ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, Resist! January 2, 2020

Guide For The Coming Year: 15-Point Guide To Resisting Authoritarianism

Rule #1: Always think critically and fight ignorance with facts.   Kali Holloway & Martin Mycielski AlterNet (12/15/17) Nearly a year ago, intuitively recognizing the Trump administration’s authoritarian aspirations, Polish journalist and activist Martin Mycielski wrote “Year 1 Under Authoritarianism.” In those early, nerve-racking days following Trump’s inauguration, the piece was shared across social media, an ominous portent of what was to come. The document — helpfully subtitled, “What To Expect?” — offered a list of predictions and warnings about Trump’s first year in office, and exhortations to fight back at every turn. In his introduction, published just days after…

ALL ARTICLES, Right Wing Religion January 2, 2020

Right Wing Religion Round-Up: Bill Barr Is On A Theocratic Mission To Use DOJ To ‘Deliver’ America From Eternal Damnation

By Matthew Chapman Raw Story (12/30/19) Attorney General William Barr is worse than a simple right-wing partisan, wrote religious nationalism biographer Katherine Stewart and former American Constitutional Society president Caroline Fredrickson for The New York Times. Rather, they argued, he is best understood as a fanatical theocrat who believes America is damned to burn in hell — and seeks to use the powers of his office to course correct the nation’s sinful ways. “Why would a seemingly respectable, semiretired lion of the Washington establishment undermine the institutions he is sworn to uphold, incinerate his own reputation, and appear to willfully misrepresent the reports…

ALL ARTICLES, Quotes January 2, 2020

Notably Quotable: “In the Age of Trump there will be no thunder in the streets…”

“In the Age of Trump there will be no thunder in the streets from the treads of tanks or the boot-heels of soldiers. As the late political theorist Sheldon Wolin warned some years ago, American fascism will just be a new type of normal. In too many ways, it already is.” — Chauncey Devaga, As we turn the page on 2019, our president is mentally unwell — but that’s only one symptom of deeper illness ***** “With few exceptions, MSNBC puts forward the views of ‘corporate liberalism’—or more accurately: ‘liberal corporatism. It’s anti-Trump but rarely is there a focus on corporate greed or…

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, FEATURE, Rethuglicans, Right Wing Religion, Trumpenstan December 30, 2019

Craziest Op-Ed Of 2019 Arguing Trump Will Inspire A Religious Revival Is Far More Than It Seems

By Mike Lofgren Common Dreams (12/27/19) “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” —Matthew 24:24 Just when you thought the soon-to-expire year had long since reached peak stupidity, Newsweek published a piece that set a record for preposterous ideas, confidently but incoherently argued. At first glance, it also appeared to demonstrate the lengths the supposedly mainstream media will go in giving equal time to fringe points of view—what is pretentiously called the national conversation. But it may actually be the result of a more ambitious agenda than just a…

ALL ARTICLES, Economic Injustice, FEATURE, One Percenters December 30, 2019

Wealth Of World’s Richest 500 Zoomed 25% In 2019

  By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman Huffington Post (12/27/19) The world’s richest 500 people increased their collective wealth by 25% in 2019 ― a stark reminder of worsening income inequality, particularly in the U.S. The 500 wealthiest people held a net worth of $5.9 trillion dollars ― collectively up $1.2 trillion over this year alone, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Topping the list of richest people were familiar names: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, followed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, French luxury group head Bernard Arnault, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett and Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The 400 richest people in…

ALL ARTICLES December 30, 2019

Three Ways The 2020 Election Could Go Very, Very Wrong…

By Cameron Joseph VICE News (12/27/19) WASHINGTON — Welcome to 2020, which could be President Trump’s final full year in office. But those counting down to election day should probably stop now, because there’s a real chance we won’t know who won until well after Nov. 3. A close election, possible recounts, and unusual voting laws in key states could very easily delay the results of the election and send the fight to the courts. For example… If Trump loses Michigan and Pennsylvania, his two weakest states that he won in 2016, but holds onto every other state he won in…

ALL ARTICLES, Russia Monitor December 30, 2019

Russia Monitor: Year Of The Whiner In Chief

“The guy is freaking evil.” — Special Operator Miller describing Trump’s ‘election hero’ Navy SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher. By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (12/30/19) Dear Fellow Readers, 2019. This was the year: On January 25, 2019 special counsel Robert Mueller announced criminal charges against long-time Trump associate Roger Stone. On March 22 Mueller delivered his 448-page report to Attorney General William Barr. Ignoring Mueller’s own summaries of his report, Barr issues his own 4-page summary, which we will eventually learn is intentionally misleading, erasing any consideration of whether Barr is biased in support of Trump – he is. On…

