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News & Views | 9/11/20




Feature...







'Incredibly Dark Day for Voting Rights': With Support of Trump Judges, Federal Court Upholds Florida Poll Tax Weeks Before Election



by Jake Johnson, staff writer
"An affront of the very notion that Americans have a right to vote."



















News...







Fauci Warns Pre-Pandemic Normalcy Not Likely Until 'Well Into' or 'Towards the End of 2021'



by Jessica Corbett, staff writer
The public health expert also addressed the need to reduce cases headed into fall, halted vaccine trials, and reported attempts to "muzzle" him.




Bernie-Inspired Organizers and Rhode Island Voters Deliver 'Crystal Clear Message' With Progressive Primary Wave



by Julia Conley, staff writer
Progressive candidates from all over the state of Rhode Island celebrated victories Friday after 38,000 mail-in ballots were tallied in this week's primary elections, in which more than a dozen centrist Democratic incumbents were rejected by voters.




'Reckless, Violent, Massacre' of 570 Wolves and Wolf Pups in Idaho Bolsters Alarm Over Trump Attack on Species Protections



by Jessica Corbett, staff writer
Wildlife advocates warn that if a Trump administration effort to lift nationwide protections proceeds, "this cruelty could extend to all wolves within our country's borders."




Sanders Slams Republican Senate for Happily Approving $740 Billion for Pentagon While Doing 'Nothing' to Address Covid Crisis



by Jake Johnson, staff writer
"Instead of more austerity for the working class of this country, we need to impose austerity on the billionaire class and on Wall Street."




NYT's Krugman Pilloried on 9/11 Anniversary for Claiming No 'Mass Outbreak of Anti-Muslim Sentiment' in US After 2001 Attacks



by Brett Wilkins, staff writer
Anti-Muslim hate crimes soared after 9/11, and thousands of Muslims in the U.S. were detained—and some tortured—in George W. Bush's futile anti-terror dragnet.




As Fires Engulf West, Democrats Not Running on Trump Climate Failures Called 'Political Malpractice'



by Jessica Corbett, staff writer
"People are dying and losing their homes and jobs. But politicians in D.C. are sitting on their hands, and the president of the United States is telling people that the solution is to clean up their yards."




UN: Israeli Demolition of Palestinian Homes Increases Despite Pandemic



by Brett Wilkins, staff writer
Dozens of Palestinians were recently displaced because Israeli authorities destroyed their homes, even as Covid-19 cases increased by a third.




Survey Shows Nearly Half in US Suffering Serious Economic Hardship—and Situation 'Going to Get Worse'



by Kenny Stancil, staff writer
"There is nothing for the people we surveyed who earn under $100,000 a year to fall back on."




"It's a Superspreader Event": Few Masks in Sight at Packed Trump Campaign Rally in Michigan



by Jake Johnson, staff writer
"The lives of everyone in these photos—and of everyone they come into contact with in the next few weeks—are now at risk. But Donald Trump doesn't care, so long as his ego is fed."




Fires Ravaging US West a 'Bellwether of the Future,' Says Oregon Governor as Half a Million Residents Evacuate



by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
"I wish the 2020 wildfires were an anomaly—but this will not be a one-time event."











More News














Views...







This Is a Climate Emergency. We Need More Than Half-Measures from Democrats.



by Basav Sen
How to get the Democrats’ climate policy from “better than the Republicans” to “sufficient to save the planet.”




A Court Just Slammed the Guantánamo Gate Shut



by Linda Greenhouse
Does the public care about the 40 remaining inmates with no obvious end to their imprisonment?




The Direct Line From Portland To Authoritarian Crackdowns Around the World



by Kat DesCamp-Renner
What happened in Portland is an American foreign policy tactic, this time directed against American citizens.




Food Need Very High Compared to Pre-Pandemic Levels, Making Relief Imperative



by Brynne Keith-Jennings
Millions of Americans are still not getting enough to eat. Policymakers must address this problem by providing more assistance.




Police Encounters During Mental Health Crises Don’t Have to Be Violent



by Jennifer Sarrett
Individuals facing mental health challenges deserve better treatment from police—and the rest of society.




How Trump Will Try to Win—or Steal—the Election



by John Feffer
Trump does not like to lose. He will try these various strategies to overcome his profound unpopularity to win re-election.











More Views














Newswire...







