(2020-07-10). What Coronavirus Teaches Us About Inequality, Discrimination and the Importance of Caring. counterpunch.org 
They say coronavirus doesn't discriminate, that it puts us all at risk, that it dictates an equally threatening future for all humankind. But the measures that have been implemented in Central America to deal with the pandemic are proof of the monumental, pre-existing inequality of our societies, and how quickly the neoliberal capitalist system takes
(2020-07-10). Headlines for July 10, 2020. democracynow.org Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Claim of Absolute Immunity, Court Says Much of Oklahoma Remains Indian Country in Landmark Indigenous Sovereignty Case, Hospitals Face Surge as U.S. Reports Record 65,000 New Coronavirus Cases, Surge in Cases Directly Tied to Early Reopenings in Florida, Arizona, Texas, Bolivia's Interim President Tests Positive; India, S. Africa & Mexico Report New Record Highs, 1.3 Million More File for Unemployment as GOP Rejects Extending Jobless Aid, Biden Unveils $700 Billion "Buy American" Economic Recovery Plan, St. Louis Police Break Up City Hall Protest Encampment, With Veto-Proof Majority,…
(2020-07-10). Overcoming Civil Discourse and Other Illusions of Democracy for the 1%. dissidentvoice.org 
Festishizing democracy The U.S. racist-capitalist class and its ideological apparatus fetishize the word democracy. Using fatuous appeals to civil discourse, it sponsors the illusion that democracy is the most advanced political system in human history. In addition to voting for their representatives, people supposedly engage with civil society through which they achieve greater social goods …
(2020-07-10). Inequality and the End of the American Dream. counterpunch.org Well, it's over. After nearly a century of self-promotion, the American Dream has been officially declared over. Donald Trump declared, during his 2016 campaign, "Sadly, the American dream is dead. But if I ever get elected president, I will bring it back bigger and better than ever." He advocated a slogan that looked backward to
(2020-07-10). Joblessness soars as COVID-19 pandemic accelerates across US. wsws.org Another 1.3 million people filed for unemployment for the first time last week as 18.1 million placed continuing claims.
(2020-07-10). Here Not Death But The Future Is Frightening. popularresistance.org The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released its June 2020 update. The prognosis is bleak. Global growth for 2020 is projected at -4.9%, 1.9% below the IMF's forecast from April. 'The COVID-19 pandemic has had a more negative impact on activity in the first half of 2020 than anticipated', acknowledges the IMF. Forecasts for 2021 are somewhat optimistic, sitting at 5.4%, which is higher than the 3.4% the IMF predicted in January 2020. 'The adverse impact on low-income households is particularly acute', says the IMF. Poverty reduction is effectively off the agenda. The World Bank's recent report takes a dim v…
(2020-07-09). Hate Groups Rake In PPP Loans as Racial Justice Movement Expands. truthout.org As millions took to the streets in all 50 states last month to protest against systemic racism and police brutality, several organizations that are considered hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) were enjoying new six- or seven-figure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the federal government. | On Monday, the Small Business Administration released the names of over 650,000 PPP beneficiaries that received $150,000 or more in forgivable loans from the agency. That list included a…
(2020-07-09). Address 'unprecedented' impact of coronavirus on Latin America and the Caribbean, urges Guterres. news.un.org As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, Latin America and the Caribbean have become a "hotspot of the pandemic", the UN chief said on Thursday, releasing a new policy initiative on how best to recover in a region already embroiled in poverty, hunger, unemployment and inequality.
(2020-07-09). The Pandemic Could Cause 12,000 Hunger Deaths, NGO Says. telesurenglish.net Oxfam in Kenya warned on Thursday that the COVID-19 impact on the economy could lead to about 12,000 hunger-related deceases topping the pandemic tally. | RELATED: | "COVID-19 is the last straw for millions of people already struggling with the impacts of conflict, climate change, inequality, and a broken food system that has impoverished millions of food producers and workers," Oxfam's Interim Executive Direct…
(2020-07-09). Conservative Elites Are Fighting for "Values" Invented to Justify Slavery. truthout.org Throughout its history the U.S. has had two very different ruling elites, motivated by very different definitions of liberty. Let's call them the New England Yankees vs. the Old South Planters. Their radically different definitions of "liberty" still divide liberals and conservatives today. | Wealthy elites are not all alike, and the differences between them are crucial. As the New England Yankee elite saw it, people with money and power must temper their predatory instincts with a code of conduct…
(2020-07-09). Corrupt Pelosi & Here Wealthy Husband Get PPP-Nancy Pelosi's husband among lawmaker-linked. indybay.org Corrupt Nancy Pelosi's wealthy husband received PPP loan funds.