ALL ARTICLES, War State America December 30, 2019

The 18-Year Afghanistan Debacle: A West Point Combat Ranger Vet Talks With Chris Hedges About The Rule Of Our Republican & Democratic War Criminals

Torching lives, reputation, treasure, national values and reputation in an 18-year bonfire of racketeering, ignorance & lies by both Republicans & Democrats. [Editor’s Note: This discussion is an excellent overview of the revelations from the recent Washington Post series on the Afghanistan War papers. Given the bipartisan fraud, lying and complicity in this 18-year long corrupt war crime, the story is not getting the attention it deserves in the corporate media. — Mark L. Taylor] By Chris Hedges On Contact / RT (12/21/19) Chris Hedges talks to Spenser Rapone, former combat veteran and US Army Officer, about the Washington Post’s…

ALL ARTICLES December 30, 2019

Michael Moore: Republicans Who Oppose Impeachment Are “Dying Dinosaurs,” But Trump Could Still Win In 2020

“The Republicans let out this noise, this otherworldly noise, that — it wasn’t a “boo.” It was like a “uuuaaarrrhh.” It’s like, “Wow!” And I said to my sister, “That is what the dying dinosaurs must have sounded like in their final moments.” Democracy Now! (12/26/19) Last week, Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore witnessed the historic vote to impeach the president from the front row of the House gallery. He joins us for the hour to discuss the impeachment process, the 2020 election and why he thinks Trump would win re-election today. Link To Story, Transcript And 46-Minute Video ***** Michael…

ALL ARTICLES, Democrats December 30, 2019

Trump Touts Dithering Dems’ Feckless Budget Surrender As Endorsement Of His Brutal Immigration Policies

“The Democrats don’t like the issue anymore, because they know we’re right. When you see what’s happening over there, they know we’re right. They sort of let that one sail through.” — Donald Trump By Bill Van Auken World Socialist Web Site (12/24/19) With conditions facing immigrants and those seeking asylum in the US becoming increasingly horrific, US President Donald Trump gloated over the weekend that the Democratic Party has bowed to his rabid anti-immigrant policy by voting to approve billions of dollars in new funding for his border wall. In a speech to a meeting organized by the far-right student…

ALL ARTICLES December 30, 2019

Bernie Sanders Warns Of Joe Biden’s Troubling Voting Record: ‘My God… Trump Will Eat His Lunch’

  By Jake Johnson Common Dreams (12/27/19) Warning that President Donald Trump cannot be defeated by an establishment Democrat running a “same old, same old type of campaign,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times editorial board published Thursday that Trump would have a field day with former Vice President Joe Biden’s record of support for the Iraq War, job-killing trade deals, and other destructive policies. “Joe Biden is a personal friend of mine, so I’m not here to, you know, to attack him,” Sanders said. “But my God, if you are, if you’re a Donald Trump and you…

ALL ARTICLES December 30, 2019

Corporate Dem Pete Buttigieg’s Close Ties To McKinsey & Company Brings Scrutiny To Firm’s Grubby, Deadly Business

McKinsey’s work for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in detaining and deporting immigrants disturbed career immigration officials. By Jeremy Scahill Intercepted Podcast (12/18/19) THE POWERFUL GLOBAL consulting firm McKinsey is facing scrutiny over its work for a wide range of shady governments and companies. This week on Intercepted: Former senior health insurance executive-turned-whistleblower Wendell Potter explains McKinsey’s role in our insurance nightmare and how Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is using industry talking points to attack Medicare for All. Potter also discusses his career working for insurance giants, soaring medical costs in the U.S., and his role in killing Hillary Clinton’s health…

ALL ARTICLES, Climate Change December 30, 2019

The People Of Iceland Confront Growing Reality Of The Great Thaw

Assignment / BBC (12/26/19) Iceland’s glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate, with scientists predicting that they could all be gone 200 years from now. How is this affecting the lives of local people, and the identity of a nation that has ice in its name? Maria Margaronis talks to Icelandic farmers and fishermen, scientists and environmental activists about their (sometimes surprising) responses to climate change, and asks why it’s so difficult even for those who see its effects from their windows every day to take in what it means. Link To Story And 27-Minute Audio

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, FEATURE, History They Don't Want You To Know, War State America December 26, 2019

