(2020-08-07). Headlines for August 7, 2020. democracynow.org Study Predicts U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Could Reach 300,000 by December, Georgia High Schoolers Suspended for Sharing Images of Unmasked Students in Crowded Halls, India's COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million as WHO Warns of Worsening Outbreaks in Africa, Peru's Health System in Collapse as COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 20,000, Congressional Talks on New Coronavirus Stimulus on Brink of Collapse, "Make Billionaires Pay Act" Would Tax Richest 0.001% to Fund Healthcare for Millions, Police Fire Tear Gas at Anti-Government Protesters as Anger Rages over Beirut Blast, New York Attorney General Files Suit to Dissolve NRA over Ex…
(2020-08-07). 'It's okay when it comes out of Chuck Schumer's mouth?' Democrat senator says schools must reopen or economy suffers. rt.com 
Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a compromise on a Covid-19 economic relief bill, but one comment from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) about schools needing to reopen has some seeing hypocrisy on the left. | Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Schumer addressed the press after failed negotiations with Republicans on a potential relief bill. While many of their complaints about Republicans refusing to continue robust unemployment and other government programs was to be expected, one comment from Schumer went viral as it didn't seem to match the outrage shown to President Donald Trump when he mentioned…
(2020-08-07). Revisiting the Idea of Pigou Wealth Tax in the Time of Covid-19. counterpunch.org 
Arthur Cecil Pigou (1877-1959), a British economist, is well known for his contributions to welfare economics. One of the most prolific writers of his time, Pigou wrote over a dozen books and more than 100 articles and pamphlets dealing with both theoretical and practical aspects of welfare economics. His writings cover a wide range of
(2020-08-07). Haven't We All Known Guys Who Were Exactly like Donald Trump? counterpunch.org 
Although it gives me no pleasure to report this, while growing up in the shady suburban confines of Southern California, in the Sixties, I probably knew half a dozen guys who—other than being middle or lower middle-class rather wealthy, and shorter rather than taller—were otherwise exactly like President Trump. I'm also certain that I never
(2020-08-07). Economy Creates 1.8 Million Jobs in July, Production Workers' Wages Fall. cepr.net There is no evidence that generous unemployment benefits are making it difficult to find workers. The July employment report showed the economy adding another 1,761,000 jobs in July. This follows gains of 2,725,000 in May, and 4,791,000 in June, leaving the economy down 12,881,000 jobs from its February level. The unemployment rate fell from 11.1 …
(2020-08-07). Washington DC deadlocked as 30 million have their unemployment benefits cut. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Talks between Democrats and Republicans about extending economic aid remained deadlocked as of Thursday morning, August 6. In May, Democrats passed their HEROES act to extend the $600 additional unemployment benefit, known as FPUC, or Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, as well as other economic aid for renters, state and local government, and others. But Republican senators and the Trump administration did nothing, hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic would go away, and the economy would recover in short order. The Republicans have also been hampered by divisions in the Senate, where a large…
(2020-08-07). New US unemployment claims top 1 million for 20th straight week. wsws.org Indifferent to the plight of millions of jobless workers and their families, senators from both parties adjourned Thursday with no agreement on extending expired unemployment benefits.
(2020-08-07). Time for an Emergency Charity Stimulus. counterpunch.org We are living through a time of unprecedented challenges: a major public health crisis and a deepening recession. Congress has already authorized trillions in stimulus funds. But millions of Americans are still relying on the support of local nonprofits such as food banks and human services. These nonprofits are going to need major infusions of
(2020-08-07). Consequences Of Inadequate Action By Congress. popularresistance.org Without federal aid to state and local governments, millions of jobs in the public sector will be lost by the end of 2021, severely impacting Black workers, women, and veterans, who are disproportionately employed in these jobs. Additional jobs will be lost—in both the private and public sectors—if Congress fails to reinstate the $600 weekly unemployment benefit that expired last week. EPI experts weigh in on what could happen if Congress fails to act to prevent further economic shock. | (1) The coronavirus shock was historically large—and the bounceback has already likely stalled. (2) UI claims…
(2020-08-07). US Has Lost 12,881,000 Jobs Since February. Lowest-Paid Workers Are Hit Hardest. truthout.org The July employment report showed the economy adding another 1,761,000 jobs in July. This follows gains of 2,725,000 in May, and 4,791,000 in June, leaving the economy down 12,881,000 jobs from its February level. | The unemployment rate fell from 11.1 percent to 10.2 percent, while the employment to population ratio (EPOP) rose from 54.6 percent to 55.1 percent. These gains likely overstate the true improvement from June, since the Bureau of Labor Statistics has largely fixed a misclassification p…
(2020-08-06). Blade Runner & HAL 9000 racist? 'Whiteness' of artificial intelligence 'exacerbates racial inequality,' new study suggests. rt.com 
A University of Cambridge study examining the depiction of artificial intelligence in film, television, Google searches, images, and voices, suggests it is yet another area that showcases racism. | While most would likely assume a machine cannot have a race, the researchers said that they do indeed have "racial identities" influenced by "real world" stereotypes. | These "racial identities" can be found in both the fact that AIs and depictions of AIs have caucasion features and also typically talk in "standard white middle-class English," including voices given to smartphone technology. The study suggests "blac…
(2020-08-06). Progress in the Age of COVID-19. progressive.org America's inequality crisis—now made much worse by our "leaders" mishandling the pandemic—cannot be met by small-ball political tinkering and legalistic tweaks to failed systems.
