(2021-12-21). Next Phase in US Economic and Political Crisis Begins. popularresistance.org The response of Democrat leaders to Manchin's announcement killing the bill has been typically timid. Senator Sanders replied they should put the bill to a vote in the Senate to show West Virginians where Manchin stands. As if it was not already clear to everyone! Dick Durbin's reply was 'let's all go home for Xmas' and we'll all feel better when we return and maybe can get something done'. Such timidity reveals traditional Democrat political pusillanimity and a desperate 'too clever' spin that the bill isn't quite dead. Somehow the Zombie legislation can be resurrected. But Build Back Better is not only DOA, but…
(2021-12-21). New Program Is Secretly Privatizing Medicare. popularresistance.org A new program is placing Medicare recipients into private health insurance plans without their knowledge or consent in a final effort to fully privatize our national Medicare system. Known as "Direct Contract Entities (DCEs)," this program is putting more of our healthcare system into the hands of private equity to generate enormous profits at the expense of our health. Clearing the FOG speaks about this with Kay Tillow, a long time health care, civil rights and union activist. Tillow explains what these entities are, why they threaten the future of our entire healthcare system and how they block our ability to a…
(2021-12-21). Is Killing the Build Back Better Act Part of Manchin's Run for President? truthout.org 
I've spent the last several months trying to settle on a straightforward explanation for why Joe Manchin decided to attack, denude and ultimately destroy the centerpiece of President Biden's domestic agenda on the cusp of what already looks to be a brutal midterm season for the Democrats. | Manchin loves his coal, sure, so the clean energy provisions at the core of the Build Back Better Act (BBB) were poison to his own personal fortune. He's a Democrat from a bright red state, and so must cleave a…
(2021-12-21). Senior Economist At Moody's, Mark Zandi: I'm Lowering My Economic Forecast For US Due To Omicron Variant. moguldom.com Moody's Analytics is expected to downgrade its U.S. economic forecast by as much as one percentage point in the coming days due to the double blow from the intensifying pandemic and Sen. Joe Manchin's opposition to President Joe Biden's signature Build Back Better legislation. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, told CNN on Monday that …
(2021-12-21). Rally for Amazon workers! Dec. 22, New York City. workers.org 
New York City Amazon union organizing is accelerating, as Staten Island Amazon workers refile for union election. On Dec. 22 the Amazon Labor Union will resubmit its petition for a union vote at the facility, known as JFK8, to the National Labor Relations Board. Workers will hold a lunchtime walkout . . . |
(2021-12-21). Tentative agreement to end Massachusetts nurses strike after intervention of Biden administration. wsws.org The Massachusetts Nurses Association is quick to explain that the deal contains "necessary" compromises. According to one of these, Tenet will reportedly allow the scabs it began hiring in May to permanently replace workers to remain on the job.
(2021-12-21). Over 1,000 children have died from COVID-19 in the United States. wsws.org Despite staggering levels of infections and deaths among children in the US, the Biden administration has doubled down on keeping schools open.
(2021-12-21). Biden administration doubles down on "vaccine-only" strategy as Omicron emerges as dominant strain in US. wsws.org Biden is delivering a nationally televised address this evening that will be focused on reassuring Wall Street that no measures will be taken to stop the transmission of the Omicron variant.
(2021-12-21). Retired US generals warn of 2024 election coup. wsws.org The three generals urged the Pentagon to begin planning now for a post-election conflict that could split the military.
