ALL ARTICLES

Experts Predict What A Second Wave Of Coronavirus Will Be Like

We can create models and make predictions, but so much about COVID-19 remains unknown. By Julia Ries HuffPost (6/22/20) There’s been much speculation about if and when a second coronavirus wave will come crashing down on us, and whether it has the potential to be more severe than the first crest. After all, that’s what unfolded with past respiratory infections like the 1918 flu pandemic, which had a second wave far more devastating and fatal than the first. But epidemiologists — the people who study the patterns and causes of diseases — warn against assuming that COVID-19 will behave like the infectious…


The Supreme Court Just Gave Corporations A License To Loot Your Retirement Funds

The courthouse door was just slammed shut on workers and retirees whose pension plans get bilked. By David Sirota TMI (6/24/20)   In the 1987 classic film Wall Street, pension funds make a brief but important appearance, as Gordon Gekko hatches a plan to steal 6,000 airline workers’ retirement savings. An angry Bud Fox asks Gekko: “How much is enough?” — a question warning the audience about unbridled greed and the financial vipers in our midst. Thirty-three years after the release of Wall Street, it seems the U.S. Supreme Court saw the film as a guidebook rather than a cautionary tale: In a landmark…


Trump Fears Latest Damning Memoir – This Time By His Liberal Niece … A Psychologist

Trump has been compared to a mob boss, regarding family as a means to enforcing his will and expanding his power. By David Smith The Guardian (6/21/20) It was election night 2016 and Donald Trump, having stunned the world by winning the American presidency, paraded beaming family members in the ballroom of a New York hotel. But at least one relative was not celebrating. “This is one of the worst nights of my life,” the president-elect’s niece, Mary Lea Trump, wrote on Twitter. “What is wrong with this country? I fear the American experiment has failed.” She has presumably had many more bad…


Talk Is Cheap: While Paying Lip Service To Black Lives Matter, Walmart Shamelessly Exploits Black Lives

Empty public relations announcements will not suffice. By Cat Davis & Dorian Warren NBC News (6/19/20) Following weeks of riveting nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic anti-Black racism, some of the nation’s largest corporations responded with public declarations that Black Lives Matter. Among them was Walmart, the largest corporate employer of America’s Black workforce. Earlier this month, CEO Doug McMillon announced that his company was committing $100 million over five years to build a “center on racial equity.” Walmart’s self-aggrandizing gesture is emblematic of a long-running problem in how corporate America deals with race: McMillon’s pronouncement was a soothing delay tactic that failed to offer any…


MSNBC Warns Of Outbreak Of Right-Wing Violence Across America — With Some Hoping For Civil War

  By Matthew Chapman The Raw Story (6/23/20) On MSNBC Tuesday [6/23], reporter Brandy Zadronzny warned that the threat from the far-right “boogaloo” movement is only getting worse. “What do you see as the sort of situation now in terms of particularly Facebook and others in hosting activity for thee kinds of groups?” asked host Chris Hayes. “I talked to someone on the Homeland Security Advisory Council in March, and he said to me, you know, when we have groups of heavily-armed people loudly talking about their plans for insurrection and to kill law enforcement officials, we should probably listen to them,”…


Notably Quotable: “Rarely are the police sent to prosecute scofflaws in…”

“Rarely are the police sent to prosecute scofflaws in high places. I haven’t seen any bankers being choked to death on the street under an officer’s knee.  Nor have I seen any corporate “citizens” being choked to death by cops. It’s so much easier to hassle and arrest the little people for whom, if they’re black or otherwise vulnerable, arrest may even end in death.” — William J. Astore, “Light ‘Em Up”: How America’s Forever Wars Came to Our Streets ***** “Why is it that American style “democracy” is unquestionably good for Hong Kong but so devastatingly brutal for Black Americans and…


Domination Over Democracy: How Our Bloated Military Strengthens The Police State

The violent U.S. domination of people of color overseas is inextricably linked to the oppression of people of color at home. By Shireen Al-Adeimi & Sarah Lazare In These Times (6/17/20) Nationwide uprisings over the police killing of George Floyd have forced a long overdue discussion about the injustices of U.S. policing—an institution that has consistently harassed and terrorized and, in the words of organizer, writer and educator Mariame Kaba, remains a consistent “force of violence against Black people.” As demands to abolish the police are thrust into mainstream discourse, promising—if uncertain and mixed—political changes are being debated and implemented every day. We are seeing a rigorous…


Fauci Hobbles His Own Credibility As He Casually Acknowledges Past Lying About Necessity Of Mask Use