‘The Afghanistan Papers’: Bipartisan War On Truth Revealed In The Washington Post Series

“The American people have constantly been lied to.” — John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). By Meghna Chakrabarti, Geoffrey Line & Stefano Kotsonis On Point / WBUR (12/23/19) The Washington Post’s massive investigation that U.S. officials misled the public about the Afghanistan War for almost 20 years. We talk with one of those same officials on what they said then, and what they think now. Guests: Craig Whitlock, investigative reporter focusing on national security for the Washington Post. (@CraigMWhitlock) Ryan Crocker, diplomat-in-residence, Princeton University. He has served as U.S. ambassador six times: Afghanistan (2011-2012), Iraq (2007-2009), Pakistan (2004-2007),…

ALL ARTICLES, Russia Monitor December 26, 2019

Russia Monitor: A Bonfire Of Personal Reputations & Torching Of Values

‘Everything Trump Touches Dies’ — Book title by former Republican strategist, author and Never-Trumper Rick Wilson By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (12/26/19) Dear Fellow Readers, I sat down to write about the Trumpsters that seem to come into the day with highly regarded pedigrees only to soil themselves in defense of the indefensible. Before I started, I happened to click on this: In aftermath of Ukraine crisis, a climate of mistrust and threats The opening statement sets the stage and underscores a partial answer to my question. From Trump’s perspective it is all about him, that much is clear;…

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ALL ARTICLES December 26, 2019

Evo Morales Says He Is ‘Absolutely Convinced’ US Led Coup In Bolivia To Exploit Lithium Reserves

“Transnational companies are behind the coup. The United States, too, because of the lithium issue.” — Evo Morales By Jake Johnson Common Dreams (12/25/19) Former Bolivian President Evo Morales said in an interview Tuesday that he is “absolutely convinced” the United States orchestrated the military coup that removed him from power last month with the goal of exploiting Bolivia’s enormous lithium reserves. Morales told AFP that he believes the U.S. had not “forgiven” him for pursuing lithium partnerships with China and Russia over Washington. “It was a national and international coup d’etat,” said Morales. “I’m absolutely convinced it’s a coup against lithium. We as a state had begun…

ALL ARTICLES, Climate Change, FEATURE December 26, 2019

Climate Emergency: The Earth Is In A Death Spiral & Only Radical Action Can Save Us

  Extinction Rebellion graphic. Even the bodies that claim to be addressing our predicament remain locked within destructive frameworks.  By George Monbiot The Guardian (11/14/19) It was a moment of the kind that changes lives. At a press conference held by climate activists Extinction Rebellion last week, two of us journalists pressed the organisers on whether their aims were realistic. They have called, for example, for UK carbon emissions to be reduced to net zero by 2025. Wouldn’t it be better, we asked, to pursue some intermediate aims? A young woman called Lizia Woolf stepped forward. She hadn’t spoken before, but the passion,…

ALL ARTICLES, Health Care December 26, 2019

In Year-End Address, Dying Healthcare Activist Ady Barkan Reminds Public Joe Biden Is The Only 2020 Democrat Not To Meet With Him

Healthcare activist Activist Ady Barkan first publicly asked former Vice President Joe Biden to meet with him on September 18, 2019. (Image: screenshot/NowThis) By Eoin Higgins Common Dreams (12/23/19) Dying healthcare activist Ady Barkan in an end-of-year video to his supporters Monday called out the one candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination who has refused to meet with him: Joe Biden. “I got to sit down and talk about healthcare with every major presidential candidate,” Barkan said. “Except for Joe Biden.” Barkan, who is dying of ALS, or Lou Gherig’s disease, met with Democrats vying for the 2020 nomination…

ALL ARTICLES December 26, 2019

Censorship In The Corporate State: Silencing Unpopular Ideas & Smothering Inconvenient Facts

“Unpopular ideas can be silenced, and inconvenient facts kept dark, without the need for any official ban. Anyone who has lived long in a foreign country will know of instances of sensational items of news — things which on their own merits would get the big headlines-being kept right out of the British press, not because the Government intervened but because of a general tacit agreement that ‘it wouldn’t do’ to mention that particular fact. So far as the daily newspapers go, this is easy to understand. The British press is extremely centralised, and most of it is owned by…

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ALL ARTICLES, Resist! December 26, 2019

