(2020-12-21). COVID outbreak and China tensions expose Australian government bid to claim "recovery" wsws.org The government's own statistics show that more than three million workers remain dependent on poverty-line JobKeeper wage subsidies or JobSeeker dole payments, both of which are being slashed.
(2020-12-21). Congress Finalizes A COVID-19 Relief Bill. popularresistance.org Washington, DC – Congressional leaders agreed Sunday on a nearly $900 billion economic aid package to extend federal unemployment payments and forgivable loans for small businesses, and to give direct cash payments to many Americans. | The leaders — under increasing pressure from constituents and rank-and-file lawmakers, and confronted with both a slowing economy and surging coronavirus infections and related deaths — are racing to pass it into law before millions of Americans lose their financial lifeline. The final text of the aid package, the second largest in U.S. history, was expected to become a…
(2020-12-21). Chart of the day. mronline.org 
Both the number of initial unemployment claims for unemployment compensation and the number of continued claims for unemployment compensation are once again on the rise, signaling a worsening of the Pandemic Depression.
(2020-12-21). Today is Stalin's birthday. fightbacknews.org December 21 marks the birthday of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. | Though reviled in the West, Stalin oversaw the period of socialist construction in the USSR. Under his leadership the country abolished illiteracy, unemployment, homelessness, and put an end to Russia's centuries-long history of famines. Under the leadership of Stalin, the USSR played a key role in turning back the tide of fascism and the defeat of Nazi Germany. This victory was not just a victory for the Soviet Union and socialism, but a victory for the peoples of the world…
(2020-12-21). Bloomberg Is Concerned that Janet Yellen's Dollar Policy May Lessen Wealth Inequality. cepr.net You don't have to look far, it's literally the first sentence in a Bloomberg piece on dollar policy under incoming Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. "Janet Yellen once touted the benefits of a weaker greenback for exports, but as the incoming Treasury secretary, she faces pressure to return the U.S. to a "strong-dollar" policy — and …
(2020-12-21). Justice Democrats, Sunrise Movement Applaud Latest Economic Council Picks by Biden as 'Major Win'. commondreams.org Progressives on Monday applauded President-elect Joe Biden's selection of three new economic advisers who are expected to "prioritize the fight against structural inequality in our economy and democracy," including a former economic policy director to Sen. Elizabeth Warren. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1230050958_1.jpg …
(2020-12-20). Tackling the Infrastructure and Unemployment Crises: The "American System" Solution. globalresearch.ca A self-funding national infrastructure bank modeled on the "American System" of Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt would help solve not one but two of the country's biggest problems. | Millions of Americans have joined the ranks of the …
(2020-12-19). The Connection Between Poverty and Mental Illness. dissidentvoice.org 
Image Source: Pixabay "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps." This is a saying our country is familiar with. It's a mentality that built American society the way it is today. Unfortunately, it's not the only problematic sentiment our society is familiar with either. Our society is full of platitudes, bromides all too often used to …
(2020-12-18). Workers suffer as US pandemic relief bill goes nowhere in Congress. peoplesdispatch.org As the COVID-19 pandemic spirals out of control in the United States, inaction and deadlock in the government have left workers to fend for themselves amid mounting unemployment.
(2020-12-18). "Unhealthy Americans". Best Healthcare For the Rich. Highest Child Poverty Among Developed Nations. globalresearch.ca The world's richest country USA has one of the least healthy populations. | Among developed nations, Americans have shorter lifespans, more illnesses and injuries — despite around double the per capita amount spent on healthcare compared to other developed countries. | In …
(2020-12-18). Health and Wealth in India — Farmers' Lives Matter. globalresearch.ca To appreciate what is happening to agriculture and farmers in India, we must first understand how the development paradigm has been subverted. Development used to be about breaking with colonial exploitation and radically redefining power structures. Today, neoliberal dogma masquerades …