“All governments lie.” — I.F. “Izzy” Stone [Editor’s Note: As of an online search late Sunday (6/21) none of the corporate media had reported on this issue, even though it came out on June 12. Given the public health risk from lack of mask wearing in much of the nation, it is an issue that needs to be fully reported. — Mark L. Taylor] By Matt Novak Gizmodo (6/13/20) Dr. Anthony Fauci has been hailed as a hero during the coronavirus pandemic, delivering thoughtful health advice while most members of the Trump regime have spread misinformation about covid-19. But there’s…


Code Blue America: A Rudderless Nation In The Pandemic Storm

  By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (6/22/20) Dear Fellow Readers, The most important news comes from English nurse teacher Dr. John Campbell. I covered this a week ago but it’s worthy of more attention. In this Saturday podcast Campbell starts with dexamethasone before emphasizing Vitamin D. Dexamethasone trial data came out a week ago; I did not mention it in my last edition because it is for treating critically ill patients on ventilators, I used the space to emphasize prevention. But there is optimism it will save lives. Vitamin D has more universal importance for us both in treating…


The Classic ‘Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes’ Anti-Racism Exercise

  Witness History / BBC (6/19/20) When Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, US school teacher, Jane Elliott, decided to try to teach her all-white class about racism. She decided to segregate them according to the colour of their eyes, and treated them differently. Although controversial from the start, the “blue eyes/brown eyes” teaching exercise has been adapted in schools and workplaces for diversity training ever since. Jane Elliott has been explaining to Rebecca Kesby why she still thinks the model has value today in defeating racial prejudice. Link To 9-Minute Audio  


Ralph Nader Interviews Glen Ford Of ‘Black Agenda Report’

Ralph Nader Radio Hour (6/20/20) Ralph welcomes back Glen Ford from Black Agenda Report to discuss the ongoing protests over police brutality and the myth of the “warrior cop.” Then Lisa Gilbert, executive vice-president of Public Citizen, tells us what they are fighting to get into the next stimulus package. Plus, Ralph updates us on the Boeing Max 8 issue. Link To 1-Hour, 14-Minute Audio  


The Lesson Of The Dem’s Colorado Senate Primary Battle

The Democratic donor class does not want progressives anywhere near the levers of power — even in races where they could clearly win. By David Sirota Jacobin (6/19/20) Whether Democrats win the US Senate — and whether their senators are progressive — could be the difference between life and death for millions of people. A Democratic Senate filled with proponents of a Green New Deal and Medicare for All is one that at least offers the slim possibility of averting climate and health care cataclysms. A Republican Senate — or a Senate run by corporate Democrats — will almost certainly…


Want To Defeat Trump Without Campaigning For Biden? Here’s How

By David Duhalde In These Times (6/17/20) The mainstream media made hay over the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) commitment to endorsing no one but Bernie Sanders for president. Despite the DSA’s public statement recognizing Donald Trump as a global threat, the organization will not back Joe Biden. Of course, defeating Trump does mean a President Joe Biden (absent some dramatic change), but that still doesn’t mean left-wing groups should endorse by default. In fact, Biden likely doesn’t want our public support. He appears intent on repeating the Clinton 2016 playbook: Rely on a critical mass of progressives to vote against Trump,…


Wake Up: New Campaign Prepares Mass Mobilization Should Trump Refuse To ‘Leave Willingly’ If Defeated In November

  Be prepared. Our democracy depends upon it. By Jake Johnson Common Dreams (6/12/20) “I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election… if I win.” That was then-candidate Donald Trump’s message to his supporters and the nation just a month before his victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. Four years later, with less than five months to go until the 2020 presidential election, progressive advocacy groups are preparing to mobilize millions of people should Trump lose to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and refuse to accept the results. On Friday, Stand Up America and Indivisible launched a…


Pipeline Protests Used As Excuse For Cynical Sneak Attack Attack On Our First Amendment Rights

By Alan Neuhauser U.S. News & World Report (6/6/20) LAWMAKERS IN TEXAS passed a bill last month that they say will speed the construction of some 11,000 miles of pipeline by 2050 that is needed to keep the state’s oil boom going: Any protester who blocks or otherwise “interferes” with the construction of an oil and gas pipeline, transmission line or other “critical infrastructure” project will face up to 10 years in prison – the same sentence given to some sex offenders, triggermen in driveby shootings and other felonies. The bill is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. If he does,…


Can We All Go Back To Normal Now?  Pandemic Update Interview With Dr. Michael Osterholm