(2021-12-21). External pressure intensifies uncertainty over elections in Libya days before scheduled vote. peoplesdispatch.org The much awaited presidential elections in Libya scheduled for December 24 will most likely be postponed. The uncertainty is exacerbated by external pressures by countries such as Imad al-Sayeh, head of the High National Election Comm…
(2021-12-21). Trump to Mark Anniversary of Capitol Attack With News Conference at Mar-a-Lago. truthout.org 
Former President Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary of the day a mob of his own loyalists attacked the United States Capitol building by continuing to perpetuate false claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. | Trump announced on Tuesday that
(2021-12-21). President Maduro Congratulates Chile's Next President Gabriel Boric. orinocotribune.com 
Gabriel Boric was elected as president of Chile by the Apruebo Dignidad coalition. The 35-year old former student leader is the youngest president in the history of the country. In his term as a deputy, and during his campaign, Boric raised the issues of inclusion, decentralization and equal rights as cornerstones of his electoral campaign but questioned Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, repeating a familiar US and European imperialist narrative. | When the results were announced, Boric was immediately congratulated by his counterparts through the region. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro celebrated the election…
(2021-12-21). The End of Neoliberalism in Latin America?: Return of the Left. orinocotribune.com 
Without seeming like déjà vu, presidential candidates supported by progressive and left-wing parties and movements are regaining power on the Latin American continent. Everything indicates that it may be the end of neoliberalism once again. | The domino effect has reached Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Honduras, and more recently Chile, where the people have placed their hopes of progress on the new leftist presidency of Gabriel Boric, despite the hesitation by many on the left towards his statements on foreign policy. | Commander Hugo Chávez, alongside Fidel Castro, managed, at the beginni…
(2021-12-21). Democratic legislators send scathing letter to Amazon inquiring about employee deaths. nationofchange.org "Amazon has proven time and time again that it views workers as disposable means to achieving greater profits."
(2021-12-21). The Totalitarian Moment: Woke Democrats are establishing "Social Justice" despotism. globalresearch.ca The Democrats have held the presidency and a majority of both houses of Congress for only eleven months, but they have already put their stamp on the transformation of the United States from top to bottom. In reaction to those …
(2021-12-21). Cyprus: Turkish Occupation and Unpunished Crimes Against Women and Children. moderndiplomacy.eu On December 16 and 17, Democracy Today, an NGO that focuses on human rights issues, organized its annual international conference in Armenia's capital of Yerevan. This was part of a cooperation with the Working Group (WG) on women and gender realities in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) region. This year's agenda …
(2021-12-21). Gabriel Boric Win in Chile Is "Huge Victory" for Social Movements That Fought Off Far-Right Threat. democracynow.org 
Former student activist and leftist Gabriel Boric will become Chile's youngest president after easily defeating the far-right candidate José Antonio Kast with over 55% of the vote. Boric has vowed to fight for progressive social reforms and overhaul the neoliberal economic policies left by the U.S.-backed dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. We speak with Chilean writer Pablo Abufom and feminist activist Javiera Manzi, who say Boric's victory signals an opening for progressive policy in Chile and Latin America more broadly.
(2021-12-21). Headlines for December 21, 2021. democracynow.org WHO Urges Cancellation of Holiday Gatherings as Omicron Spreads at Record Pace, Omicron Variant Surpasses Delta, Now Accounts for Three-Quarters of U.S. Cases, New York Confirms Record Number of Coronavirus Infections for Fourth Straight Day, NHL Cancels Hockey Games Amid COVID Surge; Record Number of NFL Players Test Positive, White House to Make Half-Billion COVID-19 Home Test Kits Available for Free, Himalayan Glaciers Melt at Accelerating Rate as Climate Emergency Deepens, EPA Rule Would Require Gas-Powered Cars to Average 55 Miles Per Gallon by 2026, Burmese Military Massacred 40 Men and Buried Bodies in Mas…
