2019-12-02: News Headlines

Rob Urie (2019-12-02). Ukraine, the New Cold War and the Politics of Impeachment. counterpunch.org In October 2019, with the impeachment of Donald Trump already underway, wealthy 'centrist' Democratic Party donors began to fret over the Democrat's prospects in the 2020 election. Since then Michael Bloomberg and Deval Patrick, both Wall Street Democrats with deep pockets, have entered the race. Meanwhile, the Senate impeachment schedule will keep Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in Washington— and away from the campaign trail, well into the early state primaries. More

WSWS (2019-12-02). Obama spearheads campaign against Sanders' nomination as Democratic presidential candidate. wsws.org The Democratic Party establishment wants to ensure that issues of social inequality are not a focal point in the elections, even in the toothless form represented by Sanders and Warren.

Staff (2019-12-02). Wages Have Risen Due to Minimum Wage Increases and the Fed's Obama-Era Policies. truthout.org There are a lot of things — like high health care costs, unaffordable housing and crushing student loan debt — which are not going right for people right now. However, it is worth noting one important way in which things are going in the right direction. The low current unemployment rate, coupled with minimum wage increases in many states and cities, is leading to real wage gains at the middle and bottom end of the wage ladder. | The data on this are very clear. The weekly wage…

Staff (2019-12-02). Tariq Ali on U.K. Elections, Corbyn's "Radical Social-Democratic Program" & Rise of Extreme Right. democracynow.org The British general election is just 10 days away and will have huge implications for the future of the country as well as Brexit. When voters cast their ballots later this month, they will choose between two dramatically different candidates: right-wing Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson and left-wing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn recently unveiled an ambitious election manifesto promising to transform the country and resuscitate its public sector. The plan proposed a $100-billion tax increase on the wealthy to fund investment in infrastructure as well as increased spending on education and heal…

Fréa Lockley (2019-12-02). Every potential Tory voter needs to hear from these children living in poverty. thecanary.co On 2 December, Channel 4's Dispatches is set to screen a documentary called Growing Up Poor: Britain's Breadline Kids. It should be essential viewing for people who're undecided about who to vote for, and for everyone considering voting Tory. | "We try not to eat a lot in one day": | Dispatches spent a year with three families. The film shows "

teleSUR (2019-12-01). Malta's PM to Quit Amid Crisis Over Murdered Journalist Probe. telesurenglish.net Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced Sunday he plans to step down, saying he would ask his ruling Labour Party to start choosing a new leader for the country next month, amid the crisis over the probe into the murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. | RELATED: | One of Malta's Wealthiest Men Charged With Complicity in Journalist's Murder | "I will write to the president of the Labour Party so that the process for a new leader is set for Jan. 12 2020. O…

teleSUR (2019-12-01). Iraq's Communists Support Uprising, Urge for New System. telesurenglish.net Iraq's Communist Party (ICP) continue to call for the resignation of the whole government, a total replacement of the current system by a new one, and for the uprising to continue with the same motivation and power until people's demands are met. | RELATED: | Chilean Communists Reject Sebastian Piñera's Proposal | As massive demonstrations over unemployment, rampant corruption, poor delivery of services, and sectarianism, are gaining momentum, the ICP -the country's oldest existing poli…

teleSUR (2019-11-30). One of Malta's Wealthiest Men Charged in Journalist's Murder. telesurenglish.net One of Malta's wealthiest men Yorgen Fenech was charged Saturday in a Valletta court with complicity to murder in the car bomb killing of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana in 2017. | RELATED: | Malta: 3 on Trial for Murdering Anti-Corruption Journalist | Fenech pleaded not guilty to the charge of complicity to murder and to other charges related to the case, which include membership of a criminal gang, and conspiracy to cause an explosion. | Caruana, 53, was killed…

United Nations (2019-11-29). Is the world ready to end the coal era and embrace clean energy? news.un.org Access to electricity has transformed the world, helping countries to develop their economies, and lifting millions out of poverty. However, this success has come at a great cost: the energy sector, heavily reliant on fossil fuels, is responsible for some 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions — one of the so-called greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere and warm the Earth — and almost two-thirds of these emissions come from coal.

Jennifer Matsui (2019-11-29). The Impunity Doctrine: The Meek Shall be Buried Beneath the Earth. counterpunch.org The ruling class are feeling the heat. By feeling the heat, I mean they are disproportionately perturbed by toothless condemnation of their tax-avoiding wealth accumulation by presidential hopefuls looking to shore up "progressive" support during the primaries. Never mind that this highly scripted spectacle is underwritten by Wall Street, and its executive producers are the More

Alan Macleod (2019-11-27). Michael Bloomberg's President Run Raises Questions About Democracy and a Free Press. mintpressnews.com The New Yorker's presidential bid highlights the contradictions between both extreme wealth and a for-profit, corporate advertiser-driven media landscape and democracy and freedom of expression.

Staff (2019-11-21). 2020 Candidates' Focus on Inequality Shows "Shift in the Conversation" Within Democratic Party. democracynow.org Ten Democratic candidates took the stage Wednesday for the party's fifth presidential debate, held in Atlanta, Georgia, and co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. One of the most memorable moments of the night was a disagreement between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker over Warren's proposed tax on the wealthiest Americans. Her proposed wealth tax would kick in on assets of $50 million and higher. Both candidates agreed that inequality is a major issue in the U.S., but Booker said wealth taxes in other countries have not been effective and that there are better ways to raise revenue. The issue of ec…

splcenter (2019-11-12). SPLC Response to Union Petition. splcenter.org On November 7, 2019, the Southern Poverty Law Center received a notice from the National Labor Relations Board that the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild seeks to represent certain employees through the formation of a union.

CounterSpin (2019-09-27). Shailly Gupta Barnes, Frances Fox Piven on Defining and Ending Poverty. fair.org Media…