  This is a 4.7 hurricane, potentially, coming down the pike.  TUC Radio (6/16/20) Dr. Michael Osterholm had told USA Today earlier this year: ‘We’re just in the second inning of a nine-inning game’ That’s why members of the Midway Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota met with him on line on June 12, 2020. He gave an update and they asked him questions. “This is just just getting started. This is just the warm up. This is not the big harangue, yet.” Dr. Osterholm holds many titles and functions at the University of Minnesota, among them Regents Professor in Public…


Chris Hedges: Seeing Through Empty Solidarity Performance Stunts Of Police, Politicians & Corporations

act.tv (6/16/20) Julianna welcomes back Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author, Chris Hedges, to discuss how as lawmakers and activists are working together to make real changes in policing that are worth celebrating, it is important to name the statements that are opportunistic and performative, like police officers taking a knee with protesters before proceeding to pepper spray them. Chris talks about why these faux actions are so insidious. You may know Chris from reading one of his best-selling books including American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the…



How About That, Congressional Liars Had The Money For ‘Medicare For All’ All Along

Our political class only worries about deficits and so-called fiscal responsibility when spending might actually help ordinary people. By David Sirota TMI (6/16/20) In recent weeks, we’ve seen health care industry CEOs report paying themselves $2.4 billion as 27 million people were thrown off their health care coverage. We’ve also seen Americans being charged anywhere from $400,000 to $1.1 million for COVID treatment, and facing $2,000 bills for coronavirus tests. In response, polls show Americans remain deeply concerned about the current health care system, and support for Medicare for All has surged. And yet, despite data showing that a single-payer system would save big money, surveys still indicate some popular trepidation about the price tag…


Check Out Rep. Ron ‘Wall Street’ Kind’s Kindly Corporate Investors

  Rep. Ron Kind talks with one constituent and ignores another. What do one of the founders of Facebook, the chief operating officer or Blackstone Group, the American Association of Clinical Urologists and the co-chairman of Bain Capital have in common? By Eric Timmons La Crosse Independent (6/13/200 It’s not a trick question. All are donors to U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse. Other big donors to Rep. Kind have included opioid distributors, their subsidiaries and employees, who gave $210,000 to the congressman’s campaigns over the last decade. Rep. Kind, a former chair of the right-leaning New Democrat Coalition in the U.S. House, is…


“Light ‘Em Up”: How America’s Forever Wars Came To Our Streets & Neighborhoods

Warrior-Cops Are the Law — And Above the Law — As State Sanctioned Violence Grips America. [Editor’s Note: This is one of the best assessments of what has happened with our now ‘occupying’ police force. Our wars of empire have come home. Think of it as a kind of brutal karmic payback for what the US has been doing to other nations for decades. There is a short introductory comment on the link, so scroll down for the rest of the story. — Mark L. Taylor] By William Astore TomDispatch (6/7/20) From their front porches, regular citizens watched a cordon…


Trump Supporters Are Attacking & Killing BLM Protesters — And Getting Away With It

  By Arun Gupta Raw Story (6/17/20) Imagine the reaction if during the recent far-right reopen rallies supported by Trump that backers of Joe Biden attacked and killed protesters. Not only would right-wing media demand Biden’s execution, Trump’s hatchet man at the Department of Justice, William Barr, would likely have indicted Biden as an accessory to murder. While that scenario is far-fetched, the reverse is not. Since the police killing of George Floyd sparked unprecedented protests against systematic racism, at least four Trump supporters, including some involved in his 2016 campaign, have attacked Black Lives Matter protesters with weapons, leading to at least one…


Code Blue America: Coronavirus, An Ever Shifting Target

  By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (6/18/20) Dear Fellow Readers, I will start with a short interview conducted by CNN host Chris Cuomo who interviews three of sixteen young friends from Florida who went to a bar upon reopening and were ALL infected, along with seven staff. It is a short video with a take-away that all felt they were safe based on what they felt they were hearing from politicians and officials. All now agree they were wrong and “it’s too early”. It is an powerful warm up. If you want the longer view of how our collective…


The Virus Will Win: Once Again, We Have Come Up Short

Americans are pretending that the pandemic is over. It certainly is not. By Yascha Mounk The Atlantic (6/12/20) A second wave of the coronavirus is on the way. When it arrives, we will lack the will to deal with it. Despite all the sacrifices of the past months, the virus is likely to win—or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it already has. In absolute terms, the United States has been hit harder than any other country. About a quarter of worldwide deaths have been recorded on these shores. And while the virus is no longer growing at an exponential…


What Should The Punishment Be For The Crime Of Weaponizing A Virus For Political Purposes?