(2021-12-21). "Shut Down Those Tanks": Anger Grows in Hawaii After U.S. Navy Fuel Site Contaminates Water. democracynow.org 
The United States Navy is facing growing calls to permanently shut down one of their fuel storage facilities in Hawaii after a petroleum leak contaminated the water supply that serves over 90,000 families around the naval base of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. The storage site, called the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, has long been protested by environmental activists in part because of its location just 100 feet above the primary groundwater aquifer for Honolulu and the rest of Oahu. We speak with two Native Hawaiian guests: civil rights lawyer Camille Kalama and Kamanamaikalani Beamer, a former comm…
(2021-12-20). Senate approves Brzezinski to initiate conflict with Belarus. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com US Senate approves Mark Brzezinski as ambassador to Poland ==== Brzezinski spawn vows to complete cordon around Russia, unite Ukraine, "democratize" Belarus Brzezinski brothers want Biden, NATO to reprise father's confrontation with Russia over Poland Ukraine reprised: Victoria Nuland discusses Belarus with Ukrainian official ==== The US Senate confirmed more than 30 ambassadors on Saturday, …
(2021-12-20). Left candidate Gabriel Boric wins presidential elections in Chile. peoplesdispatch.org This Sunday December 19 over eight million Chileans voted to decide who will be the next president of Chile. According to Chile's electoral service SERVEL, with 96.75% of the votes processed, Gabriel Boric of the left-wing Approve Dignity coalition won with 55.8% of the votes over far-right José Antonio Kast of the Christian Social Front who received 44.19% of the votes. | At around 7: 20pm (Chilean time) when the first electoral bulletins were being released, Kast accepted his defeat in a message on
(2021-12-20). Leftist Gabriel Boric wins Chile's key presidential election and other stories. peoplesdispatch.org In today's episode of the Daily Round-up we look at progressive former student leader Gabriel Boric's victory in Chile's presidential runoff elections; massive protests against the October military coup in Sudan on the 3rd anniversary of the 2019 Revolution; a New York Times report on the "deeply flawed" intelligence informing U.S. airstrikes in the Middle East which killed over 1,000 civilians; and an indefinite strike launched by workers at the NagaWorld casino and resort in Cambodia to protest the targeting of unionised workers, and demand better pay.
(2021-12-20). Belarus ready to host nuclear weapons in face of NATO threat: foreign minister. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com FM: Belarus ready to host nuclear weapons if under threat from NATO ==== Zelensky says if Russia deploys nuclear arms to Belarus, Ukraine will "know where they are located" NATO threat to redeploy nuclear arms led to Belarus to moot basing Russian nuclear weapons — analyst Insane, sociopathic or sadists: Tulsi Gabbard blasts U.S government, …
(2021-12-20). "Unacceptable": Rep. Jamaal Bowman Slams Manchin After Senator Says No to Build Back Better Plan. democracynow.org 
President Biden's signature $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package appears to be dead after Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced on Fox News this Sunday he would not support the plan to expand the social safety net and combat the climate crisis. Without Manchin, Senate Democrats do not have enough votes to pass the landmark legislation, which has already been approved by the House. We speak with Congressmember Jamaal Bowman, who is one of six progressive Democrats in the House who correctly predicted that his party's decision to vote on the infrastructure bill prior to the Build Back Better…
(2021-12-20). Georgia Senator Wants to Ban Ballot Drop Boxes After Voting to Install Them. truthout.org 
Georgia Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller is pushing to eliminate all Miller, the No. 2 Republican in the state Senate and a candidate for lieutenant governor, has introduced
(2021-12-20). West Virginia Senator Manchin kills Biden's already stripped-down "Build Back Better" legislation. wsws.org Announcing his opposition to the measure on Fox News Sunday, the right-wing Democrat ensured that the meager social, tax and climate bill will not be passed in anything like its current form.
(2021-12-20). UN report documents massive attacks on democratic rights in Ukraine. wsws.org Limited as it is, the UN report exposes attempts to frame a potential war between a "free Ukraine" against an "aggressive" Russia as a "war for democracy" as a complete fraud.