ICE Fails to Respond to Reports of Miami Detention Facility Feeding Pork to Muslims
Federal Appeals Court Affirms Wealth-Based Barriers to Voting
Appeals Court Leaves in Place Florida’s Pay-to-Vote Scheme
Idaho Documents Reveal Weeks-old Wolf Pups Among 570 Maimed, Slaughtered Wolves
Senator McConnell’s Not-So-Skinny Relief Package For Coal and Mining Special Interests Failed For A Reason








More Newswire...

FAIR, Weekly Alert: September 11, 2020

Here are the stories FAIR has been working on this week. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this email to friends and by sharing our stories on social media like Facebook and Twitter.




Manufacturing Disgrace: Reuters Distorts Chevron v. Donziger

This week's episode of FAIR's radio show CounterSpin:
Peter Maybarduk on Covid Treatments, Kia Rahnama on the Right to Protest

Latest CounterSpin Transcript:

‘ 'They Put the Blame of Waste on Individuals as Opposed to Companies'

‘When You Talk About White Supremacy, You’ve Got to Take a Hard Look at Our Culture’

'These Players Have Had a Very Special Place in American History'

FAIR Cites:

The Always 'Lagging' US War Machine




FAIR’s ad-free, content-rich site
is supported by contributions from
our loyal band of media activists.

WSWS, links to articles

As pandemic death toll approaches 200,000, American oligarchs celebrate their wealth

According to Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, the super-rich now possess $3.2 trillion, enough to pay for an entire year of public education, health care, nutrition and disaster relief for millions of people.

Read more




Wildfires turn US West Coast into an apocalyptic hellhole

As with the criminal mishandling of COVID-19, the mass devastation wrought by the wildfires further exposes the complete inability of capitalism to address any social problem.

Read more




University of Michigan grad students set to extend strike as opposition grows in the US to back-to-school drive

Nineteen of the 25 hottest outbreaks in the US are in communities with colleges that have reopened for in-person learning, sparking growing anger over the homicidal back-to-school campaign.

Read more





University of Michigan strikers speak out: “We need to resist going back to normal. Normal no longer exists”

The strike is quickly turning into a focal point of a much broader opposition to the reckless reopening of both K-12 schools and college campuses everywhere.

Read more




Revelation of US government conspiracy on COVID-19 exposes EU herd immunity policy

Revelations that US officials conspired to lie to the public about the severity of the coronavirus pandemic also expose the politically criminal role of the EU.

Read more





Latin America, epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic, on the brink of social explosion

Latin America this week reached the grim milestones of 300,000 COVID-19 deaths and more than 8 million infections.

Read more





US jobless claims top 884,000 for second week in a row

With no congressional relief in sight, millions of workers are seeing meager unemployment benefits expire while layoffs continue to mount.

Read more




Biden pledges to keep troops in the Middle East and maintain record military spending

Since Labor Day, Biden has focused on appeals for support from the military and national security establishment, along with economic nationalist demagogy and pledges to prosecute “violent” left-wing protesters.

Read more




Jacksonville, Florida teacher speaks out against deadly school reopenings

A teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, reached out to the WSWS to speak about the spread of the coronavirus across the state just two weeks into the new school year.
Read more






Infected students denounce administration guidelines, amidst rising COVID-19 cases at Southern California universities

Infected students report callous treatment from school administration, being thrown into isolation rooms without bed sheets, food or sanitizing equipment.

Read more




Why did so many poor New Yorkers die of COVID-19?

Inequality, including in-hospital care, determined whether thousands of people in New York City would die of COVID-19.

Read more





Mexico runs out of death certificates with 122,765 “excess deaths” reported during pandemic

The Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has done nothing to prevent the virus from claiming the lives of tens of thousands, most of them poor workers.

Read more




Hundreds of new COVID-19 cases raise fears of uncontrolled outbreaks across the Pacific

The surge in cases across the Pacific is causing a deepening health and social crisis, underscoring the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more




Full classes, full buses—German schools are becoming a coronavirus trap

With schools re-opening without social distancing and the wearing of masks, new infections are increasing. Throughout Germany, hundreds of facilities have been affected.

Read more




India-China border conflict remains on knife’s edge

US support for India and efforts by major European powers to boost their military-strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific could cascade the border crisis into a catastrophic war.

Read more




Australian raids on Chinese journalists mark escalation of US-led witch hunt

The timeline of this affair points to an intensifying anti-China propaganda campaign, instigated by Washington and the intelligence apparatus.