(2020-08-06). Florida governor admits state unemployment system purposefully designed to pay out "least number of claims" wsws.org Republican governor Ron DeSantis had previously claimed nearly all applicants had been paid and blamed jobless workers for incorrectly filling out forms.
(2020-08-06). Study: Billionaires That Donated to Gates-Buffet Giving Pledge Now Richer Than Ever. mintpressnews.com As the assets of the billionaire class in the US swell to $3.5 trillion amid the pandemic, a new study of philanthropic giving reveals that many of America's wealthiest are using charitable donations to stay rich and get richer.
(2020-08-06). New Sanders Bill Would Tax "Obscene" Pandemic Windfall of Billionaires. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce legislation Thursday that would heavily tax the "obscene wealth gains" America's billionaires have accumulated during the Covid-19 crisis to help fund the U.S. recovery from the pandemic and resulting economic collapse. | In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sanders said "if we taxed 60 percent of the windfall gains these billionaires made from March 18th until August 3rd, we could raise over $420 billion." | "That's enough revenue to allow Medicare to pay…
(2020-08-06). Taxing the Rich. Imposing A "Pigou Wealth Tax" in the Time of COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Arthur Cecil Pigou (1877-1959), a British economist, is well known for his contributions to welfare economics. One of the most prolific writers of his time, Pigou wrote over a dozen books and more than 100 articles and pamphlets dealing with …
(2020-08-06). Sen. Sanders' Bill Would Tax Billionaires' Pandemic Wealth Gains to Fund Healthcare. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-08-06). The Complete Dysfunction of the GOP Is on Full Display. thenation.com The Complete Dysfunction of the GOP Is on Full Display…
(2020-08-05). Explosion Rocks Beirut; Trump Defies SCOTUS, GOP Stimulus Failure. sputniknews.com Lebanon's capital of Beirut is reeling from an explosion on Tuesday that killed more than 135 people, injured thousands more and left the economy crippled. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump continues to push against a Supreme Court ruling on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, making life harder on immigrants.
(2020-08-05). Republicans sabotage as negotiations delay pandemic relief package. workers.org 
Aug. 3 — Talks between the Republican administration and its majority Republican Senate with the Democratic Party House and Senate leaders have failed so far to reach agreement. This impasse holds up the emergency relief, which Republicans call CARES-2, beyond the date when vital unemployment supplements expired and the rent . . . |
(2020-08-05). After a lifetime of discrimination older women slip into poverty. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-08-05). United Steelworkers shuts down strike by Asarco copper miners. wsws.org In a monstrous betrayal, the union has closed down picket lines and ordered striking miners to accept any job offered by the company or risk losing their unemployment benefits and any recall rights.