(2021-12-20). Headlines for December 20, 2021. democracynow.org Build Back Better in Jeopardy After Sen. Joe Manchin Announces He Will Not Vote in Favor, Federal Company Vaccine Mandate Reinstated; New Data Show Moderna Booster Helps Fight Omicron, Southwest CEO Tests Positive After Senate Hearing; Sens. Booker and Warren Announce They Have COVID, Omicron Sends COVID Cases Surging, Prompts New Restrictions in Israel, U.K., the Netherlands, 35-Year-Old Progressive Activist Gabriel Boric Will Be Chile's Next President, Death Toll from Super Typhoon Rai Rises to 375 in Philippines; Floods Kill 8 in Malaysia, Hong Kong's "Patriots Only" Election Sees Record Low Turnout, Hundreds…
(2021-12-20). Military alliance requires ideological cover. moderndiplomacy.eu Weeks after the announcement of the Aukus Alliance, which aims to confront China in the Asia- Pacific region, the United States launched a summit for democracy, aimed at uniting the countries of the region and building more military alliances, which must be based on an ideological cover that gives them legitimacy. Why does the United …
(2021-12-20). Julian Assange and the Day Democracy Died. orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes — Dec 18, 2021 | The travesty of Justice which we have witnessed in the persecution of Julian Assange has proven beyond all shadow of a doubt that there is no press freedom in the Western world. | The real losers in the Julian Assange case are Julian Assange, his family, freedom of the Press, truth, and justice. | Britains decision to grant America's appeal, to have Julian Assange extradited to face 175 years in a deep dark windowless dungeon, in isolation, in the most inhospitable hole in the ground the American penal system can find, where most likely he will be waterboarded to gain informati…
(2021-12-20). What Are The Fundamental Differences Between Capitalist And Socialist Democracy? popularresistance.org The United States hosted a "Summit for Democracy" on December 9th and 10th in an obvious attempt to legitimize its unipolar and hegemonic claim of leadership over the so-called "rules-based international order." While on the surface this appeared to be an unproductive move on the part of the world hegemon, it aligned well with the U.S. strategy of cloaking its aggressive and exploitative policies under the guise of "democracy." Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly hyped the differences between "autocracy" and U.S.-led "democracy." So-called allies were summoned to give the U.S.'s vision for democracy credibi…
(2021-12-20). Is Money For Nukes More Important Than Paid Family Leave? popularresistance.org On December 15, the U.S. Senate passed a gargantuan, single-year, $768 billion defense bill on an 88‚Äâ—‚Äâ11 vote. The passage clears the way for President Biden's signature, after the bill moved through the U.S. House with a landslide 363‚Äâ—‚Äâ70 vote earlier in the month. The agreement reaffirms that the only truly bipartisan issue in Washington is militarism.
(2021-12-20). US Lawmakers Call For Sanctions After 9 State Department Employees' iPhones Hacked With Software From Israeli NSO Spyware Company. moguldom.com A group of 18 Democratic lawmakers has asked President Joe Biden to impose financial sanctions on controversial Israel spyware firm NSO Group and several other surveillance companies following the revelation that nine U.S. State Department employees had their iPhones hacked with the company's software. NSO Group has come under global scrutiny for its Pegasus software, …
(2021-12-20). "A Big Relief": Haitian Immigrant Rights Leader Jean Montrevil Wins Victory in Fight to Stay in U.S. democracynow.org 
Longtime immigrant rights leader Jean Montrevil has been granted three years of protection from deportation as part of a settlement for the First Amendment lawsuit Montrevil filed against the U.S. government that argued federal immigration officials targeted him for deportation due to his activism. Montrevil was abruptly deported to Haiti in 2018 but was allowed under the Biden administration to return home to New York in October to reunite with his family. We speak with Jean Montrevil, who says the news has given him "peace of mind" to enjoy the holiday season without fear of getting detained or deported, as wel…
(2021-12-20). The Biden administration is lying: Scientists warned about Omicron threat. wsws.org The claim by Vice President Kamala Harris that "We didn't see Omicron coming" is a lie aimed at evading responsibility for the catastrophic outcome of a policy of sacrificing human life for private profit.
(2021-12-20). Russian Debt and Sanctions. Amended Again. moderndiplomacy.eu In the United States, there is a renewed discussion about the advisability of expanding sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. Similar sanctions already exist: they were introduced sequentially by Donald Trump and Joseph Biden. There is an opinion in Congress that the existing sanctions are insufficient and need further expansion. The proposed amendment on tougher sanctions …
(2021-12-20). Youth election observers share Nicaragua experience at D.C. event. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Challenging the narrative parroted by U.S. corporate media about Nicaragua's November elections was the focus of an event here on Sunday, Dec. 12 Solidarity activists and friends from the D.C. metropolitan area gathered for a session co-hosted by the Friends of Latin America and the Claudia Jones School for Political Education. Youth observers who participated …
(2021-12-20). In Historic Win, Chile Votes for Socialism Over Fascism. truthout.org 
Gabriel Boric defeated José Antonio Kast on Sunday — 56% to 44%. | The Associated Press A leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests was elected Chile's next president Sunday after a bruising campaign against a free-market firebrand likened to Donald Trump. | Kast recognized defeat and called his opponent to congratulate him on his "grand triumph"
(2021-12-20). GOP January 6 Panel Member Says Trump Could Be Subpoenaed, Face Charges. truthout.org 
On Sunday, a Republican member of the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capital attack said that the commission may seek to subpoena or criminally charge former President Donald Trump. | On the morning of January 6, Trump gave an incendiary speech to his loyalists, claiming that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen and
(2021-12-20). Leftist candidate Gabriel Boric emerges victorious in Chilean elections. peoplesdispatch.org Boric has promised to deliver on key demands raised during the 2019 protests which includes an increase in state spending on social services, progressive taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals.