Putting politics and Trump’s ego above the lives of American citizens. By Thom Hartmann Common Dreams (6/16/20) Trump’s scheduled rally in Tulsa this weekend and his moving the Republican convention to Florida both demonstrate that he is more than willing to take actions that will kill Americans in order to get his ego stroked and increase his chances of reelection. A new book by Trump’s niece tells the story of how Donald Trump cut off payments for his nephew’s medical treatment, who had cerebral palsy, as a negotiating weapon to extract more money from his father‘s estate. Meanwhile, scientists report…


History They Don’t Want You To Know: The Story Of Juneteenth

  AL.com (7/20/18) We look at where the holiday of Juneteenth came from and why it’s still a mystery to so many people. Link To 4-Minute Video ***** The Rebellion Against Police Repression Must Guard Against ALL Enemies, Whether Red, Blue, Or Green   As movements develop, the need to define the character of the enemy system and its overseers becomes more acute. By Danny Haiphong Black Agenda Report (6/17/20) The terrain of struggle will need to expand for the movement to avoid a Democratic Party-induced slumber. “The movement’s enemies in blue not only include the cops but also the entire…



No Image

New Film Profiles Trump’s Mentor: Inside The Sinister, Brutal World Of Roy Cohn

By Charles Bramesco The Guardian (6/17/20) Back in 2004, with the documentary Heir to an Execution, Ivy Meeropol began the decades-spanning project of exorcising the demon haunting her family. The Academy-shortlisted film sheds some light on the dark heritage of the Meeropol kids, descended as they are from Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the couple executed by the United States government in 1953 having been convicted of sharing military secrets with the Soviet Union. When not teaching as an economics professor, Ivy’s father Michael spent most of his adult life on a crusade to restore and advocate for the reputation of his…


Investigative Journalist Greg Palast: Here’s How Trump Will Steal The 2020 Election

  By Chauncey Devega The Guardian (6/15/20) As Election Day 2020 approaches, it would appear that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his party have much to celebrate. Biden leads Donald Trump by an average of eight percentage points in national polling, with some surveys showing Biden ahead of Trump by as many as 14 percentage points. Biden also enjoys huge leads among the Democratic Party’s key constituents, including black voters, Latinos and other nonwhites, college-educated white women and younger voters. Polls also show Joe Biden making gains among older white voters, a group that consistently supports Republicans and has been especially loyal to Trump. Biden also leads Trump in key battleground…


Notably Quotable: “My stance is now clear to me. There ARE no good cops. There never were. They hold up an institution of racism and fear. …”

  “My stance is now clear to me. There ARE no good cops. There never were. They hold up an institution of racism and fear. That same racism and fear that was so very real to me and not just a concept like you are likely to be reading about just now. Please know I am very angry and heartbroken, but we are safe and right now I’m just thanking my lucky stars that we weren’t slaughtered like George Floyd. It is a predicament that no one should have to experience and no one with a human heart should perpetuate.”…


While The Media Reports On Racial Justice, The Daily Brutality Of Economic Injustice Is Ignored

  Corporate capitalism has proven itself to be fully capable of methodical sadism in the pursuit of maximizing profits. [Editor’s Note: It is not a matter of GOP vs Dem or Left vs Right or even Trump vs Biden — it is all about TOP vs BOTTOM.– Mark L. Taylor] By Norman Soloman Reader Supported News (6/10/20) Grassroots outrage and nationwide protests after Minneapolis cops murdered George Floyd have pushed much of U.S. corporate media into focusing on deadly police mistreatment of black people. The coverage is far from comprehensive on the subject of racism in the “criminal justice” system…


‘Pure Intimidation’ — Community Activists Targeted By Federal Agents

“They didn’t want us to have that rally.” [Editor’s Note: Free nation? Don’t believe it for a moment. This is ‘Just-Us’ Department American fascism. — Mark L. Taylor] By Chris Brooks The Intercept (6/12/20) “I’ve never had any run-ins with the cops before. I’ve never been to jail and have no criminal record, so when the FBI showed up to my workplace, it scared the piss out of me,” says Katy, a 22-year-old who works for a custodial services company in Cookeville, a small college town in middle Tennessee. “I really thought I was going to lose my job. The…


It’s Time To Kick Police Unions Out Of The Labor Movement. They Aren’t Allies

For centuries, the police have in fact been the tool of oppression wielded to crush working people. By Hamlton Nolan The Guardian (6/13/20) The ultimate power of the labor movement lies in solidarity. Together, working people are strong. So what can the movement do in this moment of national struggle against racism and police violence? The obvious answer is to deny the power of solidarity to police unions, which function as barriers to the very reforms that Americans are now fighting for. The time has come to put police unions on a raft and set them adrift. Perhaps they can…