(2020-08-05). An Economic Survival Package, not a Stimulus Package. zcomm.org This is really a question of life and death. Tens of millions of workers have serious health conditions that mean they would be at considerable danger if they became infected…
(2020-08-05). Millions of Americans to Suffer Severe Financial Hardship When Unemployment Aid Ends – Survey. sputniknews.com A new analysis has found that 5.4 million Americans are expected to have issues paying their bills by the end of August, following the July 31 expiration of the supplemental $600 unemployment insurance benefits provided by the US' Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
(2020-08-05). Water Wars and America's Fate. strategic-culture.org India versus China, Egypt versus Ethiopia, Israel versus the Palestinians — the Water Wars are already here with U.S., yet American and European policymakers remain disastrously blind to them. This is certain to have catastrophic consequences for the wealthy, arrogant and ludicrously complacent elites of the West. | The problem is particularly acute in the United States: Indeed, it has been growing for half a century but has reached such enormous dimensions in the 21st century that neocon imperialist Republican, neoliberal imperialist Democratic and Green policymakers are all oblivious to it. | How can this…
(2020-08-05). Mitch McConnell's GOP Is Destroying America. commondreams.org "For the bulk of this crisis, McConnell called the Senate back into session only to confirm more of Trump's extremist judges and advance a $740 billion defense spending bill," writes Reich. "Throughout it all, McConnell has insisted his priority is to shield businesses from Covid-related lawsuits by customers and employees who have contracted the virus." (Image: Inequality Media) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/how_gop_are_destroying_america.jpg …
(2020-08-05). Sen. Schumer, Rep. McEachin, Progressive and Climate Advocates Speak Out Against Liability Waivers in Covid Stimulus. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-08-05). How Mitch McConnell's republicans are destroying America. nationofchange.org Time and again, they've shown that they only care about their wealthy donors and corporate backers.
(2020-08-05). House Speaker Pelosi signals readiness to cut unemployment benefits. wsws.org Congress continues to quibble over a new bill as the crisis deepens for millions of workers and their families.
(2020-08-04). Is Black Lives Matter a tipping point on class inequality? peoplesworld.org 
The Black Lives Matter movement, in demanding that we consider how Black lives have devalued, essentially asks us to interrogate our entire system of economic and cultural values. On what basis do we assign different values to people's lives? Such a question brings us to the heart of our class society that we really tend …
(2020-08-04). COVID Stimulus Checks Shouldn't Penalize One-Parent Households. counterpunch.org 
Both the HEROES Act passed by the House in May and Senate Republicans' HEALS Act announced this week would provide a new round of stimulus in the form of one-time cash payments to most Americans, but with some major differences. One of these differences is in how the bills treat one-parent households with children, the
(2020-08-04). The 1 Percent's Attack on Unemployment Benefits is a Sign of Our Broken Democracy. counterpunch.org Members of the One Percent, such as former restaurateur Andrew Puzder, have urged Congress to not renew the $600 a week unemployment supplement Congress enacted as part of the CARES Act. They argue, in Puzder's words, that "this $600 per week bonus is discouraging work" for low-wage earners. No one receiving unemployment benefits will make themselves
(2020-08-04). Anger grows across the US as closed-door talks continue on expired unemployment relief. wsws.org Millions of American workers don't know how they'll pay rent or where their next meal will come from.
(2020-08-04). US: Florida's Ports Are Going Through a Difficult Situation. telesurenglish.net Florida's Port Council (FlaPort) warned that 169,000 jobs and US$23 billion will be lost because of the economic crisis unleashed by the pandemic. | RELATED: | These data, which come from a study carried out by the firm Martin Associates, were mentioned by the Council to request a stimulus package from the U.S. Congress. | The FlaPort Chairman and Executive Director Doug Wheeler argues that the U.S. ports need no less than $ 1.5 billion…
(2020-08-04). How to generate unemployment and deflation. indybay.org The theory put forward by fair-weather philosophers that the pandemic will be a salutary shock leading to a better, more sustainable world is wrong. Forced renunciation and economic decline do not make anything better. Less is not more, but less. Corona is not an opportunity, it is an evil. We can only hope that one day it will pass.
(2020-08-04). Racial And Ethnic Economic Inequality And The COVID-19 Pandemic. popularresistance.org The Democracy Collaborative prepared a report, created for the Healthcare Anchor Network, that looked at how racial and ethnic disparities in the economy are showing up in the COVID-19 pandemic and in the public policy response to the pandemic. The report also covers how the economic effects of the pandemic will likely impact racial and ethnic inequality. | Every passing day brings new, painful evidence of how the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting people of color in the United States.
(2020-08-04). 'How The South Won The Civil War'. popularresistance.org If you think about the Civil War as a war between two different ideologies, two different concepts of what America is supposed to be, is it supposed to be a place where a few wealthy men direct the labor and the lives of the people below them, the women and people of color below them, the way the Confederacy argued? Is that America? Or is America what Lincoln and his ilk in the Republican Party in the North defined the democracy as during the Civil War? Is it a place where all men are equal before the law and should have equal access to resources? And of course, I use the word man there, but that's because that's…