corruption. | Broad support | A fact: this day of struggle also achieved the support (although they did not participate in the organization) of conservative groups that had kept their distance from the rallies carried out since the end of May by the democratic-popular camp. | For some, what happened this Satu…
(2021-10-06). "The Harmful Behaviour of Facebook": Social Media Destabilizes Democracy and Harm Users' Mental Health. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-06). "The Harmful Behaviour od Facebook": Social Media Destabilizes Democracy and Harm Users' Mental Health. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-06). Facebook Whistleblower to Congress: Regulate Big Tech. Silicon Valley Can't Be Trusted to Police Itself. democracynow.org 
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to Congress Tuesday, denouncing the company for prioritizing "astronomical profits" over the safety of billions of users, and urging lawmakers to enact strict oversight over Facebook. Haugen's testimony gave a rare glimpse into the secretive tech company, which she accused of harming children, sowing division by boosting hateful content, and undermining democracy. "Facebook wants you to believe that the problems we're talking about are unsolvable. They want you to believe in false choices," Haugen said at the hearing. Roger McNamee, a former mentor to Mark Zuckerber…
(2021-10-06). Headlines for October 6, 2021. democracynow.org Whistleblower Tells Lawmakers to Regulate Facebook Before It Causes More Harm, Schumer Sets Up Debt Limit Vote Amid Ongoing GOP Obstructionism, Voters Confront AZ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema over Reconciliation Bill as She Heads Back to D.C., Missouri Executes Man with Intellectual Disability Despite High-Profile Pleas, China-Taiwan Tensions Mount as Biden Reaffirms U.S.-Sino Commitment to Diplomatic Agreement, Amnesty Says Taliban Killed 13 Ethnic Hazaras After Taking Power; Kabul Faces Winter Power Outages, U.N. Rejects Expulsion of Top Officials from Ethiopia as Millions in Urgent Need of Humanitarian Assistance, Roma…
(2021-10-06). "Washington for a Safe Return to Campus" Facebook group censors WSWS writers. wsws.org As the Delta variant continues to rip through Washington state while schools are open, the Facebook administrators for "Washington for a Safe Return to Campus" seek to censor any left-wing opposition to the Democratic Party and the teachers unions.
(2021-10-06). Social Media Destabilizes Democracy And Harm Users' Mental Health. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size imageFormer Facebook employee speaks out against Big Tech companies at the US Senate and pushes the fight for regulation of social media. | Written by Lucas Leiroz, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. | Controversies involving the role of social networks in the contemporary world are on the rise. Far beyond the blackout on October 4, large technology companies have recently been criticized for acting in a socially destructive way, harming the mental health of their users and fostering the polarization of society. The dissemination of hate speech…
(2021-10-06). Texas raised $54 million for border wall—almost all from one billionaire. peoplesworld.org 
This story is reprinted from The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans—and engages with them—about public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues. The article originally appeared here. An out-of-state billionaire who has previously bankrolled attempts to defend controversial immigration laws is responsible for nearly all the donations to Gov. Greg Abbott's $54 million border wall fund. …
(2021-10-06). Bernie Sanders Says Key Obstacle to Passing Reconciliation Is Corporate Media. truthout.org 
As President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress continue negotiations over the White House's Build Back Better agenda following progressive lawmakers'
(2021-10-06). People's movements face off against corporate lobbyists over Build Back Better. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Even as thousands hit the streets nationwide, demanding the progressive program contained in Democratic President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda, coalitions of organizations—unions included—are lobbying lawmakers to pass it. And the well-funded corporate class is rolling out their big guns against it: Not just lobbying dollars, but campaign contributions. And their operatives work behind …
(2021-10-06). Why Does Congress Fight Over Childcare But Not F-35s? dissidentvoice.org 
Photo credit: Rise Up Times President Biden and the Democratic Congress are facing a crisis as the popular domestic agenda they ran on in the 2020 election is held hostage by two corporate Democratic Senators, fossil-fuel consigliere Joe Manchin and payday-lender favorite Kyrsten Sinema. But the very week before the Dems' $350 billion-per-year domestic package …
(2021-10-06). Biden Seems To Invent 'Taiwan Agreement' With China In Comments. popularresistance.org "China has…I've spoken with Xi about Taiwan. We agree, we will abide by the Taiwan agreement," Biden said outside the White House on Tuesday evening, when asked about the recent flight of several dozen Chinese aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone. "That's where we are and I made it clear that I don't think he should be doing anything other than abiding by the agreement," he added. It's unclear to which agreement Biden is referring, as there is no such pact called the "Taiwan Agreement." There are a few possibilities, however, although none of them make Biden's statement make any more sense.