Defeat Repeat 2020: How Lazy Democrats Are Working Hard To Re-Elect Trump

“The democrats take people for granted. …They’re stuck in Washington; they’re stuck in an echo chamber. I don’t think they get out much.” Ralph Nader Radio Hour (6/13/20) Ralph welcomes “the world’s greatest political adman,” Bill Hillsman, to discuss what Joe Biden and the Democrats need to do to beat Trump. And Susan Clark, author of “All Those In Favor: Rediscovering the Secrets of Town Meeting and Community” joins us to talk about the virtues of direct democracy. Link To 1-Hour, 16-Minute Audio ***** Rebellion, Confusion, Scoundrels & Kente Cloth Wearing Rascals This moment requires great vigilance. The people in…


Hoops Coach Calls Out Colleagues, Sports Leagues’ Next Moves To Challenge Racism, ‘Basketball Peaceful Protest’

Only A Game / WBUR (6/12/20) North Carolina Central men’s basketball coach LeVelle Moton recently criticized fellow coaches for not speaking out against police brutality. This week on Only A Game, Moton shares his own experiences with the police. Also, a conversation about what teams and leagues can actually do to combat systemic racism and police violence. And the story of a woman who traveled to Minneapolis with a portable hoop to play basketball with protesters and cops. Join us! Link To 48-Minute Audio ***** Week In Sports: NFL Will Recognize Juneteenth Holiday, But remains AWOL On Colin Kaepernick Weekend…


Code Blue America: Trump Puts West Point Cadets On The Coronavirus Front Line

  By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (6/15/20) Dear Fellow Readers, Let’s start with images of Trump from his graduation speech delivered at West Point Military Academy this weekend.  Trump had the graduating class return to campus so he could deliver his commencement speech.   West Point graduating cadets were sent home in March because of the coronavirus.  The 1,100 “newly minted Army second lieutenants were ordered back to campus after the president abruptly announced in mid-April that he wanted to go through with his previously planned commencement address.”  In advance of Trump’s address the 1,100 cadets had to navigate the…


Emails Reveal Chaos & Lies As Meatpacking Companies Fought Local Health Agencies Over COVID-19 Outbreaks In Their Plants

“We have no regulatory authority over Tyson. We are not legally able to mandate that they put any additional measures in place or shut down.” By Michael Grabell, Claire Perlman & Bernice Yeung ProPublica (6/12/20) For weeks, Rachel Willard, the county health director in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, had watched with alarm as COVID-19 cases rolled in from the Tyson Foods chicken plant in the center of town. Then Tyson hired a private company to take over testing, and the information suddenly slowed to a trickle. Blinded to the burgeoning health crisis, Willard and her small staff grew increasingly agitated. The outbreak had already…


Incendiary Tom Cotton Op-ed Exposes Major Leadership & Editorial Problems At The NY Times

  By Dan Froomkin Press Watch (6/4/20) The New York Times’s decision on Wednesday to publish an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton — in which the Arkansas Republican called for the U.S. to “Send in the Troops” to forcibly subdue the “rioters” who he claimed have “plunged many American cities into anarchy” — has resulted in a remarkable public denunciation from readers and even the newspaper’s own staff members. Dozens of Times staffers risked the ire of Times management by tweeting the singular message: “Running this puts black @nytimes staff in danger.” The NewsGuild of New York, which represents many Times journalists, released a…


Examples Of Reforming & Reimagining Police Departments That Show Promise

  By Noel King, Cherly Corley, Eric Westervelt & Martin Kaste Morning Edition / NPR (6/12/20) Since the protests sparked by George Floyd’s killing in police custody, many have called for overhauling police departments and policies. Efforts underway in some cities have had mixed success. NOEL KING, HOST: Since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, many Americans have called for a dramatic rethinking of policing in this country. There have been some incremental changes over the years. Body cameras are now common. Many police use their firearms far less often than they did even 10 years ago….


Promotion Of New 9/11 Documentary ‘SEVEN’ Airing On PBS

  Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth (6/11/20) PBS affiliates across the country today will begin airing a five-minute version of the new documentary SEVEN directed by Loose Change creator Dylan Avery about the explosive findings of the recently completed University of Alaska Fairbanks study on the destruction of World Trade Center Building 7. The short film, titled Spotlight On: SEVEN, will run for a minimum of three months on up to 200 local PBS stations, reaching at least three million viewers. For those wanting to watch the short film on television, “Spotlight On” programs do not air at scheduled times because they run as needed in…