Read more




Constitutional amendment aims to provide Sri Lankan president with authoritarian powers

Like his political counterparts around the world, Rajapakse’s preparations for dictatorial rule are being made in order to unleash a massive social assault on the working class.

Read more





Mauritian cruise ship crews strike to demand repatriation

Mediterranean Shipping Company crews have been stranded on three ships near Santos port, Brazil since the industry’s COVID-19 shutdown in late March.

Read more





State University of New York scapegoats students for COVID outbreaks, prepares repressive measures

Refusing to take any responsibility for this catastrophe, the SUNY system is punishing groups of students for gathering and laying the ground for further police repression on campuses.

Read more




Brexit crisis intensifies after Johnson government tears up agreement with Brussels

Brexit epitomises the malignant growth of inter-imperialist antagonisms that are plunging the world into a brutal trade war and exacerbating the threat of military conflict.

Read more





UK Tories use Extinction Rebellion protests to argue for savage political repression

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked officials to take a “fresh look” at the legal status of Extinction Rebellion and see if it can be classified as an “organised crime group.”

Read more




UK government’s “Operation Moonshot”—a trojan horse for herd immunity policy

Under the cover of a non-existent mass testing programme, the government plans to encourage as much intermingling as possible.

Read more





Thousands sleeping rough after the burning down of Moria refugee camp on Lesbos

Shocking footage and pictures show refugees of all ages sleeping on roads and hillsides, surrounded by their meagre possessions.

Read more





UK Conservative government votes down Grenfell Tower safety recommendations as inquiry resumes

The inquiry’s toothless “suggestions”—that tower block tenants be granted a few minimal safety rights—have been tossed into the bin by the Tories.

Read more




Russia holds regional elections amidst growing political crisis

Balloting in 83 regions ends Sunday, and Kremlin-backed candidates are facing challengers in a number of areas.

Read more




Trade unions confer with big business Liberals on how to revive Canadian capitalism

The government’s real agenda is for a rapid return to work, higher corporate profitability and “competitiveness,” and to advance Canadian imperialism’s predatory interests internationally.

Read more





Amazon uses former government agents to spy on workers

A number of recent exposures confirm that Amazon has established its own secret internal intelligence agency to spy on its workforce.

Read more





US attempting to block Spanish investigation into CIA spying on Assange

The US authorities are seeking to prevent judicial confirmation that their pursuit of Assange has included illegal spying, and gross violations of attorney-client privilege.

Read more





No to a Greek-Turkish war in the eastern Mediterranean!

Amid the escalation of threats and naval maneuvers between Turkey and Greece, backed by France, Europe and the Middle East, are teetering on the brink of war.

Read more




CPP founder Sison regurgitates Stalinist lies about Trotskyism

Sison’s second interview, defending his politically bankrupt “semi-colonial, semi-feudal” thesis, is a desperate bid to stem the haemorrhaging of support for the Communist Party of the Philippines, and to suppress any questioning in its ranks.

Read more





NYU’s Center for Social Media & Politics: A think tank for a frightened ruling class

The establishment of the center at NYU, a university with close ties to the state, reflects the ruling class’s increasing concerns over the political effects of social media.

Read more





Australia’s brutal immigration policy in Stateless: “What is my crime?”

Stateless, now showing on Netflix, deals with the harsh Australian immigration detention program and the horrors inflicted on persecuted refugees fleeing colonial wars.

Read more




Smoking in the age of COVID: Some immunological considerations

Smoking and e-cigarettes are directly associated with increased risk of infection by the novel coronavirus.

Read more




Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Read more

ProPublica, links to articles

Nature Is Not Healing






California is burning, laying bare the truth that climate change is happening right now. Reporter Elizabeth Weil, who calls the state home, spoke with former Gov. Jerry Brown about California’s converging apocalypses.
Hazardous air pollutants, a type of emission produced by many chemical plants in Louisiana’s industrial corridor, are correlated with increased coronavirus deaths, according to a SUNY-ProPublica study. West Baton Rouge Parish, for example, ranks among the top 3% of U.S. counties with at least 30 deaths. Several of its neighboring parishes also rank near the top of the list.





Who Is This Helping?