Ralph Nader: “To The Ramparts” And The Hunger For Justice

“If we don’t have time for democracy we don’t have time for ourselves.” [Editor’s Note: Progressive leader Ralph Nader shows how citizens have more power than they realize. Unused, that power atrophies. Nader shows the opening to regaining our rights and freedoms. The power is right before us. — Mark L. Taylor] Politics And Prose (10/1/18) Ralph Nader discusses his book, “To The Ramparts”, at Politics and Prose on 9/23/18. Since the release of Unsafe at Any Speed in 1965, Nader has led the charge against destructive and exploitative corporate power. The co-founder of public interest groups including Public Citizen,…

ALL ARTICLES, Economic Injustice, One Percenters, Trumpenstan December 26, 2019

Trump’s Sour Holiday Menu: More Handouts For Billionaires, Hunger For The Poor

Ultimately, we must make a choice as a society: will we tolerate the insatiable greed and cruelty of the billionaire class? By Bernie Sanders & Rep. Rashida Tlaib The Guardian (12/24/19) When it comes to billionaires benefiting from the generosity of the American taxpayer, the holiday spirit is alive year-round. Taxpayers paid out $115m to Donald Trump so he could play golf at his own resorts. And Amazon didn’t just pay zero in federal taxes on $11bn in profits – taxpayers gifted the corporation $129,000,000 in rebates. That’s enough to pay for CEO Jeff Bezos’s three apartments in Manhattan, including a penthouse, that cost him $80m. We must demand that the…

ALL ARTICLES, Gun Cult December 26, 2019

Houston’s Police Chief RIPS Mitch McConnell After Shooting Of Police Officer Responding To Domestic Violence Call

  The Young Turks (12/10/19) Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo is tired of the NRA and its corrupt politicians. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down. Tell us what you think in the comments below. “A Texas police officer who was killed while responding to a domestic violence call may have been struck by a bullet that penetrated his ballistic vest, authorities said Monday. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo made the disclosure about Sgt. Christopher Brewster’s killing Saturday in a note to officers, just hours after he denounced Republican Senators who he said have…

ALL ARTICLES, Quotes December 26, 2019

Notably Quotable: “It strikes me as strange that for people that take the teachings of Jesus Christ seriously…”

“It strikes me as strange that for people that take the teachings of Jesus Christ seriously, teachings of the Ten Commandments seriously, that we can’t at least say publicly and out loud and in front of God and everybody that this man’s character is deeply, deeply concerning to us and, in my judgement, has crossed a line and no longer think he’s fit to lead the United States of America.” — Mark Galli, Christianity Today Editor Reveals The Point Trump ‘Crossed The Line’ For Him ***** “We have one chance to return to a certain amount of normality and respect. Much more…

ALL ARTICLES, Democrats, FEATURE December 23, 2019

Here Are The Corporate Bribers Hosting Joe Biden’s Big Money Manhattan Fundraisers

By Alex Kotch Sludge (12/19/19) The president of an investment bank that collapsed from selling junk bonds. A shadow lobbyist at private equity giant Blackstone. A law partner who defended a Saudi Arabian banker against criminal charges. A lawyer who represents bankers accused of securities fraud. A financial executive who inspired the character Gordon Gekko, a personification of limitless greed. These are some of the wealthy Manhattan elite who will be hosting fundraisers for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden early next month as he prepares for the first Democratic presidential caucuses in February. One event, a reception, will take place…

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, Police State America, Rethuglicans, Right Wing Religion December 23, 2019

American Christmas Hypocrisy

The nativity scene at Claremont United Methodist Church, Claremont California. Like families in our federal concentration camps, Jesus, Mary & Joseph portrayed as refugees separated in cages. As folks gather with family and friends this Wednesday for Christmas keep in mind the thousands of immigrant children — including toddlers and infants — separated from their mothers and fathers in the spreading United States concentration camps along the southern border.  The message of the season couldn’t be further removed from the policies of this criminal government. While conservatives love to rail on and on about a fictitious “war on Christmas” and many…

'Just-Us' System, ALL ARTICLES, Trumpenstan December 23, 2019

‘Impresident’ Trump Is Number One … BIGLY!