(2021-10-06). In OtherWords: October 6, 2021. otherwords.org A final vote on President Biden's jobs and infrastructure agenda has been delayed as Democrats in Congress negotiate with their own right flank over the size and scope of the legislation. | At particular risk, Sonali Kolhatkar writes this week, is the expanded Child Tax Credit, which has proven effective at rapidly reducing child poverty in this country. Democrats shouldn't let a handful of millionaire conservatives in their own ranks derail this wildly successful intervention, she argues. | Also this week, Josue De Luna Navarro takes a look at the bigger picture of how the U.S. treats migrants after disturbing p…
(2021-10-06). The Mounting Confusion of President Biden's National Security Policy. counterpunch.org It has been nearly 70 years since the United States elected a president with the foreign policy and national security experience that rivaled Joe Biden's. His only rival in this category, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, placed troglodytes in key positions such as the Dulles brothers (John Foster at State and Allen at the Central Intelligence Agency) and Vice President Richard Nixon, who were ideologically opposed to dealing diplomatically with the Soviet Union. As a result, Eisenhower missed a significant opportunity when the death of Joseph Stalin opened the door to possible negotiations with the new leadership…
(2021-10-06). Watch: Biden Seems to Invent 'Taiwan Agreement' With China in Press Comments. sputniknews.com US President Joe Biden left reporters puzzled on Tuesday after mentioning a supposed "Taiwan Agreement" with the People's Republic of China (PRC), since no such agreement by that name exists.
(2021-10-06). Biden Gives Democrats Green Light to Weaken the Filibuster for Debt Ceiling Vote. truthout.org 
After previously opposing such a
(2021-10-06). France and the Fraying of NATO. counterpunch.org Biden has infuriated France by arranging the agreement to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. This replaces a contract to purchase a fleet of diesel-powered subs from France. Australia will have to pay penalties for breach of contract but the French capitalists will lose around 70 billion dollars. The perceived perfidy of both Canberra and Washington
(2021-10-06). US, UK And That Elusive Brexit Trade Deal. southfront.org 
Illustrative ImageBritain post-Brexit is firmly at the 'back of the queue' and Biden is in no hurry to oblige Johnson… | Written by Johanna Ross is a journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. | It was back in July 2019 it was reported that Britain and the US were to sign up to a 'substantial' trade deal; one that then President Donald Trump boasted would lead to 'three to four, five times' more trade than the two countries currently have. It was to be a huge boost to Boris Johnsons's campaign in the run up to the December 2019 'Brexit' election, which he won by a substantial majority. | However, two years on the…
(2021-10-06). U.S. Senators Demand Biden Expels 300 Russian Diplomats. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 5th, U.S. Democratic and Republican senators urged President Joe Biden to expel 300 Russian diplomats from the United States. | This should be a tit-for-tat response if Moscow does not issue more visas for Americans to represent Washington in Russia. | Under a decree that was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in 2021, Moscow was authorized to restrict or ban employment contracts of Russian citizens with "state bodies and state instituti…
(2021-10-06). Why Joe Biden remains hostage to the GOP's death cult. salon.com Vaccine mandates are the only way to win the COVID wars. President Biden can just end this now…
(2021-10-06). Who's Running The Show? Kerry Tells French TV Biden 'Literally Not Aware' Of International Spat. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | Originally published on President Joe Biden was 'literally not aware' of the spat between the United States and France which was ignited by the Biden administration's tri-lateral agreement with the UK and Australia over the exchange of submarine technology, according to Climate Envoy John Kerry. | The spat was so bad that French President Emmanuel Macron briefly recalled his ambassador to the US. | "[Biden] asked me. He said, 'What's the situation…
(2021-10-06). 45th Anniversary of Terrorist Bombing of Cubana Flight 455 in Barbados. libya360.wordpress.com Kawsachun News Left: Commander in Chief Fidel Castro embraces Carlos Alberto Cremata, son of one of the victims of the terrorist attack and president of the Committee of Relatives of the Victims of the Cubana 455 terrorist attack, in front of the monument commemorating the victims. Barbados, December 7, 2005. Photo: Ismael Francisco Today marks…
(2021-10-06). FRSO, Milwaukee Alliance, SDS, and others rally to defend reproductive rights. m.fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – On the afternoon of October 2, Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Wisconsin held a demonstration to protest Texas' abortion ban. This was held in collaboration with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racial and Political Repression and Students for a Democratic Society, and with coordination from a couple of individual organizers. The demonstration consisted of a march through downtown from Planned Parenthood to the Milwaukee office of Senator Ron Johnson, a noted reactionary and proponent of the same ideas encompassed by the Texas law. Once outside Senator Johnson's office, organizers transitioned…
(2021-10-06). Democratise Central Banks. popularresistance.org In the US, two senior central bank officials recently stepped down after concerns were raised about their trading activities during the pandemic. Robert Kaplan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, will step down next month, and Eric Rosengren, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, will step down at the end of September. | Both were actively involved in financial markets at the beginning of the year, and therefore stood personally to benefit when the Federal Reserve made the unprecedented decision to extend its asset purchasing programme (what most of you will know as quantitative easing) to…
(2021-10-06). We're Finally Decreasing Child Poverty. Let's Not Blow It. otherwords.org American families have struggled for decades to make ends meet with But this year, there's a glimmer of hope that this trend might be halted — and even reversed. | Democrats, using their razor-thin majorities in Congres…
(2021-10-06). Improve democracy: Close the college. nationofchange.org Attempts to fix this have been made from time to time, but never garnered enough votes to mount a successful fix to this fundamental flaw.