One pandemic. Two stories. The CEO of an aerospace company saw eye-popping profits thanks to billions in help from the U.S. government. Thirty stories below him, a man doubts his small, 20-year-old shop will survive the pandemic economy. It’s a classic story of the big corporate rescue and the America that’s too small to save.
Less than two months into Rick Perry’s tenure as energy secretary, he worked on a big Ukrainian gas deal from which his friends and political donors stood to benefit, a six-month investigation by reporters from Time, WNYC and ProPublica found. The biggest deal was worth an estimated $20 billion, according to sources. Two ethics experts say Perry’s efforts were violations of federal regulations.





Abuses of Power






Alaska’s lieutenant governor propositioned Jody Potts in a hotel room. Forty-eight hours later, he resigned. The story of what happened has never been publicly told until now. Potts opened up to reporters from our Local Reporting Network partner newsroom, the Anchorage Daily News, about what went down that afternoon.
Christopher McCormack is one of the NYPD’s highest-ranking officers. He ascended to that position despite the fact that over a dozen Black and Latino men accused him of humiliating and invasive strip-searches. He’s just one of many high-ranking NYPD officers who have risen despite allegations of misconduct in their records.

Thanks for reading. In a few days, I’ll meet my niece for the first time and I’ve channeled this excitement to fuel me through a particularly long week. What’s been your source of motivation?

— Jan Byun

Story Production Fellow





WHAT ELSE WE PUBLISHED THIS WEEK



The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Confirms a Pattern of Age Discrimination at IBM
A sweeping decision by the EEOC could cost the tech giant millions in settlements or make it the target of a federal age-discrimination lawsuit. Its findings echo those of a ProPublica investigation.
by Peter Gosselin, special to ProPublica



The FTC Is Investigating Intuit Over TurboTax Practices
The probe, spurred by ProPublica reporting, centers on whether Intuit tricked customers into paying for tax filing when they should have been able to file for free.
by Justin Elliott



Hundreds of Children Are Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals Each Year Despite the State’s Promises to Find Them Homes
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services promised to rescue children languishing in psychiatric hospitals for weeks and sometimes months beyond medical necessity. But the state hasn’t delivered and the problem has only gotten worse.
by Duaa Eldeib



Please Tell Us If You Have Any Trouble Voting This Year
Are you a voter? A poll worker? An election administrator? We want to hear from you about any problems you’re experiencing or witnessing in the voting process.
by Rachel Glickhouse



Electionland 2020: Voting Begins, Facebook Rules, Pandemic Election Plans and More
This week's headlines on mail ballots, studies on voting and Trump's latest election rhetoric.
by Rachel Glickhouse

In These Times, top stories

12 September 2020

TOP STORIES


This Is a Climate Emergency. We Need More Than Half-Measures from Democrats.

How to get the Democrats’ climate policy from “better than the Republicans” to “sufficient to save the planet.”

BY BASAV SEN

How to Negotiate With People Who Don’t Care If You Die

To win another stimulus bill, the Democrats need to embrace chaos.

BY HAMILTON NOLAN

The Problem Isn't That People Are Greedy—It's That They're Capitalist

Capitalism’s ethos of “grow or die” comes at our expense.

BY HADAS THIER

Anti-War Veteran Is Furious Trump Is Twisting His Video Protesting Biden's Iraq War Record

Air Force veteran is demanding Trump stop sharing a dated video of him confronting Biden.

BY SARAH LAZARE

Four Steps to Transform the Pharmaceutical Industry and Survive the Pandemic

Dealing with the Covid crisis will require taking the profit motive out of our health systems. Here’s how.

BY DANA BROWN AND CHRISTOPHER MORTEN

Let’s Remember Labor’s Forgotten Fight—Shorter Hours and Control Over Work Time

We’re working more for less. Instead, we should fight to work less for more.

BY JAMIE K. MCCALLUM

Standing Rock's Enduring Message: "Let Us Teach You How To Live on This Land"

A conversation with LaDonna Brave Bull Allard of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

BY MAXIMILLIAN ALVAREZ

WORKING IN THESE TIMES

Time For Unions to Give the Democratic Party an Ultimatum

Money spent on organizing is always well spent. You can’t say the same about political donations.

BY HAMILTON NOLAN

RURAL AMERICA IN THESE TIMES

Healthy Food Comes from Healthy Land, Not from Laboratories

Manufactured meat substitutes do nothing to restore the ecosystems and rural communities ravaged by industrial agriculture.

BY WILL HARRIS

Your Economic Future Is In Trump’s Hands...(w/ Richard Wolff)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHqwXTfi8kY&ab_channel=ThomHartmannProgram