(2021-12-20). Gabriel Boric Victory Speech: 'I Will Be The President Of All Chileans'. popularresistance.org The president-elect of Chile, Gabriel Boric, thanked the people this Sunday, December 19, for their support in the second round of the presidential elections, in which he defeated the extreme right-wing Pinochet-admirer José Antonio Kast, becoming the new president of Chile for the 2022-2026 term.
(2021-12-20). Gabriel Boric's victory in Chile's presidential run-off hailed across the globe. peoplesdispatch.org Political leaders from across the globe hailed the victory of Gabriel Boric of the left-wing Approve Dignity coalition in Chile's presidential elections. Boric won the presidency with 55.87% of the votes…
(2021-12-20). Trump White House Deliberately Undermined Efforts to Contain COVID, Report Says. truthout.org 
On Friday, a congressional committee tasked with examining the nation's COVID-19 response announced that it had uncovered evidence that the Trump administration purposely undermined efforts to manage the spread of the virus in order to personally benefit the former president. |
(2021-12-20). Relief for Boric's Victory. Uncertainty Regarding the Social Democratization of His Discourse. libya360.wordpress.com àÅlvaro Verzi Rangel The reactionary right wing expected to add a step forward in Chile. The tandem of José Antonio Kast with the ultra-right-wing Brazilian President Bolsonaro would have meant a threatening pincer for the region. It failed. Almost 12 points of advantage put an end to one of the most polarized and uncertain processes…
(2021-12-20). Dr. Carlos del Rio on Omicron Surge, COVID Testing Crisis & the Need to Vaccinate the World. democracynow.org 
With the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the United States is now averaging over 130,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, and health officials warn the U.S. could see a million new cases a day by February. We speak with health expert Dr. Carlos del Rio, who says that vaccination complemented by booster shots is the best defense against severe illness. "Everybody's going to get infected. You're going to be exposed to this virus because it's essentially going to be everywhere," says del Rio.
(2021-12-20). Manchin Says He Opposes Sick Leave Because People Will Use It for Hunting Trips. truthout.org 
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) evidently told colleagues in the Senate that he opposes universal paid sick time because he thinks workers would pretend to be sick in order to go on hunting trips — despite the fact that the country just hit a tragic milestone of 800,000 deaths due to COVID-19. | The news comes just after Manchin announced on "Fox News Sunday" that he is officially killing the Democrats' reconciliation bill, which includes a proposal for universal paid sick leave a…
(2021-12-20). TikTok Firearms And Self-Defense Instructor Billy Ragland Keeps Social Media Laughing But Some Say He May Get People Killed. moguldom.com A firearms instructor who identifies himself as Billy Ragland has gone viral on social media for his hilarious videos — but some people don't think his methods will work in real-life situations and have expressed concern that people who follow Ragland's advice could end up dead. Ragland has been publishing on TikTok scenarios in which …
(2021-12-20). Podcast Host William Holley Talks To Nuri Muhammad About American Sports and Slavery. moguldom.com Student Minister Nuri Muhammad, who leads the Nation Of Islam's Mosque No. 74 in Indianapolis, recently spoke with WBH Radio host William Holley about slavery and sports. Holley asked Muhammad to expound on Nation Of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan's 2016 Saviours' Day message comparing basketball courts to plantations. "He goes on to say the evaluation …
(2021-12-20). Unpacking Political Power: SPLC, LDF and NAACP urge Louisiana city to reconsider redistricting plan that dilutes Black representation. splcenter.org