 126 members of Congress voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson in 1868. 221 members of Congress voted to impeach President Bill Clinton for obstructing justice in 1998. 230 members of Congress voted to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power this week. In other words, Donald Trump holds the singular distinction of being impeached by more members of the U.S. House of Representatives than any other president in our nation’s history. — Aaron Matteson, Dem frenz Facebook page (12/20/19) (Commoner Call cartoon by Mark L. Taylor, 2019. Open source and free for non-derivative use with link to www.thecommnercall.org )

ALL ARTICLES, Russia Monitor December 23, 2019

Russia Monitor: Trump’s Primary Adviser Sent Him On The ‘Ukraine Did It’ Fantasy

  By Dan Peak The Commoner Call (12/23/19) Dear Fellow Readers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s response to Senate Leader ‘Moscow’ Mitch McConnell has been to hold onto the two Articles of Impeachment authorized by the House. The Daily Kos reported that Pelosi explained, “This is what I don’t consider a fair trial, that Leader [Mitch] McConnell has stated that he’s not an impartial juror, that he’s going to take his ‘cues’ from the White House, and he is working in total coordination with the White House counsel’s office.” The Daily Kos article references a recent ABC/Washington Post poll that showed…

ALL ARTICLES, Democrats December 23, 2019

Cowardly Democrats Wimp Out To Trump & Republicans In Shameful Secret Budget Deal

What a grotesque way to waste our money! By Ralph Nader Common Dreams (12/21/19) While attention was focused on the House of Representatives’ impeachment of Donald J. Trump, legislators from both parties were secretly huddling with White House aides to seal a $1.4 trillion budget deal to fund the government until next September. They were rushing to do this to avoid a partial government shutdown starting December 21, 2019. Had the budget been deliberated in open Congressional hearings, the media would have reported on this backroom deal and the people of this country would have had a chance to weigh…

ALL ARTICLES December 23, 2019

Bernie Sanders Calls Out Buttigieg’s Dependence On Billionaire Fundraising: ‘exactly the problem with politics’

“Why would billionaires and wealthy people be making large contributions if it didn’t mean something to them?” By Sam Levine The Guardian (12/20/19) Bernie Sanders on Friday doubled down on criticism of fellow Democratic presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden over the support they’ve received from billionaire donors, arguing his 2020 rivals’ fundraising was “exactly the problem with American politics”. Sanders noted that the South Bend mayor, Buttigieg, had accepted support from 40 billionaires throughout his campaign and was “closing in on Biden”, the former vice-president who has received donations from at least 44 billionaires. The Vermont senator told the Guardian: “They will…

ALL ARTICLES, Health Care, Worker Notes by Tom Crofton December 23, 2019

Citing Dangerous Focus On Profits Over Patients, UW Hospital Nurses Call For Much-Needed Union Recognition

“We’re at the bedside — the eyes and ears on the patient all the time. [But] we’re not supported. We’re not given any sort of voice to make any changes.” By Erik Gunn Wisconsin Examiner (12/19/19) Five-and-a-half years after their collective bargaining rights were stripped in the aftermath of Act 10, registered nurses working for the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics Authority (UWHCA) on Thursday confronted the board of directors demanding recognition for a new union. “Unacceptable changes to staffing levels, nurse/patient ratios and the dissolution of key nursing departments have left thousands of professional nurses without tools they need to…

ALL ARTICLES December 23, 2019

Military Abandoning Trump While Showing Strong Support For Sanders

  The Young Turks (12/19/19) “President Donald Trump received a loud ovation when he participated in the coin toss ahead of Saturday’s Army-Navy football rivalry game in Philadelphia. But troops’ actual feelings about the commander in chief appear much more ambivalent in the latest Military Times survey. Half of active-duty military personnel contacted in the poll held an unfavorable view of President Trump, showing a continued decline in his approval rating since he was elected in 2016. Trump’s 42 percent approval in the latest poll, conducted from Oct. 23 to Dec. 2, sets his lowest mark in the survey since…

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, War State America December 23, 2019

The Phrase ‘White Nationalists’ Cut From Measure To Screen Military Enlistees

25% of American service members reported encountering white nationalists within their ranks. By Christopher Mathias HuffPost (12/19/19) A measure in the National Defense Authorization Act meant to keep white nationalists out of the U.S. military no longer mentions “white nationalists” after Congress quietly altered the text after it initially passed the House. The change, which has not been previously reported, could water down a House-passed amendment meant to address the threat of white nationalists in the military. The House language was specifically drafted to encourage screening for white nationalist beliefs in military enlistees. But after the Republican-controlled Senate passed its own…

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ALL ARTICLES December 23, 2019

On Contact: The Failing, Increasingly Corporatised American Education System With Author Nikhil Goyal