(2021-10-06). The political issues in the UAW election referendum. wsws.org While the present system by which the union's ruling faction maintains its hold on office is blatantly undemocratic, its replacement by direct elections would not fundamentally alter the pro-corporate character of the UAW.
(2021-10-06). Private Democracy: Canadian Company Paid U.S. Police To Arrest And Spy On Protesters So It Completes Pipeline. southfront.org 
It was revealed that a Canadian company — Enbridge has "reimbursed" $2.4 million to US police for the arrests and…
(2021-10-06). The Heat: DPRK-ROK relations. america.cgtn.com 
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea resume communications in a push for an inter-Korea summit. Will that lead to a resumption of diplomatic talks — and maybe a peace treaty?
(2021-10-06). Want a Working Democracy? Try Democratizing Work. inequality.org
(2021-10-06). "Becoming Abolitionists": Derecka Purnell on Why Police Reform Is Not Enough to Protect Black Lives. democracynow.org 
Derecka Purnell draws from her experience as a human rights lawyer in her new book, published this month, "Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom," to argue that police reform is an inadequate compromise to calls for abolition. Since the murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville in 2020, many states have passed laws aimed at reforming police, but congressional talks at the federal level have broken down. Purnell reflects upon her personal journey as a Black woman who believed in police reform before pivoting to abolition, saying, "I became a part of soci…
(2021-10-06). Barbados To Finally Dump Colonial Slavemaster Britain, Become A Republic. moguldom.com If "don't talk about it, be about it" was a country, it would be Barbados. In September 2020, the island nation announced its intention to remove Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Known to some as "Little England," Barbados' parliament voted to make the move official in September 2021. Now, Barbados is moving …
(2021-10-06). Forbes reveals why the U.S. Government is trying to extradite Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. mronline.org 
The U.S. would far prefer to just quietly extradite Saab to Miami, use whatever means necessary to extract sensitive information from him, and then warehouse him in the world's largest prison system.
(2021-10-06). Forbes Reveals Why the US Government Is Trying to Extradite Venezuelan Diplomat Alex Saab. counterpunch.org Alex Saab is "the key that unlocks the Venezuelan monetary mystery—that is, how a country facing sanctions from the US, the UK and the European Union—is still able to export things like gold and oil…and really the only man who can actually explain how the country [Venezuela] survives today," according to Forbes. The US would
(2021-10-06). 'Milestone Moment' for Labor as 98% of Major TV-Film Union Votes to Strike. zcomm.org "Exactly the kind of mass-movement organizing we need right now," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of the move by IATSE members…
(2021-10-06). AOC criticised for 'failed attempt' at defending Iron Dome vote. middleeasteye.net 
AOC criticised for 'failed attempt' at defending Iron Dome vote | The US congresswoman's justifications were described on social media as 'insulting' and lacking in substance | Wed, 10/06/2021 – 14: 59 | Ocasio-Cortez received backlash for "being neutral" (AFP/File photo) | US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come under criticism on social media once again for her contentious decisi…
(2021-10-06). Florida's Republican Governor Awards Medal of Freedom to Che Guevara's Assassin. covertactionmagazine.com After Rodriguez ordered Che be shot, his hands were chopped off and shipped to Langley, but not before he stole …
(2021-10-06). Federal judge orders FEC to investigate allegations NRA illegally gave to Republican campaigns. salon.com A complaint alleges the NRA donated up to $25 million illegally to Trump's 2016 campaign…
(2021-10-06). Idaho governor leaves town; lt. gov tries to ban vaccine mandates, deploy National Guard. salon.com Fellow Republicans say Janice McGeachin's power grab was and "abuse of power," wonder, "How stupid can you be?"
(2021-10-06). Massachusetts Activists Are Changing The Conversation On Israel. popularresistance.org Rep. Betty McCollum's (D-MN) historic Palestinian Children & Families Act still lacks a companion bill in the Senate. At a recent event local JVP Action leader named Jill urged Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to introduce the legislation. Here's her question: | I am Jewish and, like you, I am passionate about justice for all. You probably know that the U.S. government sends about $3.8 billion a year in military funding to the Israeli government. Massachusetts sends $1.3 million a year and Massachusetts taxpayers send Israel $352,000 a day. Some of these tax dollars are used to support Israeli oppression of P…