(2020-07-08). The 'Camo Economy' Hides Military Costs and Exacerbates Inequality. commondreams.org In 2018, Lockheed Martin Corporation earned $8 billion in profits. About 85 percent of their business was government contracts. (Photo: Lockheed Martin) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/f-35_cold_war_arms_trade_0.jpg …
(2020-07-08). Combating the Political Power of the Rich: Wealth Taxes and Seattle Election Vouchers. cepr.net I have written many times that I thought the focus on wealth inequality, as opposed to income inequality, was misplaced. There are many practical, political, and legal problems associated with taxing wealth that are considerably smaller when we talk about altering the economic structures that redistribute so much income upward. But beyond the issue of …
(2020-07-08). What Do the Racial Wealth Gap, Police Brutality, and the Climate Crisis Have in Common? Wall Street. commondreams.org "The fossil fuel corporations funded by Wall Street cause vast harm to black communities," writes Connon, "yet, black communities reap almost no benefit from the industry." (Image: Flood Wall Street) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/image.jpg_0.jpg …
(2020-07-08). Welcome to Hectobillionaire Land. counterpunch.org You don't hear much about millionaires these days in America. Which makes some sense. Add up all our nation's personal wealth, divide by our number of people, and we have an average wealth per person in the United States today of about $300,000. At that average, a family of three worth a million dollars turns
(2020-07-08). A new Michigan rally for 'HEROES Act now' set for July 15. fightbacknews.org Grand Rapids, MI – After a lively rally on June 24 with nearly 100 workers, the stagehands union IATSE is calling a new rally on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol for July 15. The stagehands and other gig workers are demanding the passage of the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act by the U.S. Senate. July 25 is looming as the $600 per week unemployment boost that keeps people paying their bills is set to run out. Tensions are rising not just in Michigan, but also for stagehands from New York City to Hollywood, across the whole country. | "The U.S. House of Representatives…
(2020-07-08). A Decade Of Research On The Rich-Poor Divide In Education. popularresistance.org Education inequality is not just a divide between rich and poor but also between the ultra-rich and everyone else. In 2020, a Pennsylvania State University researcher documented how the wealthiest school districts in America — the top 1 percent — fund their schools at much higher levels than everyone else and are increasing their school spending at a faster rate. The school funding gap between a top 1 percent district (mostly white suburbs) and an average-spending school district at the 50th percentile widened by 32 percent between 2000 and 2015, the study calculated. Nassau County, just outside New Y…
(2020-07-08). Pandemic Capitalism: Pervasive Inequality Is A Chosen Catastrophe. popularresistance.org The current flavor of 'no holds barred' capitalism sits at this precipice. For years, it has extracted everything within its reach. It has exploited our natural resources and damaged our ecosystems. It has claimed our time and effort, and even our hopes and dreams. All these things have been treated as resources to be mined for a system that's systematically designed to benefit the few. | The main idea underpinning the current version of capitalism is blindingly simple: you only have to remember one thing – that your job is to maximize profits. And you only have to accept one lie – that in doing so, you benefit t…
(2020-07-07). South America's Covid-19 crisis has exposed the inequalities of the region & the lack of real progress addressing poverty. rt.com 
As the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in South America, it is the poorest who are worst affected. The pandemic has highlighted the societal problems that countries have been unable to eradicate. | At roughly 7: 30am on July 6, a gasoline truck overturned on a perilous stretch of Colombia's Caribbean highway known for accidents. In this part of the world, a vehicle accident itself is generally not newsworthy. | But times are different. With Covid-19 ravaging South America, we can begin to understand why ten people lost their lives when the truck's cargo exploded, and around 50 are in a serious condition fr…
(2020-07-07). Independent rights expert speaks of 'anguish, stress and disempowerment' of poverty. news.un.org More than 70 million people are expected to fall into extreme poverty because of COVID-19, the UN Human Rights Council heard on Tuesday, as a leading rights expert slammed "greatly exaggerated" claims of global poverty eradication between 1990 and 2015.
(2020-07-07). Argentine social movements propose San Martín Plan to overcome extreme poverty post-COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org Social leader Juan Grabois, in an interview with community media, detailed aspects of the plan which envisions the generation of 4 million jobs The plan envisions the creation of a fund which will set up 4,000 productive units…
(2020-07-07). The Racial Wealth Gap Is About the Upper Classes. zcomm.org Here's an idea: we should redistribute wealth from the largely white 1 percent to the poor and working class of all races — tackling both racial and class inequality simultaneously.
(2020-07-07). Unemployment Benefits Should Depend on the Pandemic. counterpunch.org In recent weeks many members of Congress have been arguing against extending the $600 weekly supplement to unemployment insurance benefits that was put into the original pandemic relief package. Some members of Congress have even argued for extra payments to encourage unemployed workers to return to work. These proposals miss the logic that led Congress
(2020-07-07). As cutoff of $600 weekly benefit and wave of evictions loom, Congress takes a holiday. wsws.org The $600 weekly federal supplement to unemployment benefits is set to expire July 25, while moratoriums on evictions have already expired in 20 states.
(2020-07-07). US' Illegal Killing of Soleimani 'Same Deal' as Past Wars Over 'Sphere of Influence' – Journo. sputniknews.com In a recent report, a United Nations expert found the January killing of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani by a US drone strike was against international law. One journalist told Sputnik the killing fit a long pattern of the US destroying places it cannot control, which is linked to the proliferation of poverty in the US.
(2020-07-07). Thursday 7/9: COVID19 Pandemic & Its Hightened Impact on Latino Community. indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-07-07). 'Dangerous Complacency': UN Expert Issues Scathing Report Denouncing Global Failures to Tackle Poverty Even Before Covid Pandemic. commondreams.org "Poverty is a political choice and it will be with us until its elimination is reconceived as a matter of social justice." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/poverty_1.jpg …