Education for the wealthy and depressingly drone-like programming for the poor. By Chris Hedges On Contact / RT (4/8/17) On this week’s episode of On Contact, Chris Hedges discusses how to salvage the American education system with Nikhil Goyal, author of “Schools on Trial: How Freedom and Creativity Can Fix Our Educational Malpractice”. RT Correspondent Anya Parampil explores the regimentation of education spurred by the No Child Left Behind Act. Link To 29-Minute Video ***** Talks at Google / Nikhil Goyal: “Schools On Trial” Talks At Google (3/1/16) Nikhil Goyal stops by Google NYC to chat about his book: “Schools On…

ALL ARTICLES, Climate Change December 23, 2019

A Single Ohio Fracking Well Vented More Methane In Just 20 Days Than Whole Nations Do In A Year

By Mark Sumner Daily Kos (12/19/19) Less than a week ago, a study on methane “super emitters” revealed something about the scope of the environmental threat represented by Donald Trump’s refusal to regulate methane release at wells. Not only are these sources making a significant and often unrecognized contribution to the climate crisis, but they can be difficult to find. Methane is invisible and, without the mercaptan added by utility companies to give gas its distinctive stink, even high levels of the gas can be odorless. Even when a satellite or plane identifies high methane in an area, pinpointing a specific well or storage…

ALL ARTICLES, FEATURE, Trumpenstan December 23, 2019

Ralph Nader Lays Out Nancy Pelosi’s Missed Opportunities With Impeachment

“It’s truly tragic.” Democracy Now! (12/16/9) Donald Trump is set to become the third president to be impeached when the Democrat-controlled House votes Wednesday on two charges related to his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. The vote will send the charges to the Republican-controlled Senate, which will then hold a trial on whether to remove Trump from office. Witnesses who could be called to testify include former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Early Monday, the House Judiciary Committee released its full report on Trump’s impeachment…

ALL ARTICLES, Trumpenstan December 19, 2019

He Can’t Run From It: Chiseling Trump’s Tawdry Legacy In Stone

“Today, the House of Representatives performed its constitutional duty by standing up for our democracy and standing up to the criminal in the White House. By voting to impeach Donald Trump, patriots affirmed that no one—not even the president of the United States—is above the law.”  “Today, every single Republican in the House of Representatives became an accomplice to Trump’s subversion of our democracy. By failing to impeach Donald Trump, GOP lawmakers showed their blind loyalty to their party and to a corrupt president—and history will remember them for the cowards they are.” — Sean Eldridge, founder and president of the…

ALL ARTICLES, Russia Monitor December 19, 2019

Russia Monitor: Piece By Piece, The Building Of The Case For Impeachment

Patriotic citizens braved frigid temperatures  Tuesday evening in downtown Richland Center in support of the impeachment of Donald Trump. About 15 citizens from several nearby communities gathered for the event, which was part of a nationwide citizen action showing support of justice in the United States. (Photo by Tom Crofton) ***** “Conservatives will someday face the horrible truth that the Republican Party fought so hard to justify and excuse an amoral and self-serving president, and what he gave them in return was bigger government and erosion of the principles and values they once claimed to cherish.” — Former Republican Rep….

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, History They Don't Want You To Know, Media Hits & Misses, War State America December 19, 2019

Secret History Of The War In Afghanistan Reveals The Bipartisan Betrayal Of American Troops

  “We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan. We didn’t know what we were doing. We didn’t have the foggiest notion of what we were undertaking.” — Gen. Douglas Lute, Afghan War “Czar” adviser to both presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. (Access NPR interview with Lute.) ***** “Truth was rarely welcome. Bad news was often stifled. Every data point was altered to present the best picture possible. Surveys, for instance, were totally unreliable but reinforced everything we were doing was right. And we became a self-licking ice cream cone.” — Col. Bob Crowley, retired Army counter…

ALL ARTICLES, American Fascism, Democrats, FEATURE, War State America December 19, 2019

‘Democrats Must Do Better’: As Poverty Spreads, Corporate Dems Ignore Progressives & Vote With GOP To Pass Bloated $1.4 Trillion War Budget & Funding Of Trump’s Wall

  “We must fund the government without funding hate.” — Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) By Jake Johnson Common Dreams (12/17/19) The leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus condemned the $1.4 trillion spending package that passed the House Tuesday, calling the legislation a massive giveaway to the Pentagon and a green light for President Donald Trump’s “immoral mass detention policies.” “The bill before us today will not stop the abuse and wrongful detention of people in custody, nor will it prevent the Trump administration from misusing federal funds to advance their horrific mass detention and deportation agenda,” Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.),…